1 Timothy Study #6

“Serving by Leading, Leading by Serving”

1 Timothy 3:8-13

Study #6 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

The Bible says that Jesus is the Head of the Church. He is called the Chief Shepherd, the Author, and Perfecter of our Faith, and He is the one we call “Master.” Jesus is the Senior Pastor of the church. We must never forget that! It is not our church but Christ’s. He designed it, He bought it with His own blood, He is building it, and He runs it. 

He has chosen to do that, however, at least in part, through human intermediaries. We looked at this in-depth last week in our study of 1 Timothy 3:1-7. According to the New Testament, elders comprise the senior leadership of the local church. They are referred to in the Scriptures by several terms: they are called “pastors,” “shepherds,” “elders,” “overseers,” and “bishops.” These terms merely focus on the various aspects of their work, their duties, but they all describe the one-and-the-same role of the elder. Moreover, we believe the Bible teaches a plurality of male elders who act primarily as spiritual fathers to lead and protect the covenant community, which is the local church. The churches of the NT were always led by a team of elders/pastors rather than by one single pastor. Elders serve the local church by leading it, feeding it, and protecting it.

Elder qualifications are listed in three main NT passages – 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4. From these three texts we learn that the duties of elders include prayer, Bible study, leading, ruling, caring for the members, being good examples, teaching, preaching, praying for the sick, working hard, using money and authority correctly, protecting the congregation from heresy, and administering church discipline. 

TRANSITION:

But there is another local church leadership role taught in the Scriptures; namely, that of “deacon.” In the NT the noun appears both in the masculine and feminine forms. We conclude therefore, that “deacons” are male and female pastoral assistants. The Greek word diakonos itself simply means, “servant.” Deacons and deaconesses are servant-leaders who are to care primarily for the physical needs of the church body. We all know that when practical needs are ignored or unmet, the ministry of the Word is less effective. The ministry of deacons and deaconesses focuses on service to others, carrying out the tasks necessary for the proper functioning of the body, especially in assisting the elders in caring for the physical needs of the members. 

While the Word of God does not specify all the duties of deacons or deaconesses, the usage of the word diakonos is usually focused upon the ministry of service. The historic roots of the office are found in Acts 6, where the initial task was clearly to serve food to the widows of the church, and administrate physical needs of the members so that the church’s elders could concentrate their time and efforts on the ministry of the Word and on prayer. Those first 7 men chosen as deacons were recognized for their servant leadership and serving gifts.         

Acts 6:3 outlines the initial list of requirements but let’s read the whole context, starting at verse 1: Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.  ² So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables.  ³ Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.  ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” Did you catch those 6 requirements in verse 3?

1.    “Select from among you” The deacons were to be people chosen from within the congregation, not brought in from outside.

2.    “…seven men” Is this a rule for all Deacon Boards for all time to come? Is it a God ordained spiritual number? In short, NO. Based on the size of the task and the number of widows the Apostles estimated that 7 guys could handle the problem.

3.    “…of good reputation” They were to be men who were well spoken of both inside and outside the church.

4.    “…full of the Spirit” They were to be men who walked with God in faith and obedience, listening to His voice, being filled with His Holy Spirit.

5.    “…and [full] of wisdom” They were to be godly wise men, who would consistently make good decisions about what needed to be done.

6.    “…whom we may put in charge of this task.” The ones chosen needed to be people who possessed both leadership and administrative abilities, who could get the job done instead of just jawboning it to death. They had to be doers, not just talkers! 

The focus of deacons and deaconesses should be on maintaining unity and cooperation in the church. They are to work on behalf of the whole congregation, to serve in their assigned duties but with a sense that their ministry contributes to the health of the whole body. Deacons and deaconesses are builders of the church by being servants who help to bind us together with kindness and loving service. Deacons are servants to the body of Christ and are to perform the tasks that are given to them by the elders, which allow them a wide range of functions at the discretion of the elders. 

Specific qualifications for deacons are listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, and are essentially the same as for the elders, with the notable exception of, “able to teach,” which is an absolute requirement for elders, although many deacons have this skill as well.

Like elders, deacons are chosen by God, self-nominated by the inward call of the Holy Spirit, and then according to the requirements given by Paul, deacons are first to be tested and then appointed by the elders and affirmed by the congregation.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 8: Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine, or fond of sordid gain, 

• “Likewise,” means in the same manner and refers to the previously mentioned necessary character traits for elders. The principle here is that there should be the same kind and degree of gifts and qualifications for deacons as for the elders.
• This flies in the face of the attitude of many; namely, that deacons are of lesser importance than elders, that they cannot quite make it up to that level of perfection and spirituality. Phooey!
• “…men of dignity” KJV says “grave,” but that word has come to mean severe, stern, lacking a sense of humor. Rather, what Paul has in mind is that deacons, like the elders, should be honorable, dignified, commanding respect. He uses this same word later in this same context, down in verse 8 when talking about Christian women who serve in the church.
• “…not double-tongued” This just means “truthful.” It reminds me of the old western movies where the Indian chief says, “White man speak with forked tongue.” It means, “HE LIES!” 
• “…not addicted to much wine” I touched on this in our last study because it is also included in the requirements for elders. Paul is not giving us an abstinence lesson or stating a universal ban against any form of alcohol, but rather, giving a warning to not allow alcohol or any other substance or habit to gain mastery over us.
• “…or fond of sordid gain.” The KJV uses the well-known and colorful phrase, “filthy lucre.” This same Greek word is used in 1 Tim. 6:9 and Titus 1:7 and the adverb form of it is used in 1 Peter 5:2. It is a compound word, and the two components are used separately in Titus 1:11. In any case it means, “not greedy for money, not covetous of other people’s wealth, not motivated by materialism.” We talked about this last week: it is not about money, per se, but about loving money, which is, according to Paul, “…a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10). And on this same subject Jesus said in Luke 16:13, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The Lord’s servant always needs to keep in mind that money, like a knife or a hammer, is a tool that can be used for either good or evil. We need to be careful not to let ourselves fall in love with money, because it will poison our lives. Moreover, I believe that this admonition by Paul is especially relevant to deacons because of the kind of responsibilities that the deacons often have in the church.

Verse 9: but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.   

• What does this mean? “…holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” First, we need to look at this word “mystery.” For modern readers, the word means “some kind of secret knowledge known only to the initiated” but that is not what the word means. The Greek word mustérion simply means “something that has been uncovered or revealed and is therefore made visible and obvious.” He is talking here about the Gospel itself, which God has made known to us through His Word and through His Son. The Gospel is not “mysterious,” but it has certainly been “revealed.” And by “the faith” Paul is just talking about the doctrinal and practical aspects of Christianity in general. These are the things that we believe and seek to live out daily. And his point is that the lives of Christian leaders should be characterized by obedience to the Word so that they can look God in the eye rather than walk around with a heavy conscience because of their disobedience. Sin always defiles. Sin always robs us of joy. Sin lessens our impact. Sin pollutes everything it touches. Deacons, like elders, should be able to serve from a clear conscience because they know that they are truly walking with God in obedience.

Verse 10: These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. 

• “…must first be tested” Notice the words “first” and “then.” These are both significant. It appears to mean that deacon candidates are to be approved before taking office; then they are to serve if found to be worthy. They are not to be proved in office, because then it is too late if something goes wrong. But how do you test a deacon, or anybody else for that matter? Paul is probably not thinking about a formal, written test like you take in a history class. Rather, he is referring to a process of seeing how a person handles himself or herself in a variety of situations. I think maybe he is talking about what we call “mentoring” or “shadowing.” This involves providing controlled experiences with frequent feedback sessions. The Greek word Paul chooses to use here means “to prove, to try, or to test”, but it is always with the expectation of approval, not disqualification. It is not about looking for fault, but rather, looking for success! There is a huge difference!
• “…then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.” So, the testing, trying, and proving are with the purpose of making sure that the person is “above reproach.” We saw this same word last week up in verse 2 as applied to elders. So, Paul is saying that both elders and deacons must live in such a way that they do not leave any handholds for the devil or their enemies to grab onto and bring justified criticism. 

Verse 11: Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. 

• Now this verse is interesting, and it has generated much discussion over the centuries. Paul sets it down right smack dab in the middle of his discussion of the necessary character traits for deacons. Up until this point it has sounded like he was only talking about male deacons, but here he turns and makes a comment about women. So, who are these women? Three answers have been offered:
1. Some say that Paul is referring to the wives of the deacons and offering advice about how they should act so as not to bring shame upon their husbands and thus possibly destroy their ministries.
2. Some postulate that Paul is referring to a separate category of deaconesses, with their own organization, rules, and duties. However, there is no historical evidence for such a thing.
3. Others, like me, believe that he is referring to female deacons, who serve on a par with the male deacons in caring for the needs of the congregation. This is the view that I have always taken and is the reason why the congregations that I have served have always had both men and women serving equally as deacons.
• Moving on, Paul says that these female deacons must be “dignified.” And notice the word, “likewise.” This is the same Greek word he used to describe male deacons up in verse 8. Remember, I told you that it means “honorable, dignified, commanding respect.”
• “…not malicious gossips/slanderers” This is a fascinating word. The Greek word is diabolos. In English it is the word for “devil,” one of the names given to Satan in the NT because he is the slanderer par excellence. But lest you think that Paul is taking a cheap shot at the women, he uses the very same word to describe male slanderers in 2 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 2:3.
• “…temperate” It means sober, being serious about serious things, knowing when to crack jokes and when to shut up. It is the same word used in 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 2:2 to describe the required character of elders.
• “…faithful in all things.” Now that is a huge order! Who among us is faithful in all things 100% of the time? Again, like we said before about elders, the Bible sets the bar high, but the standard is not perfection; just the desire to get as close to it as humanly possible. 1 Corinthians 4:2 tells us: “It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” That is what Paul means here as well. 

Verse 12: Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. 

• “Deacons must be husbands of only one wife” Just like we saw last week up in verses 2 and 4 with regard to elders, deacons are to be absolutely faithful to their wives—literally, “one-woman kind of men” and of course, this applies to the deaconesses as well—”one-man kind of women.” Moreover, deacons should be “good managers of their children and their own households,” and for the same reason that Paul pointed out in verse 5, “…for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?” A fair question! 

Verse 13: For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 

• “…those who have served well…obtain for themselves a high standing” Here Paul is just saying that deacons who “deacon” well will be honored and respected for their good work, which is true for elders too. People in the church appreciate faithful ministry and they tend to speak well of those servants who do it well.
• “…and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” This is the same thing Paul said up in verse 9. Obedience and faithful service for Christ brings a sense of joy and accomplishment, and a confidence before God. On the other hand, half-hearted, half-obedient service wounds the conscience and brings a sense of separation from the Master.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion I want to specifically address the deacons and deaconesses and anyone else who might one day find himself or herself serving in this role, which includes all of us. However, before I tell you what the deacon’s job IS, I need to tell you what your job is NOT.

1. Your job is not to be a customs officer, standing at the border. By that I mean you are not the gatekeepers who decide what new practices, programs, or ministries can come into the church. That is the role of the elders. Moreover, your job is not to throw cold water on every new thing the Pastors want to try.
2. Your job is not to be the financial controller. By that I mean your job is not to be tight-fisted penny-pinchers, always trying to save God’s money. Rather, your job is to invest God’s money and to spend it wisely for the building up of God’s Kingdom.
3. Your job is not to be a critic or a censor. You are not called to be a negative panel of judges who find fault with things going on in the church. You should be the elders’ cheering section, and their right-hand men and women.
4. Your job is not to be a police officer, using your influence to bring judgment and discipline to the body. Your job is to live in such a way that you provide a positive role model for others to follow and to go about your service with humility and holiness.

So, then what IS your job?

1. You are to be feeders of sheep. Sheep sometimes need special care and hand feeding. Christians, like sheep, need a personal touch. They do not respond well to cow-herding techniques. Sheep need to be lovingly led.
2. You are to be nurses. In this life people get wounded in all sorts of ways. Your job is to bind up their wounds and bring health and healing to the Body of Christ.
3. You are to be servants. You are to demonstrate your leadership through loving, humble service to those whom Christ loves. Jesus came to be a servant and not to be served. He was the original Deacon, and the One you must seek to imitate.
4. You are to be the eyes and ears of the Pastor and the elders. They need you to be an extension of their arms, and to be like radar, detecting problems before they get close enough to the Body to do serious damage.
5. You are to be godly examples. By being given a title and a leadership role other people will take note of whether you live up to the name or not. Like it or not, you will be put on a stage where everyone will watch you. Make sure you provide a good example for others to imitate and follow. 

If you succeed in being these things you will be good servants of Jesus Christ and His church and will one day hear those words from His lips, “Well done, good and faithful servant [deaconos]. Enter into the joy of your Master.”

1 Timothy Study #5

“A Fine Work”

1 Timothy 3:1-7

Study #5 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

It used to be that many parents dreamed of their son or their daughter becoming a doctor, or a lawyer, or even a dentist. For many parents, such a profession represented the absolute pinnacle of human endeavors. They reason, “What could possibly be better than my little Johnny becoming a great brain surgeon, making a lot of money, living in a big house, and driving a new BMW? It would just make me so proud!”

In fact, some parents are so driven by this kind of thinking that they become insufferable to be around. They live vicariously through the accomplishments of their children. They have a good day, or a bad day based on the grade their kid brings home on his spelling test. “Oh no, Johnny only got a C-. Now maybe he won’t get into Yale.” And they put those annoying bumper stickers on their SUVs that say, “My daughter was Student of the Year at Moosedrool Elementary School!” I am sorry but it makes me want to run them and their bumper sticker right off the road!

TRANSITION:

Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that we should not want the “best” for our children.  Rather, I am saying that we may have a skewed idea of what constitutes “best.” I think that if you would have asked the Apostle Paul about what he considered to be a good, and honorable, and noble profession you might have been surprised at his answer. 

In our text for today Paul makes a statement about a vocation that in our day has come into some ill repute, admittedly in large part because of some of the people that are known to be in the profession. “The Reverend Al Sharpton.” “The Reverend Jesse Jackson.” “The Reverend Jimmy Swaggart.” “The Reverend Kenneth Copeland.” “The Reverend Jesse Duplantis.” I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift. For lots of mothers today they would rather hear that their son is going to be a janitor or dig ditches for the rest of his natural life than to get the news that he is, perish the thought “…going into the ministry.”         

That is sad and shameful, for Paul tells us that the Gospel ministry is, in his words, “…a fine work.” I am confident that Paul would tell us that there is no greater job and no greater honor than to serve the King of kings and to care for His people.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 1: It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 

• “It is a trustworthy statement.” This is the second time in this letter that Paul has used this expression (cf. 1:15, 3:1, and 4:9). On the surface it sounds like he is citing a proverbial statement known to everyone. That is not what is going on here though. Rather, he is simply using a Hebraism to emphasize the truth of a statement he is about to make. It is his way of saying, “What I am getting ready to say is extremely important and 100% true, so listen up!” Namely, that if “anyone aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” 
• There are several things that stand out to me from this verse. First, Paul is assuming that a candidate for this office of “overseer” is not being coerced or pressured into taking the position, but is accepting it willingly, of his own volition. This is emphasized by the words, “aspire” and “desire.”
• Secondly, we need to understand the word “overseer.” This is the Greek word episkopos, which is also sometimes translated as “bishop,” and refers to a man who oversees and administers a congregation or even a group of churches. It is a word with an honorable and responsible history, although it has been misused by the Roman Catholics and a few other denominations.
• But there is another Greek word that is used interchangeably with episkopos and it is the word presbuteros, always translated as “elder.” This word goes far back into Jewish history, clear back to the time of Moses when he chose 70 men to help him in the task of controlling and caring for the people of Israel (cf. Numbers 11:16). Every synagogue had its elders, and they presided over the worship, administered rebuke and discipline where necessary, and settled disputes between the people of the congregation. This idea passed directly from Judaism into Christianity. You will see that “overseer” (episkopos) and “elder” (presbuteros) are used interchangeably in the New Testament to describe the same office. The word “overseer” emphasizes the organizational side of the office, while the word “elder” emphasizes the relational side of the office.
• “…it is a fine work he desires to do.” And Paul should know because he had functioned in this role for many years, and he loved his work. The other Greek word used to describe this same office is poimein, which is translated as “shepherd, or pastor” and is the word we have come to use most commonly in our day, but it is the very same office. The pastors/overseers/elders are the men that Christ has assigned in His Church to guide, direct, feed, protect, and care for His sheep and lambs. Ephesians 4:11-12 tell us, “And He [i.e., Christ] gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the Body of Christ.”
• Just one more thing before we move on… Notice that the text says, “…to the office of overseer.” In the Early Church elders/overseers were officially and formally set apart for their office. Titus was instructed to ordain elders in every church (cf. Titus 1:5), and these individuals were to be publicly recognized as leaders. They had to undergo a period of testing and evaluation (1 Tim. 3:10). Their living expenses were paid by the congregation to free them up to do ministry (1 Tim. 5:18).  They were liable to censure and were held to a high moral, doctrinal, and ethical standard (1 Tim. 5:19-22). They bore the duty of presiding over the Christian church, giving themselves to administration, instruction, and prayer (1 Tim. 5:17). These men were not to be recent converts but well-seasoned, tried and tested so that they would not become full of pride and end up falling into sin and bringing shame to Christ and to His church. 

Verse 2: An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,   

• Here Paul starts in to give some important character qualities that must be present in any man placed in leadership over the congregation.
• The first one was in the previous verse, and we already touched on it briefly: he should desire the office and aspire to it. Too often in churches people get shoved into roles because we have a hole to fill. That is a terrible way to get a new elder and it will eventually backfire.
• “…must be above reproach.” This is an interesting word. The Greek word is used in various ways in classical literature. In a military context it is used of a position that is not open to attack. In a moral sense it is used of a life that is not open to censure. In the context of art, it is used of a work that is so perfect that it leaves no room for finding fault with it. In the legal realm it is used of a contract that is so professionally written that it has no loopholes and is thus unassailable. The Greeks themselves used the word in a battlefield context to mean “giving nothing that an adversary can take hold of, providing no handles or handholds.” That is why the ancient soldiers shaved their beards and kept their hair short.
• So, was Paul looking for perfection in potential leaders for the church? No, but he sets the bar high! The Christian leader must seek to offer to the world and to the church a life of such purity and nobility that he leaves no handles for the devil or for critics to grab hold of and bring scathing accusations.
• “…the husband of one wife.” This phrase has been the subject of much discussion for many years. What does Paul mean by it? First, he is obviously limiting this office to a very select group of men, males. It is not an office that is open to women. This has been a bone of contention for many, specifically those who hold to an “egalitarian” view of leadership in the home and in the church. However, the Bible teaches what we call “complementarianism,” meaning that while men and women are equal before God in terms of our value, our roles are different, both in the home and in the church. We are not the same, but we “complement” one another. Also, notice that this requirement is couched in a list of character traits, not of historical points. And the phrase should be interpreted as a character trait, not as a description of how many times a man has been married, if ever.
• Secondly, and this follows from our last study, I see no wiggle room here to retranslate this as “the spouse of one spouse” as some have tried to do, removing the gender-specific language. The Greek here is crystal clear and Paul does not leave the door open for a defense of female elders, overseers, or pastors.
• If we adopt the narrowest interpretation, we will have to conclude that neither bachelors nor widowers can be appointed as elders/overseers/pastors because they are not husbands at all. However, that position would eliminate both Paul and Timothy, so I do not think that is what Paul had in mind here.
• Others say that it means that an elder can only have one wife at a time, unlike some of the polygamous Patriarchs of old.
• Still others claim that Paul was eliminating anyone who had ever been divorced, even if the divorce was not of his choosing or of his doing. They say that he was making sure that an elder only had one wife during his lifetime, which would also eliminate a widower who might choose to remarry.
• As you can see, this starts to get messy! The solution is to back up the truck and look again at the text itself. What Paul says, literally, is that the overseer must be “a one-woman man.” Now what does that mean if you think of it as a character attribute? I believe that in its context it means that the Christian leader must be a loyal husband, preserving marriage in all its purity, having love and affection only for his wife and not lusting for other women. Now let’s be honest… I know men who have only been married to one woman but who have eyes for anyone who walks by in a skirt. They are not “one-woman men” in their hearts. On the other hand, I know men who have either gone through a divorce or have been widowed and remarried who are as solid as a rock and are faithful to their wives in their thought lives as well as in their actions. I believe that those are the kind of men Paul was saying that we should look for to lead our churches.
• “temperate” The Greek word originally meant temperate in the use of wine but here it is to be taken in the broader sense, since the next verse forbids intemperance. Paul uses it here to mean self-controlled or self-possessed. The Christian leader should not go to excess in any area.
• “prudent” Some versions say “sober” or “sober minded.” In part it involves being wise and having good godly common sense. (cf. Titus 1:8; 2:2, 5)
• “respectable” When you take the word apart it means “able to be respected.” If you cannot respect your pastor, he should probably not be your pastor. Right? The ASV translates this same word as “orderly” in 2:9 referring to women’s clothes.
• “hospitable” A pastor’s home is an important part of his ministry. He needs to lead by example in using his home as a welcoming place, a haven where people can come and receive help and comfort from him and his wife. (cf. Titus 1:8; 1 Peter 4:9; Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2)
• “able to teach” Obviously not all pastors are going to be capable of preaching like D.L Moody, Martin Lloyd-Jones, or John MacArthur but they all need to be able to communicate God’s Word accurately, clearly, and humbly, and be able to feed God’s flock. Elders who cannot or will not teach should be removed from their position.

Verse 3: …not addicted to wine, or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.

• “…not addicted to wine.” Notice, Paul was not a teetotaler. In fact, a little later in this same letter, in 5:23 Paul advised Timothy, “No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” But a Christian leader should not be addicted to anything! – Alcohol, prescription painkillers, golf, television, coffee, tobacco, food, or fishing, just to name a few things.
• “…not pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable.” Pugnacious is an old word that means prone to get into fights at the drop of a hat. Synonyms are “belligerent, confrontational, contentious, argumentative.” The words “gentle and peaceable” are the exact opposite of pugnacious and are the qualities that a leader should possess. That does not mean that a church leader should be a milksop weakling, but he should not be someone with a chip on his shoulder either, always looking for a chance to prove himself in mortal combat against a perceived enemy.
• “…free from the love of money.” This is important! Paul himself says later in this letter in 6:10 that “…the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Wow, ain’t that the truth! There is no place in the life of a Christian leader for the love of money. It will destroy him eventually because it becomes a pseudo-god, a mistress vying for his affections. That is why Jesus said in Luke 16:13, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Notice that He did not say, “you should not serve both” but rather, “you cannot serve both.”

Verses 4-5: He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity ⁵ (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?) 

• “…one who manages his household well.” This does not mean that he is to be a little tyrant at home, keeping his family under his thumb. Rather, it means that he is a good Christian father and husband, doing everything in his power to lead his family by example, with wisdom, love, humor, and kindness.
• We all know good Christian people who are not good at parenting their children. In some cases, they are too strict, producing children who are embittered against them, the church, and the Lord. In other cases, even Christian parents can be too lax, too hands-off, and their little darlings rule the roost at home, at school, at Sunday School, and anywhere else they can get away with it. To be around them makes your palms itch to be able to paddle the daylights out of them, when really it is probably the parents who need the paddling. Paul would say that neither of these extremes is the ideal for a man who is going to be a leader in the church.
• Again, Paul is not looking for perfection but for men who have a track record of parenting that gives them the right to speak truth into the lives of those who come along after them and seek advice on how to parent their children. By the way, this is just one more reason why I have no respect for the celibate priesthood in the Roman Church.

Verse 6: …and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.

• I mentioned this earlier but here you see it spelled out. An elder in the church is given a certain amount of authority and power and if he is not spiritually mature and wired up right it can go to his head. The devil loves nothing more than to use a Christian leader to weaken or destroy a church from the inside and there are plenty of examples. For this reason, Paul says to make sure that the men we choose to lead us have the Christian maturity to handle the job without getting the “big head.”

Verse 7: And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 

• A leader in the church is always subject to observation and speculation. In fact, sometimes it is a little bit like living in a fishbowl. For this reason, Paul says that a man being considered for the office of elder “must have [cf. v. 2, 4, 7] a good reputation with those outside the church.” The words “must have…” tell me that this is not an option. Then Paul adds this rather cryptic statement, “…so that he will not fall into reproach [same word as up in verse 2] and the snare of the devil.” What does that mean?
• The sin that brought Satan down was the sin of pride. He got all puffed-up and full of himself and decided that he was every bit as powerful and important as God. Pride was the thing that snared him. But ironically, it has become the preferred snare that he has used ever since to entrap many of God’s servants. Indeed, pride has been the root problem and reason for the downfall of many Christian leaders.

CONCLUSION:

I have barely begun to scratch the surface of this topic, but my hope is that it will whet your appetite to study it more on your own. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are the two primary texts that describe what we should look for in our leaders and the standard to which they must be held. Again, the bar is not set at perfection, but it is set high, and we lower it to our peril.

1Timothy Study #4

“Paul, the Woman-hater?”

1 Timothy 2:8-15

Study #4 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but I am going to make a prophecy. Before this day is over you men are going to pat me on the back and say, “Mike, you are either one of the bravest men I have ever met, or else one of the stupidest.” And you ladies will be looking at me as if I were an axe-murderer, or as if I had done something unmentionable in public!

I am about to go where no Bible teacher wants to go. I am about to plunge into a biblical text… and Lord, please forgive me… that I could wish were not in the Bible! However, it is in the Bible, and in fact, it is smack dab in the middle of our study of 1 Timothy, so I just do not see any way around it.

TRANSITION:

We live in a time when any discussion of gender roles is met with predictable hostility. In fact, just the use of that term, “gender roles,” is enough to send some people, women and men, over the edge because they insist that that whole concept is chauvinist, misogynist, patriarchal, and totally passé.

The problem for us who are Christians is that the Bible runs counter to our culture on this matter. That should not surprise us though, because it runs counter to nearly every human philosophy, anytime, anyplace. And even if what the Bible says makes us cringe, and cramps our style, we owe it to God, ourselves, and our church to pay attention to it, and to bring our thinking and practice into conformity with it, or else we should stop calling ourselves “Christians.”

On the subject that we will be addressing in this study you need to know that there is some variation even between conservative, evangelical scholars of both genders. You also need to know that we are not going to end the debate because of my stunning treatment of this passage, as wonderful as it may turn out to be. Also, know that this discussion is not going away anytime soon. And when I get done you may be more confused than you are right now, and for that I apologize in advance.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 8: Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. 

• “Therefore.” Anytime we find this word we need to stop and figure out what it is “there for.” It always functions like a hinge, logically linking what has just been said with what is about to be stated. So, we need to look back at the preceding argument. In this context Paul has been talking about the importance of prayer. That is how he began this chapter, reminding Timothy that prayer should be offered up constantly on behalf of all men, including kings and all who are in authority. Then he narrows this down to point out the importance of prayer in all aspects of ministry, especially in evangelism. In verses 2:4-7 Paul talks about God’s desire to save sinners. But for that to happen Paul says they must deal with the Mediator, Jesus Christ. He came to give His life as a ransom for sinners and to provide a bridge to God. Then in verse 7 Paul tells us that this was exactly the message that was entrusted unto him by the Risen Christ, that he should carry the message to the Gentiles so that they could be saved. He says that he was appointed as a preacher, and as an apostle, and as a teacher of the Truth. Why? It is all about the salvation of priceless souls for whom Christ died. Everything is about winning lost people to Jesus!
• Now look again at verse 8. “Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” Paul writes this to Timothy who was pastoring in Ephesus at the time, a church that had more than its share of wrath and dissension, and that was affecting the church’s outreach in a negative way. No church wracked by sin and anger and arguing is going to be effective in spreading the Gospel. That is a fact! But what is the cure for wrath and dissension? PRAYER – lots and lots of prayer!
• One more thing before we move on… Up in verse 4 where he says that “God wants all men to be saved,” Paul uses the word that is non-gender exclusive. It means humankind and includes both males and females equally. However, here in verse 8 he changes and uses the Greek word for “males,” “men” specifically. Why does he do that? Let’s move on and see if we can figure it out.

Verses 9-10: Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, ¹⁰ but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.   

• So now, in the very same context, with the very same thought in mind, Paul addresses the women of the church. And he uses the Greek word that is specific to the female gender. He has already spoken about the Christian men of the church needing to exhibit by their behavior the holiness that they claim to possess. Now he takes up the related subject of what genuine holiness looks like in Christian women of the First Century church.
• First, notice that in verse 9 the subject is not clothing (outward apparel), but inner beauty that exceeds the outer beauty that many women (and men) prize so highly.
• The word “likewise” applies to the women what has already been said about the men, namely that their lives, too, should be characterized by prayer and devotion to the Gospel.
• These two verses are very similar to what we find in 1 Peter 3:3-5, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; ⁴ but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.  ⁵ For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.” It is important to note that neither Peter nor Paul is saying that there is anything wrong with a woman using jewelry, makeup, pretty hairstyles, and lovely clothing to enhance her natural beauty. But both apostles are reminding Christian women that no amount of paint and hardware can hide bad character. As Christian men and women, our primary focus should always be on the inner qualities of godliness rather than on the outward qualities of style and fashion. So far so good! I think everyone can agree with that.
• But there is something else here, too, and that is the cultural/historical context. In many, if not most of the early pagan religions, including the Diana worship so prevalent in Ephesus where Timothy lived, women played a prominent role. For example, the worship of Aphrodite at Corinth was probably one of the most immoral in which temple prostitution was made into a religion. In all the mystery religions there were priestesses, and I believe that it is because of these common heathen practices that Paul is emphasizing that sexuality is not to enter the public prayer or worship in the services of the Christian churches. He says that when a woman is going to sing in church, to speak or pray or to have any part in a church service, she ought to keep in mind that her appeal should in no way be based on sex. She should seek to please God, and there is no way in which she can appeal to Him based on sex at all. Such appeal always characterized the pagan religions in the Roman world, and Paul is stressing that it should never be a part of Christian worship.

Verse 11: A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

• Oh boy, now we are into it! So, let’s check the KJV. Maybe that sounds better: “Let the women learn in silence with all subjection.” Oh no, that is even worse! So, what in the world are we supposed to do with this verse, or the one that follows it? 

Verse 12: But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. [i.e., in church services]

• First, I think that verses 11-12 must be looked at together because they form one thought in Paul’s mind. But what is that exactly? Well again, I believe that in this whole section Paul is dealing with the subject of “public worship” and what goes on in the public worship service of the local church. I believe that starting in verse 8 he is dealing with the conduct and appearance of those who are leading public worship. Some have concluded from these verses that Paul forbade women to speak or pray in church, but that is not true, because women praying in church is clearly implied in verse 9 and stated as fact in 1 Corinthians 11:5 so this cannot be a blanket prohibition. Rather, the point is that both men and women when involved in public worship should take care to dress modestly and appropriately, and not put on extravagant clothes that draw attention to themselves.
• But in these two verses Paul is talking about the learning and teaching of doctrine. He places this responsibility squarely on the shoulders of a select group of uniquely qualified males. Not all males, mind you, but some males. Most of the men were under the same injunction as the women; namely to learn in quiet submission.
• “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man.” Some believe that Paul here prohibited only the uninstructed women of Ephesus from teaching. Other scholars see this as a general restriction for every church; that women are not to be official teachers in the assembled church. This later position is further buttressed by the phrase that follows, “…or exercise authority over a man.” [i.e., functioning in the role of overseer]
• In this egalitarian age we live in that idea does not go down very well, does it? According to our modern way of thinking we like to say that everyone is equal in every way, and everyone, men, and women alike, should have the same roles, privileges, and responsibilities. That idea is called “egalitarianism.” Unfortunately, God did not receive that memo! Remember earlier I said that as Christians, we need to accept the revealed Word of God, even when it chafes and cramps our style and clashes with our preconceived ideas? Well, this is one of those times.
• We must decide if we are going to agree that God knows what He is doing, even if we do not like it or even understand it, OR, if we are going to reject the Scriptures and rewrite them to please ourselves.

Verse 13: For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.

• As support for his position Paul refers to God’s order of creation as described in Genesis 2:7-25. Adam was made before Eve, and thus has the privilege of the firstborn, a concept well accepted and understood by all ancient societies. Paul views the man-woman relationship set forth in this passage as grounded in the order of Creation. Of course, being made first does not make men superior to women in any way, but it does carry privilege to which we as modern people find it hard to relate. 

Verse 14: And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

• Here Paul gives his second argument for men carrying the lead in public worship, and that has to do with The Fall, way back in the Garden of Eden. According to the Scriptures it was Eve who was deceived, not Adam. In fact, we know that Adam sinned with his eyes wide open. According to Romans 5:12 he knew exactly what he was doing. “So,” you ask, “does that make Adam better?” NO, of course not, and Paul is not saying that either.
• He does, however, seem to argue that since the woman was deceived and then led Adam astray, she is not to be entrusted with the teaching function of an overseer (elder) in the public worship services of the assembled church.
• Again, nowadays lots of self-proclaimed “Christians” have jettisoned this view as misogynist, patriarchal, and out-of-touch with the modern world. For that reason, everywhere you look you will find women pastors, women preachers, women elders, and women evangelists. They insist that Paul was wrong and misguided, a product of his times. They say, “Surely God did not mean to communicate what Paul said. Somehow Paul went off the reservation there for a minute and just threw in a little of his own patriarchal bias.” However, I do not think so. My view of the Inspiration of Scripture does not allow me to pass judgment that way. I believe that Paul was being led by the Spirit of God to write this, even though I do not fully understand all the reasons behind it. 

Verse 15: But women will be preserved through [he uses the Greek preposition διά with the genitive case meaning through, or by instrumentality of] the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

• This is the last verse, but things are not getting any easier! What in the world does this mean? Three possible answers have been put forth over the years:

1.    Some have postulated that it speaks of the godly woman finding fulfilment in her role as wife and mother in the home. However, even in that day not all women were wives or mothers. So, are childless women just left out entirely? I do not think this is what Paul was talking about.

2.    Others say that it refers to women being kept physically safe in childbirth. But wait a minute. Even in those days lots of women died in childbirth, even Christian women. So, what kind of a promise is that if it does not seem to hold up under closer examination?

3.    Still others say that it refers to women being saved spiritually through the most significant birth of all, the birth of Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary. For me, this is the best explanation of the three, and seems to me to make the most sense. I think that Paul is here referring to Genesis 3:15-16 to point to the Incarnation of Christ, the Savior of the World. Salvation came to the world through one special childbirth.

• Dr. J. Vernon McGee, in his commentary on 1 Timothy, agrees with me. He writes: “It was the sin of Eve that brought sin into the world. Now every time a woman bears a child, she brings a sinner into the world—that is all she can bring into the world. But Mary brought the Lord Jesus, the Savior into the world. So how are women saved? By childbearing—because Mary brought the Savior into the world. Don’t ever say that woman brought sin into the world, unless you are prepared to add that woman also brought the Savior into the world. My friend, no man provided a Savior: a woman did. However, each individual woman is saved by faith, the same as each man is saved by faith. She is to grow in love and holiness just as a man is.” 

CONCLUSION:

So, here is the deal… we should not read this passage as a barrier to women working and serving in the Church. Paul was not a member the of “He-Man Women-Haters Club.” While it is true that the woman was created second, and that it was the woman who fell into sin due to the seduction of the serpent, yet…

·       It was Mary of Nazareth who bore and who trained the child Jesus.

·       It was Mary of Magdala who was the first to see the Risen Lord.

·       It was four women, who of all the disciples, stood by the cross.

·       Priscilla with her husband Aquila was a valued teacher in the early Church, a teacher who led Apollos to a fuller knowledge of the truth (Acts 18:16).

·       Euodia and Syntyche, despite their quarrel, were women “who labored in the Gospel” (Phil. 4:2-3).

·       Philip, the evangelist, had four daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21:9).

·       The aged women were commanded to teach the younger women (Titus 2:3).

·       Paul held Lois and Eunice, Timothy’s mother, and grandmother, in the highest honor (2 Timothy 1:5).

·       And there are many women’s names held in honor in Romans 16.

·       Then, of course, there is Paul’s own statement found in Galatians 3:26-28, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”         

I urge you not to go off half-cocked, like so many have done, and conclude that Paul was just wrong about this subject. You do that to your own peril. God’s Word is God’s Word, whether we like it or not! I confess that I do not fully understand all the reasoning behind this teaching, but despite that, it is my understanding that in the church there are some roles and some duties that are for certain chosen men to carry out. To arrive at any other conclusion, I must do injury to the text to try and make it conform to my modern ideas rather than simply accept it and submit to it.