Welcome to our latest HTS blog series entitled “Officer Qualifications By Way of Catechism” by Dr. Patrick Morgan.
“… If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.” (1 Timothy 3:1b, NKJV)
Question 2.a. What is meant here by the word “desires” with reference to that which an elder should possess with respect to his office?
An elder or overseer should be a man of sincere desire or passion for the work of the office, rather than merely having a desire for possessing office itself; the inseparable connection between office and work is what is meant by the apostle’s words equating the phrase “desires the position” in the protasis with “desires a good work” in the apodosis of this verse.
The elders’ catechism question posed above is an explanation of the logic of Paul’s well-known assertion in 1 Timothy 3:1 concerning that one inescapable but (often) hidden qualification for the shepherding office. “If a man desires the position of a bishop” forms the protasis (the ‘if’ conditional), and the apodosis (the “then” statement) is “he desires a good work.” This is called a first class conditional, meaning the ‘if’ part is assumed to be true for sake of argument; the second half of the statement is a statement of equivalence. Paul is saying, then, that to desire the position is to desire the work inherent in that position. In other words, the object of desire in the apodosis (good work, καλοῦ ἔργου) meant to define the nature of the object of desire in the protasis (the position of bishop, ἐπισκοπῆς – also translated ‘overseer’).
Too often, we give short shrift to the significance of Paul’s statement here, but he starts this paragraph to Timothy with one of the more emphatic exhortations the apostle he can make: ‘This is a faithful saying…’ Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (i.e., this statement is true). The usual English translation “saying” is certainly accurate, but rendering ὁ λόγος as “saying” can give us a soft sense in our American vernacular that what Paul is offering is something already extant and/or proverbial. This is not the case. Paul is not referencing a known ‘saying’ which Timothy already has heard. Paul is emphasizing that what is he about to say is objectively a true divine precept not discoverable by human reasoning.
Paul’s “if…then” statement in 1 Timothy 3:1 gets at the deep-down concern of piety: desiring God Himself. Paul goes past all the superficialities of qualifications, competencies, and commitment to address the main thing: the condition and affections of the heart. Simply he asks us: what is it you want? Reformed piety in particular has always stressed this business of the desire of the heart as a foundational thing (with its connection to union with Christ by the Holy Spirit), even as the ground and centerpiece of sanctification. This is not to say that only Reformed piety is concerned with the heart, nor is it to say that Reformed piety is only concerned with the heart. It is true, however that Reformed piety, more than any other, emphasizes union with Christ in its doctrine of the condition of the regenerate heart (sanctification). Put simply, our ministry reflects the nature of our deepest and most basic affections, for the unseen desires of our heart are the fulcrum of character. Upon our desires balance all the unfettered choices we make or want to make.
This is the question which is prior to all the other concerns of the passage: what is the state of a man’s desire? And while this passage in 1 Timothy is rightly and primarily about special office holders, the root qualification of regenerate desire for God Himself as the driving force of a life lived in faith applies to all who take up their cross and follow Him. Would we say, for instance, that a member is a vibrant and growing Christian who does not serve Christ outwardly (i.e. supporting the work and worship of the church) or engages in the things of God only administratively, marginally, and/or selfishly? Would we say such a person is authentically Christian if they say they desire to be called a Christian but exhibit no desire to serve and worship Him? Likely not. The same principle applies to men who aspire to be an elder rather than to work as one. Would we accept the notion that one can be called a godly overseer who merely attends session (or consistory) meetings and concerns himself with little else? Also, likely not. Yet, it is tragic to see how widespread and pervasive these callous attitudes are today!
We must not give in to the tendency to read past this foundational introduction statement Paul makes about desire and rush on into ticking off the list of attributes in the following verses. Rushing into this list of character qualifications (vv. 2ff) without laying the foundation of the desire Paul is talking about does harm to our understanding and even the cause of Christ. The heart of the disciple is prior. Rushing past the matter of the heart and using the passage as some kind of checklist inevitably reduces the list of attributes into prickly, moralistic, and abusively despicable legalism. Most often, as I have seen anyway, this tendency is prevalent among those wanting to find fault with others’ service or excuse their own coldness of heart, and such people misunderstand just how these verses are to be used.
A cursory look at this passage reveals that the attributes pertain more properly to heart issues — things which can be known only by one’s heart, and only truly by God alone. We must remember that Paul’s audience is a godly young man, someone he knows very well, Timothy. Timothy is someone of whom Paul has full assurance will apply what he commends honestly to himself and urge others to do the same. To be sure, some of these attributes are observable by others, but the most important one is not. These verses are meant for honest, self-aware, and mature Christians who employ the principles overwhelmingly to themselves, yet what all too often happens is that these verses are used to judge others. In this vein, then, it is imperative that we avoid a tendency to misuse them — desire for the work is the main qualification Paul offers, and all other attributes follow. The desire is not to be a desire for simply being an elder or pastor (or deacon) but is a desire, a driving desire even, for doing the work of such.
Do you desire the work? Do you desire to carry out the hard work of visiting the people, especially the sick, instructing the ignorant, comforting the mourning, nourishing and guarding the children of the covenant, and pray with and for the saints? Or are you someone who is unwilling to be inconvenienced or are a person who is easily bothered when another’s needs interfere with your agenda? Paul connects this teaching about what we desire to the subject of ministry itself:
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Philippians 3:7-11
Dr. Samuel Miller’s excellent work, The Ruling Elder, restates this connection and clearly applies it to the work of shepherding:
Can he who is either destitute of piety, or who has but a small portion of it, engage in the arduous and deeply spiritual duties of the ruling elder with comfort to himself, or with any reasonable hope of success? It cannot be supposed. To fit ecclesiastical rulers for acting in their appropriate character, and for performing the work which pertains to it, with cordial diligence, faithfulness, and perseverance, will require cordial and decisive attachment to the service of the church; minds intent upon the work; hearts filled with love to Jesus and to the souls of men; and “preferring Jerusalem above their chief joy.” Unless they are animated with this affectionate interest in their work; unless they are habitually impelled by an enlightened and cordial attachment to the great cause in which they are engaged, they will soon become weary of their arduous and self-denying labors. They will find waiting on the flock, visiting and praying with the sick, instructing the serious and inquiring, correcting the disorderly, watching over the spiritual interests of all, and attending the various judicatories of the church, an irksome task.
Dr. Miller’s words here commending us to the state of “preferring Jerusalem above their chief joy” (cf. Psalm 137:6) are precisely Paul’s point and describes the desire every servant of God ought to have in their work in His Kingdom. We close with the words of the prophet Isaiah, who, in his vision of the glorious Messiah, calls us to this great desire for the work:
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Isaiah 62:6-7
Dr. Patrick Morgan resides in Sioux Falls, SD, serving as Heidelberg’s Director of International Studies.