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The Bible Study New Testament

1 Timothy 3:1

A church leader. Here for the first time the qualifications and work of church leaders and church helpers are examined. Without a doubt, the first Christians took the synagogue as a model or pattern for work and worship. This was doubtless God's providence at work. Compare notes on Acts 2:44-45 about the new attitude found in Christians. Paul here praises those who have lawful ambition, and tells how to measure them. [The titles "elder" and "deacon" are used in "standard English" in an unbiblical way, because of the practices in many church groups. See note on Ephesians 4:11.]

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See also 1 Timothy 3:1 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    1 TIMOTHY 3:1 pisto,j {A} The origin of the variant reading avnqrw,pinoj o` lo,goj (“it is a human saying,” i.e. “a common [or popular] saying”), supported by several Western witnesses (D* itd, 86 Am...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER III. _Concerning bishops, their qualifications and work_, 1-7. _Of deacons, and how they should be proved_, 8-10. _Of their wives and children, and how they should be governed_, 11-13. _H...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THIS IS A TRITE SAYING - Greek, “Faithful is the word” - the very phrase which is used in 1 Timothy 1:15; see the notes on that verse. The idea here is, that it was worthy of credence; it was not to b...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    III. CONCERNING THE HOUSE OF GOD CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The overseer (1 Timothy 3:1)_ 2. The deacon (1 Timothy 3:8) 3. The house of God and the mystery of Godliness (1 Timothy 3:14)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    (_b_) III. 1 TIMOTHY 3:1. Church Officials. 1 Timothy 3:1. The Bishops. Not only public worship, but also the appointment of officials, must be regulated. He who exercises oversight a good work, as i...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    There is a saying which everyone must believe--if a man aspires to the office of overseer in the Church, it is a fine work on which his heart is set. An overseer must be a man against whom no criticis...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH (1 Timothy 3:1-7)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TRUE. faithful. App-150. See 1 Timothy 1:16. SAYING. App-121. IF. MAN. lf (App-118. a) ANY ONE (App-123.) DESIRE. Greek. _oregomai_, Here, 1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 11:16

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The duties and characters of Bishops or Presbyters Following the directions concerning the general arrangements for public worship come instructions as to the character and qualifications of the appo...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    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...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    For πιστός D2* has ἀνθρώπινος, following its Latin version _humanus_, which is also read by m; g has _humanus vel fidelis_. see on 1 Timothy 1:15. 1. ΠΙΣΤῸΣ Ὁ ΛΌΓΟΣ. This formula (see on 1 Timothy 1:1...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    II. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE OFFICIALS OF THE CHURCH 1–7. i. BISHOPS Having spoken of the conduct of public worship, the Apostle proceeds to expound the qualifications requisite for those who hold offic...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΉ (G1984) епископство (NIDNTT; TDNT; ABD, 2:768-69; ZPEB, 1:617-20; DPL, 131-37; BBC), ΟΡΈΓΕΤΑΙ _praes. ind. med. от_ ΌΡΈΓΩ (G3713) тянуться, стремиться, желать. В НЗ используется только в фор...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    III. CHURCH OFFICERS 3:1-16 A. Office of the Overseer (1 Timothy 3:1-7) 1. THE ELDER. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 _TEXT 3:1-7_ 1 Faithful is the saying, if a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 'Faithful is the saying.' A needful preface; for the office of a bishop in Paul's day, being attended with ha...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    3 Translators have experienced much difficulty with this opening sentence, because it seemed to lack the principal verb. The A V adds _ so do_, the Revisers _ so do I now_. It is very seldom that any...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    5 This passage is primarily intended to break down the bounds in which salvation had hitherto been confined. The testimony of past eras is no basis on which to build in this era. The testimony to the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CONCERNING THE OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH 1-7. The fourth charge to Timothy, in respect to presbyters....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DESIRETH A GOOD WORK] i.e. a noble occupation....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW TO BE A LEADER IN THE CHURCH 1 TIMOTHY _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 3 WHAT AN *ELDER MUST BE LIKE (3:1-7) V1 Anyone who aims to be a leader in the church desires a good task. That is true. V2 But...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    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 t...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 10 ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY; VARIOUS CERTAINTIES AND PROBABILITIES DISTINGUISHED. - 1 Timothy 3:1 THIS passage is one of the most important in the New Testament respecting the Christi...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The qualifications of the men who are to be ministers; and first (_a_) of the episcopus (vv.1-7) secondly (_b_) of the deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13) with a parenthetical instruction respecting women chur...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    πιστὸς ὁ λόγος : This refers to the exegesis of Genesis which has preceded. (So Chrys.). We may compare Barnabas, § 9, where, after an allegorical explanation of Abraham's 318 servants, the writer exc...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _to 1 Timothy 3:1_ _a_. The ministers of public prayer must be the men of the congregation, not the women. A woman's positive duty is to make herself conspicuous by good works, not by personal display...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FITNESS FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP 1 Timothy 3:1 One of Timothy's most urgent duties was to take care that those who held office in the churches were beyond reproach. The tone of a Christian community...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Turning to the government of the Church, the apostle deals with two orders, bishops and deacons. The bishop is an overseer, whose duty it is to watch over the flock. The apostle describes the qualific...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    QUALIFICATIONS OF BISHOPS Paul turned from leadership in worship to leadership in the church. Men are not to be drafted into this work against their will but must desire this work. Spain says the word...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    This (1) [is] a true saying, (2) If a man (a) desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1) Having completed the treatise of doctrine and of the manner of handling of it, as well also of...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _He desireth a good work. No doubt but the work, or office, and charge of a bishop is good; but the motive of desiring to be a bishop not always good. However, in those days, the desire could scarce b...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) В¶ This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (2) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given t...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The Apostle here enters upon the Subject of the Ministry. He shows how the Office should be sacredly observed: with their Connections. The Chapter closeth most blessedly, concerning the grea...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    1 Timothy 1:1-20. We enter now on the confidential communications of the apostle to some of his fellow-labourers, and tonight on the epistles to Timothy. The two have much in common, but they have als...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE_ ‘The office of a bishop.’ 1 Timothy 3:1 There are, and have been from the earliest times, three Orders in the ministry. St. Paul in this chapter describes the qualifications...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1_It is a true saying _Chrysostom thinks, that this is the conclusion of the preceding doctrine. But I do not approve of the opinion; for Paul commonly makes use of this form of expression as a prelud...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The apostle next points out to Timothy the qualities necessary for a bishop or a deacon, as well as for the wife of the latter. [4] He supposes here that there were some who desired to undertake this...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THIS IS A TRUE SAYING,.... Some think this clause belongs to the last verse of the preceding chapter; and then the sense is, this is a doctrine that is true, and to be believed, that there is salvatio...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    This _is_ a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. Ver. 1. _If a man desire_] As no woman, so neither may every man desire the office of a minister, but such on...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Because some false teachers were now spreading their erroneous doctrines with assiduity among the believers at Ephesus, and it was necessary that Timothy (to whom the care of the church there was comm...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP, OR PASTOR....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    If before we have seen personal conduct that is to be consistent with assembly character, this chapter, while dealing with personal character still, connects it directly with the order of the assembly...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 1. Desire - How important is it for a man to desire to serve as an elder? Should men be appointed even if they...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    From regulations concerning public worship Paul naturally moves to. consideration of the qualifications of those who oversee the local congregation. The purpose of this section is to give the local co...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-7 If a man desired the pastoral office, and from love to Christ, and the souls of men, was ready to deny himself, and undergo hardships by devoting himself to that service, he sought to be employed...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    OLBGrk; 1 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3 1 TIMOTHY 3:1 The office of a bishop is to be esteemed a good work. 1 TIMOTHY 3:2 The qualifications requisite in a bishop, 1 TIMOTHY 3:8 and in deacons....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian A Treatise on the Soul To ourselves even does the apostle allow the concupiscible quality. "If any man," says he, "desireth the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work."[112] Tertulli...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Timothy 3:1 faithful G4103 saying G3056 man G1536 desires G3713 (G5731) bishop G1984 desires G1937 (G5719) good...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Timothy 3:1. A TRUE SAYING. Better as before, ‘faithful,' so as to keep the identity of phrase before the English reader. THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP, or overseer, was not likely, at the time when St. P...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    FAITHFUL IS THE SAYING (πιστος ο λογος). Here the phrase points to the preceding words (not like 1 Timothy 1:15) and should close the preceding paragraph.IF A MAN SEEKETH (ε τις ορεγετα). Conditio...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Qualifications of elders and deacons. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Satan. CONCLUSION: Those having places of authority in the church must be blameless, not lying under any scandal, watchful ag...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Timothy 3:1. _This is a true saying,_ an indubitable word, _if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work,_ a laudable sphere of labour and usefulness. But by the idea of a primiti...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The office of a bishop._ THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP A GOOD WORK If a man desire the office of a bishop from right principles, he desireth. not a secular dignity--not a good benefice--not a post of hon...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 TIMOTHY—NOTE ON 1 TIMOTHY 3:1 In listing the qualifications for the overseer of a church, Paul emphasizes character rather than specific duties. The list describes a person of mature Christian chara...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ 1 Timothy 3:1. THIS IS A TRUE SAYING.—See note on 1 Timothy 1:15. IF ANY MAN DESIRE THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP.—It is generally admitted that to the latest New Testament t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 TIMOTHY 3:1 _Faithful is the saying _for _this is a true saying_,_ _A.V.; _seeketh _for _desire_,_ _A.V. FAITHFUL IS THE SAYING (see above, 1 Timothy 1:15, note). This manifestly refers...

  • The Typology of Scripture by Patrick Fairbairn

    CHAPTER III The apostle here continues his special instructions to Timothy, but directs them to another topic, and one of still greater moment to the right order and government of the church; namely,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Tonight we will be studying First Timothy three and four. It is interesting as Paul writes to Timothy on several occasions, he uses phrases that are interesting to me. He said, This is a faithful sayi...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 4:15; 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:14;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    This is a true saying [π ι σ τ ο ς ο λ ο γ ο ς]. Better, faithful is the saying. See on ch. 1 Timothy 1:15. Desire [ο ρ ε γ ε τ α ι]. Better, seeketh. Only here, ch. 6 10, and Hebrews 11:16. Originall...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    He desireth a good work — An excellent, but laborious, employment....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. Our apostle acquaints Timothy with the dignity, honour, and excellency of the sacred function: HE THAT DESIRETH THE OFFICE OF. BISHOP, that is, to rule and teach in the church of God,...

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Old Testament