Page 1 of 11 ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, CONTENT & SCOPE OF THE OFFICE OF ELDERSHIP There is no more important officer in the Christian Church -- - than the Elder.   Whatever else Preachers and even Patriarchs and Apostles may be, -they are basically "Elders"¹ too.    One of the very words for "Elder" -- -Presbuteros in the Greek --   has given the name ‘Presbyterian   to our denomination.    Indeed, especially Presbyterianism is unthinkable --  without Elders.   So too is the Biblical Church --  from Genesis to Revelation. The words for "Elder" -- in the original Biblical languages --   imply dignity and maturity.   Significantly, in the Old Testament Hebrew, we find the Elder described by words such as: zaaqeen (or "bearded one"); Sjaab (or "Grey-headed One"); Choor (or "Noble"); Saagaan (or "Ruler" alias "Prefect"); and Sjar (alias "Controller" or "Prince").   Several Elders at a time sat together as a Gerousia (alias a "Session of older men") -- and also as a Sanhedrin (alias a "Council-in-session").     In the New Testament Greek, we are told that the Presbuteerion (or Presbytery) consists of Presbuteroi (alias "Elders") -- or "Episkopoi"¹  (alias "Overseers").² Fundamentally, all of these ideas root in God the Father, as the white-haired Ancient of days and sovereign Ruler of the universe -- in everlasting Session with His Son and His Holy Spirit within the Council of the Trinity.³  Indeed, the earthly Elders were His representatives within the Commonwealth of Israel --  alias the Christian Church.⁴   Originally, Adam -- as the great "Elder" of the human race -- was to rule the earth as God  s Viceroy.⁵    After the fall, the Head of each clan seems to have been its Rule.   Thus Abel, Seth, Enoch, and Noah.   "By faith" these ruling Presbuteroi, alias "the Elders, obtained a good report."⁶ Not long after the Great Flood, we again find Elders even outside the covenant people -- namely among the Uzzites, Egyptians, Midianites, Moabites and Gibeonites.⁷   Within the covenant people, Abraham himself is called a "Prophet" -- and ministered the Word and the Sacrament to his huge household of some 318 mature men together with their families.⁸   Yet the first person explicitly called an "Elder" in Holy Scripture, was Abraham  s assistant Eliezer. For not Abraham himself but Eliezer of Damascus is specifically called an "Elder" or Zaaqeen.    He "ruled" over all that Abraham had -- as an Overseer.   Indeed, Eliezer also pastored the flock -- and helped secure a bride for Isaac.  As a model Elder, he visited and witnessed to even a household of strangers; worshipped God there; and blessed the Lord for providentially leading him there.⁹   0, that all Elders today would visit people  s homes like that! Similarly, Abraham  s great-grandson Joseph became the "Overseer" of Potiphar  s Egyptian household -- and later, of all Egypt.¹⁰