Elder (Christianity)

In Christianity, an elder is a person who is valued for wisdom and holds a position of responsibility and authority in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions (e.g., Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Methodism) an ''elder'' is an ordained person who serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of word, sacrament and order, filling the preaching and pastoral offices. In other Christian traditions (e.g., Presbyterianism, Churches of Christ, Plymouth Brethren), an elder may be a lay person serving as an administrator in a local congregation, or be ordained and serving in preaching (teaching during church gatherings) or pastoral roles. There is a distinction between ordained elders and lay elders. The two concepts may be conflated in everyday conversation (for example, a lay elder in the Baptist tradition may be referred to as "clergy", especially in America). In non-Christian world cultures the term elder refers to age and experience, and the Christian sense of elder is partly related to this.

Elders in the Bible

Elders are mentioned in a number of New Testament passages. Individuals such as James had a significant role in the Jerusalem church and the Council of Jerusalem. In reference to churches in Antioch, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, Paul appoints elders as a key step in organizing a new church and instructs Titus to appoint others. Paul spoke directly to the elders in Acts and warned them to "be on guard for themselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." ^{/nowiki>Acts 20:28">Acts_20:28.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Acts 20:28">/nowiki>Acts 20:28/nowiki>} The book of Revelation identifies twenty-four elders with white robes and golden crowns on their heads seated on thrones around the One seated on the throne (Rev. 4:4, 10–11).

Terminology

The Christian office of "elder" is drawn from the word's various uses in the Bible. In many instances, particularly in the Old Testament, it has reference to the older men in a tribe, usually entrusted with the governmental affairs, whose counsel was frequently sought because of their age and experience. This was not necessarily a priesthood calling, although the Aaronic Priesthood is listed as having ordained elders. In the Septuagint, the word for Old Testament elders is πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros), as used in the New Testament for both Christian and Jewish leaders. Various traditions in Christianity translate the underlying term differently depending on their particular doctrinal or practical view of the role. In the Moravian Church, an elder is referred to as a Helper.

In addition to ''presbuteros'', there are two other words used in the New Testament to describe various aspects of this position of leadership: 'overseer' and 'shepherd': Peter draws the three concepts together in one passage: "Therefore, I exhort the ''elders'' among you... ''shepherd'' the flock of God among you, ''exercising oversight''." ^{/nowiki>Acts 20">Acts_20.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Acts 20">/nowiki>Acts 20/nowiki>}

''Presbuteros''

''Presbuteros'' (πρεσβύτερος, in Strong's Concordance) is the most commonly used term for elder in the New Testament, stemming from ''presbus'', elderly. It is used with regard to the twelve apostles, the seventy disciples or others acting in a specific role of authority in a local assembly of Christians. It is used twenty-eight times in the Gospels and Acts of the members of the Jewish Sanhedrin and twelve times in Revelation of the representatives of the redeemed people of God. The remaining nineteen times the word is employed in Acts and the Epistles, it identifies the leaders in the local churches of the New Testament. While no specific age is given, the connotation of seniority and experience in this term emphasizes the nature of the position and the character of the person, implying maturity, dignity, experience and honor.Strauch, A. (1995). ''Biblical Eldership''. Lewis and Roth Publishers

The modern English words "priest" or "presbyter" are derived etymologically from ''presbyteros''.

The New Testament meaning is taken by some scholars as the Latin word ''Legate'' which describes the ancient classical function as a herald who represents the highest state office and might be a governor of a province.

''Episkopos''

''Episkopos'' (ἐπίσκοπος, in Strong's Concordance) was a common word in the Greek culture for any official who acted as a superintendent, manager, overseer, controller, curator, guardian or ruler. It occurs only five times in the New Testament, once referring to Christ and the other four times to church leaders. The Authorised Version translates the word as "bishop", emphasizing the function of an elder as exercising authority and supervision "by divine placement, initiative and design." The overseer can sometimes be viewed as a lead elder or as just one of a plurality of elders.

''Poimen''

''Poimen'' (ποιμήν, in Strong's Concordance) means shepherd, also translated as pastor. It is applied only once in the noun form and three times in the verb form in the New Testament in the context of church leaders. The term emphasizes the elder as one who tends, feeds, guides, protects and cares for his flock.

Responsibilities of elders

The New Testament offers more instruction regarding elders than on many other important church subjects such as the Lord's Supper, the Lord's Day, baptism or spiritual gifts, and their duties are laid out in several places. In the majority of the references, the word for elders is plural and word for church is singular, suggesting that the pattern in the early church was for a plurality of elders in each local church.