TIMOTHY Chapters 3 and 4

 

In our study of the Letter of Paul to Timothy, we have come to Chapters 3 and 4. I have adjoined Chapter 3, as there is a limitation of  that which will be of interest to many people.  In fact, the words used are so elementary that they are easily understood. The passage is about Offices within the Church.

 

The early Church had elders, who were similar to our lay preachers, and there were overseers, who were very much the same as elders. Their title came from a Greek word meaning episcopy, and Paul in one of his Letters called them bishops, but not in image anything like our modern bishop. Eventually, pastors came on the scene.  Paul is setting out for Timothy, the qualifications for elders, which Timothy may appoint

 

The duties of elders were to keep maintenance of the Church, and exercise control

Of the congregation to ensure discipline and harmony.

 

A list of the qualities required for elders;

 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.  Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,  not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.  He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full^[a] respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)  He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.  He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

 In the same way, deacons^[b] are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.  They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.  They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.  In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and must manage his children and his household well.  Those who have served well, gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Chapter 4

The Christian Church inherited the Jewish belief that things would go worse before they went better.  The Jews always believed there were two ages.  There was the present one, which was in the possession of evil powers, but there was an age to come which would be in the power of God. There would be a struggle, which would shake the world to its foundations, and there would be a spiritual battle, and a new day would dawn, the day of the Lord.  Many false prophets would rise to deceive with false Messiahs.

The Church at Ephesus had false teachers entered, causing considerable concern.  A slave was taken to the Church, and was branded to mark his ownership, and was treated as property.

God is always looking for good men who will be His witnesses, His weapon, His people in the world. Just as equal, the evil were also looking for recruits. Men can serve God or the devil.

The heretics at Ephesus were propagating a  heresy with very definite

consequences of that heresy were, that men were teaching that everything of the body was evil. and they should abstain from eating food, for that filled the body with evil.

There was recurring heresy in the Church in every generation, and men were ordered to be stricter than God.  It was put down in black and white, that men should abstain from marriage for the sake of discipline.  It was ignored that marriage, food, wine, were all made by God, and all that God made was good.

 

This kind of things all came to a head when monks and hermits took over. They went into the desert, and eventually were cut off. The men thought they were offending God, for God is the Creator of the world.

All of God’s gifts are to be used in a certain way, and it has to be remembered as gifts from God. Things come to us so regularly and unfailingly, that we forget

 that the gifts are from God.  They have to be used in sharing, as all selfishness was to be forbidden. They have to be taken with gratitude, and with grace said before eating.

The  Jews always said grace. When they ate fruit, they said, ‘blessed art Thou King of the universe who created fruit  on the tree.’

When they drank wine, they said ‘ blessed art Thou King of the universe who created wine from the vine’.

The same words were used for vegetables and bread.  By saying these words, the words made the food sacred.

It is Christian teaching, that the Christian does not serve God by enslaving himself with rules and regulations; we serve God gratefully accepting God’s gifts, and we do so in a world where God made all things good, and we never forget to share God’s gifts toothers.

In verses 4-9, we have a passage with practical advice, not only for Timothy, but for every servant of the Church who is involved in leadership. To instruct others, we counsel and advise, to point out and suggest.  We are told to avoid anything based on doubt,  we have to tell truth, not become engaged with no base.  The advice to |Timothy was to silence criticism.

There has to be benevolence, there is no cause for bitter words, nor should we hate someone, there is a need to forgive.

There is loyalty, a fidelity to our creator no matter how much that may mean . The really good and valuable one is the man/woman, who can struggle on when the body is weak and weary.  Another must, is to have loyalty to Jesus in defiance of all circumstances.

Ther is purity, and allegiance to standards  of Jesus Christ. All Christians should have a standard of honour and honesty

In verses 14 -16, certain duties are given to Timothy the young designate of the Church.  there is a devotion to the Scriptures and to teaching.  This  instruction shows a picture of the pattern of the Church.  There is a gathering of Christians, there is the teaching of that given by the Apostles, there are prayers said. There should be  a teaching of the Scriptures, with an explanation from the Church leader. The whole service is to have the Bible at the center.

The Chapter ends, with the duty of a Church leader.  He should remember he is called apart for a special task of the Church. His commission, came from the Church, after extensive study qualifying him, and has a great privilege in being able to preach the Word of God.  Vows have been made to adhere to the Church’s regulations. which require fidelity to  the Scriptures, and a vow to banish all false doctrine.

Each denomination will have similar procedure, and in the Second Letter to Timothy, Paul will warn him that he leads the service with all other pastors, in the presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and will be judged accordingly.

Paul stated there should be no casual approach.  The preaching should be widespread, and must be according to the Bible, as it is written, and no forgetting those parts the preacher does not like. Jesus is the only way to God.

 

May God’s Holy name be Praised