1 Timothy 5:17

the elders that rule well The perfect part. with present neuter signification. The verb itself is peculiar to these Epistles, except Romans 12:8, -he that ruleth with diligence," and 1 Thessalonians 5:12, -that labour among you and are overyou; and is used of the management -of a house," in 1 Timothy 3:4-5, -of children," 1 Timothy 3:12, and of the mastery -of good works," Titus 3:8 (where see note) and 14. The word is too general to draw from it the meaning of rulingelders as distinguished from teachingelders. Doubtless -government" was the foremost thought in the selection of an -elder" because someonemust give orders -for order's sake." But the above passage from the earliest of the Epistles, the 1 Thessalonians, shews us the three chief functions of the ministry already blended: (1) that of the laborious servant, -that labour among you," the same word as here, -who labour;" (2) that of the leader and headin things spiritual, -are over you," as here -that rule;" and (3) that of the teacher and counsellor, -and admonish you," as here -in the word and in teaching." As Bp Lightfoot puts it in his -Christian Ministry" Ep. Philipp., -The work of teaching seems to be regarded rather as incidental to than as inherent in the office: "double honour shall be paid.… especiallyto such as labour in word and doctrine," as though one holding this office might decline the work of instruction."

double honour The word has been defined on 1 Timothy 5:3; and includes, though it is not confined to, money payment: this is clear from the next verse.

they who labour in the word The meaning of the Greek word comes out with especial force in 2 Timothy 2:6, the husbandman that laboureth, that really toils -with honest sweat week in week out." So Matthew 11:28, -Come unto Me all ye that labour," A.V., where the Prayer-Book in the -comfortable words" renders -all that travail." Surely our word -labour" has lost some of its strength now since the time when it represented toil and pain like the -labour pains" of -a woman in her travail." It is right therefore to lay stress on the word here in reading the passage.

in the word and doctrine Rather, in speech and in teaching. -In speech:" the exact phrase has occurred 1 Timothy 4:12, and seems to describe the ordinary intercourse (cf. Colossians 4:6), while -in teaching" describes the sermon, or lecture, or lesson, the word being characteristic of the present stage of the pastoral office; see note on 1 Timothy 1:10.