Ecclesiology
Qualifications of Elders and Deacons
Lesson XXVIII
I
Qualification of Elders
1 Timothy 3:1-7
(1) This [is] a true saying, If
a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a
good work.
(2) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
(3) Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
(4) One that ruleth well his
own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
(5) (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how
shall he take care of the church of God?)
(6) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall
into the condemnation of the devil.
(7) Moreover he must have a good report of them which are
without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1 Timothy 3:1
“This is a true saying,
If a man desire the office of a
bishop…
Notice
that it is an ‘office’. According to Dr.
Scofield, “the word ‘bishop’ (and again in verse 2)
means ‘overseer’.” Vincent
in his word studies ‘superintendent’, ‘overseer’. The fundamental idea of the word is
‘overseeing’. In other books I have read,
I have been told that the words ‘elder’ and ‘bishop’ designate the same
office. The former
referring to the man, the latter to a function of the office. (Scofield, page 1283)
To desire
this office is to desire a good work.
The
first qualification, “a bishop must be
blameless.”
Vincent: “without reproach”, “one who gives no ground for
accusation”.
1
Thessalonians 2:3 came to mind. Paul
said of his ministry “for our exhortation was not of deceit”.
1 Thessalonians 2:3
(3) For our exhortation [was] not of deceit, nor of
uncleanness, nor in guile:
J.B.
Phillips says Paul was saying “our motives are pure,
our conduct is absolutely above board.”
2 Peter 1:16 “ For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables.”
2 Peter 1:16
(16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but
were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
The
qualifications for this office is to be had by men who
are accountable.
1 Timothy 3:2
“ ...the husband of one
wife...”
One
dear brother would not hold any office in Bethel Mission when I was pastor,
because he was not married. We felt he
had misapplied the text. We believe it
means he must not have more than one wife, not that he must have a
wife.
In
all the literature written before my generation (in Christian circles), the
only thing that could break a marriage was death, Romans 7:1-3 being the foundation for that teaching.
Romans 7:1-3
(1) Know ye not,
brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath
dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
(2) For the woman which hath an
husband is bound by the law to [her] husband so long as he liveth;
but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of [her] husband.
(3) So then if, while [her] husband liveth,
she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from
that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Vincent
says: “opposition to second marriage was
very strong in the latter part of the second century”. Therefore, they did not accept a divorced man
as an elder.
That
no longer is the position of most Churches. It is easy to have answers to these
questions until one faces the problems.
1 Timothy
3:2 A bishop must be “vigilant”.
The
simple meaning, “to be wide awake’, ‘wise caution’”, says Vincent.
Then
he is to be ‘sober’. The word does not mean ‘not drunk’, but
rather ‘sensible’. We use the phrase
‘horse-sense’ which means ‘common sense’. One who is not constantly doing
stupid and foolish things.
“Of good behaviour.”
Today, ‘bad behaviour’ are
words often used to describe bad news events.
As we study other Scriptures we will be helped to understand what these
words ‘good behaviour’ mean.
“ given to hospitality” In Romans 12:13 we learn
that every Christian believer is to be marked by hospitality.
Romans 12:13
(13) Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to
hospitality.
Christians
are to be given to cordial reception of guests.
Hebrews 13:2 “Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers…they may be angels”
Hebrews 13:2
(2) Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby
some have entertained angels unawares.
Hospitality
is the ability to make people whom we do not know, feel
at home with us. If this is required of
every Christian then it is more so for elders!
“apt to teach” That is, able to teach. If a man qualifies to
be an elder, God must first equip him to be a teacher.
1 Timothy 3:3
“not given to wine” A simple statement.
In
1 Timothy 5:23, the Elder, Timothy, was allowed some
wine as medicine for a weak stomach.
1 Timothy 5:23
(23) Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy
stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Titus
2:3 instructs aged women could have a little wine. No doubt for the physical problems of ageing.
Titus 2:3
(3) The aged women likewise, that [they] be in behaviour as becometh holiness,
not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Proverbs
20:1 is still in the Bible: “Wine is a
mocker.” A sipping saint does not really qualify to be a Church Elder.
Proverbs 20:1
(1) Wine is a mocker, strong
drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
“no striker”
This
has nothing to do with labour disputes and their
strikes. It means “not a pugilist” or
one who strikes with the fist.
“not greedy of filthy lucre”
Those
who will
to be rich will fall.
1 Timothy 6:9
(9) But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a
snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
destruction and perdition.
An
elder must not be one who labours merely to be
rich.
Proverbs 23:4
(4) Labour not to be rich:
cease from thine own wisdom.
Proverbs 28:20
(20) A faithful man shall abound with blessing: but he
that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
Proverbs 28: 22
(22) He that hasteth to be rich
[hath] an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty
shall come upon him.
1 Timothy 6:10 “… the love of money, (not money)
is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after (they didn’t get
rich) have erred from the
faith (that
explains many things we have witnessed in our generation: fallen preachers, etc.)
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows..”
Words
well worth pondering!
1 Timothy 6:10
(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.
Matthew 6:24 Jesus said: “… ye cannot serve God and mammon (money).”
2
Peter chapter 2, listing the marks of false teachers,
Peter writes in verse 3, these false teachers “make merchandise of you” that is,
of God’s people. They have followers
simply for their money. They are only
interested in the ‘wool’ not the ‘sheep’.
We had one man say to us of a certain preacher, “He would not be
interested in people if he didn’t need them to have his Church!”
“patient” An
Elder must be patient.
Romans 5:3 “tribulation worketh patience, patience experience…”
Romans 12:12 “rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation…”
James 1:3-4
(3) Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
(4) But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may
be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 1:3-4 “… the trying of your
faith worketh patience. Let patience have her perfect work.”
I
recall having quoted Romans 5:3 to brother Fred Hollands , “that tribulation
worketh patience” and his reply was, “yes, if you let it.” If you don’t let
it work as God intended, it can work a miserable disposition too!
Romans 15:4 “Now the God of patience…” What a title! What a source! All true patience comes from God. I have often had to pray this simple prayer
of Hudson Taylor’s “Your
patience, Lord”.
2 Corinthians 6:4 “but in all things
approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience...” Paul listed ‘patience’ as being one mark
of his being a minister of God.
2 Corinthians 12:12 “Truly the signs of an
apostle were wrought among you in all patience…” That too was a mark of his true apostleship
Colossians 1:11
(11) Strengthened with all might, according to his
glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
When
is the last time you heard a sermon on such patience as being a manifestation
of the glorious power of God?
1 Thessalonians 1:3
(3) Remembering without ceasing your work of faith,
and labour of love, and patience of
hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Here
contrast Revelation 2:2 where the Church at Ephesus had works without faith, labour without love and
patience without hope.
Revelation 2:2
(2) I know thy works, and thy labour,
and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou
hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them
liars:
2 Thessalonians 1:4
“So that we ourselves glory in
you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your
persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.”
1 Timothy 6:11 “But thou , O man of God, flee these things
and follow after righteousness, goodness, faith, love, patience and meekness.”
2 Timothy 3:10 “But thou hast fully
known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity patience…”
Titus 2:2 “That the aged men be
sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity , in patience…”
Hebrews 6:12 “That ye be not slothful,
but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises…”
Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience
that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise…”
James 5:7 “Be patient therefore,
brethren, unto the coming of the Lord…”
James 5:8 “Be ye also patient,
establish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth
nigh…”
James 5:10 “Take my brethren , the
prophets for an example of suffering, affliction and of patience…”
James 5:11 “… ye have heard of the
patience of Job…”
2 Peter 1:6 Add “to knowledge
temperance and to temperance patience,
and to patience godliness…”
This
is evidently an important subject for believers, and more so for Elders.
1 Timothy.3:3 continues
“not a brawler” This means not given to quarreling. Compare 2 Timothy 2:24 “the servant of the Lord
must not strive…”
1 Timothy
3:4-5
“one that ruleth well his own house, having
his children in subjection with all gravity” (all
sincerity) “(For if a man know
not how to rule his own house, how shall he take
care of the church of God?)”
In
Genesis 18: 17, God said of Abraham, “shall I hide from Abraham that thing which
I do?” Then verse 19, “For I know that
he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep
the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.”
Thus
God honored Abraham for the way he brought up his children.
But
in 1 Samuel 2:12, 17, we read about Eli’s sons and their evil ways. Then in 1 Samuel 3:13, God judged the house
of Eli, “ because his sons made themselves vile and he
restrained them not.” That father did not rule his house.
Elders
must be rulers at home in order to be rulers of the Churches. They are to ‘take
care’ of the saints in the church as they would their children at home.
1 Timothy 3:6
“not a novice.”
That
is, one who is inexperienced, a beginner.
An
experience in 1944 comes to my mind. I
had visited a Church in
I
learned that the Lord prepares one for difficulties that will arise in local
Churches by years of experience. Elders
need that kind of schooling. The lesson
to me is that when choosing Elders, age and experience should be
considered. There is a danger of
inexperienced elders being lifted-up with the same kind of pride that brought
the fall of the Devil.
1 Timothy 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.”
2
Timothy 3:25-26, also speaks of the snare of the devil. The servant of the Lord … “in meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare
of the devil, who are taken
captive by him at his will.” What is the
‘snare of the devil”?
1 Timothy
6:9,10 gives us the answer
“But
they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after (Colossians 3:5 tells
us that “covetousness is idolatry”) they have erred from the faith, and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
Mark
well, it does not say they become rich, it says, “they only have the will’, the
unhealthy desire to become rich. Such
fall and cause themselves many sorrows.
Worst of all, they fall into religious error.
Titus 1:5-16
another list of Qualifications
of Elders.
Titus 1:5-16, 2:1
(5) For this cause left I thee
in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things
that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
(6) If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having
faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
(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;
(8) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men,
sober, just, holy, temperate; {men: or, things}
(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.
(10) For there are many unruly and vain talkers and
deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
(11) Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
(12) One of themselves, [even] a prophet of their own,
said, The Cretians [are] alway
liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
(13) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply,
that they may be sound in the faith;
(14) Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments
of men, that turn from the truth.
(15) Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them
that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and
conscience is defiled.
(16) They profess that they know God; but in works they
deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate.
(1) But speak thou the things which become sound
doctrine:
I
comment only on those things not mentioned in 1 Timothy
3.
Verse 7
“ not selfwilled”
That
is, governed only by his own will, never yielding to
the wishes of others. The dictionary
says “obstinate; perversely adhering to an opinion; not easily remedied;
stubborn”!
“not soon
angry”
Perhaps
the slang words fit here: “not
hot-headed”
Ephesians
4:16 “Be ye
angry and sin not: (How?) let
not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
Don’t carry one day’s wrath over to the next. This is a work of the grace of God in one’s
heart.
Ephesians 4:16
(16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in
love.
“a lover
of good men”
An
elder is to be known by the company he keeps.
1 Corinthians 15:33
(33) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good
manners.
Titus 1:9 An Elder is to be “able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers...” That is, those who are given to dispute the
truth. Such are described in verse 10 as
being unruly, vain talkers and deceivers.
Verse 11
Their mouths must be
stopped. Gag them!
Verse 13
They are to be rebuked
sharply for not being sound in the faith.
Titus 2:1
The elder is to “speak those things which become sound
doctrine.”
Hebrews 13:7 This verse speaks of them who have rule
over you … elders, “whose faith follow, considering the way they live.”
Hebrews 13:7
(7) Remember them which have the rule over you, who have
spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of
[their] conversation.
James 5:14 Elders are not only to be able
to teach, they are to be able to pray.
James 5:14
(14) Is any sick among you? let
him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing
him with oil in the name of the Lord:
II Deacons
The
word simply means “servants”.
1 Timothy
3:8-13 here their qualifications are outlined.
1 Timothy 3:8-13
(8) Likewise [must] the deacons [be] grave, not doubletongued, not given to much
wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
(9) Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience.
(10) And let these also first be proved; then let them
use the office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.
(11) Even so [must their] wives [be] grave, not
slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
(12) Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling
their children and their own houses well.
(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.
Philippians 1:1 “Bishops (elders) and
Deacons
Romans 16:1 Phebe our sister which is a servant of
the Church. The word servant is
“deaconess”.
Acts 6:1-6 is
accepted as being qualifications of deacons.
Acts 6:1-6
(1) And in those days, when the number of the disciples
was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
(2) Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples
[unto them], and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God,
and serve tables.
(3) Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men
of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom
we may appoint over this business.
(4) But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and
to the ministry of the word.
(5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they
chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas
a proselyte of Antioch:
(6) Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had
prayed, they laid [their] hands on them.
They
are to be chosen “among you” that is
the first qualification. Not an outsider!
They
are to have an honest report, known
for being honest. Full of the Holy Ghost, (spiritual
men) and
wisdom, who
have the ability to do business.
When
the Churches had taken an offering to send to the poor Saints at
2 Corinthians 8:16-22
(16) But thanks [be] to God, which put the same earnest
care into the heart of Titus for you.
(17) For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being
more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
(18) And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise [is]
in the gospel throughout all the churches;
(19) And not [that] only, but who was also chosen of the
churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the
glory of the same Lord, and [declaration of] your
ready mind:
(20) Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this
abundance which is administered by us:
(21) Providing for honest things, not only in the sight
of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
(22) And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have
oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the
great confidence which [I have] in you.
Titus
was to go with this offering, but not alone.
Verse 18 A brother who had been
chosen, not by Paul or Titus, but by the Churches, was to go with him.
Verse 20 This man was chosen to
avoid people calling Paul or Titus, “money raisers”.
Verse 21 He was chosen to provided honest things in the sight of the Lord and in the
sight of men.
Verse 22 describes this deacon,
this servant: “ our brother, whom we have often times
proved diligent in many things…”
Thus,
he was a man well known by the Apostle Paul and also by the Churches.
A man of
good reputation is the man who qualifies to be a deacon of the Church. And then too, a woman of good reputation is
one who qualifies to be a deaconess of the Church.