Bible Commentaries
1 Timothy 3

Verse 1

1 Timothy 3:1

Timothy was to take the place of Paul the apostle in teach­ing, instructing, and guiding the churches in perfecting them­selves, and in doing the work for which they were planted. The bishops or overseers were to do the work which their names indicated. Bishop or overseer was the name applied in Greek and Roman countries to the same work or office indicated among the Jews by the words elders or presbyters. They were to take the oversight of the congregations and teach, guide, and direct all the performances of the duties that fell to them. He here speaks of the importance and sanctity of the work and character of the persons fitted to perform the work.

1 Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.—This saying would indi­cate that the work had been so highly esteemed that it had already grown into a saying, “The man who desired the overseeing desired a good work.” No more important and no better work exists among the people of God. Paul in­structed to “take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with is own blood.” (Acts 20:28.)

APPOINTMENT OF ELDERS AND THEIR DUTIES.

There lies before me the following inquiry: “Our congregation recently having had what seems to me an unusual experience, I write to request that you give your views on a question which has disturbed our minds very much. On account of some dif­ferences, our elders thought best to resign and offered their resig­nations, which were accepted. No others as yet having been found who were willing to undertake the work of the eldership, our deacons, thinking that too much responsibility would be thrown upon them, asked that an advisory committee be chosen by the church in order that some older brethren might be present at the official meetings to give their advice and vote upon questions affecting the welfare of the church. This course was adopted, the committee chosen, myself being of the number. I declined to serve, thinking it an unscriptural position—that if adopted by the church and found to work satisfactorily, they might conclude they would need no elders in the future.

“There seemed to me to be danger of God’s plan of church gov­ernment being set aside, superseded by men’s plans, some of whom unfortunately appear willing to try to correct the mistakes that God has made in matters pertaining to the church. I held that until we appointed elders our deacons could consult with the whole church or any older members without naming a ‘committee’ as a substitute for the eldership.

“I do not wish to occupy a wrong position in the matter; if you differ with me, I would be thankful for any light you may be able to give on the subject.”

We cannot be too cautious in adding functions to the church not ordained by God. The failure or perversion of those created by God does not justify our setting them aside or superseding them with an order not ordained by God. The judges of Israel were appointed by God. But when the sons of Samuel walked “not in his ways but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and per­verted justice,” the people desired to change the order and make a king rather than live under the rule of the judges. "And Jeho­vah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt pro­test solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:3-9.)

God’s spiritual order now is sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is more sacred than the old order sealed by the blood of bulls and goats. Because it may fall into improper hands, be ineffective or be perverted at times, is no reason it should be set aside. It is better to bear with evils and trust with patience and time to correct the wrongs that afflict than to change God’s order. To change God’s order puts the matter in such shape that all work, all effort or success works harm, leads from God.

When the order is changed, and a wrong plan is put in operation, the more successfully it works, the farther and farther it gets away from God. It is like finding a bad place in the right road. If we, to avoid the place, take another road, the smoother it is, and the greater speed we make on it, the farther we go wrong. The only way of safety before God is to take his appointed way and resolutely stick to it, even though the places seem to be rough and many obstacles lie in the way.

The question of changing an eldership is one of the most dif­ficult problems connected with church work. We find nothing concerning the matter in the New Testament, either by precept or example, save the admonition that an accusation against an elder is not to be received save on the testimony of two or three witnesses. I make this the occasion to speak of the duty of the elders. I am not sure that it is right for an eldership to resign. If one or two inefficient members are among the elders, they ought to be kindly and frankly conferred with on the subject, and induced to withdraw, or with the consent and agreement of the elders and of the older members of the church, one might be dismissed from the eldership. But it would be a rare case that a whole eldership would be of such character that all should be dismissed.

Some may be fitted for the eldership and others not. Those fitted should not be treated as those unfitted are. That would be unjust and disastrous to the order of God.

These resignations are usually based on the idea of popular rule in the church. The idea is the elders have received their authority by the popular election of the church from the multitude of dis­ciples and when dissatisfaction arises they return it to those from whom they received it. The elders do not receive their au­thority by the popular vote of the church. They receive their authority from the Lord. “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops.” (Acts 20:28.) The Holy Spirit makes men overseers of the flock of God just as much now as he did in the days of the apostles.

When the apostles or teachers needed help at Jerusalem to look after the Grecian widows that were neglected he gave the qualifi­cations and told the disciples to look out among them men pos­sessing these. They did so and they appointed them to the work. This was done by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:1-4.) Whenever a church under the same directions of the Holy Spirit selects men having the qualifications given by the Spirit, the Spirit appoints them just as much as it did at Jerusalem. Inspired men did not select. The disciples selected under direction of the Spirit.

This selection was made under the restrictions that the younger were to submit to the older, and that God did not permit women to teach or exercise authority in the church. This would limit the selection to the older men of the congregation. When they selected they were to look out among them men of certain qualifi­cations. “Look ye out” carries the idea of consulting among themselves, and reaching an agreement. This consulting and conferring must be had with the younger and the women that there may be no accusation against those selected. But the older men must make the decision, not by a vote, but by agreement reached through this consulting and seeking out.

There is no provision or example of how a mistake in the selec­tion could be rectified, but it is reason the same class ought to decide whether they made a mistake in selecting, or whether some worthy had turned from their steadfastness.

Unanimity should be sought for in the selection or in the setting aside one selected. Elders are placed in position by the Spirit of God to rule under the divine law. This means to hold in restraint the unruly and to check the currents of excitement that would carry the multitude in wrong courses. For elders to resign, simply because they sometimes were compelled to stand against the current of the multitude, would be to shrink from the work to which they were especially appointed.

If rulers in human governments resign every time the current of popular opinion is against them, they defeat the very ends for which constitutions and laws and rules are made. They are made to restrain the passions and excitements of the multitudes within the limits and restrictions of right as defined in the laws. For the elders to resign because the people go wrong is to fail of the chief end and the special occasions for which God appointed them. It is to break down all rule and respect for God’s law and to work the ruin of the church. While everybody is going in the right way, and of their own accord doing right, laws and rulers are not needed. The elders are appointed by God to teach and lead them in the way of truth, and to stay the current when the people go wrong. If they resign when trouble comes and the people go wrong, they fail in the vital point of duty.

The tendency now is to let the women and the preacher run the church. They supersede the eldership, displace them in their work. The women and the preachers try to displace all elders who refuse to submit to their dictation. It is the duty of the elders firmly to resist this tendency and to refuse to surrender the trust committed to them. They should maintain the divine order, and if any become so dissatisfied with that order as to create division and strife, let them go out; but to the elders, the trust of preserving the church in its integrity and fidelity to the word of God is committed, and to resign the trust, when the divine order is threatened with subver­sion and destruction, is to be recreant to duty. A church not true to the word of God, that deliberately turns from God’s order, is not a church of God, and unless it repents, the sooner it dies the better. If it does not die, it must be rejected as apostate.

The elders are the scriptural representatives of the church. The presumption is with them. The courts of the country so regard them. And if they surrender the church to the rule of the women and children and the preacher, the blame is theirs. Elders sometimes go wrong. They oftener do it under the idea that they ought to compromise the law of God for the sake of peace than on any other ground. They do it to please the preacher and the young folks. They are ordained to God, to maintain, teach, and enforce the laws of God, never to compromise or yield them.

The elders are the undershepherds to watch over and feed the flock of God. In accepting the work of the elders they bring themselves under the most sacred and solemn obligations possible to men to guard and maintain the honor of God, to keep his teaching and his service pure from all innovations of men. As shepherds and teachers of the flock, they assume the most sacred and solemn obligations to the flock to feed the flock with the pure milk of the word of God, that by this they may grow; to guard against all teaching and practices that rest on human authority as vitiating the service of God and defiling the spiritual nature of the taught, and cutting them off from the blessings of God, which come to men only through the appointments of God unmixed with human in­ventions and traditions. A sadder perversion of a sacred trust is never seen than when elders and teachers forget the sanctity of their obligations both to God and his church, and, as his trusted servants and chosen teachers, encourage the introduction into his service of practices not authorized by God, so destroying his au­thority as lawgiver, and, as a consequence, hurtful and poisonous to the spiritual nature of men.

Verse 2

1 Timothy 3:2

The bishop therefore must be without reproach,—The elders and deacons must be men whose character is unim­peachable, who stand high in public estimation, known for their pure life and spotless integrity. Not only must the believers reverence the character of the elders and deacons of a congregation, but those not members. In other words, they should be men of unimpeachable character.

the husband of one wife,—Paul, seemingly at least, re­quired the bishop to have a wife. He at all events encouraged it. In later years the idea grew up that there was more holiness in celibacy, and the Roman Catholic Church forbids its bishops to marry. What Paul required they forbid. No­where do the Scriptures teach that there is more holiness in the unmarried state than in the married. [All the directions concerning marriage in the New Testament are based on the idea of the union of one man to one woman.]

temperate,—Watchful over himself in restraining the appe­tites and passions, using all in moderation so as to blend all the faculties to the highest degree of activity.

sober-minded,—Not excitable or passionate, but self-re­strained. [Having or proceeding from a realization of the importance and earnestness of life; not flighty or flippant.]

orderly,—Of good behavior, kind, considerate, and orderly in deportment. [Not only must he be wise and self-restrained in himself, but his outward bearing must in all respects corre­spond to his inner life.]

given to hospitality,—Entertaining strangers is frequently impressed as a Christian virtue. The elder should possess all Christian virtues in a high degree so he will be an example to the flock—teach by example as well as by precept.

apt to teach;—His work is to teach and lead others in the right way. In order to do this he must know the truth, then by kind and faithful example lead the flock in the way the Lord would have it go. It is very important that elders should have aptitude for teaching privately as well as pub­licly. (2 Timothy 2:24-26.) It requires patience and perse­verance in teaching others who are out of the way.

Verse 3

1 Timothy 3:3

no brawler,—[The margin says “not quarrelsome over wine.”] No more dangerous and hurtful practice is known to man than the use of strong drink. An elder must set a good example in all things.

no striker;—Ungoverned in temper, ready to resent insult or wrong, real or imaginary, quarrelsome, or ready to fight.

but gentle,—Not bitter and impatient, but kind in manners even to the froward and unpleasant.

not contentious,—This does not mean that one is not to stand and contend for the truth, but many are ready to con­tend over unimportant matters. Such always live in foment and strife. Even truth and right should not be maintained in a contentious spirit.

no lover of money;—not willing to use wrong means to obtain money, not anxious for sudden riches.

Verse 4

1 Timothy 3:4

one that ruleth well his own house,—He who knows how to train children and lead them in the right way—in a kind and gentle manner so as to make worthy men and women of them—exercising the qualities given here for the bishop. The same qualities are needed for the proper training of a family that are needed for the training of a congregation.

having his children in subjection with all gravity;—He is to train his children to be grave and sober in manner and to respect him and to honor God.

Verse 5

1 Timothy 3:5

(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)—His rule or management of his family is the evidence of his ability to rule the church. If a man cannot manage his own children whom he has reared, and whom he always has under his care, how can he manage the church of God?

Verse 6

1 Timothy 3:6

not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the con­demnation of the devil.—Not a new convert, lest he become proud and self important and fall into the traps the devil lays for men.

Verse 7

1 Timothy 3:7

Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without;—He must so conduct himself as to have the re­spect and commendation of those without. Sometimes the enemies of the religion of Christ or even those who become personally offended will speak evil of good men on account of their fidelity to right and to truth. But when a man lives a just and upright life among people, there is seen in bad men a sense of justice that makes them give due credit for it. If a man is just and upright in his walk and kind and merciful to the needy, without ostentation or display, the wicked world will give him credit for it.

lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.—The man who has the reputation for dishonesty and untruthfulness and for love of money is not fit for an elder of the church of God. [Those who once knew him among other associations living a very different life would be only too ready to attack the blameless of the congregation through the stained and scarred reputation of such an elder. The temptation to fall away and deny the Lord in such a case would be overwhelm­ing. The man might be in earnest, might wish to lead a new and better life, but the risk that one with such connections, with memories of old days, would of necessity run, would be very great. Weakened and disheartened, such an elder would be likely to fall an easy prey into some snare skillfully laid by the devil, and, by his fall, cause a terrible and damaging injury to the church. For these weighty reasons Paul charged Timothy to be very watchful when the elders were chosen to choose only those who in their former days had preserved their good name stainless and their character unscarred.]

Verse 8

1 Timothy 3:8

Deacons—Deacons are servants, helpers. It is generally believed that the seven appointed at Jerusalem (Acts 6:3) to see that the destitute Grecian widows were not overlooked in the daily distribution was the beginning of the order of deacons. Their work then is to look after the poor and distribute the contributions of the church among them prop­erly. They became helpers to the bishops or elders in their work, and the needs of the service to be performed seemed to regulate the number appointed. Feeding the poor with the contributions of the church is just as spiritual as preaching the gospel. If they attend to all the temporal interests of the church, according to the directions of the Spirit, they do an extended spiritual work.

in like manner must be grave,—The reverent decorum, the quiet gravity, which never interferes with innocent childlike happiness is especially to be looked for in a deacon [who ought to show an example of everyday Christian life].

not double-tongued,—Truthful, not talking two ways to suit the company he is in. [Such a grave fault would soon injure his influence, and would inflict a deadly wound on his spiritual life.]

not given to much wine,—The use of strong drink is entirely incompatible with a fully developed Christian character. The character given for the elders is that of the most complete and best-rounded Christian. Every Christian is bound to seek, in his spiritual growth, to develop the character por­trayed for the elder. This will lead every Christian to entirely refrain from the use of strong drink.

not greedy of filthy lucre;—The deacons, like the elders, are not to be lovers of money. They must not follow callings that will work evil to others or to be so anxious for it that they neglect their duties as Christians in order to obtain it. Deacons are required to develop the same character as bishops.

Verse 9

1 Timothy 3:9

holding the mystery of the faith—The mystery means those truths which could only be known to a man by direct revelations, truths which could not be reached by any process of reasoning from natural observation.

in a pure conscience.—A pure conscience is one that has not been corrupted by being misused and abased by being violated or perverted. A man perverts and corrupts his conscience by doing what he believes to be wrong, seeing the truth and violating convictions of right. A man may have a pure con­science and do wrong, but he must do what he believes is right or he corrupts his conscience. A man must take hold of the great truths of the Bible with a good and pure conscience.

Verse 10

1 Timothy 3:10

And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless.—Deacons must not be young converts or inexperienced men. They must have had time for study and practice of God’s word. These deacons or helpers in ministry and managing the church of God and its work, until by service they have proven their intelligence and fidelity and steadfastness in the work of God, must have shown their fidelity in doing the work so as to be held blameless by the disciples of Christ.

Verse 11

1 Timothy 3:11

Women in like manner must be grave,—They who serve the church in looking after the wants of women can perform for women that which men are unsuited to do. They can do much in the sickroom and in needy families that man cannot do. All Christian women should be of serious and earnest deportment, not light-minded and frivolous, but cheerful, hopeful, and earnest.

not slanderers,—They are not to circulate false reports or be given to gossip injurious to others.

temperate,—To be calm and collected in spirit, dispassion­ate, circumspect.

faithful in all things.—Moderate and true and faithful in all they say or do. It may mean be faithful in using the means entrusted to them, to be distributed among the needy and giving to those in need impartially according to their needs. [From their position they would become the depositories of many household secrets; to those confiding in them in mo­ments of trouble they must be true; scrupulously faithful in the instructions they would be often called on to give in the course of their ministrations.]

Verse 12

1 Timothy 3:12

Let deacons be husbands of one wife,—As was said of the bishops and be faithful to her.

ruling their children and their own houses well.—They, like the bishops, are to show their ability to care for the church by having shown ability in caring for their own families.

Verse 13

1 Timothy 3:13

For they that have served well as deacons gain to them­selves a good standing,—The services of the deacons in looking after and caring for the needy and afflicted, relieving their temporal needs, teaching them the way of the Lord, gain for themselves a good understanding and skill as teachers of the word of God.

and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.—The Scriptures do not contemplate a man going among the sick and afflicted administering to their necessities without teaching them the word of God, admonishing them as to their duties and so gaining strength as a Christian, and giving him courage and boldness in teaching the word of God. Through service of the deaconship a man grows into the qualifications and fitness for the work of the elder.

Verse 14

1 Timothy 3:14

These things write I unto thee,—This has reference to the foregoing instructions, especially to those relating to the qualifications of elders and deacons.

hoping to come unto thee shortly;—Although he hopes to be with Timothy again, he nevertheless will not allow matters of such gravity to await his return to Ephesus. For this hope may be frustrated.

Verse 15

1 Timothy 3:15

but if I tarry long,—Paul, feeling that dangers were pressing closer upon him every day and that the hoped-for visit to Ephesus might never be accomplished, wrote the fore­going solemn directions.

that thou mayest know how men ought to behave them­selves—These words refer not to Timothy alone, but to Tim­othy and his fellow workers in the church, concerning whom such particular directions had just been given.

in the house of God,—The spiritual house, the temple made without hands. The local assembly with its bishops and deacons is the house of God in which God through the Spirit dwells.

which is the church of the living God,—A living God dwells in a living temple. It is built of living spiritual stones—men and women,

the pillar and ground of the truth.—The church is the foun­dation and support of the truth. God has given the truth to the world and has established the church for the upbuilding, maintaining, practicing that truth in its purity in the world. Its duty is to do it by precept and example. In precept it proclaims the truth just as God gave it. Changed or modified it ceases to be truth or the truth. It compromises nothing. Its divine mission is to bear that truth in its divine purity to the world. It must present to the world what the truth is when practiced. The church, fulfilling its mission, is an exhibition of a body of people such as the world would be if it was what God desires it to be. He proposes to convert the world by showing to the world in the example of the church how much better it would be if it, like the church, would live by the truth or be governed by God.

[In the first picture the church is presented as a vast assem­bly with the living God dwelling in its midst. In this it is represented as a massive pillar, holding up and displaying before men and angels the truth—the gospel. In the first picture the thought of a great company gathered together in the midst of which God dwells is prominent; in the second, the thought of the gospel as “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” comes to the front, and the church of God is no longer viewed as a company of separate individuals, but as one massive foundation pillar supporting and displaying the glories of redemption.]

Verse 16

1 Timothy 3:16

And without controversy great is the mystery—It is a revelation of truth originally hidden from man’s knowledge, to which man by his own unaided reason and abilities would never be able to find the way—a communication by God to men of truth which they could not have discovered for them­selves.

of godliness;—The Word, taking on him humanity and liv­ing, suffering, dying, rising, and reigning in humanity, is for human beings the source of godliness. In it are all possible motives to holy living. It is this great fact, fully apprehended and believed in the soul, which breaks the power of sin and quickens to a new life of holiness. The all-potent revelation of the gospel is Christ as the God-man, and from it, as re­ceived in the soul, comes all true godliness. For it is written: “Like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16.)

He who was manifested in the flesh,—Jesus was God in the flesh, manifesting or showing to the world the true example of what God in the flesh would do and what he would not. He showed this because he desired man to be like him. So he came in the flesh to give the pattern to which he wished man while in the flesh to conform.

Justified in the spirit,—Jesus had the Spirit without meas­ure. Through the Spirit he worked miracles, showed that God was with him, justified his claims to be the Son of God; by this Spirit he was sustained and upheld in his sufferings; by the same Spirit he was raised from the dead and carried to the home of God.

Seen of angels,—The Son of man in his humiliation re­vealed himself as the Son of God, and at every step in his earthly manifestation the angels saw in him the eternal God. They announced his advent, they ministered to his wants, they announced his resurrection and attended him in his glorified humanity.

Preached among the nations,—He was proclaimed as the Savior of men, in whom alone they had standing before God and everlasting blessedness. He was proclaimed without respect to national distinction, to social condition, or culture; with respect simply to the fact all were sinners and in need of salvation. It was impressive to the early church to witness the proclamation of a world-wide salvation.

Believed on in the world,—The proofs that Jesus rose from the dead and is the Son of God were so irresistible that many among the Gentile nations believed on him.

Received up in glory.—A convoy of angels received him and escorted him to the throne of God, where he was crowned Lord of lords and King of kings. These were the great truths concealed from the world, which the angels desired to look into, which have been made known unto men for their obedi­ence of faith, and constitute the gospel of Jesus Christ.