1 Timothy 5:17-25

CARE OF ELDERS. 1 Timothy 5:17-25

Text 5:17-25

17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his hire. 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear. 21 I charge thee in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality. 22 Lay hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. 23 Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. 24 Some men's sins are evident, going before unto judgment; and some men also they follow after. 25 In like manner there are good works that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid.

Thought Questions 5:17-25

193.

Are we to assume from 1 Timothy 5:17 that there are some elders who rule or that there are some elders who do not rule well?

194.

Can we infer from these verses that some elders ruled and some taught, and that such were separate responsibilities? Explain,

195.

What is the double honor? You are called upon to think and advance an opinion,

196.

Who is the ox in the figure of speech as given from Deuteronomy 25:4?

197.

Who said: the laborer is worthy of his hire (Cf. Luke 10:7) Paul says the Scripture saithare we to infer that the Gospel of Luke is here called Scripture, and placed on an equal level with the O. T. reference from Deut,?; of what importance is it if this is true?

198.

Who is the elder of 1 Timothy 5:19? Is this in reference to an officer in the church or just an older man? Explain.

199.

Is the mention of two or three witnesses hinting at a formal meeting in which accusations are made and supported?

200.

In what manner are we to understand the word sin as in 1 Timothy 5:20? Just how is this to be done? Is it to be a part of our responsibility today? Who are the rest of 1 Timothy 5:20?

201.

Why the strong exhortation of 1 Timothy 5:21? Please explain the context.

202.

Why would Timothy be tempted to be partial or prejudiced? Please be practical.

203.

Are we introduced to an ordination service in 1 Timothy 5:22? How connect laying on of hands with other men's sins?

204.

What type of purity is suggested in 1 Timothy 5:22? How is this related to the context?

205.

No one seems to know how 1 Timothy 5:23 relates to what is said in 1 Timothy 5:22 or 1 Timothy 5:24; do you? Attempt it,

206.

Is Paul recommending moderate drinking of wine? If not, what is the suggestion?

207.

Why didn-'t Paul recommend prayer and faith for Timothy's infirmities?

208.

Is Paul telling Timothy to allow for a lapse of time before the selection of candidates for the eldership? Read 1 Timothy 5:24-25 with this thought in mind: time will reveal character and thus indicate the disqualified and the qualified. Are we fair with the text to infer such?

209.

What is the most important point of emphasis in this section as it relates to our present need for elders?

Paraphrase 5:17-25

11 Let the elders who preside prudently in your religious meetings be counted worthy of double honour; let them have a liberal maintenance from the funds of the church; especially those who, besides presiding, labour in preaching and teaching.
18 The duty of the faithful to maintain widows and elders, is enjoined both in the law and in the gospel. For the law saith to the Jews, Thou shall not muzzle the ox while treading out the corn, but allow him to eat of that which he treadeth as a recompense for his labour; and in the gospel Christ enjoins the same duty, for this reason, that the labourer is worthy of his hire.
19 Against an elder, whether he be a bishop, a president, or a deacon, receive not an accusation, unless it is offered to be proved by two or three creditable witnesses.
20 Those who, by the testimony of credible witnesses, are found in sin, rebuke before the whole church, that other elders also may be afraid to commit the like offences.
21 I charge thee, in the presence of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the chief angels, that thou observe these rules concerning the admonition of the old and the young, and the maintaining of widows and elders, and the censuring of sinners, without being prejudiced against any person; and doing nothing from favour.
22 Appoint no one to any sacred office hastily, without inquiring into his character and qualifications: Neither, by conferring these offices on unworthy persons, partake of other men's sins. In the whole of thy conduct, keep thyself blameless.
23 Thy health being of great importance to the church, no longer drink pure water, but mix a little wine with it, on account of the disorder of thy stomach, and thy many other bodily infirmities.
24 In judging of those who desire sacred offices, consider, that of some men the sins are very manifest, leading before inquiry to condemnation. Such reject. But in others especially, their sins are so concealed that the knowledge of them follows after inquiry. For which reason no one ought to be appointed to sacred offices hastily.
25 In like manner also, the good works and good qualities of some men are very manifest: Such may be admitted to sacred offices without any particular inquiry. And those which are not manifest cannot be long hidden, if an accurate inquiry be made.

Comment 5:17-25

1 Timothy 5:17. The honor due widows was discussed in the last section, we have here a discussion of the honor due elders, All elders are to be held in high regard, but some are to be given double honor. Just what is this double honor? We have read many and varied comments upon possible meanings: (1) Double pay (2) Honor plus salary (3) Twice the pay of the sixty year old widows (4) Twice the pay of the deacons (5) Honor as an older man and honor as an elder (6) Honor as a brother and honor as an elder (7) Special regard because of position and workwhich would include remuneration. This last view seems most tenable. Those elders who do an outstanding job should receive special recognition from the congregation, both by word and by pay, or financial help. The particular men to receive such distinction are specified: ... those who wear themselves out teaching and preaching the Word. (We would look for a long while before we found such a one today). This does not mean that only some elders were to teach and others were not to teach, for their qualifications indicated all were to be able to teach, (1 Timothy 3:2). Those who thus serve with special distinction, should be recognized by and before the congregation.

1 Timothy 5:18. This verse is an explanation of the preceding one. The word for would indicate its connective quality. The scriptures teach us of the responsibility of honoring such men; we are taught such from both the old and the new covenanti.e., Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7. Such seems to be the thought of Paul's purpose. What did the ox receive for his work?: a part of the grain he helped to thresh; this was lawful and right. What does a laborer receive from his work?: pay. What then should a faithful man of God receive from his efforts? Can we pay the ox and the workman but not the man of God? It is important as well as imperative that elders be recognized in this light, both as to their work and their honor.

1 Timothy 5:19. Elders should be safeguarded from malicious gossip. Any overseer worthy of the name, will receive criticism in his work for Christ. Such criticism will come to the ears of the evangelist; what shall he do when he hears it? The Old Testament required two or three witnesses in the establishment of an accusation, Cf. Deuteronomy 19:15; and so did our Lord, Cf. Matthew 18:16; and so did Paul elsewhere, Cf. 2 Corinthians 13:1. Men or women who will not sign their name to an accusation should be rebuked for making it. We are not told just where and when and how such accusations are to be made. Are we to think of a public meeting in which accusers and accused face each other? or are we to understand this as only an informal, personal matter? This is best left up to the grace and wisdom of those involved.

1 Timothy 5:20. When an accusation is established against an elder or elders, something must be done. The guilty elder or elders are to be rebuked in the sight of all. Where and when is this to take place? The answer depends upon who is involved in the word allAre we to understand this to mean the rest of the elders, or the congregation? We prefer the latter inasmuch as the congregation selected the elders, the elders oversee the local congregation, and to them they are responsible. It only seems logical that where certain elders have proved themselves unworthy, all the congregation should know about it. This rebuke in the sight of all presupposes that the attempts of restoration described by our Lord have been made without success. Such a rebuke or discipline is the last effort to save such men and warn the church. There should be an effect for good on the rest of the eldership as well as the community. The rest durst not join themselves to them: howbeit the people magnified them. So said Luke of the results of the discipline of the church in Jerusalem, (Cf. Acts 5:13). A holy respect for the purity of life required by God for the officers of His church, should be the response of those who are participators and spectators in this experience.

1 Timothy 5:21. The exalted and strong words of Paul in this verse come as somewhat of a surprise. Why would it be necessary to say what he did? and how does it fit the context? Perhaps a vision of all the dear ones in the church at Ephesus, as well as those of the seven churches of Asia, came up before the eyes of his heart, as he thought of how vastly important good leadership is, and so he was prompted to say what he did. Could it be that he felt the limitation of paper and ink to communicate the depth of feelings he had about the matter of faithful shepherds, and injected this strong expression to impress upon Timothy his deep and true concern? We much prefer these thoughts to the opinion that Timothy was weak and variable in his attitude and work. If he was, why did Paul call him to the work? There were many others to whom he could have given the task.

It is more than a sobering thought that God, Christ and elect angels are all watching our actions and reading our thoughts. Remember, the all seeing and all-knowing God is a witness to your work among men. If we are prejudiced or partial, we shall finally give an account for it, How easy it is to allow friendship and personality to turn our heads and hearts. Prejudice is preference by pre-judgment; partiality is choice because of personal advantage.

1 Timothy 5:22. Continuing the thought broken by the charge of 1 Timothy 5:21, Paul speaks of the ordination of elders. The laying on of hands for setting men into office was a common practice in the early church: Cf. Acts 13:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 4:14; Acts 6:1-6. Titus 1:5 would be a companion reference as to the responsibility of the evangelist in this work. We are not to understand that the total service is up to the evangelist; the selection according to Acts 6:3 was the responsibility of the congregation. Acts 14:23 supports this thought: the word appointed means to elect with an outstretched hand. The only detailed method of selection is the reference in Acts 6:1-6. The qualifications for the office are made known by the evangelist. The congregation looks out men qualified for the office, and decides such by vote. After they have been selected they are set into the office by the laying on of the hands of the evangelist; (or the elders and evangelist). Paul's warning that this should not be done in haste is very, very important. To ordain in haste is to be a partaker in other men's sins. Is it a sin to have a man in office who is not qualified for the work? So it would seem from this verse. To be over-influenced by personal considerations, and for such reasons to lay hands on a candidate in the sacred service of ordination, is indeed a sin of giant magnitude.

Keep thyself pure must be an emphasis of what has just been said: keep your motives clean and holy in your part of appointing elders.

1 Timothy 5:23. Commentators have been at an almost complete loss to show the connection of this verse to the context. The directions for the honoring, correcting and selecting of elders surely has little to do with Paul's advice to take a little wine for your stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. Simpson suggests: It may be that having exhorted Timothy to -keep himself pure-' Paul's mind reverts to the consecration of the Nazarite in Numbers 6:1-27 where both words for -pure-' occur (in the LXX), with its solemn abjuration of wine. Now Timothy, conversant from childhood with the Old Testament Scriptures, may have regarded this vow of abstinence as a precedent binding on himself; and so it may have been meant to remind him that wine was one of the Lord's good gifts to man, at least medicinally beneficial, and that he lay under no embargo to taboo it. (Ibid. p. 80). Lenski suggests that Paul was aware of the close relationship between the body and the mind, and wanted Timothy in the best physical condition possible so as to be able to make the wisest choices in the spiritual realm. Either of these positions seems as fair an explanation as we might advance. As to the use of the expression a little wine as an excuse for moderate drinking, we have nothing but contempt! The passage speaks of the use of wine for medicinal purposes and this is all it says about the use of wine. A complete study of the subject of wine as used in the Bible will be found in the Special Study section of this book.

1 Timothy 5:24. Once again we are back to the general subject of this sectionthe eldership. Do not be in a hurry to set men into this holy responsibility. If you but wait you will be able to observe their conduct and know if they are fit material for the work. In some of their lives sin will be most obvious. Such men are, as it were, led by their sins on to the judgment. It is not so with some othersyou must wait awhilebut, by and by their general demeanor gives them away, and they follow where their evil desires lead them. None of this could be known if hasty judgment was made upon first impressions. This we believe is the meaning of 1 Timothy 5:24.

1 Timothy 5:25. The opposite is also truefor which we are thankful. The good works of some men are known by all. We should always be grateful that society as a rule has a sense of right and wrong, (whether the majority practice it or not), and good is recognized by all men for what it is. No man can continue in good works for a period of time without being identified as the source of such. The general admonition of 1 Timothy 5:24-25 is to wait awhile before appointment of eldersin this period of proving, the character of men will be made known.

Fact Questions 5:17-25

149.

What is the double honor due some elders? Please remember you are under no obligation to accept our opinion.

150.

Should some elders be paid for their work? Explain.

151.

When an elder is accused of sin, what is the procedure?

152.

Before whom should sinning elders be rebuked? Explain,

153.

What should be the good effect of such a rebuke? Explain. Why is it often the reverse?

154.

Explain the place and purpose of 1 Timothy 5:21.

155.

Explain the total ordination process.

156.

Why is it so important that we do not ordain in haste?

157.

How are we to understand the little phrase keep thyself pure?

158.

Attempt to show the connection of 1 Timothy 5:23 with the context,

159.

Is there a thought here for the moderate use of wine?

160.

How could sins go before unto judgment?

161.

Who is doing the following in 1 Timothy 5:24?

162.

In 1 Timothy 5:25 what cannot be hid, and why?

EXAMINATION OVER PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY

1.

Reproduce the outline of the letter.

2.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the Commandment of God our Saviour. Explain the Commandment in this verse.

3.

... and the goal of the charge is love out of a pure heart.. Explain the charge, and the arrival at the goal, i.e. how the goal is achieved.

4.

But we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully.. Explain the lawful use of the law.

5.

.. but I received mercy because being ignorant I acted in unbelief. Show how ignorance relates to mercybe careful here.

6.

.. the prophecies which led the way to you, that you might wage in them the good warfare.. Explain the prophecies, and Timothy's use of them.

7.

In order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. What is going to provide this type of life? Explain the cause of which this is a result,

8.

I desire therefore, that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing. Discuss the connection between prayer, wrath and disputing.

9.

Give the two reasons for saying: I do not permit a woman to teach.

10.

Faithful is the Word: if someone reaches after an overseership, he desires a good work. Discuss the words: reaches after and good work.

11.

Discuss two mental qualifications, and two personality qualifications of the bishop.

12.

Would a man who had developed the ability to superintend well by other means than rearing a family, be excluded from the eldership? If so why? If not why not?

13.

Explain the following phrase: And let these first be tested.

14.

Is there room for females in the office of deacon? Discuss.

15.

Give meaning to the following: Because every created thing of God is good, and nothing to be thrown away, being received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified thru God's word and petition. Explain especially the last phrase.

16.

Explain how godliness is profitable for all things.

17.

What gift or gifts did Timothy have? How did he get them? What was he to do with them?

18.

Answer the following questions about the enrollment of widows: 1) What is the meaning of the term enrollment? 2) For what purpose? 3) What qualifications? (state and explain at least two) 4) Should we practice it now?

19.

What is the double honor of the elders?

20.

Who is the blessed and only potentate.. Please explain from the context why you answer as you do.