1 This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work. 2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; 3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; 5 (but if a man doesn't know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?) 6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money; 9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless. 11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly; 15 but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.
Analysis Of The Chapter
The object of this chapter 1 Tim. 3 is to give directions respecting the qualifications and duties of the officers of the Christian church. As it is evident that Timothy was to be partly employed in the appointment of suitable officers for the church at Ephesus, and as the kinds of officers here referred to were to be permanent in the church, it was important that a full statement should be put on record, under the influence of inspiration, respecting their qualifications and duties. The chapter embraces the following subjects:
I. The qualifications of a bishop; 1-Timothy 3:1-7. The enumeration of his qualifications is preceded by a general statement that the office was an honorable one, and that he who aspired to it sought an employment that was, in itself, to be regarded as desirable; 1-Timothy 3:1. The qualifications specified for this office, are the following:
(1) He must be a man of good private character; possessing and illustrating the Christian virtues, or, as we would say now, an upright man, and a Christian gentleman; 1-Timothy 3:2-3.
(2) he must be a man who ruled his own house well, and who thus showed that he was qualified to preside as the first officer in the church of God; 1-Timothy 3:4-5.
(3) he must be a man of suitable age and experience - one who would not be likely to fall into the temptations that are laid for the young; 1-Timothy 3:6.
(4) he must have a fair reputation among those who were not Christians - as it is intended that the influence of his ministry shall reach them, and as it is impossible to do them good unless he is believed to be a man of integrity; 1-Timothy 3:7.
II. The qualifications of deacons; 1-Timothy 3:8-10, 1-Timothy 3:12-13. They must be:
(1) Men of fair character - serious, temperate, candid; 1-Timothy 3:8.
(2) men who hold to the doctrines of the gospel with a pure conscience; 1-Timothy 3:9.
(3) men who have been proved, and who have shown that they are qualified to serve the church: 1-Timothy 3:10.
(4) men whose wives are of such a character that their example will contribute to the promotion of the common cause; 1-Timothy 3:11.
(5) men not living in polygamy, and who exercise exemplary family government; 1-Timothy 3:12-13.
III. The reason why Paul gave these instructions to Timothy; 1-Timothy 3:14-15. It was, that he might know how he ought to demean himself in the important station which he was called to occupy. Paul hoped to be able to come to him before long, and to complete the work which he had commenced at Ephesus, but, in the meantime, he gave him these written councils, that he might understand particularly the duty which was required of him.
IV. The chapter closes with a statemerit which seems to have been intended to impress the mind of Timothy with the importance of the duties in which he was engaged; 1-Timothy 3:15-16. The statement is, that the church is the great defender of the truth in the world 1-Timothy 3:15, and that the truth which the church is to maintain is of the greatest importance. It relates to the incarnation of the Son of God, and to the work which he accomplished on earth a work which excited the deepest interest in heaven, and the true doctrine respecting which it was of the utmost importance to keep up among people; 1-Timothy 3:16. This reason is further urged in the following chapter, by showing that the time would come when, under the influence of Satan, these great doctrines would be denied, and the truth be corrupted and perverted.
Concerning bishops, their qualifications and work, 1-Timothy 3:1-7. Of deacons, and how they should be proved, 1-Timothy 3:8-10. Of their wives and children, and how they should be governed, 1-Timothy 3:11-13. How Timothy should behave himself in the Church, 1-Timothy 3:14, 1-Timothy 3:15. The great mystery of godliness, 1-Timothy 3:16.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 3
In this chapter the apostle treats of the qualifications of officers of churches, bishops and deacons, and of their wives; and points at the principal reason of writing this epistle to Timothy: and first, he commends the office of a bishop, as a good and desirable one; and asserts it to be such in the strongest manner, 1-Timothy 3:1 and then follow the qualifications for it, some of which are of the economical or domestic kind, and regard him as an husband and parent, and the head of the family; others of a moral nature, and relate to sobriety, hospitality, temperance, patience, and liberality; and others of the ecclesiastical sort, as aptness to teach, and that he should not be a novice in religion; and in general, that he should be a man of a blameless life, and of good report in the world, 1-Timothy 3:2, next an account is given of the qualifications of deacons; some which concern their moral character; others their soundness in the faith; and others their domestic affairs, and their conduct in their families; about which they should be first examined, before they were put into their office; the characters of their wives are also given; and for their encouragement in the faithful performance of their office, it is observed, that they hereby obtain a good degree of honour and boldness in the faith of Christ, 1-Timothy 3:8. And the end of the apostle's writing this epistle, and particularly of giving Timothy this account of the qualifications of the officers of the church of God, is, that he might know whom to appoint over it, and how to conduct himself in it; which he commends from its being the house of God, the church of the living God, and the pillar and ground of truth, 1-Timothy 3:14. Of which truth he gives a summary, in several particulars of it, which open the great mystery of godliness, 1-Timothy 3:16.
(1-Timothy 3:1-7) The qualifications and behaviour of gospel bishops.
(1-Timothy 3:8-13) And of deacons and their wives.
(1-Timothy 3:14-16) The reason of writing about these, and other church affairs.
SUMMARY.--The Qualifications of Bishops. Of Deacons. Their Wives. The Reason for Writing to Timothy of These Matters. The Mystery of Godliness.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.