Order in the Court of the King! (Elders and Order-2)

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Acts 14:21-26

Appointing Elders in Every Church

The Apostle Paul ‘appointed elders’ in every church he planted. Why? Because elders were an important part of how Jesus Christ was building His Church. God used ‘elders’ in the Old Testament as part of overseeing and guiding the children of Israel. God used ‘elders’ in the New Testament as part of overseeing and guiding members of the Body of Christ.

The Greek word for ‘elder’ is presbuteros (πρεσβύτερος). It is a ‘masculine adjective.’ The feminine singular, presbytera, is not used in the Bible. The word presbuteros carries the idea of someone who has experience and ‘seasoned judgment.’

We know that Paul continued the practice of appointing elders throughout his ministry. We see him speaking with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, which was toward the end of his third missionary journey. As we follow Paul after his meeting with the Ephesian elders, we see him slowly making his way toward Jerusalem. (Acts 21)

Paul was attacked by a mob in Jerusalem that wanted to kill him. Roman soldiers took Paul into custody to save him from the mob. Paul made his defense to his accusers, but they plotted his murder. God promised Paul that he would not die at their hand. He had other plans for the apostle –

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome. Acts 23:11

Paul’s nephew overheard the Jews talking about their plan to kill Paul, so he told Paul about it. Paul called one of the centurions and asked him to take his nephew to the Roman commander. Paul’s nephew told the commander about the plot to murder Paul the next day, so the commander called for two centurions to take a large number of soldiers to transfer Paul to Caesarea that night.

Paul spent more than two years in Roman custody in Caesarea, but had the opportunity of sharing the Gospel with many people during that time. Those people included the Jews who falsely accused him, Roman soldiers who guarded him, and rulers like Felix the governor, Porcius Festus who succeeded Felix, and King Agrippa and his sister Bernice.

Festus offered Paul the opportunity to return to Jerusalem and be judged before him concerning the accusations of the Jewish leaders. Paul knew that the Jews planned to kill him if he went to Jerusalem, so as a Roman citizen he appealed to Caesar. Once Paul arrived in Rome, he ‘was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.’

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. Acts 28:30-31

Paul had written a letter to the Christians in Rome a few years earlier (Book of Romans), so he most likely met with members of the church while living in Rome. Paul also wrote several letters to other churches during his time in Rome. Those included letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and to Philemon. Each of those letters have had a profound effect on the Church throughout the centuries. God used Paul in a powerful way during his confinement in Rome.

Another Journey

Acts ends with Paul living in the rented house in Rome. It’s believed Paul was acquitted of charges against him after those two years and that he was free to travel again. Some people think of that travel as Paul’s ‘fourth missionary journey.’ Based on information available in his letters to Timothy and Titus, it appears Paul traveled to Macedonia, Troas, Miletus, Crete, Nicopolis, and possibly Spain.

One of the important aspects of Paul’s ‘fourth’ missionary journey was the time he spent preparing some of his closest fellow-workers for the ministry they would have after Paul’s death. Paul knew that his time was growing short, so he wanted to ensure that God’s ‘orders’ concerning the Church were understood and obeyed. Those ‘orders’ from God are still in place today.

Church Elders Defined

Paul used two primary Greek words to address the position of ‘church elders’ – presbuteros and episkopos. They are two names for a similar position in the church. In fact, we’ll see that Paul and Peter used the names interchangeably in some of their letters. Each name helps in understanding the important roles they plan in bringing about ‘order’ in God’s Church –

presbuteros – elder, a mature man having seasoned judgment (adjective)
episkopos – a superintendent, an overseer, a watchman, a bishop (noun)

Elders oversee the ‘Church of God.’ They are supposed to be mature men who have good judgment, and keep watch over God’s ‘flock.’ It’s a fairly simple and effective idea, if carried out faithfully by the Church. When leaders do their jobs well, the Church experiences ‘order.’ When leaders do not do their jobs well, the Church experiences ‘disorder.’

Paul called the ‘elders’ of the church in Ephesus to meet him at Miletus (Acts 20). In the same context, the apostle called the men ‘elders’ (presbuteros – vs 17) and ‘overseers’ (episkopos – vs 28). Paul said that their responsibility was to ‘shepherd’ (poimainó – verb – vs 28) the ‘church of God.’ He warned them that after his departure, “savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” Paul knew after God took him home to Heaven, the responsibility for watching over the church would be in the hands of the church ‘elders.’ Paul told them that their job would be difficult because of the attacks on churches from both inside and outside the local assemblies. That’s why Paul told the Ephesians elders to ‘remember’ that for a space of three years he ‘did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.’ Paul knew that the elders would have to take over that work of oversight, protection, and warning night and day with tears.

It’s interesting to note that the word ‘shepherd’ can also be a noun (poimén – protector), and is sometimes translated as ‘pastor.’ However, Paul used the term in Ephesians 4 as a ‘gift’ (didómi – to give, put, place) that Jesus gave to the Church (e.g. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers). We don’t find ‘poimén‘ used as a ‘position’ in the church in the same was as we do the terms presbuteros and episkopos. Pastoring and teaching are what elders and overseers do, but the term ‘pastor’ developed through the centuries to be used as a position. Your ‘pastor’ is an ‘elder’ and ‘overseer’ of the church. Shepherding (pastoring, protecting) is part of their responsibilities (Acts 20).

Changes

As we follow the terms used for church leaders following the apostolic period (1st century AD), we begin to see some changes. Some churches would have a single ‘bishop’ with multiple ‘elders’ and ‘deacons’ (those who serve). You may find it interesting to read some of the early Church writings to see how leadership terms were used.

We also find the term ‘president’ or ‘presider’ used by some leaders in 3rd century churches. Those terms were used for whoever ‘presided’ over church meetings when a bishop/elder was not present. That was most likely because churches often met in multiple homes in a city, too many to each have a bishop or elder present. The ‘president’ or ‘presider’ would lead the meetings, but under the oversight of the bishop/elders.

As for the title ‘priest,’ that term was used as Latin became more prominent in the western churches. The eastern churches continued to use Greek. The Latin word for ‘priest’ is ‘sacerdos.’ Though Peter spoke to all Jewish believers (‘pilgrims of the Dispersion’) as being part of ‘a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,’ Peter did not use the term ‘priest’ for church leaders. He used the term ‘elders’ (presbuteros) and ‘overseers’ (episkopeó), telling them to –

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:2-3

The term ‘priest’ as a church ‘leader’ developed over time. The term tends to be used more often in Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Episcopalian churches.

[Mormons, Church of the East, Hindus, NeoPagans, Taoists, Shinto, and some smaller religious groups (e.g. Mandaeism, Zoroastrianism,) also use the term ‘priest’ for leadership positions.]

The Apostle John also used the term ‘elder’ to refer to himself in both his second and third letters –

The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth – 2 John 1:1

The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth – 3 John 1:1

We do see John using the term ‘priests’ three time in Revelation, but each usage is for all members of the Church, not just the leaders –

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6

And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:9-10

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Paul’s Leadership Legacy

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Acts 9:15

Paul did not choose to become an apostle and the primary figure in taking the Gospel of Christ to the nations. That was the Lord’s choice. The Apostle Paul planted many of the churches we read about in the New Testament. Jesus used him to take the Gospel of Grace to the Gentile world, in addition to Jews worshipping in synagogues across the Roman Empire. God directed Paul in how to preach the Gospel and establish churches. Appointing ‘elders’ in every church was a vital part of God wanted churches to operate.

At some point after leaving his two years of ‘confinement’ in Rome, Paul knew that his time on earth was short. Jesus had given him the responsibility of establishing the doctrine and ‘orderly’ practice of the churches, so Paul wanted to leave both as part of the work that Jesus had given him to complete –

Before we look at the responsibility of ‘elder/overseers,’ let’s see four examples of how Paul used the terms in his writings to a church, and to Timothy and Titus.

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. Philippians 1:1

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 1 Timothy 3:1

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. Titus 1:5

[Podcast of this study coming soon.]

Next Time

In the next part of our series, Order in the Court of the King!, we will see how God ordered Paul to instruct elders and overseers in bringing ‘order’ into the churches.

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Order in the Court of the King! (Elders and Order-2)