Elders and Overseers in 1 Peter 5:1-4

(Part 2 of a 6 part series on leaders/elders/overseers/pastors)

1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV)

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

I want to look at the bold terms and examine their meanings. I'll use http://biblos.com/1_peter/5-1.htm to help with the Greek.

elders - Πρεσβυτέρους - presbuterous

• 1 of 3 occurrences of this word in the NT
  
• it gets translated "Now his elder son" in Luke 15:25
• The feminine plural, presbyteras, occurs in 1 Tim 5:2. It refers to aged women, i.e. not women with an official church office or title.
• We don't need to read more into the term 'elder' than simply 'older men'.

(2nd) elder - συμπρεσβύτερος - sumpresbuteros

• Only occurance of this word, seems to mean "also a presbuterous"
• We don't need to read more into this than "also an older man"

shepherds - ποιμαίνω - poimainó

• Only occurance of this word.
• It is a verb here, not an office title
  
• We don't need to read more into this than "care for"

(some versions) serving as overseers - ἐπισκοποῦντες - episkopountes

• Some manuscripts include ἐπισκοποῦντες
• can be translated "look diligently, take the oversight."
• The other time this term is used is Hebrews 12:15, and gets translated "See to it", "look carefully", "watching"... and it seems to be written to all believers.
• We don't need to read more into this than "watching out for others"

Reading this passage through our traditional church lenses we could assume:

• This was written to elders - A group of elected or appointed men who rule or govern for a limited term.
• Be shepherds - some of them can fill the office of pastor
• Serving as overseers - ruling as those in charge of the church
  

Or we could read it like this:

• written to elders - older respected men in the community (similar to the elders in the OT communities)
• Be shepherds - care for others in your community (everyone should care for others, and these elders should be an example of this)

When we add this verse to what Jesus had to say on leadership, I think this second reading fits well. It also fits well with the rest of the passage:

"not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. "

Am I missing something? Is there reason to read more into these terms?


Related Posts:

• Jesus on Leadership
• Shepherding Basics
• Biblical Elders
• Leadership is not decision making
• The Pastor
• The First Pastors
• Summary on Elders Overseers Shepherds - 9 post series