It is probable that by the "helps," of whom Paul here speaks, he
understands _the deacons_, [231:5] who were originally appointed to
relieve the apostles of a portion of labour which they felt to be
inconvenient and burdensome. [231:6] The duties of the deacons were not
strictly of a spiritual character; these ministers held only a
subordinate station among the office-bearers of the Church; and, even in
dealing with its temporalities, they acted under the advice and
direction of those who were properly entrusted with its government.
Hence, perhaps, they were called "helps" or attendants. [231:7]

When these helps and the extraordinary functionaries are left out of the
apostolic catalogues, it is rather singular that, in the passage
addressed to the Ephesians, we have nothing remaining but "PASTORS AND
TEACHERS;" and, in that to the Corinthians, nothing but "TEACHERS" AND
"GOVERNMENTS." There are good grounds for believing that these two
residuary elements are identical,--the "pastors," mentioned
before[232:1] the teachers in one text, being equivalent to the
"governments" mentioned after them in the other.[232:2] Nor is it
strange that those entrusted with the ecclesiastical government should
be styled pastors or shepherds; for they are the guardians and rulers of
"the flock of God." [232:3] Thus, it appears that the ordinary
office-bearers of the Apostolic Church were pastors, teachers, and
helps; or, teachers, rulers, and deacons.

In the apostolic age we read likewise of elders and bishops; and in the
New Testament these names are often used interchangeably.[232:4] The
elders or bishops, were the same as the pastors and teachers; for they
had the charge of the instruction and government of the Church.[232:5]
Hence elders are required to act as faithful pastors under Christ, the
Chief Shepherd.[232:6] It appears, too, that whilst some of the elders
were only pastors, or rulers, others were also teachers. The apostle
says accordingly--"Let the elders that _rule_ well, be counted worthy of
double honour, especially those that _labour in the word and
doctrine_".[232:7] We may thus see that the teachers, governments, and
helps, mentioned by Paul when writing to the Corinthians, are the same
as the "bishops and deacons" of whom he speaks elsewhere. [233:1]

In primitive times there were, generally, a plurality of elders, as well
as a plurality of deacons, in every church or congregation; [233:2] and
each functionary