Aspiration with a pure motive differs from ambition with an impure motive.

A Greek word composed of over and sight; hence, overseership, denoting the function of an overseer.

The Greek word is composed of over and seer; hence, overseer. An overseer in a local church is an elder (Acts 20:17, 28). The two titles refer to the same person, elder denoting a person of maturity, and overseer denoting the function of an elder. It was Ignatius in the second century who taught that an overseer, a bishop, is higher than an elder. From this erroneous teaching came the hierarchy of bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the pope. Also, this teaching was the source of the episcopal system of ecclesiastical government. Both the hierarchy and the system are abominable in the eyes of God.

This does not denote being perfect in the eyes of God, but being in an irreproachable condition in the eyes of man.

This implies the restraining of the flesh, which is highly required of an elder. It keeps an elder in a simple and pure married life, free from the tangle of a complicated and confused marriage.

Self-controlled, moderate.

Not only keen but also discreet in the understanding of matters.

Decorous; meaning fitting the situation.

Hospitality requires love, care for people, and endurance. All these virtues are required for an elder to be qualified.

Teaching here is similar to parents' teaching of their children. An elder must be apt to render this kind of home teaching to the members of a local church.

This requires strong self-control.

This demands a strong restraining of the temper.

Yielding, approachable, mild, reasonable, and considerate in dealing with others, without strictness.

Not quarrelsome; peaceable.

Money is a test to all men. An elder must be pure in matters related to money, especially since the church fund is under the elders' management (Acts 11:30).

This is proof that one is qualified to take the oversight of a local church.

See note 1 Tim. 2:2^3c; so also for grave in vv. 8, 11.

Lit., newly planted one; denoting a person who has recently received the Lord's life but has not yet grown and developed in it.

Lit., beclouded with smoke. Pride here is likened to smoke that beclouds the mind, making it blind, besotted with the self-conceit of pride.

The judgment suffered by Satan because he was proud of his high position (Ezek. 28:13-17).

A walk and living that issue from living out Christ and expressing Christ and are appreciated and praised by others.

An elder must be right with himself, with his family, with the church, and with those outside — the society. And, according to the context, an elder must be right in intention, in motive, in character, in attitude, in word, and in deed.

Falling into the judgment suffered by the devil is due to the pride of the elder himself; falling into the snare of the devil is occasioned by the reproach from the outsiders. An elder should be alert not to be proud, on the one hand, and not to be reproachable, on the other, that he may avoid the devil's entanglement.

See note Rev. 2:10^1c.

I.e., the serving ones. The overseers take care of the church; the deacons serve the church under the direction of the elders. These two are the only offices in a local church.

A serpent is double-tongued. A deacon in a local church, rendering service to all the saints, may easily be double-tongued in contacting the saints. In being such, he lives out the nature of the devil and brings death into the church life.

Being addicted to much wine is a sign of being unable to control oneself. A deacon in the local church service must exercise self-control in a full way.

A deacon should not seek gain from his rendering of service to the saints. To seek such gain is to be greedy for base gain (cf. 1 Tim. 6:5b).

The faith here, as in 1:19 and 2 Tim. 4:7, is objective, referring to the things we believe in, the things that constitute the gospel. The mystery of the faith is mainly Christ as the mystery of God (Col. 2:2) and the church as the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:4). A deacon in a local church should hold the mystery of the faith with full understanding in a pure conscience for the Lord's testimony.

A pure conscience is a conscience purified from any mixture. To hold the mystery of the faith for the Lord's testimony, a deacon needs such a purified conscience.

This may imply some apprenticeship.

I.e., serve; service is the function of a deacon.

Or, blameless.

Referring to deaconesses (Rom. 16:1).

Corresponding with not double-tongued in v. 8. The devil is a slanderer (Rev. 12:10). To slander is to live out the nature of the evil slanderer. A sister who is a deaconess, a serving one in a local church among many other sisters, should flee slander, the evil act of the devil.

See note 1 Tim. 3:2^4d.

Corresponding with not greedy for base gain in v. 8. A sister who is a deaconess needs to be faithful, trustworthy, in all things, especially in things concerning gain.

See note 1 Tim. 3:2³.

For a brother to manage his children and his own house well proves that he is capable of serving the church.

I.e., served.

Referring to a firm and steadfast standing as a believer and a saint before God and man. To serve the church well as a deacon strengthens one's Christian standing.

Or, much confidence. To serve the church well also strengthens the boldness, the confidence, of one's Christian faith.

This indicates that this book gives instructions concerning the way to take care of a local church.

Or, household; the same word as in vv. 4, 5, 12 (houses). The household, the family, of God is the house of God. The house and the household are one thing — the assembly that is composed of the believers (Eph. 2:19; Heb. 3:6). The reality of this house as the dwelling place of the living God is in our spirit (Eph. 2:22). We must live and act in our spirit so that in this house God can be manifested as the living God.

The living God, who lives in the church, must be subjective to the church rather than objective. The idol in the heathen temple is lifeless. The God who not only lives but also acts, moves, and works in His living temple, the church, is living. Because He is living, the church too is living in Him, by Him, and with Him. A living God and a living church live, move, and work together. The living church is the house and the household of the living God. Hence, it becomes the manifestation of God in the flesh.

This is metaphoric speaking. The pillar supports the building, and the base holds the pillar. The church is such a supporting pillar and holding base of the truth.

The truth here refers to the real things revealed in the New Testament concerning Christ and the church according to God's New Testament economy. The church is the supporting pillar and holding base of all these realities. A local church should be such a building that holds, bears, and testifies the truth, the reality, of Christ and the church.

Or, by common acknowledgment, beyond reasoning, without controversy.

According to the context, godliness here refers not only to piety but also to the living of God in the church, i.e., to God as life lived out in the church. This is the great mystery confessed universally by believers in Christ.

According to unconfirmed historical accounts, these six lines of poetry made up a song that the saints in the early church loved to sing. He refers to Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh as the mystery of godliness. The transition from the mystery of godliness to He implies that Christ as the manifestation of God in the flesh is the mystery of godliness (Col. 1:27; Gal. 2:20). This mystery of godliness is the living of a proper church, and such a living also is the manifestation of God in the flesh.

Through incarnation and human living (John 1:1, 14). In the flesh means in the likeness, in the fashion, of man (Rom. 8:3; Phil. 2:7-8). Christ appeared to people in the form of man (2 Cor. 5:16), yet He was God manifested in man.

Or, vindicated. The incarnated Christ in His human living was not only vindicated as the Son of God by the Spirit (Matt. 3:16-17; Rom. 1:3-4) but also justified, proved, and approved as right and righteous by the Spirit (Matt. 3:15-16; 4:1). He was manifested in the flesh but was vindicated and justified in the Spirit. He appeared in the flesh, but He lived in the Spirit (Luke 4:1, 14; Matt. 12:28) and offered Himself to God through the Spirit (Heb. 9:14). His transfiguration (Matt. 17:2) and His resurrection are both justifications in the Spirit. Furthermore, in resurrection He even became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:17) to dwell and live in us (Rom. 8:9-10) for the manifestation of God in the flesh as the mystery of godliness. Hence, now we know Him and His members no longer according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (2 Cor. 5:16). Since the manifestation of God in the flesh is justified in the Spirit, and the Spirit is one with our spirit (Rom. 8:16), we must live and behave in our spirit that this justification may be accomplished.

Angels saw the incarnation, human living, and ascension of Christ (Luke 2:9-14; Matt. 4:11; Acts 1:10-11; Rev. 5:6, 11-12).

Christ as God's manifestation in the flesh has been preached as the gospel among the nations, including the nation of Israel, from the day of Pentecost (Rom. 16:26; Eph. 3:8).

Christ as the embodiment of God in the flesh has been believed on, received as Savior and life, by people in the world (Acts 13:48).

This refers to Christ's ascension into glory (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11; 2:33; Phil. 2:9). According to the sequence of historical events, Christ's ascension preceded His being preached among the nations. However, it is listed here as the last step in Christ's being the manifestation of God in the flesh. This must indicate that the church too is taken up in glory. Hence, it implies that not only Christ Himself as the Head but also the church as the Body are the manifestation of God in the flesh. When a church is well taken care of according to the instructions given in the first two chapters, with the oversight of the episcopate and the service of the deacons fully established, as revealed in ch. 3, the church will function as the house and household of the living God for His move on the earth, and as the supporting pillar and holding base of the truth, bearing the divine reality of Christ and His Body as a testimony to the world. Then the church becomes the continuation of Christ as the manifestation of God in the flesh. This is the great mystery of godliness — Christ lived out of the church as the manifestation of God in the flesh!