Above reproach (410) (anegkletos or anenkletos from a = without, negative particle + egkaleo/enkaleo {en = in + kaleo = call} = to call in {as a debt or demand}, to bring to account, to accuse in court, call into account, bring a charge against - in Romans 8:33 "who will bring a charge [egkaleo] against God's elect?..." The answer "no one") means not arraigned (as in a court), that which cannot be called to account, unblamable, blameless, irreproachable, free from accusation or reproach, not accused of having done anything wrong. Anegkletos signifies that which cannot be called to account. It means having no blot on one's life for which one could be accused, arraigned, and disqualified. It means there is nothing laid to one’s charge (as the result of public investigation). It is not simply an acquittal but the absence of even a valid accusation. Anegkletos is used 5 uses: 1x 1Cor; 1x Col; 1x 1Ti; 2 Titus. 1 Corinthians 1:8 who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:22 (note) yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- 1 Timothy 3:10 And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Titus 1:6 namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, Trench writes that... "It is justly explained by Chrysostom as implying not acquittal merely, but absence so much as of a charge or accusation brought against him of whom it is affirmed. It moves...not in the subjective world of the thoughts and estimates of men, but in the objective world of facts." (Trench, R. C. Synonyms of the New Testament. Hendrickson Publishers. 2000) "Quinn translates the word as “unimpeachable” and says it is “legal and forensic language” (Word Biblical Commentary: Pastoral Epistles. page 388) As used of an elder/overseer candidate, it means this man is unaccused (even to the point of being unaccusable) and irreproachable. Trench adds that "there is a manifest allusion to a custom which still survives in our Ordinations, at the opening of which the ordaining Bishop demands of the faithful present whether they know any notable crime or charge for the which those who have been presented to him for Holy Orders ought not to be ordained; he demands, in other words, whether they be anegkletoi, that is, not merely unaccusable, but unaccused; not merely free from any just charge, for that question is reserved, if need be, for later investigation, but free from any charge at all—the intention of this citation being, that if any present had such charge to bring, the ordination should not go forward until this had been duly sifted." (Ibid) It should however be noted that in using anegkletos in this list, he Paul was not referring to some type of ordination exam. Writing to the saints at Colossae, Paul explains that Jesus "has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. (anegkletos)" (see note Colossians 1:22) The use of anegkletos describes something beyond blameless. It means not only that believers are without blemish (which is what the Greek word for "blameless" means), but also that no one can bring a charge against us. Satan, "the accuser of the brethren...who accuses them before our God day and night" (Rev 12:10-note), cannot make a charge stick against those whom Christ has reconciled. Although an elder cannot be irreproachable in this same sense, this use does give one a sense of what is required of a candidate for elder! This qualification relates to the elder candidate's community standing. Some churches run ads in the local paper or at least in the church bulletins to be certain that their candidate is well thought of and that there is no charge that can be brought against him. This man is to have no proverbial "skeletons in his closet". There are to be no accusations circulating about this man's past or present. The candidate for elder/overseer must live such an exemplary life that there is not even an occasion to call him to account or bring a charge against him. Interestingly, Paul says nothing about charisma, intelligence, education, influence, talent, attractiveness, etc. How often we hear "If old so and so got saved, the Lord would really use him". God's primary requirement has always been that "to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams". (1Sa 15:22) When God seeks leaders for His people, He "looks at the heart" (1Sa 16:7) Deacons are also held to this standard, Paul writing to Timothy "let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach." (1Ti 3:10) Paul used a synonym of anegkletos, anepileptos, (one who has nothing which an adversary could seize upon with which to base a charge) as the first qualification for elders in 1 Timothy 3:2 translated “above reproach.” These two Greek words convey virtually the same meaning, indicating that the elder must have no obvious flaw in his character or conduct that would bring justifiable criticism on himself or the church. Trench adds that “It is not enough for him to be not criminal; he must be one against whom it is impossible to bring any charge of wrong doing such as could stand impartial examination. He must be without reproach, irreprehensible.” (Ibid) An Illustration of a man above reproach - The Christian walk of Will Houghton, a preacher who became the president of Moody Bible Institute during the 1940s, played a large role in the conversion of an agnostic who was contemplating suicide. The skeptic was desperate, but he decided that if he could find a minister who lived his faith he would listen to him. So he hired a private detective to watch Houghton. When the investigator’s report came back, it revealed that this preacher’s life was above reproach; he was for real. The agnostic went to Houghton’s church, accepted Christ, and later sent his daughter to Moody Bible Institute. MacArthur nicely qualifies this requirement reminding us that "Paul is not speaking of sinless perfection but is declaring that leaders of Christ’s church must have no sinful defect in their lives that could justly call their virtue, their righteousness, or their godliness into question and indict them. There must be nothing in their lives to disqualify them as models of moral and spiritual character for believers under their care to emulate." McGee adds that “If any be blameless”—that does not mean he must be perfect, without sin. It does mean that any accusation that is brought against him must not be found to be true. His life must be above reproach....When someone can point a finger at an officer of the church and accurately accuse him of dishonesty, then the cause of Christ is hurt. It does not matter how naturally gifted a man may be, if someone can say that his speech does not reflect a dedication to Christ, then the cause of Christ is hurt, and that man should not be an officer of the church." (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Matthew Henry commenting on anegkletos writes that the elder candidate "must be one who lies not under an ill character; but rather must have good report, even from those that are without; not grossly or scandalously guilty, so as would bring reproach upon the holy function; he must not be such a one." (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible) MacDonald qualifies anegkletos noting "that if they (the elder candidates) do minor wrongs, they are prompt to make them right by confession to God, by apology to the person(s) wronged, and by restitution, if applicable." (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Gealy adds that... "Since the office of bishop is one of authority and power, the vices named are those to which persons in such positions are tempted." (F. D. Gealy, The First and Second Epistles to Timothy and the Epistle to Titus, in The Interpreter’s Bible, 11:528) Paul uses this term describing the fact that Christ "shall also confirm you to the end, blameless (anegkletos) in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Cor 1:8) By God’s sustaining power Christians will stand free of guilt before Him on the day of His coming. As noted in the discussion above anegkletos is found used in Col 1:22-note with another Greek word translated "blameless" and in fact means something even beyond blameless. The Amplified version conveys this sense translating the verse as "And He will establish you to the end [keep you steadfast, give you strength, and guarantee your vindication; He will be your warrant against all accusation or indictment so that you will be] guiltless and irreproachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)." (Amplified Bible - Lockman) John MacArthur adds an encouraging note on what irreproachable in this verse signifies for believers explaining that "When we enter heaven we will not have all our sins and shortcomings flashed before us for everyone to see, as we sometimes hear in popular theology. Christ will affirm before the eternal throne of God that we are now counted blameless. Only then will we be confirmed blameless, made blameless, actually be blameless—settled and secured in blamelessness for all eternity." (MacArthur, J: 1Corinthians. Chicago: Moody Press) THE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE: mias gunaikos aner : (Lev 21:7 14 Ezek 44:22; Mal 2:15; Lk 1:5; 1Ti 3:11) This Greek phrase is most literally rendered "a one woman man" or "a one woman husband" and so Young's Literal translates it "of one wife a husband". Other translations are "they must have only one wife" (TLB) "He must be faithful to his wife" (NLT) "true to his one wife," (WNT) "married only once" (NAB) "a one-wife kind of a man [that is, married only once]" (Wuest) "He must have only one wife" (ICB) From these different translations above, one can readily deduce that the interpretation of this qualification does not have a clear consensus among Bible scholars. There are 4 primary views regarding the interpretation of this qualification: (1) He must be married. (2) He must not remarry if his first wife died. (3). He must not have more than one living wife (polygamy). (4). He must remain true and faithful to his wife. Husband (435) (aner) refers to an adult male and in the present context means a husband. One (1520) (mia) means a single person or thing, with focus on quantitative aspect. Wife (1135) (gune - origin of gyne as in gynecology) is the word that generally refers to an adult female person, whether virgin or married (includes betrothed as in Mt 1:20) or widowed. Without discussing the pros and cons (eg, clearly the elder must not be a polygamist) of each of these views, the last interpretation seems to be the most reasonable for as MacArthur writes "It is quite possible, and all too common, for a husband to be married to only one woman yet not be a one-woman man, because he has sexual desires for other women besides his wife or engages in impure behavior with another woman. Jesus made clear that “everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28-note, cp Mt 5:27, 29, 30). A lustful husband, whether or not he ever commits physical adultery, commits moral adultery if he harbors sexual desire for women other than his wife. He is not a one-woman man. When his unfaithfulness becomes known, he is disqualified. An elder must have an unsullied, lifelong reputation for devotion to his spouse and to sexual purity. He must be completely free of fornication, adultery, divorce, and remarriage (except after the death of a wife), mistresses, illegitimate children, and all such moral stains that tarnish the reputation of Christ and His church. When a church brings a morally corrupted man into leadership or brings him back into leadership after serious moral sin, it does so in serious contradiction of God’s standards and will." (See MacArthur expositional commentary on Titus: Moody Publishing for much more detailed discussion of this important but all too often misunderstood and debated qualification) HAVING CHILDREN WHO BELIEVE: tekna echon (PAPMSN) pista: (Ge 18:19; 1Ti 3:4, 3:5 ) "His children must be believers" (ICB) "having children steadfast" (YLT), "with faithful children" (NET) "with believing children" (NAB) "whose children believe", (NIV) "whose children are [well trained and are] believers, " (Amp) "with children brought up as Christians" (Phillips) "having faithful children" (NKJV) "children must love the Lord" (TLB) "whose children are of the faith," (BBE) Children (5043) (teknon from tikto = to bring forth or bear children) refers to n offspring of human parents or a child (as in the present context). More generally, teknon refers to descendants from a common ancestor (posterity). Figuratively, teknon refers to one who is dear to another but without genetic relationship and without distinction in age (Paul referred to Titus as "my true child" in Titus 1:4). The Bible calls believers "children" (teknon) of God.