Chapter 3

1 Timothy 3:1 - The word used for "if someone aspires..." (ESV) seems to indicate a human passion or desire. It is something within that has stirred the will of the man. This verse suggests that not everyone who "aspires" is thus fit for the work. Thus, we must have a screening process (typically ordination) before admitting someone to holy orders.

1 Timothy 3:2 - Also, it is admitted that an overseer be a man. And this man must rule his house well (vs. 4).

1 Timothy 3:4 - "With all dignity" (ESV) refers to the manner in which the man keeps his children under submission. There are many ways to keep children in line, but only one would qualify as dignified. The test as to whether the manner is dignified is to rate the embarrassment to the family if the public were to observe the father's manners. Note how having a respectable relation ship with your children is related to ruling one's house well. Having children is not a prerequisite, but rather it is a specific descriptor of one ruling his own house well.

1 Timothy 3:11 - Paul says the woman should not be malicious gossips. The Greek word there is "diabolous" which also means a devil when in the noun form. In the adjectival form, it has the meaning "malicious gossip." It is significant that the word for devil in Greek is also used to denote a malicious gossip. Such gossip has been against us, and we could definitely sense the activity of evil spirits.

1 Timothy 3:15 - When we think of the guardian of orthodox theology, we think of the ecclesiastical structure of "the Church." Paul does, in fact, say that the church is the pillar of truth. But the word for "church" in the NT really means "a congregation" or "group". Clearly, Paul did not have in mind any structure - as there were no ecclesiastical structures in his day - to guard the truth. This change in mentality one might trace back to Catholic origins, though prevalent in protestant circles. Paul intended true believers to stand up for the truth. He did not delegate the duty to priests or a convention. Furthermore, Paul even equates (equative syntactical structure) the "house of God" with the Church (ekklasia) or group of believers. Thus, the OT pattern of a building being the house of God is done away with and replaced with a more "organic" structure that is adaptable and grows through the grass roots.

1 Timothy 3:16 - "...proved to be right by the Spirit..." The word Paul uses for "proved" is the same word "to be made righteous" though that is not the connotation here. The ESV uses "vindicated," which I believe to be accurate. Paul, it seems, is referring to the resurrection as in Romans 1:4 "declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness in the resurrection from the dead." In Romans, Paul identifies the agent of the resurrection to be the Spirit, and by the resurrection Jesus was proved to be the Son of God. Thus, Jesus' message was vindicated. Hence, Paul writes to Timothy, "vindicated by the Spirit."
This "mystery of godliness" passage, it appears, refers to the resurrection. "He was manifested in the flesh..." may refer to the physical glorified body Jesus received (which Christians will also receive). "Taken up in glory..." obviously refers to his glorious ascension in Acts 1. The resurrection power of Christ is our secret to living a godly life.