1 Timothy (Written)

Thursday, 1 February 2018

I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. 1 Timothy 5:21

Paul now directs his attention to Timothy himself, especially pointing out what is expected of him. He begins with, “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The word translated as “charge” bears more weight than the translation implies. It is rather, “solemnly charge.” It is a compound word comprised of “thoroughly” and “witness.” Thus, it is a solemn charge or an earnest testimony. Paul’s words then hold great weight as presented to Timothy. This is all the more seen by including both “God” and “the Lord Jesus Christ” as witnesses.

Paul is making the most solemn charge possible by calling the infinite God, and His designated Mediator who comes from Him, to witness Paul’s charge to Timothy. He then calls on “the elect angels” as well. This term is highly debated. Some see this as not meaning “some of the angels,” but “the choice, or preeminent, among the angels” (John Gill). Others see it as all angels which are not fallen. Those which are fallen are then recorded in Jude, where it speaks of “…the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode” (verse 6). In contrast to these fallen angels would be those recorded in Hebrews 12:22. There it says, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.”

In the end, the term is used just this one time in the Bible. The doctrine of angelology is a valid point of study, but much of it rests on inferences and speculation. Even when these inferences are particularly obvious, it is better to not be overly dogmatic on a subject which is otherwise not explicitly stated. What can be inferred without going beyond what is written, is that Paul is using these “elect angels” in his charge to Timothy, thus implying that they are to be witnesses to Timothy’s life and actions, and they will probably be a special part of testifying to his life’s conduct when he stands at the Bema Seat of Christ. Otherwise, there would be no need for them to be witnesses.

Logically then, it follows through that all saved believers are likewise viewed by this heavenly host. Each of us is implicitly included in this. The charge to Timothy is given in this solemn manner because of the especially weighty position to which he has been elevated. Therefore, he is expected to “observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.”

The idea of “prejudice” is that he is to not make a judgment apart from the facts. The word, prokrima, is unique here in Scripture. It is a compound word signifying “to judge before.” He is not to decide before hearing a matter, whether based on the status of another, his affiliation or friendship with another, or for any other reason where he might be inclined to make a pre-judgment based on anything but the facts that will be presented.

The idea of “partiality” indicates a pre-inclination. The Greek gives the sense of a balance-scale inclining one way or another because it is tipped in that direction. Rather than such an attitude, proper application would demand that justice is blind-folded, and that the balances are properly aligned through the entire process of discerning a matter. As the leader of the church, he is to properly weigh out all matters – doctrinal, inter-personal, etc. – fairly and without any sort of bias being allowed to enter into his decision making. He is to hold to the highest standards of fairness and proper discernment.

Life application: Due to presuppositions, and due to our personal likes and dislikes as humans, the words given to Timothy are exceptionally hard to apply to our decisions. But this is what is expected of those in the ministry. If we conduct our affairs with bias, or with pre-judgments, we will inevitably corrupt our doctrine, and err in our decisions. First and foremost, we are to hold to Scripture as the ultimate source of our faith. And then we are to apply its high and noble standards to our decision making process at all times. We are neither to twist the word in the process. Instead, our doctrine should be fixed and unchanging as we deal with such matters.

Lord God, where can we go to find the right way to deal with others in a fair and proper manner? If we trust in our own selves in this, we will surely fail. We are a product of our makeup, and that makeup is faulty. But Your word is not. And so help us to put aside our fallen inclinations, and to apply the precepts of Your word to our lives in all matters. In this, our decisions will be fair, our judgments will be sound, and Your will is what will be revealed in those things we do. Help us in this, O Lord. Amen.

Wednesday, 31 January 2018

Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. 1 Timothy 5:20

The words, “Those who are sinning,” are not as obvious as may be realized. Ask first, “Who is Paul speaking about?” Two possibilities arise. He has been speaking of elders since verse 17. Verse 19 then singled out the elders concerning accusations being brought against them. From the immediate context, one might assume that this is obviously speaking of the elders who were found to be properly accused. This is the view of most scholars. It is a fitting view, and holding it is acceptable.

Having said that, Paul may be summing up his thoughts now by including all in the church. Verses 22 (sharing in other people’s sins) and verse 24 (“Some men’s sins”) are speaking in a general sense. Thus, verse 20 could be a transition verse from the specific to the general. This is even more possible because of the verb used, which is in the present tense – “sinning.” This could be speaking of anyone who is actively sinning, such as the offender mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5.

And so, rather than being dogmatic about this, it should probably be considered as a general principle, to be applied to both elders and lay people alike. “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all.” The sinful actions of the offender are to be brought forth, and they are to be addressed. This speaks of spiritual matters. The church had no authority in the affairs of the government, and so those things which Paul writes of are spiritual matters. Obviously, later in the church age, some governments have mixed state affairs with church affairs, but Paul’s words are directed specifically to spiritual matters. These sins were to be addressed in the open church for all congregants to see for a specific reason. It is so “that the rest also may fear.”

Whatever sin is being addressed – be it the teaching of improper doctrine, inappropriate sexual behavior, stealing, or whatever else arises – the people would see the case being brought out openly. The embarrassment of being addressed in this manner by the offender would then warn the entire church that the same type of formal charge would be brought against the next person who would presume to violate the set standards of guidelines found in Scripture. In this, the people would learn to fear acting inappropriately, and confine themselves to what is sound and proper.

Life application: The words of this verse are instructive, and they are prescriptive. But a problem arises in the modern world which didn’t exist in the past. In many places, there is a church on every street. If someone is accused of doing something illicit in a church, even before an open trial can be held, all they have to do is head down the road to the next church and sit in obscurity there. This doesn’t negate the need of the church to do its job, but it does make it a bit more difficult to follow through with what needs to be done. However, for the person who is willing to stay and receive his rebuke, both the offender and the congregation will ultimately be edified and built up together through the proper conduct which was displayed in accord with God’s word.

Lord God, You have given us the church to fellowship in, and you have given us other believers to share our hearts and our desires with. We thank you for these things, and it is so very encouraging to be able to share in life with those we attend with. Outside of our weekly services, there is the phone, email, or video chats where we can continue in our fellowship. Help us to use these things so that our hearts and minds are used in building one another up, and in staying close to You at the same time. May our every action each day be directed towards You. Amen.

Tuesday, 30 January 2018

Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. 1 Timothy 5:19

Paul’s words of this verse are to be taken in context with the previous verses. An elder here is not simply an “older man” as was noted in verse 5:1. Rather, it is speaking of one in a position in the office of elder of verses 17 & 18. This is the subject under discussion, and he is continuing with it now. These words then are specifically being given to protect those in leadership from slanderous attacks and the like. Therefore, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder,” is specifically to be considered in this way. The elder is one in the church who is in a position of teaching, instruction, authority, and so on. But Paul doesn’t stop there. He completes the sentence with, “except from two or three witnesses.”

If someone came forward and made an accusation against someone who had already met all of the requirements of the office (which he has already laid out in the epistle), then the accusation was not even to be considered without additional support, meaning two or three witnesses. This individual has gone through the entire process for ordination, he has met the requirements, and he was duly installed. This would have included an investigation which interacted with many people. For one to come forward, make an accusation, and destroy that work by himself was not to be acceptable.

But, if an accusation was confirmed by more than one, then an investigation could proceed. This precept was a part of the law and culture of the Jewish people. It was given in Deuteronomy 17:6 concerning the death penalty. It was given in Deuteronomy 19:15 concerning any crime. It is cited in John 8:17 by Jesus, and Paul states it as a precept in 2 Corinthians 13:1. Though it is a part of the Law of Moses, Paul has carried it into the New Covenant as a protection for the people of the church as well.

The reason for this should be obvious. Anyone who bore a grudge against another could make up anything he wanted about that person and simply lie about it. In bringing discredit upon the person, it would then lead to discredit upon the faith. And this may be the underlying motive as well. It is the desire of the enemies of Christ to do whatever they can to harm the Christian faith. Accusing an elder is an easy way to do this.

Further, if a person has betrayed the office, having two or three witnesses who can substantiate the offense would be a valuable means of having him removed. As is seen in church hierarchies, there is often an unhealthy protection of true offenders. This is not limited to the Roman Catholic Church, but they are a great example of this. The high level of perversion among priests and bishops is hidden away by the Pope and his minions at the Vatican. But this should not be. The precept goes both ways. It is to secure an elder against unjust accusations, but it is also a precept which is intended to ferret out miscreants, and offenders of the Christian faith as well.

Life application: The sad state of accusations being levied against godly men is on the increase. As the world devolves into perversion, faithful preachers will continue to be attacked by those who want their perverse agendas to succeed. However, the sad state of protecting perverse people within the church is also something that has been on-going for centuries. An entire system of perversion has been built into many major denominations. These things need to be called out by the faithful, and highlighted to show the contrast between true Christianity, and that which is false.

Heavenly Father, help us to be faithful to Your word alone. When something happens in a church which brings discredit to the faith, may we faithfully follow Your word, and work to see that it is ended. And yet, may we not simply accept accusations without proof. There is a whole world of people who are working to destroy the reputation of decent leaders and faithful attendees, simply to bring a stain upon the name of Christ Jesus. Give us wisdom and discernment in how we respond to such challenges. Amen.

Monday, 29 January 2018

For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 1 Timothy 5:18

Paul, referring to the preceding verse, now provides scriptural support for the “double honor” which is to be provided to the elders who rule well. He cites Deuteronomy 25:4 in order to make his point. He notes that even animals which were engaged in labor were not to be muzzled as they tread the grain which had been harvested. They were to be treated with respect and were to be allowed to benefit from their labors. If this was so with an ox, then how much more should those who ruled the congregation well, especially those who labor in word and doctrine, be allowed to participate in the fruits of their labors. To get an even fuller understanding of Paul’s intent here, one should refer to 1 Corinthians 9, where Paul cites this same verse and further explains it –

Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? ¹⁰ Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. ¹¹ If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? ¹² If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? 1 Corinthians 9:8-10

One can see that those who sow spiritual things for others should be allowed to reap material benefits from their efforts. After this, Paul continues with, “and, the laborer is worthy of his wages.” Because he uses the conjunction “and,” he is saying that this next citation is also graphē, or Scripture. However, there is no match to his words to be found in the Old Testament. Where it is to be found is in Luke 10:7, which says, “And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.” This is also loosely cited in Matthew 10:10 in the words, “for a worker is worthy of his food.”

What seems to be the case, is that by this time the synoptic gospels were already considered as authoritative words of Scripture. In other words, Paul’s citing of them means that they were considered as having the same authority as the Old Testament. Others disagree and say that this was a proverbial saying of the time. However, Paul does not cite proverbial sayings as “Scripture.” One other view is that the words of Christ had, by this time, become an oral tradition which was considered as Scripture, and this was Paul’s intent in citing it this way. This is found, for example, in Acts 10:35 which states –

“I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

The problem with this view is that Paul doesn’t say that they are simply “the words of the Lord Jesus” as in Acts, but here in Timothy he calls them “Scripture.” Therefore, it is a good indication that the gospel of Luke, which was compiled not much earlier, was already considered an authoritative source concerning Scripture.

Life application: Although the dating of the New Testament books is debated, there is a good certainty of when most of them were written. These dates can be determined by internal evidences found in the books themselves, and in other areas of the New Testament. A thorough study of these things will demonstrate that we have a sure word that is reliable, and that tells us accurately about the things it proclaims. Let us conduct our walk with this confidence, and be assured that we have our faith in God’s true and complete revelation of Himself.

Lord God, it is so very good to know that the word You have given us is reliable, and it is self-validating in so many ways. We don’t need to worry if we are following carefully devised fables, but instead we can be assured that we are reading the words which You determined should be revealed to us in order to understand Your wonderful work in bringing about our redemption. Thank You for the surety we possess in Your precious and superior word. Amen.

Sunday, 28 January 2018

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17

The words of this verse are highly debated, and so they must be taken in context as to whom he is speaking of. The word “elders” can be referring to the aged in the congregation, but that is not the only intent of the word. In Israel, it was used “to denote the body of men that presided in the synagogue” (Albert Barnes). Others agree with this, and it is the logical extension of everything Paul has been saying. The church is a body led by men, regardless of their age. Instead, “elders” here is a positional word. It is those who rule and have authority. It is these who are to “be counted worthy of double honor.”

Those who rule within the church have a very tough job. They are not simply dealing with paper, numbers, valves, electric wiring, laying bricks, or a host of other jobs which are routine and stable. Instead, the church is a dynamic organism which changes constantly in its makeup, and which is comprised of individuals. Each individual has personal needs, each person has complicated emotions, and so on. For an elder to deal with all that comes his way, especially in matters of religion, there is a high level of stress at times. Because of this, Paul would ask that these leaders be given “double honor.” The term, based on the next verse, certainly indicates monetary compensation, but it is not limited to that. And the word “double” is not strictly intended in its literal sense. Instead, it indicates “more honor.”

With this understanding, he completes the verse with, “especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” Studying, preaching, and teaching the word is the highest responsibility any person could have. In taking the word of God, and explaining it to those within the church, there is the truth that this person has become, in a very real way, responsible for the souls of those under him. If he teaches incorrectly, their lives may be completely erratic and chaotic. Or, they may never come to a saving knowledge of Christ. People in a congregation, especially before the modern printing press, were wholly dependent on what they were told. There may have been one copy of Scripture in an entire town.

Even today, people who have ten copies of the Bible in their home may have never read it even once. People commit their trust in what is stated by teachers, and they follow closely to what they have been taught, even if it is completely wrong. This is a real problem, but it is one which exists and cannot be ignored. Therefore, sound teachers are an especially important commodity, and they are to be given the proper honor for their efforts. This is stated by Paul elsewhere, such as in 1 Thessalonians –

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13

Life application: When dealing with people, especially over spiritual matters, great divisions, great anger, and great bitterness can arise. People want to know if dogs are going to heaven, if the rapture will happen on a certain day, if one can lose their salvation, and etc. In such questions, most people have already decided on the answer, and it is usually based on emotions. When they ask an elder for an answer, they are not usually looking for an answer, but an affirmation of what they want to believe. When they hear something contrary to what they want to believe, they get upset and often nasty. This is a common thing, and it is debilitating to always be second-guessed by those who actually have no idea except one formed in their own minds. Understanding this, it is good to give elders the honor of their position. They have probably already received their daily dose of grief by the time you get to them.

Lord God, how often do we decide in our own minds about spiritual matters, and then go either to Your word, or to a pastor, and look for affirmation about the thing we have decided. Instead of letting You be God, and instead of accepting an explanation in the proper context from Your word, it is easier to go off and find a teacher who will tell us what we want to hear. No wonder churches today are so filled with perversion and other horrifying doctrine. Grant us the wisdom to not read into Your word what we want to hear, but instead to have drawn out from it what You have said. Amen.