1 Timothy 3:4 - One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
He has to be somebody who rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Gravity doesn't mean the law of gravity. But basically, here's a person who is ruling his own house well, and has his children in subjection. There's a difference between subjection and submission. Submission is something that you're asked to do voluntarily. Subjection means you're told to do it. So, the ruler of the household basically has to have his children in subjection to him. With all respect. That's what gravity means. It stands for the Greek word that has to do with respect and reverence.
The 15th characteristic is in Verse 6.
1 Timothy 3:6 - Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
He says not a novice. Most people interpret novice as a new believer, you can't be young in the Lord, you can't be new, somebody that has to have the things of the Lord worked out in him. But the word for novice has to do with agriculture. It has to do with a sprout that is growing out of the ground. It's the condition of early seedlings popping the sprouts up. They're young in their growth. The root system hasn't developed yet, and the plant is not old enough to bear fruit or the flower.
And so, the scripture says not a novice, lest having been puffed up with pride he shall fall into the judgment of the devil, condemnation of the devil. There's nothing that Satan loves more than to see a believer in their weakness fall into sin, right up in front of everybody, because they're a leader in the church. And what Satan does is he brings condemnation down on that person.
1 Timothy 4:2 - Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Again, the word hypocrisy means an actor, one who answers according to the script. False teachers, they learn the language, you know, "Praise the Lord, how you doing today?" They know all the language of the doctrines, and they know biblical scriptures, and they quote scriptures. They know the script. But they speak the lie in hypocrisy. They act like they are one of the chosen or saved, but they are not.
The second condition is having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
That whole phrase, seared with a hot iron (KEKAUTERIASMENON) is the word cauterized. It's a medical term. It's where a part of the human body is burned where it cannot feel pain and loses its sensitivity.
He says their conscience has become seared with a hot iron. Their conscience can no longer sense the Spirit of God or the truth of God, and they reject it when they hear it. So that was the condition of false teachers.
1 Timothy 4:6 - If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
In the Greek text, the word remembrance literally means to spread out in front of someone. He says if you take the brethren and just lay all this out in front of them. It's like the saying that you can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Well, give them the truth. Just lay it all out in front of them. They've got to make a response to it.
Paul says if you do this, you shall be a good minister (or servant) of Jesus Christ, while being nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine. He says not only do you have to lay this out in front of the brethren, but you have to continue to be nourished in the doctrine yourself. There must be a continuation. You must continue to feed on the truth of God's word.
1 Timothy 3:10 - And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
And let these also first be proved, or tested; then let them serve in the office of deacon, after they are found to be blameless. Again, unimpeachable.
1 Timothy 3:11 - Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
It says wives, or women likewise, again working off the verb (to be) in Verse 2. Now there are four things:
The wives must be grave, that is, serious in their approach to the things and handling of the things of God. Secondly, not slanderers. Thirdly, vigilant, or sober in their thinking, watchfulness, attentiveness. And lastly, faithful to Christ in all things.
1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Now the Spirit speaks clearly. There wasn't any doubt about what God's Spirit was saying in these days about the warning in the church. Notice that it says that in the latter times. Literally, in later times. And notice that times is plural. What he's saying is that beginning at his era, his time, and this will progressively go for several epics, or eras. And as time in history goes on, apostasy from the faith is going to grow worse.
Depart is the word APOSTASIA. It's the Greek word for apostasy. Apostasy means moving away from a fixed position. They had a fixed position in Christ doctrinally, but they have been moved. The term falling away is APOSTASIA.
Theologians have labeled latter times from the ascension of Christ, to His second coming. Those are all the latter days. He is indicating for us that things are going to get worse as far as getting away from the faith. Please notice it doesn't say church. It says the faith. All true doctrine will encourage and teach people to put their trust in Christ for everything.
1 Timothy 3:8 - Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
It says likewise, and the word must is in italics because this word likewise is still forming off of the word (to be), back in Verse 2. It is necessary for bishop or overseer to be presently in a certain condition, having 16 characteristics of maturity in the things of the Lord. So likewise, also, deacons are to be. It's working off of the same verb.
As we see in Verse 8, likewise it is necessary for deacons to be grave. It literally means to be serious about the work of the Lord. Take it seriously! Secondly, not doubletongued. We call it two-faced, not saying one thing to one person and one thing to another. We are not a salesman who compromises trying to make everybody happy.
Thirdly, not given to much wine. That sounds like a loophole. Later on, Paul is going to tell Timothy to take a little wine for his stomachs' sake. In those days, the water was not good to drink, and so they would mix the water with wine. According to some accounts, it was nine parts water with one part wine. It was not the same alcohol content that we have today.
There is a lot of controversy about whether it's right for Christians to drink alcoholic. But back then, if you would drink the wine fresh off the vine, it was used for medicinal purposes for a settling of the stomach, because the water was so bad. So, when Paul says the deacons are not to be given to much wine, he's not saying they cannot have any at all because they might need some wine for their stomachs' sake. But just so you know, it was nothing like the wine we have today.
Fourthly, not greedy of filthy lucre; this literally means not being greedy for shameful gain. It's a shame for a leader in the church, let alone a Christian, but more so a leader to be striving for and coveting and making the goal of their life materialism and money. It's called shameful gain.
1 Timothy 3:7 - Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Lastly, it says, "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;" That is, those outside of the church, the non-believers. Now they might not like him. They might say "I don't believe in his doctrine. I don't like him because he's a Christian." But that has nothing to do with it. What is his reputation with the people outside of the church? So, he has to have a reputation in and out!
But is says that he must have a good report, or good testimony, of those which are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. A trap! The devil can trap him by saying "Well, you know 5 years ago, when you punched that guy out" nobody knows about it, but then after you're in position of leadership, then Satan loves to bring things up and trap people with bad reports.
1 Timothy 3:4 - One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
He has to be somebody who rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Gravity doesn't mean the law of gravity. But basically, here's a person who is ruling his own house well, and has his children in subjection. There's a difference between subjection and submission. Submission is something that you're asked to do voluntarily. Subjection means you're told to do it. So, the ruler of the household basically has to have his children in subjection to him. With all respect. That's what gravity means. It stands for the Greek word that has to do with respect and reverence.
The 15th characteristic is in Verse 6.
1 Timothy 3:6 - Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
He says not a novice. Most people interpret novice as a new believer, you can't be young in the Lord, you can't be new, somebody that has to have the things of the Lord worked out in him. But the word for novice has to do with agriculture. It has to do with a sprout that is growing out of the ground. It's the condition of early seedlings popping the sprouts up. They're young in their growth. The root system hasn't developed yet, and the plant is not old enough to bear fruit or the flower.
And so, the scripture says not a novice, lest having been puffed up with pride he shall fall into the judgment of the devil, condemnation of the devil. There's nothing that Satan loves more than to see a believer in their weakness fall into sin, right up in front of everybody, because they're a leader in the church. And what Satan does is he brings condemnation down on that person.
1 Timothy 4:2 - Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Again, the word hypocrisy means an actor, one who answers according to the script. False teachers, they learn the language, you know, "Praise the Lord, how you doing today?" They know all the language of the doctrines, and they know biblical scriptures, and they quote scriptures. They know the script. But they speak the lie in hypocrisy. They act like they are one of the chosen or saved, but they are not.
The second condition is having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
That whole phrase, seared with a hot iron (KEKAUTERIASMENON) is the word cauterized. It's a medical term. It's where a part of the human body is burned where it cannot feel pain and loses its sensitivity.
He says their conscience has become seared with a hot iron. Their conscience can no longer sense the Spirit of God or the truth of God, and they reject it when they hear it. So that was the condition of false teachers.
1 Timothy 4:6 - If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
In the Greek text, the word remembrance literally means to spread out in front of someone. He says if you take the brethren and just lay all this out in front of them. It's like the saying that you can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Well, give them the truth. Just lay it all out in front of them. They've got to make a response to it.
Paul says if you do this, you shall be a good minister (or servant) of Jesus Christ, while being nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine. He says not only do you have to lay this out in front of the brethren, but you have to continue to be nourished in the doctrine yourself. There must be a continuation. You must continue to feed on the truth of God's word.
1 Timothy 3:10 - And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
And let these also first be proved, or tested; then let them serve in the office of deacon, after they are found to be blameless. Again, unimpeachable.
1 Timothy 3:11 - Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
It says wives, or women likewise, again working off the verb (to be) in Verse 2. Now there are four things:
The wives must be grave, that is, serious in their approach to the things and handling of the things of God. Secondly, not slanderers. Thirdly, vigilant, or sober in their thinking, watchfulness, attentiveness. And lastly, faithful to Christ in all things.
1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Now the Spirit speaks clearly. There wasn't any doubt about what God's Spirit was saying in these days about the warning in the church. Notice that it says that in the latter times. Literally, in later times. And notice that times is plural. What he's saying is that beginning at his era, his time, and this will progressively go for several epics, or eras. And as time in history goes on, apostasy from the faith is going to grow worse.
Depart is the word APOSTASIA. It's the Greek word for apostasy. Apostasy means moving away from a fixed position. They had a fixed position in Christ doctrinally, but they have been moved. The term falling away is APOSTASIA.
Theologians have labeled latter times from the ascension of Christ, to His second coming. Those are all the latter days. He is indicating for us that things are going to get worse as far as getting away from the faith. Please notice it doesn't say church. It says the faith. All true doctrine will encourage and teach people to put their trust in Christ for everything.
1 Timothy 3:8 - Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
It says likewise, and the word must is in italics because this word likewise is still forming off of the word (to be), back in Verse 2. It is necessary for bishop or overseer to be presently in a certain condition, having 16 characteristics of maturity in the things of the Lord. So likewise, also, deacons are to be. It's working off of the same verb.
As we see in Verse 8, likewise it is necessary for deacons to be grave. It literally means to be serious about the work of the Lord. Take it seriously! Secondly, not doubletongued. We call it two-faced, not saying one thing to one person and one thing to another. We are not a salesman who compromises trying to make everybody happy.
Thirdly, not given to much wine. That sounds like a loophole. Later on, Paul is going to tell Timothy to take a little wine for his stomachs' sake. In those days, the water was not good to drink, and so they would mix the water with wine. According to some accounts, it was nine parts water with one part wine. It was not the same alcohol content that we have today.
There is a lot of controversy about whether it's right for Christians to drink alcoholic. But back then, if you would drink the wine fresh off the vine, it was used for medicinal purposes for a settling of the stomach, because the water was so bad. So, when Paul says the deacons are not to be given to much wine, he's not saying they cannot have any at all because they might need some wine for their stomachs' sake. But just so you know, it was nothing like the wine we have today.
Fourthly, not greedy of filthy lucre; this literally means not being greedy for shameful gain. It's a shame for a leader in the church, let alone a Christian, but more so a leader to be striving for and coveting and making the goal of their life materialism and money. It's called shameful gain.
1 Timothy 3:7 - Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Lastly, it says, "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;" That is, those outside of the church, the non-believers. Now they might not like him. They might say "I don't believe in his doctrine. I don't like him because he's a Christian." But that has nothing to do with it. What is his reputation with the people outside of the church? So, he has to have a reputation in and out!
But is says that he must have a good report, or good testimony, of those which are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. A trap! The devil can trap him by saying "Well, you know 5 years ago, when you punched that guy out" nobody knows about it, but then after you're in position of leadership, then Satan loves to bring things up and trap people with bad reports.
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