# Elders ## Ignatius Catholic Study Bible *Elders* ([[james-05#^james-05-14|Jas 5:14]]) - *Presbyteros* (Gk.): an \"elder\", \"elderly man\", or \"presbyter\". The word is used 66 times in the NT. It has its primary background in the OT and Jewish tradition, where \"elders\" (Heb., *zeqenim*) referred to the tribal leaders of Israel appointed by Moses ([[exodus-24#^exodus-24-1|Ex 24:1]]; [[numbers-11#^numbers-11-16|Num 11:16]]) and to the members of a city\'s judicial council ([[joshua-20#^joshua-20-4|Josh 20:4]]). By the first century, it was a collective name for Pharisaic teachers ([[matthew-15#^matthew-15-2|Mt 15:2]]), for a group within the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin ([[matthew-26#^matthew-26-3|Mt 26:3]]), and for the senior officials of a Jewish synagogue. This notion of ruling and religious elders carried over into Christian tradition and was applied to its own appointed leaders ([[acts-of-the-apostles-14#^acts-of-the-apostles-14-23|Acts 14:23]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-15#^acts-of-the-apostles-15-2|15:2]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-20#^acts-of-the-apostles-20-17|20:17]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-21#^acts-of-the-apostles-21-18|21:18]]). An \"elder\" or \; [[acts-of-the-apostles-20#^acts-of-the-apostles-20-17|20:17]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-21#^acts-of-the-apostles-21-18|21:18]]). An \"elder\" or \"presby; [[acts-of-the-apostles-21#^acts-of-the-apostles-21-18|21:18]]). An \"elder\" or \"presbyter\" t). An \"elder\" or \"presbyter\" t). An \"elder\" or \"presbyter\" t). An \"elder\" or \"presbyter\" t). An \"elder\" or \"presbyter\" t). An \"elder\" or \"presbyter\" thus came to refer to an ordained shepherd of the Church who preached the gospel and administered the sacraments ([[1-timothy-05#^1-timothy-05-17|1 Tim 5:17]]; [[titus-01#^titus-01-5|Tit 1:5]]; [[james-05#^james-05-14|Jas 5:14]]). The English word \"priest\" is derived from this Greek term. ### Sources [[20-james-commentary#^l0fneu|Elders — word study]] ### Index of Doctrines **Elders** NT office of elder ("presbyter" or, later, "priest"): [[acts-of-the-apostles-15#^acts-of-the-apostles-15-2|Acts 15:2, 6, 22-23]]; [[1-timothy-04#^1-timothy-04-14|1 Tim 4:14]]; [[1-timothy-05#^1-timothy-05-17|5:17-19]]; [[titus-01#^titus-01-5|Tit 1:5]]; [[1-peter-05#^1-peter-05-1|1 Pet 5:1-5]]; [[james-05#^james-05-14|Jas 5:14-15]]; 2 Jn 1; 3 Jn 1 Twenty-four elders in heaven: [[revelation-04#^revelation-04-4|Rev 4:4, 10]]; [[revelation-05#^revelation-05-5|5:5-6, 8, 11, 14]]; [[revelation-07#^revelation-07-11|7:11, 13]]; [[revelation-11#^revelation-11-16|11:16]]; [[revelation-14#^revelation-14-3|14:3]]; [[revelation-19#^revelation-19-4|19:4]] [[index-of-doctrines|Index of Doctrines]]