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Boyd’s Bible Dictionary
:
(
old
man
). Highest in tribal
authority
(
Gen. 24:2; 50:7
2
And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: (Genesis 24:2)
7
And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, (Genesis 50:7)
;
Ex. 3:16; 4:29
16
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: (Exodus 3:16)
29
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: (Exodus 4:29)
;
Num. 22:7
7
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. (Numbers 22:7)
). One of the 70 justiciars (
Num. 11:25
25
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. (Numbers 11:25)
), or
Sanhedrim
(
Judg. 2:7
7
And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel. (Judges 2:7)
;
2 Sam. 17:4
4
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. (2 Samuel 17:4)
;
Jer. 29:1
1
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; (Jeremiah 29:1)
). An official in early
Christian
church
, like presbyter or
bishop
(
Acts 20:17,28
17
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. (Acts 20:17)
28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
).
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
This term occurs first in
Genesis 50:7
7
And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, (Genesis 50:7)
, where it applies to the
Egyptians
of the
house
of
Pharaoh
and to the elders of
Egypt
. In
Numbers 22:7
7
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. (Numbers 22:7)
we read also of the elders of
Moab
and the elders of
Midian
, so that the term was not confined to
Israel
.
The word
is
saqen
which implies “aged
man
”; they were no doubt also men of repute, including heads of houses of each tribe, without having any official place such as was given to the seventy appointed by
God
to work with
Moses
: these were chosen from among the elders (
Num. 11:16-17,24-25
16
And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17
And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. (Numbers 11:16‑17)
24
And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. (Numbers 11:24‑25)
).
Elders would be found in every city, and could act in all matters of the common weal as the responsible members of the community. They could be called on any emergency. For instance, when a dead man was found in a field, and it was not known who had slain him, the elders of the city to which it was nearest, must assemble, and, with their hands over a
heifer
, beheaded for the occasion, must solemnly declare that they had no
knowledge
of the
murder
. The “
judges
” are here named as distinct from the elders (
Deut. 21:1-9
1
If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:
2
Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:
3
And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;
4
And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley:
5
And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:
6
And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
7
And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
8
Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
9
So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 21:1‑9)
). In any ratification as to the
redemption
of an
inheritance
the elders were called together to be witnesses (
Ruth 4:1-12
1
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
2
And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
3
And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
4
And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
5
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
6
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
7
Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.
8
Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
9
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
10
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
11
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
12
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman. (Ruth 4:1‑12)
). The elders being heads of houses and related by
blood
to the people, Israel must have been in a dire condition when the elders were not honored (
Lam. 4:16
16
The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders. (Lamentations 4:16)
;
Lam. 5:12
12
Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honored. (Lamentations 5:12)
).
In the
New
Testament
the elders of Israel are often referred to and their traditions spoken of (
Mark 7:3, 5
3
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. (Mark 7:3)
5
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? (Mark 7:5)
). Such took a prominent part in the condemnation of the
Lord
, and are mentioned as distinct from the
Sanhedrim
(
Matt. 26:59
59
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; (Matthew 26:59)
). “All the elders” in
Matthew 27:1
1
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: (Matthew 27:1)
would include the Sanhedrim (compare also
Acts 6:12
12
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, (Acts 6:12)
). The elders continued their opposition as long as there was any open
testimony
in
Jerusalem
(
Acts 4:23
23
And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. (Acts 4:23)
;
Acts 24:1
1
And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. (Acts 24:1)
;
Acts 25:15
15
About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. (Acts 25:15)
).
ELDER IN THE
CHURCH
. The word is πρεσβύτερος, and signifies “aged person.” There were elders at Jerusalem, though we do not read of their appointment (
Acts 11:30
30
Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:30)
;
Acts 15:2-23
2
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: (Acts 15:2‑23)
;
Acts 21:18
18
And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. (Acts 21:18)
); but the choice of elders in the Gentile assemblies was by apostolic
authority
, either direct or delegated.
Paul
and
Barnabas
chose, or appointed, elders in every city (
Acts 14:23
23
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (Acts 14:23)
; compare
James 5:14
14
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (James 5:14)
;
1 Peter 5:1
1
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: (1 Peter 5:1)
).
Titus
was delegated by Paul to establish elders in every city in
Crete
(
Titus 1:5
5
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: (Titus 1:5)
). In
Titus 1:7
7
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; (Titus 1:7)
they are called bishops, or overseers; so in Acts 20 Paul called for the elders
of Ephesus
, to whom he said that the
Holy
Ghost
had made them bishops, or overseers, showing that those appointed as elders and bishops were the same persons (
Acts 20:28
28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
). See
BISHOP
.
It is important to note the distinction between “gift” and “office.” The former is direct from the Lord; the latter by human appointment. Gift needed no human authority for its exercise, and was held in immediate responsibility to the
Head
. Elders were such by apostolic authority, direct or delegated. Their appointment was not to preach or teach (though if they took the
lead
well, and had the gift of
teaching
, they were worthy of double honor (
1 Tim. 5:17
17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. (1 Timothy 5:17)
), but “to
shepherd
” the
assembly
of God (
Acts 20:28
28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
), and to maintain it in order in the locality where they lived. Their authority was over the unbroken local assembly. There can be now no such elders either in the source of their authority, or in the sphere of its exercise.
ELDERS IN
HEAVEN
. The four and twenty elders seen by
John
in heaven are frequently referred to in
the Revelation
. They were seen round about the
throne
, sitting on thrones (not seats), clothed in white raiment, with crowns of
gold
on their heads, and they
worship
God (
Rev. 4:4,10
4
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. (Revelation 4:4)
10
The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (Revelation 4:10)
). In the
Old Testament
, when all was in order there were twenty-four
courses
of the
priesthood
, each course having an elder as head or chief (
1 Chron. 24:7-18
7
Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
8
The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
9
The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
10
The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
11
The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
12
The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
13
The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
14
The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
15
The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,
16
The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,
17
The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,
18
The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. (1 Chronicles 24:7‑18)
); and the elders in the Revelation being twenty-four in number may be in allusion to them. The elders in heaven have harps and golden
vials
full of odors, “which are the prayers of saints” showing that they act as priests (
Rev. 5:8
8
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. (Revelation 5:8)
); and in
Revelation 5:9
9
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)
they celebrate redemption in a song. They are doubtless
the redeemed
, including both Old and New Testament saints (
Rev. 7:11,13
11
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, (Revelation 7:11)
13
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? (Revelation 7:13)
;
Rev. 11:16
16
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, (Revelation 11:16)
;
Rev. 14:3
3
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. (Revelation 14:3)
;
Rev. 19:4
4
And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. (Revelation 19:4)
).
Related Books and Articles:
Gift and Local Office
From:
Handfuls of Purpose
By:
Walter Thomas Prideaux Wolston
Lecture 5: Gifts and Local Charges.
From:
Lectures on the Church of God
By:
William Kelly
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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