The Biblical Authority Afforded to Elders (or, Why We're Not Congregational)

As I prepare the sermon for Sunday, I'm choosing to give brief overviews of a number of topics, including that of leadership in the church.  Churches should be governed by a plurality of biblically-qualified elders, ruling independently from others, dependently upon the grace and power of God, and subordinately to His Word and each other.

Some may find discomfort in some of the terminology, not liking “elder” or terms like “overseer” (1 Tm 3:1) or “rule” (5:17).  Here, an elder’s care for the church is likened to managing a household, keeping “children under control with all dignity” (3:4).   This means that elders have authority—the question is what it looks like. 

a)               Note the Authority the Bible grants to elders

• Elders must oversee God’s people.  That’s the term used here, and in Acts 20:28, Paul told the elders that “the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.”  In 1 Peter 5:1–2, we read that elders are to be “exercising oversight,” meaning “to accept responsibility for the care of someone.”^[1]
  
• Elders must care for or manage God’s people (cf. vv. 4–5).  These terms are interchangeable in this text.  Consider these applications from candidates’ households:
  
  
• Men who won’t work to take care of their families deny their faith and are worse than unbelievers (1 Tm 5:8).  If they won’t work for their loved ones, they won’t work for church members.
  
  
• Men who won’t apply painful discipline to his children demonstrate hatred (Pv 13:24) and likely won’t love church members enough to discipline them. 
  
  
• Men bringing up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4) are likely to be sober-minded, self-controlled, and able to teach (1 Tm 3:2).
  
  
• Men provoking their children unto wrath (Eph 6:4) will likely also lack self-control or gentleness and be pugnacious or domineering over church members (cf. 1 Tm 3:2–3; 1 Pt 5:3).
  
  
• Elders decide policy for God’s people.  In a passage misunderstood if not read carefully, Acts 15, we see the Paul and Barnabas come to Jerusalem because of a debate over circumcision (let’s turn there). 
  
  
• In v. 2, we read that Paul and Barnabas were sent to the “the apostles and elders concerning this issue.”  They were received by the whole church in v. 4.  However, when some of the beliving Pharisees began to teach the necessity of circumcision (v. 5), the text says, “The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter” (v. 6). 
  
  
• Since they were already present according to v. 4, this coming “together” must mean that they gathered together away from the church body to debate the Pharisaical claims.  We see that in v. 7, and Peter addressing “them” (the “the apostles and the elders”).  Skipping down to v. 12, once he ceased speaking, “all the assembly fell silent” (again, the “the apostles and the elders”)—who then begin listening to the testimony of Paul and Barnabas. 
  
  
• For the sake of time, we’ll have to forgo what James says in vv. 12–21, except to note that says the Gentiles shouldn’t abuse their liberty and respect the tenants of the Law.  What’s significant is that James—who was not an apostle and was therefore an elder—had the final word in the letter (comp. vv. 19–20 to vv. 28–29).  The apostles were involved, but the elders play a vital role in these decrees.
  
  
• Throughout this text, we see an explanation of v. 2—the apostles and the elders are making the call.  Some get confused because v. 22 says, “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.”  However, this doesn’t mean the whole church came to this decision, because we’ve seen that they weren’t previously involved—they’re together now because of the decision of apostles and elders!  Perhaps the whole church was involved in choosing who from among them would accompany Paul and Barnabas, but the letter starts out in v. 23, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren.” Moreover, 16:4 says “they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders,” not the decision of the whole church.
  
  
• It’s worth noting a similar instance later in Acts.  Paul visits with James and the elders at Jerusalem (21:17–18) because there was a false rumor about Paul (vv. 20–22).  So, the elders say to the apostle, “Do therefore what we tell you” (v. 23)—instructing him to purify himself to help four men with their Nazarite vows (vv. 23–24).  This didn’t change their previous decision at the Jerusalem Council, as their command only applied to Paul (v. 25).  We conclude that elders decide policy.
  
  
• Elders lay hands on or ordain those ministering to God’s people.   Earlier in church history, the apostles appointed elders (Acts 14:23), and then they sometimes appointed others to appoint elders (like with Titus in Titus 1:5).  With Timothy, elders ordained him (cf. 1 Tm 4:11).  Considering the timing of these three examples, a transition arises as the apostles were passing from church history.  Of course, ultimately, the Holy Spirit appoints elders (Acts 20:28)—and when God’s Word recorded through the apostles is followed, we can have the assurance that God’s will in the matter has been fulfilled.
  
  
• Elders are to rule God’s people well (1 Tm 5:17; cf. 1 Thess 5:12; 1 Tm 3:2).  Here’s the word that people shy away from, but it’s a biblical term.  Some argue that the word simply means to simply lead or guide in a persuasive manner.  While it’s true that elders have no license for tyranny, this is the same term that is translated “manage” in 3:4, 5 and 12, and simple persuasive guidance wouldn’t be suitable to fatherhood (imagine a dad who only coaxes his one-year-old to stop sticking forks in outlets)!  One of the best Greek lexicons says that, in 5:17, the word means “to exercise a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of).”^[2]  That’s why the NASB, ESV, KJV, NKJV, and RSV all translate the word “rule.”  Incidentally, the same term is similarly used in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, which says that elders “have charge over you in the Lord.”
  
  
• Elders instruct God’s people in sound doctrine and rebuke those who contradict it (Ti 1:9).  Of course, elders do have a charge to persuade others in the Word, but with the weight of authority.  An elder must watch for wolves from both outside and inside the congregation and rebuke them (Acts 20:28–31).

So, when we were first forming this church last year, the question was raised as to whether an elder should have any role in the decisions of the general operations of the church, or if they are only supposed to focus on preaching and prayer.  We now see that words like oversee, care, manage, decide, lay hands on, rule, instruct, and rebuke all describe the office of elder.  Under Christ, elders have authority nowhere granted to the whole church. 

This teaching is sometimes called “elder rule,” for better or worse, which stands in contrast to a model of “congregational rule.”  Instead of granting decision-making power to a popular vote, Scripture commands the congregation to appreciate and even esteem its elders (1 Th 5:12–13), to remember and imitate its elders (Hb 13:7), and to obey and submit to its elders; “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you” (Hb 13:17).  God says more to congregations—Christians don’t blindly follow their leaders, and next week, we are going to talk more about what God expects from the congregation. 

The general principle we’ve seen is that elders are to rule churches and the congregations to submit.  This certainly guards against “mob rule,” acknowledging that popular opinion rarely reflects godliness (See 1 Cor. 1:10; cf. Eph. 4:3; Phil. 1:27; 2:2).  Still, we can’t conclude that God grants elders unchecked authority. 

b)               Note the Limits on Authority the Bible places on elders

With the list of qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 come a few forewarnings.  For instance, v. 6 introduces the possibility of elders who “become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.”  The next verse follows in like manner—an elder may “fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”  What’s the dividing line?

Let’s consider the Great Shepherd for a moment.  Contrasting Himself to the religious leaders of His day, our Lord says, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29).  He told His disciples that those wanting to be first must serve all (Mk 9:33–35).  When His disciples ask about seats of prominence, He tells them about the importance of sacrifice and suffering (Mk 10:35–45).  He highlights that the self-important leaders of the day loved titles and honors, but the humble will be exalted (Mt 23:1–12).  He calls His people away from lording their positions over others and toward humble service (Lk 22:25–27). 

If elders represent Jesus’s teachings and ways in their congregations, then they should model His life.  In the picturesque account of the Lord washing His disciples’ feet, He calls them to do the same (Jn 13:3–17).  So, far from cloistering themselves away, they serve—helping to sort through the opinions of church members with prayer and the searching of Scripture, just as we saw in the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.  They also serve the physical needs; Paul’s apostolic example was that of “deaconing” (Rm 15:25; Acts 20:19; 1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 3:6; 6:4; Eph 3:7), and in Acts 11:29–30, elders were responsible for distributing money.  So, elders must be theologians in residence, but never view themselves as ivory-tower, intellectual elites, above “menial” tasks.

Their office is that of servant leadership.  Elders are still members of the congregation, and the Bible states that the whole church (not just elders) builds itself up (Eph 4:11–16).  All the “one another” commands for Christians nuance elder rule, so elders should count the needs of others before themselves.  Whatever an elder does, whether it be teaching or ruling or serving in some other way, he must do all with the goal of ministry in mind. 

In other words, there’s a right way and a wrong way for an elder to lead.  Remember that God condemned the false shepherds of Israel for ruling “with force and harshness” (Ez 34:4), and Jesus commanded His apostles to not lord their position over people (Mt 20:25–28).  As such, consider that with the many caveats to elder rule: 

• He should manage or care for the church well (1 Tm 3:4–5).
  
  
• He should pay as careful attention to himself as he does to the flock (Acts 20:28).
  
  
• He should not neglect his gift(s) (1 Tm 4:11).
  
  
• He should rule well and labor in preaching and teaching (1 Tm 5:17).
  
  
• He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught (Ti 1:9).
  
  
• According to 1 Peter 5:1–3, he must shepherd the flock:
  
  
• eagerly and willingly exercising oversight (it’s a personal, God-given desire)
  
  
• without being compelled to do so (which would be no profit to the church),
  
  
• without seeking shameful gain (his desire is not wealth or influence),
  
  
• without domineering (he may be firm in conviction, but gentle and humble in heart),
  
  
• And overall exemplary service to the flock.

With those important limitations noted, we must stay balanced—the simple exercise of authority is not authoritarian.  The Lord still calls His elders to rule, and there wouldn’t be so many warnings against heavy-handed authority if elders lacked authority to exercise.  Their attitude, though, is to be that of service, just as the congregation’s is to be that of submission.  If any fall into sin and step out from under the roles God has called them to, then Christians in the congregation should engage in the church discipline process (a topic we’ll discuss in a couple of weeks).

We could say more about elders.  If you want a detailed treatment on elders, then I recommend Alexander Strauch’s book, Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership.  That said, we’re talking about church leadership today, and invariably, the question of deacons arises.  So, let’s devote a moment to exploring what the Bible says about them.

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^[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 379.

^[2] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 870.