“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and 1 will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) 

Thus spake Jesus, meek and lowly in heart, who also said unto the eleven disciples, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Meek and yet all powerful. 

Strong’s definition of meek is humble, lowly, gentle, mild, poor, etc. 

“...the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people” (Exodus 11:3), and “was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22); and yet “was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Look how Moses, the man chosen of God to boldly go before Pharaoh describes himself to the Lord: “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). “1am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Exodus 4:10) 

What and to whom are ministers to preach? “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;” (Isaiah 61:1) Preach what? Good tidings. To whom? The meek. 

How wonderful it is to feast upon that spiritual food. “The meek shall eat and be satisfied:” (Psalms 22:26). If we truly desire that the Lord guide and teach us, remember, “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” (Psalms 25:9) 

Peace — “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalms 37:11; Matt 5:5). Come together in meekness — “shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?” (1 Corinthians 4:2 1)  

God’s servants “must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves;” (2 Timothy 2:24-25). It is the meek of the earth which are instructed to seek the Lord and to seek meekness (Zephaniah 2:3). Meekness is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

How easy, and wrong, it is for us to look upon one of God’s children when we feel they have erred, and without any regard for Matthew 18:15 begin speaking evil of them to others. Is that the spirit of meekness? Consider the beloved Apostle Paul who was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God, speaking of himself, “who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;” (Ephesians 3:7-8) and praying that “utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20). “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”(Colossians 3:12-13). “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men” (Titus 3:2). 

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13). 

I close this little study with this to consider: How does God view us? Is it the “outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;” Beloved brethren, it is “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” (1 Peter 3:3-4) 

Elder Don R. Watson

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Reverend “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commandcd his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.” (Psalms 111:9)  The term Reverend is biblical, found only once in the entire Bible, applying only to God and carrying the meaning to revere with Godly fear. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:” (Psalms 111:10). The 10 verses of Psalms 111 consists of 22 phrases each beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet (as does 112) and is a psalm in praise to God. A man should never be referred to as Reverend.

What then should we call our ministers? How does the Bible refer to them? Jesus, speaking to the multitude and to His disciples: 

“But he not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23: 8-12)

 Rabbi means master (John 1:38).

God’s ministers are ordained elders: “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” (Acts 14:23)

The apostles were elders, but today’s elders are not apostles. The office of apostle, a name given by Jesus (Luke 6:13), was unique to those disciples (learners) whom the Lord gave miraculous abilities, as the meaning of the name implies, “power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease... Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:” (Matthew 10: 1-8) and who performed “many wonders and signs.” (Acts 2:43)

A letter from the Apostle Peter, an elder: 

“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: 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; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:1-3)  

The Apostle Paul to Timothy: “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Timothy 5:17)

Paul left Titus in Crete to “ordain elders in every city” setting forth the qualifications for a bishop or elder (Titus 1: 5-10). Originally Bishop (overseer) applied to the principal officer of the local church, the other officer being the deacon. The title Elder, to which God’s servants were ordained, signified the dignity or age of the officer and Bishop to the work of the office (l Timothy 3: 1-7).  Paul called for the elders of the church at Ephesus instructing them to “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.” (Acts 20: 17, 28) Feed them what? “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jeremiah 3: 15) 

God’s ministers should be humble servants, never exalted by the terms, Reverend, Rabbi, Father, or Master, which apply only to God. 

Elder Don R. Watson