1 Timothy 5:17-25

We are to treat each other as family.  This is the mind of Christ.  This is how Jesus treated those around Him as you can see from His respect for women, His dealings with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and His relationship to the Twelve.  The idea that The Church, as well as any local church, is the household of God is the idea of Christ, the Head of the Church.  In addition, the Church is a group called out for a specific purpose and is characterized by koinonia, fellowship which is partnership, the sharing of something we have in common.  

Like a family we all share the same Name (Christ) and the same life (eternal life, distinguishing us from everyone else in the universe); we are all born of the same Spirit (cf. Eph. 4:4-6 for a reminder of all that we share).  Our point is that Paul is not just passing on some traditional approach, perhaps trying to make church gatherings a repeat of life in the synagogue.  Our treatment of each other as family is perfectly fitting of who we are in Christ!  So let us continue.

·        5:17-20: Concerning elders (overseers in 1 Tim. 3:1) Paul’s advice is based on the role these men play.  They are responsible for the ministry of the word in the local church and must live out the word for all to see.  Thus those who excel at the ministry of the word are worthy, not only of the honor of receiving their ministry, but also of the honor of being paid.  What they do takes time, is necessary and valuable; the laborer is worthy of his wages.  (Cf. Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor. 9:9 for the first quote in v18; the second quote is a quote of Christ found in Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7.)  Elders will naturally come under attack so we are not to believe everything we hear (v19).  But if an elder has sinned he is to be reproved publicly lest others follow his errant example.  This applies to sins that do not disqualify him from ministry because he is no longer blameless (such as gross immorality, sins that are on public display).  

·        5:21-25: The chapter closes (but not the section on life in the household of God) with encouragement to Timothy in his own life. 

o   5:21: Timothy is to be impartial as he teaches these things.  This is a key to church leadership.  A Pastor has friends but no favorites.

o   5:22: Further, Timothy is not to be hasty in recognizing leadership.  To make appointment to ministry without time to observe and to pray over those being considered is to risk participation in their poor leadership.

o   5:23: For those who love to quote this in promoting the moderate use of alcohol by church leaders, remember that Paul likely had to say this to Timothy because of Timothy’s principle of abstinence.  It was advised for health reasons, not evangelistic outreach.

o   5:24-25: These are profound truths.  On the one hand, even the hidden sins of men (leaders in a church? Elders?) will eventually come to light.  And the hidden deeds of righteousness need not be trumpeted; they will eventually come to light.  These things cannot be hidden!