The Scriptures are not unclear as to the proper form of church government. Clearly, a plurality of biblically qualified elders is the means by which Christ, the Head of the church, rules His people. Consider the following clear evidence.

The Old Testament uses the term “elders” 118 times when speaking of mature men entrusted to give counsel to the people of a town or village. In fact, these were the men who could be found sitting at the city gate (see Deuteronomy 22:15-24, etc.). When we move into the New Testament, we read over and over again of the presence of elders in Jewish life. The word “elders” occurs 43 times in the four Gospels and the book of Acts, and it should be noted that in these five books (which give us much insight into first century Jewish life) the singular “elder” is never used. The norm was a plurality of leaders. These elders were clearly a group of leaders with authority to give direction to the nation of Israel, to the so-called “people of God.”

As one reads the accounts in which the word “elders” is used in these opening five books (which record the closing of the old covenant and the introducing of the new covenant) it is sadly observed that it was this band (of largely godless men) who led Israel further and further away from Christ. These elders were the loudest voice in the cry, “Crucify him.” It was this group which also led the assault against the early church (see the book of Acts).

Nevertheless, though these men perverted their office, though they abused their responsibility, the validity and importance of the office never abated. And thus when the New Testament church was inaugurated, God’s people kept this form of governance.

It should be observed that no place in the New Testament is there a record of the formal implementation of “elder rule” as a means of church governance. The reason for this absence of documentary evidence is that there was no need to adopt what was clearly a natural policy/polity amongst them. The New Covenant Church understood their continuity with the Old Covenant Church, and since the “old” people of God had a government of a plurality of elders, there was the natural assumption that so would they. The only difference (and a major one!) was that the New Testament church stressed that only those men who met the godly requirements were fit and qualified to serve in this capacity. They were careful to avoid making the same errors of apostasy committed by the Old Testament Church (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).

The following passages prove beyond dispute that the early New Testament church was ruled by a plurality of elders, and so must today’s churches. See Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:2,4, 6, 22-23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18; 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1.

Having established the legitimacy and necessity of a plurality of elders to lead/rule Christ’s church, we must now turn our attention to the matter of what this body of elders are to do. What is their primary function? An understanding of the three interchangeable words used by the New Testament writers to describe the office will aid us in our understanding of an elder’s primary function(s).

It is correctly noted by many that the three terms “elder,” “bishop” and “pastor” all describe the same office. Because the function of an elder is a weighty one, one term fails to encompass all of its responsibilities. Therefore three terms are used in Scripture to describe the office.

The term “elder,” “bishop” and the idea of “pastor” are all found in Acts 20:17-28. In this scene, Paul has called “the elders of the church” of Ephesus (notice the plural usage) to Miletus to give them instruction. In v. 28 he addresses these elders and reminds them that they have been set apart by the Spirit of God to be “overseers” of God’s flock. This term is the Greek word episkipos and it means “to bishop,” which means “to visit,” “to inspect.” It was used in the ancient world to describe a city official whose responsibility was for the welfare of the city and thus he gave “oversight” to it. The early church used this term to describe one of the responsibilities of eldership; namely, to “bishop,” to give “inspectful oversight” to the welfare of the church. Thus, we read in 1 Timothy 3:1, “If any desires the office of a bishop” (KJV) or, “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer” (ESV). To be an elder is to be a “bishop,” that is, an “overseer” of God’s people.

Paul, in v. 28, also uses a phrase which describes the responsibility of an elder, and this phrase leads to a very endearing term. He exhorts the elders to “feed the flock of God.” The term “feed” (KJV) or “care” (ESV) translates the Greek term poimaino, which means “to shepherd” or “to pastor.” This is a term with which we are both more familiar and perhaps even more comfortable with. It is an endearing term, which conjures up images of a warm-hearted leader, who is committed to the unreserved care of those entrusted to his care. No doubt, this is a major function of the Elder. He is to feed the flock with the Word of God, not only publicly and corporately, but as it often the case, pointedly and individually in counselling, in admonishing, and sometimes in personally disciplining. The elder carries out this function in the Shadow of the Chief Shepherd, to whom he will ultimately give an account (1 Peter 5:1-4).

In summary, one could say that these three terms describe the office of an elder as one who has been given the responsibility by God to lead (“elders”), to feed (“pastors”) and to give heed (“bishops”) to the church of God. In the next article we will investigate the issue of the manner in which the elders are to carry out this task.