1 Timothy 5:17-25 Honouring God’s Shepherds
If the church is the Body of Christ with each member being given different gifts and responsibilities, then every part matters.
• Paul has been giving instructions on the responsibilities of overseers, deacons, and the members of the church, and how we ought to treat older men, younger men, older women and younger women.
• We are to take care - in the few verses before today’s text – the widows, and especially those who do not have family members to take care of them.
• The church cares because we are family, as Paul clearly illustrated by the words he uses – like fathers, like brothers, like mothers, like sisters.
Paul has been giving very practical advice to young pastor Timothy as he takes up the responsibility to care for the church.
• And now, in today’s text, Paul is going to talk about the care of our church leaders.
• In the First Century church, elders are the overseers, the leaders of the church.
• Paul’s words to Timothy are our lessons today too.
5:17-18 HONOURING OUR LEADERS
Firstly, we are to honour our shepherds – particularly those whom God has called to “labour in preaching and teaching.” 5:17
• The elders who rule well – who are dedicated and committed to the oversight of the church and do well – they deserve double honour.
• Double honour could mean showing them greater appreciation, or he could mean, in addition to our respect, we should give them our practical support.
Paul mentioned in the next verse the need to honour them in practical ways.
• 5:18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” (Deut 25:4) and, “The labourer deserves his wages.” (Luke 10:7)
• In OT times, the farmer would bring an ox to the threshing floor to trample the wheat and separate the chaff.
• But as the ox works, they do not muzzle it. They let it eat some of the wheat that has fallen on the ground.
• Meaning, as it works, don’t deprive it of the rewards or benefits it can get.
Paul quoted an NT equivalent in Luke 10:7, “The labourer deserves his wages.”
• That’s the words of Jesus, saying that those serving in ministry deserve to be provided for, so the “double honour” could mean the honorarium.
• A practical gift – whether financial or material – that we give the elders in support of their ministry.
I must add that this church has been doing this very well. I have seen, over the years, how our elders and pastors are being taken care of in many ways.
• You have shown our leaders your love and concern, and your support.
• I am blessed by the many acts of kindness, gifts of love, in addition to the words of concern that come from you. That’s what Paul is saying here!
Paul’s concern mirrors that of the priests and Levites in the OT.
• Because the priests and Levites devote themselves fully to the work of the Temple, their livelihood has to be provided for by the contributions of the Israelites.
• They give to the Levites and the Levites to the priests. You can read it in Num 18.
• 18:21 “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting.”
• 8:28. “So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord’s contribution to Aaron the priest.”
The tithes/offerings of the people play a crucial role in Israel’s spiritual well-being, because they keep the spiritual work of the tent of meeting and Temple going.
• Imagine this: no one is serving in the church today because every pastor or elder, or missionary is out making a living for themselves.
So let honour those whom the Lord has called, those who have devoted their lives to the work of the Gospel as elders, pastors, teachers, ministry workers or missionaries.
Are they perfect people? No, which is why Paul must add the next few lines.
5:19-21 PROTECTING THE CHURCH
The need to correct our leaders, sometimes. Our care for them will also mean we need to tell them when they are wrong, because true love corrects.
• But we must do it carefully, Paul said. 5:19 “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.”
• If someone accuses the elders of wrongdoing, we need to make sure it is true.
This is a good reminder for us. We do not judge a person by hearsay, rumours or gossip.
• All accusations need to be carefully investigated and verified by 2 or 3 witnesses.
• This is not just a protection for the accused but also a safeguard for the church from making a wrong judgment because of unsubstantiated rumours.
It reminds us of what James said in James 3:5 “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!”
• The damage done can be very great and irreversible. We need to have the facts before we talk about it.
THE PARABLE OF THE FEATHERS
Once there was a man who went about the village spreading gossip about his neighbour. He said unkind things and told stories that were not true.
After some time, he began to feel guilty. He went to his pastor and confessed, “I have spoken badly about my neighbour and told lies. What should I do?”
The pastor said, “Go and take a pillow filled with feathers. Walk through the village and place one feather on the doorstep of every house where you have told the story.”
The man did as he was told. When he returned, he said, “I have done as you asked.”
The pastor then said, “Now, go back and collect every feather.”
The man looked shocked. “That’s impossible! The wind has blown them all away!”
The pastor nodded and said gently, “Exactly. In the same way, once you have said the words, you cannot take them back. They are carried away and spread, and you can never retrieve them all again.” The damage done cannot be undone.
Paul went on to say in 5:20, “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.”
• If they persist in sin (5:20) and the wrongdoing or wrong teachings continue, then we must bring it before the church “so that the rest may stand in fear.”
• It is affecting the church, and the congregation needs to be warned.
• Paul is likely talking about severe transgressions that affect the church, not all sins in general, because if that were, then there would be public rebukes every week.
• And the purpose is not to SHAME but to inculcate holiness and the fear of sin.
Paul adds, make sure there is NO PREJUDICE and NO PARTIALITY.
• 5:21 “21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
• No prejudice on our part. It’s not “I don’t like him.” And it’s not “I like him.”
• It is based on facts, and Timothy is to treat everyone the same.
For Paul to talk about the discipline of elders right after telling us to honour them shows that it is not about the person but doing things right according to God’s Word.
• We are to live and conduct ourselves according to the teachings of God’s Word.
• Whether we are an overseer, an elder, a deacon, a pastor, or a Christian, this standard applies. We are all accountable to God as children of God.
• We believe the truth of God’s Word, and we live by it.
4:6, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.” They must be in sync.
Holding leaders accountable is never easy. We hope we will never need to do this.
• But when it happens, we pray for God’s wisdom and the courage to do it right and good. We are doing this because of love – love for the person and love for the church.
One of the best, real-life examples of someone having to tell a leader that he sinned was that of Prophet Nathan in 2 Sam 12:1-14. He had to confront King David about his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.
Earlier in their relationship (2 Sam 7), Nathan gave God's covenant promise to David, assuring him that his lineage and kingdom would be established forever. That was his respect and loyalty for the King.
Yet when David sinned, Nathan had to tell him. He did not come with self-righteous condemnation. He approached the King with a story and helped him see his sin.
David was angry with the man who did wrong (in the story), and Nathan said, “You are the man!” (2 Sam 12:7).
Nathan came with a loving concern for David, not to humiliate him but to lead him to conviction and repentance. He nursed him back to health. He came with a devastating truth, but with love. He spoke the truth in love.
Heb 12:5b-6 “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.”
• This applies to everyone, whether we are leaders, elders, pastors, deacons, teachers or church members. The Lord disciplines the one He loves.
• Someone said, “Love without discipline spoils; discipline without love wounds. But love with discipline shapes.” He will become a better person because of it.
Lastly, Paul ends with the advice regarding ordaining and appointing leaders.
5:22-25 GUARDING OUR FUTURE
Two things he said - be careful and be discerning, when it comes to ordaining elders.
• 5:22 “22Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.”
• When an elder is commissioned to lead, church leaders would place their hands on the person in prayer as a way of acknowledging God’s calling in that person’s life.
• Or in the case of restoration, the church is restoring the person to office.
Paul says, Do not be hasty in doing so because we may end up 'taking part in their sins, ’ meaning, we may end up approving someone with questionable character.
So be careful and discerning because it is not easy to know a person well.
• 5:24 “24The sins of some people are conspicuous (visible), going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.”
• Some sins are obvious at the start, but others may have their sins hidden, and we know them only after some time.
• The other way around is also true. 5:25 “25So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.”
• Some may be good, but their good works are not obvious at the start; we get to know them only much later.
Hence, the need for Timothy to appoint leaders with care and discernment, and not be hasty. It takes time to know a person.
Let me sum it all up.
• We honour our leaders. We care for them because they are God’s servants.
• We protect them from mistakes. We do it with love and integrity, without prejudice.
• We pray for them and work with them as one body in Christ. Together we serve the Lord and glorify His Name.
