Pastor-Teacher Series: The Qualifications Required for the Man with the Gift of Pastor-Teacher to Assume the Office of Overseer

In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, Paul discusses the qualifications of the man who aspires to the office of overseer, i.e. the gift of pastor-teacher.

1 Timothy 3:1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), 6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (NASB95)

Titus 1:5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. (NASB95)

1 Timothy 3:1-7 contains what scholars call a “duty code” or we could call it simply a “code of conduct.”

This pericope corresponds and parallels the duty code in Titus 1:6-9.

That they correspond to each other is indicated in that a specific introductory line appears in each passage which is “it is necessary for the overseer to be above reproach” (anepilempton, 1 Timothy 3:2), “it is necessary for the overseer to be beyond reproach” (anenkleton, Titus 1:7).

In both lists, both positive and negative characteristics appear.

The positive characteristics are to be manifested by the overseer and the negative ones must not.

There are fifteen qualifications listed by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:2-7 and 17 in Titus 1:6-9.

Many of the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:2-7 appear in Titus 1:6-9, therefore, when we don’t count the duplicates we have twenty-five qualifications listed by the apostle Paul.

The number twenty-five is significant in Scripture because being the square of five; the number twenty-five expresses the essence of the signification of five, i.e. grace.

Of these twenty-five qualifications listed by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:2-7 and Titus 1:6-9, seventeen are positive and eight are negative.

The list of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 indicate that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher had to demonstrate that he possessed these qualifications and that they must stand out as prominent and consistent in his life before he can be assigned to oversee a local assembly.

In other words, even though he had the gift of pastor-teacher, he was not promoted until these characteristics were prominent and consistently being manifested in his life.

This is the reason for Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 5:5-6 where in the context of addressing pastors, he teaches the younger men with the gift to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God in order that He might promote them at the proper time.

1 Timothy 3 is a continuation of 1 Timothy 2:11-15 in which Paul prohibited Christian women from assuming a leadership role in the body of Christ and gave his reasons for this prohibition.

Now, in chapter 3 he continues his discussion regarding the qualifications for those in leadership positions in the body of Christ, namely those men with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, which is referred to by the term “overseer” and leadership, which is referred to by the term “deacon.”

This two-fold aspect of church leadership began with the early first century apostolic church, which is indicated by Acts 6.

This passage reveals that there was a group that taught, namely the apostles and then those who were designated as deacons who did not teach but helped the apostles administrate the church so that they could be occupied with the ministry of the Word and prayer.

Acts 6 records a crisis that arose in the early days of the church during the first century A.D.

The apostles dealt with this crisis by exercising their delegated authority by creating the office of deacon.

Remember the Lord delegated authority to the apostles (Matthew 16:17-19).

The Lord gave the apostles authority and in Acts 6 we see the apostles exercising this delegated authority that they received from the Lord.

Out of this crisis arose the office of deacon.

1 Timothy 3 can be divided into five sections: (1) Commendation of the Overseer (verse 1). (2) Qualifications of the Overseer (verses 3-7). (3) Qualifications of the Deacon (verses 8-13). (4) Paul’s Purpose of Pointing Out These Qualifications (verses 14-15). (5) Poem About the Incarnation that Supports the Uniqueness of Christianity (verse 16).

This chapter is addressing the situation in Ephesus at the time of writing, which Paul describes in chapter 1, which reveals that certain pastors in Ephesus were teaching false doctrine as a result of adhering to the teaching of the Judaizers.

Consequently, these pastors were occupied with Jewish myths which were the result of misinterpreting the genealogies of Genesis.

They were misapplying the Law, which was hindering the spiritual growth of the Ephesian church.