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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:17 - 5:25
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Rules of Conduct with Regard to the Elders of the Congregation.
v. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the Word and doctrine.
v. 18. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn; and, The laborer is worthy of his reward.
v. 19. Against an elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses.
v. 20. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
v. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
v. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure.
v. 23. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
v. 24. Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
v. 25. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
Having named the qualifications of a bishop or elder in the third chapter, the apostle here speaks of the regard in which the members of the presbytery should be held and the manner in which they should be treated: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, above all those that toil in the Word and doctrine. All the elders, all the members of the presbytery that are engaged in that excellent office and work of overseeing and ruling the congregation, should be regarded and treated with double honor, partly on account of their age, partly on account of the dignity of their office. This includes, as a matter of course, that those men who devote all their time to the congregation receive such a compensation as will enable them to live decently with their family, in proportion to the average income of the church members. But the apostle singles out those that are engaged in the hard labor, in the toil connected with the teaching of the Word, in proclaiming Christian doctrine. These men, whom we now designate as pastors or ministers, are not only engaged in the arduous work of overseeing the flock of Christ, but also have charge of the fatiguing labor of teaching, both publicly and privately, in public sermons and individual pastoral application.
The apostle supports this demand with passages from Scriptures: For Scripture says, The ox treading out the grain thou shalt not muzzle; and, Worthy is the laborer of his pay. In the Ceremonial Law of the Old Testament, Deu_25:4, the rule had been included that no farmer engaged in threshing his grain on the open stone threshing-floor, such as were in use in the Orient, was permitted to place a muzzle on the oxen that were treading out the grain from the hull. The animals were to be allowed to eat of the straw and of the grain as much as they liked. The application the apostle leaves to the reader, and it certainly offers little difficulty. The second passage quoted by him is not found in that form in the Old Testament, being a word used by Jesus, Mat_10:10; Luk_10:7. "It would seem probable, therefore, that he had seen the Gospel by Matthew or by Luke, and that he quoted this as a part of Scripture, and regarded the Book from which he made the quotation as of the same authority as the Old Testament. If so, then this may be regarded as an attestation of the apostle to the inspiration of the ‘Gospel' in which it was found. " (Barnes.) A laborer is worthy of his pay, or wages. A pastor being engaged all the time in the service of the congregation, either directly or indirectly, it follows that he must be given his livelihood by the people whom he serves. But the support thus offered by the congregation cannot be considered adequate payment for the imparting of blessings that cannot be paid with all the money of the world. The maintenance of pastors is not a matter of charity, but of plain duty on the part of the congregations.
The apostle next takes up the matter of accusations against the elders of the congregation: Against an elder do not accept a charge except by two or three witnesses. It was to be expected that the ruling elders of the congregation, the members of the presbytery, would be subject to suspicion and criticism, partly from jealousy, partly from ignorance. This situation St. Paul meets in time by giving this rule for cases of that kind. Timothy, as the apostolic delegate, was in no way to accept such accusations, not permit them to be discussed, unless the testimony of at least two or three witnesses was available, Deu_19:15. It was of prime importance that the dignity of the ministerial office should be guarded, and that mere suspicions and conjectures should not be permitted to hinder the course of the Gospel.
On the other hand, of course, it was necessary to make use of the utmost severity in dealing with a real offense: Those that sin rebuke before all that the others also may have fear. If it should happen that an elder become guilty of some grave offense against morality, such as adultery, drunkenness, and other sins, where the guilt is apparent or easily proved, especially if the official concerned was making a practice of such sins, there Timothy should administer his rebuke immediately and with great emphasis. For it is by means of such offenses that the greatest harm is done in the Christian Church. A sharp, rebuke would have the purpose, not only of correcting the erring brother and bringing him to his senses, but also of serving as a warning to others, that is, to the other members of the presbytery. To use just the right words in a case of this kind and to be tactful in just the right way is not an easy matter. The apostle therefore adds the solemn adjuration: I charge thee before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels that thou observe these points without prejudice, doing nothing according to partiality. He calls upon God, the Lord of heaven, upon Christ Jesus, the Lord of the Church, upon all the elect or holy angels, as witnesses of his earnest charge. Timothy should remember that all these were vitally interested in the work and success of the Church, and should govern all his actions accordingly. His attitude must be one of absolute impartiality, his judgment should be influenced neither by personal likes nor dislikes. As there is no respect of persons with God, so Timothy should discard all outside influences and let the facts of the case decide the matter.
More important, however, than the proper adjustment of matters after an offense of this kind was that of avoiding them altogether, if possible: Lay hands hurriedly on no man. Timothy was not to be too anxious about accepting or ordaining men as presbyters or elders. The proper examination of every candidate's qualifications was never to be omitted, lest someone be ordained and installed in the work of the ministry who might later prove altogether unfit for the office. Should this occur, the criticism would later strike Timothy, and that with full justice. For that reason the apostle adds the warning: Nor become partaker of other men's sins. Should Timothy perform the ordination of some man, thereby declaring him to possess the necessary ability and character for the office, whereas it would later appear that the man was altogether unworthy of the ministry, especially if false ambition, avarice, and other sins of like kind should be proved, then the blame would certainly fall upon the ordinant for his hasty action, and he would be considered guilty with the sinner.
Timothy was to keep his hands entirely clean in the matter, for which reason St. Paul adds a few rules: Thyself keep pure; namely, from this offense and from every other evil. He should not become guilty of laxity, of lack of proper care. He should keep himself morally clean, guard against every pollution of the body and of the spirit. That Paul here does not advocate a false abstinence is shown in his next words: Be no longer a water-drinker; but use a little wine on account of thy stomach and thy frequent attacks of weakness. It may be that Timothy had made it a permanent practice of fasting and denying himself even the necessities demanded for good health and for that reason was in danger of becoming ill. The drinking of a little wine, therefore, would stimulate his appetite and benefit his stomach. Note: If abstinence from food or drink endangers the health, a decent regard for the Fifth Commandment demands the changing of habits that are dangerous.
After these parenthetical remarks, which were intended for Timothy alone, the apostle returns to his subject: The sins of certain men are manifest from the beginning before the Judgment, some men they follow after. This is a general truth, but with a very specific application to the case in hand, the ordaining of unworthy, incompetent men for the office of elder or pastor. Timothy was to make his judgment, his examination, with great care in the case of every candidate for the holy office. It would then become manifest that the sins of some men: their gross transgressions, were so well known that they appeared in advance at the examination and declared the candidate to be unworthy. In the case of others, however, the unworthiness would become apparent only by a careful weighing of the evidence offered. If there were any suspicious circumstances at all, the apostle wanted his representative to look into the matter very carefully and not to make a hasty conclusion.
However, just as it was with the sins of some, so it was with the good works and excellencies of other candidates: Likewise also the excellent works are manifest, and those in whose case the opposite is true cannot remain hidden. In most cases the really excellent works of a man mill be known far and wide, will receive their merited praise. And where the matter is not so plain, where a candidate is very reluctant about revealing any praiseworthy act, or where the jealousy of enemies makes every effort to corer his worth, there the examination will nevertheless, if conducted properly, result in the correct judgment of the situation. If this care in the selection of able candidates for the holy office were at all times exercised, it would undoubtedly result in raising the dignity and the worth of the ministry to a much higher level than it occupies at the present time.
Summary.The apostle discusses the manner in which Timothy should administer rebukes, how the widows in the congregation are to be taken care of, and treats at length of the qualifications of a widow that expects to be supported by the congregation; he speaks also of the honor due to the elders and of the care which must be exercised in selecting candidates for this important office.