_HOW BISHOPS, AND DEACONS, AND THEIR WIVES, SHOULD BE QUALIFIED; AND TO WHAT END SAINT PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY OF THESE THINGS. OF THE CHURCH, AND THE BLESSED TRUTH THEREIN TAUGHT AND PROFESSED._ _Anno Domini 58._ BECAUSE many false teachers were now spreading their erroneous doctrines with great as... [ Continue Reading ]
A BISHOP THEN MUST BE BLAMELESS,— With respect to his moral character. The priests under the law were to be without bodily infirmities, Leviticus 21:16; Leviticus 21:24. The bishops in the Christian church are to be of unblemished hearts and lives, Titus 1:6.—_the husband of one wife;_ that is, "one... [ Continue Reading ]
NO STRIKER, &C.— Instead of _no striker,_ Dr. Heylin reads, _not violent;_—not a lover of contention, or one who has so little government of himself, as passionately to fly out against others.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE THAT RULETH WELL HIS OWN HOUSE,— One that was _a good_ προισταμενος, president, _over his own family:_ which was one of the qualifications necessary for ο επισκοπος, an _inspector_ or _bishop_ over the church of GOD.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT A NOVICE, &C.— Μη νεοφυτον; _"Not one lately engrafted_ into the Christian church;" He had said before, 1 Timothy 3:2. That a _bishop_ ought to be one who is _apt to teach;_ and consequently he must have taught for some time as an _elder,_ or filled some office in the church, whereby his aptness... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST HE FALL INTO REPROACH, &C.— Lest, the unbelieving Jews or Gentiles being able to blast his reputation, he fall into the reproach and snare of the accuser, for the bad life he led before his conversion. "For the Christian church will flourish or decay very much, according to the character or beh... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLDING THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH, &C.— The _deacons_ were to be such as held the mystery of the pure and unmixed Christian faith, and that held it in a good conscience, and would be ready openly to profess it: men of integrity, and of charity towards both Gentile and Jewish Christians,and who were n... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THEM USE THE OFFICE, &C.— Let them exercise.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO MUST THEIR WIVES BE GRAVE,— There was as much reason that this should extend to the wives of _bishops_ also; and as he begins the next verse with _let the deacons,_ that is to say, as well as the bishops, _be the husbands of one wife,_—perhaps he might so design it. These _wives_ were not to... [ Continue Reading ]
PURCHASE TO THEMSELVES A GOOD DEGREE,— _Acquire for themselves an honourable degree,_ [that of presbyter or bishop,] _and great assurance in preaching the Christian faith._ See Heylin. The apostle alludes here to the practice of electing the _deacons_ from the best among the laity; the _priests_ or... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOUSE OF GOD, WHICH IS THE CHURCH, &C.— Dr. Benson renders this, _that thou, who art the ground and pillar of the truth, mightest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the church of God._ Dr. Doddridge observes, that though many good critics refer this descriptive clause to Timothy, agreea... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, &C.— See the parallel passages: _The Word, that was God, dwelt among us; and we have seen his glory,_ John 1:1; John 1:14. _He was manifested, and came in the flesh, who was the Son of God,_ 1 John 3:5; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 4:2. _He who was in the form of God, and though... [ Continue Reading ]