1 Timothy 3:14-15

1 Timothy 3:14-15

At this point Paul steps back from his practical applications of church leadership and takes a bit larger or broader view. The church at Ephesus had fantastic potential. It had a great location along trade routes, which could spread the gospel. It apparently had some outstanding leaders that could direct effective ministry. The church had so much potential that Paul wanted to come and provide his direct leadership. That not being possible, he sent Timothy this letter to give guidance on how he wants him to conduct himself in the critical moments of leading this church.

This may strike us as odd in view of the history of the church. This church had a ‘who's who’ of first-century leadership. Before the letter was penned, the church had been taught and led by Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, Timothy, and Paul. It had been the scene of Paul's longest located ministry, over two years in duration, and as a result, the whole of Asia had heard the word. It was the scene of marvelous miracles; the aprons or handkerchiefs taken from Paul resulted in the sick being cured and the demonically possessed being set free. It was here that men, who tried using Jesus's and Paul's names as a sort of incantation to cast out demons, failed and were severely beaten. Here warlocks and wizards burned their books and scrolls valued at about 7.7 million dollars (US). Here the fetishes of the temple goddess Diana were so unwanted that their craftsmen started a riot that lasted over 2 hours. 

The church here had become one of the great churches in the first century and, by the time of this writing, was a large and powerful force. So we might expect that this church would be sending and not receiving instructions. Timothy wasn't leading a congregation of a couple of dozen believers. He was leading scores or even hundreds of leaders of groups who were in turn leading small groups or house churches. The directives about careful selection of leadership are critical in such a context. Undoing a bad leadership appointment is always difficult, and in this large setting where close supervision is difficult, it could result in groups going wrong before it was noticed. 

Understanding this helps us to understand the last phrase of vs 15. Almost all translations link the church with the “pillar and support of the truth.” That opinion is not universal. The grammar is not completely cut and dried. Other suggestions include Timothy or other leaders as the pillars and support of the truth. Some think this is a reference to God Himself. Still others refer to the mystery of godliness in verse 16. The best interpretation is that “the church” is the pillar and support of the truth. Hence the priority of good leaders who will remain faithful to what Paul is about to express as the common confession. 

“Lord, grant that I will always be fully committed to the truth. AMEN”

I Timothy 3:16

I Timothy 3:16

Paul moves from telling about the church as the “pillar and support of the truth” to a statement of that truth. He begins by saying the “common confession,” or literally the “one word” of the church. The early church did not have the luxury of books, so the written word was rare. However, outlines of the beliefs of the church doctrine were used as memory tools. One example of this kind of outline is listed at the end of this verse.

The phrase “mystery of godliness” tosses us a curve ball. The word mystery is not “that which cannot be figured out.” Rather, it is the “marvelous thing that has been revealed.” So what is this mystery? What does this mean? One possibility is that the mystery of godliness is the conduct of the life of the church. How is the church able to live holy? By the doctrines listed in this outline. Another possibility is that this refers to Christ in the Incarnation, which is to empower the church.

Paul lists six articles of church faith. First is that Christ was the Incarnation of God. Second, the Spirit vindicated Him by means of the miracles and wonders. These proved His ministry and claims. Third, and this one is a bit odd for us, he was seen by “angels.” We think of angels only in terms of spirit beings or heavenly messengers. The word can actually mean messenger in the common sense and need not refer only to heavenly beings. This statement says those who proclaim the messages were eyewitnesses. Fourth the gospel was preached among the nations, even gentiles. Fifth, the message has been believed, and now there are active groups of believers spread all over the world. Sixth, this refers to the doctrine of the Ascension, something we often forget. Paul is providing for Timothy a short outline of Orthodox faith. A shared outline of the Christian faith is a great tool for learning what is believed as a Christian. 

“Lord, help me grow a systematic mature understanding of the faith. AMEN”

I Timothy 3:11-13

I Timothy 3:11-13

These verses are part of Paul’s comments about leadership roles in the church. Paul is addressing the roles and character of overseers and deacons and, in the midst of this discussion, gives a directive for women. The word literally means “woman" but is also used for wife. Was Paul giving specific directions for the wives of deacons, or was this for the wives of both deacons and overseers? Was this possibly addressed to all the women of the church, or was this a reference to deaconesses? All of these possibilities have merits and weaknesses. Great and godly scholars who love the Lord disagree and do so with a clear conscience. This is perhaps the place to especially practice the old adage, “In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion, liberty; and in all things, love.”

The conflict within the church regarding the role of women is often more shaped by our culture than the Holy Spirit. It is not hard to see, on both sides, an assertiveness that seems to be more driven by the desire for power than the desire to serve. Some day the well-intentioned but misguided will look back with regret on both their attitudes and behaviors. On that day the malicious actors will suffer for the harm they have caused. But no one will ever regret living up to the high standard for behavior and service we find in these verses. 

“Lord, grant me grace in word, action and thought when I disagree with my brothers and sisters. AMEN”

1 Timothy 3:1-10

1 Timothy 3:1-10

We have often rushed into the qualifications of an overseer concerning his moral character without taking sufficient time to look at the first verse of this chapter. If a man “aspires to,” “desires,” or “reaches up to take hold” of the overseership, he desires a good work. The word ‘office’ is not in the Greek text. The word is inserted into the English translation to make the sentence flow more smoothly. The unfortunate result is we have made the life of an overseer a job, or hobby, or part-time distraction. This is often further reduced to the seat on a panel or board that gives oversight to church operations. ‘Overseership’ is as all-encompassing as kingship. Every aspect of a king's life is defined by the fact that he is a king. You can't separate being a king from the person of the king. Nor is it possible to have an overseer for whom part of his life and days are not spent as an overseer.

The word “aspire” is a most important selection. The word in the New Testament is always in the middle voice or acting upon oneself. It literally means to “stretch oneself out in order to touch or to grasp.” There is an implication that no one is ready to be an overseer but must work toward this role or life. It also implies serious and meaningful effort. It carries the implications of focus. The use of sports metaphors might help. The sprinter stretches out to reach the tape first. The baseball player is stretching to catch the ball as it flies over the fence. Think of the golfer who, by concentration, is able to block out everything except the point of impact of the club head with the ball. This calling is no casual nomination to sit on a board of directors, but intense self-discipline to get ready for the role, the life of an overseer.

The word “overseer” is sadly distant from its New Testament roots. The translation επισκοπη (episcopal) has become a word that means a denomination or form of church government. However, the word in the New Testament was very different. It is a compound word, the first of which meant “upon” and the second meant “to look intensely.” It meant to examine closely, with a view to giving wise counsel or judgment. There is also the distinct implication of visitation and close personal contact. Imagine two shepherds, one who systematically checks each sheep for health and well-being, going over it with the eye of a concerned vet or caregiver. The other takes a monthly casual glance at the whole flock. The first is an overseer as described in this passage; the second is often what we have today. The first shepherd will know the condition of the whole flock more clearly than one with a bird's-eye view or general view. Any leadership of a congregation that focuses on the big picture but neglects the attention to individual sheep is like the second shepherd.

One final thought: leadership is hard. It is never easy for any man to be an overseer. However, in the context of first-century Christianity, it meant setting oneself up as a target of persecution. The role of overseer would make a man very likely the first to be arrested and abused. Why desire a difficult job filled with risk and with a high likelihood of suffering? Because this man has received from God a calling that has initiated a desire in him that only this ministry can satisfy.

“God, please bless the good shepherds in our churches, and correct those who lack love for Your sheep. AMEN”