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; a... [ Continue Reading ]
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 salvation through the birth of a Son, or through the incarnate Son of God, for men and women that believe in... [ Continue Reading ]
A BISHOP THEN MUST BE BLAMELESS,.... Or "an elder", as the Syriac version renders it; not that it can be expected that such an one should be entirely free from sin, or be blameless in the sight of God; but that he should be one, who is so before men, and has not been guilty of any notorious and flag... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT GIVEN TO WINE,.... One that does not sit at it, or is continually drinking it, and is intemperate in the use of it; otherwise it is lawful for persons in such an office to drink wine, and sometimes absolutely necessary; see 1 Timothy 5:23 it signifies one that is not given to much wine, as in 1... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE THAT RULETH WELL HIS OWN HOUSE,.... His family, wife, children, and servants; and is not to be understood of his body, and of keeping of that under, and of preserving it chaste and temperate, as appears from what follows: HAVING HIS CHILDREN IN SUBJECTION WITH ALL GRAVITY; keeping a good decoru... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF A MAN KNOW NOT HOW TO RULE HIS OWN HOUSE,.... Which is an affair of less importance, and more easy to be done; not requiring so much resolution, prudence, care, and thought: HOW SHALL HE TAKE CARE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD? preside over it, rule in it, provide for it, and see that everything is i... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT A NOVICE,.... Or one newly planted, the Arabic version adds, "in the faith"; meaning not a young man, for so was Timothy himself; but a young professor and church member; one that is lately come to the knowledge of the truth, and has just embraced and professed it, and become a member of a churc... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, HE MUST HAVE A GOOD REPORT OF THEM WHICH ARE WITHOUT, c,] That is, "without the church", as the Arabic version reads for wicked men, though they dislike the principles and profession of godly ministers, and despise their office, yet cannot but speak well of their becoming life and conversa... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKEWISE MUST THE DEACONS BE GRAVE,.... The apostle proceeds to give the qualifications, and so the rules for choosing another sort of officers in the church, deacons; whose work and business is, not to preach the Gospel, and administer ordinances; but to take care of the secular affairs of the chur... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLDING THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH,.... The doctrine of the Gospel, called the "faith", because it contains things to be believed; proposes Christ the object of faith; is the means by which faith comes, and is unprofitable without it: it is called "the mystery", because it is of divine revelation, and... [ Continue Reading ]
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, cho... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO MUST THEIR WIVES BE GRAVE,.... Some instead of "wives" read "women", and understand them of deaconesses, such as were in the primitive churches; whose business it was to visit the poor and sick sisters of the church, and take care of things belonging to them; but it is better to interpret th... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE DEACONS BE THE HUSBANDS OF ONE WIFE,.... 1 Timothy 3:2 RULING THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR OWN HOUSES WELL. These qualifications are the same with those of the bishop or elder; 1 Timothy 3:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY THAT HAVE USED THE OFFICE OF A DEACON WELL,.... With diligence and faithfulness, with simplicity and cheerfulness; taking good care of the minister and poor, and of the discipline of God's house: PURCHASE TO THEMSELVES A GOOD DEGREE; not an higher office, as that of presbytery or episcopac... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS WRITE I UNTO THEE,.... Concerning the offices of bishops and deacons, their several qualifications, and the rules of judging of persons fit for such service: HOPING TO COME UNTO THEE SHORTLY; at Ephesus. He could not tell whether he could come or not, and therefore makes no promise, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF I TARRY LONG,.... Or should long delay coming, defer it longer than may be expected; let it be observed that these things are written, THAT THOU MAYEST KNOW HOW THOU OUGHTEST TO BEHAVE THYSELF IN THE HOUSE OF GOD; that is, the church of God, as it is afterwards explained; called a house, in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WITHOUT CONTROVERSY GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS,.... What follows is so, the incarnation of Christ, his birth of a virgin, the union of the two natures, divine and human, in his person; this is a mystery, which though revealed, and so to be believed, is not to be discerned nor accounted fo... [ Continue Reading ]