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Since it was doubtful that mothers could reap the fruits of the virtue of their children, the apostle says: “the word is true,” that is, not spoken falsely, and let no one doubt. If anyone desires the episcopate, he desires a good deed. The instruction prescribed to Timothy concerning the bishop applies to the bishops of the whole universe. If anyone, he says, is looking for a bishopric, I do not interfere; for he desires a good deed. Let him seek more than just leadership and power, for Moses also desired action, not authority: he defended the unjustly offended and punished the offender. The bishopric is so called because it has supervision over everyone. 1 Timothy 3:2. But the bishop must be blameless. That is, to be adorned with all virtues, so that neither himself nor others blame him. Therefore, if anyone is aware of his sins, let him not seek such a title from which he has removed himself by his actions. For a leader must be a lamp, so that everyone, looking at him, will be enlightened and guided by his life. If a person bound by marriage cares about worldly affairs, and a bishop should not care about worldly things, then how does the apostle say: “The husband of one wife”? Some believe that he pointed to the bishop's celibacy. And if this is not what should be understood here, then - that he, having a wife, can live as if he did not have her, that is, without submitting to her desires. In saying this, the apostle does not lay down the law that a bishop must necessarily be married. For how could he who said this command: “I desire that all people should be as I am” (1 Cor. 7:7)? But if, according to the time of that time, he says, this had happened, then let him be the husband of one wife. This was also said for the sake of the Jews, who allowed polygamy. Some, without any reason, believed that the apostle was saying this regarding the church - namely, they say that the bishop should not move from church to church: because this is fornication. That is, to be careful, always vigilant, attentively observant, so as to see everything and always be ready for any necessary task. That is, to act prudently in everything. Decent, honest (κόσμιον). 3 That is, beautifully honest. For if he is friendly, hospitable and merciful towards local residents only, then he is partial. But he should be even more generous to strangers; for this more clearly testifies to his brotherly love. The qualities mentioned above are also required from subordinates, but most of all they must belong to the bishop. The apostle is not talking here about someone who gets drunk on wine, but about someone who is abusive and arrogant. Here we are not talking about those who strike with their hands, but about those who untimely outrage the conscience of the brethren. Not grumpy, not selfish, but quiet, peace-loving, not money-loving. Teaches how you can be not a drunkard and not a murderer. He who is meek will not be quarrelsome. Since he said above that he should be “lovers of money” (1 Tim. 3:3), he now adds: “not a lover of money,” showing that he will be a lover of hobbies if he is not a lover of money, and at the same time teaching that under the pretext of love of hobbies he should not accumulate treasures. 1 Timothy 3:4. He is a good steward of his house. External writers also talk about this, that a good housekeeper can soon become a good ruler of the state. Keeping children in obedience with all honesty. In his own home, he must set an example, for who would believe that someone who did not know how to keep his son in dependence would conquer a stranger? How can he make strangers honest when he allows his own blood to live dishonestly? “With all honesty” means - in word, and in deed, and in dress - and, moreover, before everyone and at all times. 1 Timothy 3:5. For whoever does not know how to manage his own home, will he care about the Church of God? The house is nothing more than a small church. Therefore, if he cannot be a good ruler of what is not great, and easily definable, and easily known, then where can he manage the morals and unthinkable thoughts of so many souls? The question worthy of attention is why the apostle, making such demands on the laity: “mortify your earthly members” (Col. 3:5), and also: “those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh” (Gal. 5:24), now demands less from the bishop, which does not correspond to such a high rank, namely: to be not a drunkard, not a murderer, and so on. And Christ, commanding him to take up his cross, says: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Therefore, Paul should have demanded from the bishop that he lead an almost angelic life, alien to passions, befitting the height of his life. Listen, with such strictness in their lifestyle, few people could be found, while many bishops were needed to preside in every city. Therefore, the apostle demanded moderate virtue, which could be found in many. But now, alas! Where have we - bishops - fallen, so that not even a shadow of such moderate virtue is found in us! Have mercy on us, Lord! 1 Timothy 3:6. Not [must be] one of the converts. The Apostle speaks here not of someone who was young in age, as Timothy was young, which we learn from the words of Paul: “Let no one despise your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12), but of a new convert. For, he says, “I planted” (1 Cor. 3:6). Since many of the pagans were converted and baptized, do not immediately, he says, elevate the newly baptized to such power. So that you do not become proud and fall into condemnation with the devil. If someone, before becoming a good student, becomes a teacher, he, he says, will become proud and be subject to the same condemnation and punishment; what the devil is subjected to for his pride. 1 Timothy 3:7. He must also have a good testimony from outsiders. That is, from the pagans, so that they would not blame him for anything, but, on the contrary, would respect him. But what if he seems good to them, but in reality he is not? This will present a great difficulty. For enemies reproach righteous people. However, the apostle does not show this alone, but together with other virtues, saying: “he must also have a good testimony.” What if they needlessly speak ill of him in order to slander him? This cannot be: because a person has an impeccable life and they respect him. They condemn his teaching, and not his life, just as they did not call the apostles fornicators and wicked, but deceivers, which applied only to the sermon. If such a case occurs that a person is falsely slandered, still he should not be made a bishop. For it must not happen that no one’s souls are not illuminated by their lamp. “Let ... your works ... shine, ... so that ... people can see” (Matthew 5:16) 4. If he must have a testimony from his enemies, then much more from his friends. So as not to fall into criticism. This refers to reproach from the pagans, which can stop the beneficial effect of the sermon. And the devil's snare (τοῦ διαβόλου). Either that they will soon kill him, or that he will fall into the same sins as they did. And to be a temptation for many is also a snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:8. Deacons too. Why did the apostle omit the elders? Because everything he said about bishops also applies to elders. Indeed, they also received the right to teach and preside in the Church, and are inferior to bishops only in the right to perform ordination. So, he says, the deacons too, that is, they must have the same things, namely: to be hospitable, meek, not quarrelsome, and so on. They must, he says, in addition to what has been said, have honesty. That is, they are not crafty, not cunning, not holding one thing in mind, but saying another - one thing to one, and another to another. Not partial to wine, not greedy. He did not say: not drunkards, because this is already extremely low, but: “not partial to wine.” For some people, although they do not get drunk, still drink a lot and weaken the mood of the soul. The ancients, entering the sanctuary, completely abandoned the use of wine. “Self-loving” is one who does not refuse any benefit, no matter where it comes from. Take here “not selfish” for incorruptible and not money-loving. 1 Timothy 3:9. Keeping the sacrament of faith in a clear conscience. That is, with the preservation of the right dogma, and having an immaculate life. For a clear conscience comes from an immaculate life. 1 Timothy 3:10. And such people must first be tested, then, if they are blameless, [admitted] to serve. Just as, he says, with regard to the bishop, I demanded that he should not be newly baptized, so I demand that these too should not be allowed to serve without being tested, but after having been sufficiently tested, they will prove to be impeccable: just as no one will entrust a newly purchased slave with any administrative position before he has proven himself suitable for it in time. 1 Timothy 3:11. Equally, their wives [should be] honest. The apostle is not talking about any random women, but about deaconesses. For this service is very necessary and useful for the Church. If he were not talking about them, then what need is there to talk about women in the midst of talking about male deacons? That is, not slanderers who, as old women usually do, go from house to house and whisper to one about another. That is, to stay awake. Since this generation is easy and easy to deceive, he says, they should not slumber, but be alert and vigilant. That is, they are persistent both in word and in deed. 1 Timothy 3:12. A deacon must be the husband of one wife. You see that the apostle demands from deacons the same virtue that he demanded from bishops. For they must equally be pure and blameless. He is a good steward of his children and his home. Everywhere he talks about managing children so that others have no reason to be tempted. 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. “Degree”, that is, success. For those who have shown themselves to be sober in lower positions will soon reach the highest ones in order to have great boldness in the faith; that is, to be more glorious not in worldly merits, not in wealth, but in faith, that is, in all words and deeds of faith. So those who fulfilled the duties of a deacon well were then glorious in the degrees of presbytery and bishopric. 1 Timothy 3:14–15. I am writing this to you, hoping to come to you soon, so that if I delay, you will know how you should act in the house of God. So that, through the instruction he gives regarding such subjects, the disciple would not be plunged into sorrow, as if Paul would no longer see him, he says: I am not writing this because I will not come again; on the contrary, I will come. However, if it happens that I slow down, you must have an example of how you should live. The apostle said beautifully: “hoping.” Since, led by the Spirit, he did not know where he should go, he rightly doubts his coming to Timothy. Which is the Church of the living God. Don’t say that people gathered the Church. She is the work of God, a living and terrible God, and not a dead and weak one, like the gods of the Hellenes. The pillar and ground of truth. The Apostle here compares the Church with the Jewish church and says that it truly was an image and a shadow, such as bells, expensive jewelry and a high priest with sacrifices. And the Church is a statement of truth. For everything that happens in it is true, and not figurative, which is what is in the church under the law: instead of bells, there is a brilliant sermon; instead of expensive jewelry, sacred clothes - a glorious life, rich in internal fruits; The High Priest in it is the Son of God; the great sacrifice is His Divine Body. 1 Timothy 3:16. And unquestioningly is a great mystery of piety. The economy of our salvation is a mystery. This is a “great” mystery, a mystery of “piety”: for it is beyond all doubt. What kind of mystery is this that everyone knows? Very many, but not everyone. If everyone knows, then now, but not everyone knew before. Moreover, everyone knows that God became incarnate, but how He became incarnate is hidden, and therefore it is a mystery. Pay attention to what kind of love God has for us, if He has fully revealed His secret to us. Since Paul, when giving instructions about priests, did not say anything that is found in the book of Leviticus, then, he says, let no one be surprised if I do not talk about such unimportant things. The great is ours, and there is nothing like that there. Here God appeared. How? In the flesh; for by Divinity He is invisible. Or he says that having done everything for the salvation of people, although He did not convince some of the adamant, He justified Himself as having completed His work; or - that He did not create sin, “and there was no flattery in His mouth” (Is. 53:9). And the righteous according to the law were in bondage in spirit. For the law contained threats and punishments, but did not have the spirit of adoption. The Lord fulfilled all righteousness in the Holy Spirit, being of one substance with Him and having Him in Himself by nature, and through Himself giving us the opportunity to be justified through Him. For the righteous according to the Gospel, being spiritual, far exceed those who were once justified by the law. O sacrament! With us, the angels also saw the Son of God, having not seen Him before. For the Gospel says: “and... the angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4:11). And not only here, but from birth to ascension they served Him. At the time of birth, the angels sing a song to Him and preach the good news about Him to the shepherds; and during the ascension they serve Him. Preached to the nations, accepted by faith in the world. “Preached to the nations” who were in despair and deception, and not only “preached,” but also “received by faith in the world,” which serves as a great sign of the power of the Preached One and the truth of the preaching. That is, on the clouds, when angels also served Him. Of course, he ascended into heaven not like Elijah, but as if into heaven, not to say that the ascension itself is glory. One Greek word in the Russian Synodal translation corresponds to two. This place, apparently, is given by the blzh. Theophylact not literally. You might be interested in: