After taking a class on the Bible and it’s oral origins, I was surprised to find that the scripture didn’t outline a structure for the church. I asked my professor, and they had mentioned that there was not enough time in lecture to outline the political culture of the Roman Empire at the time, so they wouldn’t be able to answer the question besides saying it isn’t outlined in the Bible. So, I’m wondering what dictated the hierarchy within the church (pope, cardinals, bishops etc.) and why that came to be