What Does the Word Clergy Have to do with Inheritance in the Bible

[box]RVWD is my abbreviation for Religious Vocabulary Word of the Day. (You can read my introduction to the RVWD series here.) I do not intend for these word investigations to be exhaustive, but I hope they stimulate some thinking about assumptions. Possibly they will help with honest evaluations about what is truth and what is unnecessary baggage in life. [/box]
The English word clergy is not found anywhere in the English Bible. In Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th, Edition (WNWCD4), the definition is given as “persons ordained for religious service.” (To read more about the meaning of the word service, click here.) The word ordained will be saved to study another time, so for now, let me just say that I have read enough to be convinced it is not used today the same way it was in the Bible. We will here concentrate on clergy, whose the Greek and Latin roots lead to unexpected places!
Clergy is etymologically related to the word clerk. In fact, they have been considered interchangeable in the not so distant past or depending on which religion is involved.  They are both derived from the Latin word clericus, which historically came to mean “a priest,” in terms of being a heirarchical position within a religious organization (again, not a Biblical use). However, when you dig down to the Greek source of the word, it gets less religious and strangely interesting.
The Greek words kleronomeo and kleronomia mean “inherit” and “inheritance.” (see Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). To break kleronomeo down further, the first part of the word is kleros, which means “a lot,” such as in to cast lots (for a decision to be made ❶); and the second part, nemonai, means “to possess.” So, together, they mean “to receive by lot” or “to obtain (as one’s own) that which you have a right to possess oneself of.”
You may be wondering what all of this has to do with the current use of the word clergy, and that would be a good question. But, first, let’s delve a bit more into how the Greek word kleronomeo and it’s variations are used in the Bible. The word inheritance is not quite so limited in Greek usage as it is in English. For English culture, an inheritance is very strongly associated with what someone will receive when someone in their family dies. In the Bible, the Greek is also translated using words like “receive, have, have or share a portion”. Timing of such receiving or having is indicated in the context of what is being spoken of, and receiving it is not necessarily dependent on anyone dying or even on relationship.
For instance, in Matthew 5:5, Jesus says, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” (New American Standard Bible, hereafter noted as NASB). In a negative example of how it is used, in Acts 8:21, Simon-the-former-magician is told that he “has no portion” in the matter of the Holy Spirit being received by believers because his “heart is not right before God.” In both of these examples, there is also the implication that qualifying for “inheriting” can change according to people’s choices.
In other places, the Greek words are used to 1) speak of when Jesus’ garments are divided “by lot” (Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24), 2) to choose a replacement for Judas Iscariot among the disciples (Acts 1:26),  3) to compare to the inability of the Law to provide inheritance (Galatians 3:18), and 4) to explain how a Godly inheritance is incompatible for those who choose to spurn His goodness (Ephesians 5:5). It seems like the saints (please read here if you are curious about the word saint) are referred to as being God’s inheritance (Ephesians 1:18), and there are several places where there is reference to saints receiving an inheritance (i.e. Acts 26:18, 1 Peter 1:4).
There is one place in the New Testament where the word kleros is used in regards to elders in the church. In 1 Peter 5:3, Peter exhorts (urges, advises) (see WNWCD4) those who are looked up to as elders by those around them (because they are seen as mature and reliable). They are to make sure NOT to lord over those they have “inherited the charge of” influencing, but to lead by example (as opposed to force or decree). They are to do this voluntarily and not for sordid gain. There is no mention of going to an approved seminary for a “theological” degree or being granted special status by religious “experts” or living a life secluded from the real work and responsibilities of fellow believers. They are not given status by the use of the Greek word. They are recognized for relationship and influence that already exist and reminded to be careful. They are supposed to be more like older brothers, based on the abundance of references to all believers being brothers (gender inclusive), than governmental authorities (Matthew 20:25).
Given God’s detailed instructions about things like Jewish Law, the temple and it’s sacrifices, and festivals, I think it is safe to assume that if He wanted a hierarchical, formal structure to His church of followers of Jesus Christ, He would not have been shy about telling us. As it is, He seems to have just left us all as “brothers,” telling us to love one another based on the love He has for us and the work He has done in our hearts. There are no ceremonies and no special status. We may have different talents and gifts to encourage one another, but we are all free to function as priests (1 Peter 2:9) (The word priest coming soon to a RVWD post near you.). IF there is any kind of clergy, all true Christians are in it, set in place and equipped by God Himself.❷ But His “clergy” see no distinction between the secular and the religious. Real religion has to do with real life.
 
❶ In the Old Testament, “casting lots” was a priestly duty to give the people a way to hear from God without having to hear His voice. Joshua used this method to divide the land of Canaan (Joshua 18:10); and Jonah’s shipmates cast lost to figure out who was responsible for the storm (Jonah 1:7).  It was not considered a game of chance.
❷ For a summary of how the idea of clergy got started, I would recommend Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices.