1 Timothy 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
1Tim 3:1
Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος· εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ.
1Tim 3:2
δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικόν,
1Tim 3:3
μὴ πάροινον, μὴ πλήκτην, ἀλλὰ ἐπιεικῆ, ἄμαχον, ἀφιλάργυρον,
1Tim 3:4
τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου καλῶς προϊστάμενον, τέκνα ἔχοντα ἐν ὑποταγῇ, μετὰ πάσης σεμνότητος—
1Tim 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.
1Tim 3:7
δεῖ δὲ καὶ μαρτυρίαν καλὴν ἔχειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐμπέσῃ, καὶ παγίδα τοῦ διαβόλου.
1Tim 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 elders; let’s now turn to the other responsibility that we find in our churches; namely, those who manage the church’s ministry to the needy. These deacons should be men who are respected by all in the church, not men who say one thing but do something else, not drunkards nor those who can think of nothing else than chasing the dollar.
Comments:
Trench writes about σεμνούς that it implies “a grace and dignity not lent him from earth; but which he owes to that higher citizenship which is also his; being one who inspires not respect only, but reverence and worship.” source
1Tim 3:9
ἔχοντας τὸ μυστήριον τῆς πίστεως ἐν καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει.
holding the mystery of faith in a clean conscience.
Paraphrase: Furthermore, they must, just like the elders (TItus 1:9), hold the truths which God has revealed to us (Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7–10) with a clear conscience.
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; many commentators disagree, however. For this distinction, see here.
1Tim 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, any nominee for the role of deacon must be examined. Let his name be placed before the body and if no one brings any credible accusation, then let him proceed to take up his responsibilities as a deacon.
Comments:
δοκιμαζέσθωσαν BBG 33.8
Hort notes that ἀνέγκλητος is not “blameless” but “unblamed.” source
1Tim 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:
Huther writes:
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. Rom. 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. source
1Tim 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 one woman and be completely faithful to her. Their families should be well cared for and managed well.
Comments:
ἔστωσαν BBG 33.12
1Tim 3:13
οἱ γὰρ καλῶς διακονήσαντες, βαθμὸν ἑαυτοῖς καλὸν περιποιοῦνται, καὶ πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
For those serving well, get 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 frowns or smiles of men. This comes to them, not because they are such great deacons, but because they are joined to Jesus by faith.
Comments:
Stephen is the living embodiment of God’s faithfulness to this promise; cf Acts 7.
1Tim 3:14
Ταῦτά σοι γράφω, ἐλπίζων ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ ἐν τάχει,
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1Tim 3:15
ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω, ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος, στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας.
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1Tim 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.
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