Elders, as community leaders

Since older men act as responsible leaders in many communities, “elder” is used as the title for a recognised leader.

Elders in early Israel

Elders represented their people

Exodus 19:7 See also Exodus 3:16, Exodus 4:29, Exodus 12:21–28, Exodus 24:1

So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.

Elders assisted Moses

Numbers 11:16–17 See also Exodus 18:21–26; Numbers 11:24–25

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.

Elders met in a national assembly

Joshua 23:2, Joshua 24:1; Judges 21:16

Elders functioned as judges, sometimes in the town gate

Deuteronomy 19:11–12; Judges 8:14; Ruth 4:1–12

Elders during the period of the monarchy

Tribal and town elders

1 Samuel 30:26–31; 2 Kings 10:5, 2 Kings 23:1; Jeremiah 19:1

Elders were local representatives at national functions

1 Kings 8:1

At that time Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel — all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites — to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David.

Elders advised the king

1 Kings 12:6–8

Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked. They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.” But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.

Elders functioned as judges at the town gate

Proverbs 31:23 See also 1 Kings 21:8–14

Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.

Elders in Israel during and after the exile

Ezra 10:8, Ezra 10:14; Ezekiel 8:1, Ezekiel 14:1, Ezekiel 20:1–3

Elders in NT Jewish society

Elders were local town and synagogue leaders

Mark 5:22; Luke 7:1–5

Elders were members of the Sanhedrin

Mark 15:1 See also Matthew 5:22

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.

Elders were guardians of religious traditions

Matthew 15:1–2 parallel Mark 7:5 See also Mark 7:3

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

The elders' rejection of Jesus Christ predicted by him

Matthew 16:21 parallels Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22

From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

The involvement of the elders in the trial and condemnation of Jesus Christ

Matthew 27:1 parallel Mark 15:1

When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.

The elders' involvement with the first Christians

See also Acts 4:5, Acts 4:8, Acts 4:23, Acts 5:21, Acts 6:12, Acts 23:14, Acts 25:15