More Requirements for Bishops 1 Timothy 3:3

As Paul the apostle shared with young Timothy his list of requirements for “bishops” or “overseers and pastors”, he included such characteristics as “blameless, husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”. In chapter three and verse three Paul added more qualifications where we read:

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

The verse begins, “Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;” Paul began continued his list with, “Not given to wine” which means “staying near wine, tippling, drunken and quarrelsome over wine”. Paul added, “no striker” or “bruiser, pugnacious, contentious and quarrelsome person”, and he wrote, “not greedy of filthy lucre” which means “eager for base gain and greedy for money”. The idea is that a “bishop” should not be grabbing and grasping for money.

The verse continues, “but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;” After writing what a “bishop” should not be, Paul inserted one way the “bishop” should be, “but” where we encounter the disassociation conjunction which gives priority over what is about to be written over what was written previously, “patient” which means “equitable, fair, mild and gentle”. The “overseer” of a group of people must be “patient” with them as he works with them day to day. After that brief insertion, Paul returned to what a “bishop” should not be as he wrote, “not a brawler” which means “as not to be withstood, invincible, contentious and abstaining from fighting”. The “pastor” of a church should not be one who is “rough, gruff and aggressive” to the point of desiring to fight with anyone he comes in contact. Finally Paul wrote, “not covetous” or “not loving money and not avaricious” which once again includes the idea of being greedy and desiring what belongs to someone else.

While we think on these traits of a “bishop”, we may wonder if anyone could qualify to be a “pastor”. Once again let us be reminded that every person who gives their heart and life to Jesus Christ is a work in progress. There are, however, those who are a little further along in the process, and those who have traits such as the ones listed by Paul, are those who are good candidates for “overseers”. They are good traits for us as well, and rather than simply attaching them to our “pastors” or “bishops”, let us examine our own lives and ask, “Are we given to wine? Are we greedy of filthy lucre? Are we patient, not a brawler and not covetous?” We can see that it is quite easy to “require” these traits in our leaders, but somehow exempt ourselves. May the Lord Jesus continue to do His work in all of us and address any of these traits in which we have gone amiss.

Next time Paul his list of the qualities a “bishop” must contain, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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