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1 Timothy 3:1. The word is true: if anyone desires the episcopacy, he desires a good deed. “The word is true”, not false and true, “if anyone wants the episcopacy, he desires good deeds.” The Apostle accuses not just desire, but covetousness, and teaches to care not about honor, but about virtue, not to desire rank, but to seek the deed required by rank. “Bishop” here refers to the presbyter, as we proved this by interpreting the Epistle to the Philippians. But it is not difficult to find out this from here, because after the laws, he writes laws relating to deacons to the bishops. And as I said, the same ones were once called both presbyters and bishops, but now those called bishops were called apostles. But over time, the apostolic title was left to the actual apostles, and the episcopal title was attached to those called apostles in ancient times. Thus, Epaphroditus was an apostle to the Philippians. For it is said: “I need your messenger and servant” (Phil. 2:25). Thus, Titus was an apostle among the Cretans, and Timothy among the Asians. Thus, the apostles and elders wrote from Jerusalem to the Christians of Antioch. However, if the divine Paul legitimized this for the elders, then it is clear that the bishops should be the first to preserve these laws, as having received great honor. 1 Timothy 3:2. But the bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, chaste, decent, honest, hospitable, and teacher. “It is fitting for a bishop to be blameless,” and not to give a single just cause for reproach. For the word: “blameless” (άvεπίληπτοv) means: blameless. And the Apostle himself was subjected to all kinds of slander: they said: “Those who corrupted the world have come to this place” (Acts 17:6). Yes, and the Lord commands to despise those who are tempted in vain. For to the apostles, when they said: “Do you think that when the Pharisee heard the word he was tempted?”, he answered: “Leave them alone: ​​the leaders are blind and blind” (Matthew 15:12,14). Therefore, it is commanded not to present any valid pretext for accusation. "One wife for her husband." The sermon was at the beginning. The pagans did not practice virginity; the Jews did not allow it, because they considered fertility a blessing. So, since at that time it was impossible to easily find those who observed carnal purity, the Apostle commands that from among those who were in a marriage state, those who honored chastity should be ordained. Well, in my opinion, it is said: “one wife for her husband.” For in ancient times others, both pagans and Jews, had the custom, according to the law of marriage, to live together with two, three or more wives. And others even now, although royal laws prohibit having two wives at one time, live with many and have concubines. Therefore, they said that, according to the Apostolic word, he who lives chastely with only one wife is worthy of episcopal ordination, because, they say, the Apostle did not reject a second marriage, but repeatedly commanded him to enter into one; Thus, he says: “A wife is bound by law, while her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to eat, to commit harm for no good, but in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39); and again: “I say this to the unmarried and to the widows” (1 Cor. 7:8), and having combined both of them, he laid down one law for them, because bigamy in reality does not happen out of arbitrariness, but for the sake of abstinence. If someone, having left his first wife himself, marries with another, then he is worthy of censure and is subject to accusation, and if death dissolved the union with the first wife and the need of nature forces him to enter into a union with another wife, then the second marriage takes place not arbitrarily, but according to circumstances. Having this and the like in mind, I allow the interpretation of those who understood it this way. “Sober”, awake and able to foresee how he should act. "To the chaste." This is spiritual prosperity. “I am honest,” I am dignified in my speech, and in my appearance, and in my gaze, and in my gait, so that spiritual chastity can be seen in my body. “Hospital-loving”, willingly accepting strangers. "Teacher". The apostle does not mean distinguished by eloquence, but trained in the Divine and able to give proper advice. 1 Timothy 3:3. Not a drunkard, not a killer, not quarrelsome, not selfish, but quiet, peace-loving, not money-loving. "Not a drunkard". The Apostle himself interpreted this in his instructions to the deacons: “for those who listen to much guilt are not guilty” (1 Tim. 3:8). "Don't be a killer." It is not forbidden to impose punishment on time, but to do it improperly. And what he commands to punish, as we hear, he himself will soon say: “Rebuke those who sin before everyone” (1 Tim. 5:20). And again: “reprove, rebuke, entreat” (2 Tim. 4:2). So he himself, writing to the Galatians, said: “About the foolishness of Galatians” (Gal. 3:1), and also: “Are you so foolish in nature” (Gal. 3:3)? “But a meek one” who knows how to bear the wrongs committed against him, for to ignore the fact that others suffer offense is not a sign of modesty. It is said: “lead with diligence” (Rom. 12:8). “I’m not grumpy.” Not one who likes to start litigation about business. For this makes it possible to see what is added. “Not for the lover of money.” The Apostle did not say: “to the non-covetous,” because he gives proportionate laws, but: “to the one who does not love money.” For it is possible to have money, but to dispose of it as one should, and not to be servile to it, but to be its master. 1 Timothy 3:4. He rules his household well, keeping his children in obedience with all honesty. “I rule my house well,” that is, with justice and indifference. “I command children to obey with all honesty,” teaching children all virtue. For it is required that not only the disposition of the children themselves act, but also their own will. 1 Timothy 3:5. For whoever does not know how to manage his own home, will he care about the Church of God? “If someone does not know how to rule his own house, how can he be diligent about the Church of God?” Who does not know how to manage small things, can he be entrusted with the care of the most important and Divine? 1 Timothy 3:6. He must not be one of the new converts, lest he become proud and fall into condemnation with the devil. “Not a newly baptized woman, lest the devil become proud, fall into judgment.” Newly baptized (vεόφητοζ - newly planted) the Apostle calls someone who has recently believed. For he says: “Az nasadih” (1 Cor. 3:6). Doesn’t he reject, as others have suggested, his youth? because blessed Timothy, to whom the Apostle wrote this, while still young, accepted these laws. For he says to him: “Let no one care about your youth” (1 Tim. 4:12). And the divine Apostle himself, being in his youth, was honored with a calling. Did he make it clear what was the reason for seducing the devil? for he says: “he became proud” and fell. Therefore, if someone has not been previously trained in the Divine and, having been included in the list of disciples, has not first practiced virtue, then, as a result of first sitting, having given place to the passion of arrogance, he will fall under the same punishment as the devil. For the Apostle here called punishment “judgment.” 1 Timothy 3:7. He must also have a good testimony from outsiders, so as not to fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. “It is fitting for him to have a good testimony from outsiders, so that he does not fall into Reproach and into the snare of hostility. “External” the Apostle calls the infidels: whoever, before his ordination, was very much denigrated by them, will also be greatly reproached afterward and will bring many reproaches to the whole society, and most likely will again turn to his former lawless life, since the devil will use all his intrigues to this end. 1 Timothy 3:8. Deacons must also be honest, not double-tongued, not addicted to wine, and not greedy. "Deacon also". And they are governed by the same laws. "Honest", distinguished by chastity. “Not double-tongued,” not saying one thing and another another, but decorating the tongue with truth. “I do not blame much for those who listen.” Those who are entrusted with divine service must first free themselves from this passion. “Not foully acquisitive. A foul money-grubber” is not one who, as others have assumed, pursues small benefits, but who is ready to collect benefits from things that are shameful and extremely indecent. 1 Timothy 3:9. Keeping the sacrament of faith in a clear conscience. “Those who have the sacrament of faith in a clear conscience,” that is, those who confirm faith by deeds. For the Apostle called good deeds “a clear conscience.” The doer of them is not offended by conscience. 1 Timothy 3:10. And such people must first be tested, then, if they are blameless, they must be allowed to serve. “Let these also be tempted first, but then let them serve, being blameless.” It is necessary that first their life be tested, and then they are granted spiritual grace. 1 Timothy 3:11. Likewise, their wives should be honest, not slanderers, sober, and faithful in everything. “To wives likewise,” that is, to deaconesses, “honest, not slanderous, sober, faithful in everything.” What he made law for husbands, he gives almost the same thing to women. Just as he called deacons “honest,” so he also calls deaconesses honest; just as he ordered those to be “not bilingual,” so he also made it their duty to “not slander”; just as he legitimized them to “not bear too much guilt,” so he commanded them to be “sober.” 1 Timothy 3:12. A deacon must be the husband of one wife, a good steward of his children and his home. “Let deacones be one husband and wife.” This should be understood according to the previous interpretation. “Children rule well and their own homes.” He put this into law and those who were called bishops by him. 1 Timothy 3:13. For those who have served well are preparing for themselves a high degree and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. “For those who have served good will gain a degree of goodness for themselves, and much boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” Even if they have less honor in this life, then, having fulfilled the service entrusted to them, they will be elevated to the most honorable degree in the future life and will take boldness before the Lord Christ. 1 Timothy 3:14. I am writing this to you, hoping to come to you soon. 1 Timothy 3:15. So that if I delay, you will know how you should act in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. “I am writing this to you, hoping to come to you soon: if I delay, let me know how to live in the house of God: for the Church of God is alive, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” Neither the divine prophets nor the godly apostles foresaw everything; what was beneficial was revealed to them by the grace of the Spirit. This also means ignorance, expressed in the actual words of the Apostle. For having said: “I hope to come,” he added: “if I tarry.” For he was often delayed by some other need. Therefore he says: “I am writing this, teaching how those who are entrusted with the care of others should behave”; because he called the assembly of believers “the house of God” and “the Church”; He called them “the pillar and foundation of the truth” because, being established on the rock, they remain unshakable, preaching the truth of dogmas through their deeds. Having said this about the Church, the Apostle, of necessity, introduced dogmatic teaching here. 1 Timothy 3:16. And unquestioningly - the great mystery of piety: God appeared in the flesh, justified Himself in the Spirit, showed Himself to the Angels, preached to the nations, was accepted by faith in the world, ascended in glory. “And the greatness confessed is the mystery of piety. The Apostle calls this “mystery,” as it was foretold from ancient times, but revealed later. "God appeared in the flesh". For the real God and the Son of God, having an invisible nature, when he became man, became visible to everyone. The Apostle clearly taught us about two natures, saying that the nature of God appeared in the flesh. “Justified in Dus” because, having taken upon Himself human nature, He kept it free from sin. But this saying also has another meaning. "Justified in Douce". By the Spirit of God he works miracles; for he says: “If I through the Spirit of God cast out demons” (Matthew 12:28). And so it was proven and made clear by miracles that Christ is the true God and the Son of God. So the centurion, at the Cross, seeing that the earth was shaking and the universe was filled with darkness, exclaimed: “Truly this man is the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). “Appearing to be an Angel,” because the angels did not see the invisible nature of God, but they saw what was incarnate. “It was quickly preached to the nations.” Crucified by the Jews. "Believe in the world". He was not only preached, but also believed in Him, and received Divine worship from those who believed. "Ascend in Glory". Although this happened before the preaching, the Apostle took it to the end, teaching that they justly believed the sermons, because He who commanded to preach is in heaven and is seated on the right hand. Thus, having mentioned the Economy and, by spiritual grace, having foreseen the heretical thorns that were sowed by Valentinus, Basilides, Marcion and Manes, who all equally denied the ascension of the flesh, rebelled against the Old Testament and supported various errors in others, the Apostle necessarily predicts about this. You might be interested in: