There are Bible verses that pastors are afraid of. They fear that the flock will find them and so have endeavored to obscure them by never mentioning them in services. The most starling Bible verse is one in Matthew's Gospel. It once in older translations was clearer, but has by translators (many of them pastors) been watered down. I shall endeavor to give the best original version of it.
Jesus said something that has shaken the Church and calls into question the structure and notions of scholars, theologians, and clergy. Jesus said,
"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Nor are you to be called instructors (teachers, masters), for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matthew 23:8-13). Let us unpack this very unpopular collection of Scripture. Jesus begins by saying "do not be called Rabbi," which meant teacher, but any scholar of Judeo History at time of Jesus know a Rabbi was more like a pastor and they had Talmidim (disciples) who wanted to become in every way like the Rabbi. Jesus is clearly saying call no one your Rabbi, but there is one, Jesus is your Rabbi and Pastor, not anyone else! Then our Lord says, call no one "father" for you have One Father in Heaven. This confronts both the paternal relationship and the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church titles. Everyone calls the man who help bring them into the world father, but Jesus says not to. Then the clergy in Roman and Eastern Churches are called Father, an honorary title which is inappropriate, because we have One Father in Heaven. Interestingly, in context, Christ is addressing the the Pharisees and Religious Leaders in the Scriptures I have shared, and those before and after them.
This statement from Christ shakes up the Church structure of today. The concept that we should honor, revere, and serve 'holy men' who are called Rabbi, Pastor, Priest, Teacher, Instructor, and Master is heresy! Jesus says it clear in red letters! Do not call such men these titles! You have One Rabbi, Jesus Christ, You have One Teacher the Messiah (Jesus), and you have one Father, who art in Heaven! (Matthew 6:9). We are not to seek these titles, have them, or bow to those who bear them! Christ actually has commanded to not be called by these titles and yet look at all churches! Every church has a person calling themselves Pastor, Preacher, Teacher, Priest, Father, and in really creepy places, Master or Abbot.
In the final part of the Scripture I have shared, Jesus says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matthew 23:13). Religious leaders do this. Priests and clergy acts as intermediaries, when the Word says, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.." (1 Timothy 2:5). There are Fathers and Priests in Catholic and Orthodox Churches who hinder people from entering the kingdom of heaven, by emphasizing rule keeping, legalism, tradition, and who believe in salvation through works like the Sacraments and lifestyle, when Scripture clearly says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24). We are justified and saved through Jesus Christ's death and precious blood, and nothing else! We simply have to believe! Jesus said, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29). There it is! Simple, believe in Jesus Christ and you shall "not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3;16).
Pastors, Priests, and Teachers exist in the Church because they have to convince us we need them; that they admister salvation through the Eucharist (Communion Meal) and other pious acts. But Scripture clearly states that we only need to believe to be saved! (John 3:16). There is no need to do rituals, follow traditions, and even live lifestyle to be saved. We live righteously not for salvation, but to bear the fruit that we are saved in Christ. We do not behave like Jesus to earn or merit His salvation, we behave and live a life after Him because He now lives within us (Galatians 2:20) and has changed us! (2 Corinthians 5:17).
I am not saying no one should use a teaching gift or if they would like to pastor, or help God's people by ministering in ways Scripture sets up, then fine. But they should not be more highly revered, honored, or allowed the sole position in a church. How many teachers are hindered because only one teacher, the pastor, gets up on Sunday mornings to teach? We have made an office & title that Jesus forbids! We should be concerned by this! We are to have One Master, Teacher, Rabbi (Pastor), and Father: The Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Jesus is our Rabbi and Teacher. We should seek to be His Talmidim, His Disciples! It is time to wake up people!
A challenger may refute my argument by citing the Apostle Paul, "He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…" (Ephesians 4:11-13). But then we have to ask, is Paul speaking against Jesus?! No and God forbid! Let us finish the Scripture, "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:12-16). In verse eleven, Paul seems to be saying that the goal of these apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers is to build up the body of Christ and then in verse twelve adds a clause or tense "until or as a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.." The goal of these offices Paul brings up are not really in themselves positions, but callings to help Christians become mature. What happened is that many of Greek Churches often fell into deception and needed to have people constantly teaching them true doctrine of the gospel and help lead them out of heresies. But then Paul later indicates that there is time when this teaching ends, "Group up in all aspect into Him who is the head, even Christ.." This is where the error enters. Paul is saying these offices, apostle, prophet, pastor and evangelist are temporary! You teach people and then they become prophets, pastors, evangelists, and apostles who go and make more disciples as Jesus Christ instructed: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.." (Matthew 28:19). Eventually everyone is a teacher, evangelist, pastor, teacher, and prophet! That is the goal, but instead Church through the work of Emperor Constantine and pagan traditions in the 3rd Century, made the office of Apostle, Teacher, Pastor and Priest as exclusive to certain people; they caused separation between Clergy and Laity (The History of the Church, Eusebius, Penguin Classics, pg 311, 315). When no distinction is found in the Scriptures! In fact, we are all suppose to be both Priest and Plowman, Pastor and Parking attendant, Bishop and Businessman or woman! We were not suppose to be separation! Even Paul said, "If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9:11-13,16-18). Paul talks about those who take money for the gospel, but he chooses no to so that there may be no "hindrance to the gospel." If you become a priest or pastor today, you are enslaved to a flock who if they do not like you preaching about The Rock or sharing gospel in a less seeker friendly way, may use a board or elders to hinder you and even keep you from going on mission to evangelize people in distant lands.
Being an apostle, pastor, teacher, evangelist, or prophet is not an exclusive calling. Everyone in Christ's church can and should be an apostle, or pastor, or teacher, or prophet, and more. These offices are like the Holy Spirit gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, which require only asking the Lord for them. You can be an apostle, evangelist, pastor or teacher by simply doing what the True Rabbi, Teacher, Master Jesus Christ taught you! The Apostle Paul said, "This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead," (Galatians 1:1) and "For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:12). Paul thus meant in Ephesians 4:11-13, regarding the office of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, and pastor as being callings from Christ! They are not positions and titles, but callings from God Jesus Christ and God The Father and Only they can teach how to really use these callings. This is where the churches have fallen into error! They interpret Ephesians 4 as positions in the church that you must merit, when they really are personal callings from Christ that anyone can have!
Being Pastor is particular calling, you want to help Christian brothers and sisters, but you do not reserve the right to monopolize people's time with pulpit (pulpits are pagan in origin, Islam has them too). For if you are Pastor, you are pastoring prophets, evangelists, teachers, other pastors, and apostles! So do not have big ego! You are part of family who either have the same or greater gifts! No one is suppose to be pastor or teacher in place of Jesus! Each person is to call Jesus their Rabbi, Master, Teacher, and Lord! Learn from Him and He will make you an apostle, evangelist, prophet, pastor, or teacher. You can end up with all these gifts from apostle to pastor or mix, a few of them. When you serve under Rabbi Jesus, you learn how to be great teacher, but always remember only He deserves the title of Teacher. Your goal as teacher is to point people to the True Teacher, to the Real Rabbi Jesus Christ! If you are puffing yourself up at a pulpit and having people come to you, then you have failed God and are in error, even perhaps apostasy! The Apostles called themselves "Servants," which is the greatest calling of all! (Mathew 23:11).
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