I Timothy 3 · The Lantern

Qualifications for Overseers

Trustworthy is the saying: if anyone aspires to overseership, he desires a good work.

Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the prophets and teachers.

"I want to be a bishop; oh, if only I were a bishop!" Would that you were! Are you seeking the name or the real thing? If it's the real thing you're seeking, you are setting your heart on a good work. If it's the name you're seeking, you can have it even with a bad work but with a worse punishment. So what shall we say? Are there bad bishops?

Above, he instructed Timothy on matters pertaining to the true faith and the worship of God; here he treats about the appointment to ecclesiastical offices: first, the instruction; second, the occasion or need for this instruction, at these things I write to you.

It behooves the overseer therefore to be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach;

Some people run down the law and marriage. To them it is as if marriage were alien to the new covenant and merely a legalism. What do they say in face of this text? Especially those who have such an aversion to sex and childbirth—what have they to say in answer?

And the Apostle has established a law, saying: "If any man be without reproach the husband of one wife." So then he who is without blame the husband of one wife comes within the rule for undertaking the priestly office; he, however, who has married again has no guilt of pollution, but is disqualified for the priestly prerogative.

Then he mentions the qualities of a bishop, when he says it behooves a bishop to be blameless: first, he describes him in general; second, in detail, at the husband of one wife. He says, therefore: I say that he desires a good work; but not everyone is fit for this work: for he must be blameless.

not given to wine, not a striker but gentle, peaceable, not loving money;

Beloved brethren! That a man should build up and establish the brethren on the faith in one God, this also is manifest and well-known. This too, again, is comely, that a man should not be envious of his neighbour. And moreover, again, it is suitable and comely that all those who work the works of the Lord should work the works of the Lord in the fear of God.

Let your breath never smell of wine, lest the philosopher's words be said to you, "Instead of offering me a kiss, you are giving me a taste of wine." Priests given to wine are both condemned by the apostle and forbidden by the old law.… Whatever intoxicates and disturbs the balance of the mind, avoid as you would wine.

Then when he says, not given to wine, not a striker, but modest, he removes the opposite vices. And he removes three things: one pertains to concupiscence; the second to anger; and the third to avarice. In regard to the first he says, not given to wine. He means more than he actually says: be not drunk with wine wherein is luxury (Eph 5:18).

managing his own household well, having children in submission with all dignity —

Such a one a bishop ought to be, who has been the "husband of one wife," who also has herself had no other husband, "ruling well his own house." In this manner let examination be made when he is to receive ordination, and to be placed in his bishopric, whether he be grave, faithful, decent; whether he hath a grave and faithful wife, or has formerly had such a one; whether he ha…

As a good overseer of his children, the father's task is not to abdicate to their opinion but to teach them all the virtues, even if he must act strongly to shape their wills.

Above, the Apostle outlined the qualities of a bishop in himself; now he describes the qualities he should have in view of his relationships to the multitude: first, to the multitude of the domestic family; second, to the multitude in the Church, at not a neophyte; third, to the multitude of unbelievers, at he must have a good testimony.

but if one does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God? —

Therefore he asks, "if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?" For the Church is, as it were, a small household, and as in a house there are children and wife and domestics, and the man has rule over them all; just so in the Church there are women, children, servants.

A household is nothing other than a small church. Therefore, if he cannot be a good ruler of what is not great, and is easily defined, and easily known, then how can he govern the characters and thoughts — unimaginable — of so many souls? Worthy of attention is the question of why the apostle, while making such demands of laypeople: "Put to death your earthly members" (Col.

Then when he says, but if a man does not know, he gives the reason for his admonition. For it might be said: if a bishop rules his family well, what does that have to do with his care of the community? And so he says, if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?

not a novice, so that he may not be puffed up and fall into the judgment of the devil.

And it behooves him also to have a good testimony from those outside, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Let us see, then, in what order the high priest is appointed. "Moses," he says, "gathered together the congregation, and says to them: This is the word which the Lord commanded." Although, therefore, the Lord had commanded concerning the appointing of the high priest and the Lord had chosen him, nevertheless the congregation too is gathered together.

At least the wishes of the citizens should have been waited for, and the testimony of the people: the opinion of those held in honour should have been asked, and the choice of the clergy—things which those who know the rules of the fathers are wont to observe in the ordination of priests: that the rule of the Apostle's authority might in all things be kept, which enjoins that o…

Then when he says, moreover, he must have a good testimony, he shows how the bishop must behave in relation to the multitude of unbelievers: first, he must have a good reputation: walk with wisdom toward those who are without (Col 4:5); having your conversation good among the gentiles (1 Pet 2:12).

Qualifications for Deacons

Ministers likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of dishonest gain,

Knowing, then, that "God is not mocked," we ought to walk worthy of His commandment and glory. In like manner should the deacons be blameless before the face of His righteousness, as being the servants of God and Christ, and not of men.

"Not double-tongued" means that the deacon is not to be a person who says one thing to one person and something else to another.

Then when he says, deacons in like manner, he shows what pertains to deacons, which in Greek means the same as ministers. For in the early Church there were three orders, as Dionysius says: bishops, priests, and ministers, and they were not divided into various stages, but all were of one order because of the scarcity of ministers and the newness of the Church.

holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

And here he requires, though in other words, that he be "not a novice," where he says, "Let these also first be proved," where the conjunction "also" is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops, for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason for the "not a novice" in that case.

The mystery of faith referred to by the apostle here is the teaching about Christ, which he is about to expound in what follows.

But in regard to performing he says, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience: first, he instructs them in regard to the faith; second, in regard to purity of conscience. Hence he says, the mystery of faith, and not faith, i.e., have not only the faith, but an understanding of that which is hidden under faith.

And let these also be tested first; then let them minister, being blameless.

For, since it is written, "That one should first be proved, and so minister" (1 Tim. iii. 10), much more ought he first to be proved who is taken as an intercessor for the people, lest bad priests should become the cause of the people's ruin.

Then when he says, and let these also first be proved, and so let them minister, he shows how they should be examined. For someone might say: I consider all men good; for this ought to be in your character. But for their promotion all are to be examined; hence they too are examined.

Women likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, clear-minded, faithful in all things.

Let ministers be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well;

"Let the Deacons be husbands of one wife." This must be understood therefore to relate to Deaconesses. For that order is necessary and useful and honorable in the Church. Observe how he requires the same virtue from the Deacons, as from the Bishops, for though they were not of equal rank, they must equally be blameless; equally pure.

Do you see that the apostle requires from deacons the very same virtue that he required from bishops? For they too must equally be pure and blameless. He speaks everywhere about the management of children, so that others may not have occasion for scandal.

Above, the Apostle showed what should be the character of deacons and their wives; here he shows how deacons should behave toward their wives and children and family: first, he gives the advice; second, the reason, at for they who have ministered well.

for those having ministered well acquire for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

"For they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and much boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." "They that use the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree," that is, advancement, "and much boldness in the faith of Jesus Christ"; as if he would say, that those who have been found vigilant in the lower deg…

The keeper of the wine cellar for the community shall be chosen out of the community, discreet, mature in his behavior and sober. If a brother chance to demand anything unreasonable of him, he is not to be contemptuous in his refusal but to refuse reasonably and humbly. He is to be careful of his own soul and remember that St.

Then he exhorts them to rule their whole house well, i.e., their family, namely, with gentleness: be not as a lion in your house, terrifying them of your household and oppressing those who are under you (Sir 4:35). And he gives the reason for this when he says, for they who have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree.

The Mystery of Godliness

These things I write to you, hoping to come to you with speed;

"These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. 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." That he may not plunge Timothy into dejection by giving him orders about such matters, he says, I write thus not as though I were not com…

Lest by giving him instruction concerning such matters he cast the disciple into grief, as though Paul would no longer see him, he says: I do not write this because I will no longer come; on the contrary, I will come. However, if it happens that I am delayed, you must have a model of how it is fitting for you to live.

Then when he says, these things I write to you, he presents the reason for all the above mentioned admonitions: first, he excludes a supposed reason; second, he states the true one, at but if I tarry; third, he assigns the reason, at which is the Church.

but if I delay, so that you may know how it behooves one to conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.

Such, then, are the first principles of the Gospel: that there is one God, the Maker of this universe; He who was also announced by the prophets, and who by Moses set forth the dispensation of the law,-[principles] which proclaim the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and ignore any other God or Father except Him.

Accordingly, as Scripture says, Jacob became rich by such means and reared a very good flock for Christ. He improved it with the title of faith and a diversity of virtues, the marks of a glorious name.

Hence he says, but if I tarry long; for we would have come unto you, I Paul indeed, once and again: but Satan has hindered us (1 Thess 2:18); I write that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God: God makes men of one mind to dwell in a house (Ps 67:7).

And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness: Who was made manifest in flesh, justified in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

I Timothy3

Qualifications for Overseers

Qualifications for Deacons

The Mystery of Godliness