Chapter 1, Verses 5-9
Title: Elders in the Congregation
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes there are problems because unqualified people get into places of leadership or because places of leadership have not been filled. The Greek word translated “set in order” is a medical term that means “to set a broken bone.” The church body suffers when we avoid facing and solving serious problems.
ELDERS IN THE CONGREGATION
5 For this reason I left you in [1]Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.
When Paul left Crete, there were certain things that still needed to be set in order; there were false teachers to be silenced, and there was the pressing need for recognized spiritual guides in the assemblies. He left Titus to handle these matters. It was always Paul’s custom to ordain elders as soon as a church was founded ([2]Acts 14:23). It was Paul’s principle that his little churches should be encouraged to stand on their own feet as soon as possible.
Crete was evidently a pretty bad place, and the people were not very good people. Paul himself says that they were liars, and that is certainly the thing for which they were noted in that day. Although they were known as liars, and Paul will have other uncomplimentary things to say about them, many of them turned to the Lord.
We do not know how the Christian faith first came to Crete. Perhaps the best guess is that Cretans who were in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost ([3]Acts 2:11) returned with the good news, and that local churches were subsequently established.
Neither can we be sure as to when Paul was in Crete with Titus. We know that he touched in at Crete on his voyage to Rome as a prisoner ([4]Acts 27:12), but the circumstances would hardly have permitted active ministry in the churches. Since Acts makes no other reference to Paul’s being in Crete, it is generally supposed that the visit took place after his first Roman imprisonment. Resorting to a little biblical detective work, we can reconstruct the following itinerary from various references in Paul’s writings.
First Paul sailed from Italy to Crete on his way to Asia (Western Turkey today). Leaving Titus in Crete, he traveled to Ephesus, the capital of Asia. At Ephesus he deputized Timothy to correct doctrinal errors that were creeping in there ([5]1 Tim. 1:3, 4). Then he sailed across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia to fulfill his prior intention while in prison to visit Philippi as soon as he was free ([6]Phil. 1:26). Finally, he traveled southwest across Greece to Nicopolis, where he planned to stay for the winter and where he expected Titus to join him ([7]Tit. 3:12).
According to Homer, there were between ninety and one hundred cities in Crete as early as his time, and churches had apparently been formed in several of them. In each there was a need for responsible elders to be appointed.
CLARIFYING ELDERS
I want to digress for a few minutes from our main subject, the qualifications for an elder, to clarify the responsibilities of an elder.Elders in the New Testament sense are mature Christian men of excellent character who provide spiritual leadership in a local assembly. The name elder, which refers to the spiritual maturity of the man, is translated from the Greek word presbuteros, (which turned into the English “presbyter”). The Greek word episkopos, translated “bishop,” “overseer” or “guardian,” is also used in reference to elders, describing their function as undershepherds of God’s flock. The names “elders” and “bishops” are generally understood to refer to the same persons for the following reasons. In [8]Acts 20:17, Paul called for the elders from Ephesus; in verse [9]28 he addressed them as overseers. In [10]1 Peter 5:1, 2, Peter similarly uses the terms interchangeably. The qualifications for bishops in 1 Timothy 3 and those for elders in Titus 1 are substantially the same.
In modern usage, “bishop” has come to mean a minister of God who supervises a diocese or a group of churches in a district. But the word never means this in the New Testament. The scriptural pattern is to have several bishops in one church rather than one bishop over several churches.
Nor should an elder be confused with the modern pastor, who is primarily responsible for preaching, teaching, and administering the sacraments in a local church. It is generally acknowledged that there was no such person in the early church. The primitive assemblies were composed of saints, bishops, and deacons ([11]Phil. 1:1)—that is all. The clerical system did not rise until the second century.
A pastor in the New Testament sense is one of the special-service gifts which the risen, ascended Christ bestowed to build up the saints for the work of ministering ([12]Eph. 4:11, 12). In many respects the work of pastors and elders is similar; both are called to tend and feed the flock of God. But the two are never equated. Conceivably, a pastor may have a traveling ministry, while an elder is usually associated with one local assembly.
The functions of elders are given in considerable detail:
1. They shepherd and care for the church of the Lord (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:5; 1 Pet. 5:2).
2. They are alert to protect the church from attacks, both from without and within (Acts 20:29–31).
3. They lead and rule, but by guiding, not driving (1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Pet. 5:3).
4. They preach the word, teach sound doctrine, and refute those who contradict it (1 Tim. 5:17; Tit. 1:9–11).
5. They moderate and arbitrate in doctrinal and ethical matters (Acts 15:5, 6;16:4).
6. By their life they are an example to the flock (Heb. 13:7; 1 Pet. 5:3).
7. They seek to restore the believers who have been overtaken in any trespass (Gal. 6:1).
8. They keep watch over the souls of Christians in the local assembly as those who will have to give account (Heb.13:17).
9. They exercise a ministry of prayer, especially with regard to the sick (Jas. 5:14, 15).
10. They are involved in the care of poor saints (Acts 11:30).
11. They share in the commendation of gifted men to the work to which God has called them (1 Tim. 4:14).
It is clear that in the early church, elders were appointed by the apostles and their representatives. This does not mean, however, that the apostles and their delegates had the power to make a man an elder. In order to become a bishop, there must be both divine enablement and human willingness. Only the Holy Spirit can make a man a bishop or guardian ([13]Acts 20:28), but the man must aspire to the work ([14]1 Tim. 3:1). There must be this mingling of the divine and the human.
When local churches were first established in the apostolic days, there were no elders in them; all the believers were novices. But as time passed, the Lord prepared certain ones for this important ministry. Since the New Testament was not yet available in written form, Christians in general did not know the qualifications and duties of elders. Only the apostles and their assistants knew. On the basis of this knowledge, they singled out the men who met the divine standards and publicly named them as such.
Today we have the complete New Testament. We know what an elder is and what he is supposed to do. When we see qualified men who are actively serving as over seers, we recognize them ([15]1 Thess. 5:12) and obey them ([16]Heb. 13:17). It is not a question of our electing them but of recognizing those whom God has raised up for this work.
The qualifications of elders are found in[17]1Timothy 3:1–7 and here in Titus. Sometimes we hear the remark that if these are the requirements, then there are no bishops today. This idea downgrades the authority of the Scriptures by implying that they don’t mean what they say. There is nothing unreasonable or unattainable in the standards given. We betray our own low spiritual state when we treat the Bible as excessively idealistic.6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of [18]dissipation or insubordination.
Elders are men who are blameless, that is, of unquestioned integrity. No charge of false doctrine or irregular behavior can be proved against them. His life must be above reproach. That does not mean that they are sinless, but that if they do minor wrongs, they are prompt to make them right by confession to God, by apology to the person(s) wronged, and by restitution, if applicable.
The second qualification, that they be the husband of one wife, has been understood in at least seven different ways: (1) a man must be married; (2) he must not be divorced; (3) he must not be remarried after divorce; (4) he must not be remarried after the death of his first wife; (5) he must not be a polygamist; (6) he must not have concubines or lesser wives; (7) in general, he must be a faithful husband and an example of strict morality.
If the phrase husband of one wife means that a man must be married, then by the same reasoning he must have children, because this same verse states that his children must be believers. Certainly it is preferable for an elder to have a family; he can deal more intelligently with family problems in the congregation. But it is doubtful that this verse prohibits any unmarried man from being an elder.
It probably does not mean that he must not be divorced under any circumstances, because the Savior taught that divorce is permissible in at least one instance ([19]Matt. 5:32).Neither can it be taken as an absolute prohibition of remarriage after divorce in all cases. For example, a believer who is entirely innocent might be divorced by an unbelieving wife who then remarries. In such a case, the Christian was not responsible. Since the first marriage was broken by the divorce and remarriage of his unbelieving partner, he is free to remarry.
The interpretation that eligibility for the work of an elder is forfeited if a man remarries after the death of his first wife is ruled out by the principle stated in 1 Corinthians 7:39: “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.”
In addition, the bishop or elder must have faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. More than most of us care to admit, the Bible holds parents responsible for the way their children turn out ([20]Prov. 22:6). When a family is well-governed and well-trained in the word of God, the children generally follow the godly example of their parents. Although a father cannot determine the salvation of his children, he can prepare the way to the Lord by positive instruction in the word, by loving discipline, and by avoiding hypocrisy and inconsistency in his own life. Christianity begins at home. It is no virtue for any man to be so engaged his work that he neglects his own home. All the church services in the world not for atone for the neglect of a man’s own family.
There is a question whether this requirement concerning faithful children (believing children, not accused of rebellion or being disruptive) applies only as long as children are under parental authority in the home, or whether it includes those who are away from home. I favor the first view, remembering, however, that home training is one of the principal determinants of one’s ultimate character7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a [21]steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
A steward does not own but manages all that his master puts into his hands. Perhaps the most famous steward in the bible is Joseph, who had complete control over all of Potiphar’s business (Genesis 39: 1-9). A bishop is a steward of God. He is deputized to handle God’s affairs in God’s church. He must never say, “This is mine!” All that he has comes from God, and must be used for God. His time, possessions, ambitions, and talents are all loaned to him by the Lord; and he must be faithful to use them to honor God and build his church. Of course, all Christians ought to be faithful stewards, and not the pastors only!
For the second time it is specified that he must be blameless—surely this is repetition for emphasis. Let there be no doubt—he must be a man who is above reproach both doctrinally and morally. He must not be self-willed. The man who is self-willed has been described as the man who is so pleased with himself that nothing else pleases him and he cares to please nobody. Clearly the man said to be self-willed is an unpleasant character. He is intolerant, condemning everything that he cannot understand and thinking that there is no way of doing anything except his way. If a man is headstrong, obstinately right with no possibility that those who differ might be, if he is unyielding and unaccepting of contradiction, then he is unsuited to be a spiritual leader. An elder is a moderator, not a dogmatic autocrat.
He must not be
quick-tempered. If he has a volatile temperament, he has learned to bridle it. If he has a hot temper, he never lets it show.
o wine. In our culture, this might seem so elementary that it scarcely needs mentioning. But we must remember that the Bible was written for all cultures. In countries where wine is used by Christians as a common beverage, there is the danger of overindulgence and disorderly conduct. That lack of self-control is in view here.
The Bible distinguishes between the use of wine and its abuse. Its use in moderation as a beverage was allowed when Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1–11). Its use for medicinal purposes is prescribed by Paul for Timothy ([22]1 Tim. 5:23). The abuse of wine and strong drink is condemned in Proverbs 20:1; 23:29–35. While total abstinence is not demanded in the word, there is one situation in which refraining is called for, namely, when drinking wine would offend a weaker brother or cause him to stumble ([23]Rom. 14:21). This is the overriding consideration which causes great numbers of Christians in North American to abstain from alcohol entirely.
With the elder, the question is not the total prohibition of wine, but rather the excessive use of wine, which leads to disorderly behavior.
Neither should he be violent. He must not resort to the use of physical force by striking others. We have heard of overbearing ministers who used heavy-handed discipline on unruly members of their church. This type of overbearing intimidation is forbidden for a bishop.
He must not be greedy for money, and determined to get rich, no matter what it takes. A true elder can say with Paul: “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel” (Acts 20:33).
8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
Here and in verse 9 is given the positive qualifications of a bishop or elder. First, he must be hospitable. His home should always be open to strangers, to those with personal problems, to the disheartened and the oppressed. It should be a place of happy Christian fellowship, where every guest is received as if he were the Lord Himself.
Next he must be a lover of what is good—good people and good things. His speech, his activities, and his associations should reveal that he is separated from all that is shady, questionable, or wrong.
He must be sober-minded. This means that he is prudent, discreet, and master of himself. The same word is used in Titus 2:2, 5, 6, 12, where it has the thought of being sensible, self-controlled, and sober. In his dealings with others, the elder must be just. He must give to all men the respect and to God the reverence, which are due them. In relation to God he must be holy. The root meaning of “holy” is “different.” Christians are different from lost sinners because Christians are new creations by the grace of God ([24]2 Cor. 5:17). In respect to himself he must be self-controlled. This is what Paul referred to in Galatians 5:22, 23: “The fruit of the Spirit is ... self-control.” It means that a person has every passion and appetite under control to obey Christ. While the power for this can only come from the Holy Spirit, there must be discipline and cooperation on the part of the believer.
9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
The bishop must be sound in the faith. This is necessary in order to exhort, encourage, and help believers and convince or convict those who contradict the Word of God. The bishop must be able to encourage the members of the church. The navy has a rule which says that no officer shall speak disparagingly to any other officer in the performance of his duties. There is always something wrong with preaching or teaching with the purpose to discourage others. The function of the true Christian preacher and teacher is not to drive a man to despair, to lift him up to hope.
He must be able to convict the opponents of the faith. He must be able to rebuke a man in such a way that he is compelled to admit the error of his ways. Christian rebuke means far more than flinging angry and condemning words at a man. It means speaking in such a way that he sees the error of his ways and accepts the truth.
The bishop or elder must hold tenaciously to the spiritually healthful doctrines taught by the Lord Jesus and the apostles which have been preserved for us in the New Testament. Only then will he be able to give the saints a balanced diet of sound doctrine, and silence those who speak against the truth.One other point should be mentioned. The picture that emerges of a godly elder is not that of a man who arranges for speakers, disburses funds, contracts for building repairs, and that’s all! The true elder is deeply and vitally involved in the spiritual life of the church by his instruction, exhortation, encouragement, rebuke, and correction.These are the qualifications of spiritual guides in the local church. It should be noted that nothing is said about their physical ability, educational attainments, social status, or business expertise. A hunchbacked street sweeper, down-to-earth and illiterate, might be a qualified elder because of his spiritual stature. It is not true, as is sometimes suggested, that the same qualities that make a man successful in business also fit him for leadership in the church.
________________________________________
[1] Crete, one of the largest islands of the Mediterranean where Paul ministered with Titus, probably between his imprisonments. Paul’s ministry must have been fantastic. He left a church and converts wherever he went and they needed to set in order a church and ordain elders in every city.
[2] (Acts 14:23) So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.[2]
[3] (Acts 2:11) “Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” The apostles were speaking in tongues at Pentecost. Much to their amazement, the visitors heard these Galilean disciples speaking in a great variety of foreign languages. The miracle, however, was with those who spoke, not with those who heard. Whether those in the audience were Jews by birth or converts to Judaism, each one heard the mighty works of God described in his own language.[3]
[4] (Acts 27:12) “And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.” It was felt that the harbor was not as suitable as Phoenix would be as a place to spend the winter. Phoenix was located forty miles west of Fair Havens, at the southwest tip of Crete. Its harbor opened toward the southwest and northwest.[4]
[5] (1 Tim. 1:3, 4) “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.” Timothy was also exhorted to charge these men not to pay attention to fables and endless genealogies. Such worthless subjects serve only to provoke questionings and doubts in people’s minds.[5]
[6] (1 Tim. 1:3, 4). “that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.” Through his being spared for longer life and service on earth, the Philippians would have added cause for rejoicing in the Lord when he would visit them once again. Can you not imagine how they would throw their arms around him and kiss him, and praise the Lord with great joy when he would arrive at Philippi? Perhaps they would say, “Well, Paul, we prayed for you, but honestly, we never expected to see you here again. But how we praise the Lord that He has given you back to us once more!”[6
[7] (Tit. 3:12) “When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.” As soon as he arrived, Titus was to go to Nicopolis, where Paul had determined to spend the winter. There were at least seven cities called Nicopolis in those days, but most commentators believe Titus chose the one in Epirus, in western Greece.[7]
[8] (Acts 20:17) From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. [8]
[9] (Acts 20:28) “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.[9]
[10] (1 Peter 5:1-2) The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;[10
[11] (Philippians 1:1) Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:[11]
[12] (Eph. 4:11, 12) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, [12]
[13] (Acts 20:28) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.[13]
[14] (1 Tim. 3:1) This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.[14]
[15] (1 Thess. 5:12) And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you. [15]
[16] (Heb. 13:17) Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.[16]
[17] (1Timothy 3:1–7) 1This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.[17]
[18] corruption: a state of moral corruption
[19] (Matt. 5:32) “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.[19]
[20] (Prov. 22:6) Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.[20]
[21] Steward: primarily stands for “the manager of a household or estate” (usually slaves or freedmen). Preachers of the gospel and teachers of the Word of God are stewards according to 1 Corinthians 4:1; here, elders or bishops in churches are stewards; finally believers in general are called stewards in1 Peter 4:10.[21]
[22] (1 Tim. 5:23) No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities. [22]
[23] (Rom. 14:21) It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.[23]
[24] (2 Cor. 5:17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
