In Reply to Patrick Mead’s “The Problem with Elders,” Part 3B (Further Regarding Authority)

We should next consider —

(Eph 4:11-14 ESV) ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Paul explains that shepherds are gifted by God for that task. Their task, along with teachers and others, is to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” That is, the elders are to prepare the members to serve others.

By learning to serve others, the members will learn about Jesus (the ultimate servant) and attain “unity of the faith.” It’s by learning to serve that the church defeats doctrinal error.

We again see that elders are gifted to their work by the Spirit. They serve the church by teaching the church to become more like Jesus. Surely, they cannot accomplish this if they don’t set a good example, but they are not limited to only setting an example..

(1Co 12:28 ESV) ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

“Administrating” translates a word literally meaning “piloting,” as in “piloting a boat.” The reference is to steering the boat away from dangerous shoals and toward its intended destination.

Interestingly, in non-biblical literature, the word is very commonly used of the Greek gods’ control over human destiny. This is a word referring to the power of deity to regulate human affairs — and Paul applies is to leadership within the church.

Why? Because the gifting for this work comes from the Spirit. One way that God chooses to direct human affairs is via gifted men who are ordained to lead within the church.

(Rom 12:6-8 ESV) ⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

“The one who leads” leads by a gift given from God — and he is commanded to use that gift in service of his congregation. “Lead” is the same word translated “rule” in 1 Tim 5:17 (covered in the last post).

(1Pe 5:1-3 ESV) So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: ² shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Notice, first, that the apostle Peter refers to himself as a “fellow elder.” “Elder” evidently was a broad enough and respected enough term to include the original 12 apostles.

Elders are instructed as to “exercising oversight.” Obviously, one does not exercise oversight merely by setting an example, although being an example is surely an essential element of the work.

The Greek word — the verb form of “overseer” — is defined by Thayer’s as “to look upon, inspect, oversee, look after, care for.”

The Louw-Nida lexicon defines the word “to have responsibility for the care of someone, implying a somewhat official responsibility within a congregation.”

Finally, we need to consider John 10 and Ezekiel 34. John 10, in which Jesus refers to himself as the “Good Shepherd,” is an allusion to Ezekiel 34 — and so we begin there.

Actually, we should begin in Ezekiel 33, for a little context. That chapter is a condemnation of Judah shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The charges brought against Judah are, of course, primarily idolatry.

(Eze 33:25 ESV) ²⁵ Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land?

Chapter 34 follows with the pronouncement of God’s judgment on the “shepherds” of the people for leading them into idolatry and for taking advantage of the poor to enrich themselves.

The shepherds are plainly the king and the aristocracy. It’s the wealthy people of power, who should have led the people to worship God but instead led them into idolatry and stole from the people.

God says that he’ll remove the shepherds and become the people’s shepherd himself.

Finally, Ezekiel prophesies that “David,” meaning the Messiah, will come to rule over the people as king.

The language of Ezekiel has often been misread to conclude that good shepherds are to be counselors and comforters. Consider —

(Eze 34:3-4 ESV) ³ You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. ⁴ The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.

Verse 3 is a reference to social injustice, to the abuse of the poor by the wealthy. The reference to the “weak,” the “sick,” and the “injured” in verse 4 is not a reference to the emotionally wounded but to sinners. Throughout the Old Testament, these words are standard prophetic metaphors for sin, not for emotional distress. For example,

(Isa 53:5 ESV) ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

By his wounds, we’re healed from what? Well, sin … right?

(Isa 53:6 ESV) ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned– every one– to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Again, to go “astray” is to sin — to be guilty of “iniquity.”

Further examples could be multiplied, but the historic context of Ezekiel 34 should make the answer plain enough. Ezekiel was not worried that the king of Judah has failed to counsel the distressed and emotionally wounded. He was concerned that the king had led the people into sin.

Jesus refers back to Ezekiel 34 when he declares —

(John 10:11 ESV) ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

This is a claim to be God, because back in Ezekiel 34, God had said,

(Eze 34:15 ESV) ¹⁵ “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.”

Hence, to claim to be the Good Shepherd is to claim the place of God himself — as well as claiming to be the Messiah —

(Eze 34:23 ESV) ²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.

Jesus explains what will make him a “good” shepherd —

(John 10:3b-5 ESV) The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

In the case of a literal shepherd, the sheep respond to the call of their own shepherd and no one else. Of course, most of the Jews ultimately rejected Jesus, but some heard his voice and responded — and these are the true sheep of his pasture.

It’s fair enough to argue that an elder, to be a leader, must have followers. If no one follows him, then he’s not a leader — just someone out for a walk. But this observation does not tell us what an elder is to lead the sheep to do.

Jesus is making a parallel between the early First Century and the time of Ezekiel. Jesus himself is the fulfillment of God’s promise through Ezekiel to be the shepherd of the people rather than their earthly rulers. And Jesus will lead the people from sin toward the true of worship of God. He will also bring about a Kingdom in which the rulers will not exploit the people economically.

Thus, Jesus claims to be both God and Messiah — a remarkable claim — and promises to destroy the authority of the Sanhedrin and high priests — fulfilled in part by Pentecost and more completely with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.

There are just all sorts of important and interesting themes that run through these chapters, but the chapters are not saying that good shepherds have no authority and only pray for their sheep. Neither are the chapters saying that good shepherds only visit the sick in the hospital and attend funerals.

Rather, ultimately, Ezekiel challenges the shepherds of Judah to lead the people away from idolatry and other sins and toward God — and to not economically exploit the people. Jesus declares himself to meet these standards and more — that he will even give his life for the people.

Finally, as “Good Shepherd,” Jesus is claiming to be the rightful king of the people, the Messiah. It is plainly a claim of authority.