1 Timothy 3:1-7

The Qualifications For A Bishop In The Local Church (1 Timothy 3:1-7 ).

The church in each city and town was run by a group of elders (presbuteroi) of whom some, if not all (Acts 20:17 with 28), would be appointed ‘bishops’ (episkopoi - the word is rare in secular literature where it indicates ‘oversight’). It was the task of the latter to oversee the teaching of the church members (they must be ‘apt to teach’ - 1 Timothy 3:2). But in order to qualify as teachers they also had to make the grade in their lives. Those qualifications are now laid out.

Analysis.

· Faithful is the saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop (overseer), he desires a good work (1 Timothy 3:1).

· The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach, no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money, one who rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity (1 Timothy 3:2-4).

· But if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? (1 Timothy 3:5).

· Not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil (1 Timothy 3:6).

· Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil (1 Timothy 3:7).

Note that in ‘a’ the office of bishop is ‘a good work’ and in the parallel he must therefore be well thought of by outsiders, for to them he is the face of the Christian church. In ‘b’ the qualifications are laid out, and in the parallel the warning that he must not be a novice. Centrally in ‘c’ he must have proved himself fit to take charge of the household of God, this being evidenced by how he runs his own household.