Theory of the Eldership [pp. 702-759]

Presbyters of the Synagogue.
Vitringa has shown that there was no one constant form of
synagogue government, but that it differed according to circumstances and places, and that of these various modifications
the one adopted for the government of the Apostolic church
was a Senatus plurium Doctorum qui quoddam (Consistorium
sive Presbyterium constituerunt.*
That the universal Jewish appellative term elders was given
to some of their officers, sometimes to all, sometimes to a select
number, may be admitted. But that any of these elders were
invested with the clerical order is denied by Stillingfleett and
others, while that the term elder was given in any other than
the most general sense to those who did not preside and preach,
is denied by perhaps all the original authorities. Vitringa is
of this opinion, and establishes, he thinks clearly, that the term
rendered by presbyter was properly employed by the Hebrew
writers to designate "those who composed the sacred consistory
of doctors or teachers. This consisted always of a plurality of
these learned doctors, but the exact number depended on the
size of the place, the number of such doctors convenient, and
other circumstances."I Selden corroborates this judgment by
proving, as he thinks, that the powers of presbyters, within
and without the Holy Land, were different, and that the former
combined teaching and ruling, while the latter had power to
teach, to bind, to loose, to prophesy only, and were non in
judieandi creati. He also teaches that just as in every large
city there were many synagogues, so also there were many
Christian churches and presbyters.~ The sum of what is admitted, so far as we can gather it, may be briefly stated as follows:
1. The elders of the synagogue represented the people, and
"were laymen of reputed wisdom and experience, who, in practical matters, might be expected to give sound advice." (Dr.
Killen's Ancient Church, p. 252.) They formed "a lay coun
authorities are against him, and at no agreement among themselves, pp. 45,
46; or Killen's Ancient Church, p. 252. Vitringa exposes the views of Lightfoot, Selden, Petitus doctissimus, Capellus, &c.
* See Book ii. Ch. xii., p. 592, &c.
t See Dr. Miller on Eldership, pp. 45, 46.
See Vet. Synag. Book iii. Ch. i. and Ch. xviii. p. 874.
Selden de Synag. Vet. Ebraeorum vol. ii., lib. ii., ch. vii. pp. 329, 325, 252,
319, 320, etpassim.
1860.]
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