Traveling representatives of the governing body, such as Paul, followed Christ and set a fine example to be imitated. (1 Cor. 11:1; Phil. 4:9) In fact, all of those in the position of spiritual shepherds were to become “examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:2, 3), were to show loving concern for individuals within the congregation (1 Thess. 2:5-12) and were to be of real assistance to those spiritually sick. (Gal. 6:1; Jas. 5:13-16) However, for a further consideration of their privileges and responsibilities, please see OVERSEER and MINISTER.

Hence, just as Jehovah organized the congregation of Israel under older men, heads, judges and officers (Josh. 23:2), He saw to the supervision of the Christian congregation by having older men appointed to positions of trust therein. (Acts 14:23) And, as responsible men sometimes acted representatively for the entire congregation of Israel, as in judicial matters (Deut. 16:18), God arranged for each individual Christian congregation to be similarly represented in such matters by responsible men placed in positions of authority by the holy spirit. (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 5:1-5) However, should difficulties develop between members of the Christian congregation of God, the words of Jesus Christ recorded at Matthew 18:15-17 (spoken before the Jewish congregation of God had been rejected by Jehovah and thus initially applicable to it) served as a basis for settling or handling such problems.

Jehovah God has set the members in the spiritual “body” of Christ “just as he pleased.” And Paul stated: “God has set the respective ones in the congregation, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then powerful works; then gifts of healings; helpful services, abilities to direct, different tongues.” Not all performed the same functions, but all were needed by the Christian congregation. (1 Cor. 12:12-31) Paul explained that the supplying of apostles, prophets, evangelizers, shepherds and teachers for the Christian congregation was “with a view to the training of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ, until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of growth that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.”—Eph. 4:11-16.

The congregation of Israel was provided with the laws of God and was made to appreciate that “not by bread alone does man live but by every expression of Jehovah’s mouth does man live.” (Deut. 8:1-3) Jesus Christ also recognized that man could not live on bread alone “but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:1-4) Hence, adequate provision has been made for the Christian congregation to have needed spiritual food, Christ himself mentioning the “slave” through whom such food is dispensed to Christian “domestics.” Jesus, as part of his prophecy concerning his own second presence and “the conclusion of the system of things,” showed that, on arriving, the “master” would appoint this “faithful and discreet slave” “over all his belongings.”—Matt. 24:3, 45-47.

Gatherings for the worship of Jehovah and a consideration of his law were important in the congregation of Israel. (Deut. 31:12; Neh. 8:1-8) Similarly, meetings for the worship of Jehovah and a study of the Scriptures are an essential feature of the Christian congregation of God, the writer to the Hebrews admonishing the recipients of his letter not to be forsaking such gathering of themselves together. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Activities in the synagogues of later Jewish history included the reading and teaching of the Scriptures, the offering of prayers and the giving of praise to God. Such features were carried over into places of Christian assembly, though without the ritualistic accretions that had eventually developed in synagogue services. In the synagogue no sacerdotal class was set apart, sharing in Scripture reading and exposition being open to any devout male Jew. Comparably, no clergy-laity or similar division existed within the early Christian congregation. Of course, neither therein nor in the synagogue did the women teach or exercise authority over the men.—1 Tim. 2:11, 12.

The maintaining of proper order at meetings of the Christian congregation of God harmonized with the fact that Jehovah, who made provision for the congregational arrangement among Christ’s followers, is a “God, not of disorder, but of peace.” This orderliness also worked to the great spiritual benefit of all in attendance.—1 Cor. 14:26-35, 40; see ASSEMBLY.

CONIAH

See JEHOIACHIN.

CONJURER

(conʹjur·er).

The Hebrew and Aramaic word ʼash·shaphʹ (rendered “astrologers,” AV) is properly defined conjurer, necromancer, enchanter. (Brown, Driver, Briggs’ Lexicon, pp. 80, 1083; Koehler-Baumgartner Lexicon, pp. 95, 1055) “To conjure” means “to swear together” by oath or invocation, as when one solemnly calls up or calls upon so-called spirits of the dead. A necromancer literally means a diviner of the dead, one who attempts to foretell and control future events through communication with the dead. ʼAsh·shaphʹ is from a root that C. F. Keil defines as “to breathe, to blow, to whisper; for they practiced their incantations by movements of the breath.”

Any manner of purported communication with the dead was condemned by God. “And in case they should say to you people: ‘Apply to the spiritistic mediums or to those having a spirit of prediction who are chirping and making utterances in low tones,’ is it not to its God that any people should apply? Should there be application to dead persons in behalf of living persons?” (Isa. 8:19) Though outlawed in Israel, the “mistress of spirit mediumship in En-dor” whom unfaithful King Saul visited was one who contacted the demons as a conjurer of the dead.—1 Sam. 28:7; Lev. 20:27.

Conjurers flourished particularly among the Babylonians. Concerning that people’s ideas about the dead and their ability to communicate with departed ones, Morris Jastrow, Jr., in his book The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, pp. 559, 560, writes: “The stem underlying Shuâlu [the Babylonian place of the dead] signifies ‘to ask.’ Shuâlu is a place of inquiry, and the inquiry meant is of the nature of a religious oracle. The name, accordingly, is an indication of the power accorded the dead, to aid the living by furnishing them with answers to questions, just as the gods furnish oracles through the mediation of the priests. . . . The dead not only dwell near the gods, but, like the gods, they can direct the affairs of mankind. Their answers to questions put to them have divine justification.”

When Daniel and his three companions were taken captive to Babylon in the seventh century B.C.E., and after being given a special three-year schooling in all the wisdom of the Babylonians, they proved to be “ten times better than all the magic-practicing priests and the conjurers” in the realm.—Dan. 1:3-20.

Nebuchadnezzar, therefore, called in all branches of diviners, not the conjurers alone, and demanded that they first reveal the dream he had had and then give the interpretation. (Dan. 2:1-3, 27) The king was suspicious of them, for he said: “It is a lying and wrong word that you have agreed to say before me.” He also was well aware of their stalling for time, hoping that circumstances would change. So, in order that Nebuchadnezzar might have some guarantee that his wise men were able to give a true interpretation to his awesome vision, he insisted that they first tell him the dream. “Tell me the very dream,” the king declared, “and I shall know that you can show the very interpretation of it.” (Dan. 2:4-9) The conjurers and their fellow diviners failed to come up with the answer. Fortunately, Daniel learned of the king’s edict to kill off all Babylon’s wise men