What the Bible says about Episkopos
(From Forerunner Commentary)
Paul explains that, even as an apostle, his authority has limits. The word that Peter coined for this is allotriepiskopos, translated as "busybody" or "meddler" (see I Peter 4:15). Episkopos is "overseer," one having authority. He is referring to an overseer who has stepped outside the bounds of his authority and meddles in areas he has not been given responsibility for.
As Paul writes here, even an apostle has a sphere, meaning simply "an area over which a person has responsibility." In this case, Paul seems to have been thinking primarily of a geographical area over which he had been given specific authority. One could also say it was limited to particular ethnic groups since Paul had been appointed to preach to the Gentiles.
In the division of responsibilities in the places where the apostles preached, Paul had been given a particular sphere of influence, responsibility, or authority. He assures the Corinthians that he would not encroach into someone else's—Peter's or John's or any other's—area of responsibility.
So, Paul is saying that it would not be wise to move beyond what he had been given; he would not do that. Why should he boast or glory in something that is another person's responsibility? He would go specifically to those people to whom God had told him to go.
Notice in verse 13 that Paul says God had "appointed us" (meaning the apostles) and given them certain "limits." This proviso is crucial. In the church, especially concerning its ministry, God's servants have been set apart for a specific responsibility. It is essential that a minister not go beyond that specific calling and appointment.
We should not limit this appointment of responsibility just to apostles, ministers, the church, or matters concerning the church. Why? Because God has given us all a sphere of influence, responsibility, and authority. Each one has limits.
If we are a father, we have specific responsibilities, authority, and limits that correspond with that role. The same for mothers. The same for children. The same for elders and deacons in the church. The same for employers and employees.
We find that God says in Romans 13 that He has appointed governmental leaders to their areas of responsibility. The implication is that He can take them down at will if they step outside the responsibility He has given them.
We should be careful not to limit this idea of a sphere of responsibility to the church. It includes aspects of our lives far beyond what we might consider normal church activities. God has given us all spheres of responsibility that we must stay within and not stray beyond.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
What's So Bad About Busybodies?Related Topics: Allotriepiskopos | Episkopos | Influence, Sphere of | Meddling | Positions of Responsibility | Spheres of Influence | Spheres of Responsibility
Peter lumps murderers, thieves, evil doers, and busybodies all into one category. How bad is it, really, to be a meddler or a busybody compared to knifing somebody, robbing them on the road, or just being downright evil? What is so bad about busybodies? Why does the Bible take such a stern view of meddling?
This sin has several tentacles that reach into various areas of our Christian lives and has a great impact upon our relationships both with God and with other people. That is what makes it so bad.
The New King James puts the word "meddler" in the margin—a very good translation of this word. The Greek word translated "busybody" or "meddler" is allotriepiskopos, a compound word—two normal Greek words stuck together—found in the Bible only in this one spot.
Allotriepiskopos literally means "not one's own overseer." "Not one's own" is one word and "overseer" is the other. It means, thus, "one who oversees others' matters or affairs." This word contains episkopos, which is the Greek word for "overseer," sometimes translated as "shepherd" or "bishop." This allotriepiskopos could be a good thing—if it was someone like a steward of an estate who was assigned to be the caretaker of another's matters, or an executor of a will, someone who is appointed to look over another's affairs after his decease.
However, in this one occurrence and in the normal Greek (it is used only a couple of other times in the classics and not quite in this same context), it is a negative term. It describes a person who takes it upon himself to interfere in another person's matter.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
What's So Bad About Busybodies?