March 29, 2015

A Matter of Public Record Moreover, he [the guardian/overseer (3:1)] must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:7 ESV)

One of the qualifications for the “guardians” (overseers) in Ephesus listed above concerns the Christian man’s reputation among non-Christians. In 1 Tim 3:7, the church is called to evaluate this testimony as a preventive measure in the selection process of a “guardian.”

It has been asked, “what will happen to a leader who is not so regarded by those outside the church” (Knight, Pastorals Epistles, 165)? The answer is clear: it becomes a trap set by the Devil to bring about disgrace in the church. The man’s public record must weigh in as to whether or not he should have the responsibility of a guardian. Let us explore this verse in some greater detail by looking at three aspects of the text.

(1) This virtue list ends with a final necessity. After exploring thirteen qualifications designed to add details to the broad concept of being “above reproach” (1 Tim 3:2), the final detail is the measure of his character as reflected by “outsiders.”

The nature of his public record must be “morally excellent.” The ESV has “well thought of,” but the text literally reads, “have a good testimony.” It covers the positive moral ideas of good, noble, praiseworthy (Bauer, et al., Greek-English Lexicon, 504), a quality that is “favorably valued” (Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, 88.4). His character and standing in the community (3:7) must be equal to the “good work” as a guardian (3:2).

The “source” of information which is suppose to help the church examine a “guardian’s” candidacy comes from non-

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March 29, 2015

Christians (literally, “from those on the outside”). At first glance, this may appear to be strange.Why would public opinion matter when addressing the leadership role of a church “guardian”? The short answer is his public reputation either brings glory to God or it brings disgrace to His Kingdom.

(2) The reason for the requirement is found in the middle of the verse “so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.” The emphasis is placed upon protecting the church from those who have a bad reputation in the community; such a scenario would play “into the devil’s trap.”

Are there any longstanding frictions with the community which are detrimental not only to the guardian’s service but also to the mission of the church? Is he “known” for having improper relationships, or do rumors circulate about him which would be reproachable to him?

These questions must be asked and answered. However, despite the importance of public record, the community is not the final say. It is an important part of the appraisal process designed to prevent disgraceful men from entering the eldership. It is much easier to get a man in, than it is to get an unqualified elder out.

(3) The ever present danger of the Devil. There are no sinless guardians; however, pretense and hypocrisy are subject to slander and accusations. Such is the main objectives of “the Slanderer” (i.e., the Devil). The man’s public record should not be a prized trophy captured by the Devil. Consequently, “Christian men who bring widespread scandal upon the church of God have a heavy burden to bear” (Jackson, Before I Die, 94).

If character is something which has been built brick by brick, then so is one's reputation. This, then, is not a role where one develops their good reputation; quite to the contrary, the role is for the person who already possesses an excellent reputation. JP

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