Let us first read from the Barclay Commentary on
1 Timothy 3:1. The commentary actually looks
at the first seven verses.
THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH
1 Timothy 3:1–7
There is a saying which everyone must believe – if a
man aspires to the office of overseer in the Church,
it is a fine work on which his heart is set. An
overseer must be a man against whom no criticism can
be made; he must have been married only once; he
must be sober, prudent, well-behaved, hospitable and
possessed of an aptitude for teaching. He must not
overindulge in wine, nor must he be the kind of man
who assaults others, but he must be gentle and
peaceable, and free from the love of money. He must
manage his own house well, keeping his children
under control with complete dignity. (If
a man does not know how to manage his own house, how
can he take charge of the congregation of God?)
He must not be a recent convert, in case he becomes
inflated with a sense of his own importance, and so
fall into the same condemnation as the devil did. He
must have earned the respect of those outside the
Church, that he may not fall into reproach and into
the snare of the devil.
THIS is a very important passage from the point of
view of church government. It deals with the man
whom the Authorized and Revised Standard Versions
call the bishop, and whom we have translated as
overseer. ~Barclay Commentary
Now to the commentaries:
This is a true saying
- Greek, “Faithful is the word” - the very
phrase which is used in 1Timothy 1:15; see the notes
on that verse. The idea here is, that it was worthy
of credence; it was not to be doubted.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
I want to look at the commentary on this first
phrase, "This is a faithful saying."
This is a faithful
saying - Greek, “Faithful is the
word,” or doctrine - ho logos. This verse
has somewhat the character of a parenthesis
[qualifying or
amplifying word or phrase], and
seems to have been thrown into the midst of
the narrative because the mind of the
apostle was full of the subject. He had said
that he, a great sinner, had obtained mercy.
This naturally led him to think of the
purpose for which Christ came into the world
- to save sinners - and to think how
strikingly that truth had been illustrated
in his own case, and how that case had shown
that it was worthy the attention of all. The
word rendered “saying,” means in this place
doctrine, position, or declaration. The word
“faithful,” means assuredly true; it was
that which might be depended on, or on which
reliance might be placed. The meaning is,
that the doctrine that Christ came to save
sinners might be depended on as certainly
true; compare 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
2 Timothy 2:11
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead
with him, we shall also live with him:
Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things
I will that thou affirm constantly, that
they which have believed in God might be
careful to maintain good works. These things
are good and profitable unto men.
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If a man desire
- Implying that there would be those who would wish
to be put into the ministry. The Lord, undoubtedly,
by his Spirit, often excites an earnest and
irrepressible desire to preach the gospel - a desire
so strong, that he in whom it exists can be
satisfied in no other calling. In such a case, it
should be regarded as one evidence of a call to this
work. The apostle, however, by the statements which
follow, intimates that wherever this desire exists,
it is of the utmost importance to have just views of
the nature of the office, and that there should be
other qualifications for the ministry than a mere
desire to preach the gospel. He proceeds, therefore,
to state those qualifications, and no one who
“desires” the office of the ministry should conclude
that he is called to it, unless these qualifications
substantially are found in him. The word rendered
“desire” here, denotes properly, “to reach” or
“stretch out” - and hence to reach after anything,
to long after, to try to obtain; Hebrews 11:16.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Hebrews 11:16
But now they desire a better country, that is, an
heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called
their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
The office of a bishop
- The Greek here is a single word. The
word - “Episcope” - whence the word “Episcopal” is
derived - occurs but four times in the New
Testament. It is translated “visitation” in Luke
19:44, and in 1 Peter 2:12; “bishoprick,” Acts .
Acts 1:20; and in this place “office of a bishop.”
The verb from which it is derived, occurs but twice,
In Hebrews 12:15, it is rendered “looking
diligently,” and in 1 Peter 5:2, “taking the
oversight.” The noun rendered bishop occurs in Acts
20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7; 1
Peter 2:25. The verb means, properly, to look upon,
behold; to inspect, to look after, see to, take care
of; and the noun denotes the office of overseeing,
inspecting, or looking to. It is used to denote the
care of the sick,
and is of so general a character that it may denote
any office of overseeing, or attending to. There is
nothing in the word itself which would limit it to
any class or grade of the ministry, and it is, in
fact, applied to nearly all the officers of the
church in the New Testament, and, indeed, to
Christians who did not sustain “any” office. Thus it
is applied:
(a) to believers in general, directing them to “look
diligently, lest anyone should fail of the grace of
God,” Hebrews 12:15;
(b) to the elders of the church at Ephesus, “over
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,”
Acts 20:28;
(c) to the elders or presbyters of the church in 1
Peter 5:2, “Feed the flock of God, taking the
oversight thereof;
(d) to the officers of the church in Philippi,
mentioned in connection with deacons as the only
officers of the church there, “to the saints at
Philippi, with the bishops and deacons,” Philippians
1:1;
(e) to Judas, the apostate. Acts 1:20; and,
(f) to the great Head of the church, the Lord Jesus
Christ, 1 Peter 2:25, “the Shepherd and Bishop of
your souls.”
From this use of the term it follows:
(1) That the word is never used to designate the
“uniqueness” of the apostolic [app
is tal ic] office, or so as to
have any special applicability [app-li-cability] to the apostles.
Indeed, the term “bishop” is “never” applied to any
of them in the New Testament; nor is the word in any
of its forms ever used with reference to them,
except in the single case of “Judas,” Acts 1:20.
(2) it is never employed in the New Testament to
designate an order of men superior to presbyters.
(3) it is used in the New Testament to denote
ministers of the gospel who had the care or
oversight of the churches, without any regard to
grade or rank.
(4) To apply the term to a pretended
superior order of clergy, as designating their
special office, is wholly to depart from the use of
the word as it occurs in the Bible.
(5) as it is never used in the Scriptures with
reference to “prelates [members
of the clergy],” it “should” be used with
reference to the pastors, or other officers of the
church; and to be a “pastor,” or “overseer” of the
flock of Christ, should be regarded as being a
scriptural bishop.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Luke 19:44
--Episcope as
"visitation"
And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy
children within thee; and they shall not leave in
thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest
not the time of thy visitation.
1 Peter 2:12
--Episcope as "visitation"
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles:
that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers,
they may by your good works, which they shall
behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Acts 1:20
--Episcope as "bishoprick"
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his
habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell
therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Hebrews 12:15
--Episcope as
"looking diligently"
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
1 Peter 5:2
--Episcope as
"taking the oversight"
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
The next five verses we see Episcope as the verb
meaning, properly, to look upon, behold; to inspect,
to look after, see to, take care of; and the noun
denotes the office of overseeing, inspecting, or
looking to.
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.
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:
1 Timothy 3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
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;
1 Peter 2:25
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Now for the commentary above, "The office of the
bishop" and item (a) we have quoted:
Hebrews 12:15
-all believers looking
diligently
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Acts 20:28
-item (b) above, God through
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers
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.
1 Peter 5:2
-item (c) above, "feeding
the flock and taking the oversight of", speaking to
the elders
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Philippians 1:1
-item (d) above, speaking
to the 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:
Acts 1:20
-item (e) above, to Judas,
the apostate
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his
habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell
therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
1 Peter 2:25
-item (f) above,
speaking of Jesus Christ
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
He desireth a good work
- An honorable office; an office which it is
right for a man to desire. There are some stations
in life which ought never to be desired; it is
proper for anyone to desire the office of a bishop
who has the proper qualifications; compare notes on
Romans 11:13.
Quoted verse:
Romans 11:13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the
apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
I want to look here at the commentary on this verse:
For I speak to you
Gentiles - What I am saying
respecting the Jews, I say with reference to
you who are Gentiles, to show you in what
manner you have been admitted to the
privileges of the people of God; to excite
your gratitude; to warn you against abusing
those mercies. etc. As Paul also was
appointed to preach to them, he had a right
to speak to them with authority.
I am the apostle of
the Gentiles - The apostle of the
Gentiles, not because other apostles did not
preach to Gentiles, for they all did, except
perhaps James; nor because Paul did not
himself preach occasionally among the Jews;
but because he was especially called to
carry the gospel to the Gentiles, and that
this was his original commission Acts 9:15;
because he was principally employed in
collecting and organizing churches in pagan
lands; and because the charge of the Gentile
churches was especially entrusted to him,
while that of the Jewish churches was
especially entrusted to Peter; see Galatians
1:16; Ephesians 3:8; Galatians 2:7-8. As
Paul was especially appointed to this
function, he claimed special authority to
address those who were gathered into the
Christian church from pagan lands.
Quoted verses:
Acts 9:15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for
he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my
name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel:
Galatians 1:16
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach
him among the heathen; immediately I
conferred not with flesh and blood:
Ephesians 3:8
Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints, is this grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ;
Galatians 2:7-8
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the
gospel of the uncircumcision was committed
unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision
was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter
to the apostleship of the circumcision, the
same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
I magnify mine office
- I honor doxazō my ministry. I esteem it
of great importance; and by thus showing
that the gospel is to be preached to the
Gentiles, that the barrier between them and
the Jews is to be broken down, that the
gospel may be preached to all people, I show
that the office which proclaims this is one
of signal honor. A minister may not magnify
himself, but he may magnify his office. He
may esteem himself as less than the least of
all saints, and unworthy to be called a
servant of God Ephesians 3:8 [quoted
above], yet he may feel that he
is an ambassador of Christ, entrusted with a
message of salvation, entitled to the
respect due to an ambassador, and to the
honor which is appropriate to a messenger of
God To unite these two things constitutes
the dignity of the Christian ministry.
~Barnes Notes
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At this point I want to go back to a verse we
quote above a couple of times:
Hebrews 12:15
-all believers looking
diligently
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Looking diligently
- This phrase implies close attention. It is
implied that there are reasons why we should
take special care. Those reasons are found
in the propensities of our hearts to evil;
in the temptations of the world; in the
allurements to apostasy presented by the
great adversary of our souls.
Lest any man fail
- As every man is in danger, it is his
personal duty to see to it that his
salvation be secure.
Fail of the grace of
God - Margin, “fail from.” The Greek
is, “lest any one be wanting or lacking” -
husterōn. There is no intimation in the
words used here that they already had grace
and might fall away - whatever might he true
about that - but that there was danger that
they might be found at last to be deficient
in that religion which was necessary to save
them. Whether this was to be by losing the
religion which they now had, or by the fact
that they never had any however near they
may have come to it - the apostle does not
here intimate, and this passage should not
be used in the discussion of the question
about failing from grace. It is a proper
exhortation to be addressed to any man in
the church or out of it, to inquire
diligently whether there is not reason to
apprehend that when he comes to appear
before God he will be found to be wholly
destitute of religion.
Lest any root of
bitterness springing up - Any bitter
root. There is doubtless an allusion here to
Deuteronomy 29:18. “Lest there should be
among you man, or woman, or family, or
tribe, whose heart turneth away this day
from the Lord our God, to go and serve the
gods of these nations; lest there should be
among you a root that beareth gall and
wormwood.” The allusion there is to those
who were idolaters, and who instead of
bearing the fruits of righteousness, and
promoting the piety and happiness of the
nation, would bear the fruits of idolatry,
and spread abroad irreligion and sin. The
allusion, in both cases, is to a bitter
plant springing up among those that were
cultivated for ornament or use, or to a tree
bearing bitter and poisonous fruit, among
those that produced good fruit. The
reference of the apostle is to some person
who should produce a similar effect in the
church - to one who should inculcate false
doctrines; or who should apostatize; or who
should lead an unholy life, and thus be the
means of corrupting and destroying others.
They were to be at especial pains that no
such person should start up from among
themselves, or be tolerated by them.
Quoted verse:
Deuteronomy 29:18
Lest there should be among you man, or
woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart
turneth away this day from the LORD our God,
to go and serve the gods of these nations;
lest there should be among you a root that
beareth gall and wormwood;
Trouble you -
By his doctrines and example.
Note here that the bitterness is defined as
false doctrine.
And thereby many be
defiled - Led away from the faith and
corrupted. One wicked man, and especially
one hypocrite in the church, may be the
means of destroying many others.
~Barnes Notes
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