Message

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WORTHY OF DOUBLE HONOUR

1 Timothy 5:1-25

Key Verse: 5:17

“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those who work is preaching and teaching.”

Again, thank God for the mystery of Christ and the mystery of godliness. For godliness, training is absolutely necessary. Paul says, “Train yourself to be godly” or “Exercise yourself unto godliness.” Physical training is of some value, but godly or spiritual training has value for all things, during our lifetime and for eternity. Today’s passage is about the church as God’s family. In the Bible, the church can be described in various ways: the assembly of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth, a kingdom of priest, a holy nation, an army of God with soldiers of Christ, the body of Christ, and God’s household or family. A family is characterized with care, specifically in love and truth. Let’s think about the church as God’s family.

Paul says in verses 1 and 2, “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” These four groups of people cover all the members of a church. How to treat them, especially when they sinned, truly matters. If the sin is ignored, avoided, or overlooked, even a small sin can work like a yeast and corrupt the whole batch. It is as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, “…Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are.” But how to deal with sin or how to confront the person who wronged is extremely important: without compromise yet with a heart of wisdom.

As for an old man, do not rebuke him harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. That means with respect. One good example was how Noah’s sons acted when they saw their father’s sin. Noah lay uncovered inside his tent after he became drunk. Ham, the youngest son, saw his father’s nakedness, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth, the two older brothers, took a garment and laid it across their shoulders and walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. They were blessed by God. But Ham was cursed (Ge 9:20-27). The point of telling the story is not to hide or cover sin but to handle it with respect. We are to know that restoration is always possible in Christ Jesus when one repents.

As for younger men, treat as brothers, that is with brotherly love, which involves humility. An excellent example is the case of Joseph for his brothers. The sin of his brothers was huge selling him as a slave out of jealousy. Joseph’s life was totally ruined overnight from a prince-like son to a slave in a foreign country. When he became the prime minister of Egypt and his brothers were brought to him, Joseph confronted their sin, that had made them miserable. He spoke up clearly and wisely yet weeping from time to time. He did not treat them with the authority of a ruler of Egypt, but as a brother before God. He was consistent in such a love with humility until there was clear evidence of repentance in them.

As for older women, as mothers, that can mean respect with gentleness. There were two powerful and influential women in the church of Philippi, Euodia and Syntyche. They could not agree with each other in certain matters. What Paul did was to plead with each one personally. He said in Philippians 4:2, “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.” And he recognized their coworking with him that they had contended at his side in the cause of the gospel and their names were written in the book of life, and asked a loyal yokefellow to help these women.

As for younger women, as sisters, with absolute purity. We have seen that many church leaders fail in this area. Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:22, “Flee the evil desires of youth…” Joseph fled away from a tempting woman. Proverbs 6:25 says, “Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.” It is wisdom to avoid the look of such a woman. Do not be too confident, thinking, “I can handle it.” 6:24 says, “to keep you from the evil/immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.” It is also a wisdom to avoid the flattery of the foreign woman. Proverbs 7:25-27 says, “Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.” Definitely, avoid the house. Most importantly keep the heart pure before God.

In verses 3-16, it is about how the church is to care for the widows. In our understanding the word widow means a woman whose husband is dead. The Greek word includes that but is not limited to that. The word “widow” is in Greek chēra. It carries the meaning of bereft, robbed, having suffered loss, being left alone. Surely in the church there must have been those women who lost their husband not only through death but also other reasons. So the Greek word chēra helps us to have better understanding of this passage. The point is those women who were left alone are to be cared. It is true that women are weaker than men, definitely in a physical sense, which was God’s design. They are to be protected and provided by men in that point. Now the women lost such protection and provision. In the Old Testament, we know that God is the God of the fatherless, widows, and aliens. He is the God of compassion. Interestingly, Deuteronomy 27:19 says, “‘Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.’ Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” The point is that this passage reveals the heart of God.

However, not all the widows are to be cared for by the church. In verses 3 and 4, it says, “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.” And verse 8 says, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Not only children and grandchildren but also relatives are to be involved in helping the widows. And verse 16 says, “If any woman who is a believer has widows under her care, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.” Even a believing woman should help the widows under her care.

Then Paul compares two kinds of widows in verses 5 and 6: “The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.” Though they were all in the same widowed situation, their lives are quite different.

Paul presents two kinds of widows, older ones and younger ones. He says in verses 9 and 10. “No widow may be put on the list of widows unless he is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.” How precious these widows are! Of course, they had to be well recognized and provided. And the church makes a good environment for them to continually serve the Lord and his people with faithfulness and devotion.

In verses 11-15, Paul says, “As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.” What a concern! What a heart of a shepherd who knows his sheep and the reality of Satan’s work!

Now Paul’s concern goes to elders in verse 17. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” What a honour double honour is! Here, preaching is in Greek logos, and teaching is didaskalia. So those whose work is preaching and teaching are those who labour in the word and doctrine. It shows how much God honours such servants! Since man’s fall, God’s restoration work would be done through such work. God said to Abraham in Genesis 18:18-19, “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” God’s hope and plan for Abraham to be a great and powerful nation would be accomplished through his teaching the way of the LORD beginning with his own family. At the end of his life, Moses recited the words of the song of Moses in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel, “Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like drew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants” (Dt 32:2). Moses’ whole life was teaching the words of the Law of God to the people of God, the Israelites. In his last words, David said, “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel to me: ‘When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.” (2 Sam 23:2-4). David was sure that God spoke to him and he delivered God’s message of ruling in the fear of the LORD to his people. When his end in this world was near, David charged his son Solomon who would be the king of Israel after him, “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” (1 Kings 2:2-3). King Solomon, who wrote Ecclesiastes, introduced himself as the Teacher, or the Preacher, in Hebrew, Qoheleth. He concluded this book with the words, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecc. 12:13). At the time of Jehoshaphat King of Judah the nation was strong and powerful when the Levites carried their work of teaching well. 2 Chronicles 17:9 says, “They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.”

When the nation Israel was declining with much corruption, God gave them a vison through the prophet Isaiah, “In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2-3). This vision would be fulfilled in Christ Jesus. After the Babylonian captivity the people of the nation would return to their land and the nation be restored through the prophets and priests. One of them was Ezra. Ezra 7:10 says, “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study of observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.”

In the New Testament, Jesus is the one who began the preaching of the good news of the kingdom of God. At the outset of his early messianic ministry Jesus proclaimed the good news of God, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” (Mk 1:15). The good news is the gospel, in Greek, euaggelion. Jesus sent out his disciples to preach that people should repent, for the kingdom of God is near. (Mk 6:12; Lk 10:9, 11). After his resurrection, Jesus said to his disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mk 16:15). Through Christ’s death and resurrection the gospel was completed, which had been hidden for long ages past and revealed in Christ Jesus. Since then, the gospel was powerfully preached first through the apostles. The book of Acts ends with these words, “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ac 28:30-31). He said in 2 Timothy 2:8-9, “…This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.” In another time, he asked for prayer support from the believers in Ephesus, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Eph 6:19-20). He also asked for prayer support from the believers in Colosse, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should” (Col 4:3-4). In 1 Timothy, we could hear his strong conviction, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the truth faith to the Gentiles/a teacher of the Gentiles in truth and faith” (1 Timothy 2:5-7). And he said to Timothy, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of the Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” (3:13). And he said in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word.”

In light of all this, how precious the work in the word and doctrine is, the labour in preaching and teaching the mystery of Christ in the gospel hidden for ages and revealed in Christ Jesus even now to us! This is the noble task worthy of double honour before God. That is why the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth, the truth of Christ Jesus, the truth of the gospel. When we meet Muslim students at U of T, we see that the mystery of the gospel is hidden to them, and we come to have a shepherd heart for them more and more. Truly one proclamation of the gospel and one 1:1 Bible study are so precious in God’s sight. May we have a clear direction of preaching and teaching in our work and labour in our lives.

In verse 18 Paul says, “For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘the worker deserves his wages.’” Paul also said in Romans 15:27, “For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.” And Galatians 6:6 says, “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” This builds u relationships in the church.

In verse 19, it says, “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.” An accusation against an elder is to be dealt carefully. Satan’s main attack is toward leaders to fall. And in verse 20, “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.” The sin is not to be hidden and but rebuked publicly in the hope of restoration in Christ Jesus. And in verse 21 Paul says, “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.” There should be no partiality and favoritism in the church. Romans 2:11 says, “For God does not show favoritism” (Ac 10:30; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9).

In verse 22, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.” It is about appointing elders. It should be done in much prayer being assured of God’s leading, not in a hasty way according to the needs of people. It is always easy to follow our needs or the needs of other people, going ahead of God and bitterly fail.

In verse 23, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illness.” What a concern for his true son Timothy’s health!

And in verses 24 and 25, “The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them.” Those who are obvious wrong should be raised as elders. “The sins of others trail behind them.” Such people are to be examined carefully and also not to be appointed. And in verse 25, “In the same way, good deeds are obvious.” Then they should be chosen and raised as elders. “and even those who are not cannot be hidden.” Good deeds will be eventually shown. Such people are not to be missed to become elders.

May we learn to take care of the needy and especially work and labour for the noble task of preaching and teaching the gospel hidden for long ages and now revealed to us, believing that such work is worthy of double honour before God.

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