Kingdom Elders
“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder,” 1 Peter 5'1.
"ELDERS IN EVERY CITY"
One of the most telling New Testament passages in regard to elders and their ministry is what Paul said to the elders of the Ephesian saints. He was in Miletus, on his way back to Jerusalem, and from there he "... sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the Body of Christ (Acts 20'17). They came and here is what he said:
“... I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the body of Saints of God which He purchased with His own blood.
For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified," Acts 20'27-32.
He had been with these spiritual brothers a number of times, once for three years, declaring to them the whole counsel of God. Hence he warns and exhorts and encourages them; passionately giving them God's wisdom regarding future dangers.
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According to the scriptures of Acts 1'1 to Revelation 3'22 elders are the mainstay of the Body of Christ. The Lord's apostles being the first of them. He had been preparing them to succeed Him with the Kingdom message. At one stage He assured them by telling them that:
“... when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come," John 16'13.
And that began to happen when the completion of their preparation was near. He "presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," Acts 1'3.
However, they would need help in order to understand His final and highly significant kingdom teachings, because the Holy Spirit, the Helper, was yet to come. But, prior to this, Jesus had "breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'," John 20'22.
Then, speaking about things of the kingdom, He said:
“'Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high'. And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven," Luke 24'49-51.
The disciples ...
"... all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,
'Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.
For it is written in the book of Psalms: "Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it"; and, "Let another take his oversight"'.
'Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection'.
And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, 'You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place'.
And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles,” Acts 1'15-17,20-26.
Peter had introduced Kingdom Eldership using three critical words, "ministry", "oversight" and "apostleship". They convey what being an elder is all about. (Some years later Paul referred to the Ephesian elders as those who the Holy Spirit had made "overseers to shepherd" the flock of God.)
It's likely that the apostles would have been under 25, which seems too young to be overseers. Nevertheless they would have been spiritually mature. The Greek word for elder, presbuteros, means elder or of age, referring to spiritual maturity.
So an elder's ministry involves overseeing (observing the spiritual state) and shepherding (leading and guiding spiritually) in the Body of Christ (which is basically what Paul said to the Ephesian elders).
The New Testament Greek language (from Strong's Concordance) shows that ministry is from diakonia and means service or to serve and diakonos mostly means minister (verse 17). The word oversight is from episcope meaning overseeing (verse 20). And overseer is from episcopos. The word shepherd is from poimaino meaning feed, rule, govern.
Having also been with the Lord during His ministry on earth, Matthias joined the disciples. He qualified to "take part in this ministry and apostleship" that Peter referred to and was numbered among the apostles. (According to Strong's Concordance, an apostle is a delegate, a messenger, one sent forth with orders, from the Greek word apostolos.)
His job completed, Peter may have recalled the time when Jesus told the disciples that He would build His Body of Called-Out Ones, and then turning to Peter He said:
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16'18-19).
On this day Peter used the first key, instituting the first shepherding eldership to serve the soon-to-be Body of Christ (see more of The Keys of the Kingdom of God on the Menu).
Guided by the Holy Spirit, they began leading the way in preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke records that at the conclusion of Peter's message on the Day of Pentecost, many of his listeners repented and received the Lord. They ...
"... continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers," Acts 2'42.
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At this stage the apostles passed on the spiritual understandings they had received from Jesus directly (Matthew 28'19). Some time later the Lord added Paul to the apostolic number. His ministry calling was specially to the Gentiles but still including the Jews. As Jesus said he would, the Holy Spirit guided them into all truth. And through His guidance and leading they produced Christ's New Covenant Kingdom scriptures. Paul refers to them collectively as The Word of Christ (Colossians 3'16).
The Father conveys through them the Biblical understandings He wants His children to have. The Spirit-inspired writer to the Hebrews is emphatic that all Believers have the foundational understandings and experiences of the first principles of the oracles of God through Christ (Hebrews 5'12-6'3). See Your Kingdom Foundation on the Menu.
It was from such Saints that Kingdom Elders (and later on Kingdom Servants, aka Deacons) were appointed in every locality where Christ's Called-Out People lived.
However, it has to be remembered that elders and servants are not a kind of class of Believer. And they are certainly not any better. They are not separate in any way.
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So, throughout the New Testament letters and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit says a lot about elders and eldership. They are to be among the saints leading, feeding and overseeing God's flock, the Body of Christ.
Referring to those who had come out of the tribulation, John's words in another context reveal Christ's example of eldership very clearly:
“... the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes,” Revelation 7'17.
Back in the Psalms too, David reveals Jesus's example of eldership beginning with:
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. ..." Psalm 23'1+.
Through Peter the Spirit points to Jesus as the elder's example, describing Him as "the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1:2'25). Peter would have known of Matthew's reference to Micah's prophecy that refers to Israel's coming Messiah being "a ruler who would shepherd" (Matthew 2'6).
Again he says:
"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away," 1 Peter 5'1-4.
What is noticeable about Peter's letter is that, in spite of the very significant part he played in the Kingdom work of the Lord, especially as the apostle to the Jews, he speaks to them as elder to elder and not as being superior.
And as fellow elder-overseer he reminds them that the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, will reward them. No doubt he was still very much aware of what the Lord had told him years before: “Feed My lambs”, “Tend My sheep” and again “Feed My sheep" (John 21'16-18).
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Paul was involved to a greater extent than Peter because the Lord chose him to be a preacher, a teacher and an apostle of the things of Christ and His New Covenant Kingdom of God to Gentiles (Acts 28'31; 1 Timothy 2'2). Nevertheless, wherever there were Jews he went to them first.
As preacher he preached the Good News of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. As teacher he taught them the scriptural background of the Old Testament relationship to New Covenant Kingdom things.
As apostle he oversaw the formulation of local bodies of Gentiles or Jews who had received Christ and were born of the Holy Spirit. As they gathered together for fellowship in Christ he led them in instituting the godly order they needed, beginning with the appointment of elders and setting in place other kingdom things.
The ministry of apostle is both critical and crucial. The Greek word for apostle is apostolos, and means delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders (Strong's Concordance).
Right from the first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas carried out the Lord's requirement for elders to shepherd and oversee His Called-Out Ones:
"... when they had appointed elders in every local Body of Christ, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed," Acts 14'23.
However, if he could not appoint elders himself (and put other things in place) he enlisted others, like Titus. Apparently Paul had preached throughout the island of Crete some time earlier but had not been able to appoint elders, or put certain other important things in place. Such was the importance he commanded him:
"To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you," Titus 1'1-5.
Having said that, he immediately continues:
“… if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
For an elder-overseer must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict,” Titus 1’6-9.
He also wrote: "To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia - remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine ...", 1 Timothy 1'3.
The doctrine, that is, the teaching, that Paul is referring to is the doctrine of the apostles, but especially his teaching, as Christ's apostle to the Gentiles. And here is another presentation of his eldership teaching:
"This is a faithful saying: If a man desires to be an elder-overseer, he desires a good work.
An elder-overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the People of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil," 1 Timothy 3'1-7.
Those last two sentences are strong warnings indeed! So elders are to be spiritually mature men who know what their heavenly Father requires of them, and do it!
THE KINGDOM PATTERN OF THE WAY
While elders play a strategic part in God's kingdom order by ministering the word of Christ and setting being examples, they need assistance.
This need arose early in the ministry of the elders of the Body of Christ. Believers were living according to the teachings of the apostles. So, to meet this kind of need, the ministry of Servants was instituted.
A critical situation arose that called for administration. The elders knew that their ministry was not about adminstration but, they said, “... we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word”. They said to those closely involved to "'seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business," Acts 6'2,4 (see Kingdom Deacons on the Menu).
So the Holy Spirit's pattern for a local Body of Christ's Called-Out Ones was formed. Paul, in his letter to the Philippian Believers, addresses them like this:
"Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the Saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the Overseers and Servants," ch.1,v1.
In a letter to the Corinthian Saints Paul said:
"Therefore, I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every ekklesia, local Body of Christ," 1 Corinthians 4'16-17.
For Paul his ways are the ways for men and women of The Way who live in the various areas of cities and towns as shown throughout the scriptures of Acts 2'1 to Revelation 3'22.
CHRIST-LIKE OVERSIGHT
As with everything that he says, the way that Paul speaks to the saints of the Body of Christ in Thessalonica conveys his thinking on a number of things:
"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
And we urge you, brethren, to recognise those who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all" (chapter 5, verses 11-14).
One of those things is about eldership. Elders are in place. They are there to labour among them, oversee them and admonish them (that is exhort, warn and exhort them in the Spirit).
These things make up the setting of a local body among whom elders carry out their shepherding-oversight ministry. They are part and parcel of life and godliness in Christ's Covenant Kingdom.
So, here's a summary of some of the other scriptures that refer to elders. An elder should:
- teach and speak the word of Christ,
- be examples of the faith,
- be open to questions about their conduct,
- hold to the truth that Jesus Christ is always the same,
- behave in a way that reflects the Lord's way of shepherding and overseeing in love,
- respect the personal autonomy of others.
And remembering Jesus' way: “A bruised reed He will not break and smoking flax He will not quench,” Matthew 12’20 from Isaiah 42'3.
Therefore, the prime responsibility of an elder is to be accountable. And that requires having a disposition of honesty and openness. In a way accountability is more significant for an elder because "... he must have a good testimony among those who are outside," Paul says in 1 Timothy 3'1-7.
In regard to elders' admonishing God's People, it's useful to know Believers should aim to be able to minister to others in the same way:
"Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another," Romans 15'14.
The Holy Spirit says:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work," 2 Timothy 3'16-17.
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Nevertheless, the idea of elder-overseers being "over you", as Paul says, may raise some discomfort. It generally arises because of misconduct of some kind and misrepresentation of the word of Christ.
So Paul is careful to add that the ministry of those "who are over you" is "in the Lord". Remember what the Lord said?:
“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant," Mark 10'42-43.
These words of Jesus are the starting point. Elders are "over" but they are not to "lord it over" as per the world. Respecting the personal autonomy of others is basic to anything that has to do with Him. All Believers, and especially elders, should avoid pressuring, whether the person is a believer or not, personal autonomy must be honoured.
That being said, ruling is a part of the Kingdom Elder-Overseer's ministry. They are called to oversee the Lord's Flock and lead them in doing God's will, God's way. That involves obedience to the Word of Christ by both shepherds and sheep. And that obedience must be voluntary, and from the heart.
The Kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit and the things of the Spirit are manifested in the flesh (Romans 14'17). So all ruling is to be done with genuine godly love and wisdom. The writer to the Hebrews says to the local Body of Christ:
“Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct: Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever,” Hebrews 13’7-8.
And note what he says about Kingdom elders. They are examples to be followed. They are to be like the Lord Himself, in attitude and behaviour. Believers can see in them that Jesus actually is the same yesterday and today and forever. When that is the case then obeying this exhortation would be done willingly:
“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you,” Hebrews 13’17.
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THE MINISTRY
As has been said, the shepherd-oveseer ministry of an elder is all about serving God's People. And serving takes a number forms. However, a single elder would not necessarily be the one for every thing as others in the Body are called to what are called the "one another ministries". But there is specific praying for a sick brother or sister by the eldership. As is laying on hands for a specific spiritual gift:
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders ... and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,” James 5’14.
“Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership,” 1 Timothy 4’14.
Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit moves as He wills and so these things are not exclusive. But an elder is likely to be called on for one to one personal counselling. In that case, it's wise to have another elder, or one of the saints present. They could bear witness and verify the counsel at a later date if it became necessary.
If an elder is asked to counsel a female it's wise to have at least two mature female Believers present. However, females are best for ministering to females most times, whatever the age.
Sometimes an elder's wife is needed because of confidentiality. Together they are able to share Biblical understandings and life experiences and provide effective ministry for particular needs especially marriage, being equally yoked together in ministry as well as in marriage.
That does not exclude ministering to some men. The Holy Spirit can use them to help even those who have significant ministries, such as ...
“When Aquila and Priscilla heard him (Apollos that is), they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately,” Acts 18’26.
Singly and together they can minister to men, women, old people, young people, adults or children, singles or married couples.
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"... and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away," 1 Peter 5'1-4.
Α-Ω