1 Timothy 3:1

3:1-7 If a man desired the pastoral office, and from love to Christ, and the souls of men, was ready to deny himself, and undergo hardships by devoting himself to that service, he sought to be employed in a good work, and his desire should be approved, provided he was qualified for the office. A minister must give as little occasion for blame as can be, lest he bring reproach upon his office. He must be sober, temperate, moderate in all his actions, and in the use of all creature-comforts. Sobriety and watchfulness are put together in Scripture, they assist one the other. The families of ministers ought to be examples of good to all other families. We should take heed of pride; it is a sin that turned angels into devils. He must be of good repute among his neighbours, and under no reproach from his former life. To encourage all faithful ministers, we have Christ's gracious word of promise, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Mt 28:20. And he will fit his ministers for their work, and carry them through difficulties with comfort, and reward their faithfulness.

This {1} is a true saying, {2} If a man {a} desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1) Having completed the treatise of doctrine and of the manner of handling of it, as well also of public prayer, he now in the third place comes to the persons themselves, speaking first of pastors, and afterwards of deacons. And he uses a preface, so that the church may know that these are certain and sure rules. (2) The office of bishop, or the ministry of the word is not an idle dignity, but a work, and that an excellent work: and therefore a bishop must be furnished with many virtues both at home and abroad. Therefore it is necessary before he is chosen to examine well his learning, his gifts, his abilities, and his life. (a) He does not speak here of ambitious seeking, of which there cannot be a worse fault in the Church, but generally of the mind and disposition of man, prepared and disposed to help and edify the Church of God, when and wherever it will please the Lord.

1 Timothy 3:1 . Because some false teachers were now spreading their erroneous doctrines with assiduity among the believers at Ephesus, and it was necessary that Timothy (to whom the care of the church there was committed) should be assisted by some bishops, or elders, and deacons, well qualified to teach the people, the apostle, after observing what an honourable office that of a Christian bishop is, here describes the qualities and virtues necessary in one who desires to attain it. This is a true saying — Most certain in itself, and worthy of being always acknowledged and attended to; if a man desire, (or earnestly seek, as ορεγεται signifies,) the office of a bishop — Overseer, or pastor of Christ’s flock, frequently termed presbyters, or elders, in the New Testament. See on Acts 20:28 ; 1 Peter 5:1-2 ; he desireth a good work — An excellent but laborious employment. “A bishop’s office is termed εργον , a work, to intimate that he must not spend his life in ease and idleness, but in a continued application to the duties of his office. It is also termed καλον αργον , a good, or excellent work, because of its honourableness and usefulness. See on 2 Timothy 2:2 . The words καλος and αγαθος are often used promiscuously, to denote what is morally good. But when they are distinguished, καλος includes also the idea of honour, and ογαθος the idea of profit.

1 Timothy 3:1 . Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος , this is a faithful saying ) This preface is used, because it does not seem so to the world.— ὀρέγεται — ἐπιθυμεῖ ) There is here great propriety in the words: ὀρέγω , to stretch out , thence ὀρέγομαι , to ask eagerly with outstretched hand, to grasp: ἐπιθυμία of the mind, seeking τὸ καλὸν , a good thing , produces ὄρεξιν ; again ὄρεξις indicates ἐπιθυμίαν : ὀρέγεσθαι , φεύγειν , are opposed to each other: see Arist. 1, Rhet. 10, n. 12. In human affairs, those things are more agreeable, which a man confers or performs of his own accord, than when he is asked: how much more in the affairs of religion? 1 Corinthians 16:15 , at the end. But away with sacrilegious solicitation of favour and interest. There were not wanting persons who wished to obtain it, Jam 3:1 . Paul does not altogether reject their desire, but he reduces it to order.— καλοῦ ) an honourable good , excellent, demanding noble virtues. To this is to be referred the then or therefore ( οὖν ) in the following verse.— ἔργου , work ) It is a work, a business, not ease; Acts 15:38 ; Php 2:30 .

This is a true saying (πιστὸς ὁ λόγος) Better, faithful is the saying. See on 1 Timothy 1:15. Desire (ὀρέγεται) Better, seeketh. Only here, 1 Timothy 6:10, and Hebrews 11:16. Originally to stretch forth, to reach after. Here it implies not only desiring but seeking after. Desire is expressed by ἐπιθυμεῖ immediately following. The word implies eagerness, but not of an immoderate or unchristian character. Comp. the kindred word ὄρεξις with its terrible meaning in Romans 1:27. The office of a bishop (ἐπισκοπῆς) oP. Ἑπίσκοπος superintendent, overseer, by Paul only in Philippians 1:1. The fundamental idea of the sword is overseeing. The term ἐπίσκοπος was not furnished by the gospel tradition: it did not come from the Jewish synagogue, and it does not appear in Paul's lists of those whom God has set in the church (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11). Its adoption came about in a natural way. Just as senatus, γερουσία and πρεσβύτερος passed into official designations through the natural association of authority with age, so ἐπίσκοπος would be, almost inevitably, the designation of a superintendent. This process of natural selection was probably aided by the familiar use of the title In the clubs and guilds to designate functions analogous to those of the ecclesiastical administrator. The title can hardly be traced to the O.T. There are but two passages in lxx where the word has any connection with religious worship, Numbers 4:16; 2 Kings 11:18.

CHAPTER 3 1Ti 3:1-16. Rules as to Bishops (Overseers) AND Deacons. The Church, and the Gospel Mystery Now Revealed to It, Are the End of All Such Rules. 1. Translate as Greek, "Faithful is the saying." A needful preface to what follows: for the office of a bishop or overseer in Paul's day, attended as it was with hardship and often persecution, would not seem to the world generally a desirable and "good work." desire—literally, "stretch one's self forward to grasp"; "aim at": a distinct Greek verb from that for "desireth." What one does voluntarily is more esteemed than what he does when asked (1Co 16:15). This is utterly distinct from ambitious desires after office in the Church. (Jas 3:1). bishop—overseer: as yet identical with "presbyter" (Ac 20:17, 28; Tit 1:5-7). good work—literally, "honorable work." Not the honor associated with it, but the work, is the prominent thought (Ac 15:38; Php 2:30; compare 2Ti 4:5). He who aims at the office must remember the high qualifications needed for the due discharge of its functions.1 Timothy 3:1 The office of a bishop is to be esteemed a good work.1 Timothy 3:2-7 The qualifications requisite in a bishop,1 Timothy 3:8-13 and in deacons.1 Timothy 3:14,15 Why Paul wrote these instructions to Timothy.1 Timothy 3:16 The important truths of the Christian revelation. This is a true saying; pistov, a faithful saying, that which none can dispute, of which none ought to doubt.

If a man desire the office of a bishop; if a man desire any office to which belongs an oversight of the church of God. The Greek word episkoph signifies in the general an oversight of others; here the following discourse restrains it to an oversight of persons and affairs in the church. The apostle by this phrase determines this employment lawful, and under due circumstances to be desired, and saith of it, that he who desireth it desireth kalon ergon, a good work, a noble employment; it is a work, the office of the ministry in the church is and ought to be a work. The titles of gospel ministers are not mere titles of honour, and of all works or employments, the ministry is the most noble employment. We (saith the apostle) are stewards of the mysteries of God, ministers of Christ, 1 Corinthians 4:1; ambassadors for Christ, in Christ’s stead, 2 Corinthians 5:20; God’s angels or messengers to churches, Revelation 2:1. It being so good, so great, and noble an employment, it is no wonder that God hath restrained women, the weaker and more ignoble sex, from invading it, for all men are not fit for it, but only such as are hereafter described.

Verse 1. - Faithful is the saying for this is a true saying , A.V.; seeketh for desire , A.V. Faithful is the saying (see above, 1 Timothy 1:15 , note). This manifestly refers to what follows, not, as Chrysostom and others, and margin of the R.V., to the saying which precedes, in 1 Timothy 2:15 . Seeketh ( ὀρέγεται ); literally, stretches out his hands after . It is peculiar in the New Testament to the pastoral Epistles and the Epistle to the Hebrews, though common in classical Greek (see 1 Timothy 6:10 ; Hebrews 11:16 ). The noun ὔρεξις , appetite, desire (which is found several times in the LXX.), is used once by St. Paul ( Romans 1:27 ). The office of a bishop ; meaning here, as everywhere else in Scripture, that of a presbyter, or priest. Ἐπισκοπή , in the sense of "the episcopate," occurs only here and Acts 1:20 , where it is rendered "bishopric" in the A.V., and "overseer-ship" in the margin of the R.V., being the translation in the LXX. of Psalm 108 (Psalms 109, A.V.) of the Hebrew פְקֻדָתו , "his office." Elsewhere ( Luke 19:44 ; 1 Peter 2:12 ; 1 Peter 5:6 ) it means "visitation." But ἐπίσκοπος , "bishop" (ver. 2) - except in 1 Peter 2:25 , where it is applied to Christ - always means the overseer of the particular flock, - the presbyter ( Acts 20:28 ; Philippians 1:1 ; Titus 1:7 ); and ἐπισκοπεῖν the functions of such ἐπίσκοπος ( 1 Peter 5:2 compared with 1).

It was not till the sub-apostolic age that the name of ἐπίσ᾿οπος was confined to the chief overseer who had " priests and deacons" under him, as Timothy and Titus had. Possibly this application of the word arose from the visits of the apostles, and afterwards of men sent by the apostles, as Timothy and Titus, Tychicus and Artemas , were, to visit the Churches, being occasional and temporary only, as those of Visitors. For such occasional visitation is implied in the verb ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ( Matthew 25:36, 43 ; Luke 1:68, 78 ; Acts 7:23 ; Acts 15:36 ; James 1:27 ). Afterwards, when the wants of the Churches required permanent oversight, the name ἐπίσκοπος - vescovo (It.), eueque (Fr.), bischof (Get.), bisceop (A.S.), aipiskaupus (Moeso-Goth.), etc. - became universal for the chief overseer of the Church. A good work ( καλοῦ ἔργου , not ἀγαθοῦ , as ver. 10). Καλού means "honourable," "becoming," "beneficial," and the like. 1 Timothy 3:1

1 . This is a true saying ] Better, It is a faithful saying ; R.V., as in 1 Timothy 1:15 , literally ‘Faithful is the saying’; most probably to be referred, as there and in the other three passages, to the following sentence. So A.V. and R.V., though the margin of R.V. mentions that ‘Some connect the words … with the preceding paragraph’; and Westcott and Hort in their text by the mode of printing so connect it. The early Greek Fathers are divided; Chrysostom, e.g. is for reference to the preceding, Theod. Mops, to the following, quoting our Lord’s ‘Verily, verily.’ The various reading of D anthrôpinos (some Latin Versions have humanus ) ‘this is a human saying,’ read also in 1 Timothy 1:15 , cannot very well be explained as by Ellicott, an equivalent of benignus , for how could benignus at all fairly represent pistos , faithful, trusty? Nor can it have arisen from the spread of the nolo episcopari feeling, causing this place to give offence, so that ‘human,’ ‘carnal’ was substituted; for when substituted it turns the context upside down, and the explanation could not hold in 1 Timothy 1:15 .

We may look for the explanation rather in the use by St Paul of the phrase kata anthrôpon, anthrôpinos , Romans 6:19 ; Galatians 3:15 ; 1 Corinthians 15:32 , where the original idea is ‘according to the way of ordinary human speaking.’ So here ‘the saying has won its way to acceptance in the common speech,’ has become proverbial , representing the wisdom of many and the wit of one. desire ] R.V. seeketh , the word being stronger than that in the next clause and meaning literally ‘stretcheth out to take’; it is used (in N. T.) only in 1 Timothy 6:10 , ‘love of money, which some reaching after,’ and Hebrews 11:6 ‘a rewarder of them that seek after him.’ the office of a bishop ] The episcopate, lit. ‘overseership,’ which Alford would retain as the translation, to avoid the later limitations suggested by ‘the office of a bishop.’ Fairbairn on the other hand urges ‘pastorate.’ But ‘pastor’ originally meant only ‘bishop’ in its English ecclesiastical use. It is clear that the originals of our episcopate, diaconate and apostolate were at first interchangeable as general terms; Acts 1:17 , ‘this diaconate,’ 20 ‘his episcopate,’ 25 ‘this diaconate and apostolate,’ all used of the office from which Judas fell: diaconate expresses the service done for Christ, and apostolate the mission from Him; episcopate the oversight and care of those among whom the service is done and to whom the mission is. For the first trace of separation of the term ‘diaconate’ to a distinct class cf.