Alright, well, as we come to God's Word, we're continuing on with our series in 1 Timothy.
And we're picking things up in chapter 5.
So if you have your Bible with you, you can open it up to 1 Timothy chapter 5.
And we'll be at verse 17 today.
Last Sunday, we did the first half of this chapter.
And we heard Paul give instructions about how we should relate to one another in the household of God.
And the general principle is that we should relate to one another as to family.
We heard Paul talk about how the neediest members of the family should be provided for.
Widows.
And now Paul goes on to discuss another group in the church who should be honored or provided for.
Which is the elders.
And Paul will have more instructions in this passage that we're looking at today.
Concerning elders in the church.
Let's start by reading the passage.
Paul writes,
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor.
Especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
For scripture says,
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
And the worker deserves his wages.
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
But those elders who are sinning.
You are to reprove before everyone.
So that the others may take warning.
I charge you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus.
And the elect angels to keep these instructions without partiality.
And to do nothing out of favoritism.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.
And do not share in the sins of others.
Keep yourself pure.
Stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your stomach.
And your frequent illnesses.
The sins of some are obvious.
Reaching the place of judgment ahead of them.
The sins of others trail behind them.
In the same way, good deeds are obvious.
And even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
So the majority of these instructions that Paul gives to Timothy here
have to do with how elders should be treated in the church.
And we see and hear Paul say several things.
First, that elders should be honored.
That's verse 17 and 18.
Then that elders should be trusted.
Verse 19.
That elders who sin should be rebuked publicly.
That's 20 and 21.
That favoritism should not be shown to elders.
That's verse 21.
And that elders should not be appointed hastily.
That's verse 22.
Then in verse 23, we get Paul giving a little advice for Timothy
regarding his health.
And then he ends in this passage, this section,
with a word of wisdom for evaluating people's character
in verse 24 and 25.
So let's just work our way through these instructions,
starting at the top.
How should elders be treated in the church?
Verse 17.
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well
are worthy of double honor,
especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
For scripture says,
do not muzzle an ox
while it is treading out the grain,
and the worker deserves his wages.
So this idea of honoring elders
is really connecting
back to what came before.
Paul urged that widows be honored.
Same word, back up in verse 3.
And what he meant by that, we saw last week,
was not just that people say some nice things about them,
but that they be looked after
and provided for by the church
in cases where they're really in need.
The Greek word for honor that's used here
has several meanings.
It can mean price or value.
It can mean to show reverence or respect.
And it can also refer specifically
to compensation that's paid to someone.
And in this case, it would have a meaning
similar to our English word today, honorarium.
An honorarium is a voluntary payment
for professional services rendered
without the normal fee.
That's from the Canadian Oxford Dictionary.
Nowadays, honorariums are typically given to
teachers, coaches, guest speakers,
people who officiate ceremonies,
musicians, performers.
And in these cases,
it's often a one-time thing
between the giver and the recipient.
But what seems to be described here by Paul
for the elders in the church
is a regular thing.
As elders continue to do the work
of leading and preaching and teaching,
they are to be regularly compensated
and provided for.
Not unlike how the widows,
who are really in need,
were to be honored or provided for.
Now, as you can imagine,
these verses are the subject of much debate.
Some will say that giving the elders honor
does not mean giving them money.
Others say,
or ask,
rather,
what does double honor mean?
Is this talking about wages
and salaries,
like for an employee?
Or is this talking about
more of a regular honorarium
or stipend?
The questions
that we have for Paul here
are many.
And the best that we can do
to answer these questions
is simply to look carefully
at what he has said right here
in the passage.
Paul gives two supporting quotations
from other places in Scripture
to undergird this instruction
and to explain a little bit more
of what he means and why.
Verse 18, he says,
Scripture says,
do not muzzle an ox
while it is treading out the grain.
Now this is a quotation
from Deuteronomy 25,
verse 4,
a passage in the Old Testament law.
And we're not going to go back
and look at that,
but it's worth noting
that Paul uses these same words
in another of his letters,
his letter to the Corinthians.
Let's look at that.
1 Corinthians 9,
verse 9 and 10.
Paul says there,
for it is written
in the law of Moses,
do not muzzle an ox
while it is treading out the grain.
Is it about oxen
that God is concerned?
Surely he says this for us,
doesn't he?
Yes,
this was written for us
because whoever plows
and threshes
should be able to do so
in the hope of
sharing in the harvest.
So here in 1 Corinthians 9,
Paul is defending his rights
as an apostle.
And one of those rights,
according to Paul,
is to have his needs met,
his expenses paid for
by the people he is serving
as an apostle.
In other words,
Paul was saying
that it was good,
it was right
for the apostles
to receive material
and financial compensation
for what they were doing.
And Paul defended that right,
even though he himself
chose to pay for all his own expenses
and needs
out of his earnings
as a tent maker.
And so,
as he is defending
that right
to be provided for
out of the work
that he does
as an apostle,
he quotes this instruction
in the Old Testament law
about oxen.
Do not muzzle an ox
while it is treading
out the grain.
And his point here
to the Corinthians
is that this thing
God said about oxen
is something of a proverb
that applies
all the more
to people.
So,
we just have a look
at the picture here
on the screen.
Here you have
a picture
of what this
setup might have
looked like.
You've got the ox
kind of tied together,
yoked together,
tied to this post
and they're kind of
walking around
and around this thing
and then they would
throw the grain
into the spot
where they're walking on
so that they would
trample it
and it would separate
the wheat from the chaff.
And
all of this is
the idea here
making the work
easier for the man
but often times
they would muzzle
these oxen.
And the point
of this instruction
is simply this.
Let the ox
have something
to eat from the grain
as he does his work.
You ought to be kind
and caring
toward the animal
who's providing
this great service
and not
stingy
and cheap
so much
that you put a muzzle
on him
and then expect him
to work for you
for who knows
how many hours
of the day
and then go find
his own food
later on
after hours.
And so here
in 1 Timothy
Paul applies this
to elders
in the church.
Let them
get something
for their living
from the work
that they're doing
for you
for the service
that they're offering
you in the church.
And Paul's second quote
to reinforce this
is likely a quote
from the gospel
of Luke.
Luke chapter 10
verse 7
Jesus is talking
to his apostles
here
his disciples
and he says
he gives them instructions
he says
stay there
eating and drinking
whatever they give you
for the worker
deserves his wages.
And
if you know
the story
from Luke there
Jesus
is about
to send
his disciples
out to towns
all over Israel.
How will they
be provided for
in the midst
of this?
Jesus tells them
to eat and drink
whatever the people
give you
at the first house
that you come to
and welcomes you
in the town
he says
for the worker
deserves his wages.
And so here
Paul seems to
quote Jesus
himself
and use those
very words
to describe
how the elders
should be honored.
Now some people
argue
after all that
that this doesn't
refer to money
because in the
context of both
of these quotes
it has to do
specifically
with food.
Some suggest
that maybe
the elders
had been given
a larger portion
at regular
church meals
rather than
money.
Or that if
there was a
distribution
happening
regularly for
widows
that the elders
were also
included in
that distribution
and maybe
they got
double the
portion.
But on the
other side
of the discussion
I mean
wages
is a money
word.
It has to do
with earning
money.
And in our
day and culture
money is
needed to
cover the
costs of
living.
It wasn't
just food
that the
widows would
have needed
in Ephesus.
In some
cases
housing
clothes
medicine
doctor's
fees.
Furthermore
when we look
at Peter's
instruction
to the elders
notice what
he said
1 Peter
chapter 5
he commands
the elders
to be
shepherds
of God's
flock
and to
look after
them to
take care
of the
people that
have been
entrusted to
their care.
But then
he says
something about
how they're
to do
that.
He says
not pursuing
dishonest
gain but
eager to
serve.
And the
word for
gain here
has to do
with greed.
Not
greedily
eager
to make
money
to get
money.
And it
seems implied
from Peter's
comments that
elders were
compensated
financially.
And so
there was a
right motivation
and a
wrong motivation
to serve as
an elder.
If you're just
doing it for
the money out
of a greedy
heart well
that's the
wrong
motivation.
Do it
in order
to serve
eager to
serve
just like
you should
not
do it
to be
in control
to lord
it over
those
entrusted
to you.
That's
the wrong
motivation.
So it
seems that
what Paul
means here
in 1 Timothy
is that
elders are
worthy
of being
compensated
financially
for the
work that
they do
in the
service
of the
church.
For
directing
the
affairs
of the
church
well
and
especially
for those
whose
work is
preaching
and
teaching.
But what's
not entirely
clear here
is how
much.
What does
double
honor
mean?
Does it
mean double
the average
salary of a
worker in a
similar kind
of role
outside the
church?
like a
teacher?
Well some
people see
it as
that way.
Or does
it mean
the amount
that the
widows on
the list
up in
verse 3
and 9
would get
but double?
Are we
talking a
sort of
living
expenses
stipend?
Or is
this just
a salary?
something that
would help
provide for
their needs
and perhaps
more?
And that
discussion is
still going
on.
I don't
know that
we can
really find
too much
more clarity
than that
here.
And perhaps
the Lord
has left it
this way
for a
reason.
Perhaps
it's the
principle
that's
most
important.
Are we
giving
adequate
care
and
compensation
to the
elders
of the
church?
like with
the
widows
who are
in
need
are we
ensuring
that our
elders
many of
whom will
be older
men
are well
honored
adequately
compensated
for the
work
they are
doing
in service
of the
church?
Now at
this point
I want
to say
thank you
to all
of you
for how
you have
been so
generous
to God
and
together
have been
generous
to me
and my
family
providing
for our
needs
both
monetarily
through the
wages that
I'm paid
by the
church
and in
other ways
through the
gifts that
you have
given us.
Thank you.
I feel as
though I
have been
doubly
honored
and maybe
more
in my
time here
in service
of the
church.
The only
question I
have on
this matter
is whether
we should
be doing
something to
honor our
other elders
for what
they have
been doing.
So this
is Paul's
first instruction
about how
elders should
be treated
in the
church.
Elders
should be
honored
for the
work they
do in
service of
the church.
Next
Paul says
that elders
should be
trusted.
Verse
19
Do not
entertain an
accusation
against an
elder unless
it is brought
by two or
three witnesses.
So if we
have listened
to Christ's
instructions about
the kind of
men who
should be
serving as
elders back
in chapter
three,
these are
already men
who have an
excellent
reputation
and a
proven track
record of
goodness and
faithfulness in
their conduct
and their
words.
And so
naturally
then if a
lone individual
rises up with
accusations or
allegations against
an elder,
we ought to
give the elder
the benefit of
the doubt.
Being in
leadership in
the church
makes one a
greater target
of the devil.
Jesus said,
strike the
shepherd and
the sheep of
the flock will
be scattered.
And there's
nothing more the
devil wants than
to make that a
reality among
Christ's people.
And so we can
expect that from
time to time the
devil will work
against the elders
by sowing
division and
deceit.
trying to get
the people in
the church to
take aim at
the elders,
to slander
them.
And people will
arise at times to
falsely accuse and
bring down the
good reputation of
leaders with
malicious intent.
And so this is
to be a
safeguard against
that in the
church.
Paul says,
don't even listen
to someone
speaking ill of
one of the
elders unless the
thing has been
witnessed by two
or more people.
By default,
the elders should
be trusted.
But the elders
are not perfect.
They too can
still stumble and
fall, give into
temptation and
sin.
And when that
happens, they
should be quick
to repent.
And just like
every other member
of the church,
they should be
reminded again
of the good
news, the
gospel of
Jesus, and
shown grace and
mercy.
But, in the
case where an
elder is sinning
repeatedly, or
continually, or
in an especially
grievous manner,
Paul gives
instructions that
an elder should be
rebuked publicly.
verse 20, but
those elders who
are sinning, you
are to reprove
before everyone,
so that the
others may take
warning.
So yes, the
elders are held
to a higher
standard.
They're not
permitted by their
position to sin as
much as they want
and get away with
it.
Jesus has put a
clear instruction
in here, by
which the rest of
the church, all
together, can
hold an
unrepentant
elder to
account.
And Paul is
absolutely serious
about this.
In the next
breath, he
says, I
charge you in
the sight of
God and
Christ Jesus
and the
elect angels
to keep these
instructions without
partiality, and
to do nothing
out of
favoritism.
So do you
hear the
seriousness of
these instructions?
This charge to
Timothy is so
serious that
Paul calls
God and
Christ Jesus
both as
his witnesses
while he writes
these words to
Timothy.
It's as though
he's saying,
God and
the Lord
Jesus have
seen me
pen this
charge to
you,
Timothy, and
they will
hold you
accountable to
carrying it
out there
in Ephesus.
And at this
point we need
to notice that
this charge,
these instructions
concerning elders
are given
specifically to
Timothy.
I charge
you, that's a
you singular,
not a you
plural as in
the church,
but you
Timothy.
Let's
remember that
Timothy was
an apostolic
delegate
assigned to
Ephesus by
Paul for
the time
being.
And so
as we apply
these things
to our own
church today,
who is it
that should be
doing these
sorts of
things?
We're talking
about rebuking
an elder who
is sinning
before everyone.
we don't
have apostolic
delegates still
around today,
and so
naturally it
would fall to
one of the
other elders
who are in
authority in
the church to
do this in
the case of
an elder who
has been
sinning.
And this is
where this
charge given
to Timothy
matters so
much.
For
Timothy,
these men
who are
elders,
are like
brothers.
They're like
comrades in
the trenches,
co-workers in
the field,
friends and
brothers at
the deepest
levels.
And so
that's, I
think, why
Paul charges
Timothy like
this.
It may be
exceedingly
difficult if it
should ever
happen that an
elder in the
church falls
into a
continuing sin
or a pattern
of unrepentant
sin.
It may be
exceedingly
difficult to
do what
needs to be
done and
drag that
brother before
the whole
church and
rebuke him
publicly.
The fear
may be high,
but Paul
reminds Timothy
that there's
someone far
greater that we
need to fear
in these cases.
We need to
fear God.
We need to
fear the
Lord Jesus
to whom we
must give
account.
don't.
We cannot
let sinning
leaders go
on sinning
and get
away with
it.
It doesn't
matter how
good of
friends we
become.
Paul charges
Timothy to
keep these
instructions about
rebuking a
sinning elder
publicly without
partiality or
favoritism.
It doesn't
matter if in
your heart you
want that
brother to be
innocent or
you want that
brother to be
spared humiliation
or disgrace.
You're not to
allow your
personal feelings
to interfere
with your
duty as a
leader in
the church.
God is
watching to
see that you
carry this out
and fulfill
these instructions
in your church
Timothy.
I hope that
you who are
elders are
trembling right
now.
I know I
am.
But notice
here that it
does not say
that in all
such cases
elders who
have been
caught sinning
like this
should be
excommunicated
from the
church.
It says
rebuke them,
correct them,
expose what
they are doing,
bring it to
light,
reprimand
them in
front of
everyone.
sin.
But then it
seems to
leave it
open to
one of
two
possibilities.
Either
they receive
that rebuke
well and
repent and
acknowledge their
sin and
confess it and
earnestly seek
God's forgiveness
and the forgiveness
of anyone in the
church that they
have wronged.
will be
or the
alternative would
be that they
do not receive
that rebuke
well.
They refuse to
repent.
Perhaps they
continue to
deny or
minimize.
They fail to
accept responsibility
for their
actions.
Or maybe they
do apologize
but they prove
in the days
that follow
that that
wasn't sincere.
It was only
made to save
face but that
there was no
real change
of heart and
that the
behavior continued.
Well in the
first case of
genuine repentance
do we believe
that Christ's
death has
made atonement
for that
elder's sin?
Will we
forgive that
brother of the
wrong that he
has done just
as Christ has
forgiven us
of our sins?
Now if it's
something that
many of us are
quite prone to
struggling with
say he gets
into a pattern
of losing his
temper.
The church may
even agree to
have him continue
on as an elder
with the other
elders holding him
accountable and
perhaps some sort
of plan to help
this brother address
this issue in his
life right away.
but in most cases
if he has been
committing ongoing
sins such that he
needs to be rebuked
publicly he should
be removed from
his position
and time should
be given as
much as it
takes for him
to restore his
reputation and
prove his
repentance
genuine.
in such cases
he has
disqualified
himself from
being an elder
but not from
being a brother
in Christ
for we are all
sinners.
In such cases
he may in the
future become
qualified again
by the grace of
God even
reputations can
be restored
over time.
Let's not forget
what Jesus said
with the measure
you use
it will be
measured to you.
We're not a
perfect family
and at times
in the Lord's
household
sin happens
dysfunction
happens
and the Lord
has given us
these means of
grace in his
word to address
those times
and correct
those times
when it comes to
leadership in the
church
but sometimes
it will take
great courage
and strong
love
to see
dysfunction
restored
to see
brokenness
healed.
Elders are
entrusted with
real authority
in the church
but two or
three witnesses
in the family
may at times
need to come
forward
holding an
elder to
account
and if a
pattern
or continual
sin
is exposed
elders
must be
rebuked
in front of
the church
by the other
elders
and there must
not be
favoritism
shown to
elders in
these situations
to shield
them from
God's means
of discipline
but
the good
news is
that we can
avoid having
these kinds
of things
happen more
often than
not
simply by
taking our
time
when we
appoint and
approve elders
to the
position.
Verse 22
Paul says
do not be
hasty in the
laying on of
hands
nor sharing in
the sins of
others
keep yourself
pure.
virtually all
scholars and
commentators see
this laying on
of hands
to refer to
appointing
someone to
the position
of elder.
The context
of this whole
passage is
elders
it's not
healing
and this
language was
used to
describe what
happened when
Timothy received
his gift
by the
spirit
and when a
word was
a prophecy
was spoken
over him
about the
special work
of leadership
that God
had for him
to do.
And so
do not be
hasty in the
laying on of
hands.
Don't be in a
rush to fill
the position
of elder
in the church.
Slow down.
Take time.
Know the
character of a
man first.
Is he
qualified to
serve as an
elder in the
church?
As we
heard that he
should be in
chapter 3.
And Paul
sort of
tacks a
couple other
imperatives
onto all
this.
He says
do not be
hasty in the
laying on of
hands nor
sharing in
the sins of
others.
We got two
imperatives there
in the same
breath and I
think that these
ideas are
connected.
The idea here
seems to be
that rushing to
put someone in
leadership in the
church without
first knowing the
kind of man they
are may lead to
you, Timothy,
sharing in their
sins, their
guilt.
Or, still
looking at the
context here,
perhaps you do
know the man and
he's a close
friend and
favoritism or
partiality leads
you to recommend
him for the
position of
leadership even
though you know
there's something
about going on
in his life that's
not above
reproach.
or also looking
at the context in
the case where an
elder is sinning
and you know
about it,
Timothy, but
fail to follow
this instruction
and rebuke him
publicly, you
then may share
in his guilt
like an
accomplice helping
to cover it up.
keep yourself
pure, Timothy.
Don't be a
participant in the
sin of others by
putting people in
leadership who
aren't qualified
or by failing to
rebuke men
publicly who now
hold the position
and are sinning.
So these are the
instructions that
Christ has through
Paul about elders
in the local church.
Elders should be
honored, elders
should be trusted,
elders who sin
should be rebuked
publicly,
favoritism should
not be shown to
elders, and elders
should not be
appointed hastily.
Next in verse 23
Paul gives some
brief advice to
Timothy about his
frequent illnesses.
He advises Timothy
to use a little
wine and not to
drink only water.
We don't have time
this morning to
talk about the
various speculations
on this and its
relevance to the
issue of alcohol,
so we're just going
to pass right by
that and go on to
the final words of
wisdom that Paul
gives in verse 24
and 25.
Paul says,
the sins of some
are obvious,
reaching the place
of judgment ahead
of them.
The sins of others
trail behind them.
In the same way,
good deeds are
obvious, and even
those that are not
obvious cannot
remain hidden
forever.
These words remind
me of what Jesus
said about how to
recognize false
prophets.
Jesus said in
Matthew chapter 7
that you will
recognize them by
their fruit.
fruit.
Whether they are a
good tree, a true
prophet of the
Lord, or a bad
tree, a false
lying prophet, the
stuff that comes
from them in time,
the fruit, will show
beyond the shadow
of a doubt what
kind of person they
are.
Time will tell.
And that's what
Paul is saying
here.
There are some who
are sinning so
visibly and
obviously that there's
no question about
whether or not
they're Christians,
or there's no
question about
whether they are
qualified to be an
elder.
Even before the
moment of judgment
comes, everybody
knows that the
verdict is guilty,
or everybody knows
that the verdict is
unqualified.
But there are
others whose sins
trail behind them
to the place of
judgment, says
Paul.
They get to the
moment of judgment
and that moment
where everybody's
looking at them
and wondering
about them.
They're under
the scrutiny of
everybody and it's
not until a bit
later as the
proceedings of the
trial unfold that
the facts begin to
emerge of some of
the wrongs that they
have done in the
past, the things
that they have
said.
Now the flip side
is also true,
says Paul.
In the same way,
good deeds are
obvious and even
those that are not
cannot remain hidden
forever.
Time will tell.
Now in the
context, this
wisdom applies to
discerning whether a
person is qualified
to become an elder
or whether discipline
is needed for a
sinning elder.
Don't be in a
rush.
Don't be hasty.
Let a careful
examination be made.
And time has a
way of bringing out
the truth.
But these words are
also helpful for our
own everyday
discernment.
Let's not be hasty
to judge the
character of others
or the sincerity of
others by words
that they say or by
things that they do,
whether good or bad.
Time will tell.
this is a
wonderful warning to
any of us who may be
drifting in our
faith or who may be
giving ourselves
regularly and
knowingly to sinful
behaviors.
The truth will come
out eventually.
Far better to
humble ourselves and
repent now.
this is also a
wonderful encouragement
to those of us who
may be serving the
Lord tirelessly and
doing good and yet
maybe your good deeds
have gone unnoticed.
Be encouraged.
Your good deeds will
not remain hidden
forever.
You will receive your
reward and your
commendation in time.
So these are Paul's
instructions concerning
elders in the local
church.
elders should be
honored.
Elders should be
trusted.
Elders who sin
should be rebuked
publicly.
Favoritism should not
be shown to elders.
Elders should not be
appointed hastily.
And as we work in
this last word of
wisdom,
patience,
time,
and care
should be given as
we appoint new
elders and as we
examine current
elders.
Now I know that
these words are all
about elders and how
we should treat them.
May we give good
consideration and
reflection to these
things as they pertain
to our church.
But I also know that
most of these things
are not everyday
things.
These are things that
happen occasionally in
the life of the
church.
One of the
undergirding truths of
all this is that
elders ought to live
lives that are
worthy of the
calling and
position they have
received.
But let's not go from
here today thinking
that it's only the
elders who must live
this kind of exemplary
life devoted to
Christ.
As Paul wrote to the
entire church in the
city of Philippi.
Philippians chapter 1
verse 27.
He said whatever
happens conduct
yourselves in a
manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ.
Conduct yourselves in a
manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ.
We are all called to
live lives worthy of our
king and worthy of his
glorious good news.
Let our elders lead the
way.
But may we not hesitate
to follow and to do
the same.
Let's pray.