Template:Elders
Elders of God
The term Elder, contrary to popular beliefs of the modern Church, is not an office of the Church. The Greek word we see translated "elder" was commonly used to identify the head of a family. The Greek word presbuteros[2] can mean just "old man" or the "eldest" man. The word appears more than 60 times in the New Testament.[3]
A common Hebrew word for elder appears over a hundred seventy times in the Old Testament where it also means old man or oldest man in relation to a family group. The five thousand men and their families at the miracle of the loves and fishes were all elders of their families by Jewish traditions.
- "To this day, at least among the Jews, all it takes to form a synagog is ten elders! Ten men, rather... they constitute a synagog and the elder who was chosen by the ten heads of household conduct the services. That’s the way it was."
- "The apostles as they went out established, Paul for example, church after church in one place after another and he appointed and ordained elders, and he moved on."[4]
When Christ commanded his disciples to get the people to organize in groups of tens he was simply organizing them in what would be called synagogues, a group of ten elders.
Both the Pharisees and Modern Christians have tried to turn terms like elder into an institutional office of power or authority in the Church but that is not the meaning of the term.
In Peter we see, "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5. All Peter is saying is that younger people should be "yield to one’s admonition or advice" if he is older with more experience at least with respect and humility.
Most of the terms like pastors, ministers, deacon or priest, even overseer or bishop are descriptive words identifying the nature or aspect of a job within the "ekklesia" which provided real services for the people in righteousness. All of those people performing these service jobs were likely also "elders" of families who were chosen to fulfill a certain function within the mission of the ekklesia or early Church.
Ministers were servants of the of God serving the people and like traditional ministers they were expected to be married[5] so you had some idea of their character for they had an important job and need the humble cooperation of everyone to get that job done.[6]
The ministers of the early Church were rightly dividing bread from house to house[7] in the practice of Pure religion through a daily ministration of faith, hope, and charity.
If Christ commanded that we do not exercise authority one over the other then what we are suppose to submit to is the righteousness of God.[8]
"In writing both to Titus and to Timothy the apostle speaks of the ordination of bishops and of deacons, but says not a word of the ordination of presbyters; for the fact is that the word bishops includes presbyters also." Jerome, Ep. 146.
The Congregation of the people is composed of what Moses called the altars of earth.[9] Each of us are sacrificial altars of living clay, or “adamah”, sons of Adam whose Father was God, making us all children of God if we will do the will of the Father in heaven.
We are both priest and king of our own free will choice within the individual natural family. This remains true as long as we maintain the power of choice bestowed upon every man by the Creator. We maintain that choice, that liberty, as long as we exercise the responsibility of choice in righteousness. Our offering within the family and to the community must be by charity.[10] If we seek to take away that right to choose, that liberty of choice, from our neighbor we will lose our own liberty. For as we judge so shall we be judged.
The priests of the people are first the people themselves. Priest is derived from Greek, via Latin presbyter, the term for "elder" or eldest head of a family.
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National priesthood
The priests of a nation were often called kohen in Hebrew or priest.
A priest in a national sense is “a person authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion”. But religion was traditionally defined as “the performance of your duty to God and your fellow man”. That would mean that religion is how you take care of the needs of society. And, according to James, Pure Religion is doing that unspotted by the institution of a government of force.
That religious duty has been pursued by people either through systems of charity, which the Church in the wilderness called freewill offerings and sacrifice, or in the nations of the world through rulers, where the people were provided for through compelled offerings directed by men who rule over the people and were called at times the Fathers of the earth.
In other words, the two systems of national welfare that could be pursued by the people are either by the Church through charity or the State through force. One is based on the free choices of the heads of families and the other is dependent upon rulers like Cain, Nimrod or the Pharaoh of Egypt or the Caesar of Rome who exercise authority over the people.
Israel was a theocratic republic where God was to rule through the hearts of the people; the elders or priests of each family. The Levites, as national priests of that society, served the “tabernacles of the congregations” of a nation by serving the "tents" of each family in free assemblies. The Levites were to be the public servants of a free nation.
Those assemblies donated to the minister of their choice who acted as a voluntary health, education and welfare agency to help care for the needs of society through a network of ministers supported entirely by freewill offerings of the people, for the people and by the people. The Corban of the Pharisees was the antitheses of that system of charity and made the word of God to none effect.
The Elders of each family are both priests and kings within their own family. But to come together as a nation requires someone to act as a priest on a national level. The people are gathered in congregations of tens but they share what they produce with the national priests of their society to help maintain an intentional community in hope of strengthening the poor and the natural bonds of a free nation.
A minister of the congregation is first chosen by the people as we see being done in Acts 6:3.[11] Each individual family is represented by the head or elder of the family who freely chooses their own minister.[12] In the documents and forms offered in service by His Church, individuals may be called the electorate.[13]
The electorate have been referred to individually as “elders” of families or collectively as the laity, from the Greek laos, meaning people. In terms of the world they may appear to be a constituency,[14] but they are simply the people who choose from moment to moment, and day to day, to support the leadership of those who continue to be perceived by the people as the ministers of God and the servants of His people.
Those who are freely chosen as ministers by an electorate of elders who freely giving their votive offering in a free assembly become the living “stones” of lively altars of a sacred sacrifice to God by the people and for the people. They are the public ministers of the congregations who are seeking to follow The Way of Jesus. It is essential that the Holy Spirit is allowed to manifest through the election[15] of each elder.[16]
These chosen ministers are the unhewn stones of God’s sacred living altars. Unhewn is a metaphor for being unregulated. In their ministration of this system of faith, hope, and charity, the good will of the people for the people is administered by the choice of the people. The people maintain their right to decide to whom and how much they shall contribute. Whatever they choose to give is paid in full.[17] There is no coercion in the kingdom of God but their own God-given conscience. The ministers have power over how those contributions shall be managed because once given they are burned up to the people.
The ministers of the Church have an unregulated authority on how they use that offering, but if they are not a fruitful government that provides for the people with love and mercy and strengthens the poor, then future offerings will go to other ministers according to the free choice of the people. That liberty to choose remains with the people and the elders of each family. This system of thanksgiving will be like Christ who came to serve or it will perish. Together, the ministers and the people form the temple of God, made of living earth and stones, formed in their hearts and minds by God in Pure Religion. This is the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
The Old Testament elder
We see in the Old Testament that there were elders there too. The word in Hebrew just meant someone who was an "old man or old women". Israel was to respect their elders and honor their parents and grandparents. That honor and respect caused society to be more stable as each generation learned to respect and care for the generation that came before. The oldest member of a family was the "elder" of that family. God and nature had instituted the family and those families freely assembled themselves, voluntarily providing for one another in a network of charity. The Church in the wilderness, who were the levites, served the tabernacles or tents of the congregations in these free assemblies where every elder was a functional part of a voluntary society and government.
When the people rejected God that He should not rule over them, creating the office of king, some of the authority of each "elder" was vested in the king. That process takes away some of the rights of natural fathers who are the elders of each family and vests it in rulers who become the Fathers of the earth spoken of by Jesus.
By the time Israel evolved into Judea after centuries of kings, the governments and people turned the word elder into an office. Since the modern Christians have the Pharisee view of the Old Testament and Torah rather than a more Essene view, they have likewise turned the word elder into an office "clothed with authority".[1]
The Easton's Bible Dictionary tries to equate the Arab word "sheik" with elder since they both mean an "old man"[1] but the Latin word for "senate" (senatus) also means "old man". The problem is in the early Republic under the principles of "Libera res publica" the Senate had no power to make laws nor "exercise authority" over their fellow citizens. They were merely a body of respected elders from good families that came together to serve in the organization of the people. The Senate evolved into an office of power as the people devolved through a culture of sloth and covetous practices. This process was well underway during the days of Polybius who explains that the cultural customs of the people degenerated them and opened the way to despotism and tyranny.
Easton misinterprets the body of Seventy chosen by Moses to be something akin to the Senate of Rome. [1]
The Senate
The original Senate of Rome may have been more like the seventy men of Moses and Christ. They were established in 7
53 BC as approximately 100 elders of prominent families and survived the overthrow of the Tarquinian kings in 509 BC, the fall of the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC, the division of the Roman Empire in 395 AD, the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, and even the barbarian rule of Rome from the 5th, through the 7th century but it did not remain the same.
The word Senate derived from the Latin word senex, which meant nothing more than "old man" and was merely an "assembly of elders" as the tribes of the Latins formed a viable community and nation. The family of Romans was considered a sovereign social unit called a gens or "clan". The eldest father of a clan was the patriarch, called a pater which is the Latin word for "father". The gens gathered in hearths and the leading patriarch of the gentes gathered in voluntary council to form a representative body for the gentium or nation. At that time the family was still sovereign but with the election of the first Tarquinian king or rex was vested with some sovereign power of the Pater Familias known as the Imperium.
Israel was warned in 1 Samuel 8 of the dangers of the same process of vesting rights and responsibility in others which God has designed to remain with everyman. Romulus chose 100 senators called the patres minorum gentium. Seven kings later many of them were executed by Lucius Tarquinius Superbus which spawned a civil war which ended the Tarquinian rule in 509 BC Rome. Lucius Junius Brutus and Publius Valerius Publicola chose 300 "Conscripti Patri" to hold the executive power which had been vested in the fathers of each family by nature and nature's God. They would eventually increase their numbers to 500 and act as an electoral college choosing new emperors.
The Senate was chosen from a pool of elders who acted as "magistrates" because of their power to hear disputes of law like an appeals court. That Roman Senate was usually composed of wealthy "old men" because it was unpaid position and eventually the Emperor appointed new senators for life but required that their net worth was equal to at least a million sesterces.[18]
Over time the decrees of the Senate, called senatus consulta, evolved from what was only "advice" which held "no hold legal force" into a binding system of law (Lex, legis) which regulated the lives of the people. The power and authority of natural fathers was legally consolidated in the Pater Patriae and eventually the Patronus of Rome. These were the Fathers of the earth Jesus warned us not to pray to or call upon. He came to return every man to his family[19] by restoring the rights of the elders or natural fathers of each family.
Do not be seduced into thinking that an elder is an office of authority or that you are to exercise authority over one another through that office which should only be contained within the family. Christ clearly called out men to be the clergy of the kingdom as servants to the people which may be called the laity. Together they make a peculiar people.
Moses and Jesus had their senate called the Sanhedrin but they were not legislators or lawmakers but were titular leader of righteousness. But because of the wantonness and sloth of most of the people, the Libera res publica became the road not taken.
Hebrew elder
The Hebrew word for elder is zaqen[20] which is the same word for old or aged[21]. We can see these two words as three Hebrew letter ZayinKufNun.
- ז ZAYIN The Service and Valor, cut and bread, war and nourish. [weapon.... Cut to cut off manacle] 7
- ק KUF or Kof Omnipresence - Redemption of Fallen Sparks The paradoxical union reish and a zayin holiness or separateness omnipresence of God [Cord... back of the head... Behind the last, least] 100
- נ ן NUN Heir to the Throne, Aramaic fish in the Mem (fish in flowing waters) or in the Hebrew the Nun may mean the kingdom. [fish moving... Activity life] 50
The first time we see the word translated "elder" in the Bible is Genesis 18[22] which simply referred to Sarah as "old".
Some looking at Exodus 3:16[23] try to turn this natural position into an office of government. But Moses was setting the people free from men who exercise authority.
Even the word "gather"[24] just means to "gather" or "to gather oneself or themselves" and has nothing to do with "appointing an office of authority" to rule over the people. Each of these elders ruled over their own families because they were the natural heirs of the wealth of the family ready to pass on their wealth and power to their natural sons from "generation to generation".
We even see the see this same term "elder" is used by Moses in Exodus 10:9[25] mean "old" as opposed to young.
The Kingdom of God was from generation to generation and the power of the state in Israel remained in the hands of the individual families so it was only natural that the eldest member of any family group held the power of the state. That power was not to include power over the next family.
Israel could not form a nation with the families power of choice intact if it was not for the Levites who formed a separate body.
There was a clear disposition of God for the younger to respect the older. This moderated society because of the natural maturity brought with age and a paternal love that molded a view of love and honor among each family of a kingdom where there were no kings from generation to generation.
The same letters ZayinKufNun are also translated age, old age, old man or old women, ancient, aged, eldest, ancient man, beard 19 times and even into the word "senators" in Psalms 105:22 "To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom."
Another elder
Another word translated elder in the Old Testament is gadol[26] from the Hebrew verb gadal [27] composed of the same Hebrew letters GimelDeletLamed meaning "to grow, become great or important".
All forms of gadal, GimelDeletLamed, GimelDeletVavLamed and even GimelDeletVavLamedHey[28] indicate great, greatness or magnify.
- ג Gimel Reward and Punish, Cause and effect. Do to others as they should do.
- ד DALET Selflessness – Charity, back and forth or through a door or pathway, to enter like a fish.
- ל LAMED means Aspiration of the Heart or to learn or even direct like a shepherd. It has to do with what the Hand produces, or directs with staff, whip... like the tongue may direct.
The word gadal is translated elder or eldest about a dozen times but forms of great over four-hundred times. Almost everywhere you see the word as elder or eldest they are speaking of elder siblings like Shem to Japheth or Esau to Jacob or David's older brothers. Age gave an automatic rank in society but this word is not the word we see Moses use in Exodus 10:9 [29]. The word we see there for "old" is zaqen[30] ZayinKufNun and is actually translated Senator at least once. The same letters also produce the word for beard and almost always have to do with age but can be connected with authority.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Elder - A name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a person clothed with authority, and entitled to respect and reverence (Gen. 50:7). It also denoted a political office (Num. 22:7). The "elders of Israel" held a rank among the people indicative of authority. Moses opened his commission to them (Ex. 3:16). They attended Moses on all important occasions. Seventy of them attended on him at the giving of the law (Ex. 24:1). Seventy also were selected from the whole number to bear with Moses the burden of the people (Num. 11:16, 17). The "elder" is the keystone of the social and political fabric wherever the patriarchal system exists. At the present day this is the case among the Arabs, where the sheik (i.e., "the old man") is the highest authority in the tribe. The body of the "elders" of Israel were the representatives of the people from the very first, and were recognized as such by Moses. All down through the history of the Jews we find mention made of the elders as exercising authority among the people. They appear as governors (Deut. 31:28), as local magistrates (16:18), administering justice (19:12). They were men of extensive influence (1 Sam. 30:26-31). In New Testament times they also appear taking an active part in public affairs (Matt. 16:21; 21:23; 26:59). Easton's Bible Dictionary
The Jewish eldership was transferred from the old dispensation to the new. "The creation of the office of elder is nowhere recorded in the New Testament, as in the case of deacons and apostles, because the latter offices were created to meet new and special emergencies, while the former was transmitted from the earlies times. In other words, the office of elder was the only permanent essential office of the church under either dispensation." Easton's Bible Dictionary - ↑ 4245 ~πρεσβύτερος~ presbuteros \@pres-boo’-ter-os\@ comparative of presbus (elderly); adj AV-elder 64, old man 1, eldest 1, elder woman 1; 67
- 1) elder, of age,
- 1a) the elder of two people
- 1b) advanced in life, an elder, a senior 1b1) forefathers
- 2) a term of rank or office
- 2a) among the Jews
- 2a1) members of the great council or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people, judges, etc., were selected from elderly men)
- 2a2) of those who in separate cities managed public affairs and administered justice
- 2b) among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies; (or churches) the NT uses the term bishop, overseers, 1985 pastors, 4166 elders, and presbyters 4245 interchangeably {#Ac 20:17,28 Eph 4:11 Tit 1:5,7 1Pe 5:1-4 etc.}
- 2c) the twenty four members of the heavenly Sanhedrin or court seated on thrones around the throne of God
- 2a) among the Jews
- 1) elder, of age,
- ↑ Matthew 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders <4245>? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
- Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders <4245> and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
- Matthew 21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders <4245> of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
- Matthew 26:3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders <4245> of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
- Matthew 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders <4245> of the people.
- Matthew 26:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders <4245> were assembled.
- Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders <4245>, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
- Matthew 27:1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders <4245> of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
- Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders <4245>,
- Matthew 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders <4245>, he answered nothing.
- Matthew 27:20 But the chief priests and elders <4245> persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
- Matthew 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders <4245>, said,
- Matthew 28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders <4245>, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
- Mark 7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders <4245>.
- Mark 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders <4245>, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
- Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders <4245>, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
- Mark 11:27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders <4245>,
- Mark 14:43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders <4245>.
- Mark 14:53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders <4245> and the scribes.
- Mark 15:1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders <4245> and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.
- Luke 7:3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders <4245> of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
- Luke 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders <4245> and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
- Luke 15:25 Now his elder <4245> son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
- Luke 20:1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders <4245>,
- Luke 22:52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders <4245>, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
- John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest <4245>, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
- Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men <4245> shall dream dreams:
- Acts 4:5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders <4245>, and scribes,
- Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders <4245> of Israel,
- Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders <4245> had said unto them.
- Acts 6:12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders <4245>, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
- Acts 11:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders <4245> by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
- Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained<5500> them elders <4245> in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
- Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders <4245> about this question.
- Acts 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders <4245>, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
- Acts 15:6 And the apostles and elders <4245> came together for to consider of this matter.
- Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders <4245>, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
- Acts 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders <4245> and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
- Acts 16:4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained<2919> of the apostles and elders <4245> which were at Jerusalem.
- Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders <4245> of the church.
- Acts 21:18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders <4245> were present.
- Acts 23:14 And they came to the chief priests and elders <4245>, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
- Acts 24:1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders <4245>, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
- Acts 25:15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders <4245> of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
- 1 Timothy 5:1 Rebuke not an elder <4245>, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
- 1 Timothy 5:2 The elder women <4245> as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
- 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders <4245> that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
- Hebrews 11:2 For by it the elders <4245> obtained a good report.
- Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain<2525> elders <4245> in every city, as I had appointed thee:
- James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders <4245> of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
- 1 Peter 5:1 The elders <4245> which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
- 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder <4245>. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- 2 John 1:1 The elder <4245> unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
- 3 John 1:1 The elder <4245> unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
- Revelation 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders <4245> sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
- Revelation 4:10 The four and twenty elders <4245> fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
- Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders <4245> saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
- Revelation 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders <4245>, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
- Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders <4245> fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
- Revelation 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders <4245>: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
- Revelation 5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders <4245> fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
- Revelation 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders <4245> and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
- Revelation 7:13 And one of the elders <4245> answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
- Revelation 11:16 And the four and twenty elders <4245>, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
- Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders <4245>: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
- Revelation 19:4 And the four and twenty elders <4245> and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
- ↑ "The World Under God’s Law, The Church Under God’s Law" by Professor Rushdoony.
- ↑ 1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
- 1 Timothy 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
- Titus 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
- ↑ 1 Corinthians 16:16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with [us], and laboureth.
- ↑ Isaiah 58:6 [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
- Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
- ↑ Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
- ↑ Exodus 20:23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
- ↑ 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.”
- ↑ Acts 6:3 “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.”
- ↑ Acts 6:5 “And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:”
The word chose is from eklegomai meaning to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one’s self1a) choosing one out of many, i.e. Jesus choosing his disciples) choosing one for an office. - ↑ 1588 ~ἐκλεκτός~ eklektos \@ek-lek-tos’\@ from 1586; TDNT-4:181,505; {See TDNT 431} adj AV-elect 16, chosen 7; 23
- 1) picked out, chosen
- 1a) chosen by God,
- 1a1) to obtain salvation through Christ
- 1a1a) Christians are called "chosen or elect" of God
- 1a2) the Messiah is called "elect," as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable
- 1a3) choice, select, i.e. the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians
- 1a1) to obtain salvation through Christ
- 1a) chosen by God,
- 1) picked out, chosen
- ↑ “a body of citizens entitled to elect a representative” Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law, © 1996
- ↑ 1589 ἐκλογή ekloge ek-log-ay’ from 1586; TDNT-4:176,505; {See TDNT 431 } n f AV-election 6, chosen 1; 7
- 1) the act of picking out, choosing
- 1a) of the act of God’s free will by which before the foundation of the world he decreed his blessings to certain persons
- 1b) the decree made from choice by which he determined to bless certain persons through Christ by grace alone
- 2) a thing or person chosen
- 2a) of persons: God’s elect
- 1) the act of picking out, choosing
- ↑ 2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
- ↑ Luke 16:8 “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”
- ↑ a silver coin or, later, bronze coin of ancient Rome worth a quarter of a denarius, equal to 2½ asses: introduced in the 3rd century b.c.
- ↑ Leviticus 25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
- ↑ 02205 ^ןקז^ zaqen \@zaw-kane’\@ from 02204; adj; AV-elders 115, old 23, old man 19, ancient 14, aged 3, eldest 1, ancient man 1, senators 1, old women 1; 178 1) old 1a) old (of humans) 1b) elder (of those having authority)
- ↑ 02204 ^ןקז^ zaqen \@zaw-kane’\@ a primitive root; v; AV- … old 26, aged 1; 27 1) to be old, become old 1a) (Qal) to be old, become old 1b) (Hiphil) to grow old, show age
- ↑ Genesis 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
- ↑ Exodus 3:16 ¶ Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you in Egypt:
- ↑ 0622 ^ףסא^ AlefSemechPei ‘acaph \@aw-saf’\@ a primitive root; v; AV-together 51, gather 86, assemble 15, rereward 5, misc 51; 200 1) to gather, receive, remove, gather in
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1a1) to gather, collect
- 1a2) to gather (an individual into company of others)
- 1a3) to bring up the rear
- 1a4) to gather and take away, remove, withdraw
- 1b) (Niphal)
- 1b1) to assemble, be gathered
- 1b2) (pass of Qal 1a2)
- 1b2a) to be gathered to one’s fathers
- 1b2b) to be brought in or into (association with others)
- 1b3) (pass of Qal 1a4)
- 1b3a) to be taken away, removed, perish
- 1c) (Piel)
- 1c1) to gather (harvest)
- 1c2) to take in, receive into
- 1c3) rearguard, rearward (subst)
- 1d) (Pual) to be gathered
- 1e) (Hithpael) to gather oneself or themselves
- א Alef Father-Son- begin- The Paradox: God and Man - (ox bull) [strength, leader, first] (Numeric value: 1)
- ס Samech The Eternal Cycle The circular symbolizes the fundamental truth described in the mystery of the ten statements [ prop... Support, turn] (Numeric value: 60)
- פ ף Pei Communication: The Oral Torah The mouth, blow, edge. [Mouth speak open word] (Numeric value: 80)
- 1a) (Qal)
- ↑ Exodus 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we [must hold] a feast unto the LORD."
- ↑ 01419 ^לודג^ gadowl \@gaw-dole’\@ GimelDeletVavLamed or (shortened) ^לדג^ gadol \@gaw-dole’\@ GimelDeletLamed from 01431; ; AV-great 397, high 22, greater 19, loud 9, greatest 9, elder 8, great man 8, mighty 7, eldest 6, misc 44; 529 adj
- 1) great
- 1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
- 1b) in number
- 1c) in intensity
- 1d) loud (in sound)
- 1e) older (in age)
- 1f) in importance
- 1f1) important things
- 1f2) great, distinguished (of men)
- 1f3) God Himself (of God)
- subst
- 1g) great things
- 1h) haughty things
- 1i) greatness
- n pr m
- ↑ 01431 ^לדג^ gadal \@gaw-dal’\@ a primitive root; v; AV-magnify 32, great 26, grow 14, nourish up 7, grow up 6, greater 5, misc 25; 115
- 1) to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1a1) to grow up
- 1a2) to become great
- 1a3) to be magnified
- 1b) (Piel)
- 1b1) to cause to grow
- 1b2) to make great, powerful
- 1b3) to magnify
- 1c) (Pual) to be brought up
- 1d) (Hiphil)
- 1d1) to make great
- 1d2) to magnify
- 1d3) to do great things
- 1e) (Hithpael) to magnify oneself
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1) to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things
- ↑ 01420 ^הלודג^ gᵉduwlah \@ghed-oo-law’\@ or (shortened) ^הלדג^ gᵉdullah \@ghed-ool-law’\@ or (less accurately) ^הלודג^ gᵉduwllah \@ghed-ool-law’\@ from 01419; n f; AV-greatness 7, great things 3, majesty 1, dignity 1; 12
- 1) greatness
- 1a) of man
- 1b) of God’s greatness (as an attribute)
- 1) greatness
- ↑ Exodus 10:9 "And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we [must hold] a feast unto the LORD.
- ↑ 02205 ^ןקז^ zaqen \@zaw-kane’\@ from 02204; adj; AV-elders 115, old 23, old man 19, ancient 14, aged 3, eldest 1, ancient man 1, senators 1, old women 1; 178
- 1) old
- 1a) old (of humans)
- 1b) elder (of those having authority)
- 1) old