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"Bishops
And Deacons" • 5.1.16 • Calvary
Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- At the end of chapter 2, Paul had explained theologically, the basis for male leadership
in the church. It had always been God's intention for men to lead, though that
is not often their interest.
- One might wonder then if just any old man
would do so long as he was breathing and currently in attendance! Paul makes
sure that this isn't Timothy's mindset.
- Whoever will lead God's people, must have the
stamp of God's Holy Spirit leading his life! What does that look like? How can
you tell? What is God's criteria for a leading man?
- Our questions will be answered as we look at
the roles of Bishops and Deacons! Verse 1.
Text
• I Timothy
3:1 : "This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a
bishop, he desires a good work." :
This is the second time that Paul has said, "This is a faithful saying"
in this first epistle. This is reliable and trustworthy information relating to
leadership.
- This man "desires" a position. This
person is reaching out, stretching himself toward something with the intention
of grabbing a hold of it.
- From what I can understand, the sense is that
this person's life goals are consistently leaning toward this position. Every
thing that he does serves this goal.
- His priorities are centered around the
church. His thoughts are focused upon it's welfare.
- We have been taught to be suspicious of ambition
and that is warranted in the time in which we live. But to seek it in a time of
great uncertainty and growing hostility says much of a purified state.
- In this instance, during the administration
of Caesar Nero, it's a position which has become a necessity. It's visibility
during a time of persecution made it a matter of great nobility.
- There are some who fallaciously attempt to
argue that Paul could not have used the word "Bishop" because the
church didn't recognize such formal positions until the second century.
- I can only agree with them regarding the
English term Bishop. Otherwise, their scholarship is shoddy at best, for the
term that Paul uses is "Episkopos." How old is that position?
- Peter quotes from the Septuagint, the Greek
Old Testament, in Acts 1:20,
speaking of a replacement for Judas' "office," Peter there employing
the same verbage found in Psalm 109:8!
- When Paul spoke with the elders on the beach
of Miletus in Acts 20, he called the
elders of the church "episkopos," translated there as
"Overseers." (Acts 20:28)
- An "Episkopos" then was an
overseer, a person with an eye to inspection or investigation. He is a man of
some responsibility.
- His office is synonymous with the term
"visitation" which has an Old Testament prophetic designation
referring to providing judgment.
- He oversees and maintains a scriptural tone
in the church. A person who extends themselves in this way, sets their hearts
upon a good work.
˚
"For it is no light matter to
represent God’s Son in such a great task as erecting and extending God’s
kingdom, in caring for the salvation of souls whom the Lord Himself has deigned
to purchase with His own blood, and ruling the Church which is God’s inheritance." John Calvin
- This is a good and necessary function within
the church, but it's one which will require energy. It may not necessarily be
physical, but the mental drain will require much of such a man.
- This is why it will require a certain type of
person, the character of which begins to be outlined in the next few verses.
Verse 2.
• I Timothy
3:2-6 : "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;" : The words "must be" are written in the present tense revealing
a current status.
- He was not blameless 10 years ago or a
husband of one wife 5 years ago. A bishop, an overseer embodies these qualities
as a matter of present activity.
- Please see as well the other side: He is not
POTENTIALLY this type of person. "We see the possibility and are thus
willing to gamble on him." Not a chance in the church!
- These are behavioral patterns, a style of
life that is naturally maintained beginning with a character that is generally
unimpeachable. You can't lay hold of him. He's blameless!
- There is nothing to pin on him, either in
civil or spiritual matters. He isn't shady or even playing near the shade
generally speaking. It starts with his attitude toward his marriage.
- He's the husband of one wife. The phrase
means "only one." There aren't any concubines around and there isn't
any polygamous activity.
- This man is faithful to his wife and has eyes
only for her. Whoever he is legally married to at that time, he is faithfully
and happily married to!
- Paul continues by saying that an Overseer should
be temperate. He is marked by being cautious and careful in his actions. This
person is not given to extremes, but balanced.
- He is sober minded, discreet in his dealings
with people and decent, moderate in his behavior. You aren't afraid to be
around this person.
- There is a trustworthiness that marks him
among those that he knows within the church. He's not a loose canon or a
creative exponent of chaos, ruled by his incessant dreams!
- He's also marked by hospitality a compound
word made up of "loves" and "strangers!" He's not aloof
from those that seek to get to know him.
- In fact, it's likely that you will find
yourself in their home if you so wish! After all of this, Paul adds that he
must be able to teach.
- It's not the first thing that comes to Paul's
mind because the Overseer is not necessarily the Pastor though every Pastor is
necessarily an Overseer.
- Paul's primary concerns for a man in this
position will relate to how he relates to people. But, in a pinch, he should be
able to teach.
- In fact, the Didache, a document written 40
years after this by Clement, specified that a Bishop was only to teach when
there wasn't a Pastor or Prophet available.
- The Overseer is available to teach, but he's
not just a warm body. He approaches a teaching opportunity with skill. He has
an aptitude for it.
- In other words, he's recognizes what goes
into standing before people and will prepare himself to serve. Verse 3.
• I Timothy
3:3-6 : "not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in
submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will
he take care of the church of God?);" : An
Overseer is not one to linger long at the wine.
- The NLT uses the phrase "not a heavy
drinker." The HCSB translates it as "not addicted to wine" and
the DBY employs the phrase "not given to excesses."
- It does not say that he cannot drink, but
that he never reliquishes control and can leave it under his own recognizance.
- In these ancient times, wine was an almost
preferred drink over against the water supply which was far from hygienic.
We'll see Paul tell Timothy to take some for his stomach ailments soon.
- While the question seems to pertain to
excessive versus non-excessive, I struggle with the fact that a person who tows
the line may not tow it well, even if they say that they do.
- An Elder/Overseer in our church will be one
that avoids the problem all together!
- Paul continues by commenting that an Overseer
is not violent, a striker, or a combative person. He is not looking for a
fight, nor is he a bully.
- He's not seeking to make money on dishonest
or shady ventures. He's a mild, equitable person, whose not a brawler and he's
not moved by a love for money or for what others have.
- He stands over and presides over his own
house well. Here is a moment to stop and have a look around. Some men have
gotten into the ministry to avoid leading at home.
- That isn't the case with this man. He has a
good grasp on what is happening at home. He's not an absentee Father or
husband, but one who has taken his responsibility seriously.
- You can see his rule in the children who
subordinate under him, who honor his place as a parent over them.
- Now, it's vital to understand here that this
submission and honor doesn't require perfect obedience or even agreement with
the beliefs of the house.
- What is seen here is the respect of the rules
and the respect of the Father's wishes while under his care. That is what is in
view here.
- Paul finishes with this axiomatic statement.
If a Bishop is to rule at church, he will have to have learned to rule over his
family first. Verse 6.
• I Timothy
3:6,7 : "not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the
same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are
outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." : A candidate for a Bishop cannot be one that is newly planted in
the faith. He is not a "Neophyte," or one that is young in their
faith.
- This isn't an injunction against a young
person chronologically, but one who is immature theologically. Some young men
have grown up in the church and can articulate their faith well.
- The question is, "When can that be
assessed in a person's life?" That has to be weighed very carefully in the
church and not by a single person in authority, but a group of people.
- Why? For all the good that comes from this
work, there is an inherant and present danger that Paul warns against. That
danger is represented in the vice of pride.
- A novice would be puffed up with pride if he
was given a position too soon in his Christian life.
- "Puffed up" provides us with an
interesting image, as it refers to being enveloping in smoke. The smoke is
clouding the vision and keeping the eyes from seeing clearly.
- This is the very same pride which infected
the Devil, which led to his utter condemnation!
- Where is Paul getting his information? Most
Biblical scholars point to passages in the book of Isaiah and Ezekiel. Isaiah 14:12-14 details Satan's
prideful disclosure. He would ascend to rule.
- Ezekiel
28:15 gives the judgment of God upon the fallen one: "You were perfect in your ways from the day you were
created, till iniquity was found in you."
- Pride brought Lucifer down from his ascended
place of service before God and he morphed into the enemy of our souls, Satan,
who ever stands against us.
- As for Bishops, they are to be seasoned so as
to protect them from that same temptation and they are to have a good testimony
among those outside the church.
- People who are not necessarily a part of the
church should be willing to stand up and offer evidence of this man's good
reputation.
- The danger here is that he will fall into
disgrace and the same trap that the devil fell into! Properly vetting a bishop
helps spare the church and the person in consideration.
- The Apostle turns now to another category of
servants within the church: The Deacons.
• I Timothy
3:8-10 : " Likewise deacons must be reverent,
not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith
with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as
deacons, being found blameless." : That
word "likewise" obligates men of this office to be as held
responsible for the character traits found in the office of an Overseer.
- The difference between an Overseer and a
Deacon will be in the function that they perform within the church. A
"Diakonos" is one who discharges duties or services.
- The word "attendant" or even
"waiter" might be an equivalent secular vocation. The ministry of a
deacon is one of hands on grunt work!
- You might think that it doesn't matter then
what kind of men they are, so long as they are strapping and willing to work.
Paul says that they must be men with characters just like Overseers.
- In the early days of the church, as it grew
to monstrous proportions in Jerusalem, one of the first duties assigned were
those related to a deacon's service.
- When it came to choosing such men, the church
made sure that certain criteria were met.
• Acts 6:3 : "Therefore, brethren, seek out from
among you seven men of good reputation,
full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;" : The church is a place where men of God serve the people of God.
As such, the leadership is never to skimp on matters of personal testimony!
- A Deacon therefore has to be reverant. The
word speaks of dignity and worthy of respect. They aren't to be men who speak
out of both sides of their mouths!
- As with the Overseer, they're to take the
same attitude towards wine and money. Those things are not the most important
parts of their life.
- What is the most important is that they hold
the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. "Hold" is a term of
possession.
- One of the lexical definitions goes like
this: "to hold one's self to a
thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to."
- These deacons are servants, but they are
convinced and faithful men to the mystery of the faith, which is Paul's
designation of the Christian faith being open to the Gentiles and the Jews.
- The deacons in Timothy's church could be
trusted to serve because they believed with all their hearts that they were
serving God's people, Jew and Gentile alike!
- There's no conflict in their hearts. They
serve Christians, Jew and Gentile alike!
- You would believe that Timothy is just to
announce this to his deacons and expect that even they know all that their job
requires.
- Paul tells Timothy not to assume, nor to let
them assume that they are indeed men who "hold" the mystery of the
faith with a pure conscience.
- It's amazing what happens when someone is
confronted with an opportunity to serve someone that they aren't naturally fond
of. You don't want to find that our while serving the Lord!
- So, Timothy is told that they are to be
tested. When you look at verse 10,
listen to it the way that Paul wrote it: "But prove their character first
before you do anything!"
- We've run across the term "prove"
before. It's a word used in gemology of the examination which determines the authenticity of a
gem.
- Timothy was not simply to take someone's
word. Timothy had to see them in action, to see that their hearts matched their
mouths!
- When someone is in a hurry to serve, the red
flags go up! What are they hiding? Why can't they sit and wait for the
leadership to talk to them?
- Timothy was not to commit himself until the
person in question was found blameless!
• I Timothy
3:11-13 : " Likewise, their wives must be
reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one
wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as
deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith
which is in Christ Jesus." : At this
point, most Bible teachers note an interpretive translation by the NKJV. The
NIV and NASB have it right on this one.
- Certainly, a deacon's wife would be expected
to hold to the same character traits as her husband. But this word is far more
general.
- This says, "Likewise, women." This
refers to women who serve as deacons. A woman deacon, like her male counterpart
was to be dignified and respectable and not a slanderer.
- The word comes from a familiar term to us:
"diabolos!" We get our English word "Devil" from here! She
is not to act as the devil acts!
- When used as a metaphor, one could use this
term as an ancient equivalent to being a devil's advocate! The NASB uses the
terms "not be malicious gossips."
- Her words and her life are to mark her
temperance toward people and faithfulness toward the Lord. While this is all
that is specifically spoken to her, she is to embody the other traits as well.
- Finally, the male deacons are to maintain
their marriages and homes with the same vigilance as their Overseer counterparts.
- God isn't letting anyone who serves Him off
the hook at home! Don't even think about getting into ministry to hide from
your marital woes or your difficult children.
- It's easy to do given the rewards that come
with service. If you serve well within the church, you get a good standing, a
reputation within the church.
- Additionally, you are emboldened in your
faith in the Lord Jesus! Listen to the NLT.
• I Timothy
3:13 (NLT) : "Those
who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have
increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus." : Both deacons and overseers have their reward. Depending upon
the visibility and activity of the Overseer practically, the reward would be
the same.
- When you serve the church well, God's people
will offer their respect for the job that you do. But what is most wonderful is
the second part of this promise.
- Because you work week in and week out with
the people that God is working in, you will be privy to observing the
incremental changes in character.
- You'll be first on the scene when a major
victory comes into a person's life. Believe it or not, while it is not pleasant
duty, you will be there in the greatest times of sadness.
- In every case, whether in triumph or tragedy,
you will see Christ work all things for good and will have more than another
story. You'll gain greater confidence in Him to work for others!
Conclusion
- But who will
stand and see this? Those that are called and those that are gifted. But did
you notice here that of all the traits listed here, only one had to do with
gifting!
- We can say
quite authoritatively that the people that God calls and gifts will be people
that He has transformed and molded into His image!
- Can you not
see it? These character traits are what every Christian is commanded to be in
other parts of the scripture!
- God is
calling Timothy to look for Christians who express the image of and exemplify
that character found in Christ! Those that look most like Jesus will be most
likely to be used!
- The only
people that can lead God's people are people that God has led to Himself!
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