Scriptural Qualifications of Elders:

Four Basic Qualifications

Introduction

Text: 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9.
"Maturity" is the crux of what qualifies an elder for his work.
Of the four basic requirements examined here, three relate to maturity.

I. THE ELDER MUST BE A MAN

"If a MAN . . . " (1 Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:6 - KJV, NKJV, ASV). Cf. "anyone" (RSV, ESV).
1. As the RSV indicates, the expression in 1 Tim. 3:1 and Tit. 1:6 translated by the KJV "if any man" would not, by itself, be enough to limit the eldership to males.
  1. The Greek expression ei tis means simply "if any(one)."
  2. Even the Greek word anthropos ("man") is often used to mean simply any person, without regard to gender. Cf. Eph. 3:16; Col. 1:28; Tit. 3:10; etc.
2. However, at least four other factors confirm that a woman cannot scripturally serve as an elder:
  1. A woman cannot meet the qualification "husband of one wife" (1 Tim. 3:2).
  2. All NT instructions regarding elders assume that elders are male.
  3. There is no evidence that any woman served as an elder in the apostolic period.
  4. A woman as an elder would inevitably bring passages like Hb. 13:17 into conflict with passages like 1 Tim. 2:11,12.
Two important reminders.
1. The gender of elders is not a question of ability, but eligibility (authority).
2. It is as wrong for a woman whose husband is an elder to rule the church through her husband as it would be for her to be appointed an elder herself.

II. THE ELDER MUST BE A MAN WHO IS OLDER

"Appoint ELDERS in every city" (Tit. 1:5). Cf. Ac. 14:23; 20:17; etc.
1. The word "elder" implies age, maturity, experience > wisdom, dignity.
2. The term is relative, comparative -- an elder is an "older" man, a senior rather than a junior, in comparison to others.
  1. Presbuteros = the comparative form of presbus (an old man) > elder; as a substantive, an old(er) man, one aged.
  2. Cf. neaniskos = the diminutive form of neanias (a young man) > a youth, a young man until forty (Bullinger). Cf. "young men (neaniskoi) . . . old men (presbuteroi)" (Ac. 2:17).
    1. Saul was a "young man" in Ac. 7:58, but in Philem. 9 he has become "the aged." Philemon was probably written A.D. 60-62, hence Paul could have hardly been less than thirty years old in Ac. 7.
    2. Similarly, Timothy was still in his "youth" in 1 Tim. 4:12, even though he was probably somewhere between thirty and forty years old. Cf. Ac. 16:1-3.
  3. Although the Scriptures specify no set age, few would have much practical difficulty classifying any particular person as an "older" or "younger" man.
    1. Care must be taken not to stretch the term "elder" so far as to include men who are obviously still in their youth. Cf. Mormon "elders" who are sometimes still in their teens.
    2. Care must be taken not to assume a man to be "older" merely because he has believing children.
  4. In assessing whether a particular man is old enough to serve as an elder, it is profitable simply to ask: Do we have to do violence to the term "elder" to describe this man as such? To call this man an "elder," do we have to stretch the term unreasonably?
The nature of the elder's work demands experience in living and dealing with people.
1. There are numerous problems when a young man is given the work of an elder.
2. What is required is experiential wisdom in life, not merely theoretical knowledge.
3. If an elder should not be immature, however, neither should he be senile.

III. THE ELDER MUST BE A MAN WHO IS NOT A NOVICE

"NOT A NOVICE, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil"
1 Tim. 3:6).
1. Novice = neophuton = lit., newly planted > a new Christian, a recent convert, a beginner in the faith.
  Cf. neophyte.
2. It is no sin to be a babe in Christ if one truly is a new convert -- but the elder must have grown beyond that stage if he is to help and teach others.
3. Spiritual growth takes time - Mt. 13:5,6; Hb. 5:12-14; 2 Pt. 1:5-7; 3:18; etc. Cf. 1 Tim. 4:15.
  1. The knowledge which in the NT was sometimes imparted miraculously (1 Cor. 12:8; 13:2,8; etc.) will now normally take a man a long while to acquire.
  2. A man cannot teach what he does not know. Cf. 1 Tim. 1:7.
  3. An elder cannot feed others "meat" if he is still on "milk." Cf. Hb. 5:12-14.
4. When we consider how quickly elders were appointed in newly planted congregations in the NT (e.g. Ac. 14:23), one thing to bear in mind is that it is possible to grow to spiritual maturity much faster than we typically do. Given the leisurely pace at which most of us pursue spiritual growth, there is a real danger in using ourselves as the norm for how long it takes to grow up in the Lord!
5. Perhaps it would be helpful, in the case of a particular candidate for the eldership, to ask whether he has been a Christian long enough to be guilty of negligence if he is not able to teach others. Cf. Hb. 5:12-14.
Pride, the temptation of the prematurely promoted.
1. The spiritual maturity factor discussed above is obviously important for the elder's work -- but the pride factor is the reason explicitly stated in 1 Tim. 3:6 for not appointing a novice to the eldership.
2. As a new and weaker Christian, the novice is more vulnerable to temptation in general, including the temptation to pride.
3. If appointed to the eldership, a novice would be likely to be "puffed up with pride." Cf. "inflated with a sense of his own importance" (Barclay), "conceited" (Phillips).
4. If he became entangled in the sin of pride, the elder would "fall into the same condemnation as the devil." Cf. "fall under the same judgment as the devil" (NIV). Cf. 2 Pt. 2:4.
5. However long we may think it takes in absolute terms for a man to outgrow the novice stage as a Christian, the pride factor in regard to the eldership has to do with how long a man has been in the faith in comparison to his fellow Christians.

IV. THE ELDER MUST BE A MAN WHO DESIRES THE WORK

"If a man DESIRES the position of a bishop, he DESIRES a good work" (1 Tim. 3:1).
1. The meaning of "desire."
  1. Orego = to reach or stretch out; hence, to long after, try to gain with special reference to the object desired (Bullinger). Implied is not only aspiration and yearning, but also effort expended toward accomplishment of the goal. Cf. Hb. 11:16.
  2. Epithumeo = to fix the desire upon, desire earnestly, long for; denoting the inward affection of the mind rather than the external object (Bullinger). Cf. Hb. 6:11.
2. Willingness is needed not only before, but during the elder's work - 1 Pt. 5:2.
  1. "Willingly" = ekousios = of free will. Cf. Philem. 14 (noun), Hb. 10:26.
  2. "Eagerly" = prothumia = zeal, alacrity of mind. Cf. "of a ready mind" (KJV). Cf. Ac. 17:11; 2 Cor. 8:11,12.
Some points to consider concerning desire for the work of the elder.
1. Desire must be pure - 1 Pt. 5:2.
  1. Cf. Mt. 23:6,7; 3 Jn. 9.
  2. The eldership is a work, not merely an honorary position -- a man should desire to serve, not
    to be served.
2. Desire facilitates the work. Neither the man who stumbles into the eldership willy-nilly nor the "I'll-serve-if-you-can't-find-anyone-else" man is likely to do quality work as an elder.
3. Desire is crucial to Christianity in general. Cf. 2 Cor. 8:12; 9:7.
4. Desire is not a loophole in the qualifications.
  1. This stipulation is not an "out" allowing shirkers to excuse themselves.
    1. Does God excuse us from teaching opportunities, opportunities to help the sick, etc. on the mere ground that we did not "desire" the work? Cf. Jas. 4:17.
    2. In all matters, we will be judged on our use of ability and opportunity - Mt. 25:14-30.
    3. Why would an otherwise qualified man dodge the eldership?
      1. Ignorance of need and personal responsibility. Cf. Isa. 6:8; Ac. 16:9,10.
      2. Fear of inadequacy. Cf. 2 Cor. 3:4,5.
      3. Misunderstandings about the degree of "perfection" required in qualifications and work. Cf. 1 Tim. 5:17.
      4. Mock humility. Cf. Exo. 3:10,11; Jer. 1:6,7.
      5. Complacency or laziness. Cf. Prov. 22:13; Mt. 25:26.
  2. No man should be "railroaded" into service as an elder. But neither should a man's brethren fail to urge upon him his responsibilities and seek to arouse within him a genuine desire to do what he ought to do. Cf. 2 Cor. 8,9 (esp. 9:5-7).
5. Desire is best formed early in life. Eventually time and opportunity run out and a man finds that it is too late for him to acquire the elder's qualifications.

Conclusion

These four qualifications are fundamental to the others that follow.
May we appreciate the beauty of God's wisdom in providing spiritually for His people - Eph. 4:11,12.

Gary Henry
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