Delegated: An Elder's Authority

One of the problems the church has faced down through the ages is how to care for the multitude of believers. There has always been a shortage of leaders and an abundance of believers. Moses faced this problem when he was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness. Within a very short period of time, Moses went from tending sheep to shepherding a nation of about three million. The burden of caring for them began to wear him out. In his frustration and weariness, he complained to the Lord for some help. “So Moses said to the Lord, ‘Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.’” (Numbers 11:11, 14-15)

Over the years, I have met many Christian leaders who felt very much like Moses. They are continually confronted with the enormity of the work and the smallness of their strength. Fortunately, God had a plan for Moses. God directed Moses to gather some men to help him in his work. “The Lord therefore said to Moses, ‘Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.’” (Numbers 11:16-17) God's plan was to provide Moses with men who would help shoulder the burden of the people. These men, who were the elders of the people, aided Moses in governing the people.

It is important to understand that these men operated in an “under shepherd” capacity. Their authority and anointing came from Moses. God could have given them their own anointing, but instead He took some from Moses and gave it to them. In the same way, elders do not function from their own authority and anointing; rather, they function with delegated authority. Today, an elder’s authority does not come from Moses but rather directly from Jesus. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.” (Hebrews 3:1-2) Elders receive an anointing and authority that is delegated them from Jesus. It is not an authority that they take for themselves rather it is apportioned to them by Jesus. There are many Christians who function today as elders who have never been formally ordained as such. While they have never had hands laid on them, they are elders none the less and carry a delegated authority from Jesus.

While elders are not necessarily ordained as such, Paul did appoint elders in the churches he started. “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (Acts 14:23) “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” (Titus 1:5) The appointing of elders is primarily an apostolic delegation of authority to lead and govern the church. In this case the elders function as an extension of both the authority and the function of the apostolic ministry. Either way, an elder’s authority is delegated authority and their authority ultimately comes from Jesus Himself.

More to come… David Robison