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This is a subject it seems is rarely talked about anymore.
The word "elders" appears 192 times in my Bible. That is quite a few times. It is mentioned 59 times in the New Testament. But over 130 times in the Old Testament.
It is not just a New Testament concept.
I could find a specific verse that says an elder has to be a man. But I did find a few verses similar to these. I could not find a single verse where a woman is specifically called a elder, even in the New Testament.
Numb 11:16; The LORD therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
Numb 11:24; So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent.
Jdgs 8:14; And he captured a youth from Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.
Ruth 4:2; He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
One of the things I find interesting about elders. In the New testament, it is surprising how often the are counted among the Pharsees and scribes. Usually on the wrong side of Jesus.
Matt 16:21; From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
Matt 21:23; When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?"
Matt 26:3; Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;
Matt 26:47; While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Matt 26:57; Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
Matt 27:1; Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death;
Matt 27:3; Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Matt 27:12; And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer.
Matt 27:20; But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.
Matt 27:41; In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,
Those are just from the book of Matthew, there are many more similar verses in Mark, Luke and John.
But while the scribes, sadducees, pharisees, and ... elders were generally mentioned in negative context in the four Gospels...
The word "elders" takes on a change or continuation, depending on your view. Being an elder became a good thing after Jesus ascended back to heaven.
Paul, Peter, and James all mention elders in the church.
1Tim 5:17; The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
Tit 1:5; For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
Jas 5:14; Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
1Pet 5:1; Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
1Pet 5:5; You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
In fact, it is interesting to note there are "elders" heaven. There is some debate other who they are, whether they are literal men or symbolism of something else. But it seems there are 24 of them.
Rev 4:4; Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Rev 4:10; the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 5:5; and one of the elders *said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
Rev 5:6; And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
Rev 5:8; When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Rev 5:11; Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
Rev 5:14; And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Rev 7:11; And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Rev 7:13; Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"
Rev 11:16; And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Rev 14:3; And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.
Rev 19:4; And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"
This causes me to wonder... no more priests, pastors, teachers, preachers, scribes, Sadducees or pharisees in heaven... but there will still be elders. What is the significance of this?
The word "elders" appears 192 times in my Bible. That is quite a few times. It is mentioned 59 times in the New Testament. But over 130 times in the Old Testament.
It is not just a New Testament concept.
I could find a specific verse that says an elder has to be a man. But I did find a few verses similar to these. I could not find a single verse where a woman is specifically called a elder, even in the New Testament.
Numb 11:16; The LORD therefore said to Moses, "Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
Numb 11:24; So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. Also, he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and stationed them around the tent.
Jdgs 8:14; And he captured a youth from Succoth and questioned him. Then the youth wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.
Ruth 4:2; He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
One of the things I find interesting about elders. In the New testament, it is surprising how often the are counted among the Pharsees and scribes. Usually on the wrong side of Jesus.
Matt 16:21; From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
Matt 21:23; When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?"
Matt 26:3; Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;
Matt 26:47; While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Matt 26:57; Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
Matt 27:1; Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death;
Matt 27:3; Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Matt 27:12; And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer.
Matt 27:20; But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.
Matt 27:41; In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,
Those are just from the book of Matthew, there are many more similar verses in Mark, Luke and John.
But while the scribes, sadducees, pharisees, and ... elders were generally mentioned in negative context in the four Gospels...
The word "elders" takes on a change or continuation, depending on your view. Being an elder became a good thing after Jesus ascended back to heaven.
Paul, Peter, and James all mention elders in the church.
1Tim 5:17; The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
Tit 1:5; For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
Jas 5:14; Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
1Pet 5:1; Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
1Pet 5:5; You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
In fact, it is interesting to note there are "elders" heaven. There is some debate other who they are, whether they are literal men or symbolism of something else. But it seems there are 24 of them.
Rev 4:4; Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Rev 4:10; the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 5:5; and one of the elders *said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
Rev 5:6; And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
Rev 5:8; When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Rev 5:11; Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
Rev 5:14; And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Rev 7:11; And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
Rev 7:13; Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"
Rev 11:16; And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Rev 14:3; And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.
Rev 19:4; And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"
This causes me to wonder... no more priests, pastors, teachers, preachers, scribes, Sadducees or pharisees in heaven... but there will still be elders. What is the significance of this?
