1 Timothy 3.7-Paul Presents The Fifteenth Qualification That Must Be Met By Those Men Who Aspire To The Office Of Overseer
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday April 27, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 3:7-Paul Presents The Fifteenth Qualification That Must Be Met By Those Men Who Aspire To The Office Of Overseer
Lesson # 59
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 3:1.
The apostle Paul in verse 7 presents the fifteenth qualification that must be met by those men with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspire to the office of overseer in order for them to be promoted to this office.
This qualification demands that the man who aspires to the office of pastor-teacher must be an individual whose life consists of actions, which serve as testimony to his character and integrity.
The life of the pastor-teacher must reflect his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
He should have a reputation for character and integrity even with the unbeliever (See 1 Peter 2:12).
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. (NASU)
“And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church” is composed of the third person singular present active indicative form of the verb dei (δεῖ) (thee), “he must” and the conjunction de (δέ) (theh), “and” that is followed by the conjunction kai (καί) (keh) and the accusative feminine singular form of the noun marturia (μαρτυρία) (mah-tear-eeah), “a reputation” and the accusative feminine singular form of the adjective kalos (καλός) (kah-loce), “good” and the present active infinitive form of the verb echo (ἒχω) (eh-ho), “have” preposition apo (ἀπό) (ah-poe), “with” and its object is the articular genitive masculine plural form of the adverb exothen (ἒξωθεν) (ex-owe-then), “those outside.”
The conjunction de is used in an adjunctive sense meaning that it is introducing a qualification that is in addition to the previous fourteen qualifications listed in verses 2-6.
The conjunction kai is emphatic meaning that the word is emphasizing this fifteenth and final qualification that appears in the pericope.
It is emphasizing that it is extremely important that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher and who desires to be promoted to the office of overseer have a good reputation with unbelievers in order that he might not fall into disgrace and not be caught in the devil’s trap.
The pastor must have a good reputation among the unsaved in his community because he possesses a lifestyle of unquestioned integrity.
The verb dei expresses the necessity that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, who aspires to the office of overseer possess a good reputation with the unsaved in the community if he is to be promoted to this position.
The present tense of the verb is “gnomic” used of a general timeless fact indicating that it “is as an eternal spiritual truth” necessary or imperative that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, who aspires to the office of overseer possess a good reputation with the unsaved in his community.
The verb echo means “to possess a particular characteristic,” which is identified by the expression μαρτυρίαν καλὴν, “good reputation.”
This indicates that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who desires to be promoted to the office of overseer must “possess” a good reputation with the unsaved in his community.
The noun marturia means “reputation” and is used of the opinion of the unsaved with regards to the character and integrity of the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
It refers to the unsaved’s evaluation or assessment of the conduct and character of the man with the spiritual gift pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
The noun denotes the truthful evidence given by the unsaved in assessment of the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who desires to be promoted to the office of overseer.
It is the “testimony” of the unsaved with regards to the moral character of the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
The word speaks of the recognition by the unsaved that the aspiring overseer has a lifestyle that is marked by good moral character and integrity.
The adjective kalos means “excellent” and describes this reputation as being of a high moral quality or character with the implication that this person is a great benefit to the community in which he lives.
The articular form of the adverb exothen means “those outside” and refers to those who are not saved through faith alone in Christ alone and are thus not part of the Christian community from God’s perspective.
Paul uses the shorter form of exothen in order to refer to unbelievers in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, Colossians 4:5 and 1 Thessalonians 4:12.
1 Timothy 3:7 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. (NASU)
“So that he will not fall into reproach” is composed of the conjunction hina (ἵνα) (ee-nah), “so that” and the negative particle me (μή) (me), “not” that is followed by the preposition eis (εἰς) (eece), “into” and the accusative masculine singular form of the noun oneidismos (ὀνειδισμός) (own-ee-thee-smoce), “reproach” and the third person singular aorist active subjunctive form of the verb empipto (ἐμπίπτω) (em-beep-towe), “he will fall.”
The conjunction hina is employed with the subjunctive mood of the verb empipto, “fall” in order to form a purpose clause that presents Paul’s purpose for demanding that men with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, who aspire to the office of overseer, have an excellent reputation with the unbelievers in the community.
The verb empipto means “to fall into” in the sense of experiencing a particular state or condition.
Here it speaks of a man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer “falling into” reproach.
The verb’s meaning is negated by the negative particle me, which denies any idea of a man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to be promoted to the office of overseer falling into reproach because he has a bad reputation with the unsaved in his community.
The noun oneidismos means “disgrace” and speaks of justifiable reproach or rejection by the unbelievers due to immorality or improper behavior.
It refers to a total loss of credibility as a result of immoral or improper conduct.
1 Timothy 3:7 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. (NASU)
“And snare of the devil” is composed of the conjunction kai (καί) (keh), “and” which is followed by the accusative feminine singular form of the noun pagis (παγίς) (pie-yeece), “snare” and the articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun diabolos (διάβολος) (thee-ahvah-loce), “of the devil.”
The conjunction kai is consecutive meaning that it is introducing a clause that presents the result of falling into disgrace with the unsaved in the community or in other words, falling into disgrace “is the direct result of’ the devils’ trap.
The noun pagis means “snare” and refers to the various temptations such as pride, money, women and ambition that lead one into sin, which pastor-teachers are warned about throughout the Pastoral Epistles.
The noun diabolos means “devil” referring to God’s greatest enemy among the angels.
1 Timothy 3:7 speaks of the royal ambassadorship of the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
At the moment of conversion, God gives the church-age believer two royal commissions: (1) a royal ambassadorship (2 Corinthians 5:20), which means that the believer represents Christ before the unbeliever and (2) a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9), which means that the believer represents himself before God.
At the moment of his conversion, the church age believer was given a royal ambassadorship in which he is to represent the absent Christ who sits as the right hand of the Father and present the gospel message of peace with God to the unsaved through faith alone in Christ alone (2 Cor. 5:20a).
He is also to conduct himself with respect to the unsaved in an excellent and praiseworthy manner, bringing no reproach to the name of Christ.
1 Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (NASU)
As spiritual ambassadors, the church age believer represents the Lord Jesus Christ in the devil’s kingdom.
The church age believer represents the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ who is now absent from the earth because He sits at the right hand of God representing us before God the Father as our High Priest.
As royal ambassadors, believers are responsible for “witnessing” to the unbeliever, which is communicating God’s plan of salvation to unbelievers on a personal basis in two ways: (1) The example of your life (2 Cor. 3:3; 6:3). (2) Your words (2 Cor. 5:18-21; 6:2).
Just like an ambassador in the natural realm does not belong to the country to which he is sent so church age believers are citizens of heaven, and do not belong to the devil’s world (Phil. 3:20).
Every church age believer as a royal ambassador for Christ has the responsibility to proclaim the gospel to the unbeliever and to conduct himself an excellent fashion with respect to them so as to lead them to the Savior.