Pastor’s in the House of God – Part 1 – 1 Timothy 5:17-21

1 Timothy verse by verse. This lesson explores the Apostle’s instructions concerning the treatment of pastors in the church.

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 first two points – the support & discipline of pastors (Vs. 17-21). The last point will be examined in our next lesson.
4. Pastors/elders play a very important role in the house of God and it is imperative that the church ‘behaves’ (3:15) correctly in their treatment of them.

The Support of Pastors (Vs. 17-18)

The Qualifications for support (Vs. 17)

The pastor needs to be fulfilling 2 key responsibilities:

1. Ruling (Leadership)
   1. ‘rule’ = literally means to stand before. Means to administrate, preside over, superintend & govern.
   2. ‘well’ = finely & excellently. Speaks of the quality of his leadership. There is a striving for excellence.
2. Feeding (Shepherding)
   1. ‘labour’ = to toil & work to the point of exhaustion and fatigue.
   2. “word and doctrine” = preaching and teaching
   3. This is a pastoral responsibility:
      1. 1 Peter 5:1-2 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”
      2. Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
   4. Note: This part of the pastor’s ministry involves much discipline, toil and labour. Both the preparation & delivery of the Word taxes the preachers resources (spiritual, mental, emotional & physical) Ecc. 12:2 “…much study is a weariness of the flesh.”

The Command to support (Vs. 17)

1. Respect (Attitudes)
   1. “counted worthy” = to think worthy. Reveals an attitude and mindset. “An estimate reached by the thinking process.” (Macarthur)
   2. ‘honour’ = basic meaning is that of esteem and respect
   3. 1 Thess. 5:12-13 “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
2. Remuneration (Actions)
   1. ‘honour’ = includes the concept of pay. E.g. honorarium
      1. Example: Widows just discussed (Vs. 3-16)
      2. Word translated ‘price’ elsewhere 8 times. For example, Acts 4:34-35 “…brought the prices (◻◻◻◻ – honour) of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet…”
      3. Next verse (18) reveals the Apostle has this particular aspect of honour in mind.
      4. Note: Their high esteem and appreciation for the pastor’s ministry is to be expressed in providing for his physical needs.
   2. ‘double’ = speaks of generosity. Unlikely Paul meant this to be taken in a strictly mathematical sense. Double in this context means much or greater in comparison with something else. (Fairbairn)

The Reasons for support (Vs. 18)

The Apostle reinforces his argument with two citations of Scripture; one from the O.T & one from the N.T.

1. The Principle of the Ox (18a)
   1. Quotation from the law in Deut. 25:4
   2. Deduction: If animals that laboured to provide physical food were to be fed, how much more a man of God who labours to provide spiritual food for God’s people.
   3. Refer also 1 Cor. 9:7-14
2. The Principle of the Labourer (18b)
   1. Quotation from Christ in Luke 10:7
   2. Deduction: If a hired labourer receives a due reward for his duties in secular life, how much more a faithful man of God who works hard in the ministry of the Word.

The Discipline of Pastors (Vs. 19-21)

The accusation of a pastor (Vs. 19)

1. Accusations that are to be rejected (19a)
   1. A Pastor by the nature of his calling and office will attract much unwarranted slander and criticism. The Word of God puts a safeguard in place to protect the pastor against those who would seek to undermine his ministry through false accusation.
   2. ‘receive’ = to entertain or consider, to welcome with acceptance (Vs. 19)
2. Accusations that are to be considered (19b)
   1. Note: The fact there are two or three witnesses does not automatically mean the pastor is guilty. It just means that examination of his character can proceed if there are sufficient witnesses.
   2. The principle of two or three witnesses is well established in Scripture, going back to the O.T. law (S. Deut. 17:6, 19:15). Christ also reiterated this principle in Matthew 18.

The conviction of a pastor

1. The reason – Sin. “them that sin” = present tense indicating the habitual practice of sin
2. The rebuke – Public. “before all”“ = a public censure before the church
3. The result – Reverence. “others also may fear” = the by- product/result. A healthy fear (reverence/respect) of God is a deterrent to sin.
   1. Prov. 16:6 “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
   2. Illustration: Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5:11)

The exhortation to obey these commands (Vs. 21)

Second charge of the Epistle (1:18)

1. The audience (21a)
   1. God
   2. The Lord Jesus Christ
   3. The elect angels
   4. ‘before’ = in the presence of. The Apostle ushers Timothy into the presence of God and the angels, to impress upon him the solemn responsibility he has to follow these truths completely. “Timothy is to carry out his task under the consciousness of working under the direct gaze of the spiritual world.” (Hiebert)
2. The attitude (21b)
   1. “without preferring one before another” = apart from prejudgment (a judgment beforehand)
   2. “nothing by partiality” = denotes an inclination toward someone. There was to be no preferential treatment

Conclusion

Do we have the right mindset towards the pastor in the local church?

Sermon 22 of 27 in 1 Timothy Series

Sermon Audio Id: 11517535107