The Third Chapter of the First Letter by Paul to Timothy
God primes the preacher for the work of the ministry. However, first of all, there is a need for the preacher to be stripped of anything that is contrary to the Will of God and then girded with what is needed to be of service within the Will of God. In a concise manner, the third chapter of the First Letter by Paul to Timothy does just that. Paul sought to provide Timothy with the information needed to be an effective worker, a God-called preacher. To do this, three things needed to be done to Timothy, as 2Timothy 4:2 refers, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” In the same way that the people are to be affected, Timothy had to first be the partaker of the effects of the Gospel by being reproved, rebuked, and exhorted. He had to be reproved through the salvaging of what is useful by God. He had to be rebuked through the getting rid of what was not useful for God. Then, he had to be exhorted through encouragement to go forth and do God’s Will. The third chapter of the First Letter by Paul to Timothy carries out these intentions. The following exposition gives by verse the jewels of knowledge that Paul provided to his “son in the ministry”:
3:1: This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Being a bishop, or a preacher, is a good work. The word that gives the wholeness of the character of the calling to the ministry is GOOD. Then, the word that gives the wholeness of the character of the charge of the ordained preacher is WORK. The Called Preacher is charged to a GOOD WORK. Therefore, to desire such a position is not a minimal task. Paul made this clear to Timothy in this verse by confirming to Timothy that this was not something to be disrespected. The Called Preacher is set to a GOOD WORK.
3:2: A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3:3: Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
3:4: One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
3:5: (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
3:6: Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
3:7: Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Verses 2 through 7 give the personal requirements of the Called Preacher. These requirements are prioritized and ordered for the sake of seeing each requirement as having the previous requirement(s) as prerequisites. Therefore, they reflect and structure growth in Christ as the preacher’s life is groomed to be effective in the work:
- Blameless
The preacher must be without blame. It is important that clarity exist in the preacher’s life in order that God may use the preacher. The preacher can’t be used by God if guilt already monopolizes the preacher’s mind.
- Husband of one wife
The preacher must be either single or monogamous in relationships including marriage. Therefore, the preacher cannot consider divorce as a means of reconciliation for marriage. As it says in 1Corinthians 12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” The preacher cannot represent a oneness in Christ if there is separation in the oneness of marriage.
- Vigilant
The preacher must be aggressive. God needs soldiers to represent Him in the war against sin and eternal damnation as promulgators of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the preacher must not be violent. As it says in Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”
- Sober
The preacher must be of a balanced nature and temperament.
- of Good Behavior
The preacher must manage their behavior so as to be of a good nature in respect of God’s Word, Will and Way and not of people’s expectations and desires.
- Given to Hospitality
Not only must the preacher be cordial and friendly to other people, but the preacher must also be given to the same. The impact of being given to this character is that it becomes a way of living as opposed to something done at a moment or for a temporal gain.
- Apt to Teach
The preacher must be able to teach through a sound aptitude and proper training that provides them with the balance of all perspectives. The preacher then must be willing to teach. The common ground of Christ will then be attained and all may be able to partake of His goodness.
- Not Given to Wine
The preacher must not be inclined to drink and must not be inclined to get drunk off the world.
- No Striker
The preacher must not be a violent person either physically or mentally. It is important as in Matthew 10:16 that the preacher be seen as harmless in action and thought.
- Not Greedy of Filthy Lucre
The preacher must not be a lover of the world and its goods. As Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The preacher does not have to look to the world to provide needs and desires. Instead, the preacher must trust God to provide as promised.
- Patient
The preacher must be patient both with their self and others especially in teaching. The preacher works on God’s schedule and not their own.
- Not a brawler
The preacher must not be one who is quick to fight or brawl. God will fight the battles.
- Not Covetous
The preacher must be content with whatever and however God provides. As Paul said in Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
- Rules His Own House
Those close to the preacher need to be students in the teaching also. Don’t go along to get along. The preacher rules their wife and children by being firm enough to get respect and gentle enough to let them know that the preacher loves them.
- Not a Novice
The preacher must not be naïve or ignorant but must be experienced. The preacher therefore can’t be a recent convert but had to have been given time to learn, grow, and develop.
- Having a Good Report
The preacher must have a good reputation with those who are watching. The preacher represents God. Therefore, the preacher must impact the people with a good reputation. As the last of the requirements, this is the summary result of all of the previous. With having done the previous 15, it is inevitable that a good reputation will follow.
3:8: Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
3:9: Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
3:10: And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
3:11: Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
3:12: Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
3:13: For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
There are two scriptural officers in the church. The first is that of the Pastor which has been addressed to this point. The other is that of the Deacon who is referenced in the above verses. The requirements of the Deacon are very similar to that of the Preacher. The Deacon must have the character, training and lifestyle that allows them to be a part of the work of the ministry. However, their role is primarily the arm-bearer of the pastor or the assistant to the pastor in the matters of the work of the ministry. The Deacon’s preparation is extensive to the point that the Deacon is able to even speak from a text to a congregation based on their ability to teach. The key difference between the preacher and the Deacon resides in their immediate authority. The preacher’s immediate authority is God while the Deacon’s immediate authority is the preacher. God calls the preacher while the preacher appoints the Deacon.
3:14: These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
Paul wrote this information to Timothy in order that Timothy might have the resources needed to be effective in his calling. Paul did not present himself as one who knew it all. That is why the reference is given to Paul “hoping to come to thee shortly”. The previous verses of this third chapter of Timothy gave Timothy enough to be a part of the Work…an effective participant.
3:15: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The preacher must know how to carry themselves in the context of the local church. Many of the requirements of the preacher involve interacting with others. To be effective in the ministry the preacher must have an effective presence with those in the church. This entails both what must be done and what must not be done. The assurance in this requirement is that God provides the strength, being “the pillar and ground of the truth”.
3:16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
In conclusion, the realization of the preacher’s requirements leaves the preacher in awe of the common ground, the standard, Jesus Christ. How impressive it is to see that the challenging requirements placed on the preacher have already been perfectly exemplified in the life of Jesus, the “mystery of godliness”. The Bible is clear in its depiction of Jesus as the one who was:
- God in the flesh
- As John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- Justified in the Spirit
- As 1Corinthians 6:11 says, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
- Seen of Angels
- As Matthew 4:11 says, “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
- Preached unto the Gentiles
- As 1Corinthians 1:23 says, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”
- Believed on in the world
- As Romans 10:14 says, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
- Received up into Glory
- As Acts 1:9 says, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”
As Paul said in verse 15, “that thou mayest know”. That is the purpose of First Timothy Chapter Three…THAT THOU MAYEST KNOW what God requires of the Called Preacher.
