Bible Commentaries
1 Timothy 3

Verses 1-16

III 1-13 The Character and Qualifications of I! Ministers— Following the directions about public worship the Apostle outlines the character and qualifications which should be found in priests and deacons, the Church’s ministers. It is Timothy’s duty to safeguard the well-being of Church organization at Ephesus.

1. ’The office of a bishop’—cf. §919f. ’Desireth a good work’—noble, distinguished work. The phrase draws attention to the labour and service involved in ecclesiastical administration and apostolate. Those who desire to participate desire something which is noble and praiseworthy. Spicq suggests another interpretation. He thinks that at Ephesus there may have been those who set too great store by extraordinary charismata to the consequent detriment of those men daily administering church affairs. Such a mentality is illustrated in Didache 15,

1: ’Now appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek and not avaricious, upright and proved; for they, too, render you the service of the prophets and teachers. Despise them not, therefore, for they are the ones who are honoured of you together with the prophets and teachers’. St Paul may, then, have been recalling here that the episcopacy was a noble function in itself quite apart from its dignity in relation to other gifts. Men were needed to undertake it and those who offered themselves as candidates—this is the meaning of ????? rather than desire’—were to be encouraged and congratulated; Spicq 77.

2. Blameless’—irreproachable in conduct because of his dignity as God’s representative. ’Husband of one wife’— Those are not to be accepted who have married again after the death of their first wife lest this should prove an occasion for criticism; cf.1 Timothy 3:12; 1 Timothy 5:9. Celibacy as a law for the clergy is of later ecclesiastical institution, although as a counsel it was urged by St Paul himself, 1 Corinthians 7:8ff.3. ’No striker’—Not given to violence or brawling, not contentious or aggressive.

4. ’In subjection with all chastity’—with all respect. Must keep his children in order by gaining their respect.

6. ’Nof a neophyte’—not a person newly converted to the faith for fear lest, becoming proud and conceited, he may share the fate of Lucifer.

7. ’Snare of the devil’—the meaning is either that a. Christian whose past life was open to suspicion might bring discredit upon the Church through the scandal which the devil might attach to his name, or that a person, whose former conduct was not beyond reproach, might, when reminded of those earlier failings, lapse into despair and so become ensnared by Satan and lose the faith.

9. ’Mystery of faith’—The truths revealed by Christ, the Christian Gospel.

11. ’The women’ —It is suggested that deaconesses are intended, namely those who helped in ministering to women and relieving the needs of the poor.

13. , A good degree’—position, standing. Some maintain that it refers to the promotion of a deacon to the office of priest; others apply it to a deacon’s reward in the next life.

III 14-IV 16. Opposing False Teaching— 16. ’Mystery of Godliness’—Our Lord himself. ’Which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit’ —probably part of an early Christian hymn. The relative ’which’ is masculine in the Greek and therefore refers to our Lord. ’Manifested in the flesh’— appeared in the flesh, i.e. the Incarnation. ’Justified in the spirit’—vindicated during his life by his miracles wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit or after his death by his Resurrection; cf.Romans 1:4.