Pastors in the House of God – Part 2 – 1 Timothy 5:22-25

1 Timothy verse by verse – Lesson # 22. This lesson explores the ordination of pastors. This passage of Scripture clearly teaches that candidates for the ministry need to be properly examined before being elected to that office. Includes explanation of ‘wine’ in verse 23.

1. This section (Vs. 17-25): Instruction concerning Elders/Pastors in the church
2. Three areas are dealt with:
   1. The Support of Pastors (Vs. 17-18)
   2. The Discipline of Pastors (Vs. 19-21)
   3. The Selection of Pastors (Vs. 22-25)
3. This Lesson: We will explore the last point regarding the selection/appointment of pastors/elders.

The Election of Candidates (Vs. 22)

Be Cautious of haste (22a)

1. Laying on of hands = N.T. ordination for ministry
2. Examples
   1. Paul & Barnabas – Acts 13:1-4
   2. Timothy – 1 Timothy 4:14 “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery(elders).”
   3. ‘suddenly’ = quickly, with haste. The Apostle is not forbidding Timothy from ordaining qualified men. He has a particular type of ordination in mind that is to be avoided – one that is rushed!
   4. Why? Paul has just discussed the discipline of elders (Vs. 19-21). By taking care only to elect qualified men,

Be Conscious of responsibility (22b)

1. ‘partaker’ = a sharer, partner. The word has to do with fellowship & communion. The church must take responsibility for the men it ordains!
2. ‘pure’ = Timothy is to beware of contamination

The Examination of Candidates (Vs. 24-25)

The examination of a candidate’s morals (Vs. 24)

1. Men with overt sins – ‘open’ It is like these sins go before the candidate into the examination room like a herald!
2. Men with covert sins – “follow after” These are not so quickly detected but will eventually be made known.

The examination of a candidate’s qualities (Vs. 25)

1. Some are open
2. Some are hidden

Summary & applications

1. Guthrie: “These parallel observations, viewing human potentialities both negatively and positively, bring out forcibly the complexities involved in selecting suitable candidates for God’s work. Hasty action relies on first impressions, but these impressions are often deceptive. Unworthy men might be chosen, whose moral culpability lies deeper than the surface; and worthy men, whose good actions are not in the limelight, might easily be overlooked. The whole situation demands extreme caution.”
2. Key principle: Time, Time & Time! Time will usually reveal the real character of a man. For a man of God to be ordained to such a high office, he must first be proven. God is not in a rush in preparing His servants.
3. We need to encourage diligent and thorough preparation for a ministry calling.

The Exhortation to Timothy (Vs. 23)

Timothy’s Condition

1. Timothy’s medical problems are indicated by the following two phrases:
   1. “thy stomach’s sake”
   2. “thine often infirmities”
2. Paul was obviously concerned about Timothy’s health and offered some practical advice. It is important that a pastor look after his health and it is not wrong to use the means we have available to that end.

Paul’s Prescription

1. “drink no longer water” = obviously Paul has Timothy’s fluid intake in mind. He wants him not to drink water exclusively. Water contamination would have been a common problem in the ancient world as it still is in many parts of the world today.
2. “use a little wine” = for medicinal purposes
3. Question: What type of wine does this speak of?
4. D Cloud: “Pure wine, also called the fruit of the vine (Matt. 26:29), is healthy and is not contaminated as water often is. This principle applies to life in “third world” countries today. The water is commonly unhealthy unless it has been boiled or filtered, and it is wise to drink other types of beverages, such as fruit juices, to avoid stomach problems.”
5. Smith’s Bible Dictionary: “Even the wine that had an alcoholic content in Timothy’s day commonly was very weak compared with modern wine. “The simple wines of antiquity were incomparably less deadly than the stupefying and ardent beverages of our western nations. The wines of antiquity were more like syrups; many of them were not intoxicant; many more intoxicant in a small degree; and all of them, as a rule, taken only when largely diluted with water. They contained, even undiluted, but 4 or 4 percent of alcohol.”
6. The word ‘wine’ is a generic term and can be used to refer to a broad variety of different wines in Scripture. Examples:
   1. Prov 3:9-10 “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” This is obviously a reference to fresh grape juice that has just come out of the press.
   2. Gen 9:20-21 “And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.” Obviously this is intoxicating liquor.
   3. Prov. 23:29-35 – Note verse 31 “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” This is obviously fermented/intoxicating liquor.
7. There are two keys that will help us in the interpretation of Scripture on this subject
   1. Context: Remember, words travel in meaning according to context. The above examples reveal how context clearly dictates the definition of the word ‘wine’.
   2. Comparing Scripture with Scripture

Conclusion

Let’s adopt God’s viewpoint on the pastor and his ministry.

Sermon 23 of 27 in 1 Timothy Series

Sermon Audio Id: 12217437180