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.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
While we should honour the elders who lead us, we should give double honour to those who work harder than others, especially those who dedicate themselves to preaching and teaching. Those elders should be paid by the congregation because they labour for us. Paul refers to two passages of scripture, one where an ox who is working to tread the grain should not be refused some of that grain to eat (Deut 25:4), workers should be treated well. The other is Jesus who said that the labourer who works (in ministry) deserves to be paid (Luke 10:7).
Elders need to be protected from false accusations but when an accusation is valid, been validated by two or more witnesses, and the elder persists in the sin, then the elder needs to be corrected before the congregation to demonstrate the gravity of persistent sin.
Timothy was to remain impartial at all times and not be too quick to judge, but also not too quick to promote and definitely not to engage in the sinful practices of others.
In the middle of this discussion, Paul adds a personal note showing his concern for Timothy’s health. He was to drink a little wine to help with his stomach and ill health. The wine was used like medicine would be today but also demonstrates that alcohol was not completely prohibited.
When it comes to appointing elders, it is critical that we are impartial. Paul points out that some people live obviously sinful lives where it is easy to see that they are sinning and are not qualified to lead. But there are others who’s sinfulness remains hidden and that sin may only come out later. It is therefore very important not to judge only on the outward, obvious issues but make a concerted effort to learn their heart. The same can be said about those who do good work. Some do good work that is outward and easy to spot. Others do good work that takes a lot of digging to recognise. When appointing elders, but also when evaluating anyone, do not be quick to decide based on the outward appearance but take time to get to know their character (1 Sam 16:7).
Are you too quick to judge others? We can really miss out on great friendships when we are too quick to write someone off because of someone’s outward appearance and miss a great godly character.