1 Timothy Chapter 3

1 Timothy 3:1-7 “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. ² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³ not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; ⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); ⁶ not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷ Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

Since Timothy was the pastor at Ephesus, Paul gave him instructions for choosing bishops or overseers to help lead and guide the church.  A bishop or overseer would be involved in teaching and governance of the church, since one qualification is that he or she is able to teach.  This would not be a novice or someone who is not well grounded in the teachings of the New Testament.  Paul said that the person must have a good testimony among unbelievers.  So this is a person who is demonstrating good character not only inside but outside the church.

 1 Timothy 3:8-13 “Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, ⁹ holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. ¹⁰ But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. ¹¹ Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

A deacon would be someone who is serving in the church, but not necessarily in a teaching or governance position.  This person is described as holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.  The mystery of the faith is Christ in us, the hope of glory.  This person would have a clear understanding of the free gift of righteousness and recognize that Christ lives in them.  Those who serve well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing among their fellow believers and great boldness in the faith as they serve faithfully.  In Acts 6, both Stephen and Philip were chosen to serve in the capacity of deacons.  They both went on to do great exploits in God.

1 Timothy 3:14-16 “These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; ¹⁵ but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.”

These instructions were given by Paul to Timothy so that he would know how to organize and lead the church at Ephesus.  The great mystery that Paul speaks of is the same mystery spoken of in Matthew 13:11, the parable of the sower and the seed.  It is the mystery of the kingdom of God; it is the mystery of Christ living in us. God was manifested in the flesh in the person of Jesus.  He bore our sins and was then justified in the Spirit and raised from the dead after He had paid the penalty for our sins.  He was preached among the Gentiles and believed upon in the world.  When we hear the gospel, we are born again.  God comes to live and dwell in us by the Holy Spirit.  That is the mystery of the kingdom of God in us.

Keith Oliver