Elders:

 

1 Tim. 5:19

Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.

 

Elders will often be accused of impropriety unjustly and, therefore, must have a greater standard of evidence before they can be charged.

1 Peter 5:1-4

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: [2] Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; [3] nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; [4] and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

These are elders according to age and are to be examples.  These are not elders in church government necessarily, but they are elders in the congregation.

1 Tim. 5:17

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

1. Elders are the ruling body of the church.
2. Elders who are ruling elders should be laborers in the Word and in doctrine
3. Ruling elders are worthy of “double honor”
   1. White suggests “remuneration” rather than “honour” for times (a common use for price or pay). Liddon proposes “honorarium” (both honour and pay and so “double”). Wetstein gives numerous examples of soldiers receiving double pay for unusual services. Some suggest twice the pay given the enrolled widows. (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament.)

 

Titus 1:5-11

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you– [6] if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. [7] For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, [8] but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, [9] holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

[10] For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, [11] whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

 

1 Tim. 3:1-7

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. [2] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; [3] not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; [4] one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence [5] (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); [6] not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. [7] Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Elders are appointed by other elders (Titus was the chief elder at Ephesus)

Elders have extremely strict qualifications

Elders are to exhort and convict those who contradict the truth – to keep pure what is taught within the church and to correct or extract those who teach otherwise in the church.

Desiring to become an elder is a good thing.

Hebrews 11:1-2

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [2] For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

Elders are to be men of faith and must carry a reputation as such

James 5:14

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Elders are to pray for and lay hands on the sick anointing them with oil

 

Eldership:

 

1 Tim. 4:14

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

 

It’s not exactly clear what gift Timothy received.  It may be as pastor of the church at Ephesus, but whatever it was, it was given to him by the laying on of the hands of the elders.

Elders  in Acts

Acts 11:30

This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

It would seem to imply that the elders are responsible for the finances of the church

Acts 14:23

So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

 

Elders should be commended to the Lord by the church and by other elders as a very serious appointment.

Acts 15:1-2

And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” [2] Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

Elders are to be sound enough in doctrine to settle matters of disagreement.

(1 Cor. 11:19)   For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.

Acts 15:4

And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.

 

The First Jerusalem Council was made up of apostles and elders arguing the doctrine of circumcising the new converts.

Acts 15:22-30

Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. [23] They wrote this letter by them:

The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,

To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:

Greetings.

[24] Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”–to whom we gave no such commandment– [25] it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, [26] men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [27] We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. [28] For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: [29] that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell.

The apostles and elders settled on doctrine which was not clear in Scripture and, once they agreed upon it, taught it to the church.

Acts 16:4

And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

Acts 20:17

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

Acts 20:28-31

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. [29] For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. [30] Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. [31] Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

The elders are to watch for “wolves among the flock” and to combat them.

Acts 22:4-5

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, [5] as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

Eldership was also the form of “church” government taken from the Jews.

 

Deacons

Deacons are only mentioned directly twice in Scripture:

 

Philip. 1:1

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

 

1 Tim. 3:8-15

Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, [9] holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. [10] But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. [11] Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. [12] Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. [13] For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

[14] These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; [15] but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 

 

• What qualities must a deacon possess? (3:8-10, 12)
• What is required before someone can serve as a deacon? (3:10)
• What sort of person must the wife of a deacon be? (3:11)
• What do those who serve well gain? (3:13)
• What benefit is there in serving well? (3:13)
• Why did Paul write these instructions? (3:14-15)

 

 

It is also believe that Acts 6 may well be speaking of deacons:

 

Acts 6:1-6

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. [2] Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. [3] Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; [4] but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” [5] And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, [6] whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

 

• What complaint did the Grecian Jews make? (6:1)
• What did the apostles—the Twelve—do in response to criticism? (6:2-4)
• Why did the Twelve choose prayer and teaching over caring for the poor? (6:2-4)
• What did the Twelve tell the other believers to do? (6:3)
• How did the group respond to the apostles’ proposal? (6:5)
• Who was selected to serve the widows? (6:5)
• Who chose the seven candidates? (6:5)
• How were the men given authority to do their task? (6:6)
• What was the effect of the appointment of certain people to serve the widows? (6:7)
• How did the church fare after the apostles delegated the serving of food to others? (6:7)

 

 

The Meaning of the word, “deacon”

 

Deacon, the meaning of the word:  diakonos, dee-ak’-on-os; probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands; compare Greek 1377 (dioko)); an attendant, i.e. (genitive) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially a Christian teacher and pastor (technically a deacon or deaconess) :- deacon, minister, servant.  Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, WordSearch, Navpress

 

So a deacon or deaconess is a servant, a minister.

 

The word is the same as “servant” in Mark 9:35 :

 

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

 

 

Unlike the office of elder, women can hold the office of deacon (deaconess)

 

Romans 16:1

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant (deaconess) of the church in Cenchrea,

 

1 Tim. 3:11 (NKJV)

Likewise their wives (“women”) must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

 

1 Tim. 3:11 (NASB)

Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.