1 Timothy 3:4

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.

1 Timothy 3:4-6 . One that ruleth well his own house — That not only rules it, but rules it well, and keeps his family in good order: that rules it so as to promote religion and virtue in all its members; rules it calmly, but firmly; never using harshness where gentleness and love will produce the desired effect; having his children — If he be a father; in subjection, with all gravity — Or seriousness; for levity undermines all domestic authority: and he must thus rule his house both that he may set a good example to other masters of families, and that he may thereby give proof of his ability to preside over the church of God. For if a man know not how to rule his own house — So as to preserve a due decorum in the family where he has such a natural authority; how should he be able to take care of — Or to govern, in a proper manner, that greater and more important society, the church of God — In which there will be such a diversity of characters and dispositions, and over which it will be impossible for him to maintain an equal inspection and influence? Not a novice — νεοφυτον , literally, one newly ingrafted, namely, into the body of Christ, or newly planted, namely, in the garden of his church; that is, one newly converted. Such were not to be made bishops, or presbyters; because, being yet but imperfectly instructed in the Christian doctrine, they were not fit to teach it to others.

Besides, as their zeal, constancy, fidelity, and other graces, had not been sufficiently tried, they could have had but little authority, especially with the brethren of longer standing and greater experience. Lest being lifted up with pride — Greek, τυφωθεις , puffed up, with this new honour conferred upon him, or the applause which frequently follows it; he fell into the condemnation of the devil — The same into which the devil fell, or be guilty of the sin of self-conceit and high-mindedness, for which the devil was condemned.

One that ruleth well his own house; if he he one to whom God hath given a family, one who hath given an experiment of his conversation and ability to take care of a church, by the care that he hath taken of his family, and his ruling in that lesser society. Having his children in subjection with all gravity; one that hath not let his children behave themselves rudely, and indecently, and rebelliously, but kept them in order by a grave demeanour towards them.

That ruleth (προΐστάμενον) Mostly in the Pastorals, but also in Romans 12:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:12. The participle means placed in front. Here in a general sense, but in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 of church authorities, but only functionally, not as a title of specially appointed officers. It is characteristic of the loose and unsettled ecclesiastical nomenclature of the apostolic age. Having in subjection (ἔχοντα ἐν ὑποταγῇ) The phrase is unique in N.T. Ὑποταγή subjection is a Pauline word: see 2 Corinthians 9:13; Galatians 2:5. olxx.

1 Timothy 3:4 . Τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου , his own house ) Many men, for instance, are mild abroad, but are the less disposed to restrain their passion at home, which they direct against their wives, etc.— καλῶς προιστάμενον , one who ruleth well ) To this ἀφιλαργυρία chiefly refers.— μετὰ πάσης σεμνότητος , with all gravity [propriety]) so that there may be no luxury [ ἀσωτία , riotous living ]: Titus 1:6 .

4. ruleth—Greek, "presiding over." his own house—children and servants, as contrasted with "the church" (house) of God (1Ti 3:5, 15) which he may be called on to preside over. having his children—rather as Greek, "having children (who are) in subjection" (Tit 1:6). gravity—propriety: reverent modesty on the part of the children [Alford]. The fact that he has children who are in subjection to him in all gravity, is the recommendation in his favor as one likely to rule well the Church.

Verse 4. - One that ruleth well his own house. The ἐπίσκοπος is one who has to preside over and rule ( προίστασθαι ) the house of God ( 1 Timothy 5:17 ; Romans 12:8 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:12 ), as the high priest was called "ruler of the house of God" ( 1 Chronicles 9:11 ; Nehemiah 11:11 ). So in Justin Martyr the bishop is called ὁ προεστῶς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ('Apology,' 11) and simply ὁ προεστῶς , and similarly in Hebrews 13:7 the clergy are οἱ ἡγούμενοι ὑμῶν , " they which have the rule over you." How needful, then, is it that he should rule well his own house, and have his own children in subjection! The testimony given in this passage to a married clergy is too clear to need any comment. In subjection ( ἐν ὑποταγῇ ); as above, 1 Timothy 2:11 , where see note. For the sense, comp. Titus 1:6 , which leads us to apply the words, with all gravity ( σεμνότητος ), the contrary to "riot," ἀσωτία ), to the children. The children of the ἐπίσκοπος are to exhibit that seriousness and sobriety of conduct which is in accordance with their father's office, μετά , together with , as in 1 Timothy 1:14 . 1 Timothy 3:4

4 . that ruleth well his own house ] In distinction to ‘God’s household’ the Church, 1 Timothy 3:5 ; 1 Timothy 3:15 . his children ] Rather, from the emphatic position of ‘children,’ and the absence of the article, the sense is ‘with a household of his own rightly under his rule, with children held in subjection.’ with all gravity ] There should be, that is, all propriety of conduct on his part, according to the line ‘maxima debetur pueris reverentia’; so Titus in order to commend his exhortations to the young men to be pure is himself ‘to set an example of propriety,’ Titus 2:7 . There should be the same propriety on the children’s part, according to the similar passage in Titus 1:6 , that they be ‘not accused of riot.’ Compare St Paul’s eloquent appeal to the Philippians to ‘think thoughts true and seemly , righteous and pure,’ thoughts of truth, morality , righteousness and purity, Php 4:8 .

1 Timothy 3:4 . τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου : Although ἴδιος commonly retains in the N.T. the emphatic sense own , yet there can be no doubt that examples occur of the later weakened sense in which it means simply αὐτοῦ , e.g. , 1 Corinthians 7:2 . We are not therefore justified in insisting on the emphatic sense, own , here or in 1 Timothy 3:12 , 1 Timothy 6:1 , Titus 2:5 ; Titus 2:9 . See J. H. Moulton Grammar , vol. i. p. 87 sqq ., and Expositor , vi., iii. 277, and Deissmann, Bible Studies , trans. p. 123 sq . οἶκος also means household , 1 Corinthians 1:16 and in the Pastorals. προϊστάμενον : προΐστασθαι is perhaps used, here and in 1 Timothy 3:12 , because it would naturally suggest church government. See reff., and Hermas, Vis . ii. 4; Justin Martyr, Apol . i. 65. A different use is found in Titus 3:8 ; Titus 3:14 , καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι , where see note. The domestic qualification, as we may call it, of the episcopus, also applies to deacons ( 1 Timothy 3:12 ) and to the Cretan episcopus ( Titus 1:6 ). τέκνα ἔχοντα : Alford cannot be right in supposing that τέκνα is emphatic. It would be absurd to suppose that a man otherwise suited to the office of an episcopus would be disqualified because of childlessness. The clause is parallel to μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα : if the episcopus be a married man, he must not be a digamist; if he have children, they must be ἐν ὑποταγῇ . ἐν ὑποταγῇ — σεμνότητος : with the strictest regard to propriety , see note on chap. 1 Timothy 2:2 .

Most commentators join these words closely together. The σεμνότης of the children in their extra-family relations being the outward and visible expression of the ὑποταγή to which they are subject in domestic life. This is a more natural reference of σεμνότ . than to the general household arrangements, “ ut absit luxuria ” (Bengel). On the other hand there is much force in Dean Bernard’s remark that “ σεμνότης is hardly a grace of childhood.” He connects ἔχοντα μετὰ πασ . σεμν . This seems to be supported by 1 Timothy 3:8 , διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς and 1 Timothy 3:11 . Von Soden takes a similar view.