And passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia.
χειροτονησαντες δε αυτοις πρεσβυτερους κατ εκκλησιαν προσευξαμενοι μετα νηστειων παρεθεντο αυτους τω κυριω εις ον πεπιστευκεισαν
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
After preaching here and in the vicinity of both Lystra and Derbe, they again visited the cities where they had first spread the faith. From these they had been forced to depart earlier than they wished because persecutions had arisen. They sought to confirm the new Christians in the faith and gave the newly founded churches a firm hierarchical organization. Then they returned to Antioch by the same road by which they had come.
After preaching the Gospel to this city and gaining quite a few disciples there, Paul and Barnabas undertook the return journey. They visited the Churches already founded in the regions of Asia Minor, confirming the young Christians in the faith and ordering Christian ecclesial life among them. Finally they returned to Syrian Antioch, from which they had undertaken their preaching journey. The Apostles remained in Antioch for no short time.
At this time the apostles ordained presbyters for each church, as leaders and guides of each community. By this, a firm outward organization was also given to the communities, along with celebrants of the mysteries. See the note on Acts 11:30.
Having ordained: having laid hands on them, and so consecrated them to a special ministry in the Church. By a similar ordination the apostles consecrated deacons. See the note on Acts 6:2-6.
Here they consecrated presbyters, leaders of each local church, and perhaps more than one in each community, as the historian’s expression indicates.
At their farewell to each separate community, the apostles offered prayers to God with fasting, as they did on every important occasion (Acts 13:3 and elsewhere). They entrusted them, that is, the newly converted Christians together with their newly appointed leaders, to the Lord.
They entrusted them to the mercy, protection, and good pleasure of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom they had recently believed.
The ordination of presbyters for each of the churches founded by Paul and Barnabas is significant in many respects. Above all, it means that from that time full ecclesiastical order began in these churches.
It is also noteworthy that the apostles entrusted these churches to the higher guidance of the Lord, in Whom the Christians had believed. That is, they entrusted them to Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church and the common Guardian of all churches, pastors, and flock.
Saint John Chrysostom relates the fasting and prayer to the ordination. Blessed Theophylact writes: “Pay attention that Paul and Barnabas had the episcopal rank, because they ordained not only deacons but also presbyters.”
“Together with inward strengthening, the apostles also impart outward strengthening to the newly founded Christian communities, by establishing governance in these communities. The apostles ordained several presbyters for each Christian community, each Church (cf. Acts 20:17, 28), to guide and govern the communities.
After this Paul and Barnabas leave these churches. Their departure was preceded by a solemn divine service. In it, after prayer and fasting, they called down upon them grace, the gracious nearness of Jesus Christ, as the true Shepherd and Guardian of Christian souls (see 1 Pet 2:25).
‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you’: these were probably the words with which the apostles left the young churches.”
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS