Continuing his discussion of ministries in the Church, Paul dwells particularly on two of them: the ministry of the deacon and that of the bishop. This is hardly surprising, for these were the two principal ministries in every church community...
Continuing his discussion of ministries in the Church, Paul dwells particularly on two of them: the ministry of the deacon and that of the bishop. This is hardly surprising, for these were the two principal ministries in every church community of the earliest Christian period. Each had at least one deacon, and virtually every large community had its own bishop. Of course, the ministries of deacon and bishop and their place in the community bore little resemblance to what had become the norm for the Church by the end of the second century. In the earliest Christian period, leadership of the community was entrusted specifically to the deacon. This was standard practice in the Jewish religious brotherhoods of Gospel times. These brotherhoods consisted of communities that gathered for communal ritual meals centred on the breaking of bread—meals for the Sabbath or other Jewish religious festivals, such as Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.
If it was a family meal, the head of the household presided and blessed the bread and the cup. At a brotherhood meal, however, the role of the householder was played by a designated ‘servant’, a deacon. He presided over the gathering, blessed and broke the bread, and blessed the cup. Sometimes a community might have several such deacons, and in certain cases they were joined by so-called ‘deaconesses’, who performed the rituals and prayers at the gathering that Jewish religious prescriptions reserved exclusively for women.
It is no coincidence that deacons are required to understand the mystery of the Christian faith fully and purely—to ‘hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience’. The central mystery of Christianity is abiding within the relationship of Father and Son, without which there is neither Christian life in general nor church life in particular. And the Christian breaking of bread can take place only within this relationship, with the Saviour Himself participating; otherwise it ceases to be properly Christian.
Naturally, the Church's teachers, its rabbis, also reminded people of this. They taught the practice of the inward Torah and exercised the ‘ministry of the word’, as distinct from the deacons' ‘ministry of tables’—a traditional division in Jewish religious brotherhoods. But the deacons, too, must never forget what mattered most: it was they who said the prayer blessing the bread and the cup. The community's economic and administrative affairs, meanwhile, were managed by ‘overseers’, bishops, specially chosen for the task.
What Paul principally requires of a bishop is honesty, integrity and the ability to manage his own household: even this requires administrative ability and a practical head for household affairs. If a person's household is in complete disorder, he certainly will not be able to manage the affairs of a church community. And, of course, a bishop must not be a drunkard, a fighter or a troublemaker. Nor must he be too greedy for money: before long, he might start confusing his own pocket with the community's.
A good reputation among outsiders—a ‘good report from those outside’—could be especially useful in diaspora synagogues, since a synagogue, including a Christian one, was often registered in the bishop's name. He was responsible for it before the authorities from whom he obtained registration. Under Roman imperial law, founding unregistered communities or taking part in them was considered a crime against the state, equivalent to treason. These, then, are the two ministries most important to the Church of which Paul speaks to Timothy, urging him to choose wisely the people to whom he entrusts them.
3
3:1 He desireth a good work - An excellent, but laborious, employment.
3:2 Therefore - That he may be capable of it. A bishop - Or pastor of a congregation. Must be blameless - Without fault or just suspicion. The husband of one wife - This neither means that a bishop must be married, nor that he may not marry a second wife; which it is just as lawful for him to do as to marry a first, and may in some cases be his bounden duty. But whereas polygamy and divorce on slight occasions were common both among the Jews and heathens, it teaches us that ministers, of all others, ought to stand clear of those sins. Vigilant, prudent - Lively and zealous, yet calm and wise. Of good behaviour - Naturally flowing from that vigilance and prudence.
3:4 Having his children in subjection with all seriousness - For levity undermines all domestic authority; and this direction, by a parity of reason, belongs to all parents.
3:6 Lest being puffed up - With this new honour, or with the applause which frequently follows it. He fall into the condemnation of the devil - The same into which the devil fell.
3:7 He ought also to have a good report - To have had a fair character in time past. From them that are without - That are not Christians.Lest he fall into reproach - By their rehearsing his former life, which might discourage and prove a snare to him.
3:8 Likewise the deacons must he serious - Men of a grave, decent, venerable behaviour. But where are presbyters? Were this order essentially distinct from that of bishops, could the apostle have passed it over in silence? Not desirous of filthy gain - With what abhorrence does he everywhere speak of this! All that is gained (above food and raiment) by ministering in holy things is filthy gain indeed; far more filthy than what is honestly gained by raking kennels, or emptying common sewers.
3:9 Holding fast the faith in a pure conscience - Steadfast in faith, holy in heart and life.
3:10 Let these he proved first - Let a trial be made how they believe.Then let them minister - Let them be fixed in that office.
3:11 Faithful in all things - Both to God, their husbands, and the poor.
3:13 They purchase a good degree - Or step, toward some higher office.And much boldness - From the testimony of a good conscience.