First Presbyterian Church of Athens

Elders in the Bible...

What does the Bible have to say?

Throughout Biblical history, church or religious leadership has had specific qualifications and responsibilities. In Old Testament times elders governed the people and their responsibilites were held in the highest regard. It was the examples set by these early time elders and the qualifications set forth by the Bible that shaped the guidelines of today's elder.

The functions of elders in the Old Testament

		Assist at dedication	1 Kings 8:1-3
		Assist in government	Numbers 11:16-25
		Choose a king	2 Samuel 3:17-21
		Counsel kings	1 Kings 12:6-7
		Legislate reforms	Ezra 10:7-14
		Ratify a covenant	2 Samuel 5:3
		Represent the nation	Exodus 3:16,18
		Rule the people	Judges 2:7
		Share in national guilt	Joshua 7:6

The Qualifications of an Elder as stated by Peter

¹The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ²Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ³Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. ⁴And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

--1 Peter 5:1-4

The Qualifications of an Elder as stated by Paul

¹This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires good work. ²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; ⁴one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? ⁶not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

-- 1 Timothy 3:1-7

⁵For 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- ⁶if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

-- 1 Titus 1:5-9