The appointment to a public ministry or office, including investing with the authority required for this ministry. The most important biblical model of ordination is provided by the OT priesthood.
Ordination of the OT priesthood
The ceremony of ordination
Exodus 28:41 See also Exodus 29:29–46, Exodus 30:30; Leviticus 8:30, Leviticus 8:33; Numbers 3:3
After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.
The role of the ordained priest
To properly apply the blood of the ordination offering: Exodus 29:20–21; Leviticus 7:37, Leviticus 8:18; Leviticus 16:32 to make atonement; Leviticus 21:10–12 to observe a strict code of behaviour
Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one
Matthew 16:16 The Greek word “Christos”, like the Hebrew word “Messiah”, means “anointed (by God)”.
Ordination in the NT
Jesus Christ appointed disciples without reference to a ceremony of ordination
Mark 3:14–15 parallel Luke 6:13
The apostles commissioned people for service by laying on of hands
Acts 6:6 See also Numbers 8:10–11, Numbers 27:18–23; Acts 13:3 Barnabas and Saul were commissioned for missionary work.
They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The appointment of elders
Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 1:18, 1 Timothy 4:14, 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6; Titus 1:5, Titus 1:6–9 Certain qualities are required in an appointed elder or minister.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.