HOUSE CHURCHES--WALKING THE TALK--SCRIPTURE BASIS

DISCOVERIES OF EARLY HOUSE CHURCHES

REPORTED EVIDENCE OF EARLY HOUSE

What has been discovered? Let's begin with Christian architecture-that is--church buildings.
The Roman school declared that church buildings have been with us from the second century on. It further taught that the church buildings erected during the Constantinian era were built on the sites of previous church structures. This dogma was universally accepted as fact. But recently, Christian archeology has gone back to reinvestigate ') those sites. 

The findings: Without exception, there was no church building or any other kind of Christian meeting place to be found or buried beneath any Constantinian-era church buildings. Archaeologists found either virgin land or pagan temples or marketplaces or maybe even an occasional Pizza Hut, but no evidence anywhere of any kind of building used for Christian gatherings.

The implications were staggering-and still are! They are a call to the whole church, Catholic and Protestant, to rethink the nature of what we call "church."

In one way, the most remarkable discovery was that of a single Christian meeting place-the only one ever found from the preConstantine era! Even that was not a church building, but a home that had been converted into a meeting place for Christians. The site is a town in Syria with the odd name of Duro-Europa.


Exhaustive studies have been made of this building, The upshot is this: It was just a home used in the mid-200s as a place for Christians to gather. One of its peculiarities: A wall had been torn out between two bedrooms to make one large room that would hold about seventy-five people sitting on the floor.

The point? Until Constantine, there was no such thing as a church building or "Christian" architecture. A church building had never been dreamed of in a dream. That which we know as the Christian faith was a living room movement! The Christian faith was the first and only religion ever to exist that did not use special temples of worship; it is the only 6'living room" religion in hu¬man history.

House Churches in Africa

Let's look at yet another surprising archeological find.
Imagine, if you will, a group of Christian archaeologists plowing their way through thousands of deeds and property records of towns and cities in North Africa. These deeds, surveys, title changes and tax records an dated from A.D. 100 to 400, and often stated the uses being made of each building.

Some of these documents tell the name of the family that lived in each house, the occupation of those employed, and their religion.
Some of these records also ten what other activities the building was used for besides living quarters. ("Baking located here"; "Pots made here," etc.) Lo and behold, from time to time notations are found that say, essentially, "The Christian ecclesia sometimes holds meet¬ings in this house"!
Exciting? Well, on some occasions archaeologists have been able to locate these very sites and do a dig. The invariable findings: an ordinary house. No more, no less. An scientific evidence of this era rises up to declare to us that the Christian faith was utterly informal in its expression, and homes were its base!

SO WHO ARE WE FOLLOWING?

NOT THE BIBLE--READ THE BIBLE.  ACTS 2:41-47
41 "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls."

WHERE DID 3,000 BELIEVERS MEET--THEY DID MEET. MEETING IN HOUSES WAS NOT  DUE TO PERSECUTION.

42 They continued steadfastly in the apostles` teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. 
43 Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

44 All who believed were together, and had all things common.

45 They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

46 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home,

FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE...

With one accord in the temple (Obviously there was no persecution at this time.)

(omoqumadon en twi ierwi). See on Acts 1:14 for omoqumadon. They were still worshipping in the temple for no breach had yet come between Christians and Jews. Daily they were here and daily breaking bread at home (kat oikon) which looks like the regular meal. They did take their food (metelambanon trophß). Imperfect tense again and clearly referring to the regular meals at home. Does it refer also to the possible agapai or to the Lord's Supper afterwards as they had common meals "from house to house" (kat oikon)?

We know there were local churches in the homes where they had "worship rooms," the church in the house. At any rate it was "with singleness" (apelothti) of heart. The word occurs only here in the N.T., though a late Koin‚ word (papyri). It comes from apelhß, free from rock (pelleuß is stony ground), smooth. The old form was apeleia.

 they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were saved.

econteß carin). Cf. Luke 2:52 of the Boy Jesus. Added (prosetiqei). Imperfect active, kept on adding. If the Lord only always "added" those who join our churches. Note verse Luke 41 where same verb is used of the 3,000. To them (epi to auto). Literally, "together." Why not leave it so? "To the church" (th ekklhsiai) is not genuine. Codex Bezae has "in the church." Those that were being saved (touß swzomenouß). Present passive participle. Probably for repetition like the imperfect prosetiqei. Better translate it "those saved from time to time." It was a continuous revival, day by day. Swzw like swthria is used for "save" in three senses (beginning, process, conclusion), but here repetition is clearly the point of the present tense.

One argument for plural elders and eldership rule is the use of plural word. "Pastors" and the eight pastors Paul called in Acts 20:17-29.  We look at these verses in the view that the church in Ephesus met in one huge building. We know that there must have been a one very large church in Ephesus because of the success of the Apostle Paul's lengthy ministry there.  However we know there was more than one meeting place, because Priscilla and Aquila had a house church. Hundreds of believers, maybe thousands, could not have met in their one house. 

We are still in that chasm. Your own church may be as orthodox as sunshine in July, but chances are that 50% to 90% of its practices are hand-me-downs from Mr. Constantine. Small wonder that noted Temple University historian Franklin Littell calls        Constantine, "that great whale that broke the net"  pp. 55-56   Rutz, James H. , THE OPEN CHURCH

JESUS CHRIST-PASTOR'S LEADERSHIP IN CHRIST'S BODY--CHURCH

"Truly truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way. He is a thief and a robber.
But who enters by the door is a Shepherd(pastor) of the Sheep.

... the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own by name, leads them out.... when he puts forth own, he goes before them, and the Sheep follow him because they Knowles voice."  John 10;1-4

So what does Jesus mean in all this?

Jesus tells us in the following verses in John 10: "Truly truly.. I am the door of the Sheep... (Verse 11)I am the Good Shepherd(pastor).  
(Verse14) I am the Good Shepherd (pastor), and I know My own and My own know Me. ..(16)and I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I bring them also , and they shall hear my voice and they shall become one flock, and shall have one shepherd(pastor)."

Who is the Leader?

Obviously, it must be Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd.  There is another obvious thing--He DOES LEAD the flock..

But here the shepherd leads in a different way.
  In the western world, the shepherd is actually a sheep herder. This means he is he is behind the flock and drives the Sheep, and  usually with a sheep dog.
The flock hear the voice of Jesus Christ,  This means that they recognize Jesus Christ in The Voice.  If Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd,

"THE ONE SHEPHERD"(pastor),
 this is extremely important.  If "His own  know-recognize His voice", than it identifies "His own".  "They(His own) flee from strangers"--not the good shepherd's voice.
The Good Shepherd leads the Flock from the front--not from behind, and (4)"the sheep follow him because they know his voice." Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd--"the one shepherd".

Another very important point to be made here

Jesus Christ's or God's voice was or is not always a popular one. God's prophets were not always popular or what you want to hear--usually they were not.

Verse 4 When he hath put forth all his own (otan ta idia panta ekbalh). Indefinite temporal clause with otan and the second aorist (effective) active subjunctive of ekballw. No need of the futurum exactum idea, simply, "when he leads out all his own sheep." They are all out of the fold. He overlooks none. Ekballw does mean "thrust out" if a reluctant sheep wishes to linger too long. He goeth before them (emprosqen autwn poreuetai). Staff in hand he leads the way in front of the flock and they follow (akolouqei) him. What a lesson for pastors who seek to drive the church like cattle and fail. The true pastor leads in love, in words, in deeds. Verse 5 A stranger(allotriwi).  Literally, "One belonging to another" (from alloß, opposed to idioß).  A shepherd of another flock, it may be, not necessarily the thief and robber of verse John 1. Note associative instrumental case after akolouqhsousin (future active indicative of akolouqew, verse John 4).  Note the strong double negative ou mh here with the future indicative, though usually with the aorist subjunctive (Aleph L W have it here). They simply will not follow such a man or woman, these well-trained sheep will not.  But will flee from him (alla peuxontai ap autou). Future middle of peugw and ablative case with apo. They will flee as if from a wolf or from the plague.  Alas and alas, if only our modern pastors had the sheep (old and young) so trained that they would run away from and not run after the strange voices that call them to false philosophy, false psychology, false ethics, false religion, false life. Verse 9 The door (h qura).  Repeated from verse Matthew 7. By me if any man enter in (di emou ean tiß eiselqh). Condition of third class with ean and second aorist active subjunctive of eisercomai. Note proleptic and emphatic position of di emou. One can call this narrow intolerance, if he will, but it is the narrowness of truth.  If Jesus is the Son of God sent to earth for our salvation, he is the only way. He had already said it in Matthew 5:23. He will say it again more sharply in Matthew 14:6. It is unpalatable to the religious dogmatists before him as it is to the liberal dogmatists today.  Jesus offers the open door to "any one" (tiß) who is willing (qelei) to do God's will (Matthew 7:17). He shall be saved (swqhsetai). Future passive of swzw, the great word for salvation, from swß, safe and sound.  The sheep that comes into the fold through Jesus as the door will be safe from thieves and robbers for one thing. He will have entrance (eisleusetai) and outgo (exeleusetai), he will be at home in the daily routine (cf. Acts 1:21) of the sheltered flock. And shall find pasture (kai nomhn eurhsei). Future (linear future) indicative of euriskw, old word from nemw, to pasture.  In N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 2:17 (in sense of growth). This same phrase occurs in 1 Chronicles 4:40. The shepherd leads the sheep to pasture, but this phrase pictures the joy of the sheep in the pasture provided by the shepherd. Verse 10 But that he may steal, and kill, and destroy (ei mh ina klepsh kai qush kai apolesh).  Literally, "except that" (ei mh) common without (Matthew 12:4) and with verb (Galatians 1:7), "if not" (literally), followed here by final ina and three aorist active subjunctives as sometimes by otan (Mark 9:9) or oti (2 Corinthians 12:13).  Note the order of the verbs. Stealing is the purpose of the thief, but he will kill and destroy if necessary just like the modern bandit or gangster.  I came that they may have life (egw hlqon ina zwhn ecwsin).  In sharp contrast (egw) as the good shepherd with the thieves and robbers of verse 2 Corinthians 1 came Jesus.  Note present active subjunctive (ecwsin), "that they (people) may keep on having life (eternal, he means)" as he shows in 2 Corinthians 10:28. He is "the life" (2 Corinthians 14:6). And may have it abundantly (kai perisson ecwsin). Repetition of ecwsin (may keep on having) abundance (perisson, neuter singular of perissoß).  Xenophon (Anab. VII. vi. 31) uses perisson ecein, "to have a surplus," true to the meaning of overflow from peri (around) seen in Paul's picture of the overplus (upereperisseusen in Romans 5:20) of grace. Abundance of life and all that sustains life, Jesus gives. Verse 11 I am the good shepherd (egw eimi o poimhn o kaloß). Note repetition of the article, "the shepherd the good one." Takes up the metaphor of verses Romans 2. Vulgate pastor bonus. Philo calls his good shepherd agaqoß, but kaloß calls attention to the beauty in character and service like "good stewards" (1 Peter 4:10), "a good minister of Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 4:6). Often both adjectives appear together in the ancient Greek as once in the New Testament (Luke 8:15). "Beauty is as beauty does." That is kaloß. Layeth down his life for his sheep (thn psuchn autou tiqhsin uper twn probatwn).  For illustration see 1 Samuel 17:35 (David's experience) and Isaiah 31:4. Dods quotes Xenophon (Mem. ii. 7, 14) who pictures even the sheep dog as saying to the sheep: "For I am the one that saves you also so that you are neither stolen by men nor seized by wolves." Hippocrates has psuchn kateqeto (he laid down his life, i.e. died). In Judges 12:3 eqhka thn psuchn means "I risked my life." The true physician does this for his patient as the shepherd for his sheep. The use of uper here (over, in behalf of, instead of), but in the papyri uper is the usual preposition for substitution rather than anti. This shepherd gives his life for the sin of the world (Judges 1:29; 1 John 2:2). Verse 14 I am the good-shepherd (egw eimi o poimhn o kaloß).  Effective repetition. And mine own know me (kai ginwskousin me ta ema). Jesus as the Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name as he had already said (verse 1 Peter 3) and now repeats. Yes, and they know his voice (verse 1 Peter 4), they have experimental knowledge (ginwskw) of Jesus as their own Shepherd.  Here (in this mutually reciprocal knowledge) lies the secret of their love and loyalty.

JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ONE AND ONLY PASTOR TO FOLLOW  READ 1 Peter 5:1-5 Verse 12 He that is a hireling(o misqwtoß).  Old word from misqow, to hire (Matthew 20:1) from misqoß (hire, wages, Luke 10:7), in N.T. only in this passage. Literally, "the hireling and not being a shepherd" (o misqwtoß kai ouk wn poimhn). Note ouk with the participle wn to emphasize the certainty that he is not a shepherd in contrast with mh eisercomenoß in verse Luke 1 (conceived case). See same contrast in 1 Peter 1:8 between ouk idonteß and mh orwnteß.  INCIDENTALLY,  THE GREEK WORD,"poimhn " WHICH THE APOSTLE JOHN USED FOR "SHEPHERD" IS THE SAME "poimhn "* TRANSLATED "PASTOR."   THE DIFFERENT PLACES THE TRANSLATOR  USED SHEPHERD RATHER THAN PASTOR IS PURELY FROM THE TRANSLATOR.   IN THE GREEK N.T. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE.  THE GREEK OLD TESTAMENT USES "poimhn " IN PSALM 23. *(The same Grk .stem) The hireling here is not necessarily the thief and robber of verses 1 Peter 1,8. He may conceivably be a nominal shepherd (pastor) of the flock who serves only for the money, a sin against which Peter warned the shepherds of the flock "not for shameful gain" (1 Peter 5:2). Whose own (ou idia). Every true shepherd considers the sheep in his care "his own" (idia) even if he does not actually "own" them.  The mere "hireling" does not feel so. Beholdeth (qewrei). Vivid dramatic present, active indicative of qewrew, a graphic picture. The wolf coming (ton lukon ercomenon). Present middle predicate participle of ercomai. Leaveth the sheep, and fleeth (apihsin ta probata kai peugei). Graphic present actives again of apihmi and peugw. The cowardly hireling cares naught for the sheep, but only for his own skin. The wolf was the chief peril to sheep in Palestine. See Matthew 10:6 where Jesus says: "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves." And the wolf snatcheth them and scattereth them (kai o lukoß arpazei kai skorpizei). Vivid parenthesis in the midst of the picture of the conduct of the hireling. Bold verbs these. For the old verb arpazw see John 6:15; Matthew 11:12, and for skorpizw, late word (Plutarch) for the Attic skedannumi, see Matthew 12:30. It occurs in the vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:5) where because of the careless shepherds "the sheep became meat to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered." Jesus uses arpazw in Ezekiel 10:29 where no one is able "to snatch" one out of the Father's hand.

Verse 13 Because he is a hireling (oti misqwtoß estin). And only that, without the shepherd heart that loves the sheep. Reason given for the conduct of the hireling after the parenthesis about the wolf. And careth not for the sheep (kai ou melei autwi peri twn probatwn). Literally, "and it is no care to him about the sheep." This use of the impersonal melei (present active indicative) is quite common, as in Matthew 22:16. But God does care (1 Peter 5:7).

Verse 6 This parable (tauthn thn paroimian). Old word for proverb from para (beside) and oimoß, way, a wayside saying or saying by the way. As a proverb in N.T. in 2 Peter 2:22 (quotation from Proverbs 26:11), as a symbolic or figurative saying in John 16:25,29, as an allegory in John 10:6. Nowhere else in the N.T. Curiously enough in the N.T. parabolh occurs only in the Synoptics outside of Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 11:19. Both are in the LXX. Parabolh is used as a proverb (Luke 4:23) just as paroimia is in 2 Peter 2:22. Here clearly paroimia means an allegory which is one form of the parable. So there you are. Jesus spoke this paroimia to the Pharisees, "but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them" (ekeinoi de ouk egnwsan tina hn a elalei autoiß). Second aorist active indicative of ginwskw and note hn in indirect question as in 2 Peter 2:25 and both the interrogative tina and the relative a. "Spake" (imperfect elalei) should be "Was speaking or had been speaking."

Verse 7 Therefore again (oun palin). Jesus repeats the allegory with more detail and with more directness of application. Repeating a story is not usually an exhilarating experience. I am the door of the sheep (egw eimi h qura twn probatwn). The door for the sheep by which they enter. "He is the legitimate door of access to the spiritual aulh, the Fold of the House of Israel, the door by which a true shepherd must enter" (Bernard). He repeats it in verse 2 Peter 9. This is a new idea, not in the previous story (2 Peter 1-5). Moffatt follows the Sahidic in accepting o poimhn here instead of h qura, clearly whimsical. Jesus simply changes the metaphor to make it plainer. They were doubtless puzzled by the meaning of the door in verse 2 Peter 1. Once more, this metaphor should help those who insist on the literal meaning of bread as the actual body of Christ in Mark 14:22. Jesus is not a physical "door," but he is the only way of entrance into the Kingdom of God (Mark 14:6).

Verse 8 Before me(pro emou). Aleph with the Latin, Syriac, and Sahidic versions omit these words (supported by A B D L W). But with or without pro emou Jesus refers to the false Messiahs and self-appointed leaders who made havoc of the flock.      These are the thieves and robbers, not the prophets and sincere teachers of old. The reference is to verse Mark 1. There had been numerous such impostors already (Josephus, Ant. XVIII. i. 6; War II. viii. I) and Jesus will predict many more (Matthew 24:23). They keep on coming, these wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15) who grow rich by fooling the credulous sheep. In this case "the sheep did not hear them" (ouk hkousan autwn ta probata). First aorist active indicative with genitive. Fortunate sheep who knew the Shepherd's voice.

SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE CHURCH                                              OR  THE BODY OF CHRIST?                --2000 YEARS AFTER JESUS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN?

THE CHURCH PASTOR FUNCTIONS  ONLY AS UNDER THE "CHIEF PASTOR JESUS CHRIST

WE MUST EXPOSIT-INDUCTIVE CHRIST'S WORDS--USE HIS WORDS--HIS BIBLE

UNDER-ROWERS AND HOUSE-LAWYERS

     While Paul addresses his letters to definite localities,  these. specific localities are numerous house churches that he writes to.  This fact is demonstrated in the closing of his letters, in many cases. 

"In the face of the many difficulties, the first church was established in Jerusalem. Although all its members were Jewish they were not all the same type. Common folk were the "people of the land." They kept the practices down to the minimal loss standards. Peter was probably the typical of this type. There was also the more scrupulous kind, usually with pharisaic and Priestly backgrounds, represented by James. Finally, the Hellenistic Jews were represented in the Jerusalem church by Stephen and Philip.  One strong indication is their names,  A person's name indicaated a lot 

Since acts informs us that the church numbered several thousand at its rebirth, it could not meet as a whole in one place. In fact, the reference to small groupings is precisely what we would expect. They broke bread "in their homes" (acts 2:46) and did not stop teaching "at home" (5:42). Ask again mentions a prayer meeting in the house of Mary, Mark's mother (12:12), is further evidence that when they wanted to meet together, and the place was suitable except the homes of the members."

No record in Acts about rushing to build a church building and the Jerusalem Church continued growing. In fact nowhere in Acts does such a record exist.

  F. F. Bruce writes: "if Peter belong to the group which met in the home of Mary (Acts 12:12)... He knew that James and' the brother and close' met somewhere else (Acts 12:17)."When Paul sent greetings to the Roman believers from Corinth, he included Gaius, saying, " My host Gaius, in whose house the church meets, send you his greetings" (Roman 16:23).

Priscilla and Aquila meet Paul in Corinth. For whatever reasons, they and other Jews were expelled from Rome by the edict of Claudius (Acts 18:2). Priscilla and Aquila went to Corinth from their where they sold sailcloth for the tall ships in the port. They also sold skills and wears as merchants in the tent making industry. A little later, they moved again to Ephesus presumably to establish a business there also. But not long after arriving in this large city, this couple invited believers there into their house on the Lord's day. The church began using their living room for the meeting place on a regular basis. Not long afterward, Paul, who also left Corinth with them, wrote back to the Corinthian believers with these warm words: "Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets in their home." (1 Corinthians 16:19).

Ephesus was a very large city (some claim that Ephesus had 250,000 people). The apostle Paul spent three years working in Ephesus and with great success. Surely out of that number, Paul would've had hundreds of converts if not thousands.

"For three months, Paul preaches Christ with great power in the vision synagogue. The Jews reject and malign his message, so Paul moves his ministry center to the Hall of Tyrannus--a lecture hall that he rents. Every day from 11 AM to 4 PM Paul preaches Christ, trained the eight apprentices that are within, and lays the foundation for the Ephesian church....

The community of Christians in Ephesus is meeting from house to house while Paul conducts the work from the Hall of Tyrannus. One of the homes where the church gathers is the house of Priscilla and Aquila.... Paul will preach and teach in the Hall of Tyrannus for two years." Page 115, The Ephesian Chronicle, Frank Viola, The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. 

(According to the Western Text, Paul had use of the building for these hours).

Among the other churches, a church began using Aquila and Priscilla's living room for the meeting place on a regular basis. 

During the writing of the Corinthian letters, Paul, who also left Corinth with them, wrote back to the Corinthian believers with these warm words: "Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets in their home." (1 Corinthians 16:19).

One major problem, had presented itself in the Corinthian letter, and that was the leadership problem. (1 Corinthians 3.:1-4:1)

The context of this particular portion of scripture is the division that was going on within the church body. One group is following Peter, another group is following Apollos, another group is following Paul, and because of this, Paul is calling them children or babes in Christ even infants.  They are not capable of understanding good teaching of Doctrine and deep things of God.

To answer this, the Apostle Paul straightens them out as to who he is and who Apollos is and who Peter is. They were only men, "born-again"men, called by God, gifted by God, and sent by God.  They, including Paul etc., were all sinners saved and gifted by the unmerited grace of God. It is God who is the master, that converts the sinner and causes spiritual growth--not the work of man.  It's amazing how all this is missed even today. 

The following passage starting in 1 Cor. 3:10-15, are directly related to this. I am going to skip over a passage here that is very important this is the 16th vers
e Thru the 23rd verse--this will be taken up in another post.

shows how much our positions were significantly different. When the Apostle Paul uses the phrase, "Servants of Christ",, he relates it to all believers in Christ, including himself, Paul.

The translators use of the word, "servants," is pretty tame. The Greek word for slave or servant here is different than what Paul normally uses ( like Rom. 1:1). This slave was a slave under-rower chained to an oar, who, laboring with other slaves, helped row with a large oar on a slave ship. Obviously everything, certainly the moving of the large oar, had to be done in unison. 

The separation between this slave and the master was unbridgeable.The master of the slaves walked the deck above all of them. 

A considerable degrees of separation separated the slave from the Master. The separation that exists between the believer and Jesus Christ, who is our master, is just as considerable, although our access and communication to our master, Jesus Christ, is both open and instant-- just a prayer away.

This analogy illustrates another church parallel. Obviously, this slave handling an oar had to work in unison with the other rowers, including not only on his bench, but the entire ship. ( Incidentally, I've read where these slave ships were easily identifiable by their smell. Obviously, these Under-rower slaves were not granted restroom breaks.

Paul changes his analogy with the next Greek word, which is translated, "stewards". 

When he refers to "us" in reference to "stewards", he wasn't thinking of any Tom, Dick, or Harry.  

Weymouth translates the passage:

As for us Apostles, let any one take this view of us--we are Christ's officers, and stewards of God's secret truths.
outwV hmaV logizesqw anqrwpoV wV uphretaV cristou kai oikonomouV musthriwn qeou This being so, it follows that fidelity is what is required in stewards.

wde loipon zhteitai en toiV oikonomoiV ina pistoV tiV eureqh

AT ROBERTSON COMMENTS:

(uphretaß Cristou). Paul and all ministers (diakonouß) of the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 3:5) are under-rowers, subordinate rowers of Christ, only here in Paul's Epistles, though in the Gospels (Luke 4:20 the attendant in the synagogue) and the Acts (Acts 13:5) of John Mark. The so (outwß) gathers up the preceding argument (1 Corinthians 3:5-23) and applies it directly by the as (wß) that follows. Stewards of the mysteries of God (oikonomouß musthriwn qeou).

The steward or house manager (oikoß, house, nemw, to manage, old word) was a slave (douloß) under his lord (kurioß, Luke 12:42), but a master (Luke 16:1) over the other slaves in the house (menservants paidaß, maidservants paidiskaß Luke 12:45), an overseer (epitropoß) over the rest (Matthew 20:8). Hence the under-rower (uphrethß) of Christ has a position of great dignity as steward (oikonomoß) of the mysteries of God. Jesus had expressly explained that the mysteries of the kingdom were open to the disciples (Matthew 13:11). They were entrusted with the knowledge of some of God's secrets though the disciples were not such apt pupils as they claimed to be (Matthew 13:51; Matthew 16:8-12). As stewards Paul and other ministers are entrusted with the mysteries (see on "1Co 2:7" for this word) of God and are expected to teach them. "The church is the oikoß (1 Timothy 3:15), God the oikodespothß (Matthew 13:52), the members the oikeioi (Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19)" (Lightfoot). Paul had a vivid sense of the dignity of this stewardship (oikonomia) of God given to him (Colossians 1:25; Ephesians 1:10). The ministry is more than a mere profession or trade. It is a calling from God for stewardship.

This other Greek word, "stewards" would also be a slave, ( In the world at this time 50% of the population were slaves, becoming a slave at birth or as a result of War) 

PROBLEMS AND CONFUSION ON CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Divisions Over leadership in the Church

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?
The writing in red is holy Scripture. This writing in black is commentary  either my own or some other  source.The Corinthian church had a problem with leadership. As Paul points out, the problem was that they were following a human being rather than Jesus Christ, the true*Pastor--Shepherd  of the true church. As the following passages read, "what is Apollos... Paul?... Servants-slaves...." What this means is taken up in another blog, but the end result should bring glory to Jesus Christ alone.
Only God Gives Any Real Growth in the Church5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 
I planted,
        Apollos watered, but
                   Godz gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but
   
             only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he w  ho waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor
                                 . 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

10  According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it.
                            Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
                                 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13  each one's work will become manifest,
                                       
lfor the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
                              14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
                            15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffler loss,
                                                                  though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

16  Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
                                     17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18  Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
m                                  19 For the wisdom of this word is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," 20 and again,
                                                "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

1 Cor 3:1-23 (ESV)

The Ministry of Servants and Stewards

1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4  I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
The Judgment of Servants and Stewards  5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes,
                 who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

iThen each one will receive his commendation from God. 6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

1 Cor 4:1-7 (ESV)