1st Timothy Chapter
Three Commentary by
Pastor Ron Beckham
Audio Bible Study - 1 Timothy 3:1-5
Verse 1. “It is a
trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of
overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.”
What can we believe in life? Here's
a statement you can rely on: If you want to be in the
ministry, it is a WONDERFUL choice for your life! The "overseer" or "bishop" as in some translations, is actually more like the pastor,
minister or priest in service to a local congregation. It is
not like the "bishop" of today, who is a sort of middle
manager in an organization. As the minister of a church, you
will teach, conduct funeral services and weep with those who
mourn. You will perform marriage ceremonies and rejoice with
those who find new life together. You are a priest, bringing
God to the people, and the people to God. You will rush to
the hospital in the middle of the night to pray and comfort
those who are in need. You are to counsel the distressed.
Though a few may financially do well,
ministry is actually a vow of poverty. You give up using
your time, skills and abilities to provide for yourself, and
surrender to God's provision for you. You pray about
everything you are about to do and lead others to become men
and women of prayer. In these verses in 1st Timothy, we see
Paul counseling the younger man, Timothy, to encourage all
who would enter the ministry. And so should we encourage one
another, recognizing that God gives many different gifts to
ministers for the benefit of those they serve, and they will
not all have precisely our call. All in ministry is to be
done to the glory of God, and in addition, those in the
ministry should find delight and have pleasure in God's work
through them.
Verse 2. “An
overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one
wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to
teach,”
To be “above reproach” or “blameless” in some translations, means that we are living clean,
open, honest lives; not open to attack. The phrase is from
the wrestling matches of the time, referring to not leaving
any part of your body open to the attack of your opponent.
To be “the
husband of one wife” had
three theological interpretations in the Early Church: 1)
Some took this to mean the minister had to be married; 2)
Others prohibited the minister from having more than one
wife at a time, 3) while still others viewed this as
prohibiting a second marriage. As to the latter, Paul, in
Romans 7:2, does allow a second marriage, and so does 1
Corinthians 7:27-28. But those who want to have a subsequent
marriage should pray and seek counsel, whether you are
clergy or not. The decision to marry should not be made
hastily by whim, but instead it is important to prayerfully
seek the will of God.
“Temperate” in this verse is sober-minded. The opposite of this word
is seen in Luke 21:34, where Jesus cautioned His disciples
to “take
heed… lest your hearts
be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and cares of
this life…” “Prudent” or “vigilant” in the King James, is a practical wisdom; managing your
life well. The “respectable” person is
modest, well-behaved and orderly. “Hospitality” is literally a love of strangers. “Able to teach” includes an actual joy in imparting the good things of God
to others. Teaching implies not only a love of the people
you serve and an enjoyment of speaking to them about the
Lord, but also delighting in the preparation of what will be
shared. Teaching is not a dry sharing, but instead it has a
freshness that comes from the Holy Spirit of God.
Verse 3. “not
addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free
from the love of money.”
Paul, the human author of this letter to
the young pastor, Timothy, continues to instruct the younger
man about the important role of identifying and encouraging
others who are being called to the office of pastor in the
church. "Not addicted to wine"
in this verse means exactly what it says. He is not saying
the pastor must never have wine; the problem for pastors and
for us all, is identified as those whose lives are being
taken over by what they imbibe. You've met "pugnacious" people; those who are always looking for
an argument, a fight. Habitual drinkers, the argumentative
- if such people think they are called to the ministry,
first their life should change, and THEN, after it is seen
that these changes are from God and are lasting, the life of
a pastor can be prayerfully considered.
We have seen in this verse that those who
are habitual drinkers and argumentative, should consider
another lifestyle than that of the pastorate. What then
SHOULD we look for in someone fit for this office? - Someone
who is "gentle," patient with
others and kind. Somebody "peaceable,"
as in this translation and "not a
brawler" in the King James. And the person should be
someone who is "free from the love of
money." That is to say, not covetous, which would be
a violation of the Tenth Commandment. More will be seen in
the next verse, but as to this one, we are advised that the
pastor should not be a drunk or a habitual arguer, but a man
of peace and someone who is not in the ministry for the
money.
Verse 4. “He must be
one who manages his own household well, keeping his children
under control with all dignity”
These verses consist of instructions,
first to Timothy, and also to the church through the
centuries, about the kind of man who ideally will be found
to be a pastor in the local church. One of his functions is
to effectively manage the church that is entrusted to him.
He is required to handle the money carefully and
effectively, recognizing that it belongs to God and the
people of God. He is to be a good example, teaching the
people by his life how they should live. We live in a point
in history when the "children"
mentioned in this verse are not truly "under control" and the typical family is without "dignity" because the father should not only be
loving, but he is also to effectively manage his home. The
family should enjoy his leadership because it benefits
everybody, but our modern society is not that way.
Ephesians 6:2 says this to fathers: "Do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in
the training and admonition of the Lord." The pastor
is expected to model this difficult command so that others,
other families in the church will observe and men will learn
how to be fathers by prayerfully observing their pastors.
The pastor must be "above reproach,"
as we saw in Verse 2, not only for the church, but also, as
he is enabled by God, for those who are outside. The world
is watching and with children in the church out of control
and the divorce rate in the church above 50 percent, the
world is not impressed.
Verse 5. “(but if a
man does not know how to manage his own household, how will
he take care of the church of God?),”
There is a relatively old saying called "Murphy's Law," which can be summed up by the phrase,
"Whatever CAN go wrong, WILL go wrong."
A pastor, a father can have good intentions in relation to
leading his family, but his leadership will be tested by his
wife who will wonder if his ways are worth following, and he
will be challenged by his children, many of whom want to
take over the family themselves and be in charge. The
reality is that most husbands don't lead, can't lead and
down deep aren't particularly interested. They want the
"office" of husband without having to actually do anything
to earn the title. Knowing this about him, the other family
members will resist his authority and "Murphy's Law" will soon take over the "household," such as it is.
The solution to a family man becoming an
effective, loving manager is not necessarily found in
self-help books and certainly is not in yelling back at
other family members. Yelling and other such abusive
behavior only makes things worse. And this is especially
true for the pastor. His family lives in what can be termed
a "fishbowl." It's like they reside in a glass container
and everyone inside and outside the church is looking at
them. Paul's observation to Timothy here is critical to a
decision whether to enter the ministry or not. You may be
called, but can you lead? You perhaps can teach, but can
you do what you tell others? Those in the church will not
believe what you say unless it becomes real in your own
life.
Father, touch the pastors of this world
with a desire to wholesomely love the church, to serve not
only the congregation, but also serve the Lord. Teach us to
be leaders in action, in all gentleness in the strength of
the Lord. Free us from sin, enable us to teach, and reveal
to us Your will. Help us to lead our families in all
gentleness. Thank You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio
Bible Study - 1 Timothy
3:6-10
Verse 6. “and not a new convert, so that
he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.”
The Book of Proverbs contains practical information. In the Law,
which includes the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, we learn we
are to NOT do certain things. In Proverbs we learn WHY we don't do them.
Someone who has recently come to the Lord will discover that his or her life
will begin to change for the good. Unfortunately, people who find better
lives can tend to look down on those who don't. Proverbs warns everybody,
including those who
are changed by the Lord that, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty
spirit before stumbling" (Proverbs 16:18).
As Christians, we are given a very interesting walk with the
Lord. The context of this verse is about what it takes to be in ministry,
and it is noted that we should be SLOW to take Christian offices and titles, and
yet QUICK to respond to our Lord. Sometimes, in His wisdom, He WILL call
"a new convert," and after much prayer, we should respond to His call. The
advice of "older" Christians should be sought. But it should be noted that
"older" Christians are also susceptible to becoming "conceited" as well.
In Christian service we are to pray continually and then pray some more,
recognizing that it is the Lord who does the work, not us. As humans, we
need Him - all the time.
Verse 7. “And he must have a good
reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach
and the snare of
the devil.”
As we can read in the newspapers and see on news broadcasts,
the churches, ministers, pastors and priests of this world do not have a
particularly "good reputation." Many have fallen "into reproach," some have
gone to prison, and lives have been ruined by fallen men of the cloth.
"Those outside the church" enjoy our embarrassment, smirk at the behavior of
so-called pastors and laugh out loud at how low the visible church has fallen.
"The snare of the devil" is a very real problem for all in the
church, and his special targets are those in ministry. The enemy knows
your weaknesses, and one of the greatest mistakes for Christian ministers is to become isolated from one another. At the first hint of temptation,
whatever form it takes, you should pray. Your second response is to speak
to
those you are accountable to and ask them to pray as well. "Reputation" is important
for the world is watching. We are to reflect God's love, not some cheap
imitation - "so," as Jesus said in a prayer to the Father, "that the
world may believe that You have sent Me" (John 17:21). We are to reflect - Him.
Verse 8. “Deacons likewise must be men
of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,”
"Deacons" are very real officers
of the church. The first seven deacons were named in response to what you
might call the "practical" needs of the church. "Widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution" of food (Acts 6:1) and
men were selected to solve that problem. The word for "deacon"
originally referred to a servant, a
bond-slave who would minister to the needs of others. They are seen in
churches today as officers separate from the ones called, "pastor."
Deacons are men and women who serve in various ways, such as caring for the elderly.
Here are the characteristics we are to look for in selecting deacons:
They are to have "dignity" ("gravity" in the King James), a trait which actually is to
characterize ALL Christians (1 Timothy 2:2). They are to not be "double-tongued," which would be saying one thing to one
person and the opposite to someone else. A deacon is to be consistent in
thought and action. Not "addicted to much wine"
means that the deacon does not use alcoholic beverages to excess or be in a
drunken state. This is a sober-minded, sober-acting person. "Sordid gain" refers to the person who is more interested
in acquiring money than he or she is concerned about the glory of God.
Verse 9. “but holding to the mystery of the faith
with a clear conscience.”
We are in a section of Scripture where Paul the Apostle is
instructing Timothy the Pastor about the kind of people who should be selected
for the office of "deacon" in the church. Not only are they to be "men of
good reputation," but most of all, they are to be "full of the Holy Spirit and
wisdom" (Acts 6:3). It was Stephen the deacon who replied with eloquence
to the high priest of Israel, as reflected in Acts Chapter 7. It was
Philip the deacon who "preached Christ" in Samaria, and as a result,
"multitudes" turned to Christ, and it is reported he did "miracles" there (Acts
8:5-7).
"Deacons" were (and are) to be people who are "holding to the
mystery of the faith." As it was true for all of the other words in the
New Testament, words like "deacon" or "apostle" or "mystery" were in ordinary
usage, adopted by the church and given special meaning. The word for
"conscience" was in use by what is often called the "Greek
"mystery" religions;"
non-Christian groups that revealed little except to an inner elite. In
Christ, the true "mystery" of God has been revealed - "Christ in you, the hope of
glory" (Colossians 1:27). "A clear conscience" is possessed by someone who
makes good moral decisions as to what is right and what is wrong.
Verse 10. “These men must also first be tested;
then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.”
In some churches, many actually, deacons are selected by the
pastor or a committee of existing deacons, or perhaps by those who are considered
elders of the church. Potential deacons are observed, discussed and prayed
about, even before the office of deacon is mentioned to them. It is
important that the person who is to be a deacon has the call of God to that
office. In some groups, deacons are ordained ministers, trained and
educated to become deacons. However it is done, it must be in ways that
would be consistent with this verse - "These men must...
first be tested."
Like the potential pastor, their lives must be "beyond
reproach," and that is the problem for us all. No one is "beyond
reproach," for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23). And "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). Since the sins that so easily beset
humanity can be subtle and often are not easily seen, the true way for us all to
"be tested" is through prayer and
observation. We are indeed sinners, but God is full of grace. "Pray without ceasing," Paul said in 1
Thessalonians 5:17, and he also said, "Test all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Father, there is no greater call, no greater purpose in
life than to be used in God's service. We surrender to Your will, entrusting
ourselves to You. Our lives are Yours, our service is Yours. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible
Study - 1 Timothy 3:11-16
Verse 11. “Women must likewise be
dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.”
The Greek word in this verse that is translated "wives" in
some Bible versions is actually "women" as it is in this translation.
The word used refers to a woman who may or may not be married. The
statement here is not about the
wives of deacons, but about deacons themselves, some of whom happen to be women. The suggestion of the context of this verse is that "women"
were always intended to be part of the group known as "deacons" of the church.
And they, like their male counterparts in the church, are to be "dignified, not
malicious gossips... temperate... and faithful" people.
"Dignified" here implies a personality characteristic that
actually inspires awe, reflecting the presence of the Holy Spirit in the deacon,
whether male or female. A "malicious gossip" here is a "slanderer,"
someone who finds fault with others, maliciously sharing critical words about others in the
church or elsewhere. "Temperate" is to be sober, free from the influence
of intoxicants. The "faithful" person
consistently responds to the Lord, continuing to believe and trust when others
would fall by the wayside. That person is "faithful" to the
Lord and to the duties assigned to them.
Verse 12. “Deacons must be husbands of
only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households."
In the Roman Catholic Church, men undergo educational training
that may vary in length depending on the diocese involved, and after successful
completion of the course work which may take several years, they are considered
"deacons" of the church. They may be married, but if their wife dies, they
may not marry again, for they are "deacons" of the church. Other churches
let deacons be married, and in addition, if the spouse dies, they are allowed to marry once more. In marriage,
in family matters, the deacons and other officers of
the church are to be models of good conduct.
The next part of this verse has always been difficult, ever
since the beginning of humanity. Adam and Eve made mistakes, but they
meant well, worked hard, and yet, of their first two sons, one them them
murdered the other. It's very hard for deacons or anybody else to be "good
managers of their children." And it's also true that very few husbands are
"good managers of their... households." Everywhere you look, men assume
that they are to work outside of the home and let their wives manage the
household. But this verse suggests otherwise.
Verse 13. “For those who have served
well as deacons obtain
for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in
Christ Jesus.”
This verse is similar to 1 Timothy 3:1, where the
writer Paul said to the younger man, Timothy, “It is a
trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a
fine work he desires to do.” And similarly, those who are deacons,
elders and other workers in the church are also doing a "fine
work." It is good to have faith in the Lord, to pray often to Him,
and to serve him in ministry, including the office referred to as "deacon."
"High standing" here may mean
"standing" in the sight of God, or
it may be in relation to the opinion of the congregation. Most likely it's both - You
truly bless people when you faithfully carry out this office and it pleases God
as well. And note that any assignment that God gives you is intended to
bless your life. Like other directions that your life may take, however,
it is best done in response to the "call" of God. You will have "great
confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus," when CALLED by God to be a
"deacon."
Verse 14. “I am writing these things to you, hoping to
come to you before long;”
Paul was an apostle, a sent-one of the Lord. He was
given understanding like any of us would want to have, but it's interesting that
he did not know everything. He was "hoping to come" to visit Timothy and
the churches there, "before long." It's important to remember that the
"pastor," the "deacon," even an "apostle" in the church is given much, but doesn't know everything.
All who seek and obtain forgiveness from the
Lord, who say "yes!" to Jesus Christ and place their faith in the Lord,
are
given "gifts," but don't know it all.
In speaking about the Risen Christ to the Corinthians, Paul
wrote about the "spiritual gifts," listing "word of wisdom... word of
knowledge... faith... healings... miracles... prophecy" and more (1 Corinthians
12:1-11). Not one of us knows everything, but everything that is needed is
given to the church. Paul did not know whether or not he would go to
Ephesus, but it is very possible that someone around him did know. Just as
those in the Early Church needed one another, we need each other, too.
Verse 15. “but in case I am delayed, I write so that
you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God,
which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the
truth.”
Many people do not take positions of leadership in the church
because they are embarrassed by their limitations and feel they have nothing to
offer. Others take such positions, but they are called by people,
not by God. Without the empowering of the Holy Spirit, it's wrong, even
dangerous to claim to be something you are not. But if a leadership
position in the church, such as "pastor" or "deacon"
is offered, you are
encouraged to prayerfully consider it. As Paul said about such positions, "it
is a fine work he desires to do."
Obviously, as we have stated in this chapter, people should be
CALLED by God to church offices. The person who is called should pray,
asking others to pray as well. Such a person should know God's Word, the
Bible, and have a good reputation. No matter what you might think of it,
the church is a holy place, "the household of God" as it says in this verse, and
Paul qualified it further - it is "the church of the LIVING God." It is a
great "pillar and support of the truth." We who are the church are to be
men and women of the truth, conducting ourselves well because of our love for
the Lord.
Verse 16. “By common confession, great is the
mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated
in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed
on in the world, Taken up in glory.”
"By common confession," which
is to say it should be the
unanimous belief of Christians everywhere that the "mystery of godliness" is
"great." In the Person of Jesus Christ, God did something that NOBODY
expected. We don't fully understand, but we are to see that He was "revealed in the
flesh;" He became a human being, a man. He was condemned by the world,
murdered, yet He has been "vindicated,"
declared innocent by the Father. The Holy Spirit of God has vouched for Him that He is our God, King
and our Savior. God's holy "angels" have seen Him face-to-face, and just
like Paul said, 2000 years ago, He has been "proclaimed among the nations"
around the world, and people have "believed" in Him
on every part of the earth.
He was removed from death and "taken up in glory."
"Christ died for our sins in
accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3 & forward). He did not
merely die like everybody else, He "died for our sins." By trusting in
Him, we become part of Him and His innocence is shared with us by God who is the judge
of us all. All He did was "in accordance with the Scriptures," because He
fulfilled Old Testament prophecy like no one else could. It continues in 1
Corinthians 15 "that He was buried" in a tomb, "He was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures... (and) then He appeared to more than five
hundred brothers at one time... most of whom were still alive" when Paul wrote.
Indeed "great is the mystery" of it all. It is fortunate
we were not somehow in the place of God in making eternal decisions, for we
would likely have formed a committee and sent Him to earth as a king, a general
and judge of humanity because of our rebellion. But instead, God in His
wisdom has done something greater - Christ "died for our
sins." We are given life, not death - because of Him.
Lord, we confess our sins and give our lives to You.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
