What Does the Bible Say About Pastors?

by Rev. Matthew Zickler

Upon His resurrection, Christ appeared to His disciples and sent them with a particular, unique sending, making them apostles. However, as He did this, He also instituted the apostolic office that we still recognize in the Office of the Holy Ministry (see John 20:1923; Matt. 28:1620; Mark 16:1416; Luke 24:4649). Under the guidance of Peter, the 11 remaining disciples filled the office of the 12th, according to certain requirements.

Certainly these requirements demonstrated a desire to maintain the uniqueness of the Twelve, that is, that they were ones who had received a call immediately from Jesus Himself while He was on earth.

Read Acts 1:1526. What were these requirements, and how did they reflect a need for those standing in the office to be well-taught?
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How is this consistent with Jesus’ own institution of the Office of the Ministry in Matt. 28:1920?
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The amount of theology our Lord taught His disciples during His earthly ministry could fill innumerable books (John 21:25). As we look at the Gospel of Matthew, we see some of the things that Jesus taught them: the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 58), that they were to be received for their message as Christ Himself (10:40), that Jesus is the Christ (16:1620), that He would die and be raised (16:2123; 17:2223; 20:1720) and that they were to celebrate His Holy Supper (26:2629). St. Paul, too, learned of these teachings and told St. Timothy to pass them on to others (2 Tim. 2:2). How does the education of our pastors in seminaries today fulfill our Lord’s exhortation to His disciples and Paul’s to Timothy?
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How do our seminaries also enable pastors to fulfill the following requirements or allow our church body to ensure that pastors fulfill them? See Titus 1:59; 1 Tim. 3:17.
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1 Tim. 4:1316 and 2 Tim. 1:814 speak specifically of the gift of ordination, but how does seminary training prepare those in the ministry to continue in these exhortations after they are fulfilling the work of the ministry in a congregation?
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In the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XVIII states, “If only the adversaries (the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church at that time) would hear, on the other hand, the complaints of the churches and of godly minds! . . . They do not care that the churches are rightly taught and that the Sacraments are duly administered. They let all kinds of men into the priesthood without proper selection.” This statement obviously shows the concern of the reformers for properly selected (which includes properly educated) clergy. How is this consistent with what St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 5:22?
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In our Synod, we thank God that, in His mercy and grace, He has blessed us with two seminaries that give some of the best pastoral training in the world. Soli Deo Gloria!

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About the author: The Rev. Matthew Zickler is pastor of Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Oak Lawn, Ill.

February 2012