Where is it?

This post is brought to you by reading about history.

Today I was looking at some websites that chronicled the writings of various "church fathers/leaders" from the beginnings of the Church. What struck me was not that they had things to say, or even what they had to say, but I found myself wondering how these guys received the status that they did.

Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Ignatious, Clement, etc. These guys were all bishops of the church in various places after 100CE, but how did they get there? What was in place that made it recognizable for these men to hold the positions that they did?

The Apostle Paul mentions various roles that were found within the Church in his letter to the Ephesians. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. How does he know this? When did Jesus ever mention pyramids like this? What other writings were out there before Paul's to affirm such an idea? Were there any?

Perhaps this was the beginning of the ability to play "Chinese Baseball" with the Pauline version of Judaism. (the term "chinese baseball" comes from the idea that since the rulebook was incomplete that they could make up and change rules as they went along)