The Pattern of a Christian Overseer

The Founder and only Head of true Christianity, Jesus Christ, established a basic pattern for overseers, when he said: “You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. . . . Anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”​—Matthew 20:25-28, Catholic Jerusalem Bible; italics ours.

Peter, one of the first Christian overseers, confirmed the above pattern by commanding Christian elders: “Shepherd the flock of God in your care, not under compulsion, but willingly; neither for love of dishonest gain, but eagerly; neither as lording it over those who are God’s inheritance, but becoming examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2, 3) Peter practiced what he preached. When visiting Cornelius, the first Gentile to become a Christian, the latter “fell down at his feet and did obeisance to him. But Peter lifted him up, saying: ‘Rise; I myself am also a man.’”​—Acts 10:25, 26.

Interestingly, Peter wrote his words at 1 Peter 5:1 to the “older men.” The Greek word Peter used for “older men” was pre·sby·teʹrous, from which the word “priest” is derived. In Christendom “bishops” are now considered superior to “priests.” But when the apostle Paul “sent to Ephesus and called for the older men [pre·sby·teʹrous] of the congregation,” he said to them, among other things: “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers [e·pi·skoʹpous].” (Acts 20:17, 28) Hence, elders (pre·sby·teʹrous) and overseers (e·pi·skoʹpous) had the same rank in Bible times. The term “elder” highlights the experience and spiritual maturity needed by those accepting this responsibility, whereas the term “overseer” describes the kind of work such ones do in supervising and caring for members of the congregation.

But did one man reign as “overseer,” or “elder,” over a congregation in Bible times? Not according to what the Bible says at Titus 1:5, 7. There Titus was told to “make appointments of older men [pre·sby·teʹrous] in city after city.” The Jerusalem Bible renders this verse, “and appoint elders in every town” with a footnote saying: “In the earliest days each Christian community was governed by a body of elders.”​—Italics ours.

Timothy was also commissioned to appoint overseers in many congregations. To him Paul wrote, according to the King James Version: “If a man desire the office of a bishop [e·pi·skoʹpos], he desireth a good work.” (1 Timothy 3:1) The Jerusalem Bible renders this: “To want to be a presiding elder is to want to do a noble work.” It adds in a footnote: “The word ‘episcopos,’” used here by Paul, “has not yet acquired the same meaning as ‘bishop’.” (Italics ours.) Hence, Catholic scholars admit that the lordly bishops of Christendom are not the same as the humble overseers of the early Christians. As The New Bible Dictionary states: “There is no trace in the New Testament of government by a single bishop.” Elmer T. Merrill, M.A., LL.D., similarly states in his book Essays in Early Christian History: “For the first hundred years . . . the bishop was at most only the unassuming chairman of a college [organized body] of fellow presbyters [older men.]”

In contrast, Timothy did not meddle in politics. He was therefore “no part of the world.” (John 15:19) Rather than lording it over others, he became such a devoted slave of fellow Christians that Paul could write: “I have no one else of a disposition like his who will genuinely care for . . . you.”​—Philippians 2:20.

How grateful we can be that today Jehovah has likewise raised up thousands of faithful overseers who “genuinely care” for the flock of God. Almost all overseers in congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are men of modest means. Most support their families by secular employment and carry out their spiritual duties in their time after work. Most of that time is taken up with preparing for and attending five meetings a week; taking the lead in preaching from house to house; conducting Bible studies with interested people; visiting the sick, elderly, and spiritually weak; and caring for their own families. These are very busy men, dedicated “slaves,” who receive no payment for these services. To the contrary, out of their personal funds they share in contributing to the upkeep of the local Kingdom Hall. They wear no peculiar garb, have no special titles, and are distinguished only by their Bible knowledge, their Christian maturity, and their zeal in Jehovah’s service. Such men merit deep respect and wholehearted cooperation as they shepherd the flock and prove by their humble, devoted service that they are slaves​—not lords!