How do non-episcopal Protestants respond to St. Ignatius who says you need a Deacon, Priest, and Bishop for a Church?

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Accepted answer

In the early church and Scripture, there is a two-fold ministry office of elder and deacon. See a brief here.

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: (Phil 1:1)

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 1 Tim 3:1 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 1 Tim 3:8

But what of Ignatius?

Some view all of the Ignatian letters as forgeries. See here and here.

Others view the shorter version authentic, but the longer version a much later interpolation.

The OP asks about Ignatius mentioning Deacons, Priests, and Bishops. Those three offices arose much later than Ignatius' time. Basically, this longer version is a forgery, written centuries later.

We also know this because not only does the Bible mention only deacons and bishops, but so do the contemporary letters written around Ignatius' time. Priests would be all believers (1 Peter 2:5, Rev. 1:6).

Clement of Rome

And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labours], having first proved them by the Spirit,182 to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.

Polycarp

In like manner should the deacons be blameless before the face of His righteousness, as being the servants of God and Christ,366 and not of men. ... And let the presbyters [elders] be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always β€œproviding for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man;

Hermas

they who had the stains as servants,387 [deacons] who discharged their duty ill, and who plundered widows and orphans of their livelihood, and gained possessions for themselves from the ministry, which they had received. ... β€œAnd from the tenth mountain, where were trees which overshadowed certain sheep, they who believed were the following: bishops389 given to hospitality, who always gladly received into their houses the servants of God, without dissimulation.

Didache

  1. Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money,2498 and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service2499 of prophets and teachers.

So, to answer the OP, while there was a man named Ignatius who existed shortly after the last apostle to die (John son of Zebedee), this is not to affirm that all of his letters attributed to him were actually written by him. In point of fact, we know many were not and were fabrications. This is furth born out by the fact that the Bible and early church recognized only the two-fold ministry, not the three-fold that arose centuries later.

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