I. Elder seems to be an older person, especially a person who has been faithful in the service of God and stands as an excellent example to younger people.

A. I have heard many pastors called elder, whether that person was old or not.

1. It seems to me that an elder is a spiritual leader in the church, whether he is pastor or not.

2. It is possible for an older man to be a elder (pastor), but not a young pastor.

3. The word "novice" in pastoral qualifications, I Timothy 3:6 means a newly converted person.

a. There is no reference as to age, or intelligence.

b. The meaning is that a pastor must be solid in the faith, and have experience before the church to prove he will "stick by the stuff".

4. The elder is an older man in the church, or an older pastor who, because of years of experience, has gained a reputation for Godly leadership and example.

B. The elder is also an older member of the congregation who, like his pastor, has gained a reputation for faithfulness to the Word of God, continually standing all his life for the honest things of the word of God, even if the Bible is against himself or his family, or loved ones.

1. There is very definitely a place in every church for older, experienced men who are able to spiritually lead the church without overruling the pastor or the church.

2. One reason churches fail today is because they do not have men qualified to be elders, or because the younger men fail to listen to the advice of the older, more qualified men. The example is Rehoboam, who took the advice of the younger advisors instead of listening to the older, more experienced advisors, thereby losing the majority of his kingdom.

II. A word study of "Elder" in the Bible.

A. The term is used some 194 times in the entire Bible.

1. Sometimes the word elder is compared to the younger.

2. Genesis 25:23 – The elder shall serve the younger.

3. Genesis 50:7 – the elders of Israel and Egypt went up with Joseph to bury his father Jacob.

B. Moses was instructed by God to gather the elders of Israel together.

1. Exodus 3:16 – Moses will explain to the elders that he is chosen of God to deliver Israel from Egypt.

2. Exodus 3:18, and Exodus 4:29-31 – Moses did as God commanded before all the elders of Israel.

3. It seems the elders were to receive instructions from Moses, who received his instructions from God, then give those instructions to all of Israel.

4. Exodus 12:21 reveals the "chain of command" concerning the first Passover. God gave instructions to Moses, who gave those commands to the elders, who passed God’s commands along to the individual Israelites.

5. Exodus 17:5,6 – Moses smote the rock before the elders of Israel to bring water from the rock.

6. Exodus 18:12 – Moses and his father in law ate before the elders of Israel.

7. Exodus 19:7 – Moses spoke to the elders of Israel concerning God’s plans for Israel, and they agreed.

C. The elders take the place of the congregation in sacrifices.

1. Leviticus 4:15, 9:1 – The elders put their hands on the heads of the animal sacrifices when the sacrifice was for the entire nation.

2. Numbers 11:16,24, 25, 30 – God gave his spirit to the 70 elders of Israel and they prophesied before all Israel.

D. Israel is not the only nation that has elders.

1. Midian has elders – Numbers 22:4,7.

2. Succoth has 77 elders – Judges 8:14.

E. Exodus 24:9 – This passage declares there were 70 elders of Israel. It must be noted there were many elders, some of families, some of priests (Isaiah 37:2), some of cities, some of regions, some of tribes, some of the entire nation. This is the arrangement of the government.

1. The town of Gilead has elders – Judges 11:5,7,8,9,10,11.

2. Elders conducted and approved business in the days of Ruth – Ruth 4:2, 4, 9, 11.

F. I Samuel 8:1-5 records the change from prophet/judge to king.

1. Israel will retain elders, but they stop having a prophet/judge over them.

2. The sin is not in the operation of the government, but who runs the government.

3. Israel rejected God as their king, because they wanted to be like all the other nations.

4. In many nations a king was regard as God.

a. Caesar was consider as god, therefore many believers refused to obey his commands.

b. The Medes/Persians regarded their king as god, therefore his decrees could not be changed.

c. Remember how Darius was tricked into making a law, which Daniel could not obey?

d. Darius, calling to Daniel the next morning, recognized his inability and the ability of the Almighty God.

G. Elders continued during the time of the kings.

1. Saul.

a. I Samuel 11:3,4 – When Nahash came against Jabesh-gilead, Saul rose up against them and delivered Israel.

b. I Samuel 15:30 – When Saul lost his kingdom, he desired that Samuel honor him before the elders of Israel.

2. David.

a. I Samuel 30:26-31 – David sent presents to the people through the elders before he was make king – before he knew Saul had died.

b. II Samuel 2:4 – the men of Judah anointed David king over Judah.

c. II Samuel 5:3 – The elders of all Israel anointed David king over the entire land of Israel.

d. II Samuel 17:4,15 – Absalom also his elders who advised him.

3. Solomon – I Kings 8:1 – Solomon asked advice about bringing the ark of the covenant from Zion (the city of David) to Jerusalem.

4. Ahab – I Kings 20:7 – Ahab had elders of Israel who would advise him against Benhadad, the king of Syria.

5. Jezebel – I Kings 21:8 – Jezebel had elders who helped her kill Naboth.

6. II Kings 6:32 – the elders sat in the house with Elisha.

7. II Kings 23:1 – During the reign of Josiah, there were elders over Judah/Jerusalem.

8. Ezra 5:5 – There were elders during the time of Ezra.

9. Jeremiah 26:17 – There were elders during the time of Jeremiah, when he stood before Jehoiakim.

10. There were ruling elders during the time of Ezekiel – Ezekiel 8:1, 14:1, 20:1-3.

11. There were elders during the time of Joel – Joel 1:14, 2:16.

H. New Testament elders among the Jews.

1. During the time of Paul.

a. Acts 23:14 – Some Jews bound themselves together under a curse that they would not eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. They came to the chief priests and elders and told them.

b. Acts 24:1 – Ananias the high priest came with the elders and an orator named Tertullus to accuse Paul before the governor.

2. Matthew 15:2 - The elders seemed to have become a ruling class, not a serving class, as it was considered wrong to not obey their traditions, such as not washing before eating.

3. Christ would suffer at the hands of the elders – Matthew 16:21, 21:23, 26:23, 26:47, 57, 59, 27:1, 2, 12, 20, 41.

4. Matthew 28:12 – The elders gave money to the graveside guards to lie about the resurrection of Christ.

III. Elders as rulers in the church.

A. Acts 11:30 – The elders received the offerings of the people for the drought prophesied by Agabus.

B. Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5 – Elders are ordained in every city. The word in these two verses means older person, one advanced in life.

C. The elders are spiritual, having spiritual understanding, not administrators.

1. Acts 15:2,4,6, 22,23 – When the question about circumcision/salvation came up, the elders were present in the deliberations.

2. Notice that Peter (verse 7), Paul and Barnabas (verse 12), and James (verse 13) gave the final thoughts before James (evidently the pastor of the church at Jerusalem) gave a recapitulation which the apostles and elders with the whole church (verse 22) consented to.

3. Acts 16:4 – Paul and Silas delivered the decrees of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem to the various churches.

D. Compare:

1. Acts 20:17-28 – Paul called for the elders of the church at Ephesus to tell of the present danger of apostasy.

2. 1 Peter 5:1,2 – Peter wrote this 5^th chapter to the elders of the churches.

3. Verse 5 – It is obvious these elders are older men, as the younger men are also mentioned.

4. Note the attitude of all – working together for the benefit of all, and the glorification of God Almighty.

E. The honor of elders (these are probably older spiritual leaders in the church) is to be upheld.

1. I Timothy 5:1 – Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

a. The context of this passage makes it abundantly clear this elder is not a pastor, but an older man of the congregation.

b. The entire context tells us how to treat the older and younger members of each congregation.

2. I Timothy 5:17 – Elders that rule well should be paid double honor.

3. I Timothy 5:19 – Accuse an elder only before two or three witnesses.

a. These passages has been and can be applied to pastors, but the context of the passages is concerning older men in the congregation who labour in the word and doctrine.

b. Today, we have largely forsaken the idea that every man in the congregation should be a teacher in his limited area.

c. Today, many churches have forsaken the congregational form of worship, moving instead to the modern idea of dividing everybody into age groups.

d. There is a time for dividing into age groups, as that is not altogether bad, but there must be a time when all the church will come together and worship God together.

e. We have gone instead to the idea that everybody should listen to the younger people, forsaking the wisdom of the elders. (Like Rehoboam did in his day.)

f. It is a very solemn thing to realize that we are all watching over others, especially as we age that we are representative of all the younger people.

4. James 5:14 – Elders should pray over the sick who ask them to pray for them.

a. Again, this work is often delegated to pastors only, leaving the older men out.

b. This practice does a great injustice to the older men of the church, and puts a great burden on pastors, leaving them little time for the word and prayer.

F. Elders in the book of Revelation.

1. Revelation 4:4,10; 5:5,6,8,11,14; 7:11,13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4.

2. It seems these elders are representatives of the entire group of believers, just as elders in the Old and New Testaments are representatives of the entire group.

3. Elders are not rulers, making no laws, but either confirming the laws of God to the people of God, or bringing questions and comments from the people to the leaders of the people.

IV. Bishop – An overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to order between bishops and elders or presbyters. It is also obvious from this word study that pastors today would more scripturally be called bishops than pastors, or elders.

A. Definition:

1. an overseer, or a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly.

a. Acts 1:20 – God instructed the church to appoint a person to take the bishoprick of Judas.

b. Acts 6:3 – The apostles could rightly be called bishops because the church would appoint these "deacons" and the apostles would appoint them over this business.

2. Any curator, guardian or superintendent.

3. The superintendent, elder, or overseer of a Christian church.

B. The word "bishop" in the Bible.

1. Acts 1:20 – For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

a. Here the word "bishoprick" speaks of the work of Judas, who was an apostle, and also apparently a bishop, or pastor.

b. It is apparent that an apostle is also a leader, or typical of a pastor.

2. Philippians 1:1 - Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

a. We will all readily admit these bishops are pastors, but we will not call our pastors bishops because people will relate our churches with protestants.

b. We have lost much because we will not stick by Bible terms.

3. 1 Timothy 3:1 – This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

a. Here the word "bishop" is related to an office, which today, we believe is pastor.

b. It is good for a man to desire the office of a bishop, but the office must be given to him, not taken by the aggressive person.

c. God calls the bishop to the position, but the people allow him to have the authority over them that God has given to him.

d. An example is King David, who God anointed king of all Israel, but he did not take that authority until the people of Judah first gave it to him by anointing him their king (II Samuel 2:4), then all Israel anointed him (II Kings 5:3).

4. 1 Timothy 3:2 – A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

5. 2 Timothy 4:22 – The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. <<The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.>>

6. Titus 1:7 – 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;

7. Titus 3:15 – All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. <<It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.>>

C. The term bishop is never once used to denote a different office from that of elder or presbyter.

1. These different names are simply titles of the same office, "bishop" designating the function, namely, that of oversight, and "presbyter" the dignity appertaining to the office.

2. Christ is figuratively called "the bishop of souls" in I Peter 2:25 - For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

V. Presbytery – The word is used only one time in the entire Bible, and seems to speak of a group of elders, bishops, or pastors that join together to lay on hands in the act of ordaining to the gospel ministry.

A. 1 Timothy 4:14 – Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

B. This is the only time the word presbytery appears in the Bible.

C. The word refers to a body of elders, as a council, or group.

1. This word in no way infers any group which acts outside the authority of the local church.

2. In an ordination service, the presbytery only offers advice to the church, which accepts or rejects that advice and continues with the ordination or stops the proceedings.

VI. Pastor is a term used very infrequently in the Bible, being used only nine times; 8 in the Old Testament and one time in the New Testament. Jeremiah is the single book in the Old Testament that uses the word "pastor" and Ephesians 4:11 is the single verse in the New Testament which applies the word. The Greek word "poimen" is used nine times in the New Testament and is always translated "shepherd", or some form of the word, most of the time pointing to Christ, which relates that every pastor should pattern himself after Jesus Christ, not after some other person.

A. The Old Testament term for pastor means shepherd, herdmen, companion, company.

1. Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

a. There are three groups of leaders in this verse: priests, lawyers, and pastors.

b. There is no definition of the position in this verse.

2. Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

a. When God gives pastors according to his own heart, they are not just teachers of the word of God, but companions.

b. I think God is saying that the pastor/member relationship is very special and comes only from God.

c. Many church members are not friends with their pastor, but only see him as the leader of the church or other religious organization.

d. There is a personal relationship in the use of the word pastor, rather than the word elder.

e. There is a more personal relationship in the use of the word "minister" than the word "pastor".

3. Jeremiah 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

a. This verse relates that the pastor is over a flock, put in that position by God himself.

b. The pastor/member relationship is not large, as the family relationship is not large, but it is the foundation of the entire society.

c. When that tiny relationship is broken or destroyed, the nation will fall, as is related in the context or Jeremiah 10:21.

4. Jeremiah 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

a. A nation can survive is some of the pastors do not do their job, but the nation cannot survive when many pastors forsake God.

b. There is always damage in local areas when God is forsaken, but many local areas make up the entire nation.

5. Jeremiah 17:16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.

a. Jeremiah confesses he has been continually faithful the being a pastor or from proclaiming what God told him to proclaim.

b. Jeremiah is not desiring the day of judgment, because he knows it will be a terrible day, yet he continually proclaims the coming day of judgment.

6. Jeremiah 22:22 The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.

a. Unfaithful pastors will not stand when the judgment of God comes, but will quickly be blown away with the wind of God’s judgment.

b. The pastors are not the same as the lovers, which is false gods.

c. The pastors have not rebuked Israel because they went away from God to their lovers.

d. The pastors actually encouraged Israel to worship both God and false gods, because they did not condemn them for their dual worship.

7. Jeremiah 23:1-2 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. 2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

a. The personal guides God established for the smallest unit of Israel’s society have aided in the compromise of Israel’s worship, instead of continually guiding Israel to separate themselves from false worship.

b. One very important job of the pastor is to feed the flock God has placed in their charge.

c. Sheep will feed somewhere, and it is the responsibility of the pastor to feed good feed to the sheep, and to continually warn them of the dangers of eating bad food.

B. Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

1. As in the Old Testament, God has established a small unit of pastor/member for the continual growth and establishment of his eternal truth.

2. Some teach the teacher is separate from the pastor, but there is no scriptural basis for this idea.

3. The pastor is a teacher.

4. Everybody can be a teacher, but there is a difference between that which everybody can do and that special relationship which God has established between pastor/member.

VII. Minister is a term used multiple times in the Old Testament (97 times) and the New Testament (64 times, for a total of 161 times in the entire Bible), and seems to speak of the shepherd’s work of taking care of the sheep, or the pastor work of taking care of the people God has put under him.

A. Definition: A minister is the person who take care of others so they can be what God wants them to be.

1. Christ takes care of us, so we can be what God wants us to be: saved, scripturally baptized, then faithful to him in his local church.

2. The pastor should so care for those under him so they can be what God wants them to be.

3. The pastor is fulfilled as a true pastor of God when he is a good minister to the people God has placed under him.

4. Every church member should so care for those around them, so they can be what God wants them to be.

5. This principle will only work when those involved truly desire to be what God wants them to be.

6. Trouble will soon come when there are fake Christians, who only make a pretence of holiness.

7. Being a true minister does not mean people take advantage of us, or that we try to help those that do not want to help themselves.

a. Christ did not allow evil men to take advantage of him.

b. Christ did not continue to help people who would take advantage of him.

B. Application:

1. Physical needs: The New Testament term "minister" often means to take care of individual physical or spiritual needs:

a. Matthew 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

b. Matthew 8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

c. Matthew 27:55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

d. Paul is ministered to:

1.) By others: Acts 19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

2.) By himself: Acts 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

e. Government needs: Government is ordained of God as his minister for good and evil.

1.) Romans 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

2.) Romans 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

2. Spiritual: Jesus is our first example: The one who desires to be great in the kingdom of God must be a minister, or servant.

a. Mark 10:43-45 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1.) James and John have just asked for the privilege of sitting on each side of Christ during his reign.

2.) This elevated position is what men think of when they desire to be great, but Christ told them they could not be great until they became a servant.

b. John 13:13-14 - Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

1.) When Jesus washed the disciples feet, he taught the true meaning of ministry: not being the "boss", but being the person who enables those under them to rise to the position of also being a minister to others.

2.) Jesus Christ did not think washing the disciples feet was "beneath" him.

3.) God did not think it "beneath" him to send his only begotten son into a God forsaken, hell deserving sinners.

4.) In Verse 16 Christ instructed: the servant is not greater than his Lord: therefore each true servant should emulate his master in being a real master/servant to others, and teaching others to become a master/servant by teaching how to be a true spiritual master/servant.

3. In worship services: A minister is a person who cares for the sometimes menial spiritual tasks which aid worship.

a. Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

1.) Definition: A minister is the person who take care of others so they can be what God wants them to be.

a.) There is no record of who this minister is, but God knows.

b.) There are many people like this minister, who appear relatively unknown in this world, but their actions directly help others to be what God wants them to be.

2.) In this respect, it is good for each person in the church to be a minister.

3.) The passage does not mean the pastor’s work (or the work of any Christian) is menial, or that he should be expected to take care of all the tasks others refuse.

4.) It could be rightly understood that if this man had not brought the book to Christ, he could not have read from the book.

5.) So is the work of the minister: he makes the good works of others possible.

b. Often men believe the pastor is the greatest in the church and in the kingdom of God, but that is not what the Bible declares.

1.) It may be that the pastor is the one person in the church who has the most public attention, but that does not mean the pastor is the greatest in the church.

2.) Matthew 19:30 – Jesus said many (not all) that are first shall be last, and the last first.

3.) Every person should concentrate on doing only what God wants them to do: that settles everything.

4. The means of greater devotion to God: for everybody, not just the pastor.

a. Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

1.) Here the pastors of the church at Antioch minister to the Lord – truly a spiritual worship.

2.) It is while they are doing this great daily work that God gives them a greater work, a more long-term work.

3.) If they had not been ministering to the Lord daily, it is my opinion that God would not have given them the greater work.

4.) God will not give more if we are not faithful in that which he has already given us.

a.) Luke 16:9-13 – Jesus, speaking to his disciples about the wicked steward explained the important of faithfulness over the little (material goods) so God will give much (spiritual goods). And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

b.) Luke 19:17 – And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

b. Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

1.) This verse combines the two types of ministry.

2.) Paul will fulfill the office of missionary, or evangelists to the Gentiles.

3.) He will also fulfill the office of ministry to the Gentiles, serving them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

c. Romans 15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

5. The position of pastor or spiritual overseer.

a. Acts 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

1.) Here John is seen in the position of "learner", not that he is inferior to anybody.

2.) We are all learners and teachers – we should be the best of both.

3.) He is under the authority of the church at Antioch, but also under the authority of Paul and Barnabas.

4.) The pastor of a church is also a "learner", being under the authority of God.

b. Acts 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

1.) The two positions of Paul are here stated: he is to be a witness, but also a minister.

2.) He is not to lord it over the people, but serve them with the gospel message, which God will use to save their eternal souls.

c. Colossians 1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Epaphras is the pastor of the church at Colosse.

d. Colossians 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whether Tychicus is a pastor or not is unclear, but it is clear he is faithful to Paul, and likely to other as he declares the gospel message.

e. 1 Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.