The Barclay Commentary breaks the commentary out
in two portions, namely verses 1-7 which we
completed last time and verses 8 through 16.
In these last nine verses, it divides the scripture
in three parts: verses 8-10 with verses 12 and 13,
verse 11 about deacon's wives and verses 14-16.
I will read a bit of this commentary in our study of
verses 8-13.
IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE
In the same way, the deacons must be men of dignity.
They must not be the kind of men who say one thing
to one person and another to another. They must not
be given to overindulgence in wine or prepared to
stoop to disgraceful ways of making money; they must
hold the secret of the faith which has been revealed
to them with a clear conscience. The deacons too
must first of all be put upon probation, and, if
they emerge blameless from the test, let them become
deacons . . . Deacons must be married only once;
they must manage their own children and their own
homes well. For those who make a fine job of the
office of deacon win for themselves a fine degree of
honour, and they gain much boldness in their faith
in Christ Jesus.
In the early Church, the function of the deacons lay
much more in the sphere of practical service. The
Christian Church inherited a magnificent
organization of charitable help from the Jews. No
nation has ever had such a sense of responsibility
for the poorer brother and sister as the Jews had.
The synagogue had a regular organization for helping
such people. The Jews rather discouraged the giving
of individual help to individual people. They
preferred that help should be given through the
community and especially through the synagogue.
~Barclay Commentary
Now to the commentaries...
Likewise must the deacons
- On the meaning of the word “deacons,” see the
notes on Philippians 1:1. On their appointment, see
the notes, Acts 6:1. The word here evidently denotes
those who had charge of the temporal affairs of the
church, the poor, etc. No qualifications are
mentioned, implying that they were to be preachers
of the gospel. In most respects, except in regard to
preaching, their qualifications were to be the same
as those of the “bishops.”
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Philippians 1:1
...where the commentary
speaks to meaning of deacons
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to
all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at
Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Here is the commentary on Philippians 1:1
|
Paul
(1) and
Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to
all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at
Philippi, with the (a)
bishops and deacons:
(1)
The Paul's point in writing this epistle, is
to strengthen and encourage the Philippians
by all means possible, not to faint, but
more than that, to go forward. And first of
all he commends their former deeds, to
exhort them to go forward: which thing he
says he fully hopes they will do, and that
by the testimony of their abundant charity.
But in the meantime he refers all things to
the grace of God.
(a)
By the bishops are meant both the pastors
who have the dispensation of the word, and
the elders that govern: and by deacons are
meant those that were stewards of the
treasury of the Church, and had to look
after the poor.
~Geneva Translation Notes |
The other verse mentioned in the commentary was:
Acts 6:1
...speaking to the appointment
of deacons
And in those days, when the number of the disciples
was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the
Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows
were neglected in the daily ministration.
Be grave - Serious,
sober-minded men. In Acts 6:3, it is said that they
should be men “of honest report.” On the meaning of
the word “grave,” see the notes on 1 Timothy 3:4.
They should be men who by their serious deportment
will inspire respect.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Acts 6:3
...where it speaks of being
of honest report
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men
of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this business.
1 Timothy 3:4
...see our lesson on this
verse
One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
Not double-tongued -
The word here used dilogos - does not occur
elsewhere in the New Testament. It means, properly,
uttering the same thing twice (from
dis and legō), and then deceitful, or
speaking one thing and meaning another. They should
be men who can be relied on for the exact truth of
what they say, and for the exact fulfillment of
their promises. ~Barnes
Notes
Not given to much wine
- see 1 Timothy 3:3. The word “much” is added here
to what is said 1Timothy 3:2 of the qualification of
a bishop. It is not affirmed that it would be proper
for the deacon, anymore than the bishop, to indulge
in the use of wine in small quantities, but it “is”
affirmed that a man who is much given to the use of
wine ought not, on any consideration, to be a
deacon. It may be remarked here, that this
qualification was everywhere regarded as necessary
for a minister of religion. Even the pagan priests,
on entering a temple, did not drink wine.
“Bloomfield.” The use of wine, and of strong drinks
of all kinds, was absolutely prohibited to the
Jewish ministers of every rank when they were about
to engage in the service of God; Leviticus 10:9. Why
should it then be anymore proper for a Christian
minister to drink wine than for a Jewish or a pagan
priest? Shall a minister of the gospel be less holy
than they? Shall he have a feebler sense of the
purity of his vocation? Shall he be less careful
lest he expose himself to the possibility of
conducting the services of religion in an irreverent
and silly manner? Shall he venture to approach the
altar of God under the influence of intoxicating
drinks, when a sense of propriety restrained the
pagan priest, and a solemn statue of Yahweh
restrained the Jewish priest from doing it?
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 3:3
...see our lesson on this verse
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1 Timothy 3:2
...see our lesson on this
verse
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
Leviticus 10:9
...speaking to use of wine
and strong drink near service duty time
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy
sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of
the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute
for ever throughout your generations:
Not greedy of filthy lucre
- notes, 1 Timothy 3:3. The special reason why this
qualification was important in the deacon was, that
he would be entrusted with the funds of the church,
and might be tempted to appropriate them to his own
use instead of the charitable purposes for which
they were designed; see this illustrated in the case
of Judas, John 12:6.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 3:3
...see our lesson on this
verse
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
John 12:6
...speaking to the case of
Judas
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but
because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare
what was put therein.
Now let us look at the Adam Clarke commentary
Likewise must the deacons
- The term deacon, simply signifies a regular
or stated servant: from, through or emphatic, and to
minister or serve. See it explained in the note on
Matthew 20:26. As nearly the same qualifications
were required in the deacons as in the bishops, the
reader may consult what is said on the preceding
verses. ~Adam Clarke
Grave - Of a sedate and
dignified carriage and conduct.
~Adam Clarke
Not double-tongued -
Speaking one thing to one person, and another thing
to another, on the same subject. This is hypocrisy
and deceit. This word might also be translated
liars. ~Adam Clarke
Not given to much wine
- Neither a drunkard, tippler, nor what is called a
jovial companion. All this would be inconsistent
with gravity. ~Adam Clarke
Not greedy of filthy lucre
- The commentary says to see 1 Timothy 3:3, so see
our lesson on this verse.
~Adam Clarke
Now the John Gill...
Likewise must the deacons be
grave - The apostle proceeds to give the
qualifications, and so the rules for choosing
another sort of officers in the church, deacons;
whose work and business is, not to preach the
Gospel, and administer ordinances; but to take care
of the secular affairs of the church, and
particularly to serve tables; to provide the bread
and wine for the Lord's table, to attend at it, and
distribute the elements from the minister to the
people, to collect for it, defray the charges of it,
and divide what remains among the poor; and they are
to take care of the minister's table, that he is
provided for in a comfortable way, and to stir up
the members to their duty in this respect; and to
take care of the poor's table, and distribute what
the church collects for them, with simplicity and
cheerfulness; and are to be helps to the pastor, in
observing the walk of members, in composing
differences between them, in visiting the sick and
poor, and in preparing matters for church meetings.
Their characters are, that they be "grave"; in their
speech, gesture, and dress; honest, and of good
report among men; and chaste in their words and
actions; all which may be signified by the word here
used; and the latter may be rather hinted at,
because of Nicholas, one of the first deacons, who
was charged with uncleanness:
~John Gill
not doubletongued -
whose hearts and tongues do not agree together; and
who, being a sort of middle persons between the
pastor and the members of the church, say one thing
to one, and another to the other; which to do is of
bad consequence: or who speak well to the poor when
they apply to them, and promise them to do them all
the service they can, and when it comes to the
upshot speak against them:
~John Gill
not given to much wine
- which impairs the health, stupefies the mind, and
so renders unfit for any such office, as well as
wastes the temporal estate; and may lead them to
embezzle and consume the church's stock: ~~John
Gill
not greedy of filthy lucre
- for such would withhold from the poor that
which is meet for them, and make use of money in
their hands, to their own advantage.
~John Gill
Let us finish with the Treasury of
Scriptural Knowledge. Some of these verses already
discussed.
For "Like wise must the
deacons"
Acts 6:3-6
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven
men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and
wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer,
and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and
they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the
Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor,
and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of
Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they
had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
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:
For "be grave"
1 Timothy 3:4
One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
For "not doubletongued"
Psalm 5:9
...speaking of workers of
iniquity
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their
inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an
open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
Psalm 12:2
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with
flattering lips and with a double heart do they
speak.
Psalm 50:19
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue
frameth deceit.
Psalm 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor,
working deceitfully.
Romans 3:13
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their
tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is
under their lips:
James 3:10
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to
be.
For "not given to much wine"
1 Timothy 3:3
Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Leviticus 10:9
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy
sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of
the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute
for ever
Ezekiel 44:21
Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter
into the inner court. |