1 Timothy 3:1-7

Introduction

After reading the text, a few questions popped up immediately.

If the office of a bishop is a good work then why do so few people desire this office?

Is a bishop a desired or called position?

What does bishop mean?

When Paul says a bishop must rule his house well, what did he mean?

How does this fit within the context of 1 Timothy?

Should a church have one bishop or a plurality of bishops?

A Good Work

1 Timothy 3:1 “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”

The basis of the office of a bishop being a good work is the opening words - “This is a true saying.”

3 point about this phrase:

The word “true” means “trustworthy or faithful.” This same word is translated “faithful” 10 times throughout the pastoral epistles.

Therefore, the message the word conveys is you can stake your life on the truthfulness of what is said.

If we are going to stake our life on what is said then we need to know the source of what is being said.

I have seen this a number of times where parents staked their reputation on something their kid said versus something a trusted adult said. As much as parents should love their kids, historically, children are not beacons of truth.

The Apostle Paul was arguably the greatest of the apostles. Yet, the Bereans did not stake their life exclusively on what Paul said. Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Even Paul said: 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

The authority behind “this is a true saying” was not organic to Paul but God. God is the basis, foundation, and authority on the office of a bishop being a good work.

Paul used this phrase a number of times in the pastoral epistles:

1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

1 Timothy 4:8–9 “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.”

2 Timothy 2:11 “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:”

Titus 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

The significance of Paul using this phrase was to grab Timothy’s attention regarding truth. There is no syntactical different between Paul writing, “this is a true saying” and Jesus saying “verily, verily.” Both phrases served the same purpose of drawing the attention to what was about to be said.

The first time Paul used this phrase was to remind Timothy of Jesus’ saving power. He can save anyone.

The second time Paul used this phrase falls in line with the theme of the epistle. 1 Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” A church needs to start with leadership if they are going to behave themselves appropriately in the church. Probably, the reason the church was not where they should have been behaviorally was their leadership.

They were teaching untruths (based upon 1 Timothy 1:3–4 “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”) and based upon the end of chapter 2 and our text this morning likely had disqualified people in teaching positions.

What did Paul mean by the term “bishop.”

The term “bishop” means “overseer.” Within the context of 1 Timothy and the Bible, a bishop was the overseer of a local church. It was not until the 2nd century that we begin to read of bishops over a number of churches that had pastors.

Biblical evidence supports that Bishops and Elders were two terms for the same position - pastor.

Paul and Ephesus

Acts 20:17 “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.”

Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Peter appealed to the “elders” among them to serve as “Oversight” over the flock. 1 Peter 5:1–2 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”

Philippians 1:1 “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”

Titus 1:5–7 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”

Why two terms for the same position?

“Elder” was a Jewish term (every synagogue had its elders) and indicated the seniority of the pastor.

“Bishop” had a Greek origin (It was used of municipal officials, supervisors of subject cities) and indicated the superintending nature of the pastor’s ministry.

Therefore, “elder” denotes the function and ‘bishop” denotes the dignity.

The office of a bishop is a good work.

The word “good” is an adjective describing the kind of work the office of a bishop is.

The word “good” has the idea of inherent beauty and noble. The office provides care and nurture through prayer and the word of God’s people.

Desire

To stretch our for. To be all in.

Is the pastoral position called or desired?

Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

What Paul does in 1 Timothy 3 is add two other items to the pastoral office:

They need to be called of God

They need to desire the office

They must meet qualifications.

Qualifications

1 Timothy 3:2–7 “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

Character

1 Timothy 3:2–3 “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”

Blameless - Above reproach - the idea is the pastor has to have a blameless reputation. “Blameless” has to do with irreproachable observable conduct.

Special targets of Satan

Their fall has greater potential for harm

Greater responsibility, greater chastening

More hypocritical than others becasue they preach against it.

His fidelity in marriage - “the husband of one wife.” There are several views to this statement:

You have to be married to be a pastor

You cannot be a polygamist and be a pastor.

You cannot be divorced and remarried

However, Jesus allows divorce for serious sexual sin (Matthew 5:31-32 and Matthew 19:9).

Paul in the case of a newly converted person whose spouse remained unconverted and was unwilling to continue the marriage (1 Corinthians 7:12).

Paul excludes those who are widowed and remarried

Paul is excluding those guilty of married unfaithfulness. Another way of saying the same statement is the pastor must be faithful to his one wife.

Hendrickson - a man of unquestioned morality, one who is entirely true and faithful to his one and only wife.

Knight - A man who having contracted a monogamous marriage is faithful to his marriage vows.

Vigilant, sober and good behavior

Vigilant - The word is translated in other places as “sober.” JM - literally means wineless or not mixed with wine. Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: And whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” The word means to be calm, dispassionate, and circumspect.

Sober - To have a sound mind.

Good behavior - Good behavior is the manifestation of being sober.

His hospitality - A love for strangers.

Apt to teach

In the midst or moral qualities there is a professional quality apt to teach.

Not given to wine

Drinking and teaching do not go well together.

The idea is not having wine master you.

No striker - His temper

Not given to filthy lucre - Sordid gain

Balaam

Gehazzi

Judas Iscariot

Patient

Mild

Gentle

Not a brawler - contentious

Not covetous - literally, not a lover of money.

Home

1 Timothy 3:4–5 “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”

Not only must the pastor be the husband of one wife, but he needs to rule his house well. Particularly, the behavior of his children. If his children do not respect him how can he expect the church to respect him. If he does not know how to rule his house then how can he take care of the church of God?

The home can be a microcosm of the church family. There is conflict that needs to be resolved, love needs to be maintained, unity must be established, and serving each other.

Seasoned

1 Timothy 3:6 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

Good report

1 Timothy 3:7 “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

Conclusion