Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/378

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HIERARCHY


332


HIERARCHY


fore, necessarily mystic and miraculous manifesta- tions. The contrary opinion, although widely spread, cannot be proved from the sources. Whether all these charismata are mystic or miraculous (see above) or not dcpentls on their object anil their character. The oppo.sition of the "spiritual" individual to the prophet in I Cor., xiv, 37, is only apparent. The ^ in the sentence €t tls 5oku irpofp-qTi)^ eivat ij TrvevfiaTLKds is to be translated by " or in general". Every charis- matic individual is spiritual, but not vice versa. It shows lack of exact criticism to suppose extraordinary charismata, or miraculous endowments, in all those cases where there is mention of charismata.

We now proceed to a more detailed examination of these texts. In Rom., xii, 8-8, the diver.se charis- mata are enumerated which determine the dignity of the members of the mystical body of Christ. Among these charismata Paul mentions (v. 6) prophecy "according to the rule of faith" (xard tt)!- dm\oylav T^s ttiVtcms), the ministry and the gift of teaching (v. 7). W'ith regard to the two latter, it cannot bo shown that they were charismata in a different sense than any other Christian virtue, or any work under- taken out of love or under the ordinary influence of grace. This is confirmed by the circumstance that immediately afterwards there are mentioned: (v. 8) he that exhorteth {irapaKa\i!>i>), he that giveth (jH6to- SiSous), he that ruleth (Trpoio-rd/ne^'os), and he that sheweth mercy (eXeHv). In I Cor., xii, 4-31, Paul distinguishes (v. 4, 5, 6), charismata (xap/ffMara), probably healing of the sick, ministries (SiaKoi'lai), and operations {ivepy-fifxara). In the Epistle to the Romans he counts ministries among the charismata. However, in the Epistle to the Corinthians he does not adhere strictly to this threefold division. For in verses 8 and 9 he evidently enumerates as charismata the (obscure) word of wistlom (X47os (ro0ms), the (interpreting) word of knowledge (\6yos yvJxreas), faith (iricrTi!}, and the grace of healing (xapicr/iara ta/iaTuv). In v. 10 miracles are mentioned in the first place, probaljly expulsions of demons {{vepyrniaTa Svfdpeav), and then follow prophecy, discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues, and the interpretation of speeches. Verse 28 gives another hst; apostles, prophets, doctors, miracles (5unl/neit), the graces of healings, helps {dvTi\-/}\f'eis), governments (/"'^epi/jjtreis), kinds of tongues, interpretations of speeches. The Apostles, prophets, and doctors are introduced by " first", " secomlly", and " thirdly ". For the Apostles are the first heralds of the Faith; in the prophets the marvellous power of the Holy Ghost is displayed in the first and most necessary manifestations; the doctors explain the new doctrine to the newly con- verted. In chapters xiii, 1-3, and xiv, 1-5 and 19, Paul again refers incidentally to some of the charis- mata, in order to warn against overvaluation and misuse. In xiv, 27-.33 and 37-38, it is stated that the prophets do not possess the privilege of absolute truth; they have to control one another. Furthermore they, as well as all charismatic memljcrs, must be in con- formity with the teaching of the Apostle (cf. Rom., xii, 6), and acknowledge that his teaching is the com- mand of tiod [EC Tt! SoKCi 7rpo0^T?)5 cJvai f) TrvevpLanKis, iiTLyivtjXJKiTw, di ypafpu vp-lv, 6tl Kvplov iffriv ivroK^, YA bi Tis iymfi, dyfoetrai (I Cor., xiv, 37-38 — the read- ing dyvoelru) gives no sense)].

The comforter of the Epistle to the Romans who admonishes and teaches is charismatic in the same sense as Tychicus, whose office it is to console the Ephesians and Colossians (Eph., vi, 21 and 22; Col., iv, 7 and 8), as Timothy in Thessalonica (I Thess., iii, 2). Paul regards every admonition and consolation proceeding from the Faith as a form of activity in- cluded in charismata, and Paul, Timothy, and Titus act as TapaKaXovpTes when they admonish and instruct (I Thess., ii, 11; I Tim,, v, 1; vi, 2; II Tim., iv, 2; Tit., ii, 6, 15). The word TapiKX-qa-is in the NewTesta-


ment has always the meaning of an explanatory ad- monition and consolation, or an instruction; so Acts, xiii, 15; xv, 31; II Cor., viii, 17; I Thess., ii, 3; cf. Heb., xiii, 22. Frequently it denotes consolation in the passive sense; so II Cor., i, 3, 4, 5, 6 {bis), 7; vii, 4, 7, 13; viii, 4(?); Phil., ii, 1; II Thess., ii, 16; Philem., 7 (cf. Heb., vi, IS; xii, 5; Acts, ix, 31). As denoting a prophetic admonition and consolation we find TrapdK\rj<ris in I Cor., xiv, 3, and I Tim., iv, 13, where it is found in combination with StSaa-KaXla. It signifies, therefore, consoling exhortation as dis- tinguished from instruction. Nor does /xeraSiSirai imply a charisma in the sense of an extraordinary command of the Spirit. It is used not only of mate- rial alms (Eph., iv, 28 — cf. Luke, iii, 11), but also of a spiritual gift (Rom., i, 11), and of the Gospel (I Thess., ii, 8 — ^fTuSoCi/ai). 'IXapArjjs occurs only in the above- mentioned passage in the Epistle to the Romans (Rom., xii, 8). The i\eu)v is simply every one who from motives of Faith exercises mercy in the service of the Church. Neither do we know anything of a my.stic or miraculous charisma relating to spiritual or material help (d^'riXiJ^cis) andgovernment(KD;3fpc^(reis), words which do not occur elsewhere in the New Testa- ment; they were simply voluntary or official .services. The ruler (Trpoi<rTdp.(vos) of the Epistle to the Romans is endowed with just such a spiritual gift. These gifts are charismata in St. Paul's sense (see above). On account of the local colour of the " Didache" we can- not draw from it any general conclusions concerning the Apostles, prophets, and doctors of the oldest times. This triad — Apostles, prophets, doctors — occurs in the New Testament only in I Cor., xii, 28 and 29. In the Epistle to the Ephesians (iv, 11) Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and doctors are enumerated. In the Acts we find (xiii, 1) only prophets and doctors. Apart from the Gospels, we find doctors (SiSdo-icoXoi) mentioned alone in the following texts: Rom., ii, 20 (some Christians believe themselves to be teachers of infants); Heb., v, 12 (those addressed ought to be masters); I Tim., ii, 7, and II Tim., iv, 3 (in the last the reference is to false teachers) ; James, iii, 1 (there should not be many masters). In none of these places does the word doctor or its equivalent imply a mystic or miraculous charisma ; at least such cannot be shown from the sources themselves. The same is true of the expressions didache and didaskalia, which denote simply the doctrine itself and its actual com- munication. They were charismata just as every gift granted Ijy God for the service of the Church was a charisma. The same is found to be true from a study of the Pastoral Epistles. Neither does the expression teach {SiSd<rKa, I teach) signify anything more.

More difficult is the correct valuation of the term apostle. Beginning with Lightfoot (St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, 1887 and 1902, 92 sqq.) this question hasbeendiscussedagainand.again. The present writer takes the view that in the Acts the word is alwa3'S used of the Twelve, with the exception however of xiv, 4 and 13. There Barnabas and Paul are called "the apostles" (oJ dTriirT-oXoi). From this we cannot at once conclude that Barnabas was an Apostle in the same sense as Paul. For, as it was everywhere known that Paul enjoyed the title of .\postle, it may well be that Barnabas as his companion shared this name. Neither he nor Sylvanus is ever called Apostle by Paul him.self, not even in I Cor., ix, 6. Paul does, however, allow Barnabas (and Sylvanus) to share in his Apostolic privileges when they are in his company; so, for instance, in Gal., ii, 9. Paul commonly gives the title of Apostle to none but the Twelve besides himself. In II Cor., xi, 5, and xii, 11, it is plain that those who are "above measure" apo.stles are ironically so called and are to be looked upon as pseudo-apostles. In II Cor., viii, 23, the dir6ffTo\oi iKKK-qaiCiv are envoys. The word is used here in its original meaning, not unknown, perhaps, to the Hellenistic Jews. In