What is a Church Elder?

Cornerstone PCA has been going through a series of messages on 1 Peter.  We've recently come upon 1 Peter 5:1-4 which reads:

    So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (English Standard Version)

A couple of weeks ago we looked at what the text says. We are now ready to embark on a short series that will explore what a church elder is and what he does.  The message for this coming Sunday is based upon 1 Peter 5:1-2 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 entitled What is An Elder?
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The Elder According to the Bible

 

 

In our day where autonomy and independence are the high marks of a real American, the  idea of office is scorned; particularly with reference to the Church. Typically the argument against special office in the church is an appeal to the priesthood of all believers. This supposedly justifies the often-heard comment that there is no clergy and laity in Scripture,  therefore none should exist in the Church. From that follows the view that each individual is free to exercise his Christian faith any way he deems fit without any sense of accountability  to anyone, “but God.”

Yet, is this really a biblical view? It is true that the Old Testament priesthood has been  completely fulfilled by out High Priest Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). Heinrich Bullinger in 1561  wrote, “The apostles of Christ do term all those who believe in Christ priests; not in regard to their ministry, but because that all the faithful, being made kings and priests may through Christ, offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God (Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet 2:5,9; Rev. 1:6). The ministry then, and the priesthood are things far different one from the other. For the priesthood, as we said even now, is common to all Christians; not so is the ministry. And we have not taken away the ministry of the Church because we have thrust the popish (Roman Catholic style) priesthood out of the Church of Christ” (Brown, edit. Order in the Offices, p. 11).  Bullinger says it well. 

It is true there is no special priestcraft in the Church, making one person in Christ superior to any

other in Christ. Every believer in Christ is equally called, justified, sanctified and will be glorified. 

Every believer stands before the throne of God in Jesus Christ, have all the privileges and duties in 

common as co-heirs and sharers in the ministry of love to one another.

However, God has set apart offices. To these offices He gifts, calls and ordains men for the good 

service, administration and order of His Church. Not every person in Christ enters into such an 
 office. However, this does not necessarily mean that one who is gifted and called to that special
office is superior to others; or that those who are not in such special service are inferior. The office
from God “does not exist to give honor or privilege to s special class of superior individuals” (K.Sietsma).

 The term “office” refers to a position that involves duty, service and responsibility. In this general
 sense, all believers in Christ have a common office. In the general sense, all believers are to fulfill
what all man was called to fulfill, and that is to serve God and one another.

In the more particular sense, office is the special gift and mandate from God to render Him service. 
It is an institutional (of the visible church) position of service, authorized by God, which has a special
dignity and authority. The man is not the office; but a man may be called to that office. The office
limits the person’s exercise of authority. “Office is the only justification and proper limitation of any
human exercise of power and authority because no one has a natural right to rule over others. We
owe no obedience to any other humans except by virtue of their office as mandated by God.” 

 (Sietsma, K. The Idea of Office. Ontario: Paideia Press; 1985).

In the Old Testament, there were certain offices instituted by God for the kingdom.

1. There was the office of prophet (Deut. 18; 34:5; Josh. 1:1; 2 Kings 9:7; Jer. 7:25; 29:19; etc.).

2.  Still other officials were the priests (1 Chron. 6:32).

3. Another office was that of elder, those who ruled God’s people (Ex. 3:16; 24:1; Lev. 4:15; Num. 11:16; Deut. 21:19) and were covenantal representatives of the people.

4. Judges were appointed by God as prophet-kings until God appointed the office of king (Job 18; Jer. 25:9; 27:6; ).    

 
As we enter into the New Covenant, these offices were symbols which pointed to the perfect Prophet-Priest-King, Jesus Christ. He fulfills the duties and terms of those Old Testament offices
perfectly and completely as the Servant of the Lord. In Christ, those special institutions with their offices were fulfilled.

Under the renewed way of the New Covenant Jesus appointed men to  extraordinary offices:

1. The first was  apostle (John 20:19-23; Eph. 4:11ff).

(1)   These men were special emissaries of Christ who were selected and trained by Him (a qualification of a true apostle), empowered by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned to  establish the New Covenant community.

(2)   The apostles’ primary mission was the declaration of the Word of God to establish His Church.

(3)   The apostles then selected gifted men to assist them as servants of God and His Word (eg. Acts 13:5).

(4)  See Mark 3:14; Galatians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 12:28; 2 Corinthians 12:12 Hebrews 2:4.

2. The second was the extraordinary office-gift of prophet.

(1)   These were men and women specially gifted in order to bring God’s revealed Word into the New Covenant era.

(2)  See Acts 11:27; 13:1,2; 1 Corinthians 12:28.

3. The third office-gift was that of the evangelist.

(1)   He was a man who most often accompanied the apostles in their work.

(2)   His main function was to establish churches through the preaching of God’s Word

(3)  See  Acts 21:8; 1Timothy 5:22;Titus 1:5; 3:10.

There are also ordinary officers in God’s Church until Jesus Christ returns.

1. Ruling officers in the New Testament Church are Christ’s servants who primarily administer the Word of God and the rule of Christ to His people (1 Cor. 4:1; 12:28ff; Rom. 12:7-8; Eph. 4:11ff;  1 Tim. 1:11).

(1)   One office ordained by God to rule His people in the Old Testament which carried over into the New is that of elder (Acts 14:23;20:28-31; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 5:17)

(2)   There are three terms in the New Testament which are used interchangeably that refer to the same official position as elder:

(a)   presbuteros (elder) (re: Acts 20:17; Ti. 1:9)

(b)   episkopos (overseer) (re: Acts 11:20; 1 Tim. 3:1)

(c)  poimen (shepherd or the more common pastor) (re: Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).

(3)   God governs His Church today through elders. We believe there are two types:

(a)   One whose primary role is as a guide and ruler of the local church.  He rules as a servant who, along with the other elder(s), rules by the clear teaching of the Word and mysteries of God (Matt. 10:24; Luke 6:40; John 13:16; 15:20; 1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Tim. 5:17b; 1 Pet. 5:1ff),

(b)  The other type of elder is one who also rules, but who primary duty is to serve the Word of God through teaching and preaching (1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17; Titus 1:5-9;  Heb. 13:7, 17, 24; 1 Pet. 5:1ff). This kind of elder is commonly known as the "pastor."

Another office, but not a ruling office is for the specific and spiritual ministry of mercy to those in need. We call this the office of deacon (Acts 6; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8-13).

(4)   The elders have the right and the duty to govern God’s Church. This is clear when we consider the various terms used in the New Testament:

(a)   Exousia -  the authority delegated by Christ that is in keeping with the Word of God and its teachings. Such authority has the right and duty to govern and make policy that determines the direction of the local assembly.

(b)   Hegeomai -  meaning “to lead” or “guide.”

It is used of political rulers (Matt. 2:6; Acts 7:10) and for the church leadership (Heb. 13:7, 17, 24).

(c)    Proistemi

(1.1)        to have charge over (1 Thess. 5:12)

(1.2)        to manage (1 Tim. 3:4,5,12)

(1.3)        to lead (Rom. 12:8)

(1.4)       to rule (1 Tim. 5:17)

(5)  Therefore, the elder is to govern God’s people. This means elders have jurisdiction in three ways:

(a)    to have charge (1 Thess. 5:12-13), which also means to lead (Rom. 12:8); manage (1 Tim. 3:4,5,12), and rule (1 Tim. 5:17);

(b)    to guide (Heb. 13:17) which is the term used for a political ruler or chief speaker (Acts 14:12 cp Heb. 13:7, 17,24);

(c)  to have authority over (Ti. 3:1-2) the right to govern and to make policy which determines the direction and emphases of the church according to the Word of God to build up His people (2 Cor. 13:10).

(d)   God’s government restricts elders to ruling only within the biblical boundaries established by the Word of God

(1.1)        The elder(s) have the delegated right to think, choose and act within those boundaries

(a.a) Elders may come with a rod of discipline (1 Cor. 4:21)

(b.b) Elders may reprove and rebuke (2 Tim. 4:2), and perhaps severely at times (Ti. 1:13; 2:15).

(1.2)        But the elder(s) may not “lord it over” the flock (1 Pet. 5:3)

(a.a)     Abusive authority is illustrated for us in Matt. 20:25 and Luke 22:25.

(b.b)     Such abuse means to coerce another for self-serving purposes instead of for the loving welfare of another.

2. The other ordinary and perpetual office is that of deacon.

(1)   The deacon is a ministry support, a helper who serves. (Acts 6:1-6; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8-13).

(2)   Various ways in which deacons served in the New Testament:

(a)   Preparing the home and meals for hospitality (Lk 10:40)

(b)   Serving food daily during fellowship meals (Acts 6:1)

(c)   Serving the Word of God (Acts 6:4; 20:24; 21:19; Rom. 11:13; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1,12-13)

(d)   Through the distribution of funds for the relief of those in need (Acts 11:29; 12:25; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1-13)

(e)  Exercising their spiritual gifts of service in many different ways (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:5)

Some have argued that there are three particular offices in the NT Church in the manner or pattern 
of the OT prophet, priest, and king. The prophet would be the prototype for the minister of the Word
of the Faith, the king as the forerunner to the ministry of loving oversight (elder), and the priest as
that which has now become the ministry of mercy and hope (deacon). 

 While there has been considerable debate regarding this, it is nevertheless true that God has ordained certain offices for the spiritual government of His Church, and has called, gifted and ordained men to those offices in service to Him (1 Cor. 1:4-15; Ti. 1:7) for His people.