Elders
Like most meanings in the Bible this can change depending on context to a meaning perverted into the opposite. Instead of a mind full of knowledge and love of the neighbor, the love can be twisted around to pride in one's own self-intelligence and lead toward evil instead of good. The elders and chief priests who sat in judgment on Jesus in Caiaphas' house show the other side of the representation. Elders are mentioned in the Bible mainly in two ways: First the elders of Israel: and second the 24 elders seated about the throne of God in Revelation. In both cases, they mean wisdom, which comes from using the truths we've learned to do what's right in our everyday lives. The elders of Israel mean the chief things of wisdom in the church called Israel. The elders mentioned in Revelation 4 mean the wisdom of the highest heavens, and by extension the whole of the heavens.
Ezekiel 21:1-5
1
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2
Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
3
And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
4
Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
5
That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
