Matt. 28:16-20
And
John 20:21-23 -- too bad about Thomas, guess he was stuck with the laity since he didn't receive the holy breath and the command about forgiveness.
John 21:15-17 -- nothing in those verses about a special office for Peter, most likely a three-fold affirmation of his place in the fellowship after his three-fold denial of Jesus.
Mark 16:15 -- I believe that throughout the gospels the Twelve/Eleven represent all believers.
Luke 9:1-6 -- Luke 10:1-12 involved many more than the Twelve in almost exactly the same kind of commission
Acts 20:28 (amongst others) - In any Lutheran church I've been in that had "elders" (see Acts 20:17) they were lay people.
then you have passages that deal with the (mediate) call to the Office of the Holy Ministry such as:
Acts 1:23-26 Based in the criteria given in vv. 21-22, none of us would qualify for that "Office of the Holy Ministry."
Acts 6:1-6 Ironically, one of those selected to "wait on tables" (so that the apostles could give attention to prayer and the ministry of the word) was the first to be martyred for performing miracles and preaching the Word. Perhaps with a perverted kind of logic, some might claim that the stoning of Stephen was because of God's judgment against this "deacon" who overstepped his authority and was preaching the Word rather than just distributing food (and/or money).
Acts 9:1-19 Are you suggesting that all clergy need to have a Damascus Road event to be qualified for the Office of the Holy Ministry?
Acts 11:25-26 There's no indication that Barnabas was anything but a committed lay person at this point. Even the laying on of hands on Paul by Ananias is seen more as an act of healing and perhaps confirmation of his new relationship with God. The "ordination-type" laying on of hands for Barnabas and Paul doesn't occur until Acts 13:2-3 -- after they have returned from their mission.
Acts 13:1-3 If that's the act that "set them apart" for the Office of Holy Ministry, what were they doing preaching and teaching in Antioch?
Acts 14:21-23 Again, the only Lutheran tradition of elders that I know of, is with lay people. (In the Presbyterian church, elders are ordained for life.)
II Corinthians 5:18-20 When Paul had Timothy accompany him, he had him circumcised (Acts 16:1-2). There's nothing in Acts about Timothy receiving the laying on of hands. It is also clear that Silvanus also preached to the Corinthians (2 Cor 1:19). When did he enter the office of Holy Ministry?
I Corinthians 12:28 Different gifts, one Spirit -- one baptism. There's also no indication that any of those "parts" are limited to males. We know that there were female prophets in Corinth.
I Timothy 4:14 Pretty much the same thing we do at confirmation.
II Timothy 1:16; 2:2 There's no indication that these "teachers" were anything but people who had the gift of teaching; just like the thousands of volunteers our churches have in our Sunday school programs.
Ephesians 4:11 -- Yup, offices given by God -- and nothing to indicate that they were for males only or only for the ordained. Especially in line with 4:7: "But to
each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it," thus, everyone is involved in building up the body of Christ.
