Survey
of the Letters of Paul: 1 Timothy 3:13
1 Timothy 3:13
For they that have used the office of a deacon well
purchase to themselves a good degree, and great
boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
| 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 [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.