bishop

Gk. episcopos, “overseer,” “guardian”

Early Christian office mentioned in (Phil 1:1), qualifications for which are stated in (1Tim 3:1-7); (Titus 1:5-9), (1Tim 5:17-22). Titus equates bishop and elder (Gk. presbyteros). It is possible that in the church referred to in 1 Timothy bishops evolved from a larger group of elders, gaining preeminence as apt teachers (1Tim 3:1; 1Tim 5:17), while in the churches mentioned in Titus insufficient time had elapsed for such functional distinctions to appear.