# Vincent Alsop on the elders of the Jewish church



## Reformed Covenanter (Aug 11, 2020)

_Sect._ 8. First, Who these _Elders_ were. The word _[Elders]_ in its primary and original sense, relates to _Age,_ and denotes, either such as lived _a great while;_ even till they came to be old; or, such as lived _a great while ago;_ those of former times; as _Deut._ 32. 7. _Heb._ 11. 2. and so ’tis the same with …, _Matth._ 5. 21. and thence it’s derived to signify most commonly, both Dignity and Authority; and so we find both in _Hebrew, Greek, Latin,_ and _English_ (to name no more) the words importing _Age_ or _Eldership,_ viz. …, _Senatus, Aldermen,_ do denote both _Honour_ and _Power._ And

(1) This sense is very frequent both in the Old and New Testament. I shall mention but a few places of the chief; as _Deut._ 22. 15.——_the Elders of City in the gate_ (the place of Judicature). And they are sometimes called, _Elders of the people,_ i. e. such who had authority over the people; as _Elders of a City,_ are they that are in power in that City. Thus _Matth._ 26. 3. _Then assembled together the chief Priests, and Scribes, and Elders of the people._ So _c._ 27. 1. _When the morning was come, all the chief Priests, and Elders of the people took counsel,_ &c. ...

For more, see Vincent Alsop on the elders of the Jewish church.


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