1The office of a bishop is to be esteemed a good work. 2The qualifications requisite in a bishop, 8and in deacons. 14Why Paul wrote these instructions to Timothy. 16The important truths of the Christian revelation.
1THIS is a 1true saying, If a man 2desire 3the office of a bishop, he desireth 4a good 5work.
1 Or, certain, credible, sure.
2 Or, is desirous. He does not speak of any lust or desire of ambition, but of an inclination of the mind, which by proper means shows itself ready and willing thereunto; nevertheless always submitting himself to the judgment of the congregation, and expecting a lawful call.
3 Gr. episcopes, from which comes the word episcopus or bishop; whereby is understood all overseers and teachers of the congregation without distinction, as hereafter appears from the following description, as also by comparing to other places. See Acts 20:17, 28; Philip. 1:1; Titus 1:5, 7, etc.
4 Gr. fair, honorable.
5 That is, labor or laborious work. It does not consist only in titles of honor, but is joined with labor and pains, wherefore Christ also calls them workmen or laborers, Mat. 9:37, 38; 10:10.
2 Aa bishop then must be 6blameless, 7the husband of one wife, 8vigilant, sober, of good 9behaviour, given to hospitality, aptb to teach;
a Titus 1:6.
6 Namely, in respect of his conduct of life amongst men.
7 Not that he must necessarily be married, seeing Paul himself was not married, 1 Cor. 7:7, but because he might not have either many wives together, or one after another by divorce, as was a long time usual with the Jews and Greeks, and especially in those Oriental countries; which seems indeed to have been tolerated for a while in others, but might not be tolerated in teachers. See the like phrase, 1 Tim. 5:9.
8 Or, temporate.
9 The Greek word kosmios properly signifies one who in his behavior and entire conduct is modest, and does nothing but what is proper or comely. See, 1 Tim. 2:9.
b 2 Tim. 2:24.
3Not 10given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;c but 11patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
10 Or, sitting by the wine, that is, not giving himself to much wine, as he speaks afterward in verse 8.
c ill-gotten or unlawful gain or advantage*
11 That is, who can yield to others, and bear with them in reason, as the Greek word entails.
4One that ruleth well his own 12house, having his children in subjection with all 13gravity;
12 That is, household, namely, wife, children, servants. Or, who orders his own house well.
13 Or, civility, stateliness, steadiness, honesty. See 1 Tim. 2:2.
5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6Not a 14novice, lest being 15lifted up with pride 16he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
14 Gr. neophytos; which signifies newly planted; that is, who has newly engaged himself to the faith or to the congregation.
15 Namely, by opinion of great wisdom which he might think he has already, when he would so speedily be promoted to the office of teaching.
16 That is, into such condemnation in which the devil has fallen, when he, being now first created, has wanted to lift up himself over his wisdom against God. Others here take the Greek word diabolos for a slanderer, as it properly signifies, and is taken in this same chapter, verse 11, and 2 Tim. 3:3, and expound it thus: in order that he, lifting up himself, does not fall into judgment or the accusation of the slanderer, to the reproach and scandal of the congregation of Christ, as is also spoken in the following verse.
7Moreover he must have a good report of them 17which are without; lest he fall into 18reproach and 19the snare of the devil.
17 That is, who are yet strangers to the congregation, as 1 Cor. 5:12.
18 Or, contempt, namely, amongst those under whom he might have beforehand conducted himself vainly or unjustly, as long as he, for a period of time, has not amended and covered it with a subsequent good life, being now become a believer.
19 Or, snare of the slanderer; as verse 6, whereby some understand some faint-heartedness, which might come upon him regarding it, as a snare upon his soul; others, such reproach, whereby as with a snare he might be hindered by the devil from duly edifying the congregation in this his calling.
8Likewise must thed20deacons be 21grave, not 22doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
d Acts 6:3.
20 Of the institution and the special office of the deacons in taking care for the poor, see Acts 6:1, 2, etc.
21 Or, honest, as before in verse 4.
22 Gr. double - worded, that is, vain and not steadfast in words.
923Holdinge24the mystery of the faith in a 25pure conscience.
23 Gr. Having, that is, preserving or keeping.
e 1 Tim. 1:19.
24 That is, the doctrine or the profession of the doctrine of the Gospel, which is everywhere called a mystery, because the same was made known to man not by nature, but by divine revelation. See 1 Cor. 2:6, 7.
25 That is, good and upright conscience, of which see in 1 Tim. 1:19; for, though the office of deacons was not to teach publicly in the assemblies, nevertheless their office put them up on associating with many kinds of people, whom they also ought to instruct and comfort, and sometimes also gainsay, as there is an example in Stephen, Acts 7. That Philip instructed and baptized the Ethiopian was done by an extraordinary call, when he was now made an evangelist. See Acts 8:29; 21:8.
10And let these also 26first be proved;f then let them use the office of a deacon, being found 27blameless.
26 This some take such as if there had been yet some lower degree in this ministry, which they call subdeacons, wherein they must first be proved for a while, but that is not necessary, seeing this word may be suitably taken for the trying of such persons by the rules here propounded, which was done by the rulers of the congregation.
f test, try*
27 Gr. unimpeachable, namely, being judged and are found as such in their action and walk.
11Even so must their 28wives be grave, not slanderers, 29sober, 30faithful in all things.
28 This must be applied to the wives of the elders as well as of the deacons; for, of the widows, who were deaconesses, shall be treated hereafter, 1 Tim. 5:9.
29 Or, sound mind, see verse 2.
30 This the apostle seems here to require in the wives of elders and deacons, not only because they must be faithful to their husband, but also because they are sometimes privy to some things concerning the government of the church, and the keeping and distributing of the alms, wherein faithfulness is necessary.
12Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13Forg they that have used the office of a deacon well purchaseh to themselves a good 31degree, and 32great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
g Mat. 25:21.
h obtain*
31 Or, ascent; whereby is understood either a good esteem and respect in the congregation of God, or, also an access to greater and higher duties, namely, of the eldership, or office of a teacher, as was very usual also with the ancients.
32 Namely, in their faith, because it is accompanied with a good conscience, as well as also in their actions and speeches on behalf of the church of God, because they deal faithfully therein; which the apostle seems here to oppose to the slanders and snares of Satan, whereof he has spoken in verses 6, and 7.
14These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself 33ini the house of God, which is the church of the living God, 34the pillar and ground of the truth.
33 The congregation is called as such, because God dwells therein by His Spirit and Word. See 1 Cor. 3:16; Heb. 3:4, 5, 6.
i 2 Tim. 2:20.
34 The congregation of God is called as such, because God confirms the truth in His congregation, and by it makes it publicly known to others, as the government commonly stick and fasten their edicts and laws to pillars or to other strong places that they may be known to all men. And consequently here is declared that it is the office and duty of the congregation to promulgate the same truth, and confirm it against all errors. When she does not do this, she falls easily into schisms and errors. See Mal. 2:5, etc., as Paul also warns the congregation of Ephesus (where Timothy then was, as appears in 1 Tim. 1:3) against this, Acts 20:28, etc., and Christ Himself, Rev. 2:1, etc. Others join these words to the following verse.
16And without controversy great is 35the mystery of godliness: 36Godj was 37manifest 38in the flesh, 39justified 40in the Spirit, seen 41of angels, preachedk unto the Gentiles, believed on 42in the world, 43receivedl up into glory.
35 Such the apostle calls the doctrine of the Gospel, as previous in verse 9, the mystery of the faith, whereof he propounds a short summary in the following words.
36 That is, the eternal Son of God, as this word God is also taken for God the Son, John 1:1; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5; 1 John 5:20, and elsewhere.
j John 1:14.
37 That is, became Man, and by words and deeds has made known His Godhead. See Luke 24:19; John 1:14.
38 That is, in the human nature, which has been assumed by Him into the unity of His Person, as John 1:14; Rom. 1:3; Heb. 2:14.
39 Acknowledged to be innocent and righteous, as Mat. 11:19; Luke 7:29; Rom. 3:4.
40 Or, through the Spirit, which is to be understood of the Divine nature of Christ, by which He raised Himself from the dead, and consequently also proved to be just and innocent, although He was condemned as guilty by the Jews and Gentiles. Some take it for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which, after His resurrection, He poured out upon His disciples and other believers. But this does not agree with Paul’s purpose, seeing these gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given till after Christ’s glorification, whereof he speaks in the last phrase, and the first is confirmed also by a similar manner of speaking, Rom. 1:4; 1 Peter 3:18.
41 Namely, as His ministers and messengers, at His birth, Luke 2:14, as well as in His temptation, Mat. 4:11 and in His passion, Luke 22:43, and in His resurrection and ascension, Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10.
k Eph. 3:5, 6.
42 That is, among all nations of the world, Gentiles as well as Jews, Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6.
43 Namely, to the right hand of His Father, from where He has poured out the gifts of His Spirit upon His congregation, and has shown by mighty deeds and miracles His glory, Mark 16:19, 20; Acts 1:2, 8; 2:33, etc.
l Mark 16:19; Luke 9:51; Acts 1:2.