We have covered all the text for 1 Timothy
3:8-13 from the Barclay commentary, so we will go
directly to the commentaries on verse 13
For they that have used the
office of a deacon well - Margin,
“ministered.” The Greek word is the same as deacon,
meaning ministering, or serving in this office. The
sense would be well expressed by the phrase,
“deaconizing well.” The “word” implies nothing as to
the exact nature of the office.
~Barnes Notes
Purchase to themselves
- Procure for themselves; see this word explained in
the notes on Acts 20:28.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
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.
~Barnes Notes
Here is the commentary on Acts 20:28 and the phrase
Which he hath
purchased - The word used here
periepoiēsato occurs but in one other place
in the New Testament - 1 Timothy 3:13, “For
they that have used the office of deacon
well, purchase to themselves a good degree
and great boldness in the faith.” The word
properly means “to acquire or gain anything;
to make it ours.” This may be done by a
price, or by labor, etc. The noun (peripoiēsis)
derived from this verb is used several times
in the New Testament, and denotes
“acquisition:” 1 Thessalonians 5:9, God hath
appointed us “to obtain” (unto
the obtaining or acquisition of)
salvation”; 2 Thessalonians 2:14, “Whereunto
he called you by our gospel to the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”; 1
Peter 2:9; Titus 2:14; Ephesians 1:14. In
this place it means that Christ had
“acquired, gained, or procured,” the church
for himself by paying his own life as the
price. The church is often represented as
having thus been bought with a price, 1
Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23; 2
Peter 2:1. ~ Barnes
Notes
Quoted
verses:
1
Thessalonians 5:9
...acquisition
For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians
2:14
...obtaining
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
1 Peter 2:9
...called you
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the
praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light:
Titus 2:14
...redeem us
Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works.
Ephesians 1:14
...purchased
Which is the earnest of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.
1 Corinthians 6:20
...bought with a price
For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 7:23
...bought with a price
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the
servants of men.
2 Peter 2:1
...that bought them
But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring
in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord
that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction. |
Now continuing in the commentary on 1 Timothy
3:13...
A good degree - The
word here used (bathmos)
occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means,
properly, “a step,” as of a stair; and the fair
meaning is that of going up higher, or taking an
additional step of dignity, honor, or standing. So
far as the “word” is concerned, it may mean either
an advance in office, in dignity, in respectability,
or in influence. It cannot certainly be inferred
that the apostle referred to a higher grade of
“office;” for all that the word essentially conveys
is, that, by exercising this office well, a deacon
would secure additional respectability and influence
in the church. Still, it is possible that those who
had performed the duties of this office well were
appointed to be preachers. They may have shown so
much piety, prudence, good sense, and ability to
preside over the church, that it was judged proper
that they should be advanced to the office of
bishops or pastors of the churches. Such a course
would not be unnatural. This is, however, far from
teaching that the office of a deacon is a
subordinate office, “with a view” to an ascent to a
higher grade. ~Barnes Notes
And great boldness in the
faith - The word here rendered “boldness”
properly refers to boldness “in speaking;” see it
explained in the Acts 4:13 note; 2 Corinthians 3:12
note; Philippians 1:20 note. But the word is
commonly used to denote boldness of any kind -
openness, frankness, confidence, assurance; John
8:13, John 8:26; Mark 8:32; 2 Corinthians 7:4. As it
is here connected with “faith” - “boldness in the
faith” - it means, evidently, not so much public
speaking, as a manly and independent exercise of
faith in Christ. The sense is, that by the faithful
performance of the duties of the office of a deacon,
and by the kind of experience which a man would have
in that office, he would establish a character of
firmness in the faith, which would show that he was
a decided Christian. This passage, therefore, cannot
be fairly used to prove that the deacon was “a
preacher,” or that he belonged to a grade of
ministerial office from which he was regularly to
rise to that of a presbyter.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
The first three speak to boldness in speaking:
Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,
and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant
men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of
them, that they had been with Jesus.
The commentary for "boldness" says:
| Boldness -
This word properly denotes “openness” or
“confidence in speaking.” It stands opposed
to “hesitancy,” and to “equivocation” in
declaring our sentiments. Here it means
that, in spite of danger and opposition,
they avowed their doctrines without any
attempt to conceal or disguise them.
~Barnes Notes |
2 Corinthians 3:12
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great
plainness of speech:
The commentary for "great plainness of speech":
Great plainness of
speech - Margin, boldness. We use the
word “plainness” as applied to speech
chiefly in two senses:
(1) To denote boldness, faithfulness,
candor; in opposition to trimming, timidity,
and unfaithfulness; and,
(2) To denote clearness, intelligibleness,
and simplicity, in opposition to obscurity,
mist, and highly-worked and labored forms of
expression. ~Barnes
Notes |
Philippians 1:20
According to my earnest expectation and my hope,
that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with
all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be
magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by
death.
The commentary for "with all boldness.":
| But that with all
boldness - By my speaking the truth,
and maintaining my principles with all
boldness; ~Barnes
Notes |
Four verses speak to boldness of any kind:
openness, frankness, confidence or assurance.
John 8:13
The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest
record of thyself; thy record is not true.
Here is the commentary for "Thou bearest record of
thyself"
| Thou bearest
record - As if they had said, Dost
thou imagine that we shall believe thee, in
a matter so important, on thy bare
assertion? Had these people attended to the
teaching and miracles of Christ, they would
have seen that his pretensions to the
Messiahship were supported by the most
irrefragable testimony.
~Adam Clarke |
John 8:26
I have many things to say and to judge of you: but
he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world
those things which I have heard of him.
Now the commentary for "but he that sent me is
true."
| But he that sent
me is true - Is worthy to be
believed, and his declarations about men are
to be credited. The meaning of this verse
may be thus expressed: “I have indeed many
things to say blaming or condemning you. I
have already said many such things, and
there are many more that I might say; but I
speak only those things which God has
commanded. I speak not of myself I come to
execute his commission, and he is worthy to
be heard and feared. Let it not be thought,
therefore, that my judgment is rash or
harsh. It is such as is commanded by God.”
~Barnes Notes |
Mark 8:32
And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him,
and began to rebuke him.
Let us go to Barnes Notes for "he spake that saying
openly.":
| He spake that
saying openly - With boldness or
confidence, or without parables or figures,
so that there could be no possibility of
misunderstanding him.
~Barnes Notes |
2 Corinthians 7:4
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is
my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am
exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Let us look at the first part of this verse, "Great
is my boldness of speech toward you.":
| Great is my
boldness of speech towards you - Or
"liberty of speaking", which I use with you;
I very freely, and without any disguise,
open my mind to you; I faithfully tell you
your faults; I am free in my exhortations
and counsels to you, as in the case of the
incestuous person, and in other instances,
which is a sign of true friendship; for had
I any suspicion of you, or not cordial
affection for you, I should have been more
reserved, more upon my guard, and have spoke
and wrote with more caution: besides,
~John Gill |
Now to the Adam Clarke commentary on verse 13...
That have used the office of a
deacon well - They who, having been tried or
proved, 1 Timothy3:10 [And
let these also first be proved;], have
shown by their steadiness, activity, and zeal, that
they might be raised to a higher office, are here
said to have purchased to themselves a good degree,
for, instead of having to administer to the bodies
and bodily wants of the poor, the faithful deacons
were raised to minister in holy things; and, instead
of ministering the bread that perisheth, they were
raised to the presbyterate, to minister the bread of
life to [the firstfruits]. And hence the apostle adds;
And great boldness in the faith; great liberty of
speech; i.e. in teaching the doctrines of
Christianity, and in expounding the Scriptures, and
preaching. It seems to have been a practice dictated
by common sense, that the most grave and steady of
the believers should be employed as deacons; the
most experienced and zealous of the deacons should
be raised to the rank of elders; and the most able
and pious of the elders be consecrated bishops [ministers].
As the deacon had many private members under his
care, so the presbyter or elder had several deacons
under his care. ~
Adam Clarke with some editing by me.
Now the John Gill commentary for verse 13...
For they that have used the
office of a deacon well - With diligence and
faithfulness, with simplicity and cheerfulness;
taking good care of the minister and poor, and of
the discipline of God's house:
~John Gill
"Diligence" means earnest and persistent application
to an undertaking. It means a steady effort.
The dictionary also gives the meaning as "attentive
care" and "heedfulness." Another source I went
to gave the definition as "perseverance in carrying
out action."
The opposite of diligence is "inactivity,
indifference, laziness, lethargy and neglect."
One quote I found on the subject of diligence says,
"Learning is not attained by chance. It
must be sought for with ardor and attended to with
diligence."
Another quote I found says, "Few things are
impossible to diligence and skill. Great works
are performed not by strength, but perseverance."
Still another says, "The expectations of life
depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would
perfect his work must first sharpen his tools."
Another word used in the John Gill is "faithfulness"
which means, "devotion to a person, a cause,
obligations or duties" The person here is
Christ. The cause is the Work of God and its
primary missions. The obligations or duties
speak to the care of the physical things of the
church.
I found a great quote on faithfulness that shows how
it works in firstfruits: "We must do our business
faithfully, without trouble or disquiet, recalling
our mind to God mildly, and with tranquility, as
often as we find it wandering from him."
purchase to themselves a good
degree - not an higher office, as that of
presbytery, which is a sense calculated to serve a
hierarchy; nor a degree in glory and happiness
hereafter; but rather an increase of gifts and
grace; or a degree of respect and honour in the
church: or the sense is, they possess and enjoy,
which is the meaning of the word rendered
"purchase", a very honourable office in the church;
and which is so to them, they using it well, and
discharging it in an honourable manner; unless the
apostle should design what the Jews called "a degree
of faith": but that is expressed in the next
clause: ~John Gill
The commentary says, "but rather an increase of
gifts and grace" which is speaking to the growth and
maturity a firstfruit naturally receives from moving
forward in the Salvation Process. The office
of deacon or deaconess affords one even more
opportunity to invoke the power of the Holy Spirit
in the form of Godly principles [fruits
of the Spirit] which is that growth in
the Salvation Process. This idea of having
more opportunity for growth goes for virtually all
service positions in the church and just being part
of the congregation and having fellowship.
Every firstfruit is doing this act of "purchase."
We see this clearly in the next clause, as the
commentary says.
and great boldness in the
faith, which is in Christ Jesus - either in
the exercise of the grace of faith at the throne of
grace; or in asserting the doctrine of faith before
men; and in reproving either for error or
immorality: all which may be boldly done by those
who use this office well.
~John Gill
Those men and women in this office need this
boldness of faith, but then so do we all. The
offices of deacon and elder or minister are not only
for the service of the church but examples for us.
This is why we see this letter in the Bible in the
first place. We all need boldness of faith and
as the verse says, this is accomplished by Christ in
and through us.
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