Paul the apostle gave
instructions to Timothy concerning the church in Ephesus. Paul knew
there were certain people who were a part of the church who would
need to be guided and directed. Some of these people were men who
desired to be “bishops” also known as overseers or pastors. Paul
said those who sought after this office were desiring a “good
work” and not just a position.
In chapter three and verse two of his letter to Timothy, Paul begins
to share the requirements for being a “bishop” where we
read:
A bishop then must be
blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good
behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
The verse begins, “A
bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,...”
Paul began, “A bishop”
which is the Greek word “episkopas” and means “overseer,
superintendent or elder” “then must” or “it
is necessary, there is need of, it behooves and is right and proper”
“be blameless” or
“apprehended, cannot be laid hold of, cannot be reprehended,
and is not open to censure and irreproachable”. There was to be no
area in which a person could bring blame and reproach against the man
who desired to be a “bishop”. Paul added, “the
husband of one wife” or “married to only one woman”. The
“bishop” was not to have several wives, mistresses or
concubines as was the common culture of people of Ephesus.
The verse continues, “...vigilant,
sober, of good behavior,...”
Paul went on to add, “vigilant”
which means “sober, temperate, abstaining from wine, either
entirely or at least from its immoderate use and of things free from
all wine such as vessels and offerings”. Paul included, “sober”
which means “of a sound mind, sane, in one's senses, curbing
one's desires and impulses and self-controlled”. Paul continued,
“of good behavior” or “well arranged, seemly, modest”.
A “bishop” was to live his live in controlled, sound,
modest and well arranged manner.
Finally
the verse says, “...given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
The next requirement given by Paul for a “bishop”
was that he be “given to hospitality”
which means “hospitable and generous to guests”. If a man was to
be an “overseer” he must be prone to welcome, give openly and
provide for people. Finally Paul added, “apt to teach”
or “skillful in teaching”. If a man was to be one who presided
over others in the church, he was not only to know the word of God,
but was to be capable of communicating it effectively to others.
We
have only begun the list of requirements for “bishops”,
and if we examine these qualifications, we might wonder if anyone
could measure up to them. Most of us would be disqualified at the
first requirement, “blameless”,
and although we know the importance of the “work”
of a pastor, overseer or bishop, when we examine this portion of the
list we don't know anyone who does all these things perfectly. That
is the beauty of knowing Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and
Lord. We are all a “work”
in progress, including “bishops”.
The Lord Jesus has a way to bring a man who desires the “good
work” of a bishop into the
requirements He has revealed through His servant Paul, and we, as was
Timothy, can understand that these requirements are good for all of
us to follow and grow within. May the Lord Jesus add these qualities
to our lives as we meditate upon them, and let us pray for our
“overseers” that they too will grow in each of these areas.
Next
time Paul continues his list of requirements for a “bishop”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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