1 Timothy 3:1
Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ.
1 Timothy 3:2
δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικόν,
1 Timothy 3:3
μὴ πάροινον, μὴ πλήκτην, ἀλλὰ ἐπιεικῆ, ἄμαχον, ἀφιλάργυρον,
1 Timothy 3:4
τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου καλῶς προϊστάμενον, τέκνα ἔχοντα ἐν ὑποταγῇ, μετὰ πάσης σεμνότητος—
Paraphrase:
Comments:
Trench compares (p327) σεμνος with κόσμιος (see v8, 11). The former is connected with divinity while κόσμιος is more an earthly concept. His comments are very interesting.
1 Timothy 3:5
εἰ δέ τις τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου προστῆναι οὐκ οἶδεν, πῶς ἐκκλησίας Θεοῦ ἐπιμελήσεται;—
1Tim 3:6
μὴ νεόφυτον, ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς, εἰς κρίμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου.
1 Timothy 3:7
δεῖ δὲ καὶ μαρτυρίαν καλὴν ἔχειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐμπέσῃ, καὶ παγίδα τοῦ διαβόλου.
1 Timothy 3:8
Διακόνους ὡσαύτως σεμνούς, μὴ διλόγους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας, μὴ αἰσχροκερδεῖς,
Deacons, also, men of reputation, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
Paraphrase: So much for the church’s leadership; let’s now turn to the other responsibility that God gives to His church; namely, the church’s ministry to the needy. This part of the church’s ministry should be overseen by the deacons as the apostles had previously arranged. (Acts 6:1-6) These men should be those who are respected by all in the church, not men who say one thing but do something else, not drunkards, or those who can think of nothing else than chasing the dollar,
Comments:
Trench compares (p327) σεμνος with κόσμιος (see v4, 11). The former is connected with divinity while κόσμιος is more an earthly concept. His comments are very interesting.
1 Timothy 3:9
ἔχοντας τὸ μυστήριον τῆς πίστεως ἐν καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει.
holding the mystery of faith in a clean conscience.
Paraphrase: but who, just like the elders (Titus 1:9), hold the truths which God has revealed to us (Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7–10) and add to this belief a sincere resolve to live a life free of offense before God and men. (2 Corinthians 8:21)
Comments:
πίστεως is likely a genitive of apposition; the mystery which is the faith just like τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον in 1 Timothy 3:16; i.e. the mystery which is godliness.
Is πίστεως here the faith (objective) or our believing (subjective)? I hold to the objective sense; Hort disagrees (p201). Marshall (see Excursus 4 in his commentary on the Pastorals):
The usage [of πιστις] which predominates is the articular form, ἡ πίστις. In this usage, the reference is often to the content of what is believed, ‘the Christian faith’, i.e., a fixed body of doctrine comparable to ‘the truth’ (cf. 1 Timothy 6:21 with 2 Timothy 2:18).
1 Timothy 3:10
καὶ οὗτοι δὲ, δοκιμαζέσθωσαν πρῶτον· εἶτα διακονείτωσαν, ἀνέγκλητοι ὄντες.
and these also, let them be examined first; after that, let them serve being blameless.
Paraphrase: First, however, anyone being considered for the role of deacon must be examined. Let the elders work through all the eligible men of the church and take out of consideration anyone who does not meet these qualifications. Where there is no credible charge brought against a certain man, then set him apart for this work and let him take up his responsibilities and serve the church as a deacon.
Comments:
δοκιμαζέσθωσαν BBG 33.8
Hort notes (p190) that ἀνέγκλητος is not “blameless” but “unblamed.”
1 Timothy 3:11
Γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλίους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν.
Wives, also, women of reputation, not a devil, temperate in all things.
Paraphrase: The wives of deacons should also be women of good reputation so that they can assist their husbands in this work. They shouldn’t be slanderers and gossips, which is more like Satan than Christ, but temperate and moderate in all things.
Comments:
Trench compares (p327) σεμνος with κόσμιος (see v4, 8). The former is connected with divinity while κόσμιος is more an earthly concept. His comments are very interesting.
Is Paul here giving further instructions for deaconesses or is he speaking about the wives of the deacons? Huther writes (p152):
there are two circumstances which should be considered, viz., that the instruction regarding the deaconesses is inserted among those given to the deacons, and also that the apostle calls them quite generally γυναῖκες, instead of using the definite αἱ διάκονοι (comp. Romans 16:1). This makes it probable that by the γυναῖκες we should understand the deacons’ wives. The reason of the special exhortation would then be, not, as Heydenreich says, that even the domestic life of the deacons should be considered, but that the office of the deacons, consisting in the care of the poor and the sick, was of a kind in which their wives had to lend a helping hand. Hence we can explain why the wives of the bishops are not specially mentioned.
Since Paul continues speaking to deacons in the next verse, it is likely that he is speaking of the deacons’ wives, and not the ministry of deaconesses.
1 Timothy 3:12
Διάκονοι ἔστωσαν μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρες, τέκνων καλῶς προϊστάμενοι καὶ τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων.
Let the deacons be one wife men, caring well for children and their own families.
Paraphrase: Finally, if deacons are married, they should be married to only one woman and be completely faithful to her. Their families should be well cared for and managed well.
Comments:
For ἔστωσαν, see the very bottom of this page.
This verse does not require that deacons be married since the same qualification is given to elders (1 Timothy 3:2) and yet Paul himself was not married. Furthermore, Paul clearly teaches that single men have great advantages in ministry. (1 Corinthians 7:32-40)
1 Timothy 3:13
οἱ γὰρ καλῶς διακονήσαντες, βαθμὸν ἑαυτοῖς καλὸν περιποιοῦνται, καὶ πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
For those deaconing well, secure for themselves a good position and much boldness in faith, the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Paraphrase: For those men who serve faithfully as deacons will take their place amongst those who are honored and respected by the church. As they do this work day after day, week after week, month after month, they will grow in their courage and will increasingly be able to defend the faith without fearing the reproach of men. This comes to them, not because they are such great deacons, but because they are joined to Jesus by faith and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:55) from Him who empowers us to perform our tasks to God’s glory.
Comments:
Stephen is the living embodiment of what Paul teaches here. Paul does not mean that good deacons will graduate to become elders; contra Bloomfield (p240):
For those who have well discharged the office of Deacons, gain (thereby) an honorable step to further promotion, namely, to the office of Presbyter or Bishop. Theophyl. explains βαθμὸν by προκοπὴν. And so almost all Commentators, ancient and modern.
Paul was more inclined to tell people to be content with their place (1 Corinthians 7:20) and not to seek promotion. Furthermore, there was no hierarchy in the apostolic church as can be seen in Romans 12:7 and 1 Corinthians 12:4–11. One could move sideways but not up. Fairbairn is (p152) against the idea that Paul’s first intent here was to teach that good deacons will graduate to the office of elder, but he also sees no reason why this meaning shouldn’t be included here as a secondary idea. cf Warfield p506.
1 Timothy 3:14
Ταῦτά σοι γράφω, ἐλπίζων ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ ἐν τάχει,
These things to you I write hoping to come to you with speed.
Paraphrase: I have many more things to say; but since I hope to visit you soon, I will wait until then to finish my instructions on these matters.
Comments:
Timothy was serving the church at Ephesus. Paul had previously told this church that he would see their face no more forever. (Acts 20:25, 38) Yet here, he writes of his intent to come and visit Timothy who presumably would have still been at Ephesus. Wordsworth explains p448.
1 Timothy 3:15
ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω, ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος, στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας.
and if I delay, in order that you might see how it is necessary in the house of God to conduct which is the church of the living God, the pillar and fortress of the truth.
Paraphrase: If my visit to you is held up for any reason, then at least you will have these instructions to assist you in the administering of the church affairs. When I come, I will give you the rest of what I have to say. Remember that the church belongs to the living God; He is the One who called her out of darkness and misery to Himself. Now this church carries on the ministry of proclaiming and defending the truth of the gospel to all the nations. Let the peoples praise You, Oh God; let all the peoples praise You. (Psalm 67:3)
Comments:
What is the pillar and ground of the truth? (cf 1 Corinthians 3:11) Is it the church? see Taylor §1 especially p347. Gill suggests that Paul is referring to Timothy (p604).
1 Timothy 3:16
Καὶ ὁμολογουμένως, μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον· Ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ.
and by consent of all, great is the mystery of devotion. Who was revealed in flesh, justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the gentiles, was believed by the world, was received up into glory.
Paraphrase:
Comments:
The antecedent of Who is “God” in the previous verse. Wordsworth (p449): “this Text as now read remains and ever will remain an impregnable bulwark of the Catholic Verity of the Godhead and Manhood of Christ.