For a bishop ought to be blameless, as a governor of the house of God He again repeats, that they who aspire to the office of a bishop ought to retain an unspotted reputation; and he confirms it by this argument, that, because the Church is the house of God, every person who is appointed to govern it -- is constituted, as it were, governor of the house of God. Now, he would be ill spoken of among men, who should take a scandalous and infamous person, and make him his steward; and therefore it would be far more base and intolerable to appoint such persons to be rulers of the household of God. The Latin word dispensator (steward or manager) -- employed in the old translation, and retained by Erasmus -- does not at all express Paul's meaning; for, in order that greater care may be exercised in the election, he adorns the office of a bishop within this honorable eulogy, that it is a government of the house of God, as he says to Timothy, "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth." (1-Timothy 3:15.) This passage plainly shows that there is no distinction between a presbyter and a bishop; for he now calls indiscriminately, by the latter name, those whom he formerly he employs both names in the same sense, without any distinction; as Jerome has remarked, both in his Commentary on this passage, and in his Epistle to Evagrius. And hence we may perceive how much greater deference has been paid to the opinions of men than ought to have been paid to them; for the language of the Holy Spirit, has been set aside, and the custom introduced by the arbitrary will of man has prevailed. For my own part, I do not find fault with the custom which has existed from the very beginning of the Church, that each assembly of bishops shall have one moderator; [1] but that the name of office which God has given to all, shall be conveyed to one alone, and that all the rest shall be deprived of it, is both unreasonable and absurd. Besides, to pervert the language of the Holy Spirit -- in such a manner that the same words shall have a different meaning from what he intended -- is excessive and profane hardihood. [2] Not self-willed With good reason does he condemn this vice in a bishop, whose duty it is not only to receive kindly those who come to him of their own accord, but also to allure those who withdraw themselves, that he may conduct all in like manner to Christ. Now, authadeia (as Plato says in one of his Epistles to Dion) tos eremias esti xunoikos that is, "self-will is closely allied to solitude;" for society and friendship cannot be cherished, when every man pleases himself to such an extent as to refuse to yield and accommodate himself to others. And, indeed, every (authades) "self-willed" person, as soon as an occasion presents itself, will instantly become a fanatic.

Footnotes

1 - "Un gouverneur ou superintendaet." -- "A governor or superintendent."

2 - "Those whom he formerly called presbyters he now calls bishops, (which means overseers or superintendents,) and he gives this name to all whose duty it is to preach the word of God. And so it was a corruption and abuse in Popery -- that is, in the ancient Church -- that one individual was called bishop; for that was to change the language of the Holy Spirit, and we ought to speak in accordance with the Scripture. Now we see that Satan labors incessantly to draw us aside from the simplicity of the word of God." -- Fr. Ser.

For a bishop must be blameless - 1-Timothy 3:2.
As the steward of God - See notes, 1-Corinthians 4:1-2. A man, in order to perform the duties of such an office, should be one against whom no accusation could lie.
Not self-willed - Compare 2-Peter 2:10. The word - αὐθάδης authadēs - does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It means, properly, self-complacent; and then, assuming, arrogant, imperious; Robinson, Lexicon - The gist of the offence - the very "head and front" - is that of being self-complacent; a trait of character which, of necessity, makes a man imperious, dogmatical, impatient of contradiction, and unyielding. Such a man, evidently, is not fit for the office of a minister of the gospel.
Not soon angry - See notes, 1-Timothy 3:2, and the margin there.
Not given to wine - Notes, 1-Timothy 3:3.
No striker - Notes, 1-Timothy 3:3.
Not given to filthy lucre - In 1 Tim. 3, "Not given of filthy lucre." The same Greek word is used.

Not self-willed - Μη αυθαδη· Not one who is determined to have his own way in every thing; setting up his own judgment to that of all others; expecting all to pay homage to his understanding. Such a governor in the Church of God can do little good, and may do much mischief.
Not soon angry - Μη οργιλον· Not a choleric man; one who is irritable; who is apt to be inflamed on every opposition; one who has not proper command over his own temper.

(7) For a bishop must be blameless, as the (h) steward of God; not (i) selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
(7) The second admonition: what faults pastors (whom he referred to before under the word elders) ought to be void of, and what virtues they ought to have.
(h) Whom the Lord has appointed steward of his gifts.
(i) Not stubborn and hard to please.

For a bishop must be blameless,.... This shows that a bishop and an elder is the same; and the Syriac version here renders it, "an elder"; the character or qualification necessary to him is the same as before, and in like manner to be understood; unless it should more particularly refer to his faithfulness in the discharge of his office: since it follows,
as the steward of God; one appointed by God over his household and family, the church, to give to everyone their portion of meat in due season; one that dispenses the manifold grace, or various doctrines of the grace of God, and mysteries of Christ; and of such an one it is required, that he be faithful, both to his Lord and master, to the trust committed to him, and to the persons under his care.
Not selfwilled; not doing things in the worship and house of God, in the ministry of the word, and administration of ordinances, according to his own will, but according to the will of God, revealed in his word; otherwise what he does will come under the name of will worship: or obstinate, stubborn, and inflexible, conceited of his own sense and judgment, and resolute to have his own will and way in all things relating to the affairs of God's house. The word signifies one that is pleased with himself, has an over weening opinion of himself, is proud and haughty, and despises others:
not soon angry: but slow to wrath, which shows a man to be a man of understanding, and fit to teach others, which an angry man is not. It is a saying of R. Hillell (h), that
"neither one that is ashamed (to ask questions) learns well, nor one that is "angry" teaches well''
And the Jews say (i), that
"the law is not rightly explained but by one that is not angry.''
Hence, that direction (k),
"for ever let a man be meek as Hillell, and not angry as Shammai;''
who were two of their principal doctors, the heads of their schools, in the times of Christ: a man that rules his own spirit, and has the command of his temper and passions, is fit to govern in the church of God.
Not given to wine, no striker, nor given to filthy lucre; See Gill on 1-Timothy 3:3.
(h) Pirke Abot, c. 2. sect. 5. (i) Buxtorf. Lex. Talmud. col. 2026. (k) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 30. 2.

For . . . must--The emphasis is on "must." The reason why I said "blameless," is the very idea of a "bishop" (an overseer of the flock; he here substitutes for "presbyter" the term which expresses his duties) involves the necessity for such blamelessness, if he is to have influence over the flock.
steward of God--The greater the master is, the greater the virtues required in His servant [BENGEL], (1-Timothy 3:15); the Church is God's house, over which the minister is set as a steward (Hebrews 3:2-6; 1-Peter 4:10, 1-Peter 4:17). Note: ministers are not merely Church officers, but God's stewards; Church government is of divine appointment.
not self-willed--literally, "self-pleasing"; unaccommodating to others; harsh, the opposite of "a lover of hospitality" (Titus 1:6); so Nabal (1Sa. 25:1-44); self-loving and imperious; such a spirit would incapacitate him for leading a willing flock, instead of driving.
not given to wine--(See on 1-Timothy 3:3; 1-Timothy 3:8).
not given to filthy lucre--not making the Gospel a means of gain (1-Timothy 3:3, 1-Timothy 3:8). In opposition to those "teaching for filthy lucre's sake" (Titus 1:11; 1-Timothy 6:5; 1-Peter 5:2).

For a bishop. An elder and bishop were then different names for the same office. See notes on parallel passage in 1-Timothy.
Must be. Unless he has these traits he must not be appointed.
Blameless. No charge against him. Compare 1-Timothy 3:2-3. See notes there.
A lover of hospitality. See note on 1-Timothy 3:2.
Holding fast the faithful word. Sound in the gospel doctrine, and able to teach it to others, as well as to refute opposers.

As the steward of God - To whom he intrusts immortal souls. Not selfwilled - Literally, pleasing himself; but all men "for their good to edification." Not passionate - But mild, yielding, tender.