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Definition and Role:
In the early Christian church, the term "bishop" (Greek: ἐπίσκοπος, episkopos) referred to an overseer or guardian responsible for the spiritual and administrative leadership of a Christian community. The role of a bishop is rooted in the New Testament, where it is often associated with pastoral care, teaching, and maintaining doctrinal purity.

Biblical References:
The office of a bishop is mentioned in several New Testament passages. In1 Timothy 3:1-7, the Apostle Paul outlines the qualifications for a bishop, emphasizing the importance of moral integrity, teaching ability, and effective management of one's household: "This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach..." .

Similarly, inTitus 1:7-9, Paul instructs Titus on the qualities required of a bishop, highlighting the need for blamelessness and adherence to sound doctrine: "As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" .

Historical Context:
In the early church, bishops were often chosen from among the elders (presbyters) and were tasked with the oversight of multiple congregations within a particular region. The role of the bishop evolved over time, becoming more defined and hierarchical as the church expanded. By the second century, bishops were recognized as key figures in maintaining unity and orthodoxy within the Christian community.

Theological Significance:
Bishops are seen as successors to the apostles, entrusted with the responsibility of preserving the apostolic teaching and tradition. Their role is not only administrative but also deeply spiritual, as they are called to shepherd the flock of God, as emphasized inActs 20:28: "Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood" .

Contemporary Understanding:
In various Christian denominations, the role and function of bishops can differ significantly. In some traditions, bishops are seen as essential to the sacramental and hierarchical structure of the church, while in others, the role may be more symbolic or administrative. Despite these differences, the core responsibilities of teaching, pastoral care, and maintaining doctrinal integrity remain central to the office of a bishop.

Conclusion:
The office of bishop, as outlined in the New Testament, continues to be a vital aspect of church leadership, embodying the principles of oversight, teaching, and pastoral care that are foundational to the Christian faith.BISHOPS' BIBLE

SeeENGLISH VERSIONS.

Bishops of Alexandria.
... Supplementary Notes and Tables.Bishops of Alexandria. Annianus. Justus. Agrippinus.
Dionysius. Abilius. Eumenes. Julian. Maximus. Cerdon. Marcus. Demetrius....

Bishops of Antioch.
... Supplementary Notes and Tables.Bishops of Antioch. (Dates taken from the table
given by Harnack in his Zeit des Ignatius, p.62.) Evodius....

Bishops of Jerusalem.
... Supplementary Notes and Tables.Bishops of Jerusalem. James. Justus. Gaius I. Dius.
Symeon. Levi. Symmachus. Germanio. Justus. Ephres. Gaius II. Gordius....

TheBishops of Rome and of Alexandria During the Reign Of
... Book IV. Chapter I."TheBishops of Rome and of Alexandria during the Reign of.... [968]
We still have lists ofbishops as old as the end of the second century....

To theBishops of Africa.
... Chapter II. To theBishops of Africa. Letter of NinetyBishops of Egypt and Libya,
including Athanasius. 1.-Pre-Eminence of the Council of Nic??a....

TheBishops of Jerusalem from the Age of Our Saviour to the Period...
... Book IV. Chapter V."TheBishops of Jerusalem from the Age of our Saviour
to the Period under Consideration. 1. The chronology of...

To theBishops of Cilicia.
... Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, LXXXIV. To theBishops of Cilicia. Your
piety has heard of the calumnies directed against me....

Ep. Xliii. To theBishops.
... Division II. Correspondence with Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of C??sarea.
Ep. XLIII. To theBishops. (The comprovincialBishops...

Of the Seats of theBishops.
... The Epistle of Pope Urban First. IV. Of the seats of thebishops. Furthermore,
as to the fact that in the churches of thebishops...

Excursus on the Translation ofBishops.
... Excursus on the Translation ofBishops. There are few points upon which
the discipline of the Church has so completely changed as...

Bishops (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version ConcordanceBishops (2 Occurrences). Acts 20:28 Take heed
unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy...

Bishops'
Bishops'.Bishops,Bishops'. Bit . Int. Standard Bible EncyclopediaBISHOPS'
BIBLE. See ENGLISH VERSIONS.Bishops,Bishops'. Bit . Reference Bible.

Abba (3 Occurrences)
... (n.) Father; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches,
a title given to thebishops, and by thebishops to the patriarch. Int....

Bishop (4 Occurrences)
... In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to order
betweenbishops and elders or presbyters (Acts 20:17-28; 1 Peter 5:1, 2...

Government (20 Occurrences)
... gifts of "healing," "helps," "governments," "tongues." It may be that "helps" and
"governments" are to be identified with "deacons" and "bishops," to be spoken...

Elder (34 Occurrences)
... The "elders" of the New Testament church were the "pastors" (Ephesians 4:11), "bishops
or overseers" (Acts 20:28), "leaders" and "rulers" (Hebrews 13:7; 1...

Deacon (4 Occurrences)
... In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest
order in the ministry, subordinate to thebishops and priests....

Creeds
... 2. The Nicene Creed: (1) Origin, Date, Character: The Nicene Creed, called sometimes
"the Creed of the 318" from the number ofbishops reputed to have been...

Subapostolic
... Of the former (essential to congregational organization) onlybishops and deacons
are mentioned, ie those entrusted with rule and oversight, with their...

Sub-apostolic
... Of the former (essential to congregational organization) onlybishops and deacons
are mentioned, ie those entrusted with rule and oversight, with their...

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