Today we see churches having one Bishop managing a number of churches and the title Bishop is normally taken as higher than the position of Elders and pastor. In most cases you shall find several Pastors reporting to the overall Bishop who is regarded as having attained the highest position in that particular church or denomination.
The question is what is the scriptural difference between Bishop and Elder?
Bishops (episkopoi) means Overseers or supervisors
Elder (presbuteros) means old or aged men or senior
Deacons (diakonoi) means servants
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Here we see the Elders being encouraged to take oversight (as bishops) over the flock of God and/ or through feeding them. From here it is clear that Elders are Bishops by function; these leaders are elders by status and by function are bishops of the flock of God.
We find another instance where the Apostle Paul instructs Elders to shepherd God’s people as overseers (bishops).
Act 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Act 20:18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Elders are Bishops (overseers) of the church of God. The word “overseer” is the Greek word episkopos which is sometimes translated as “bishop”.
In the following scripture (Titus 1:5-7) the word Bishop in verse 7 is referring to the position of Elder mentioned in verse 5:
Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Tit 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Ti 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
PLURALITY OF ELDERS (BISHOPS)
There were several elders in each assembly/congregation. There is nothing like one elder or bishop ruling an assembly alone with absolute authority. There is no indication in inspired scriptures that any one elder ruled over other elders but elders worked together in a collegial relationship.
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Moses was not a TYPE of the LONE PASTORS of today but was a type of our Messiah today who has authorized elders as bishops of the flock of God under His instructions. No one man is authorized to stand in the sit of Moses as a Loner Pastor or Loner Elder or Loner Bishop but the Lord and our Messiah was a prophet as unto Moses. It is blasphemy for any man to replace our Messiah and act as the main object to whom Moses was pointing to. Under Moses were Elders leading as bishops over the Children of Israel.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Deu 18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Exo 3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
Num 11:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
Num 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
Num 11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
JAMES WAS NOT THE ONLY ELDER AT JERUSALEM!!!
Act 11:27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
Act 11:28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Act 11:29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
Act 11:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Act 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Read also Acts 15:2-23, Acts 16:4 and Acts 21:18.
ADVANTAGES OF GOD’S APPOINTED PLURALITY OF ELDERS (BISHOPS)
Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Ecc 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Psa 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore
Pro 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Pro 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Deu_32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
Jos_23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
ONE OR LONE CHURCH LEADER IS WEAK
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
3Jn 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3Jn 1:10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
Luk 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Congregation of Believers 