Review of Cornelis Van Dam’s The Elder, by Walt Nilsson

Part of the Explorations in Biblical Theology series edited by Robert A. Peterson.

Cornelis Van Dam’s book The Elder is a thorough yet accessible study of the office of elder through the Old and New Testaments. He identifies the task of the elder to be “preserving and nurturing life in the covenant with God” and he develops this idea by expositing and expounding: the image of the shepherd and his flock, the role of the Old Testament elder in his leadership and judicial duties, the continuity and discontinuity from the Old Testament to the New Testament, and the Old Testament background for the apparent distinctions of ruling and teaching elders in the New Testament. The book then concludes by addressing two current issues: whether Scripture opens the office of elder to women, and definite or indefinite tenure of the eldership.

Van Dam’s particular contribution in this work is his analysis of the office of elder in the Old Testament and the backdrop that it provides for understanding the elder’s role in the New Testament. Through it, he cogently articulates the distinction between ruling and teaching elders, yet their unity in the office of elder.

In the OT church, the people of God always partnered a teaching office with the office of elder. The elder principally served as a leader and judge, a role which emerged out of the familial and tribal structure. The teaching duties in ancient Israel resided primarily with the Levites yet were also shared with the elders to a limited extent. For example, every seven years at the Feast of Tabernacles both the elders and the priests were to read the book of the law, and children were to go to their fathers and the elders to explain to them the “days of old.”

Given this Old Testament background, the office of the New Testament teaching elder shows continuity with elements of the office of priest, and the office of ruling elder shows continuity with elements of the Old Testament elder. Despite these distinctions, or two offices as Van Dam argues, there remains an underlying unity to the offices of teaching and ruling elders. Both teaching and ruling elders are charged (Acts 20:28) with the care of the flock and both require the ability to teach (1 Tim 3:2).

This book would be of particular benefit to those who would like a greater understanding of the development and role of the ruling elder and the teaching elder (including the pattern of monetarily supporting teaching elders and not ruling elders).

As Van Dam states, “certain gifts of God need to be constantly rediscovered, lest they be taken for granted and neglected.” Through The Elder, Van Dam rediscovers the relevance and vital ministry of the elder for the church today.

Covenant Theological Seminary alumnus Walt Nilsson (MDiv '05)
Senior Pastor
Cornerstone Presbyterian Church
California, MD


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