1 Timothy 3
CHAPTER 3
About bishops and deacons
Faithful is the saying: If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober, orderly, given to hospitality, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not argumentative, not covetous. 4 One who rules his own family well, having his children in submission with all reverence. 5 For if a man does not know how to rule his own family, how shall he take care of the church of God? 6 Not a new convert, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace or into a snare of the devil.
8 Likewise, deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money; 9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let them first be tested. If they are found blameless, then let them serve as deacons. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be men of one woman, ruling their children and their own families well. 13 For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly. 15 But if I am delayed, I write so you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy, great is the mystery of reverence towards God: He who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
Commentary
3:13 Our service of itself develops our faith. This is an example of the upward spiral in spiritual life; years of humble service make faith deeper, which in turn motivates us to more service.
3:15 Even Paul didn’t know exactly how his plans would work out; we all long for stability and clear plans for the future. But God doesn’t work with us like that; He wants us to go through life with faith in His leading.
3:16 God was manifested in the flesh in His Son, Jesus. Jesus was of human nature but had a perfect character, so that He showed us what God would have been like if He were a human being. This doesn’t mean He was God Himself in person.
