If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Paul was to complete the unfinished work in Crete by appointing elders in every city, and this sets the standard for that appointment. An elder must be above reproach, committed to one wife, with believing children who are not charged with wild living or rebellion. Believing children means children raised under godly fatherly influence for their conversion, so they are obedient, peaceable, kind, pure, respectful, courteous, and reverent toward holy things rather than unruly. Fitness for the wider church is proven in the home, for a man's influence in the church will mirror his influence at home, and one who cannot wisely govern and train his own household cannot guide, teach, and protect the church. Therefore men must not be hurried into office but chosen only after prayerful examination of character, family, experience, and living faith in God, since overlooking this brings much trouble on the church.
Setting and Qualifications
Paul was left with Titus in Crete to set in order the things that were wanting and to ordain elders in every city, and this verse gives the rule for that work. Those placed in charge of the flock of God must meet its listed qualifications. An elder must be blameless in character, the husband of one wife, having faithful children who are free from accusation of riotous or unruly living.
Blamelessness requires a blameless life, faithfulness in marriage means faithfulness to one wife, and faithful children means obedient children who are not wild or rebellious and not charged with riotous or unruly conduct. Faithful children are those brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord under a father's pious influence at home and his felt burden for their conversion. Such upbringing produces children who are peaceable, kind, pure, obedient, respectful, courteous, and reverent toward sacred things.
The instruction continues that as God's steward a bishop must be blameless, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, and not given to filthy lucre. He must instead be a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, and temperate. He must hold fast the faithful word as taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Those chosen as elders of the churches are to be men of experience who have a knowledge of the truth and are sound in the faith, and securing such leadership is part of a decided work to be done in the churches. Godliness comes from no human fountain but from God's Word manifested through preaching according to the commandment of God our Saviour, in hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. The Word of eternal life is to be preached in such a way that many are made sound in the faith. The verse marks two classes of men: those whose work is to present the truth in its purity as contained in God's Word, and unconsecrated unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, who bring in a spurious religion to counterwork the work God said must be done.
Household Proves Leadership Fitness
Fitness to care for the church is tested first in care for the household, for wisdom in managing the home church and in governing and training children proves fitness to bear the heavy responsibilities of leadership in the larger church outside the home. A candidate's family life is therefore to be considered before appointment, since his ability to guide his household shows whether he can serve responsibly and be trusted to manage the church. If he cannot wisely manage his home or govern his own children, he lacks the wisdom to lead and cannot be trusted with the church.
The influence a father will have in the church will be the same influence he has had at home, and it is read in the manner in which his family conduct themselves. His family should be in subjection, with children brought up under pious influence and burden for their conversion to be peaceable, kind, pure, obedient, respectful, courteous, and reverent toward sacred things, so that their character brings no discredit upon his influence.
A man who is unrefined and dictatorial at home and does not show Christian graces there, or who lacks wisdom, tact, or godliness in managing his family, will carry the same defects into church leadership and is not fit for special influence. If he cannot guide his own children and household, he cannot properly guide, instruct, and care for the church nor protect it from strife and controversy. Letting children grow up without discipline undermines his work in the pulpit.
A minister who neglects the education and training of his children fails in a sacred trust and must never set church members such a defective example in home management. God's blessing will not rest upon his work while that trust is neglected.
Men must not be hurried into office, but chosen only after due consideration and much prayer for God to designate whom He will accept, with time allowed for true qualities to become known. Examination is to cover character and family, history since professing the truth, Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture, understanding of present truth, and genuine living experience with God, and none should be accepted unless that experience is evident. A man who has not so trained his children is disqualified, and disregarding this rule brings much trouble upon the church.
Paul was to complete the unfinished work in Crete by appointing elders in every city, and this sets the standard for that appointment. An elder must be above reproach, committed to one wife, with believing children who are not charged with wild living or rebellion. Believing children means children raised under godly fatherly influence for their conversion, so they are obedient, peaceable, kind, pure, respectful, courteous, and reverent toward holy things rather than unruly. Fitness for the wider church is proven in the home, for a man's influence in the church will mirror his influence at home, and one who cannot wisely govern and train his own household cannot guide, teach, and protect the church. Therefore men must not be hurried into office but chosen only after prayerful examination of character, family, experience, and living faith in God, since overlooking this brings much trouble on the church.
Setting and Qualifications
Paul was left with Titus in Crete to set in order the things that were wanting and to ordain elders in every city, and this verse gives the rule for that work. Those placed in charge of the flock of God must meet its listed qualifications. An elder must be blameless in character, the husband of one wife, having faithful children who are free from accusation of riotous or unruly living.
Blamelessness requires a blameless life, faithfulness in marriage means faithfulness to one wife, and faithful children means obedient children who are not wild or rebellious and not charged with riotous or unruly conduct. Faithful children are those brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord under a father's pious influence at home and his felt burden for their conversion. Such upbringing produces children who are peaceable, kind, pure, obedient, respectful, courteous, and reverent toward sacred things.
The instruction continues that as God's steward a bishop must be blameless, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, and not given to filthy lucre. He must instead be a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, and temperate. He must hold fast the faithful word as taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Those chosen as elders of the churches are to be men of experience who have a knowledge of the truth and are sound in the faith, and securing such leadership is part of a decided work to be done in the churches. Godliness comes from no human fountain but from God's Word manifested through preaching according to the commandment of God our Saviour, in hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. The Word of eternal life is to be preached in such a way that many are made sound in the faith. The verse marks two classes of men: those whose work is to present the truth in its purity as contained in God's Word, and unconsecrated unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, who bring in a spurious religion to counterwork the work God said must be done.
Household Proves Leadership Fitness
Fitness to care for the church is tested first in care for the household, for wisdom in managing the home church and in governing and training children proves fitness to bear the heavy responsibilities of leadership in the larger church outside the home. A candidate's family life is therefore to be considered before appointment, since his ability to guide his household shows whether he can serve responsibly and be trusted to manage the church. If he cannot wisely manage his home or govern his own children, he lacks the wisdom to lead and cannot be trusted with the church.
The influence a father will have in the church will be the same influence he has had at home, and it is read in the manner in which his family conduct themselves. His family should be in subjection, with children brought up under pious influence and burden for their conversion to be peaceable, kind, pure, obedient, respectful, courteous, and reverent toward sacred things, so that their character brings no discredit upon his influence.
A man who is unrefined and dictatorial at home and does not show Christian graces there, or who lacks wisdom, tact, or godliness in managing his family, will carry the same defects into church leadership and is not fit for special influence. If he cannot guide his own children and household, he cannot properly guide, instruct, and care for the church nor protect it from strife and controversy. Letting children grow up without discipline undermines his work in the pulpit.
A minister who neglects the education and training of his children fails in a sacred trust and must never set church members such a defective example in home management. God's blessing will not rest upon his work while that trust is neglected.
Men must not be hurried into office, but chosen only after due consideration and much prayer for God to designate whom He will accept, with time allowed for true qualities to become known. Examination is to cover character and family, history since professing the truth, Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture, understanding of present truth, and genuine living experience with God, and none should be accepted unless that experience is evident. A man who has not so trained his children is disqualified, and disregarding this rule brings much trouble upon the church.