elders Summary and Overview

ELD'ERS , a comprehensive title, the peculiar force of which must be determined by the connection. Ex 3:16. 1. Old Testament Usage.-During the sojourn of Israel in Egypt the elders, Ex 4:29-31, were probably either the heads of tribes or the oldest and most judicious of the people. And though their authority was in its nature paternal, they were regarded to a certain extent as the representatives of the nation. In the Hebrew commonwealth every city had its elders. Deut 19:12; Deut 21:2-9; Josh 20:4; Jud 8:14; Ezr 10:14. There was a body of elders, however, selected and appointed for special duties. Num 11:16-17, John 6:24-25, and they seem to have been taken from the general class of elders. The expression is, "Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be elders of the people, and officers over them." The 70 men who were with Moses at Mount Sinai were also 70 of the elders of Israel. Ex 24:1, Gal 1:9. At a subsequent period of Jewish history we find a tribunal of 70 elders, known as the Sanhedrin, which the Rabbins maintain was a continuance of the original appointment of elders by Moses. Elders are mentioned in the Maccabaean times, about b.c. 175, 1 Mace. 7:33; 12:6; and in the N.T. are associated, but not to be confounded, with the chief priests and scribes. Matt 16:21, etc. See Sanhedrin. 1. New Testament Usage. -- The name elder or presbyter is no doubt of Jewish Christian origin, a translation of the Hebrew title applied to the rulers of the synagogues, on whom devolved the conduct of religious affairs. Referring originally to age and dignity, it came to apply to office. The term bishop (borrowed, in all probability, from the political relations of the Greeks), while applied to the same office of elder or presbyter, refers to the official duty and activity of these rulers of congregations. In Acts 20:28, Paul addresses as "bishops" ("overseers" in our version) the very same rulers of the Ephesian church who had just before (v. 2 Sam 21:17) been called "elders." In Phil 1:1 he salutes the saints in Philippi, with the "bishops and deacons," without mentioning the elders, which has been explained by supposing the latter to have been identical with the bishops. The plural form is further evidence, since there cannot be more than one diocesan "bishop," in the latter sense, in any one church. Tit 1:5 and the other appropriate passages in the pastoral Epistles prove the same fact. As to the time and manner of the introduction of eldership we have no such information as is given respecting the disconate. Acts 6. But we conjecture that it came early in the Church -- perhaps was even co-eval with it; in which case it is no wonder that its introduction is not mentioned. As the office was a Christian imitation of the Jewish "rulers of the synagogues," who conducted the prayer, reading, and exposition which constituted the service, every church had a number of elders. There is in the N.T. no set distinction made between the teaching and the ruling elder; both offices were united in the same person. See Bishop. Elders, Estate of the. Acts 22:5. See Estate of the Elders.