Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 1 Timothy 5:17 - 5:17

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Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 1 Timothy 5:17 - 5:17


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17. The πρεσβύτεροι here are not the elder men (as in 1Ti 5:1), but the Church officials who bear that honourable name. Their duties and their relation to the ἐπίσκοποι have already been discussed in the Introduction, chap. V., and it is unnecessary to repeat what was there said.

οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες κ.τ.λ. The emphasis is on καλῶς: the presbyters who preside well are to be counted worthy of double honour. There is no distinction suggested between two classes of presbyters, some who rule and some who do not rule; rule is the normal duty of the πρεσβύτεροι in the society where they are placed. Thus in 1Th 5:12 they are called προϊστάμενοι and a similar injunction to the Church is given: εἰδέναι τοὺς κοπιῶντας ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ προϊσταμένους ὑμῶν ἐν κυρίῳ κ.τ.λ.

διπλῆς τιμῆς. ‘Honour to whom honour is due’ is St Paul’s general principle (Rom 13:7), and this τιμή may include material support; cp. τίμα in 1Ti 5:3 above, and our use of honorarium for a fee. The connecting link between 1Ti 5:3-16 and 1Ti 5:17-25 is in this word τιμή. The maintenance of the various classes of a new society is always a matter for most anxious consideration; St Paul first deals with the case of the widows, and then by a natural transition proceeds to mention the provision to be made for the presbyters. He is thus led on to discuss their dignity and their discipline. Double honour, i.e. ample provision, must be ensured for them; διπλῆ is not to be taken as equivalent to ‘double of the sum paid to widows,’ or in any similar way, but without any definite numerical reference. Cp. Apost. Const. ii. 28.

μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες κ.τ.λ. The primary function of presbyters is to bear rule in the society, but those who, in addition, labour in the word and in teaching are especially to be honoured at this stage of the Church’s life. Teaching fell more and more to the πρεσβύτεροι as the office of the Evangelist ceased. But even in Cyprian (Epist. 29) presbyteri doctores are mentioned, which indicates that there were some presbyters in his day who did not belong to the class of teachers.

ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ, in the word and in teaching. λόγος is the Divine Word which the presbyters, as good pastors, are to deliver to the souls of their flock; διδασκαλία is the instruction, addressed to the reason rather than to the heart, with which their message is to be accompanied. Cp. Barnabas § 19 διὰ λόγου κοπιῶν.