1 Timothy 3:1

This is a true saying Better, It is a faithful saying; R.V., as in 1 Timothy 1:15, literally -Faithful is the saying"; most probably to be referred, as there and in the other three passages, to the following sentence. So A.V. and R.V., though the margin of R.V. mentions that -Some connect the words … with the preceding paragraph"; and Westcott and Hort in their text by the mode of printing so connect it. The early Greek Fathers are divided; Chrysostom, e.g. is for reference to the preceding, Theod. Mops, to the following, quoting our Lord's -Verily, verily." The various reading of D anthrôpinos(some Latin Versions have humanus) -this is a humansaying," read also in 1 Timothy 1:15, cannot very well be explained as by Ellicott, an equivalent of benignus, for how could benignusat all fairly represent pistos, faithful, trusty? Nor can it have arisen from the spread of the nolo episcoparifeeling, causing this place to give offence, so that -human," -carnal" was substituted; for when substituted it turns the context upside down, and the explanation could not hold in 1 Timothy 1:15. We may look for the explanation rather in the use by St Paul of the phrase kata anthrôpon, anthrôpinos, Romans 6:19; Gal 3:15; 1 Corinthians 15:32, where the original idea is -according to the way of ordinary human speaking." So here -the saying has won its way to acceptance in the common speech," has become proverbial, representing the wisdom of many and the wit of one.

desire R.V. seeketh, the word being stronger than that in the next clause and meaning literally -stretcheth out to take"; it is used (in N. T.) only in 1 Timothy 6:10, -love of money, which some reaching after," and Hebrews 11:6 -a rewarder of them that seek after him."

the office of a bishop The episcopate, lit. -overseership," which Alford would retain as the translation, to avoid the later limitations suggested by -the office of a bishop." Fairbairn on the other hand urges -pastorate." But -pastor" originally meant only -bishop" in its English ecclesiastical use. It is clear that the originals of our episcopate, diaconateand apostolatewere at first interchangeable as general terms; Acts 1:17, -this diaconate," 20 -his episcopate," 25 -this diaconate and apostolate," all used of the office from which Judas fell: diaconateexpresses the service done for Christ, and apostolatethe mission from Him; episcopatethe oversight and care of those among whom the service is done and to whom the mission is.

For the first trace of separation of the term -diaconate" to a distinct class cf. Acts 6:1-2, contrasted with 1 Timothy 3:4; though the word is still used of St Paul's apostleship, 1 Timothy 1:12, and of Timothy's office, 2 Timothy 4:5. A separate -bishop" or -overseer" and a separate -deacon" or -minister" come first in Philippians 1:1, -all the saints with the bishopsand deacons": then in Acts 20:17, compared with Acts 20:28, -the presbytersof Ephesus at Miletus" … -the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops," we get a new name synonymous with bishop -presbyter"; and later 2 John 1:1 this new name -presbyter" is used of the apostle St John and 1 Peter 5:1 by St Peter of himself.

We infer then that in N. T. times -bishop" and -presbyter" were both used of certain senior ministers and of the apostles, and that there were junior ministers called -deacons"; but the word -deacon" could still be used generally. The conclusion of Bp Wordsworth is that the reference of episcopatehere, while mainly to be made to the office of presbyter, does not exclude the office to which Timothy was appointed in the room of the apostle, to which the term was afterwards restricted, and from which comes our word -bishop." See Introduction, pp. 13 28, 53, 54; Appendix, C.

he desireth a good work With all commentators from Chrysostom we must lay stress on good work; -non dignitates sed opus eo quod pro communi est utilitate constitutum." Theod. Mops.