A Background Paper
This paper outlines what the New Testament says about elders. It also describes the usage of other leadership words and words associated with them.
The English word elders translates the Greek word presbuteros in the NT. There are three other words from the same root which are used infrequently.
Presbuterion is used of a Council of elders in Lk 22.66; and Acts 22.5 referring to the Jewish Sanhedrin; and in 1 Tim 4.14 referring to a body of elders that laid hands on Timothy.
Presbutes is used of an old man (Zechariah - Lk 1.18; Paul - Phm 9), or old men or old women (Tit 2.2,3).
The verb is used to describe the action of an ambassador.
Presbuteros can describe
In Acts the term is used of elders of the church in Jerusalem to whom the famine relief gift is sent from Antioch (11.30); and those who appear with James when Paul and others went to see him (21.18). The elders were part of the council at Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15 (15.2,4,6,22,23; 16.4). Here they are linked with the apostles in the phrase the apostles and elders. The decision of this council is made by, and sent in the name of the apostles and elders. Luke also uses it in Acts of the elders of the church at Ephesus (20.17) and the elders appointed by Paul and Barnabas in each church (14.23).
James says the elders of the church should be called for if anyone is sick (Ja 5.14). 2 and 3 John are written by a person who calls himself the elder.
Peter addresses himself to the elders as a fellow elder, and exhorts them to be shepherds of God's flock that is under their care, serving as overseers (1 Pet 5.1-5). They are to do this not by lording it over the flock but by being examples to it. It is possible that Peter is referring to these elders in v.5 when he exhorts the younger men to be submissive to those who are older - it is the same word he has used in v1 .
Paul encourages the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 "to keep watch over themselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers." They are to be shepherds of the church of God, and are to watch out for the wolves (Ac 20.25-31). Notice that they are described as elders, overseers and shepherds.
In 1 Tim 5.17-19, he describes the elders directing or managing the affairs of the church - those who do it well are worthy of double honour (does he mean pay?), especially the elders who labour in the word and in teaching. Furthermore no accusation is to be heard against an elder unless two or three witnesses bring it. Elders who sin are to be rebuked publicly as a warning to others.
Titus is told to appoint elders in every town on Crete (Tit 1.5-9). The description that follows of the requirements are similar to those in 1 Tim 3.1-7 for overseers. In fact the Titus passage calls them elders at first (v5) but then changes to overseers (v7). These two passages and the references in Acts 20 give the impression that elders and overseers were interchangeable terms for the same group. This will be reinforced when we see that other terms are used for people who seem to have similar functions.
Christian elders acted as a council or body in Jerusalem (perhaps after the model of Jewish elders), receiving a gift on behalf of the needy in Judea, and sharing with the apostles in a landmark decision regarding Gentiles. A body of elders laid hands on Timothy. In every place it is assumed that there is more than one elder. Their task is to pray for the sick, shepherd, overseer and look after the flock, as well as to be alert for wolves. They are to manage the affairs of the church well, which includes teaching and preaching. They are to encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. There is a strong emphasis on the blamelessness of their life and behaviour, especially that they manage their own households well, and not be greedy, drunk, nor overbearing. Rather they are to tend the flock by being examples.
The above list contains all the references to elders in the NT. However there are other terms used to describe leaders in the church.
The Greek word episkopos is sometimes translated as bishop as well as overseer. There is a related word which means oversight or visitation. It is used in Lk 19.44, 1 Pet 2.12 - visitation; in Ac 1.20 - for Matthias' leadership; and in 1 Tim 3.1 for the task of oversight. The verb describes those who act as overseers (1 Pet 5.2), and the action of "watching out" (Hb 12.15).
Jesus is described as episkopos in 1 Pet 2.25. The Ephesian elders are overseers (Ac 20.28), and Philippians is addressed to the saints together with the overseers and deacons (Phil 1.1). 1 Tim 3.2-7 describes the qualities required in an overseer. As we have seen, this is similar to Tit 1.7ff where the elder is also referred to as an overseer. It is possible that when Paul later refers to elders (1 Tim 5.17-19) he is referring to this same group.
Overseers are to tend the flock, and teach well. They are to have the same qualities as elders. In fact it seems that this is a term for the same group of people.
The Greek word oikonomos describes a manager especially a household steward (eg Lk 12.42; 16.1f). It is used of Erastas, a public official (Rm 16.23), and is especially applied to those entrusted with the gospel (1 Cor 4.1,2; a related word is used in Eph 3.2f). An overseer is a manager or steward of God (Tit 1.7).
Poimen is a shepherd. It used of Jesus (Mt 2.6; 25.32; 26.31; Jn 10.2,11,14,16; Hb 13.20; 1 Pet 2.25; Rev 2.27; 7.17; 12.5; 19.15), of overseers (Ac 20.28), of elders (1 Pet 5.2), of Peter (Jn 21.16), of some who help equip the saints, ie shepherds and teachers (Eph 4.11).
Shepherds are to look after sheep by being gentle examples and by protecting them from wolves who come with false teaching.
Egoumenos is translated in a variety of ways, but one of its meanings is leader. Judas and Silas were leaders amongst the brothers (Ac 15.22) and were sent with the decision of the council to Antioch. The Hebrews were to take note of the outcome of the lives of the leaders who spoke the word of God to them (Hb 13.7). They are to do what their leaders say and obey them (13.17). All the leaders were to be greeted (Hb 13.24). The word may be another, perhaps Jewish, term to describe those who have oversight of that church. Neither elders, overseers nor shepherds is used of leaders in the letter to the Hebrews.
It is plain that a number of terms are used in the NT to describe those who have responsibility for the church. (We have not looked at all of them - there are also apostles, deacons, and people like Timothy and Titus who seem to be apostolic delegates. The terms we have looked at sometimes overlap. In some cases they seem to be interchangeable and in other cases seem to be alternatives appropriate for different churches. We should beware of allowing one term to carry all the weight of meaning, - the NT does not do that.
What is clear is that there were groups of people who had been given the responsibility either by Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Paul or the church to care for the church. It is clear that this was not to be done in a domineering way, but by example, and by the correct teaching of God's word. These people were to be chosen for their blameless character especially in the areas where they may be most tested - greed, ambition, drinking, and the ability to manage their own households well. We may assume that they were older people, and probably males. The word presbuteros is always in the masculine rather than the feminine form. The only direct indications that they were men are found in Tit 1.5ff and 1 Tim 3.1ff where they are to be the husband of one wife (as are deacons). However the context may lead us to believe that the emphasis is not on having a wife, but on them having only one. We may assume that it was usual for the elders to be men. Whether it was necessary for them to be men in every other place and time is not made clear, or even commented on in these passages.
Further light may be shed on this as we look at the words that are used to describe some of the relationships between elders and the church.
This is a different word to oikonomos. Proistanai is translated in different ways. It is used of leadership (Rom 12.8), of those who are over you in the Lord (1 Th 5.12), of managing one's household (1 Tim 3.4,5,12), of the elders who direct the affairs of the church (1 Tim 5.17), and to those who devote themselves to doing good (Tit 3.8,14). The emphasis seems to be on having the oversight and leadership both of a family and a church. It implies both leading and caring. The emphasis is not on rank or authority but on pastoral care. In 1 Tim 3.4, the one who cannot manage his household, cannot take care of the church (a different word). The implication is that managing the church means both leading it and taking care of it.
The leaders of the church of the Hebrews keep alert and watch over their souls.
In Heb 13.17 two words are used, both of which can be translated obey. One is the common word for obey, and the other is more often used for being convinced and believing, and obeying as a result. Although the NIV translated "submit to their authority" neither the usual word for submit nor the word for authority is used in Greek.
The noun hupotage is used four times in the NT. It is used of the obedience that accompanies the confession of the gospel (2 Cor 9.13), the obedience of the elder's children (1 Tim 3.4), the submission with which a married woman should learn (1 Tim 2.11), and of Paul not giving in for a moment to the Judaizers (Gal 2.5). "Submission" could probably be used in each case.
The verb is very common and describes Jesus' obedience to his parents (Lk 2.51), the submission of demons to Jesus (Lk 10.17,20), the sinful mind not submitting to God's law (Rom 8.7), the creation being subjected to futility (Rom 8.20), submitting to governing authorities (Rom 13.1), the spirits of prophets being subject to prophets (1 Cor 14.32), women being in submission (1 Cor 14.34), all things being subjected to the Son and he to God (1 Cor 15.27,28), the submission of Christians to such as Stephanas (1 Cor 16.16), to one another (Eph 5.21), wives to husbands as the church is to Christ (Eph 5.24; Col 3.18, 1 Pet 3.1,5; Tit 2.5), slaves to masters (Tit 2.9; 1 Pet 2.18), everything being subject to Christ (Phil 3.21; Hb 2.5,8; 1 Pet 3.22), Christians being submitted to the Father of our spirits (Hb 12.9).
The only reference involving church leaders is that young men should be submissive to those who are older, which may refer to elders (1 Pet 5.5).
Exousia is a common word for authority. It is used of Jesus' authority. It implies, in his case, both the right to act and the power to do so. A different word is used for power considered as ability to act without reference to the right to do so.
Jesus gave authority to the twelve to drive out demons (Mt 10.1, Mk 3.15; 6.7; Lk 9.1), and authority to trample on snakes and over all the power of the enemy (Lk 10.19). He gives believers authority to become children of God (Jn 1.12). Simon the Sorcerer wanted to be given the authority to give the Holy Spirit to whomever he laid hands on (Ac 8.19). The word is used of the rights of an apostle (eg 1 Cor 9). A woman who prophesies should have authority on her head (1 Cor 11.10). Paul says he has been given authority to build up the Corinthians (2 Cor 10.8; 13.10).
The verb is used three times in the NT, in a bad sense about the kings of the Gentiles exercising authority over them (Lk 22.25), about Paul not being mastered by anything (1 Cor 6.12), and about the body of a husband and wife not belonging just to one's self (1 Cor 7.4).
Neither noun nor verb is used in any context that relates to oversight of the church.
The leaders of a church are to shepherd and tend the flock. They watch over the souls of the people. They pray for the sick. They are to manage the affairs of the church just as they manage their own households, leading and caring for it. The significant ideas seem to be connected with watching, shepherding, leading and caring.
The people in the church are to respect the leaders, obey them and follow their lead. Young men in particular are to be submissive to them, presumably in contrast to wanting to take the lead with the enthusiasm and inexperience of youth. They are to give double honour to those who work well in caring for the church and in directing its affairs.
The authority the elders possess seems to be partly a function of their age and experience and partly that they have been appointed as leaders. However their authority as such is not discussed, except in terms of the obedience Christians should give them. Clearly they have authority to get rid of wolves, although this may be by means of teaching true doctrine. Their relationship to the sheep is not described in authority terms but in terms of caring, tending and being examples. They do their task with the grace God has given them, and it is made clear that the teaching of the word of God and true doctrine is a vital part of their stewardship.
© Copyright Dale Appleby January 1989 Revised May 1997
|
|
|
|
|
|
|