Day 204, 1 Timothy 3
Paul now turns to describing leadership in the church, and we have another chapter which has been manipulated over time to restrict its meaning.
Many of our English translations refer to Overseers and Deacons and ‘their wives’, implying that leadership is male and hierarchical. But the Greek text of verse 1 literally reads “if anyone aspires to be a look-after”. “Anyone” is in the neuter (i.e. literally anyone, male or female) and “look-after” is a feminine noun! So this refers to anyone who has grasped God’s heart to look after others. Likewise, verse 8 simply uses the word for a servant (which is masculine, but does not exclude the feminine, as we see from verse 11 “the women”). Our modern equivalent would be “service worker,” and the word is used of Stephen and the others in Acts 6 who did “great wonders and signs among the people.”
Sorry for the technicalities at the beginning, but it is vital that we read this chapter through the right lens: Paul’s desire is for anyone who has been transformed by Jesus to look after others and serve them, so that the good news shines brightly and the Kingdom comes!
So the qualities we are looking for include gentleness and a desire to teach others, deep roots in God and the experience of coming through the wilderness to be able to share a testimony of God’s faithfulness. Integrity and an honorable reputation are also to be treasured.
Ours is the revelation of the mystery of right-alignment with God (as the final verses of the chapter celebrate). Let’s devote ourselves afresh to being the kinds of people Paul describes in this chapter, and lead many into following Jesus.
Have a great day!
Mark.