While
the word elder speaks to the maturity, dignity and experience
necessary in such a role, overseer (episkopoV)
refers to the character of the work an elder undertakes—he is one
who watches over. In ancient Greece,
episkopoV
was the name given in Athens to the men sent into subdued states to
conduct their affairs, but this is not exactly the Scriptural
meaning. When Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders for the last time,
he exhorts them to “Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all
the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as
overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which he has purchased
with the blood of his own” (Acts 20: 28, my emphasis). While they
were to watch over the flock, they were of
the flock—and their care, therefore, was more deeply invested than
that of a mere political appointee. There were also elders in
Judaism (see Num. 11: 16 etc.) and their function appears to have
been to act as guardians of the Jewish religion and culture, and as
a resource of wisdom and experience (see Deut. 21: 2; Ruth 4: 2
etc.). It can be assumed that the elders within the Christian sphere
(see Acts 15: 1-29; 16: 4; 21: 18 etc.) had a not dissimilar
purpose—without inferring that every detail is transferable.
What is remarkable
about the elders in Christianity as presented in Scripture,
is that so little information is given about their function. The
Bible lays far more emphasis on what an elder is, than
on what he does (see 1 Tim. 3: 1-7; Titus 1: 5-9). In
Christendom, by contrast, insufficient attention is paid to these
requirements (witness how the word must in 1 Tim. 3: 2 is so
often divested of its conclusive meaning).
It is obvious from
the demanding list of qualifications that the most fundamental
function of an elder is to act as a model Christian—“irreproachable,
husband of one wife … conducting his own house well” etc. (1 Tim. 3:
2, 4). Hence Peter speaks of true overseership as “not as lording it
over your possessions, but being models for the flock” (1 Pet. 5:
3). A Christian cannot function as an elder if he does not
have this model character. Peter, of course, in speaking of
the elders as models for the flock, is addressing them as
shepherds, though he takes great care to remind them that
elders are also sheep: “The elders which [are] among
you I exhort … shepherd the flock of God which [is] among
you” (vs. 1, 2, my emphasis). Earlier
he had spoken of Christ as “the shepherd and overseer of your souls”
(1 Pet. 2: 25) and it is this character of the Lord that was to form
the basis of their own shepherding, for “when the chief shepherd is
manifested” (1 Pet. 5: 4) they were to receive a reward for their
service—“the unfading crown of glory” (v4).
What then is
shepherding? The Greek verb translated shepherd in 1 Pet. 5:
2 is
poimainw and
aspects of its meaning can be discerned by examining how Scripture
uses it. In Jude v12 we read of those who were “feasting together
[with you] without fear, pasturing themselves”, and although there
negative and selfish (comp. Ezek. 34: 2), the word pasturing
(poimainw)
gives us one of the purposes of true shepherding—that the flock is
tended with a view to its prosperity. The spiritual lessons are not
difficult to discern. Thus the Lord instructs Peter (using Peter’s
love for Him as a lever) to “Shepherd my sheep” (John 21: 16—poimainw)
as well as to “Feed my lambs” (v15) and “Feed my sheep” (v17). A
related idea of care and refreshment is found in Rev. 7: 17 in
relation to those who had come out of the great tribulation:
“because the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall shepherd
them, and shall lead them to fountains of waters of life, and God
shall wipe away every tear from their eyes”. Indeed, as already
noted, the “good shepherd” (John 10: 14) is the model for all who
are to follow—the One who “maketh me to lie down in green pastures”
and “leadeth me beside still waters” (Ps. 23: 2). When the Lord fed
the five thousand, see the wisdom with which he instructs his
disciples to make the crowd “sit down by companies on the green
grass” (Mark 6: 39). Pasturing sheep is much more than just
providing food but entails providing (or ensuring) suitable
conditions. The details are revealing: sitting down (ready to
receive from the Lord), small groups (perhaps the local setting) and
green grass (a restful atmosphere). How these things are often
overlooked!
The AV translates
poimainw as “Feed”
in 1 Pet. 5: 2 (“Feed the flock of God which is among you”) but this
limits the sense too much. In its natural connotation, shepherding
includes guarding, guiding and folding the flock and its spiritual
meaning also goes beyond the simple leading of the sheep to
nourishment. Hence the Ephesian elders were to “watch” (Acts 20: 31)
and to “Take heed” (prosecw—a
nautical term meaning to hold to a course) “to yourselves,
and to all the flock” (v28). Why? Because “there will come in
amongst you after my departure grievous wolves, not sparing the
flock; and from among your own selves shall rise up men speaking
perverted things to draw away the disciples after them” (vs. 29,
30). Thus it was imperative that the elder had at least an aptitude
for teaching (see 1 Tim. 3: 2)—indeed, those “labouring in word and
teaching” (1 Tim. 5: 17) were worthy of double honour. He was to be
marked by “clinging to the faithful word according to the doctrine
taught” (Titus 1: 9), not only so “that he may be able … to
encourage with sound teaching” (what we might call attractive
ministry) but also to “refute gainsayers” (v9, my
emphasis). This negative ministry is essential, “For there are many
and disorderly vain speakers and deceivers of people’s minds,
specially those of [the] circumcision, who must have their mouths
stopped” (vs. 10, 11). Thus not only is the elder to be able to
refute those who contradicted the faithful Word, but, on occasion,
he might have to prevent some from speaking. If an elder just sits
there while erroneous doctrine is promulgated from the pulpit, then
he is failing in his duty as “God’s steward” (v7).
This more muscular
side might not sit easily with those who mistakenly think that
shepherding is an entirely positive occupation. Sheep are wilful
creatures (as we all are), and ever prone to go astray, and a godly
shepherd will exercise not only care, but firmness in
that care (see Matt. 2: 6; Rev. 2: 27; 12: 5; 19: 15 where
poimainw is
translated rule in the AV). Anybody who knows sheep will be
aware that weakness in the shepherd is disastrous. He cannot be a
‘soft touch’. An elder is to be one who conducts “his own house
well, having [his] children in subjection with all gravity” (1 Tim.
3: 4). Why does the Spirit of God introduce this necessary
qualification? Because “if one does not know how to conduct his own
house, how shall he take care of the assembly of God?” (v5). Does
this mean that the man who rules his household like a despot is the
sort of man that ought to be an elder? No, far from it. The word
conduct (proisthmi)
gives a clue as to the sort of rule that is in view—the man is to go
before his own, using diligence to ensure that the entire household
is brought together in subjection to the will of the Lord. Thus in a
Christian household, fathers are to bring up their children “in
[the] discipline and admonition of [the] Lord” (Eph. 6: 4), and
Abraham commanded “his children and his household after him, and
they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to
do righteousness and justice” (Gen. 18: 19). What is seen in the
care of the natural household can then be transferred into the “care
of the assembly of God” (1 Tim. 3: 5). Hence, we come across
proisthmi again, but this time it is not
translated conduct but as take
the lead in “know those who labour among you, and take the lead
among you in [the] Lord” (1 Thess. 5: 12) and “Let the elders who
take the lead [among the saints] well be esteemed worthy of double
honour” (1 Tim. 5: 17).
Some emphasise that
elders are there to ‘sort out problems in the meeting’ (perhaps
based on the “admonish you” of 1 Thess. 5: 12) and certainly the
wisdom and gravity associated with the office would be a help in a
crisis. However, the evidence for such an explicit role is lacking.
For example, while the saints in Philippi are addressed “with [the]
overseers and ministers” (Phil. 1: 1), there is no instruction given
to them to sort out the issues between Euodia and Syntyche (see
Phil. 4: 2). Again, in the Lord’s instruction to His own regarding
serious issues between brethren (see Matt. 18: 15-17) there is not a
word about elders playing any part. Perhaps most startling of all is
the situation in Corinth. The assembly there had very serious moral
and doctrinal problems, but the elders are not reprimanded (indeed,
it is doubtful that there were elders in Corinth) and Paul does not
once intimate that he appoint elders to prevent future issues (even
though he planned to visit—see 1 Cor. 16: 3, 5; 2 Cor. 13: 1).
All manner of other
roles are, of course, assigned in Christendom to the elderhood
without Scriptural warrant. There is for example, no basis
whatsoever for elders officiating at the Lord’s supper—indeed, to do
so is to take into the holiest what has no place there. Again, while
in Acts 15 “the apostles and elders were gathered together” to “see
about” a serious question (v6) it cannot be deduced from this that
elders are there to decide matters for the
assembly—rather their function of wise counsel and leadership is to
carry all with them (also not forgetting, incidentally, that not all
leaders are elders). See how much has been read into James 5: 14,
when it is clear that the elders are not, as often assumed, a class
of Christians with special powers but simply representative of the
whole company! The fact is, while “any one” who “aspires to exercise
oversight … desires a good work” (1 Tim. 3: 1) he must get his
bearings from Scripture as the how and what of that work, rather
than just proceeding as seems good to him or others.
Finally, to add to
a point made earlier, what an elder does flows out of
what he is. With this in mind, we ought “to know those
who labour among you, and take the lead among you in [the]
Lord” (1 Thess. 5: 12, my emphasis)—not because of a
pretention to ‘official’ appointment but because they manifest their
moral qualification to the company.
