How bishops, and deacons, and their wives, should be qualified; and to what end Saint Paul wrote to Timothy of these things. Of the church, and the blessed truth therein taught and professed.
Anno Domini 58.
BECAUSE many false teachers were now spreading their erroneous doctrines with great assiduity among the Ephesians, St. Paul judged it necessary that Timothy, to whom he had committed the care of the church at Ephesus, should be assisted by a number of bishops and deacons, well qualified to teach the people. Wherefore, after observing what an honourable office that of a Christian bishop is, 1 Timothy 3:1.—he described the qualities, graces, and virtues necessary in one who aspires to attain it; whereby it appears, that an able and faithful Christian bishop is a person most venerable on account of his character, as well as on account of his office, 1 Timothy 3:2-7.—In like manner, the apostle described the qualifications, graces, and virtues, necessary in a Christian deacon, 1 Timothy 3:8-9.—and that none might be appointed to these offices, who were not of a good character, and duly qualified, he ordered them to be proved, that is, to be duly examined, and their names to be published to the people, thatif any person had aught to say against them, he might have an opportunity to speak it. And if no accuser appeared, and in all other respects they were duly qualified, they were to be considered as of an unblemished reputation, and were to be invested with the proposed office, 1 Timothy 3:10. He next gives the character of the wives of those who were worthy to fill the office of deacons, 1 Timothy 3:11.—Farther, by observing that the deacons who performed their office well, purchased to themselves a good degree, the apostle, I think, insinuated, that the most faithful of the deacons might be raised to higher offices in the church, 1 Timothy 3:13.—These things he wrote to Timothy concerning the doctrine that he was to teach, the errors he was to confute, the manner of performing the public worship, the behaviour and dress of the women in their assemblies for worship, and the character and qualifications of the persons whom Timothy was to ordain bishops and deacons, notwithstanding he hoped to come to him soon, 1 Timothy 3:14.—Or, if any incident in the course of Providence, prevented his coming, having written these things in this letter, Timothy might know in what manner to behave himself in the house, or temple of God, now committed to his care: whichtherefore was neither the temple at Jerusalem, far less that at Ephesus, but the church of Christ at Ephesus, consisting of all in that city who believed. And to excite Timothy to be diligent in teaching true doctrine, zealous in opposing error, and cautious in ordaining persons to sacred offices, he told him, that as the true living Christian church is the temple in which the living God is worshipped, and the knowledge of true religion preserved, and the practice of holiness maintained, it is actually the pillar and support of the truth, 1 Timothy 3:15.—By giving that honourable appellation to the Christian church, the apostle insinuates, as suitable to the people under Timothy's care, that therein are kept, not the false mysteries of any of the heathen gods, but the infinitely glorious mystery of godliness, or true religion, to be made known, not to a few initiated persons as the heathen mysteries were, but to all mankind.—Lastly, to shew the greatness of the mystery of godliness which is kept in the true living Christian church, the apostles explained the particulars of which it consists, 1 Timothy 3:16.—Thus, by tacitly contrasting the Christian church with the temple of Ephesus, and with even that of Jerusalem, and by displaying the infinitely more noble purposes for which it was erected, the apostle has shewed how vastly superior it is to all the most magnificent material fabrics, which have ever been reared for the worship of God by the hands of men.