What Presbyterians Believe About Elders and Deacons
What Is Presbyterianism? Part 4
This is part 4 of 7 articles explaining what is Presbyterianism.
Table of Contents
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
The Elder
What is an elder? He is an ordained man who holds “firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). For “this office is one of dignity and usefulness”. 1
Because tasks of an elder vary so greatly, that when he acts in any one of them, he may be given another title. When he cares for the flock of Christ, he is called a “bishop” or “pastor”. When he is spiritually fruitful as an example, and leads the people of God well, he is called an “elder”. When he faithfully gives the Word and sound doctrine, he is called a “teacher”.2 All of these titles reflect the incomparable example of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The office of the elder is spiritually instituted to deal with the spiritual matters of the Church. So when an elder is slothful and unfaithful, it is a shame to the honor of Christ, but if he is diligent and full of mercy to those in his ministration, it is a glory overflowing with light.
Like a good shepherd, they carry in one hand a hook and a sword in the other. They are to carry out exemplary lives as they nurture, guard, and instruct the flock of God. The sword shall be at the ready, and the hook must not be far from it. The exercise of church government and discipline in the negative should be done in necessary cases and degrees, but the positive exercise; watchfulness over the people, instruction in sound doctrine, comforting the souls, visiting the sick, making disciples, stoking the coals for zeal, demonstrating hospitality, praying with others, and making expedient the Word and its fruitfulness must be practiced with constancy.3
When the members of this office of dignity and usefulness come together in a local church it is called a “session”, which is a court. The spiritual matters of the church are discussed here and the power of the elders is wielded in things concerning instruction and correction, mercy and rebuke. In all their infirmities of soul, the elder must look to and receive Christ as their strength and example.
“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: 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; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” - 1 Peter 5:1-5
The Deacon
What is a deacon? He is an ordained man who holds “the mystery of faith with a clear conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9).
This office “is one of sympathy and service, after the example of the Lord Jesus”.4 For Christ was full of sympathy as he saw the lowly in the world (Matthew 14:14), and came to serve (Matthew 20:28).
The office of the deacon is spiritual in nature5, but its dealings are with the physical needs of the people. He ministers to the needy, the sick, the lonely, and anyone who is in distress.6 Like the elder, the office echoes the ministry of Christ and the great need of man for Him. As the famed Southern Presbyterian minister, John L. Girardeau wrote about the deacon:
More humble and less conspicuous their office may be than that of the elder; but it is not the less divinely warranted, nor is it unilluminated by the splendor of a glorious example. It is a striking fact that the Lord Jesus, in his sojourn on earth, did not occupy the outward seat of the ruler—he condescended to appear as a prisoner at the bar of the eldership of his own visible Church. But, as the great Deacon of Israel, he declared that he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and illustrated the noble unselfishness of that utterance by the untiring dispensation of healing to the suffering bodies of men. Having closed his wondrous mission of beneficence to the poor diseased body, it is affecting to contemplate him, entitled, as he was, to the submission and the homage of a prostrate universe, bearing a towel and a basin, the symbols of a servant; him, before whom every knee shall bow in heaven, earth, and hell, bending his knee and washing his disciples’ feet. In the discharge of their peculiar duties, it will be glory to deacons to walk in his footsteps, and imitate his example of compassionate ministration to the temporal wants of men. Their office will not be lacking in dignity, even though sometimes in the estimation of a sensitive nature, it may seem to wear a crown of thorns. It is Christ-like, and therefore sublime.7
When those in this office serve well, the Word of God increases and the disciples of Christ multiply (Acts 6:7).
PCA Book of Church Order. Chapter 8, The Elder. Section 1
PCA Book of Church Order. Chapter 8, The Elder. Section 1
PCA Book of Church Order. Chapter 8, The Elder. Section 3
PCA Book of Church Order. Chapter 9, The Deacon. Section 1
PCA Book of Church Order. Chapter 9, The Deacon. Section 3
PCA Book of Church Order. Chapter 9, The Deacon. Section 2
The Importance of the Office of the Deacon by John L. Girardeau (January 1881). https://www.pcahistory.org/HCLibrary/periodicals/spr/v32/32-1-1.pdf