Church Ministers

After instructing the believers in general, Paul provides guidance on the appointment of church ministers. The qualifications Paul outlines serve as exhortation to existing church ministers and help preachers such as Timothy in the selection and ordination of new ministers. The qualifications can be categorized into four areas, i.e., personal character, family life, church life, public or social life.

1. “Bishops” (3:1): “In the Greek culture the word was used of a presiding official in a civic or religious organization. Here it refers to a man who oversees a local congregation. The equivalent word from the Jewish background of Christianity is ‘elder.’ The term ‘overseer’ and ‘elder’ are used interchangeably in Acts 20:17,28; Tit 1:5-7; 1Pet 5:1-2.” ¹
2. “Deacons” (3:8): “The word deacon comes from the Greek diakonos. The simple meaning of this word is ‘servant,’ and it is used that way many times in the Gospels. Specifically, it was used by Josephus and other writers of that period for those who wait on tables.” ²
3. “Their wives” 3:11: “The Greek for this phrase simply means ‘the women.’” ³
4. “Church” (3:15) translates the Greek word “ekklesia,” which means assemblies of people. In the Biblical context, it refers to the congregation of believers, who are chosen by God and redeemed by His blood (Acts 20:28).