1 Timothy

Qualifications for Overseers. After dealing with issues that arise from corporate worship, including the barring of women from the role of teaching and authority over the assembled congregation, Paul now discusses who should exercise these roles. Paul does not give a job description of the pastor but instead describes the character of one who would serve in this office. The list of qualities is not intended to be exhaustive but pictures a person of mature Christian character, one whose faith has had tangible impact on his behavior (unlike Paul’s opponents).

The terms overseer, “elder,” and “pastor” (or “shepherd”) are all used in the NT to refer to the same office. In Titus 1:5–9 “elder” and “overseer” are used interchangeably. In Acts 20:28 Paul tells the Ephesian elders (Gk. presbyteros, Acts 20:17) that “the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [Gk. episkopos], to care for [Gk. poimainō, “to pastor, serve as shepherd of”] the church of God.” Peter also writes, “I exhort the elders [Gk. presbyteros] among you, as a fellow elder …: shepherd [Gk. poimainō, “to pastor”] the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight” (1 Pet. 5:1–2). Paul commends the role of serving the church in this way as a noble task. “Overseer” stresses the role of watching over the congregation (see Heb. 13:17).

“Husband of one wife” requires the overseer’s marital faithfulness (see note on Ti 1:6). Some critics argue that if churches truly demanded that pastoral candidates satisfy all these criteria, the church would cease to exist due to lack of qualified leadership. This opinion overlooks the gospel’s transforming power, which has endowed many potential Christian leaders with these traits.

Above reproach heads the list as the key qualification for an overseer; it is then expounded by the words and phrases that follow in these verses (see note on Titus 1:6). The meaning of husband of one wife (Gk. mias gynaikos andra) is widely debated. The Greek phrase is not common, and there are few other instances for comparison. The phrase literally states, “of one woman [wife] man [husband].” (1) Many commentators understand the phrase to mean “having the character of a one-woman man,” that is, “faithful to his wife.” In support of this view is the fact that a similar phrase is used in 1 Tim. 5:9 as a qualification for widows (Gk. henos andros gynē; “one-man woman,” i.e., “wife of one husband”), and in that verse it seems to refer to the trait of faithfulness, for a prohibition of remarriage after the death of a spouse would be in contradiction to Paul’s advice to young widows in 5:14. Interpreters who hold this first view conclude that the wording of 3:2 is too specific to be simply a requirement of marriage and not specific enough to be simply a reference to divorce or remarriage after divorce. In the context of this passage, the phrase therefore prohibits any kind of marital unfaithfulness. (2) Another view is that “husband of one wife” means polygamists cannot be elders. Interpreters who hold this view note that there is evidence of polygamy being practiced in some Jewish circles at the time. On this view, the phrase means “at the present time the husband of one wife,” in line with other qualifications which refer to present character. On either of these views, Paul is not prohibiting all second marriages; that is, he is not prohibiting from the eldership a man whose wife has died and who has remarried, or a man who has been divorced and who has remarried (these cases should be evaluated on an individual basis). (3) A third view is that Paul is absolutely requiring that an elder be someone who has never had more than one wife. But that does not fit the context as well, with its emphasis on present character. On any of these views, Paul is speaking of the ordinary cases and is not absolutely requiring marriage or children (cf. v. 4) but is giving a picture of the typical approved overseer as a faithful husband and father. able to teach. This is the one requirement in this list that is not necessarily required of all believers. It is also not required of deacons. Thus, it is a distinguishing skill required of the pastor/elder. It yields the only reference in this list to his actual duties (see note on Titus 1:9).

The management of one’s own household is highlighted as a qualification for eldership by the greater amount of discussion given to it. The home is the proving ground of Christian character and therefore the preparation field for ministry. This makes further sense in light of the picture of the church as “the household of God” (v. 15).

not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit. No matter the level of giftedness, time is needed to demonstrate maturity and character.

The concern for the opinion of outsiders emerges again. There is a concern throughout this letter for how the church (and therefore the gospel) is portrayed to the watching world (cf. 2:2, 10; 5:7, 14; 6:1).

Qualifications for Deacons. Along with elders (vv. 1–7), deacons are officers of the NT church (cf. Phil. 1:1). “Likewise” (1 Tim. 3:8) suggests a link between the lists of qualifications, and indeed there are striking similarities. Deacons, like overseers, are to exhibit lives shaped by the gospel. One key distinction is that deacons are not required to be able to teach. This list, like the one for the overseers, focuses on character rather than duties. The NT contains little explicit discussion of the role of deacons (unless Acts 6 is understood to refer to the installation of the first deacons; see note on Acts 6:6), but the Greek word diakonos means “servant,” so the office probably involved being responsible for various areas of service in the church.

Mystery (Gk. mystērion) is a common Pauline word and refers here to the entire revealed content of God’s plan to bring salvation through Christ (see 1 Cor. 2:7; 4:1; 15:51; Eph. 3:4–13; Col. 1:26–27; 2:2; 4:3). with a clear conscience. While deacons are not required to be able to teach, they are required to have a good grasp of the gospel, and their behavior is to be consistent with the gospel.

Deacons should be tested, presumably under the leadership of the overseers.

As the esv footnote indicates, the Greek word for “wives” (gynē, here plural) can mean either “women” or “wives.” This ambiguity results in at least three interpretations. The text could refer to (1) the wives of deacons (their wives), (2) women deacons, or (3) women who assist the deacons (in some denominations called “deaconesses”) but who are distinct from the deacons. (The word “their” is not explicit in the Greek text but, according to the first interpretation, it represents the sense of the verse in the context of vv. 8–13.) These women appear abruptly in the flow of the text. A reference to the wives of deacons would make good sense, leading into the discussion of the deacon’s family in v. 12. However, the term likewise in similar cases often introduces a new group (e.g., 2:9; 3:8; Titus 2:3, 6). Also, the discussion of overseers lacked any reference to their wives. This would support understanding these women as deacons or assistants. Romans 16:1 refers to Phoebe as a “servant” or “deacon” or “deaconess” (Gk. diakonos; see esv footnote); see note on Rom. 16:1. If the office of deacon is understood as involving church-wide teaching or governing authority, then 1 Tim. 2:11–15 would not permit women to carry out these functions. The fact that teaching is not mentioned as a responsibility of the deacons would seem to indicate that this was not a role that Paul intended for deacons.

husband of one wife. See notes on vv. 2–3, 4–5.

Paul highlights the value and importance of deacons by stating two results of good service in this role: (1) good standing refers to respect and appreciation from the church to one who serves in this way; and (2) great confidence probably refers to the increase in confidence that comes from seeing the power of the gospel regularly proven in ministry.

Purpose of Writing: Behavior in the Church. Paul pauses to state the purpose of his letter and in so doing reveals its central focus. “How one ought to behave” in the church appropriately summarizes the instructions to groups in the church (2:1–3:13; 5:1–6:2), the instructions to Timothy, and the warnings against false teachers (1:3–20; 4:1–16; 6:3–20). True doctrine leads to right living.

In this very significant verse, Paul states his reason for writing 1 Timothy, providing one of the key NT descriptions of the church’s identity and mission. The use of household (Gk. oikos) and related words to describe the church and its ministry is common in Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19; as well as 1 Tim. 3:4–5, 12, 15; 5:4, 8, 14; cf. 1 Pet. 4:17). It describes the church as God’s family, especially with reference to authority and responsibility within the church and the home. The stress is on God’s authority over the church and the behavior of people in the church. Church of the living God highlights the church as the gathering (Gk. ekklēsia, “assembly”) where God most clearly manifests his presence. Thus, references to God as the “living God” in Scripture often refer to his reality and presence in the community of believers (cf. Num. 14:28; Josh. 3:10; Matt. 16:16; 2 Cor. 6:16; Heb. 3:12; 9:14; 10:31). Identifying the church as a pillar and buttress of the truth is a way of saying that God has entrusted to the church the task of promoting and protecting the gospel (i.e., “the truth”; see note on 1 Tim. 2:4). The architectural imagery presents the church’s responsibility of “holding up” the gospel before a watching world, probably with a view to repelling the attack of false teaching. This picture of the church is striking. The role of advancing the gospel is divinely given to the church, not (at least not in the same way) to any other body. Parachurch organizations have value, but they must support and not supplant the church.

The mystery of godliness refers to the entire content of God’s revealed plan of salvation (cf. note on v. 9). Next comes a poetic exposition of that great gospel message. great indeed, we confess. This introduction may implicitly call upon the Ephesian church to affirm this confession and therefore the ethical and doctrinal implications drawn from it throughout the letter. The exact structure of this “hymn” is debated, but the basic idea is clear. God the Son has been revealed in human flesh (resulting in the crucifixion, line 1), but he was vindicated by the resurrection (line 2) and afterward was displayed in victory before heavenly beings (line 3; cf. Eph. 1:20–21; Phil. 2:9–11; Heb. 1:3–4; 1 Pet. 3:21–22; Rev. 5:6–14). While the esv footnote says that “vindicated” could be translated “justified,” the sense here clearly is vindication, which is a common use of the Greek verb dikaioō. Line 4 continues with the result of Christ’s life and ministry. The message of Christ has been (and continues to be) proclaimed among the nations (Gk. ethnos), that is, it has been preached specifically to the Gentiles. This preaching has been effective (believed on, line 5). Then taken up (Gk. analambanō) in line 6 would naturally be understood as a reference to the ascension (the same verb is used in Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, 11, 22). A difficulty with this view is that line 6 does not fit chronologically. One possible explanation is that the ascension is presented as a foretaste of the ultimate exaltation of Christ.