elders and deacons

Originally posted on August 25, 2008 – by Andre Piet

Following the presentation ‘overseers on Crete’, a number of questions have come in. Some of them may be worthwhile to discuss briefly in this weblog.

1. Is an elder in the Bible not a special office-holder?

An elder (lit. older one) is, strictly speaking, no more than a designation of relative age. Any group of people can be divided into older and younger (cf. Luke 15:25: presbuteros).

Elders among the believers could also refer to those who have been walking the path of faith longer. Someone of thirty who has been a believer for many years is, reckoned by faith, older than someone of seventy who has only recently come to faith. Physical age is not necessarily the criterion.

2. Is an overseer the same as a shepherd?

Yes, overseers are men who watch over the flock and pasture it (Acts 20:28). Overseers therefore exercise the function of a shepherd or pastor.

3. Does 1 Tim. 5:17 not show that not every overseer is engaged in preaching and teaching?

No, in 1 Tim. 5:17 it concerns prominent elders. The Greek word rendered in the NBG as “giving leadership” literally means standing in front. In Titus 3:8 and 14, where this same Greek word is used, it refers to people who “take the lead in” and “are an example.” Such elders deserve double honor—especially those who, in addition to this, also labor in word and teaching.

1 Tim. 5:17 therefore says:

1. Elders deserve honor.

2. Especially those who stand in front and are an example.

3. And in particular those among them who are active in word and teaching.

4. What is the difference between overseers and deacons?

Deacons are servants. Of the thirty times that the Greek word ‘diakonos’ occurs in the New Testament, it is rendered in the NBG translation only three times as “deacon.” All the other occurrences are translated as “servant” or “attendant,” or similar.

In Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3 the overseers are distinguished from the “servants.” If we take the word as it presents itself, then the servants of the congregation are those who exercise a particular service toward the congregation (= assembly), distinguished from the “overseers” (= shepherds) and the other believers. We should think of those who take care of accommodation and practical matters.

Whereas overseership is a typically male function (Tit. 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2), we read of Phoebe that she was a servant of the congregation in Cenchreae (Rom. 16:1). Also in 1 Tim. 3 there is mention of both male and female servants.
Note: in 3:11 it does not concern the wives of the servants but female servants—the rendering “[their]” in the NBG translation is an addition by the translators, that is, it is absent from the source text.

5. Does 1 Tim. 4:14 not speak of a “council of elders”?

In 1 Tim. 4:14 there is literally mention of “eldership.” The NBG and Telos translations render it correctly as: the collective elders. Such an “eldership” could form a council, board, or advisory body (see Luke 22:66; Acts 22:5), but that is not inherent in the word itself.

It is the shepherd who pastures the flock and goes before it by holding forth the Word. Any other claim to authority (> brotherhood councils, church councils, synods, etc.) has the scent of domination and is foreign to Scripture.

Delen: