Why Bishops Should not Be Novices 1 Timothy 3:6

Paul continued to give his instructions to Timothy concerning those who “desire the office of a bishop” in the church. These “overseers or pastors” were to be “blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality and apt to teach;” They were not to be “given to wine”, not a “striker”, “not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler” and “not covetous;”. In addition they were to be good rulers “over their own households having his children in subjection with all gravity;”. In chapter three and verse six, Paul continued his list with them not being “a novice” where we read:

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

The verse begins, “Not a novice,...” Paul began with the phrase, “not a novice” which is “neophytos” in Greek and means “newly planted, a new convert or neophyte or one who has recently become a Christian. If a man was to be in the office of a bishop, he was not to be a person who recently gave his heart and life to Jesus Christ.

The verse continues, “...lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Paul went on to add the reason the man was not to be “a novice”, “lest” or “so that or because that” “being lifted up with pride” which literally means “to envelop with smoke” and figuratively means “to inflate with self-conceit: - high-minded and proud” “he fall” or “as one who falls among robbers or into one's own power”. However Paul lets Timothy know in this case it is not just “robbers” or his “own power” in to which he falls, but “into the condemnation” which means “decree or judgment” “of the devil” who is “the traducer, false accuser and slanderer of mankind”. The danger of allowing “a novice” to be a bishop is that he is prone to be prideful, and the “condemnation” of the “devil” himself becomes his fate.

While we meditate upon Paul's words, let us realize the gravity of what he has written. Too often men are quickly elevated to the position of “bishop” which means “overseer or pastor”, and they become “blind with pride or conceit, to render things foolishly or stupidly, and are beclouded or besotted”. This was the very trait which had the “devil” thrown out of heaven. (See Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-17). These men are sometimes popular, well-known, and men of great possessions or secular positions, and because they have been “successful” in the world, it is assumed they will be so in the church. Paul knew this, and because they are raised to the status of “bishop” pride enters their hearts, and they fall prey to condemnation of the devil himself. If we know of “novice” pastors, let us intercede in prayer for them because pride is an easy and slippery path to follow, and if we have to opportunity to choose whether a man is to be a “bishop” or not, let us keep in mind what Paul has written concerning their maturity in their walk with the Lord Jesus.

Next time Paul tells Timothy that bishops must have a “good report with them that are without”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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