by Joey Jo-Jo 3 Replies latest watchtower bible
Hi,
Is there any scriptural proof that the word elder in the OT and NT can refer to people of any age that have a duty of responsibility. I believe it only refers to people of old age with wisdom but the Insight book is trying to say otherwise, their scriptures quoted do not really point out to any real evidence.
Timothy was both a young man and an elder, was he not? Sorry, I'd quote some passages, but I'm staying in a hotel over the holiday weekend, and my laptop doesn't have my Bible software on it.
Now let us look at the famous verse by which many young men have been appointed to eldership: "Let no one despise your youth, but become an example of the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1Ti 4:12)
We can actually work out the age of Timothy when that verse was written.
According to tradition Timothy died at Ephesus in 97 AD when he was 80 years old.
Paul directed two letters to Timothy: one from Macedonia about 65, and one while Paul was incarcerated in Rome, awaiting his own death.
Now if we subtract 65 from 97 we get 32 years.
Subtracting 32 years from the age of Timothy when he died, we get: 80 – 32 = 48 which is the age of Timothy when the letter 1Timothy was written. Therefore Timothy must have been about 48 years old when Paul wrote 1 Timothy with that reference to "your youth". NOT SO YOUNG after all.
^^^ true or false? Im looking into it thanks freeman
