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Elders - presbuteros

Biblical evidence that the word, even when masculine, may include women

According to the New American Standard Concordance:

G4245. presbuteros, a cptv. (comparative) of presbus (an old man); elder:-- elder(3), elders(57), men of old(1), old men(1), older(1), older man(1), older ones(1), older women(1).

Occurences in the Greek Text:

Text: Refers to:

Matthew 15:2 the elders in "tradition of the elders"

Matthew 16:21 the elders associated with the chief priests and scribes, who killed Jesus

Matthew 21:23 the same; here they questioned Jesus' authority

Matthew 26:3 the same; here gathered in the high priest's court

Matthew 26:47 the same; here Judas is sent from them

Matthew 26:57 the same

Matthew 27:1 the same

Matthew 27:3 the same

Matthew 27:12 the same

Matthew 27:20 the same

Matthew 27:41 the same

Matthew 28:12 the same

Mark 7:3 the elders in "tradition of the elders"

Mark 7:5 the same

Mark 8:31 the elders associated with the chief priests and scribes, who killed Jesus

Mark 11:27 the same; here they questioned Jesus' authority

Mark 14:43 the same

Mark 14:53 the same

Mark 15:1 the same

Luke 7:3 "Jewish elders" sent by a Roman centurion to intercede for a slave

Luke 9:22 the elders associated with the chief priests and scribes, who killed Jesus

Luke 15:25 the older son in the parable of the Prodigal

Luke 20:1 the elders associated with the chief priests and scribes

Luke 22:52 the same

John 8:9 the first to leave when Jesus challenged those without sin to cast the first stone

Acts 2:17 older people whom Joel prophesied would dream dreams; literally, "your elders" (masc., pl.) in

contrast to "youths" (masc., pl); the context speaks of "all mankind," "sons and daughters," and

"both men and women" having super-natural insights and utterances from God, which suggests

an inclusive rendering of elders and youth; though the Greek is masculine, it is apparently

generic

Acts 4:5 the elders associated with the chief priests and scribes

Acts 4:8 the elders associated rulers of Israel, whom Peter addressed in the Sanhedrin

Acts 4:23 the elders associated with the chief priests

Acts 6:12 the same

Acts 11:30 elders of the church in Jerusalem

Acts 14:23 elders appointed in churches Paul had visited

Acts 15:2 elders of the church in Jerusalem, associated with the apostles

Acts 15:4 the same

Acts 15:6 the same

Acts 15:22 the same

Acts 15:23 the same

Acts 16:4 the same

Acts 20:17 elders of the Ephesian church

Acts 21:18 the same

Acts 23:14 the elders associated with the chief priests

Acts 24:1 the same

Acts 25:15 the same

1 Timothy 5:1 elders in the church (masc., pl.), in contrast to younger men (deacons?)

1 Timothy 5:2 elders in the church (fem., pl.), in contrast to younger women (deacons?); For a slight variation

(presbutis:G4247, meaning older women), see Titus 2:3

1 Timothy 5:17 elders in the church who lead well

1 Timothy 5:19 elders being accused

Titus 1:5 church elders to be appointed by Titus

Hebrews 11:2 forerunners of the faith; though the word is masculine, the examples cited as "presbuteroi"

include some women (Sarah & Rahab by name)

James 5:14 elders of the church

1 Peter 5:1 elders of the church (as well as Peter's description of himself as a fellow elder); the clearest passage on

what elders are to do; far from endorsing elders as "rulers," Peter urges Christian elders "not to lord over"

their flocks

1 Peter 5:5 elders of the church; to whom younger men should be submissive

2 John 1:1 John's description of himself

3 John 1:1 the same

Revelation 4:4 the 24 elders in heaven who sit on thrones

Revelation 4:10 the same

Revelation 5:5 one of the same

Revelation 5:6 the 24 elders in heaven who sit on thrones

Revelation 5:8 the same

Revelation 5:11 the same

Revelation 5:14 the same

Revelation 7:11 the same

Revelation 7:13 one of the same

Revelation 11:16 the 24 elders in heaven who sit on thrones

Revelation 14:3 the same

Revelation 19:4 the same

Conclusion: There is nothing in the nature of the word presbuteros, or in its biblical usage, that suggests its masculine forms necessarily excluded women as part of the group referenced. To the contrary, we have biblical examples in which the word refers to groups that include women. What's more, its use in feminine form in1 Timothy 5:2 is the expected counterpart to the masculine word that is elsewhere rendered as referring to an eldership of position. Though translators of 1 Timothy 5:2 take the presence of references in its context to younger men and younger women as indicators that this passage speaks of old people, instead of positional elders, they do not make this same inference when dealing with 1 Peter 5:1-5 where the same contrast to younger men is present. This is because Peter makes it clear he is referring to elders as leaders. At least one scholar takes the term for young men (hoi neoteroi) as pointing to a distinction between elders and non-elders or to elders and deacons (cf. L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 586). It could have referred to those in training to become leaders. But the point is, if Peter can speak of positional elders while making the same reference to hoi neoteroi, there is no reason to assume Paul would not have the same intent in mind. The parallel in Peter makes it all the more likely that Paul spoke of male and female elders, meaning official leaders.