Ordain

In the O.T. there are eleven words so translated, with a variety of meanings and applications. God ordained the moon and the stars. Psa 8:3. Jeroboam ordained priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 2Ch 11:15. None of God’s priests or prophets were ordained, in the sense now understood by that word, as inducting into some spiritual place, with power and authority imparted by man. In Jer 1:5, where God said to the prophet, "I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations," the word translated ’ordained’ is nathan, which means simply ’to give,’ as in the margin. See also 2Ki 23:5.

In the N.T. there are ten words translated ’ordain.’ The passages that might seem to have some reference to the impartation of a sacerdotal supremacy are:

1. Christ ordained his twelve apostles. Mar 3:14. Here the word is ποιέω, ’to do, make.’

2. Matthias was ordained to take the place of Judas, Act 1:22: γίγνομαι, ’to become.’

3. Paul ordained elders in every city, Act 14:23: χειροτονέω, ’to appoint by stretching out the hand:’ this is translated ’chosen’ in 2Co 8:19.

4. Paul said, "I am ordained a preacher and an apostle," 1Ti 2:7: τίθημι, ’to put, place:’ cf. Joh 15:16.

5. Elders ordained, and high priests ordained, Tit 1:5; Heb 5:1; Heb 8:3: καθίστημι, ’to place, appoint.’ The meanings of the Greek words show that, though elders were appointed by the apostles and were called ’bishops,’ there was no sacerdotal power conveyed thereby, nor was any authority to continue such appointments handed down.

Though a common word in the traditional language of the church, ‘ordain’ is not common in the Bible. It is not present at all in most modern versions. The word usually means ‘appoint’, as for example when Jesus appointed apostles (Mar 3:13-14; Joh 15:16; see APOSTLE), and the apostles appointed church leaders (Act 6:3; Act 6:6; Act 14:23; see DEACON; ELDER).

People were not to make such appointments hastily. They had to have confidence that those appointed possessed the God-given gifts for the tasks, and they expressed that confidence through the ceremony of laying on hands (Act 6:6; 1Ti 4:14; 1Ti 5:22; see LAYING ON OF HANDS).