) a change of
name. (1) The change of arrangement was the establishment in each
local church of a prophet, or one, like Timothy or Titus, who had been
ordained to quasi-apostolic office by an apostle or man of apostolic
rank; such a change taking place first at the greatest centres, and
then in lesser cities. (2) The change of name was the appropriation to
this now localized ruler of the title of bishop or 'overseer' which had
hitherto appertained more or less to the presbyters generally.

{171}

But in any case it is certain that the developement of the ministry
occurred on the principle of the apostolic succession. Those who were
to be ministers were the elect of the church in which they were to
minister: but they were authoritatively ordained to their office from
above, and by succession from the apostolic men. And such a principle
of ministerial authority appears to be not only historical, but also
most rational. For a continuous corporate unity was to be maintained
in a society which, as being catholic, must lack all such natural links
of connexion as are afforded by a common language or common race. And
how could such continuous corporate unity have been so well secured as
by a succession of persons whose function should be to maintain a
tradition, and whose ministerial authority should make them necessary
centres of the unity?

[1] And not as Dr. Robertson (Smith's _Dict. of Bible_, ed. ii. vol. i.
pt. ii. p. 951) suggests, to introduce a prayer to God, which is
resumed in iii. 14. The 'For this cause' which is repeated in iii. 14
is not nearly so significant as 'the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you
Gentiles,' which is taken up again in iv. 1.

[2] I have interpreted this word in the light of what is said in verse
16.

[3] Tit. iii. 5.

[4] Ps. lxviii. 18 (Delitzsch).

[5] I do not think St. Paul need refer to the descent into Hades. 'The
lower parts of the earth,' Is. xliv. 23, may also refer not to Hades
(see Delitzsch _in loco_) but to 'the earth beneath.'

[6] The 'filling all things' is, in the epistles to the Ephesians and
Colossians, the characteristic action of the exalted Christ and the
result of the reconciliation and atonement won. Cf. 1 Cor. xv. 24-28,
'That God may be all in all.'

[7] See Delitzsch's and Perowne's notes.

[8] Calvin, _in loc._

[9] Hil. _de Trin._ viii. 7-9. The last sentence is condensed.

[10] Vol. i. p. 317 (Longmans, 1895).

[11] 1 Thess. iv. 14.