1 Timothy 3:10 Komentář

In this chapter our apostle treats of church-officers. He specifies, I. The qualifications of a person to be admitted to the office of a bishop (Ti1 3:1-7). II. The qualifications of deacons (Ti1 3:8-10), and of their wives (Ti1 3:11), again of the deacons (Ti1 3:12, Ti1 3:13). III. The reasons of his writing to Timothy, whereupon he speaks of the church and the foundation-truth professed therein (Ti1 3:14 to the end).

INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 3 In this chapter the apostle treats of the qualifications of officers of churches, bishops and deacons, and of their wives; and points at the principal reason of writing this epistle to Timothy: and first, he commends the office of a bishop, as a good and desirable one; and asserts it to be such in the strongest manner, Ti1 3:1 and then follow the qualifications for it, some of which are of the economical or domestic kind, and regard him as an husband and parent, and the head of the family; others of a moral nature, and relate to sobriety, hospitality, temperance, patience, and liberality; and others of the ecclesiastical sort, as aptness to teach, and that he should not be a novice in religion; and in general, that he should be a man of a blameless life, and of good report in the world, Ti1 3:2, next an account is given of the qualifications of deacons; some which concern their moral character; others their soundness in the faith; and others their domestic affairs, and their conduct in their families; about which they should be first examined, before they were put into their office; the characters of their wives are also given; and for their encouragement in the faithful performance of their office, it is observed, that they hereby obtain a good degree of honour and boldness in the faith of Christ, Ti1 3:8. And the end of the apostle's writing this epistle, and particularly of giving Timothy this account of the qualifications of the officers of the church of God, is, that he might know whom to appoint over it, and how to conduct himself in it; which he commends from its being the house of God, the church of the living God, and the pillar and ground of truth, Ti1 3:14. Of which truth he gives a summary, in several particulars of it, which open the great mystery of godliness, Ti1 3:16.

And let these also first be proved,.... Not that they should be tried in any part of the deacon's office, to see how capable they are of performing it; but their internal and external characters are to be looked into and examined, and if they appear, to be right, then they are to be approved of, chosen and called unto, and invested with the office: then let them use the office of a deacon; let them be employed and minister in the several parts and branches of that office: being found blameless; not without sin, but free from any gross and enormous one; not before God, but in the sight of men; See Gill on Ti1 3:2.

Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the prophets and teachers.

And here he requires, though in other words, that he be "not a novice," where he says, "Let these also first be proved," where the conjunction "also" is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops, for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason for the "not a novice" in that case. For would it not be absurd, that when a newly purchased slave is not entrusted with anything in a house, till he has by long trial given proofs of his character, yet that one should enter into the Church of God from a state of heathenism, and be at once placed in a station of preeminence?

None could rightly be ordained a minister in the church if the apostle had said, “If any is without sin,” where he says, “If any is without crime”; or if he had said, “Having no sin,” where he says, “Having no crime.” Because many baptized believers are without crime, but I should say that no one in this life is without sin—however much the Pelagians are inflated, and burst asunder in madness against me because I say this: not because there remains anything of sin which is not remitted in baptism; but because by us who remain in the weakness of this life such sins do not cease daily to be committed, as are daily remitted to those who pray in faith and work in mercy.

For, since it is written, "That one should first be proved, and so minister" (1 Tim. iii. 10), much more ought he first to be proved who is taken as an intercessor for the people, lest bad priests should become the cause of the people's ruin. There can therefore be no excuse, no defence against this, since it is clearly known to all how solicitous about diligent attention to this matter is the holy and excellent teacher, who forbids that a novice should accede to sacred orders (1 Tim. iii.). But, as then one was called a novice who had been newly planted in the conversation of the holy faith, so one is now to be held to be a novice who, having been suddenly planted in the habit of religion, creeps on to canvass for sacred dignities. Orders, then, should be risen to in an orderly way: for he courts a fall who seeks to rise to the topmost heights of a place by steep ascents, disregarding the steps that lead to it. And, seeing that the same apostle teaches his disciple, among other directions with regard to sacred orders, that hands are to be laid hastily on no man (1 Tim. v.), what can be more hasty or what more headlong than to begin at the top, and that a man should commence by being a bishop before he has been a minister?

And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being blameless. And let these also first be tested. Just as, Paul says, the bishops, so that they may not be beginners.

Just as, he says, regarding the bishop I required that he not be a recent convert, so I require that these also not be admitted to the ministry without having been tested, but only after having been sufficiently tested and found to be blameless—just as no one would entrust a newly purchased slave with any managerial position before he has proven himself worthy of it over time.

Then when he says, and let these also first be proved, and so let them minister, he shows how they should be examined. For someone might say: I consider all men good; for this ought to be in your character. But for their promotion all are to be examined; hence they too are examined. Hence he says, and let these also first be proved and so let them minister, having no crime, i.e., no mortal sin. For he is not demanding that they be free of venial sin: if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). Nor does he say, had no crime, but having no crime, i.e., those who are notorious have the crime of bad repute. Otherwise, this would disgrace the keys of the Church.

Concerning bishops, their qualifications and work, Ti1 3:1-7. Of deacons, and how they should be proved, Ti1 3:8-10. Of their wives and children, and how they should be governed, Ti1 3:11-13. How Timothy should behave himself in the Church, Ti1 3:14, Ti1 3:15. The great mystery of godliness, Ti1 3:16.

Let these - be proved - Let them not be young converts, or persons lately brought to the knowledge of the truth. This is the same in spirit with what is required of the bishops, Ti1 3:6. Let no man be put into an office in the Church till he has given full proof of his sincerity and steadiness, by having been for a considerable time a consistent private member of the Church. Being found blameless - Ανεγκλητοι οντες· Being irreproachable; persons against whom no evil can be proved. The same as in Ti1 3:2, though a different word is used. See the note on Ti1 3:2.

RULES AS TO BISHOPS (OVERSEERS) AND DEACONS. THE CHURCH, AND THE GOSPEL MYSTERY NOW REVEALED TO IT, ARE THE END OF ALL SUCH RULES. (1Ti. 3:1-16) Translate as Greek, "Faithful is the saying." A needful preface to what follows: for the office of a bishop or overseer in Paul's day, attended as it was with hardship and often persecution, would not seem to the world generally a desirable and "good work." desire--literally, "stretch one's self forward to grasp"; "aim at": a distinct Greek verb from that for "desireth." What one does voluntarily is more esteemed than what he does when asked (Co1 16:15). This is utterly distinct from ambitious desires after office in the Church. (Jam 3:1). bishop--overseer: as yet identical with "presbyter" (Act 20:17, Act 20:28; Tit 1:5-7). good work--literally, "honorable work." Not the honor associated with it, but the work, is the prominent thought (Act 15:38; Phi 2:30; compare Ti2 4:5). He who aims at the office must remember the high qualifications needed for the due discharge of its functions.

"And moreover," &c. [ALFORD]. be proved--not by a period of probation, but by a searching inquiry, conducted by Timothy, the ordaining president (Ti1 5:22), whether they be "blameless"; then when found so, "let them act as deacons." blameless--Greek, "unexceptionable"; as the result of public investigation unaccused [TITTMANN].