Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife ,.... See Gill on 1 Timothy 3:2 . ruling their children and their own houses well . These qualifications are the same with those of the bishop or elder; See Gill on 1 Timothy 3:4 . read more
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife - This is the same that is required of the bishops. See on 1 Timothy 3:2 ; (note) 1 Timothy 3:4 ; (note), and 1 Timothy 3:5 ; (note). read more
Verse 12 Let the deacons be Since he mentioned wives, he lays down the same injunction about deacons as he had formerly down about bishops; namely, that each of them — satisfied within having but one wife — shall set an example of a chaste and honorable father of a family, and shall keep his children and his whole house under holy discipline. And this refutes the error of those who understand this passage as referring to domestic servants. (65) read more
I. QUALIFICATIONS OF A BISHOP . Preliminary direction to Timothy . "Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." The Scripture idea of the episcopate is that of oversight , viz. of souls. A bishop was one who had the duty of overseeing a congregation in spiritual matters, being, in respect of gravity and dignity, called presbyter or elder. Timothy was to encourage any who sought to enter into the episcopate. The saying in Christian... read more
It was one of the weightiest duties laid upon Timothy, when called to be the spiritual ruler of the Church of Ephesus, to take care that the priests and deacons were men well qualified for their holy office. The condition of a congregation depends so largely upon the spiritual character of those who minister to it, that the choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred ministry of God's Church is a matter of vital importance to the welfare of the people, and demands the utmost wisdom and... read more
Deacons for the deacons , A.V.; husbands for the husbands , A.V. Husbands of one wife (see above, 1 Timothy 3:2 , note). Ruling , etc. ( προιδτάμενοι ); literally, being at the head of , presiding over (see 1 Timothy 3:4 , note). In Romans 12:8 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12 it is applied to the spiritual ruler, the ἐπίσκοπος or πρεσβυτερος of the Church. Elsewhere only in the pastoral Epistles (above, 1 Thessalonians 5:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5 ; 1... read more
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife - notes, 1 Timothy 3:2.Ruling their children and their own houses well - notes, 1 Timothy 3:4-5. read more
1 Timothy 3:12-13. Let the deacons As well as the bishops; be husbands of one wife That is, such as have shown their temperance by avoiding polygamy and causeless divorce; (see on 1 Timothy 3:2;) ruling their children, &c. This qualification, which was required in bishops likewise, shows how anxious the apostle was that all who bore sacred offices should be unblameable in every respect; knowing that the disorderly behaviour of the members of their family might give occasion to... read more
Elders and deacons (3:1-13)Churches of the New Testament era were self-governing bodies that were independent of each other and under the control of local elders. Elders were also known as shepherds, overseers, guardians, leaders and bishops, but these names represent only two words in the original Greek, presbuteroi and episkopoi.These two Greek words refer to the same office and people. For example (in the words of the RSV), in Acts 20:17 Paul sent for the elders (presbuteroi) of the Ephesian... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Timothy 3:8-13
We have here the character of deacons: these had the care of the temporal concerns of the church, that is, the maintenance of the ministers and provision for the poor: they served tables, while the ministers or bishops gave themselves only to the ministry of the word and prayer, Acts 6:2, 4. Of the institution of this office, with that which gave occasion to it, you have an account in Acts 6:1-7. Now it was requisite that deacons should have a good character, because they were assistants to... read more