Overview of the Qualifications, Selection and Appointment of Elders

Transcription

1 (Elders Lesson Two) 1 Overview of the Qualifications, Selection and Appointment of Elders Lesson Two Qualifications from 1 st Timothy: I. "Desires" [epithumeo] (1 Timothy 3:1) A. Other translations: 1. "If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work" (NKJV) 2. "If anyone the oversight doth long for, a right work he desireth" (Young) 3. "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work" (KJV) 4. "If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work" (ASV) 5. "If anyone aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task" (RSV) 6. "If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do" (NASV) 7. "To aspire to leadership is an honorable ambition" (NEB) 8. "If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task" (NIV) 9. "Whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task." (NRSV) 10. "This saying is trustworthy: "If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work." (Holman) 11. "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task." (ESV) B. Definitions: 1. "Desire" [oregomai] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich - A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third Edition (BDAG): "(lit. stretch oneself, reach out one's hand), and fig. aspire to, strive for, desire w. gen. of the thing..." (p. 579)

2 (Elders Lesson Two) 2 b. Thayer: "... to stretch forth...to stretch one's self out in order to touch or to grasp something, to reach after or desire something: 1 Tim. iii. 1..." (#3713, p. 452) c. Vine: "to reach or stretch out, is used only in the Middle Voice, signifying the mental effort of stretching oneself out for a thing, of longing after it, with stress upon the object desired..." (#3713, p. 290) 2. "The office of a bishop" [episkope] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "position or office as an overseer (Num 4:16) of Judas' position as an apostle...esp. the office of a bishop..." (p. 299) b. Thayer: "after the analogy of the Hebr...oversight i.e. overseership, office, charge...spec. the office of a bishop (the overseer or presiding officer of a Christian church): 1 Tim. iiii. 1, and in eccl. writ." (#1984, pp ) c. Vine: "besides its meaning, visitation, e.g., 1 Pet. 2:12...is rendered 'office,' in Acts 1:20, R.V. (A.V., 'bishoprick'); in 1 Tim. 3:1, 'the office of a bishop,' lit., '(if any one seeketh) overseership,' there is no word representing office." (#1984, p. 121) 3. "Desires" [epithumeo] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "...desire, long for w. gen. of the thing desired..." (p. 293) b. Thayer: "...[cf. our to set one's heart upon] to have a desire for, long for; absol. to desire [A.V. lust], Jas. iv. 2; to lust after, covet, of those who seek things forbidden...to long for, covet a thing, Acts xx. 33; 1 Tim. iii. 1; of sexual desire..." (#1937, p. 238) c. Vine: "to desire earnestly...stresses the inward impulse rather than the object desired..." (#1937, p. 290) 4. "Good" [kalos] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "2.b. morally good, noble, praiseworthy, contributing to salvation... c. in every respect unobjectionable, blameless, excellent kalon...it is good... a. it

3 (Elders Lesson Two) 3 is pleasant, desirable, advantageous... b. it is morally good, pleasing to God, contributing to salvation..." (p. 400) b. Thayer: "b. good, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well-adapted to its ends...esp. of things so constituted as to answer the purpose for which that class of things was created; good of its kind... c. beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, and hence praiseworthy; morally good, noble... d. honorable, conferring honor... e. affecting the mind agreeably, comforting and confirming..." (#2570, p. 322) c. Vine: "denotes that which is intrinsically good, and so, goodly, fair, beautiful, as (a) of that which is well adapted to its circumstances or ends... (b) of that which is ethically good, right, noble, honorable..." (#2570, p. 494) 5. "Work" [ergon] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "work. 2. work, occupation, task...of an office 1 Ti 3:1 (4 is also poss.) of that which is brought into being by work...work in the passive sense. (pp ) b. Thayer: "...work i.e. 1. business, employment, that with which any one is occupied...of that which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking..." (#2041, p ) c. Vine: "denotes (I) work, employment, task... (II) a deed, act..." (#2041, p. 1243) C. Comments: 1. Regardless of whether this is an actual qualification, Peter made it clear an elder must serve willingly. (1 Peter 5:1-2) 2. Other translations: a. "Not by constraint, but willingly" (KJV, NKJV, RSV) b. "Overseeing not constrainedly, but willingly, neither for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind" (Young) c. "Not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God" (ASV)

4 (Elders Lesson Two) 4 d. "Not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God" (NASV) e. "Not under compulsion, but of your own free will, as God would have it" (NEB) f. "Not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be" (NIV) g. "Not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you do it" (NRSV) h. "Not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God's will" (Holman) i. "Not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you" (ESV) j. "Do it willingly to please God, and not simply because you think you must" (CEV) k. "Watch over them because you want to, not because you are forced" (NCV) 3. Definitions: a. "Compulsion" [anankastos] 1) Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "...by compulsion..." (p. 52) 2) Thayer: "adv., by force or constraint..." (#317, p. 36) 3) Vine: "...by force, unwillingly, by constraint, is used in 1 Pet. 5:2." (#317, p. 224) b. "Willingly" [hekousios] 1) Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "willingly...1 Pt 5:2; without compulsion, i.e. deliberately, intentionally..." (p. 243) 2) Thayer: "adv., [fr. Eur. down], voluntarily, willingly, of one's own accord..." (#1596, p. 198) 3) Vine: "denotes voluntarily, willingly, Heb. 10:26, (of sinning) 'willfully;' in 1 Pet. 5:2, 'willingly' (of exercising oversight over the flock of God)." (#1596, p. 1228) c. "But eagerly" [prothumos]

5 (Elders Lesson Two) 5 1) Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "willingly, eagerly, freely..." (p. 706) 2) Thayer: "adv., fr. Hdt. and Aeschyl. down, willingly, with alacrity: 1 Pet. v. 2." (#4290, p. 539) 3) Vine: "In 1 Pet. 5:2 prothumos, willingly, with alacrity, is rendered 'of a ready mind.'" (#4290, p. 923) 4. A man must be willing to accept every aspect of the work of an elder, including the stress, strain and personal sacrifices necessary to be an effective shepherd. a. Those who say, "I will serve if you can't find anyone else" are not qualified to be an elder. D. Questions to consider when selecting a man: 1. Has this man put forth an observable effort to develop the temperament, the in-depth Bible knowledge, and the inter-personal relationship skills necessary to be effective in the work of an elder? 2. Has he been active in visiting and encouraging the weak and doing the things for which elders are responsible? II. "Blameless" [anepileptos] (1 Timothy 3:2) A. Other translations: 1. "Blameless" (KJV, NKJV, Young) 2. "Above reproach" (ESV, NASV, NEB, NIV, NRSV, Holman, RSV) 3. "An elder must not give people a reason to criticize him" (NCV) 4. "Have a good reputation" (CEV) B. Definitions: 1. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "irreproachable 1 Ti 3:2; 5:7...irrepr. conduct..." (p. 65) 2. Thayer: "prop. not apprehended, that cannot be laid hold of; hence that cannot be reprehended, not open to censure, irreproachable..." (#423, p. 44)

6 (Elders Lesson Two) 6 3. Vine: "lit., that cannot be laid hold of, hence, not open to censure, irreproachable (from a, negative, n, euphonic, and epilambano, to lay hold of) is used in 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:7; 6:14 (in all three places the R.V. has 'without reproach;' in the first two, A.V., 'blameless,' in the last, 'unrebukeable;' an alternative rendering would be 'irreprehensible')." (#423, p. 123) C. Comments: 1. This does not mean: a. Sinless or without fault. 1) All have sinned and will continue to fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23), even Christians (1 John 1:8, 10). b. Never accused, or one against whom no accusations have been made. 1) Jesus was blameless, although charged with doing wrong. (cf. John 7:20; Matthew 9:3; John 9:16) c. Never blamed for past wrongdoings. 1) Peter served as an elder (1 Peter 5:1) and yet did things in his life that were deserving of blame. (Matthew 26:69-75; Galatians 2:11) 2. "Blameless" means no one is able to sustain or prove any specific accusation against his character and conduct. a. This man walks in the light (1 John 1:6-9), and if or when he sins, he makes it right with both God and man. b. This qualification is vitally important, because an elder is to be an example to the flock. (1 Peter 5:1-3) D. Questions to consider when selecting a man: 1. Is the one being considered as an elder faithful to God in moral conduct and in assembling with the saints? 2. Can any charges of immorality or false teaching be sustained or proven against this man? 3. Does he have a good reputation both in and out of the church?

7 (Elders Lesson Two) 7 4. Does his family respect him as a godly man? a. Who would better know a man than his own family? 5. What does he do when he is caught doing what is wrong? a. Does he excuse it, blame others, get angry? b. Or does he repent and correct the sin? III. "The husband of one wife" [mias gunaikos andra] (1 Timothy 3:2) A. Other translations: 1. "The husband of one wife" (ASV, ESV, Holman, KJV, NASV, NKJV, RSV) 2. "Faithful to his one wife" (NEB) 3. "Faithful in marriage" (CEV) 4. "The husband of but one wife" (NIV) 5. "Must have only one wife" (NCV) 6. "Married only once" (NRSV) 7. "A one-wife kind of a man [that is, married only once]" (Wuest) B. Definitions: 1. "Husband" [aner] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "(man. 1. in contrast to woman...esp. husband man in contrast to boy used w. adj. to emphasize the dominant characteristic of a man man w. special emphasis on manliness..." (p. 66) b. Thayer: "a man...the meanings of this word in the N.T. differ in no respect fr. classic usage; for it is employed 1. with a reference to sex, and so to distinguish a man from a woman; either a. as a male...or b. as a husband with a reference to age, and to distinguish an adult man from a boy univ. any male person, a man; so where tis might have been used..." (#435, p. 45) c. Vine: "denotes, in general, a man, an adult male (in contrast to anthropos, which generically denotes a human being, male or

8 (Elders Lesson Two) 8 female); it is used of man in various relations, the context deciding the meaning; it signifies a husband..." (#435, p. 570) 2. "Wife" [gune] a. Bauer, Danker, Arndt and Gingrich: "woman. 1. of any adult female (virgins are included...) wife From the context the mng. bride may be poss..." (p. 168) b. Thayer: "1. univ. a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow a wife...etc. of a betrothed woman..." (#1135, p. 128) c. Vine: "denotes (1) a woman, married or unmarried...(2) a wife...in 1 Tim. 3:11, R.V., 'women,' the reference may be to the wives of deacons, as the A.V. takes it." (#1135, p. 1227) C. Comments: 1. This expression literally means "a one-woman man" not more than one, not less than one, but one. 2. This qualification implies: a. An elder must be a man. 1) Only a man can be a husband, and rule well his own household. (cf. 1 Timothy 3:4-5) 2) Only a man has scriptural authority to teach publicly, which elders are required to do. (cf. 1 Timothy 2:2; 3:2; Titus 1:9-11; Hebrews 13:17) b. An elder must be a married man. 1) "The husband of one wife." c. An elder must be a man who is married to one woman. D. Objections: 1. Some believe it is possible for a man to be the husband of one wife and not be married (i.e. a widower). a. Consider the purpose for this qualification: 1) Is the only purpose to prove he has ruled his own house well? (1 Timothy 3:4-5)

9 (Elders Lesson Two) 9 2) Or is having a wife essential to his work, especially since wives of elders must meet qualifications? (cf. 1 Timothy 3:11) b. A widower is a "no woman man." 2. Some ask, "Does this mean a man must have been married only once (disqualifying a remarried widower), or married to only one woman at a time (qualifying a remarried widower)?" a. Consider: (Romans 7:2-3; 1 Timothy 5:9, 14) 3. Some believe this statement only forbids polygamy but does not require marriage. a. Actually it does both (forbids polygamy and requires marriage). 4. Others say this qualification would have disqualified the apostle Paul. E. Questions to consider when selecting a man: 1. Is the one being considered for appointment as an elder the husband of one wife?