1 Timothy 5:17 Commentary and Bible Study

There are three categories of elder referred to in this verse. A superficial look might conclude there are only two categories of elder. There are those who rule and those who teach, and of course the latter rule also, because the church of the living God is ruled through the teaching of the word. So there are elders who teach and there are elders who do not teach. But actually there are three categories. The elders that rule well are to be counted worthy of double honour. That implies there is another category. There are elders who rule, but not well, and they are to be are counted worthy of single honour. And there are elders who rule well who are counted worthy of double honour. That is quite plainly implied by the verse. The elders who rule well are to be highly regarded, prized – but not personally, not for their own capacities, not applauded, not elevated. Then you get the wrong kind of eldership, the wrong kind of overseer or preacher or elder in the church, one who is over the flock, and that is condemned by the Lord. We should never in any sense be lords over God's heritage. Elders lead or rule by the word, the proclamation of the word, and in themselves they are nothing. Nevertheless, for their work's sake, the exhortation is to value or prize the fact that there are elders, just as the widow is to be valued in the church. Does that mean there are elders who rule badly? No. There are elders who rule and there are other elders who are able to give that much more time, and perhaps have been called by a church into part-time or full-time service. They therefore take on a much heavier burden of responsibility. Because of that they are to be supported and respected for their work's sake, and prayed for and assisted doubly, because they carry a double burden. That is the logic of the passage. Then there is a senior elder who is to be considered in a special way. ‘Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour’ – that is class number two. ‘Especially’ this is now a third category of elder. ‘Especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.’ They are those who labour in the word and doctrine. They are not getting an easy ride. It is required, particularly of preachers of the word of God, that they are labouring people, that they work at this and apply themselves to this. So you get a glimpse of almost three kinds of elder that could be located or seen in the ancient church. The one who ruled, the one who carried an extra-large burden of responsibility, and of course the one who taught, who preached the word of God, who was also an elder, and he would be the presiding elder. That's what the apostle means. ‘Especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.’ The word is everything. Labor translates the Greek for painful toil, comes from the idea of to cut something, to cut wheat or something, to scythe a crop that's heavy work and exhausting. They labour, they don't take it lightly, they work hard at it, mining and preparing in the word and doctrine. And all the departments of ministry are mentioned in this epistle. It may be that the elder is fairly young. He may not literally be older, and he has made sacrifices. If he is a younger elder or preacher, he has forsaken many of the quite reasonable liberties of youth and freedoms which you have as a young man, wholesome pursuits and things that you may be free to follow. He has got to be, in the words of the King James Version, grave and dignified and set an example. He is a servant of the people of God. He is always on duty. He is always to set an example. He has given up some of the liberties of youth and young manhood. He is your servant, and he is working to promote and to watch for souls. He is accountable to God, and his conscience must work overtime. So double honour, prize them. Don't applaud them, don't lift them up unduly, but honour them.