Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

The Acts of the Apostles

borrowing occurred, the first Christian congregations clearly weren’t reorganized synagogues. For example, the chief, presiding official of the synagogue was called “the ruler of the synagogue” (Luke 8249; 13214; Acts 1828,17), but Christian congregations never adopted this practice. The Christian churches were led by a plurality of elders, not by a chief ruler. Leadership by a council of men called elders predates the syna gogue and was very familiar to the Jews and to all readers of the Greek Old Testament. The council of elders was one of Israel’s oldest and most fundamental institutions. It was nearly as basic as the family. Israel’s elders were the people’s official representatives. Hence they are called the “elders of the people” (Ex. 1927) or the “elders of the congregation” (Judg. 21 :16). The elders were the eyes, ears, and voice of the people. To speak to Israel’s elders was to speak to the people (Ex. 4229,31; l2:3,21,27; 1927,8; Lev. 4213-15; Deut. 2123-8; 2 Sam. 521,3; 2 Sam. 1724,14; 1 Chron. 15:25,28). Israel’s elders were not mere figureheads. Although there is no ex planation of their origin, appointment, or qualifications, Israel’s el ders are mentioned approximately one-hundred times in the Old Tes tament. Their vital leadership role is displayed by their active involve ment in every crucial event in Israel’s history. From the time they were slaves in Egypt, the elders provided leadership for the people. God acknowledged the elders’ leadership role by sending Moses to them first to announce the people’s deliverance (Ex. 3: 16). Government by elders was particularly well-suited to a patriarchal, family-oriented society such as Israel and continued to exist after Moses and Joshua completed their task of leading the nation into the Promised Land. When Israel settled in the Land of Promise, each city, each tribe, and the nation as a whole had a council of elders. As community lead ers, the elders were to protect the people, exercise discipline, enforce the law of God, and administer justice. According to Mosaic law, as well as by traditional practice, the elders exercised far-reaching author ity in civil, domestic, and religious matters. The elders’ role as a judi cial body is described in the legislative portions of the Old Testament. The book of Deuteronomy especially lays out specific situations that required the elders’ judgment and counsel—from hearing murder cases to judging the most intimate family matters (Deut. 19:1 1,12; 2121-8, 18-20; 22216-19; 2527-9; Josh. 2022-4). The elders were to know the law, to bear (along with the priests) responsibility of communicating

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