Reference: Elders
Morish
This term occurs first in Ge 50:7, where it applies to the Egyptians of the house of Pharaoh and to the elders of Egypt. In Nu 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. Nu 11:16-17,24-25.
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. De 21:1-9. In any ratification as to the redemption of an inheritance the elders were called together to be witnesses. Ru 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 honoured. La 4:16; 5:12.
In the N.T. the elders of Israel are often referred to and their traditions spoken of. Mr 7:3,5. Such took a prominent part in the condemnation of the Lord, and are mentioned as distinct from the Sanhedrim. Mt 26:59. 'All the elders' in Mt 27:1 would include the Sanhedrim: cf. also Ac 6:12. The elders continued their opposition as long as there was any open testimony in Jerusalem. Ac 4:23; 24:1; 25:15.
ELDER IN THE CHURCH. The word is ???????????, and signifies 'aged person.' There were elders at Jerusalem, though we do not read of their appointment, Ac 11:30; 15:2-23; 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. Ac 14:23: cf. Jas 5:14; 1Pe 5:1. Titus was delegated by Paul to establish elders in every city in Crete. Tit 1:5. In Tit 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. Ac 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 honour, 1Jo 5:17), but 'to shepherd' the assembly of God, Ac 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. Re 4:4,10. In the O.T, when all was in order there were twenty-four courses of the priesthood, each course having an elder as head or chief, 1Ch 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 odours, "which are the prayers of saints," showing that they act as priests, Re 5:8; and in Re 5:9 they celebrate redemption in a song. They are doubtless the redeemed, including both Old and New Testament saints. Re 7:11,13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Joseph will go up to bury his father; and all the servants of Pharaoh will go up with him, the old men of his house, and all the old men of the land of Egypt
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Gather to me seventy men of the old men of Israel, whom thou knewest that they were old men of the people, and their scribes; and take them to the tent of appointment, and they shall stand there with thee. And I came down and I spake with thee there; and I took from the spirit which is upon thee, and I put upon them, and they lifted up with thee in the debt of the people, and thou shalt not lift it up thyself alone.
And Moses will go forth, and will speak to the people the words of Jehovah; and he will gather the seventy men, of the old men of the people, and he will cause them to stand round about the tent And Jehovah will come down in the cloud, and will speak to him, and he will take from the spirit which is upon him, and will give upon the seventy men, the old men: and it shall be in the resting of the spirit upon them, and they shall prophesy, and they shall not cease.
And the old men of Moab and the old men of Midian, will go, and divinations in their hand; and they will come to Balsam, and they will speak to him the words of Balak.
When there shall be found a wounded in the land which Jehovah thy God gave to thee, to possess it, fallen in the field, not knowing who smote him: And thy old men and thy judges shall come forth and measure to the cities which are round about him wounded: read more. And it was the the city being near to the wounded, and the old men of the city took a heifer of the kine which was not worked with, and drew not in the yoke: And the old men of that city brought down the heifer to a perennial valley which shall not be worked in it, and shall not be sown, and they break there the neck of the heifer in the valley; And the priests, the sons of Levi, came near, for in them Jehovah thy God chose to serve him and to bless in the name of Jehovah, and by their mouth shall be every controversy and every blow. And all the old men of that city being near to him wounded, shall wash their hands over the heifer having her neck broken in the valley: And they answered and said, Our hands poured not out this blood, and our eyes saw not Expiate for thy people Israel whom thou didst redeem, O Jehovah, and thou shalt not give innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood was expiated to them. And thou shalt put away innocent blood from the midst of thee when thou shall do the right in the eyes of Jehovah.
And Boaz went up to the gate and sat there: and behold, the blood relation whom Boaz spake of, passing by; and he will say, Turn aside, sit down here; thou such a one. And he will turn aside, and sit down. And he will take ten men from the old men of the citv, and he will say, Sit ye down here. And they will sit down. read more. And he will say to the blood relative, The portion of the field which was to our brother Elimelech, Naomi turning back from the field of Moab, sells: And I said, I will reveal to thine ear, saying, Buy before the inhabitants, and before the old men of my people. If thou wilt redeem, redeem: and if thou wilt not redeem, announce to me, and I shall know: for none besides thee to redeem; and I after thee; and he will say, I will redeem. And Boaz will say, In the day of thy buying the field from the hand of Naomi, and from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, thou boughtest it to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. And the near relative will say, I shall not be able to redeem for me, lest I shall destroy my inheritance: redeem to thyself; thou the near relative: for I shall not be able to redeem. And this before in Israel upon redemption and upon exchange, to set up all the word; a man drew off his shoe and gave to his neighbor: and this the precept in Israel. And the blood relative will say to Boaz, Buy for thee. And he will draw off his shoe. And Boaz will say to the old men and all the people, Ye are witnesses this day that I bought all which was to Elimelech, and all which was to Chilion and Mahlon, from the hand of Naomi. And also Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I bought to me for a wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; and the name of the dead shall not be cut off from his brethren and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. And all the people which are in the gate will say, and the old men, Witnesses. Jehovah will give the woman coming into thy house as Rachel and as Leah, which they two built up the house of Israel: and make thou power in Ephratah, and call a name in the house of bread. And thy house shall be as the house of Pharez which Tamar bare to Judah, from the seed which Jehovah shall give to thee from this maiden.
And the first lot will go forth to Jehoiarib, to Jedaiah the second, To Harim the third, to Seorim the fourth, read more. To Malchijah the fifth, to Mijamin the sixth, To Hakkoz the seventh, to Abijah the eighth, To Joshua the ninth, to Shecaniah the tenth, To Eliashib the eleventh, to Jakim the twelfth, To Huppah the thirteenth, to Jeshebeab the fourteenth, To Bilgah the fifteenth, to Immer the sixteenth, To Hezir the seventeenth, to Aphses the eighteenth, To Pethahiah, the nineteenth, to Jehezekel, the twentieth. To Jachin, the one and twentieth, to Gamul the two and twentieth, To Delaiah, the three and twentieth, to Maaziah, the four and twentieth.
The face of Jehovah their portion; he will not add to look upon them: they accepted not the face of the priests, they compassionated not the old men.
Chiefs were hung by their hand: the faces of old men were not honored.
And the chief priests, and the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death;
And having been morning, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to kill him:
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they vigorously wash hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Wherefore do not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?
And having been loosed, they came to their own, and announced to them what the chief priests and elders said.
And they roused together the people, and elders, and scribes, and having stood against, they seized him, and brought to the council,
Which also they did, having sent to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
And having chosen them elders in the church, having prayed with fasting, they set them before the Lord, in whom they had believed.
Therefore dissension and no small discussion having been to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas to go up, and certain others of them, to the sent and elders in Jerusalem about this question. Truly therefore the sent by the church passed through Phenice and Samaria, relating the turning back of the nations: and they made great joy to all the brethren. read more. And having arrived at Jerusalem they were received by the church, and the sent and elders, and they announced what God did with them. And certain of them from the sect of the Pharisees having believed, rose up, saying, That they must be circumcised, and to enjoin to keep the law of Moses. And the sent and elders were gathered together to see about this word. And much discussion having been, Peter having risen up, said to them, Men, brethren, ye know that from ancient days God chose among us, through my month for the nations to hear the word of good news, and believe. And God the knower of hearts testified to them, having given them the Holy Spirit, as also us; And separated nothing between us and also them, by faith having purified their hearts. 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? But by grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we believe to be saved, as also they. And all the multitude were silent, and heard Barnabas and Paul, recounting what signs and wonders God did in the nations through them. And after they were silent, James answered, saying, Men, brethren, hear me: Simeon related how God first reviewed to take from the nations a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree: as has been written, After these will I return, and rebuild the tent of David, having fallen; and its things undermined will I rebuild, and set it upright: So that they remaining of men might seek out the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name has been called upon them, says the Lord, making all these. Known to God are all his works from eternity. Wherefore I judge, not to molest them, from the nations turning back to God: But to send to them, to keep off from pollutions of images, and harlotry, and strangulation, and blood. For Moses of ancient generations has them proclaiming him in every city, being read in the synagogues in every sabbath. Then it seemed fitting to the sent and the elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren: Having written by their hand thus; The sent and elders and brethren to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia from the nations, health:
Attend therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit set you inspectors, to feed the church of God, which he acquired by his own blood.
Attend therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit set you inspectors, to feed the church of God, which he acquired by his own blood.
And the following day Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.
And after five days the chief priest Ananias came down with the elders, and a certain orator, Tertullus, who exhibited to the leader against Paul.
About whom, I being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews exhibited, asking judgment against him.
For this I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest rectify things left behind, and set elders in the city, as I directed thee:
For a bishop must be irreproachable, as steward of God; not self-sufficient, not prone to anger, not intemperate, not a striker, not occupied in sordid gain.
Is any sick among you let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord:
All injustice is sin: and there is a sin not to death.
And round about the throne twenty-four thrones; and sitting upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders, surrounded with white garments; and they had golden crowns upon their heads.
The twenty-four elders will fall before him sitting on the throne, and will worship him living forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
And when he took the book, the four living creatures and the twentyfour elders fell before the Lamb, having each harps, and golden bowls full of incenses, which are the prayers of the holy. And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open its seals: for thou wert slain, and didst purchase us to God by thy blood from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell before the throne upon their faces, and worshipped God,
And one of the elders answered, saying to me, These having put round white robes, who are they? and whence came they
And the twenty four elders, which before God sitting upon their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
And they sing as a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders: and none could learn the song, except the hundred forty-four thousand, purchased from the earth.
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell and worshipped God sitting upon the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
Watsons
ELDERS, a name given to certain laymen in the Presbyterian discipline, who are ecclesiastical officers, and in conjunction with the ministers and deacons compose the kirk sessions in Scotland. The number of elders is proportioned to the extent and population of the parish, and is seldom less than two or three, but sometimes exceeds fifty. They are laymen in this respect, that they have no right to teach, or to dispense the sacraments; and on this account they form an office in the Presbyterian church inferior in rank and power to that of pastors. They generally discharge the office which originally belonged to the deacons, of attending to the interests of the poor. But their peculiar business is expressed by the name ruling elders; for in every jurisdiction within the parish they are the spiritual court, of which the minister is officially moderator; and in the presbytery, of which the pastors of all the parishes within its bounds are officially members, lay elders sit as the representatives of the several sessions or consistories.
ELDERS OF ISRAEL. By this name we understand the heads of tribes, or rather of the great families in Israel, who, before the settlement of the Hebrew commonwealth, had a government and authority over their own families, and the people. When Moses was sent into Egypt to deliver Israel, he assembled the elders of Israel, and told them that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had appeared to him, Ex 3:15; 4:29, &c. Moses and Aaron treat the elders of Israel as the representatives of the nation. When God gave the law to Moses, he said, "Take Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, his sons, and the seventy elders of Israel, and worship ye afar off," Ex 24:1,9-10. They advanced only to the foot of the mountain. On all occasions afterward, we find this number of seventy elders. But it is credible, that as there were twelve tribes, there were seventy-two elders, six from each tribe, and that seventy is set down, instead of seventy-two; or rather, that Moses and Aaron should be added to the number seventy, and that, exclusive of them, there were but four elders from the tribe of Levi. After Jethro's arrival in the camp of Israel, Moses made a considerable change in the governors of the people. He established over Israel heads of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, that justice might be readily administered to applicants; only difficult eases were referred to himself, Ex 18:24-25, &c. But this constitution did not continue long; for on the murmuring of the people at the encampment called the Graves of Lust, Nu 11:24-35, Moses appointed seventy elders of Israel, to whom God communicated part of that legislator's spirit; they began to prophesy, and ceased not afterward. This, according to the generality of interpreters, was the beginning of the sanhedrim; but, to support this opinion, many things must be supposed, whereby to infer, that this court of justice was constantly in being during the Scripture history. It seems that the establishment of the seventy elders by Moses continued, not only during his life, but under Joshua likewise, and under the judges. The elders of the people and Joshua swore to the treaty with the Gibeonites, Jos 9:15. A little before his death, Joshua renewed the covenant with the Lord, in company with the elders, the princes, the heads, and officers of Israel, Jos 23; 24:1,28. After the death of Joshua, and the elders who survived him, the people were several times brought into bondage, and were delivered by their judges. We do not see distinctly what authority the elders had during this time, and still less under the kings who succeeded the judges.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And God will yet say to Moses, Thou shalt say to the sons of Israel, Jehovah the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaak and the God of Jacob, sent me to you: this my name for eternity, and this my remembrance to generation and generation.
And Moses will go, and Aaron, and they will gather together all the old men of the sons of Israel.
And Moses will hear to the voice of Jethro, and will do all that he said. And Moses will choose men of ability from all Israel, and he will give them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, chiefs of ten.
And he said to Moses, Come up to Jehovah, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy from the old men of Israel; and worship from far off.
And Moses will go up, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy from the old men of Israel And they will see the God of Israel: and under his feet as the work of the whiteness of sapphire, and as the body of the heavens for cleanness.
And Moses will go forth, and will speak to the people the words of Jehovah; and he will gather the seventy men, of the old men of the people, and he will cause them to stand round about the tent And Jehovah will come down in the cloud, and will speak to him, and he will take from the spirit which is upon him, and will give upon the seventy men, the old men: and it shall be in the resting of the spirit upon them, and they shall prophesy, and they shall not cease. read more. And two men remained in the camp, the name of the one Eldad, and the name of the second, Medad: and the spirit will encamp upon them; and they among those being written, and they will not go forth to the tent, and they will prophesy in the camp. And a young man will run and announce to Moses, and he will say, Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. And Joshua, son of Nun, serving Moses from his chosen, will answer and say, My lord Moses, restrain them. And Moses will say to him, Thou envying for me; and who will give all the people of Jehovah prophets? when Jehovah will give his spirit upon them. And Moses will take himself into the camp, he and the old men of Israel. And a spirit removed from Jehovah and it will divide out the quails from the sea, and will cast upon the camp, as the way of a day hither, and the way of a day thither, round about the camp, and as two cubits upon the face of the earth. And the people will rise up all that day and all the night, and all the day of the morrow, and will gather the quails: the few gathered ten homers; and they will spread for themselves a spreading round about the camp. And the flesh yet between their teeth, before it shall be withdrawn and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah will smite upon them an exceeding great blow. And he will call the name of that place, The Graves of Longings, for there they buried the people longing. From the Graves of Longings the people removed to the enclosures, and they shall be in the enclosures.
And Joshua will make peace to them, and will cut out to them a covenant to preserve them alive: and the chiefs of the assembly sware to them.