Lord’s Library contributor Jared Helms offers a comprehensive introduction to the pastoral epistles in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 with meaning and Key Bible verses. Check out Jared’s YouTube channel and two blogs: A Light in the Darkness and Blind Faith Examples. Lord’s Library’s Ministry Leaders Series is a collection of contributed articles written by ministry leaders on key Christian topics.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 is among the most cited passages in Scripture as it regularly appears in ministerial job listings (see Church Staffing, Ministry Jobs, Church Jobs, Just Church Jobs, and others, ordination services, and installation services. It is a passage familiar to those in vocational ministry, but perhaps not so familiar to the rest of us. Yet the pastoral epistles, of which 1 Timothy is the first, appear within the ordinary canon of Scripture there for all of us to read. We should read this section of the letter, we should be familiar with it as we might be other important passages of God’s word for several reasons.
First, elders are exemplars of the faith; the qualities we see in them are those of a mature relationship with Jesus Christ. The fruits of the spirit highlighted here are the results of grace which all Christian men, and for most of the qualities listed women, should aspire to. A man who would make a good elder will also make a good husband, and father, and has the character to be a good leader in any arena.
Second, as members of local congregation we all play some part in appointing and confirming ministers. These ministers will go on to represent the gospel of Jesus Christ which along by the grace of God can bring souls from death to life. That is no small responsibility, we ought to be good stewards of the affirmation of God’s people in appointing officials for His churches.
Finally, and most importantly, the kind of men God wants to oversee His precious flock which bought with the infinitely valuable blood of the perfect Son of God tells us a lot about God Himself. The mere existence of this passage and its corollary in Titus 1 shows us the great care God has for His people. It shows us that He is patient and gentle, and above all genuine. It shows us that God intends order in His house and not chaos. It paints a picture of what god commands for our good to hold against what man too often creates for our ill.
This passage can be a refreshing reminder of how things ought to be for those of us who have seen and felt the deep pain of a place that claims to be a church and is not. It can be a comfort to those who are wounded from encounters with false shepherds who were never qualified to hold their offices. It can help us as we heal and recover to see God’s design as He originally revealed it.
It is good for all of us to know God’s design for the church so that we can see more clearly when it is being distorted. If we uphold God’s requirements, we will minimize the damage and maximize the Gospel good. Moreover, when we follow God’s design, we glorify Him directly by affirming the goodness of His ways. So, what Paul originally wrote to the young pastor Timothy is now passed along to all of us by the grace of God for our good and His glory.
Pastoral Epistles Meaning
Paul’s writing about elders flies in the face of much modern leadership philosophy (though this is beginning to change to some extent), and challenges many social norms of our day. The first thing we will notice is that the language used in describing elders is exclusively and entirely masculine. The reason for this is given in 1 Timothy 2:11-12, where Paul states that male leadership is the original intent of God: “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
This is very controversial at the moment, having split several denominations already, and threatening at the time of this writing to split even more. However, there is nothing maline in this preservation of spiritual leadership in the local church for certain men. It is not based on any sort of assessment of ability, or performance. It is not the result of human bias. This is simply God’s own design from before the fall of Genesis 3. That fall occurred when the Serpent circumvented God’s order, Adam neglected his responsibility, and Eve ignored both issues. Sitting under the authority of select men is not a punishment, men are also under the authority of other men, and all are under the supreme authority of Christ.
- 1 Timothy 3:1: “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
This involves an aspirational desire to do the work of the overseer. Not ability, not talent, not education, or job experience: but an earnest desire to do the work. Notice Paul speaks of the task, not the office or the title. Those are not the targets aimed at, but it is the work itself that a good pastor wishes for. It is the work itself that God calls men to. God desires men who are intent on the work that needs to be done.
Behind this desire then we should see a deep and abiding relationship with God. In this prayer, Scripture reading, and meditation on the word of God are key. If they are absent then desire is doubtful. For if you are truly interested in the work of the Kingdom, you will be interested in knowing the King.
The leaders of the local church are first and foremost followers of God. Followers lead others to follow after Christ who is the one true leader. The Lord is not looking to advocate the rule of the local church, He is looking to maintain His rule through faithful servants. This gives every local congregation a comfort of continuity in leadership for Christ is with each and every congregation of true believer to the end of the age. The under-shepherded will come and go, but the head, Christ, remains the same.
Therefore an Overseer Must Be Above Reproach…
- 1 Timothy 3:2: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
The divisions from this point on are my own. see also Titus 1:6-7: “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”
God is concerned with moral character. The pastorate requires an exemplary life that is not easily drawn into disrepute. Moral failing would paint the faith in the wrong light for believers and non-believers undermining not only a ministry but the message itself. The man who talks the talk must also walk the walk or else the words might ring hollow.
We are not of course speaking of perfection, but of striving towards it as Paul describes in Philippians 3. We might think of Daniel chapter 6 where the jealous officials of Darious’ court had to have prayer outlawed in order to bring a charge against Daniel. That is how it should be with the pastor; he should have no glaring sin in life. He should also clearly evidence the fruit of the Spirit. See Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
A moral backbone reduces flexibility in ways that occasionally hinder numerical growth, financial gain, and the like. There are places that promise increase that a moral man simply cannot go. The world is perfectly willing to let morals slip a bit if it gets results, but God is not. The standard for pastors is high, but not impossibly so.
The Husband of One Wife…
- 1 Timothy 3:2B: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
See also Titus 1:6: “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”
The point above again applies here, but the emphasis given on the picture of marriage is representative of Christ and the Church in Ephesians 5. Failure in this area is even worse. The more literal translation would be, “A one-woman man.” If a man is not dedicated and steadfast in marriage, how will he be in ministry? The imperatives are not just about keeping up appearances, they are very directly about fruitful ministry.
It is clear at this point that the requirements to be a pastor have to do with private life as much as professional life. By inquiring into personal matters such as fidelity we cross a line that no secular institution can, this in itself is evidence that a secular approach to hiring will not work in the churches, or in the para-church ministries that work alongside them.
We must take a moment here to address a common misunderstanding that a pastor must be married. That is not what the Scripture says, it says that a man must be devoted to one woman, and it may be that he has not yet met that woman. It might also be that he has the gift of singleness and is devoted to celibacy. What is prohibited is promiscuity. To disqualify unmarried men would prevent Paul and Jesus Himself from shepherding our congregations, not to mention a whole host of faithful pastors from church history.
Sober-Minded, Self-Controlled, Respectable…
- 1 Timothy 3:2C: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
See also Titus 1:8: “But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;”
Again, these qualities go much deeper than keeping up appearances. Sound judgment, self-awareness, control, and restraint are very important in any situation where decisions need to be made, and the kinds of decisions that are made by elders in churches often involve the well-being of people’s souls. When dealing with matters of eternal significance there ought to be a certain respectability; less flippant words and actions make the Gospel seem trite.
We want such qualities in our doctors lawyers, and government officials; and we ought to esteem them even more with those who care for eternal souls. We want men whom we will be likely to listen, too.
Of course, Paul is not demanding an inhuman, humorously, graveness at all times. He is not trying to take the fun out of the church, only foolishness. We want men who know when and how to be serious.
Hospitable…
- 1 Timothy 3:2D: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
See also Titus 1:8: “But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;”
There is a solid definition of the qualities so far, a man is either devoted to a single woman or he isn’t, he either has a good character or he doesn’t; but with hospitality, the definition is not so black and white. Hospitality has come to mean something very superficial in the wider world, while in some churches it has come to mean something absurdly demanding. It is certainly not enough for a pastor to appear hospitable; he cannot slap on a warm and welcoming veneer as needed. Nor can we expect him to open his home and his family at all hours and without warning to our entry.
At the least, this man must be approachable and accessible to the congregation. He needs to have some ability to make people feel welcomed into the church, and into his office. More than this, he must be able to care for them in the truest sense, to seek to take care of them. That is the root of hospitality. So, it is the expression of hospitality that may vary, but the heart must ever be present.
Pastoral Epistles Meaning: The First Ability
- 1 Timothy 3:2E: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
See also Titus 1:9 and 2 Timothy 2:24:
- Titus 1:9: “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”
- 2 Timothy 2:24: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”
At last, we come to ability and talent. It is clear from the context of the pastoral epistles that we are talking about the ability to teach the Scriptures. The first thing then is to have someone who knows the Scriptures, and knows how to study them rightly. See 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The second thing is to be able to effectively communicate the meaning of Scripture to others. That does not require great eloquence, wit, or proficiency in multi-media presentations. Those things can be helpful, but they are not necessary.
We might think that the larger our church, or the bigger the pastor’s salary, the more talented he ought to be; but that is simply not true. Every soul in the congregation has been purchased by Christ’s infinite sacrifice, infinity divided by any number equals infinity, and so every single soul is of infinite worth in the eyes of God deserving the very best that is available. We trust that God provides the best knowing better than we do what that is.
Don’t miss that last point. What seems best to us is not always the best. We are often taken with flashy production, witty turns of phrase, humor, vocal quality, academic excellence, good looks, nice clothes, emotional display, and the like, but what really counts is faithfulness to the Text and clarity. Everything else can help or hurt the message.
Not all teaching happens behind a pulpit or lectern either. Some of the most impactful instruction happens in the counseling room, at the bedside, at the table, in the hallway, and even through the written word. So as with hospitality, the expression of teaching ability varies. Some men are focused on the pulpit, others do their best work in private meetings. Some present their instruction in a measured monotone, while others must express the emotion generated by the truths they are expositing. Faithfulness and clarity are the only true measures that can be applied here.
Paul elaborates on this point in his letter to Titus.
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. SeeTitus 1:9: “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”
The ability to teach means more than delivering simple instruction. It also encompasses rebuking those who are stubbornly persistent in error. The pastor has to be competent to wield Scripture for every good purpose that God provided it for. See 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Not a Drunkard…
- 1 Timothy 3:3A: “Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”
See also Titus 1:7: “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”
The effects of alcohol on the human mind are not conducive to a consistent witness. The Scripture does not outright ban the consumption of alcohol even for ministers, but it does ban drunkenness, and that has led many (this writer included) to abstain from drinking altogether. Nevertheless, that is not the requirement of Scripture, and we ought to be very careful about going past the Biblical requirements.
In the debate over the consumption of alcohol, we would do well to remember the wise counsel of Romans 14 and be mindful of our brothers and sisters and respectful of their convictions. Some may have been saved out of addiction to drink, and others may have suffered at the hands of drunkards, such souls require consideration if Christ would not crush a bruised reed, and we shouldn’t crush them either.
Not Violent But Gentle…
- 1 Timothy 3:3B: “Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”
See also Titus 1:7-8 and 2 Timothy 2:24:
- Titus 1:7-8: “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;”
- 2 Timothy 2:24: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”
Paul takes care to emphasize gentleness, and we should take note. Jesus Himself is the paragon of gentleness and humility which is closely related to it. We have examples of gentleness in our Lord’s handling of Zacchaeus in Luke 19, Nicodemus in John 3, the Samaritan woman in John 4, Thomas in John 20, and a disgraced Peter in John 21 among so many others.
However, the greatest picture of gentleness is that of the Son of God being falsely accused, beaten, mocked, made to bear the shameful cross, and hung upon to die a slow and agonizing death without ever protesting. It is in those steps every pastor must follow. Never striking back in anger against an attack, but trusting themselves to God.
We would do well to study the gentleness of Christ, what it was, and what it was not. We can confuse gentleness, meekness, and humility for weakness and vacillating. We can make them empty terms that have only to do with appearances rather than attitudes and beliefs. The truth is that these are virtues of the heart which require the utmost strength to hold. That strength is found only in a deep relationship with God through Christ Jesus via the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Not Quarrelsome…
- 1 Timothy 3:3C: “Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”
See also Titus 1:7 and 2 Timothy 2:24:
- Titus 1:7: “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”
- 2 Timothy 2:24: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”
Quarreling and bickering is an awful waste of time at its best, and at worst becomes a poison that divides bodies. A pastor must be wise enough to avoid the trap of arguing worthless points, insisting on unimportant items, and going back and forth with an unreasonable soul. The pastor ought to be settling disputes, not starting them.
Money is No Objective…
- 1 Timothy 3:3D: “Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”
See also Titus 1:7:
- Titus 1:7: “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;”
The love of money distorts a man’s perspective and makes many awful things seem reasonable and just to him. As it is written in 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
When the love of money infiltrates a church, it corrupts doctrine and practices until the Gospel itself is lost. You can see this in the money-loving ministries of false teachers like Creflo Dollar, Oral Roberts, and many others. A faithful Gospel ministry is not a way to get rich. Those interested in acquiring great wealth had better look elsewhere for the verdict concerning them is already given in 2 Peter 2.
He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? See 1 Timothy 3:4-5: “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”
Managing a household involves so much more than time and finances, it involves relationships much deeper than what we expect to find anywhere else. It is loving management which is seeking the growth and ultimate good of all members of the household. It is the management of a marathon and not a sprint.
Elders need to delegate responsibilities within the church just as husband/father delegates responsibilities within the house. The elders ought to listen to input from the congregation just as a man ought to listen to what his wife and children have to say. Above all the overseer needs to keep in tune with God just as the head of any Christian home should do for they are managing what does not belong to them.
Not a Recent Convert…
- 1 Timothy 3:6: “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”
The virtues previously discussed demonstrate a good deal of spiritual maturity, and spiritual maturity doesn’t happen overnight. So, we might think Paul is redundant here, but new converts are often the most eager to serve, and that enthusiasm can be difficult to turn down. Rapid advance however typically leads us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought.
Pride is antithetical to everything previously mentioned – most especially gentleness. Paul is speaking of spiritual maturity which has little to do with physical maturity. Many churches will place a minimum age requirement on their pastor, but that is no guarantee of spiritual maturity. The 56-year-old who came to Christ a few years ago might be far less developed in the faith than the 24-year-old who has walked with Christ for over a decade. There are no shortcuts to establishing the spiritual maturity of a candidate.
Final Thoughts
Elders are the spiritual overseers of the church who bear responsibility for making the decisions of direction for the congregation. The qualifications given to us by God through Paul’s inspired writing here and in Titus should not be dismissed, or downplayed. We should know them, and we should choose our overseers according to them.
Paul will go on to give the qualifications for deacons, reminding us that elders are not sufficient by themselves for the ministry of the local church. The elders are one set of members in a body that has many different parts. Keeping the elders in their context is critical to successful service.
Thanks be to God for the goodness of His design and for the wonderous care of His redeemed people. May those who serve His flock’s faithful be greatly rewarded. May the churches by their submission to God’s word and to His elected officials glorify their God so that His name is great among all the nation. Amen.
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