1 Timothy 3:1 Commentary and Bible Study

This is the second of the five faithful sayings. The other four are all translated with that word, ‘faithful’, but our translators chose to use a different word in 1 Timothy 3.1, but it is exactly the same word in the Greek: this is a faithful saying, a trustworthy saying, an utterly reliable saying. The other sayings are directly about Christ and his work and things that are so very obviously all-important and foundational, but this one is about the office of an overseer. It doesn't seem to quite fit into the faithful sayings, but it is one and it draws attention to its importance. The Greek word translated ‘desire’ means ‘stretches out the hand’, and it is used here in a figurative manner to mean ‘longs for’, ‘reaches out for’ the office of an overseer. Does that sound perhaps a proud thing to do? The language could describe somebody who is anxious to get office, and is straining and reaching in an ambitious way to achieve office. But no, this is an utterly faithful saying. Clearly the apostle Paul is not talking about that. What it obviously describes is someone who is straining to serve the Lord and to achieve things for him. If you long for the office of an overseer, you are longing for a noble work. It's a good thing, a tremendous thing, and it's well-motivated. Do you see a person who is so keen to get certain things done, to see the testimony upheld, to reach the lost, to evangelize the children, to visit the neighbourhood? Do you see somebody stretching out to accomplish these holy objectives, the great commission of our Lord and in his protectiveness towards the flock of Jesus Christ? Such a person is a good candidate for the office of overseer.This is going to be about overseers or elders (see Titus 1:5-7), and we will emphasize the preaching elder, the preacher of the gospel, though it applies to the ruling elder as well. Here is somebody who has this burning desire to preach the gospel. He reaches out for something very noble. The word translated ‘good’ is literally a ‘beautiful’ work. The work of preaching the gospel is the most beautiful and virtuous work you could long for. Such a person is prepared to give up everything. He may be a young man and he knows full well he is not going to have a high income. He is not going to have an especially fine house, or the best of cars. He's likely to be a man of modest means. He doesn't mind that because he longs to be able to preach the gospel. It is something on which great value should be placed by the church. What follows are the requirements and the qualifications for office bearers in any assembled church of Jesus Christ. They are for the most part at any rate, with one or two exceptions, qualities that should be found in all believers, but they are especially to be found in office bearers. The point of the apostle Paul is this: that when we appoint office bearers they must at least manifest those standards which are required of all Christian people, so the kind of things listed here are not at all exclusive to office bearers. We may therefore apply these things in two ways. We look for office bearers who match up to these standards, and also we are concerned to match up to them ourselves. A third benefit is that we learn from this passage the functions and the duties of office bearers.