Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELDER

A man of authority, originally an older man in the patriarchal family and social structure. Elders of Israel (Heb. zāqēn) are mentioned as early as Exod. 3:16, 18, and groups called “elders” serve a variety of functions in various contexts throughout the OT. Elders sometimes represent the whole people or individual cities (e.g., Exod. 19:7-8; 24:1, 9; Deut. 21:1-9; Judg. 11:4-11); sometimes they serve as governing authorities (e.g., Josh. 20:4; 2 Kgs. 10:1, 5; Ezra 6:7-8), sometimes as judges (e.g., Deut. 21:18-21; Ruth 4:1-12; 1 Kgs. 21:8-14), and sometimes as advisors (e.g,, 2 Sam. 17:4, 15; 1 Kgs. 20:7-8). The institution continued in later times, with councils of elders (Gk. presbýteros) serving both administrative and judicial functions in local Jewish communities, as well as representing the community to outside authorities (e.g., Jdt. 7:23; 11:14; 1 Macc. 12:35; Mark 11:27; 15:1; Acts 4:5-8; 24:1). The highest such council was the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Some early Christian communities adapted this institution for their own governance. 2 John 1 and 3 John 1 are the only instances in biblical and early Christian literature where an individual is designated “the elder,” with no mention of a body of elders. The exact position being claimed is therefore unclear, but evidently this “elder” was of such stature that he could be identified by the title alone.

See Presbyter, Presbytery.

David Rensberger

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELDER

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)