Elders and Slaves (1 Timothy 5:17-6:2a)
Andy Nagahara
A. Who are the elders of the church?
1. Why did Paul need to advise Timothy regarding the elders? (17-22)
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
18 For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."
19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.
21 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.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
2. How should we respect our leaders? (23-25)
23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24 The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.
B. Does Christianity approve of slavery? (6:1, 2a)
6:1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered.
2a Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them.
1. Slavery and the church in Paul's time
6:1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered.
2a Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them.
2. What we should learn from this passage
Romans 6:16
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Summary
Our text for today teaches us how to think about church leadership as well as how to approach relationships with other people in church. Please pray for the leaders of this church, asking God to give them wisdom and discernment about what God desires for us. We do not have an official class system in this society dividing people into different categories, but there are many ways in which we are different from one another. Let's strive to be a church in which people are encouraged to love and respect one another despite all of our differences.
For Discussion
1) What did you learn from Paul's advice regarding the elders?
2) How is Paul's teaching about slavery relevant to your life?