Historical Origins And Development Of Ordination In The West

In the New Testament, leaders were set apart for ministry by the laying on of hands accompanied by prayer. Although elaborate ceremonies emerged that were later eliminated by the Protestant Reformers, laying on of hands with a prayer for consecration remained a constant characteristic of ordination. Ordination in the New Testament Comparatively little is said in the New Testament about the rites by which the leaders of the church were commissioned for their ministry. This is not surprising, since ministry in the New Testament period was still undergoing development and change. We find references to the Twelve and to the apostles in the Gospels (Matt. 10:15; Mark 3:14-19; Luke 6:13), and to apostles, prophets, and teachers in 1 Corinthians 12:28. Acts and the Epistles speak of leaders (Heb. 13:7), presbyters, or elders (presbuteroi, 1 Pet. 5:1; James 5:14; Acts 11:30), teachers (Gal. 6:6), overseers, i. e. , bishops (episcopoi, Acts 20:17, 28; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:5ff), and ministers (…