Regarding overseers and deacons
1 If someone aspires to the over seer’s ministry, he is without a doubt looking for a noble task.
2 It is necessary that the overseer (or bishop) be beyond reproach, the hus band of one wife, responsible, judicious, of good manners, hospitable and skillful in teaching.
3 He must not be addicted to wine or quarrelsome, but gentle and peaceful, and not a lover of money,
4 but a man whose household is well-managed, with obe dient and well-mannered children.
5 If he cannot govern his own house, how can he lead the assembly of God?
6 He must not be a recent convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must enjoy a good reputation among the outsiders, lest people speak evil about him and he fall into the snare of the devil.
8 Deacons, likewise, must be serious and sincere and moderate in drinking wine, not greedy for money,
9 they must keep the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.
10 Let them be first tried and, if found blameless, be accepted as deacons.
11 In the same way the women must be conscientious, not given to gossip, but reserved and trustworthy.
12 A deacon must be husband of one wife, and must know how to guide his children and manage his household.
13 Those who serve well as deacons will win honorable rank, with authority to speak of Christian faith.
14 I give you these instructions, although I hope I will see you soon.
15 If I delay, you will know how you ought to conduct yourself in the household of God, that is, the Church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 How great indeed is the mystery of divine blessing!
He was shown in the flesh
and sanctified by the Spirit;
presented to the angels
and proclaimed to all nations.
The world believed in him:
He was taken up in glory!
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Comments 1 Letter to Timothy, Chapter 3
• 3.1 Here Paul deals with leaders, bishops and deacons (see commentary on Titus 1:6 and Phil 1:1).
• 14. This short paragraph reminds us that, if indeed we are in charge of the Church of God, we are neither its founders nor its masters. The Church was born through a merciful intervention of God, when he decided that his Son should identify with the human race, as is expressed in this short poem.
Here we use divine blessing (v. 16) for a word that we translated elsewhere as “piety” or “religion” (see 2:2; 4:7; 6:3; 5, 6; 2 Tim 3:5 and Titus 1:1). In those years, the word was mostly used to mean a loving attitude toward the Father and neighbors, characteristic of true believers who simply imitate God’s example.
The Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. We must understand this phrase as referring to the concepts of that time: from above, from a world in which everything is truth, God lowers his Truth to the earth, as a column or a visible sign on which we can lean. In spite of all the infidelities of the Church, God uses it to preserve true knowledge of the Father, the Son and the Spirit in the world. Without this knowledge, people cannot be free, nor can humanity reach its maturity.