1Tim 3:2 Qualifications for an Overseer Part 1

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Qualifications for an Overseer Part 1

1Tim 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

So starts the beginning of Paul's lists of credentials for an overseer - very little of which has to do with one's educational credentials, and very much of which has to do with one's character.

1. First of all what does he mean by "blameless"? He doesn't mean "sinless", nor does he mean one who is simply positionally righteous but rather in the sense in which Paul even spoke of himself saying, "I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men."Acts 24:16 And thus he even urged the Thessalonians to evaluate him saying, "You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers"1Th 2:10 Blamelessness has to do with the person's behavior. While there are a number of nuances to the word "blameless", the particular Greek word here means irreprehensible, designating one who affords nothing upon which an adversary might seize, in order to make a charge against him.

2. The requirement of being the husband of one wife is actually not a requirement that the man be married. Neither Paul nor Timothy were married and yet they both functioned as overseers of the churches. Rather it's the word "one" (mia) - or more literally "only one" which Paul is emphasizing. This as apposed to having more than one wife. Thus polygamists were excluded from the position of overseer. For such would be a reflection of his misunderstanding or misbehavior with regards to the marriage relationship. I would think Paul is including not only the parallel form of polygamy, but even the serial form commonly practiced in Western society today as Jesus spoke of in Luke 16:18.

3. To be temperate is to abstain from wine, either entirely or at least from its immoderate use.

4. To be sober-minded is to be of a sound mind, sane, in one's senses, curbing one's desires and impulses.

5. To be of good behavior is the Greek word meaning to conform to standards of conduct and good taste with a disinclination to call attention to oneself. We had seen a previous usage of this Greek word in 1Tim 2:9 where Paul advised women to dress modestly.

6. The Greek word for "hospitable" literally means to be a friend of strangers. This character quality is largely a function of one's generosity.

7. "To be able to teach" is more accurately "apt and skilfull in teaching". Obviously the role of teaching is not unique to overseers. Rather they are chosen among those who show themselves skillful at teaching. The overseer will manage the teachers and thus must himself be skilled at teaching.

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