1 Timothy 3:1-13

The church leaders: appointment, duties and character

Chiasmus / sandwich

The 1 Timothy sandwich [1]

1:1-20 false teaching2:1-3:13 issues within the church family

3:14-4:16 need for godliness in the life of Timothy as a leader

5:1-6:2 issues within the church family6:3-6:21 false teaching

The 1 Timothy sandwich [2]1:1-20 false teaching1:3-7 danger of false teaching1:8-20 response to legalism

2:1-3:13 issues within the church family2:1-7 the gospel-centred church2:8-15 the gospel-centred member3:1-13 the gospel-centred leader3:14-4:16 need for godliness in the life of Timothy as a leader3:14-4:5 priority of godliness and the gospel4:6-16: example of godliness and the gospel5:1-6:2 issues within the church family5:1-16 honouring widows 5:17-6:2 honouring elders and masters

6:3-6:21 false teaching6:3-10 danger of false teaching6:11-21 response to materialism

Elders [1]

1 Timothy 3 1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop [ἐπισκοπῆς], he desires a good work.

Elders [2]

Exodus 1817 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “…20 And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws… 21 Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge…”

Elders [3]

Ezekiel 3417 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats…19 And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet…you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, 22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey…23 I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David…24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.

Elders [4]

Elders represent Jesus to the flock

Elders [5] / Another sandwich [1]

1 Timothy 3

2 A bishop then must be blameless

Elders [6] / Another sandwich [2]…the husband of one wife

temperate, sober-mindedof good behaviourhospitable,

able to teach;3 not given to wine not violent not greedy for moneybut 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.

Letter begins and ends with commands to avoid false teaching.

Elders [7] / Another sandwich [3]

7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Elders [8] / Another sandwich [3]

Elders represent Jesus to the community

Elders [9] / A one woman man

1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12

μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδραone woman man

Proverbs 519 As a loving deer and a graceful doe,Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;And always be enraptured with her love.

Elders [10]

Titus 15 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders [πρεσβυτέρους] in every city as I commanded you— 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop [ἐπίσκοπον] must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught [διδαχὴν], that he may be able, by sound doctrine [διδασκαλίᾳ], both to exhort [παρακαλεῖν] and convict those who contradict.

Teach = teach? [1]

1 Timothy 3:2διδακτικόν able to teach

Teach = teach? [2]

1 Timothy 2 [again]12 And I do not permit a woman to teach [διδάσκειν] or [οὐδὲ] to have authority [αὐθεντεῖν] over a man, but to be in silence.13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

Teach = teach? [3]

Luke 424 Then He said, “Assuredly [ Ἀμὴν], I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country ... 28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Teach = teach? [4]

James 31 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers [διδάσκαλοι], knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

Teach = teach? [5]

1 Corinthians 112 …I praise you, brethren, that you…keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you…5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head…13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

Teach = teach? [6]

Acts 1825 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained [ἐξέθεντο] to him the way of God more accurately [ἀκριβέστερον].

Teach = teach? [7]

Titus 21 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine [διδασκαλίᾳ]: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things[καλοδιδασκάλους]— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Silence = silence? [1]

Luke 236 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Silence = silence? [2]

Acts 218 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

Silence = silence? [3]

Only in church?Church = called out community not buildingTemple = buildingWomen spoke in the temple, e.g. Anna

Deacons [1]

1 Timothy 38 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.

Deacons [2]

1 Timothy 313 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.Acts 2035 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Therefore…

Both men and women are gifted to exhort and build up one another [whole bible].Women can have any role in the church except [perhaps?] to be an authenticating teacher or elder [1 Timothy 2:12].Men and women should be trained and tested before taking on specific ministry roles [1 Timothy 3:10].It is more blessed to give than to receive [Acts 20:35].