Restoring Biblical Eldership

Introduction:

I. The Church Must Honor Their Position (vs. 17-18)

1 Timothy 5:17–18 AV

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

As you can probably imagine, it is an awkward feeling, indeed, for me to be up here telling you that you need to honor the Elders when I am one.

Obviously I could be accused of a conflict of interest and I could be accused of having a self-serving motive behind what I am saying, because I am going to talking about paying the preacher.

But I want to make an immediate disclaimer of those things because all I am trying to do it to teach you the Word of God.

I am not seeking anything to but to teach you the Word of God.

With that said, would you please note the following instructions to the Church to honor her Elders.

1 Timothy 5:17 AV

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Now, I want you to pay close attention to the word “honor.”

It is the Greek word “τιμή” and the word calls for honor to be shown to the elders/pastors of the Church.

Those who lead the Church, especially in teaching and preaching must be given honor by the Church.

Now, this is not a new concept in the Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 AV

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

1 Thessalonians 5:13 AV

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

Those who minister among you, you should know them, you should love them, you should esteem them the for the work that they render.

Hebrews 13:7 AV

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Hebrews 13:17 AV

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Love them, esteem them, know them, remember their lives, follow their pattern, obey them, submit to them and so it all with joy so that they may have joy.

If you do not, then their minstry will be unprofitable to you.

I want to remind you that the word “Elder” is a general term referring to those in leadership in the Church.

They can be called shepherd, pastor, same word.

They can also be called overseer as in chapter 3 verse 1.

The term pastor refers primarily to the shepherding function; the term overseer to the authority and the leadership responsibility; and the term elder has to do with their role in maturity as a father or as the senior member of the congregation.

May I remind you that the Scripture simply refer to a plurality of godly elders and in that shared leadership there may be varying responsibilities, but their is no hierarchy or pecking order taught in the NT.

So the pastor, overseer, elder as we know is the same person, one in the same.

One emphasizing the feeding responsibility, one emphasizing the leading responsibility, one emphasizing the maturity of his position in leadership.

Also keep this in mind as well, and we have said this to you before, that in the NT the Elder is always plural with the exception of the time when Peter refers to himself as an elder and when John twice refers to himself as an elder, every other time it is a plurality because the assumption is the Church will be led by a plurality of godly leaders.

Well, what does he mean by the word “honor.”

It basically means respect or regard.

1 Timothy 6:1 AV

Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

That does not mean that a servant is to pay his master, it means that he is suppose to give him respect.

But it can also refer to remuneration, that is money.

The same word was used back in chapter 5 verse 3:

1 Timothy 5:3 AV

Honour widows that are widows indeed.

What what we saw there inherent in the word honor is the idea of financial support.

It includes, along with the idea of respect and high regard, the idea of remuneration, or salary.

In fact, in our English language we have a word that tells us that, it is the word honorarium.

Honorarium is a for of the word honor which relates to giving someone money.

So when we read about honoring the elders, we are talking not only about respect, but also talking about remuneration.

In fact, the word τιμή is translated several places in the NT by the word price.

So, the word is not disassociated with money.

Matthew 27:6 AV

And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

Acts 5:2 AV

And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 19:19 AV

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So what Paul says is give honor but let that honor have within it remuneration.

By the way, honor in the OT also contains the same idea.

Proverbs 3:9 AV

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

What does that mean?

That means honor the LORD with your respect and your regard as demonstrated by giving Him your money.

So, Paul is saying here that you are to make sure that one who is over you in the Lord, who feeds you and leads you, is honored.

An elder is to receive hone, that is respect and remuneration as fitting and necessary.

But if Paul meant money, then, why didn’t he just saying money.

And the reason is that Paul is dealing with the heart behind the money rather than just dealing with money.

What would it be like if the Church just says, “here is your money, fella.”

You probably would not get the idea that the heart behind that giving is really a heart of respect and high regard.

If someone says, “we want to honor you with this love gift,” there is vast difference in the expression.

And that is what Paul is most interested in dealing with and that is not the money, but the heart attitude behind the money.

This is not a dissimilar idea that Christ was talking about in the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 6:33 AV

And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

Luke 6:34 AV

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

The idea of Christ is the same idea of Paul and that is not the money itself, but is the heart behind the giving of the money.

So, Paul makes it clear that there needs to be respect and high regard for the elders and as part of that is the concept of remuneration.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive Restoring Biblical Eldership, Part 1

In writing to the Romans and the Corinthians, he referred to money on one occasion as service. In writing to the Corinthians, the Galatians and the Philippians, he referred to money as fellowship. He referred to it again to the Corinthians as grace. In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 he called it liberality. In 2 Corinthians 8:20 he called it bounty. In 2 Corinthians 9:5 he called it blessing. In 2 Corinthians 9:8 he called it a good work. In Galatians 6:6 he called money good things. In Philippians 4 he called it a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice. In 2 Corinthians 9:10 he called it a seed, in the same verse he called it a harvest of your righteousness. In Philippians 4:17 he called it a gift, and here he calls it honor.

In other words, rather than dealing with the crass nature of money itself, he wants the money to convey a heart attitude, a motive, a sense of love and intimacy and spiritual significance.

So the bottom line is that the elders are to be cared for, he is to be honored in terms of respect and his is to be honored in terms of remuneration.

Every elder is to be honored, every elder is to be so respected.

Elders, who have given their life to the service of the Lord are to be honored and respected, with remuneration as the implication there.

Now, such a life of service is expressed in the NT and I want to show this to you.

In 2 Corinthians 9 there are some very helpful insights there that I want is to look.

1 Corinthians 9:1–2 AV

Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

In other words, if there is any doubt in your mind that I am an Apostle?

My message is the proof, my having seen the risen Christ is proof your salvation is proof.

1 Corinthians 9:3–4 AV

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, Have we not power to eat and to drink?

In other words, If I am an Apostle don’t I have the right to food and drink?

1 Corinthians 9:5–6 AV

Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

Don’t ewe have the right to give ourselves to ministry and be supported by that ministry and not have to work?

Don’t I have the right to stop making tents , or stop doing leather work?

As was his trade.

1 Corinthians 9:7 AV

Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

I mean, there are some things that remuneration have built into them.

You do not go to war and try to hold a job on the side.

You do not raise a crop and not eat the results.

You do not have a herd and not enjoy the milk.

1 Corinthians 9:8–9 AV

Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

Of course Paul is quoting there form Dt. 25 4.

Deuteronomy 25:4 AV

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

You are suppose the let the oxen that treads the corn eat, son’t you think He cares about the one who provides your spiritual food as the ox provides your physical food?

And is not a man more valuable than an ox?

Is not the preacher more valuable?

1 Corinthians 9:10–11 AV

Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

In other words, you work and in your work is built the hope of remuneration.

1 Corinthians 9:11 AV

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

In other words, if we give you the things of God is it wrong for us to have back the things of this world so that we might live?

1 Corinthians 9:12 AV

If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

Twelve verses he has established the right to be paid and then he says, “but we do not want it.”

He says that we have the right to it and I want to lay that down, but I choose not to take it so we do not hinder the gospel of Christ.

There were some circumstances in Corinth, there were some reasons that he did not want to be chargeable to them.

Her felt that it would be better for the ministry so he said that we have the right to it, and establishes the right of every preacher and teacher in the future, every pastor and elder to be supported.

But he defers from that because, he says, we do not want to hinder, and there were some reasons why in his mind that would be a hinderance so he cared for his own living.

2 Corinthians 11:8 AV

I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

In other words, he took money from other churches to fund himself in the minstry to the Corinthians because he did not want to be chargeable to them.

And if you remember even a little bit about that Church, you can understand why.

1 Corinthians 9:13 AV

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Priests function in the their priesthood and are supported by that function; and here is the climax:

1 Corinthians 9:14 AV

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

That does not mean that if you preach it you ought to live it, that means if you preach you ought to be supported in your preaching of it.

You ought to be able to earn your living in your preaching.

1 Timothy 5:17 AV

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.