17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. – 1 Timothy 5:17-25 ESV
Paul addressed the qualifications for elders earlier in his letter, but now he deals with the more practical realities of how Timothy is to interact with these essential church leaders. It’s interesting that he revisits the topic of elders immediately after giving Timothy advice on how to care for widows in the church. It seems that, to Paul, both groups are important to the life of the church, and neither should be overlooked or taken for granted.
It would be easy to forget about widows because they tend to be out of sight and out of mind, even in society, and Paul didn’t want that to happen in the church as well. The same can be said of elders. Once a man is chosen to serve as an elder, it could be easy to overlook him or assume that his spiritual life is fine. Paul didn’t want Timothy to take these men for granted, neglect their needs, or fail to show gratitude for the significant role they play in the spiritual health and well-being of the local church.
So, Paul tells Timothy to care for those men who voluntarily commit their time, talent, and energy to the oversight of the local church.
Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. – 1 Timothy 5:17 NLT
It appears these men were financially compensated for their work. As teachers and preachers, they could expect to receive a “double honor.” This may refer to the respect that came with their position as leaders, along with some form of financial remuneration to compensate them for their work on behalf of the church.
They were to be honored, respected, and cared for, especially those who carried the extra responsibility of preaching and teaching. It would make sense that, in the early days of the church, these men would have received financial compensation for the time they spent ministering to the spiritual needs of the body of Christ. It appears they may have been bi-vocational, holding down secular jobs and sacrificing part of their work hours to serve the needs of the church.
Serving as an elder, which would have included teaching, preaching, leading, and praying for the local congregation, would have been a time-consuming job. So Paul encourages Timothy to ensure these men are adequately cared for. Quoting from the Old Testament book of the Law, Paul uses an agrarian metaphor to make his point.
You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain. – Deuteronomy 25:4 ESV
As an ox pulled a stone wheel over the stalks of wheat to separate out the grain, it was allowed to eat as it worked, giving it an incentive to keep doing its job. Similarly, elders who work hard on behalf of the body of Christ should be compensated and cared for to reward and encourage their efforts. But the apostle Peter warned elders against turning this gracious compensation into a profit-making pursuit.
Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away. – 1 Peter 5:2-4 NLT
Elders were never to do their job for what they could get out of it. Ultimately, they were servants of God, and any compensation they received was to be determined by the local congregation. They were not to demand payment for services rendered. To do so would have altered the nature of their role as shepherds who served the flock of Jesus Christ selflessly.
Paul also knew that, because elders served in a leadership capacity, they would be open to criticism and accusations. Some would disagree with their teaching and, at times, reject their leadership. That’s why Paul told Timothy to “not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19 NLT). Leaders will always face opposition, even in the church; not everyone wants to follow directions or submit to authority.
So Timothy was to give these men the benefit of the doubt, refusing to take the word of one individual who might bring an accusation against an elder. If Timothy discovered that an elder had sinned, he was to confront him in private; if the man proved unrepentant, he was to be reprimanded before the entire congregation, serving as a strong warning to the other elders and reinforcing the seriousness of their role as the church's spiritual leaders. In all of this, Timothy was to act as an objective party, not showing favoritism or taking sides. Though he was to treat elders with respect and honor, he was to show no partiality or favoritism.
Paul also warned Timothy not to be hasty when appointing elders. Laying hands on a man and ordaining him for this important spiritual role was a serious matter that required careful consideration. To appoint a man to this high office, only to find out that he was unqualified, would be to share in his sin and shame. The one who placed an unqualified man in this important leadership position would be culpable for putting the congregation at risk.
So, Timothy was to be extremely careful when selecting men for the role of elder. But Paul knew that not all sins are obvious at first glance. There would be the inevitable occasion when a man appointed to the position of elder was discovered to have some hidden sin in his life that disqualified him. It was going to happen and, when it did, Timothy would have to deal with it.
But there would also be cases in which a man’s good character might lie hidden and unseen. There would be men in the church whose good deeds were done behind the scenes, out of sight, and unrecognized by those in the congregation. That’s why it was so important for Timothy to choose carefully. The “obvious” candidates would not always be the right ones. So Timothy was to examine each man's hidden character. When the prophet Samuel was searching for the next king of Israel, God told him, “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT).
Finally, Paul gives Timothy some personal health advice. He was sensitive to the fact that this responsibility could prove to be stressful, and he knew that Timothy already suffered from a chronic health issue. So, Paul recommended that Timothy “drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often” (1 Timothy 5:23 NLT). Leading a church can be difficult and stressful; it is a huge responsibility and must be taken seriously. That’s why Paul pleaded with Timothy to care for his physical well-being; he must be in good health to properly care for the body of Christ. A leader who fails to care for his own physical, mental, and spiritual health will prove to be a poor shepherd of God’s flock.
Father, You provided Your church with a model for leadership that is based on the earthly ministry of Your Son. He came to serve, not be served. He was the Good Shepherd, who willingly laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). He put the needs of the flock ahead of His own and sacrificed His life so that they might live. Now, He has passed on the responsibility for the care and feeding of His sheep to others. Just before He returned to Your side, He told Peter, “Feed my sheep!” (John 21:17), and that is what Paul was telling Timothy. But to adequately feed and care for Your growing flock, qualified leaders are required. The work is too important to leave to hired hands who are in it for the wrong reasons. As Jesus said, “A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock” (John 10:12 NLT). Finding good candidates to care for your sheep can be difficult, but You always provide enough workers to accomplish Your will. The problem is that we tend to measure leaders by the wrong criteria. Like Samuel, we focus on worldly standards of leadership that fail to consider the heart and the inward character of the candidate. Your flock is too vital to subject it to poor leadership. So help us find for those You have chosen to lead and then to care for them as they do so. Amen.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.