Let us begin with another segment from the
Barclay commentary on the first three verses of
1Timothy 3.
THIS passage is also interesting in that it tells us
something of the appointment and the duties of the
leaders of the Church.
(1) They were formally set apart for their office.
Titus was to ordain elders in every church (Titus
1:5). The office-bearer of the church is not made an
office-bearer in secret but is publicly set apart;
the honour of the church is delivered into his hands
in public.
Quoted verse:
Titus 1:5
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:
(2) They had to undergo a period of testing. They
had first to be proved (1 Timothy 3:10). No one
builds a bridge or a piece of machinery with metal
which has not been tested. The Church might do well
to be stricter than it is in the testing of those
chosen for leadership.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 3:10
And let these also first be proved; then let them
use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
(3) They were paid for the work which they had to
do. The labourer deserved to be paid (1 Timothy
5:18). The Christian leader does not work for pay;
but, on the other hand, the duty of the church which
chose him for the work is to supply him with the
means to live.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 5:18
For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the
ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is
worthy of his reward.
(4) They could be reprimanded (1 Timothy 5:19–22).
In the early Church, the office-bearer had a double
function. He was a leader of the church, but he was
also the servant of the church. He had to answer for
his stewardship. Christian office-bearers must never
think themselves answerable to no one; they are
answerable to God and to the people over whom God
gave them the task of presiding.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 5:19-22
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but
before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also
may fear.
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe
these things without preferring one before another,
doing nothing by partiality.
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker
of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
(5) They had the duty of presiding over the
Christian assembly and of teaching the Christian
congregation (1 Timothy 5:17). The Christian
office-bearer has the double duty of administration
and instruction. It may well be that one of the
tragedies of the modern Church is that the
administrative function of the office-bearer has
almost entirely taken the place of the teaching
function. It is, for instance, sad to see how few
elders of the Church are actively engaged in the
teaching work of Sunday Schools.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 5:17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of
double honour, especially they who labour in the
word and doctrine.
(6) The office-bearer was not to be a recent
convert. Two reasons are given for this advice. The
first is quite clear. It is ‘in case he becomes
inflated with a sense of his own importance’. The
second is not so clear. It is, as the Revised
Standard Version has it, ‘lest he fall into the
condemnation of the devil’. There are three possible
explanations of that strange phrase.
(a) It was through his pride that Lucifer rebelled
against God and was expelled from heaven. And this
may simply be a second warning against the danger of
pride.
(b) It may mean that, if the convert who makes
progress too rapidly becomes guilty of pride, he
gives the devil a chance to level his charges
against him. A conceited church office bearer gives
the devil a chance to say to critics of the Church:
‘Look! There’s your Christian! There’s your church
member! That’s what an office-bearer is like!’
(c) The word diabolos has two meanings. It means
devil, and that is the way in which the Revised
Standard Version has taken it here; but it also
means slanderer. It is in fact the word used for
slanderer in verse 11, where the women are forbidden
to be slanderers. So, this phrase may mean that the
recent convert, who has been appointed to office and
has become, as we say, big headed, gives opportunity
to the slanderers. His unworthy conduct is
ammunition for those who are ill-disposed to the
Church. No matter how we take it, the point is that
the conceited church official is a liability to the
Church. But, as the early Church saw it, the
responsibility of the office-bearer did not begin
and end in the church. He had two other spheres of
responsibility, and if he failed in them he was
bound also to fail in the church.
(1) His first sphere of duty was his own home. If a
man did not know how to rule his own household, how
could he engage upon the task of ruling the
congregation of the church (1 Timothy 3:5)? A man
who had not succeeded in making a Christian home
could hardly be expected to succeed in making a
Christian congregation. A man who had not instructed
his own family could hardly be the right man to
instruct the family of the church.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 3:5
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house,
how shall he take care of the church of God?).
(2) The second sphere of responsibility was the
world. He must be ‘well thought of by outsiders’ (1
Timothy 3:7).
Quoted verse:
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.
He must be a man who has gained the respect of
others in the day-to-day business of life. Nothing
has hurt the Church more than the sight of people
who are active in it but whose business and social
life contradicts the faith which they claim and the
principles which they teach. The Christian
office-bearer must first of all be a good person.
~Barclay commentary
Now to the commentaries
Not given to wine -
Margin, “Not ready to quarrel and offer wrong, as
one in wine.” The Greek word (paroinos)
occurs in the New Testament only here and in Titus
1:7. It means, properly, “by wine;” i. e., spoken of
what takes place “by” or “over” wine, as revelry,
drinking songs, etc. Then it denotes, as it does
here, one who sits “by” wine; that is, who is in the
habit of drinking it. It cannot be inferred, from
the use of the word here, that wine was absolutely
and entirely prohibited; for the word does not
properly express that idea. It means that one who is
in the habit of drinking wine, or who is accustomed
to sit with those who indulge in it, should not be
admitted to the ministry. The way in which the
apostle mentions the subject here would lead us
fairly to suppose that he did not mean to commend
its use in any sense; that he regarded its use as
dangerous, and that he would wish the ministers of
religion to avoid it altogether. In regard to its
use at all, except at the [Passover/Lord's
Supper] or as a medicine, it may be
remarked, that a minister will do no injury to
himself or others by letting it entirely alone; he
may do injury by indulging in it. No man is under
any “obligation” of courtesy or Christian duty to
use it; thousands of ministers of the gospel have
brought ruin on themselves, and disgrace on the
ministry, by its use; compare Matthew 11:9 note, and
1 Timothy 5:23 note.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse where the word
paroinos--not given to wine occurs:
Titus 1:7
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;
Quoted verses the commentary
wants the reader to compare:
Matthew 11:9
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I
say unto you, and more than a prophet.
1 Timothy 5:23
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy
stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Notice the same phrase -Not given to wine - from the
John Gill:
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 1Timothy 5:23 it signifies one that is not given
to much wine, as in 1Timothy 3:8 is not addicted to
it, or a follower of it; the Syriac version renders
it, "who does not transgress over wine", or go
beyond due bounds in the use of it, who is not
immoderate in it; the Arabic version renders it,
"not insolent through wine", as one that is heated
with it is fierce and furious, and wrangling and
quarrelsome, and often very mischievous and
injurious; and this sense is followed by some.
~John Gill
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 5:23
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy
stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
1 Timothy 3:8
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not
doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of
filthy lucre;
No striker - He must be
a peaceable, not a quarrelsome man. This is
connected with the caution about the use of wine,
probably, because that is commonly found to produce
a spirit of contention and strife.
~Barnes Notes
Now from the John Gill:
No striker - either
with his hands, so the Syriac version, "whose hand
is not swift to strike"; not one who is nimble and
ready at it, who no sooner is abused or injured, but
he lifts up his hands and strikes; is but a word and
a blow: or with his tongue; so the Arabic version,
"not wounding with his tongue"; being too sharp and
severe in the admonitions and reproofs of weak
brethren, or fallen believers; and especially, he
ought not to use scurrilous, reproachful, and
contumelious language to any; see Jeremiah 18:18.
~John Gill
Quoted verse:
Jeremiah 18:18
Then said they, Come, and let us devise
devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not
perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise,
nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us
smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed
to any of his words.
Not greedy of filthy lucre
- Not contentious or avaricious. Greek, Not desirous
of base gain. The desire of this is condemned
everywhere in the New Testament; but it is
especially the duty of a minister of the gospel to
be free from it. He has a right to a support (see
the notes on 1 Corinthians 9); but there
is nothing that more certainly paralyzes the
usefulness of a minister of the gospel than the love
of money. There is an instinctive feeling in the
human bosom that such a man ought to be actuated by
a nobler and a purer principle. As avarice,
moreover, is the great sin of the world - the sin
that sways more hearts, and does more to hinder the
progress of the gospel, than all others combined -
it is important in the highest degree that the
minister of religion should be an example of what
men “should” be, and that he, by his whole life,
should set his face against that which is the main
obstruction to the progress of that gospel which he
is appointed to preach.
~Barnes Notes
Let's look at this in the John Gill:
Not greedy of filthy lucre
- not covetous of getting money, of amassing wealth
and riches together; or desirous of popular applause
and glory from men. This clause is not in the
Alexandrian copy, nor in five of Beza's manuscripts
and other copies, nor is it in the Vulgate Latin
version, nor in any of the Oriental versions; it
seems to be transcribed from Titus 1:7. And indeed
it is unnecessary here; since the same is expressed
by the word "covetous", at the end of the verse, and
makes that a tautology; and moreover, by leaving out
this clause, the opposition appears more manifest,
between "no striker" and what follows,
~John Gill
But patient - Modest,
mild, gentle. See the word (Greek)
in Philippians 4:5; Titus 3:2; James 3:17, and 1
Peter 2:18, where it is rendered “gentle.” The word
means that the minister of the gospel should be a
man of mild and kind demeanor, such as his Master
was. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Philippians 4:5
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord
is at hand.
Let us look at the commentary on this verse.
Let your
moderation be known unto all men -
That is, let it be such that others may see
it. This does not mean that they were to
make an ostentatious display of it, but that
it should be such a characteristic of their
lives that it would be constantly visible to
others. The word “moderation” -epieikes -
refers to restraint on the passions, general
soberness of living, being free from all
excesses. The word properly means that which
is fit or suitable, and then propriety,
gentleness, mildness - They were to indulge
in no excess of passion, or dress, or
eating, or drinking. They were to govern
their appetites, restrain their temper, and
to be examples of what was proper for people
in view of the expectation that the Lord
would soon appear.
The Lord is at hand
- Is near; see the Philippians 3:20
note; 1 Corinthians 16:22 note. This has the
appearance of being a phrase in common use
among the early Christians, and as being
designed to keep before their minds a lively
impression of an event which ought, by its
anticipation, to produce an important
effect. Whether, by this phrase, they
commonly understood the coming of the Lord
to destroy Jerusalem, or to remove them by
death, or to judge the world, or to reign
personally on the earth, it is impossible
now to determine, and is not very material
to a proper understanding of its use here.
The idea is, that the expectation that the
Lord Jesus will “come,” ought to be allowed
to produce moderation of our passions, in
our manner of living, in our expectations of
what this world can furnish, and in our
desires of earthly good. On him who feels
that he is soon to die, and to stand at the
bar of God - on him who expects soon to see
the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds of
heaven, it cannot fail to have this effect.
People indulge their passions - are
extravagant in their plans of life, and in
their expectations of earthly good for
themselves and for their families, because
they have no realizing sense of the truth
that there is before them a vast eternity.
He that has a lively expectation that heaven
will soon be his, will form very moderate
expectations of what this world can furnish.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted
verses:
Philippians 3:20
For our conversation is in heaven; from
whence also we look for the Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,
let him be Anathema Maranatha.
From Barnes Notes:
The word [Anathema]
properly means accursed, or devoted to
destruction; and the idea here is, that he
who did not believe in the Lord Jesus, and
love him, would be, and ought to be, devoted
to destruction, or accursed of God. It
expresses what ought to be done; it
expresses a truth in regard to God’s
dealings, not the desire of the apostle. No
matter what any man’s endowments might be;
no matter what might be his wealth, his
standing, or his talent; no matter if he
were regarded as a ruler in the church, or
at the head of a party; yet if he had not
true love to the Lord Jesus, he could not be
saved. This sentiment is in accordance with
the declaration of the Scripture everywhere.
The word "Maranatha" means "the
Lord comes" and is added here to put greater
solemnity to the first word, "Anathema."
~Barnes Notes |
Now back to the quoted verses in our commentary
on 1 Timothy 3:2 and phrase, "be patient." The
commentary wants us to see the word for "be patient"
in these other verses. The word "be patient"
also meaning, "modest, mild, gentle."
Titus 3:2
To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but
gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality,
and without hypocrisy.
1 Peter 2:18
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on
the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live
unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Notice the John Gill on this phrase:
but patient - one who
patiently bears all reproaches and injuries, puts up
with affronts, and gives up what is his right and
due, rather than contend, quarrel, and strike; who
is patient towards all men, and does not bear hard
on those that have offended, but is moderate and
mild, and gentle in his censures, reproofs, and
admonitions: ~John Gill
Not a brawler - compare
2 Timothy 2:24. That is, he should not be a man
given to contention, or apt to take up a quarrel.
The Greek is, literally, “Not disposed to fight.”
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
2 Timothy 2:24
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be
gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
Again to the John Gill:
not a brawler - not a
quarrelsome litigious person, given to fighting,
either with the fist or sword, or any other weapon:
~John Gill
Not covetous - Greek,
“Not a lover of silver;” that is, of money. A man
should not be put into the ministry who is
characteristically a lover of money. Such a one, no
matter what his talents may be, has no proper
qualification for the office, and will do more harm
than good. ~Barnes Notes
Contrast with the John Gill:
not covetous - or a
lover of money in an immoderate way, greedy of
worldly substance and riches, and insatiable in his
desires after them; niggardly [reluctant
to give; miserly], sordid [self-seeking,
or mercenary], and illiberal [not
generous in giving, stingy]; acting a mercenary
part; seeking his own things, and not the things of
Christ; his gain from his quarter, and not the good
of souls; and withholding from himself, from his
family, and the poor, what ought to be enjoyed by
them. Whereas, on the other hand, he ought to be
generous and liberal, hospitable and charitable, and
ready to communicate on all occasions, according to
his abilities. ~John Gill |