PRESBYTER (prez'bT-ter), (Gr. rpecrfierrrpos, Pres-booVer-os), usually occurs in the plural and is universally translated "elders" throughout the New Testament.
(1) Significance. Its primary signification is "advanced in life,""older than others," a "senior." Originally therefore the word indicates age, but it came to be used as a term of rank or office. The Hebrew word zaw-kane, which is trans lated presbuteros in the Septuagint, and elders in our English text, had an official signification, certainly as far back as the time of Moses (Num. xi:I6). There is no historical fact better estab lished than that the elders or presbyters were an official class among the Jews. Luke calls the great council, "the assembly of the elders of the peo ple" (Luke xxii:66). Wherever there was a synagogue of any importance there was a bench of elders—a kind of local sanhedrim who were rulers over these religious assemblies. The serv ices of these synagogues were the reading of Scripture, prayer and praise, homily and benedic tion—virtually identical with the services of the Christian churches which succeeded them, indeed the earliest Christian congregations were for some time known as Christian synagogues.
(2) Early Organization. When the disciples multiplied, new organizations became necessary and it was most natural that the apostles should transfer and adopt the office of rule with which they were familiar, just as they transferred and continued the worship with which they were familiar, adding of course the new truth concern ing Christ, and the Lord's Supper that embodied it. So in "The Acts of the Apostles," the inspired and only reliable history of this early period— when the Jews are the subject of history, we read of "the elders and scribes," of "the chief priests and elders," of "stirring up the elders," etc. But in the same inspired history, in the im mediate connection, when the Christian Church is the subject of history, we read of "ordaining elders in every church," of "the apostles and elders," and of "the elders of the church."
Paul, in his first inspired epistle (t Thess. v :12) makes it clear that over and above the apostles, there were authorized officers of rule in the early Church. (See also Rom. xii:8; Heb. xiii :7-17). Those ruling were "set over the Church in the Lord;" they were enjoined to "rule with diligence;" and the members of the churches were commanded to "remember," and "obey," and "submit to" those who "had the rule over them." These rulers, exercising government in the early Church by clear apostolic warrant were presbyters. presbuteroi or elders (I Tim. v:17-35). Paul, in his letter to Timothy is not writing of a par ticular church, but of church government in gen eral. He is not speaking of the elders of a par ticular church, but of elders in general, and he refers to them as men that rule, and counts those "worthy of double honor" that "rule well." At Miletus Paul charges the elders of the Ephesian Church to "take heed to all the flock in which the Holy Ghost has made them overseers"—a clear reference to an office of rule.
(3) Origin of Office. That no New Testa ment account is given of the origin or institu tion of this office of eldership is not strange, for the office was no novelty. "Elder," presbuteros, in its official sense was a familiar household word with these early disciples. It did not need to be created. As Jews they had been accustomed to ruling elders, or presbyters in their religious as semblies, i. e. they "ordained elders in every church." (4) Elders and Bishops Identical. A fur ther fact is disclosed in the inspired record of the early church, viz., that elders and bishops were identical. Bishops and presbyters or elders are often mentioned in Scripture, but never together ; if they were distinct officers, that they were never named together would be well nigh incredible. The supposition of the identity of bishops and elders suits the whole situation, accounts for the silences and the utterances, and makes a strong case of probability.