III. (1) THIS IS A TRUE SAYING. — There is no reason why the rendering of this formula adopted in 1 Timothy 1:15, “faithful is this saying,” should be altered here. The “faithful saying” here refers to the wish for high and arduous work in the Church of Christ, and declares such a wish to be a noble... [ Continue Reading ]
A BISHOP THEN MUST BE BLAMELESS. — Now follow the various _social_ and moral characteristics of the appointed and recognised officers of the Christian Church — the presbyters or bishops, and the junior ministers, the deacons. The second chapter had treated of the duties of _congregations collectivel... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT GIVEN TO WINE. — Drunkenness is scarcely alluded to here. It is rather a warning against choosing for the sacred office one given to frequenting noisy banquets, where wild and imprudent words are often spoken. NO STRIKER. — Probably something more than merely brawling and fighting may here be i... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE THAT RULETH WELL HIS OWN HOUSE. — Paul here again turns to the vein of thought first struck in 1 Timothy 3:2 : The life of the officer in the Church of God must be a pattern life for those without, as well as for those within the Church’s fold, to copy and imitate. He must be pre-eminent in nobi... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF A MAN KNOW NOT HOW TO RULE HIS OWN HOUSE, HOW SHALL HE TAKE CARE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD? — The well-ordered household, the decent, modest behaviour, the reverent, affectionate relations between parents and children, between the master and the dependents — these things are to be the test of a ma... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT A NOVICE. — In the Church of Ephesus, which, when Paul wrote these charges to Timothy, had been established some years, the chief pastor would have for the church office an ample choice of disciples of some considerable standing and experience. The word “novice” here refers rather to want of exp... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER HE MUST HAVE A GOOD REPORT OF THEM WHICH ARE WITHOUT. — The man to be chosen as a responsible office-bearer in the Church, should be one possessing a stainless reputation for integrity and honour with the world outside the Church’s pale; he should be one regarded by the world at large as ha... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKEWISE MUST THE DEACONS. — We possess scattered and at the same time casual notices of this lower order of deacons dating from the very first days of the faith. The order clearly sprang out of the needs of the rapidly increasing church. Some two years after the Ascension (A.D. 34-35) the seven dea... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLDING THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH IN A PURE CONSCIENCE. — The thought again comes to the surface — mere orthodoxy without the Christ-life was an empty, useless characteristic feature in any one; but _here_ the man of God, writing to his dear son these solemn warnings respecting fit and proper persons... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET THESE ALSO FIRST BE PROVED. — No formal investigation, either in public before the congregation, or in private before Timothy and his fellow presbyters, is here referred to. What is most probably the meaning of the word is — the deacon should for a time perform many of the various duties on... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO MUST THEIR WIVES... — The _position_ of this solitary charge, respecting deacons’ wives, in the midst of regulations concerning “deacons,” is, of itself, almost decisive against the translation of the English version, adopted also by Luther and many others. The question naturally occurs — wh... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE DEACONS BE THE HUSBANDS OF ONE WIFE. — Here the exact same qualification is to be sought for as in the higher grade of presbyter. The same orderly and decorous household is required now in the case of the deacon, as was to be looked for as qualification for the presiding elder. St. Paul knew... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY THAT HAVE USED THE OFFICE OF A DEACON WELL. — Better rendered, _for they that have served well as deacons._ It was with good reason that the Apostle laid great stress on the many and varied qualifications necessary for one undertaking the duties of a deacon of the Church — for very great in... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS WRITE I UNTO THEE. — “These things” probably referred only to the directions respecting the special qualification to be sought for in candidates for the office of the overseers (presbyters) and deacons. HOPING TO COME UNTO THEE SHORTLY. — The participle here has a concessive form, “tho... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF I TARRY LONG. — St. Paul felt that dangers were pressing closer and closer — that the hoped-for visit to his loved church at Ephesus might not, probably never would be, accomplished; so these foregoing solemn directions respecting the choice of colleagues in the ministry had been written to T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WITHOUT CONTROVERSY GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. — “_And_ is not simply copulative, but heightens the force of the predication, Yes, _confessedly great is the mystery”_ (Ellicott) — for the glorious truth which the Church of God pillar-like upholds, is none other than that stupendous myste... [ Continue Reading ]