Some of you know that I am fascinated by the subject of elders, also known as older ones. I am excited, too, that home church brethren can look at this matter afresh.

The quote below is from a rare book. "Rare" because the Brits who read theology in the 1800's were mostly clergy and would have had little use for such a volume - much less a second edition of it.

Glory to the Lamb, who is also the good Shepherd.

David Anderson
Bristol, TN

Paul sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church, and said: 'Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God,' Acts 20:17,28.

In the above quotation we find the three terms, presbuteroi, elders or seniors; episcopoi, episcopoi, bishops or overseers; and poimaino, poimaino, to pastor or shepherd, applied to the same brethren, and that in relation to the one work in which they participated. Coincident with this is 1 Pet. 5:1-4, where that apostle says: The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed; feed the flock of God that is among you, taking the oversight, not by constraint, but willing, nor for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; not as lords over the heritage, but as examples to the flock, and when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye also shall receive a crown of life that fadeth not away. It is thus certain that eldership, oversight, and pastorate, are terms expressive of the same functions of the same persons. Eldership or seniority, in both passages stands initial to the charges given to oversee and feed the flock. The combined duty of oversight and pastorate is thus given in charge to the senior brethren.

Age, therefore, is the first requisite to the work of the Christian overseer and shepherd. Neither non-age, nor dotage, but simply age, is that which is denoted by presbuteros. A presbyter in apostolic use of speech is simply a senior. The zah-kehn of the Hebrews, the presbuteros, of the Greeks, and the senex of the Latins, are the exact equivalents of the English senior, elder, or aged. This comparative group of elder ones includes, but is not limited to, its superlative group of the eldest ones.

With all peoples and nations the aged have their appropriate place and standing in the commonwealth; from among the elders of Israel, the Sanhedrin, or national council, was constituted; the magistracy of the Greeks was filled by their presbuteroi; and the senate of Rome took its name from its being composed of seniors. It has been reserved for apostate Christendom to shew to the world such an inversion of the natural and divine constitution of things as savageism itself cannot parallel: the seniors systematically under the rule of the young - beardless youths fresh from school set to oversee the aged!

But age is not the only qualification. (Editor's note: by qualification, Milner doesn't mean a requirement to be fulfilled in order to become an elder. He is referring to requirements made of those who are already elders. Such virtues qualify one for his shepherding task.) An aged person may be a mere babe in Christ. It is not merely length of days, but that in the divine life which qualifies for the oversight of the Christian flock. Thus Paul says: 'Not a novice, (literally, an immature person), lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.' 1 Tim. 3:6. It is not merely the general experience that accompanies age, but that maturity and experience which alone can be had in the family and service of God that fits for Christian oversight.

This is the more manifest when we notice that the qualifications for this most honourable work are almost, if not altogether, of a moral or spiritual description. We do not at all find miraculous endowments specified in connection with the bishopric of the flock nor particular mental abilities. Excellence of life, faithful discipleship, lengthened Christian experience, unchallengeable piety, are the grand requisites. 'An overseer,' says Paul, 'must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the house of God? Moreover, he must have a good report of those without, lest he fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil,' 1 Timothy 3:2-7.

This blamelessness, chastity, watchfulness, modesty, good conduct, hospitality, aptness to teach, non-quarrelsomeness, liberality, non-disputatiousness, ungraspingness, good domestic rule, and good report of all, are qualifications which ought to characterize every Christian senior. There is no attribute of character here which is not within the reach of the great body of the faithful. And those enumerated in Titus 1:6-9 are precisely of similar import: 'If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.'

We are purposeful to note this because of the too common notions that transcendent talents or highly cultivated intellect, are indispensable to this good work. But the apostle says no such thing. We certainly do not say that this work is beneath the highest gifts which the Head of the church has bestowed upon his body - we do not say that uncultured minds, any more than that unsanctified spirits, are adapted to this ministry; but we do say that great oratorical powers, and much learning, are not requisite to the faithful and successful discharge of its duties. The aptness to teach here spoken of implies neither public oratory, nor scholastic lore. It is simply that aptitude to instruct the ignorant and erring which any mind well trained in the doctrine of the Lord may be master of by practice. The holding fast of the faithful word as he has been taught will enable the senior both to exhort and convict the objector. The brother who perceiving from the sure word what is the mind of the Spirit, can aptly state the same, either in personal converse, or to the brethren in associated capacity, is apt to teach. James 1:5. We have the happiness to know many such teachers in this most useful respect, who would shrink from attempting a lengthened, studied, public oration. We therefore entirely discard the notion that extraordinary gifts are needed to the fulfillment of this duty, and press the consideration of this upon the attention of all the believing, that they may perceive the responsibility which the Lord has laid upon the seniors in his flock.

Not until the qualifications are distinctly perceived to be of this purely experimental type, will the Christian mind be emancipated from the unscriptural trammels and trappings of mere clerical officialism which has made a reproachful and mischievous monopoly and despotism of one of the most free, lowly, honourable, laborious, and useful of Christian services. Be it therefore further remarked, that in all the apostolic allusions to it, the modern restricted official notion is sought for in vain, while the practical, moral, matter-of-fact character of the work is everywhere manifest. It is altogether and everywhere a thing of example, a manner of life, a good work - not an office in the modern acceptation of the term at all. The word officium signifies duty. The doing of any good work which neighborliness or relationship calls for, is truly the fulfilling of one's office. Thus we properly say, in respect of any acts of kindness, that kind offices were rendered us. But while, since our translators have given us this Latin term in 1 Timothy 3: 1, 'If any man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work,' it is well to note its meaning as we have just done: it is further proper to observe that it has no business in this passage.

Our translation, as all know, was made by official Episcopal authority against the most urgent protests alike of Baptist and Presbyterian dissent; and here we find, as elsewhere, the marks of the official bishop. Paul's words are literally: 'If any desire oversight, he desires good work, Ei tis episkophs oregetai kalou ergou epiqumei . The words, 'the office of a bishop,' are given instead of the single term episcopees, oversight, inspection, or superintendence. The apostle does not call it an office, but simply and truly, 'good work' and he interposes nothing between it and the desire and destiny of any Christian.

Thomas Milner, from "The Messiah's Service"