1Timothy 3 and verse 1 reads.
1Tim.3:1] This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Counted as good works to be a bishop. This word bishop is G1984 in the Strongs’ and means; 1. overseership, office, charge, the office of an elder 2. the overseer or presiding officers of a Christian church.
1Tim.3:2] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
One wife means at a time. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin, meaning it is pardonable upon repentance. This word apt means able.
1Tim.3:3] Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Not a drunk and do not instigate fights, don’t be in it for the money. Do not covet others abilities, these are their blessings.
1Tim.3:4] One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
A man that disciplines his own house is able to keep a disciplined church. After all discipline comes from the word disciple.
1Tim.3:5] (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
[6] Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Don’t be prideful because God has given you truth of his word. Remember what happened to Satan. Let’s go to Isaiah and read 14:12-15.
Isa.14:12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
[13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Trying to take the throne from GOD.
Isa.14:14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
[15] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Satan will die for his pride, and all that follow him will also be consumed with fire from within. Back to 1Tim.3 and verse 7 reads.
1Tim.3:7] Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Talking about having a good reputation in your community.
1Tim.3:8] Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Grave is sincere. Don’t double speak, don’t be drunk. And filthy lucre is for the money, or for pension.
1Tim.3:9] Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
This mystery is best said by Jesus when he explains the Parable of the Tares in Mat.13:35-42.
Mat.13:35] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
From the overthrow of Satan in the first earth age.
Mat.13:36] Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
[37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
[38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Genesis 3:14-15. Talking about the children of the wicked one, these are the Kenites. Offspring (sons) of Cain.
Mat.13:39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
[40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
[41] The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
[42] And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Now, we were talking about bishops and deacons. And what knowledge they need to have to teach the Word of God in the churches. If your pastor is not teaching the Word, then what is he teaching? Is he teaching the traditions of men for money instead of teaching God’s word for the glory of God? Check your teachers, it is my duty to give you the means to do this. Taking it back to the manuscripts from which it was originally written and the languages thereof. Back to 1Tim.3 and verse 10 reads.
1Tim.3:10] And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
Proved is tested.
1Tim.3:11] Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
Make sure their wives also have a good reputation in the community.
1Tim.3:12] Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Again, rule with discipline and one wife. Interesting in these days they could have had more than one wife but Paul calls for the bishops and deacons to have but one.
1Tim.3:13] For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
When you have the office of a deacon or bishop you will be persecuted. Keep the faith and teach boldly even unto death.
1Tim.3:14] These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
[15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Telling them to keep teaching until he gets there, book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. Teach the Word of God and not the traditions of men.
1Tim.3:16] And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
A lot said here, some believe we are not to teach controversy. I say the controversy is between God and Satan, and we should teach above a “fourth grade level”. In fact, we are to lift one another up with the meat after the milk. Also said above is to teach God was manifest in the flesh. John 1:14 and the miracles he fulfilled by the word of the prophets. And became salvation not only for Israel but for the Gentiles also. We teach Christ crucified and that he rose on the third day, and that he now sits on the right hand of God until all evil are made his footstool. What a great lesson today, let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible