Office

Let us first look at a definition for “office” from the 1828 Webster dictionary, whose earlier timeframe and association with scripture can often help us get a bit closer to the word’s original meaning.

A duty, charge or trust of a sacred nature, conferred by God himself; as the office of priest, in the Old Testament; and that of the apostles, in the New Testament.
That which is performed, intended or assigned to be done by a particular thing, or that which anything is fitted to perform; answering to duty in intelligent beings.

In other themes, we have already delved into the importance of putting these words into their early church cultural context to differentiate from the meaning shift affected by almost 1,600 years of ecclesiastical preeminence. With that in mind, I will attempt to rewrite a portion of the verses below (in italics) to help reflect more of that early church period.

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:^{Romans 11:13}

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my duty, my charge, conferred upon me by God himself:

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:^{Romans 12: 4}

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same duty, the same charge, or the same trust conferred upon each of us by God himself:

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. ^{I Timothy 3: 1}

This is a true saying, If a man desires to be utilized as a Godly example to the body of believers as a living epistle, he desireth a good work.

And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. ^{I Timothy 3: 10, 13}

And let these also first be proved; then let them use their designation of being an example of a living epistle, being found blameless. For they that have properly used their designated responsibility as an example for others to emulate purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Hopefully, the verse rewrites were helpful and not confusing. The original verses are completely fine in themselves as long as you can mentally position the proper cultural context for the words office, deacon, and bishop.

It should be especially clear the usage of office in a preeminent sense is totally negated by Romans 12:4 above. This verse makes it clear that all members of Christ’s body have an office, negating anyone who might assume preeminence over another within a Christian fellowship.

Ralph Wendt