Acts 20:28-32. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
1. The meaning of Elder.
-presbuterous. episcopos. poiman. All used interchangeably.
Strong’s number: 4245 presbýteros – properly, a mature man having seasoned judgment (experience); an elder.
Strong’s Number: 1985 episcopos an overseer; a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or superintendent the superintendent, elder, or overseer of a Christian church.
Strong’s Number: 4166 poiman. a herdsman, esp. a shepherd in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow metaph. the presiding officer, manager, director, of any assembly: so of Christ the Head of the church of the overseers of the Christian assemblies of kings and princes
1 Peter 5:1-2. So I exhort the elders (4245) among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 1Pe 5:2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
Titus 1:5. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders (4245) in every town as I directed you–
Acts 20:28. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (1985), to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Verses where Elders in a local context are referred to in the plural.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders (4245) in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops (1985) and deacons:
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders (4245) of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
2. The character of an Elder.
Be able to teach. More than a Deacon. Deacon is to serve. Elder to serve, lead and teach.
3. The role of an Elder.
A. Doctrine. Must be able to teach.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
ELLIOT’S COMMENTARY:
Apt to teach.—The elder should possess something more than a willingness, or glad readiness, to teach the less instructed the mysteries of the faith. He ought also to have the far rarer qualification of a power to impart knowledge to others. Zeal is not by any means the only, or even the principal, qualification to be sought for in a minister of the Word.
BENSON COMMENTARY: Apt, or fit, to teach — By having a thorough knowledge of the things he is to teach, a clear manner of expressing his thoughts, and an earnest desire to instruct the ignorant; or one that is himself well instructed in the things of the kingdom of God, and is communicative of what he knows; is both able and willing to impart to others the knowledge which God hath given him.
BARNES’ NOTES ON THE BIBLE: Apt to teach – Greek, “Didactic;” that is, capable of instructing, or qualified for the office of a teacher of religion. As the principal business of a preacher of the gospel is to “teach,” or to communicate to his fellow-men the knowledge of the truth, the necessity of this qualification is obvious. No one should be allowed to enter the ministry who is not qualified to impart “instruction” to others on the doctrines and duties of religion; and no one should feel that he ought to continue in the ministry, who has not industry, and self-denial, and the love of study enough to lead him constantly to endeavor to “increase” in knowledge, that he may be qualified to teach others. A man who would “teach” a people, must himself keep in advance of them on the subjects on which he would instruct them.
B. Discipline.
C. Direction. They lead.
D. Distinction. A Godly example to others.