What was the significance of the elders in the Old Testament?

"Elder" is a word that has descended from the patriarchal times of Israel (Ex. 3:16). The family was the model of government, and in the family the father, as the elder, had authority. This was transferred to the nation, where the heads of houses became the heads of the nation and in this sense we have frequent mention of the word in the Gospels and in the book of Acts (Matt. 26:3, 47; Acts 4: 5, 8). In Acts 11: 30 we have the first application of the word to the leaders in the Church of God and thereafter it is quite frequently so used.

This term occurs first in Gen. 50:7, where it applies to the Egyptians of the house of Pharaoh and to the elders of Egypt. In Num. 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. Num. 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. Deut. 21:1-9. In any ratification as to the redemption of an inheritance the elders were called together to be witnesses. Ruth 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. Lam. 4:16; Lam. 5:12.

In the N.T. the elders of Israel are often referred to and their traditions spoken of. Mark 7:3, 5. Such took a prominent part in the condemnation of the Lord, and are mentioned as distinct from the Sanhedrim. Matt. 26:59. 'All the elders' in Matt. 27:1 would include the Sanhedrim: cf. also Acts 6:12. The elders continued their opposition as long as there was any open testimony in Jerusalem. Acts 4:23; Acts 24:1; Acts 25:15.

With the double purpose of redemption and marriage in mind, Boaz betook himself to the "gate," which was recognised as an open court of justice where civil and criminal cases were investigated by the aged and wise men of reputation in the city. This form of local government was authorised by Moses and was embodied in his final instructions delivered to the children of Israel on the borders of the land of Canaan (cp. Deut. 16:18-20; Deut. 21:18-21; Deut. 25:7-9). The elders of the city were therefore its civil rulers and were "ordained of God" to be such, rewarding and protecting the good and punishing the evil with magisterial authority exercised according to His law (Joshua 20:4; Rom. 13:1-4).

In the first place, that they are "elders" is of primary importance; and elders, not simply officially, for that they are to be officers also is stated distinctly, as a thing apart. "Elders" belong to that patriarchal system, which is at least so eminently natural: men of years, and thus of gathered experience, and of weight in their generation corresponding to it: "Elders whom thou knowest to be elders," the Lord says to Moses; those who really answer in character to their years.

They are, moreover, to be "officers," or overseers, of the people, — those who as fathers are entrusted with the discipline to be maintained among the people of God. An exactly corresponding connection between "elders" and "overseers" we find in the New Testament, the function of the overseer being not teaching but "rule," although they might teach also if they had gift for it. No one would suppose that the power to teach would be only possessed by men in years, however suited it might be when found in them.

We hear, too, for the first time; of "elders" in the Jewish assemblies, who, though doubtless an adoption from what was an immemorial custom in Israel (for we have no account of any distinct origin), yet seem from the epistle of Peter to be hardly officially appointed (1 Peter 5:1), but rather the natural result of wisdom and experience attaching to age, which would make the "elder" the natural leader in the counsels of a people. In the Gentile assemblies we read of their appointment afterwards, where (and perhaps because) the patriarchal custom did not have the same recognition; and there with some restrictions which were only necessary to right "oversight," which (and not preaching) was that which was their work. The incidental notice here hardly requires the examination of the subject of eldership which it must receive when we come to the epistle to Timothy. It is well to note; however, that neither was it a gift, nor did it need one for qualification, which was almost wholly moral; while for preaching or teaching there needed no authorization from man, but the gift entailed the responsibility of using it, and manifested itself wherever there was an ear to hear. But all this must wait for its development elsewhere.

On the return journey they also found that amongst the older converts some were manifesting the character that marked them out as fit to exercise spiritual supervision, and these men they ordained as elders. Apostolic discernment was needed in making the choice, and also a real spirit of dependence on God — hence, prayer — and a refusal of the desires of the flesh — hence, fasting. And when the elders were chosen so that all might recognize them, they did not commit the rest of the believers into the hands of the elders. No, they "commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." Each believer was set in direct connection and communion with the Lord by faith. Elders were instituted, not to intercept the faith of the saints, but to incite it to more reality and depth.

From these two scriptures we learn (1) That the appointment of elders was a purely apostolic function, accomplished by the Apostles themselves or by their delegates; (2) Not one elder, but elders, were appointed; and not to a diocese or district, but to the gathering (we saw on a previous occasion that in apostolic times there was only one assembly of Christians in any given place, which was an expression of the one Assembly or church of God); and such men would be specially guided by the Holy Ghost to walk before the infant assemblies as "patterns to the flock."

From 1 Tim. 5:7 it appears that some of the elders had gift to "labour in the word and doctrine;" but their essential function seems to have been to rule, direct, advise, guide. I dare say that their judgment was instructed by the Holy Ghost, so as to detect improprieties among the saints — as, for instance, in late attendance at or absence from meetings, in dress, and in other matters of detail in daily life.

"How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden and your strife? Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you. And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known" — men fitted of God, and possessing, because entitled to, the confidence of the congregation — "and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes."

"And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: when they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another; and I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws. And Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness: and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Moses gave firm orders to these rulers to judge righteously any cases that arose between the people. They must carefully avoid partiality in judgment, showing the same respect to small as to great (v.17). Cases too hard to decide were to be brought to Moses. In the Church too elder brethren can decide many things, but if anything is too hard, these must be brought to the Lord in humble, dependent prayer.