Pastors And Elders

I Timothy 3: 1-7

Paul continues to the qualifications for a pastor or leading official in the local church. (See also Titus 1: 6-9 for a similar list.) 

(1) It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

It can be depended on to say that one who wants to be a pastor is looking for a very important ministry with heavy responsibility.

Therefore, there must be stringent qualifications he must meet.

(2) An overseer, then,

The term overseer refers to the office of a pastor, elder or bishop; one who "oversees" or takes care of the congregation.

must be above reproach,

This is one word in the Greek, the double compound, anepilemptos, literally meaning, "not to be laid hold of." He must be a person against whom it is impossible to bring any charge of wrongdoing that could withstand impartial examination.

Because this quality appears first in the list, it is to be assumed that it applies to the rest of the list, that he would be immune to criticism in failing to live out any one of these qualities.

the husband of one wife,

Back in 1899 J. H. Bernard emphatically wrote of this phrase, "It excludes from ecclesiastical position those who have been married more than once" (The Pastoral Epistles, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 52).

This view has been used to prevent many of God's gifted teachers from seeking a position where they could edify the church with their gifts. This is sad. Because most commentators agree that it refers to monogamy--only one wife at a time. With eyes only for his wife, no roaming eyes. This epistle was to the church in Ephesus, that was in a society that promoted polygamy: many wives, and always looking out for the next one.

The church today has the same problem. My own late husband, in his studies, wrote a scholarly paper on this very concept, and came to this same conclusion. yet was denied a recommendation to the pastorate because he was divorced and married to me before he became a Christian, so he went instead into business.

At his funeral, his favorite professor who became his friend, who holds a Doctorate, stated that he was a theologian, after having corresponded back and forth with him for several years.

So the church at large was deprived of his insights, as he shared with only a few individuals. I wonder how many other men have declined to fight their way into the ministry against this prevailing attitude, and settled for something else instead. This is sad.

temperate,

This word is nephalios, which means, "not mixed with wine," and came to have a broader sense of temperate, or "sober."

prudent,

The word used here is sophronos, which means, "of sound mind," and has been translated as "self-controlled" or "sober-minded."

respectable,

The word Paul uses here is kosmios, the same word he used in 2: 9, which means "with modesty," translated there as "modestly." The basic meaning of the word is "orderly." Greek writers used it in the sense of respectable or "honorable," which fits well here.

hospitable,

This word, philoxenos (found also in Titus 1: 8 and in I Peter 4:9), literally means "loving strangers." Christians traveling in the first century often wished to avoid the public inns with their pagan atmosphere and food that had already been offered to idols (see I Corinthians 8), so they would seek out a Christian home in which to stay for the night. A valuable result of this was that believers from widely scattered areas would get to know each other, thus cementing lines of fellowship. So hospitality was an important Christian virtue in that day.

And it still has its place in our hotel-motel age. A new-in-town believer at my church came to stay in my guest room, and now we are fast friends.

able to teach,

This is not only a readiness to teach, but "the spiritual power to do so as the outcome of prayerful meditation in [musing on] the word of God and the practical application of its truth to oneself" (W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, 4 volumes, Westwood, N. J.: Revell, 1940; page 51).

I daily spend time in thought, musing on the concepts presented in Scripture, connecting the dots, acquiring a bigger picture, seeing all the parts in view in their places in God's great Plan of the Ages. When I can see several of the pieces in close places in the puzzle, it is not hard to fill in some of the empty spots in between, or to marvel at God's mystery not yet revealed!

And He has used His word to change me in several ways at different times in my life journey, changing my attitudes, which changed how I thought about and lived my life.

(3) not addicted to wine

This is paroinos, "beside wine," "lingering with the cup." Aristotle's use of this word suggests that it meant "tipsy" or "rowdy." It is closely associated with the next term.

or pugnacious,

This is two words, me plekten, "not a striker." One given to wine is apt to become involved in drunken brawls. It is sad that Paul needed to put this warning here, both for his immediate readers and also today.

but gentle,

Instead, he needs to be epieikes: gracious, kindly, forbearing, considerate, magnanimous, genial; just generally having a "sweet reasonableness." 

peaceable,

This is amachos, literally, "abstaining from fighting" or "non-combatant." Here it is used in the sense of "not quarrelsome or contentious." Not one to pick a fight or be argumentative.

free from the love of money.

All one word, aphilargyros. This is one of the greatest dangers to every Christian worker. All opportunities in either secular work or in the ministry itself to acquire big money, if taken will, in fact, cause a diversion from effective service to the Lord in the growth of His Kingdom, instead building a personal kingdom in this world.

(4) He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

(5) (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),

This is common sense. If a man cannot discipline his own children in such a manner that they want to obey him and be respectful, then he won't be able to lead the congregation, either.

It is so sad today that many pastors have considered their ministry above their families, and have therefore lost their wives and children. They don't understand that their personal relationship with God does come first, but after that should be their wives and children, then their ministry and work for the Lord.

(6) and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.

The condemnation of the devil is pride. To elevate a new Christian to such authority is to subject him to too much adulation from an appreciative congregation, which would tend to swell his head and puff him up.

(7) And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Paul insists that each pastor must have a good testimony from those outside the church. When a leader in the church has a bad reputation in the community, it often brings irreparable damage to the local congregation and even to the entire cause of Christ in that area.

His good reputation will help to protect him from falling into the snare of the devil, the trap the enemy wants to entangle him in.

Paul's careful concern for the right choice of leaders in the church, and the extensive qualifications listed here, should serve as guidelines for those who are charged with the responsibility of such selection today. Attention at this point could save much grief.

O my Father, please be with your church today with such a close connection that we would choose Your choice for our pastors and other church leaders. Help us to care for Your flock as Your under-shepherds, to feed and nurture them, and not fleece them.

Father, Your church is Your people, Your children. Teach us all to value each one as You do, and to love one another as You have loved us. Help us to help one another to learn more about who You are, and what You have done for us, and what You are going to do for us for our benefit and Your glory.

Send us out, Father, into all the world to grow Your family out of every nation, every tribe, every family, and every language and dialect. Enable us to broadcast Your word to every living person, and give them the understanding to discern as much of Your Truth as they need to make a fully informed decision to seek You and accept Your gracious and generous gift.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, please come quickly, Lord Jesus!