Got a video in this morning before the day got away from me.
Two figures came up that cut right to the heart of the esse/bene esse/plene esse debate. John Stott argues the apostles were unique in four ways — eyewitness experience, sight of the risen Lord, direct commission, and inspiration by the Spirit — and therefore their authority is unrepeatable. We submit to them through Scripture. No one can claim equal standing.
Bishop Cummins, the REC’s founder, goes further: the apostolic office itself ceased with the apostles’ deaths. Scripture contains no suggestion of perpetuation. Apostolic succession as an office, on his reading, is a category error.
However both say the office of Bishop was created by the Apostles and imbued with authority, but not the same as the Apostles, whom the Lord Himself imbued with authority, but not the same as His authority.
And yet — Jethro’s advice to Moses produced a hierarchy that ordered Israel’s common life and preserved the teaching from being lost in the noise. The pattern of ordered ministry protecting apostolic content shows up before the New Testament does.
The conversation continues.
Tomorrow: opening the office. Study nearly impossible. Taking a book for lunch.
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