Church and Ministry
Dr. C. F. W. Walther
Five Translations

The holy ministry, or the pastoral office, is an office distinct from the priesthood possessed by all believers.
The ministerial or pastoral office is not a human ordinance, but an office instituted by God himself.

 The holy ministry, or the pastoral office, is an office distinct from the priesthood possessed by all believers.
The ministerial or pastoral office is not a human ordinance, but an office instituted by God himself.

The holy ministry or pastoral offlce is an offlce distinct from the priesthood of all believers.

The ministry of the Word or the pastoral offlce is not a human institution but an offlce that God Himself has established.

 The holy offce of the ministry, or the pastoral office, is distinct from the priesthood that all believers possess.
The office of the ministry or the pastoral office is not a human ordinance but an office instituted by God Himself. 		The holy ministry of the word or pastoral office is an office distinct from the priestly office which all believers have.
The ministry of the Word or pastoral office is not a human institution, but an offlce which God Himself has established.

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The ministry is not an arbitrary office, but an offlce which the church is enjoined to establish and to which the church to the end of time is ordinarily obligated.

The ministry is not a special order of superior holiness, contradistinct from the common order of Christians, as the Levitical priesthood was, but an office of service.
The ministry is not an arbitrary office, but an offlce which the church is enjoined to establish and to which the church to the end of time is ordinarily obligated.

The ministry is not a special order of superior holiness, contradistinct from the common order of Christians, as the Levitical priesthood was, but an office of service.
The ministry is not an arbitrary offlce but one whose establishment has been commanded to the church and to which the church is ordinarily bound till the end of time.
The ministry is not a special or, in opposition to that of ordinary Christians, a more holy state, as was the Levitical priesthood, but it is a ministry of service.

The office of the ministry is not an optional office but one which the church was commanded to establish and to which the church is ordinarily bound to the end of time.
Unlike the Levitical priesthood, the office of the ministry is not a peculiar order of superior holiness set up over against the common estate of Christians, but is an office of service.
 The ministry of the word is not an optional office, but one whose establishment has been commanded to the church and to which the church is ordinarily bound till the end of time.
The ministry is not a special and holier estate apart from that or ordinary Christians, as was the Levitical priesthood, but it is an offlce of service.


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The ministerial office has the power of preaching the gospel and administering the sacraments, and the power of a spiritual judicatory.

The ministerial office is conferred by God through the congregation, the possessor of all church power, or the keys, by the divinely prescribed call of such congregation. The Ordination of the persons called, with laying on of hands, is not of divine institution, but an apostolico ecclesiastical ordinance,and only a public confirmation of that call.




 The ministry of preaching has the authority to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments and the authority of a spiritual tribunal.
The ministry of preaching is conferred by God through the congregation, as holder of all church power or of the keys, and by its call as prescribed by God. The ordination of those called, with the laying on of hands, is not by divine institution but is an apostolic church ordinance and merely a public, solemn confirmation of the call.




 The public ministry [Prediptaml1 has the power to preach the Gospel and administer the holy sacraments as well as the power of spiritual judgment.

A. The ministry of the Word [PrediptamI1 is conferred by God through the congregations as the possessor of ail ecclesiastical power, or the power of the keys, by means of its call, Himseif has prescribed. B. The ordination of the called [persons] with the laying on of hands is not a divine institution but merely an ecclesiastical rite [Ordaung] established by the apostles; it is no more than a solemn public confirmation of the call.


 The office of the ministry has the authority to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments and has the power of a spiritual tribunal.
The office of the ministry is transferred by God through a congregation, as the possessor of all church power or the keys, and through its call, which is prescribed by God Ordination with the imposition of hands on those who have been called is not of divine appointment but is an apostolic church ordinance and merely a public and solemn confirmation of the call.




The ministry of the word has the power to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments and the authority of a spiritual court.

The ministry of the word is conferred by God through the congregation as the possessor of all ecclesiastical power, or the power of the keys, by means of its call which God Himself has prescnbed. The ordination of those called, with the laying on of hands, is not of divine institution but is an apostolic ecclesiastical arrangement and only a solemn public confirmation of the call.

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The holy ministry is the power conferred by God through the congregation as possessing the priesthood and all church power, to exercise the rights of the spiritual priesthood in public office and in the name of the congregation.

The ministerial office is the highest office in the church, the office whence all other ecclesiastical offices flow.


The holy ministry is the authority conferred by God through the congregation, as holder of the priesthood and of all church power, to administer in public offce the common rights of the spiritual priesthood in behalf of all.

The ministry is the highest office in the Church, from which as its stem, all other offces of the Church issue.


The holy ministry [Prediptamt] is the power, conferred by God through the congregation as the possessor of the priesthood and all church power, to exercise the rights of the spiritual priesthood in public office in the name of the congregation.
The pastoral ministry [Prediptamt] is the highest office in the church, and from it stem all other offices in the church.


 The holy office of the ministry is the authority to exercise the rights of the spiritual priesthood in a public office in behalf of all, whch authority is transferred by God through a congregation as the possessor of the priesthood and of all church power.
The office of preacher is the highest office in the church, and all other offices in the church are derived from it.


 The holy ministry of the Word is the authority conferred by God through the congregation, as the possessor of the priesthood and all church authority, to exercise the rights of the spiritual priesthood in public offce on behalf of the congregation.

The ministry of the Word is the highest office in the church, and from it all other offces in the church flow.


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To the ministerial office reverence is due and unconditional obedience, when the preacher comes with the word of God; but the preacher has no dominion in the church; he has not, therefore, the right of making new laws, of arbitrarily regulating adiaphora and ceremonies, and of imposing and executing excommunication alone, without the previous judgment of the entire congregation.




 Reverence and unconditional obedience is due to the ministry of preaching when the preacher is ministering the Word of God. However, the preacher may not dominate over the Church; he has, accordingly, no right to make new laws, to. arrange indifferent matters and ceremonies arbitrarily, and to impose and execute excommunication ALONE, without a previous verdict of the entire congregation.




 A.To the ministry there is due respect as well as unconditional obedience when the pastor uses God's Word. B. The minister must not tyrannize the church. He has no authority to introduce new laws or arbitrarily to establish adiaphora or ceremonies. C. The minister has no right to inflict and carry out excommunication without his having first infommed the whole congregation.





 The office of the ministry is entitled to respect and unconditional obedience when the preacher is proclaiming the word of God, but he does not possess lordship in the church and therefore has no right to make new laws, arbitrarily to introduce ceremonies and matters of indifference in the church, or impose and carry out excommunication. by himself without the previous knowledge of the entire congregation




Respect and also unconditional obedience are due to the ministry of the Word if the preacher presents God's Word if the preacher presents God's Word. But the preacher has no lordship over the church. Therefore he has no right to introduce new laws, arbitrarily to establish adiaphora or ceremonies, and to impose and carry out excommunication alone, without the preceding acknowledgement of The whole congregation .



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The ministerial office by divine right comprises also the office of judging doctrine; but hereto the laymen also are entitled, who, therefore, aiso sit and vote together with the ministers in ecclesiastical courts and councils.



Accoding to divine right thr funtion of passing judgment on doctrine belongs indeed to the ministry of preaching. However, also the laymen have this right, and for this reason they also have a seat and vote with the preachers in church courts and councils. To the ministry of the Word, according to divine right, belongs also the duty [Am] to judge doctrine, but laymen also possess this right. Therefore in ecclesiastical courts (consistories) and councils they are accorded both a seat and vote together with the clergy.


 By divine right the function of judging doctrine belongs to the office of the t ministry. However, ; laymen also have this right, and for this reason they have seats and votes with the ministers in ecclesiastical courts and councils.



 The duty to judge doctrine indeed belongs by divine right to the ministry of the Word. but also the laymen possess the right to do so. Therefore in ecclesiastical courts and councils they have both seat and vote together with the preachers.


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