1 Timothy 3:1-7 NASB It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. (2) An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, (3) not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. (4) He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (5) (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), (6) and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. (7) And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
This passage (1 Tim. 3) talks about two distinct and related positions in the church, that of Overseer, and that of Deacon. The words are not titles, as some have come to use in the realm of Christendom, but are in actuality job descriptions.
Overseer (NASB - KJV, "Bishop") comes from the Greek word "episkope," or litterally to superintend, or oversee in terms of caring for something. Perhaps you have lived in a place that had a superintendant in the building or for the property. I was actually employed as one where I live now several years ago, and it was my job to care for the property, make sure that repairs were made, that dirt was cleaned up, yards were kept, parking was valid, and the like. So how does that relate to oversight or superintendence in God's house?
Well, I expect that the job is much the same, without the religious trappings and connotations it has inherited over the last 2000 years or so. Remember, we are speaking here of God's house today - this is not a building made with hands, but instead is the souls God has gathered to serve Him, and by extension the world at large. We call this gathering the church, from the Greek word "ekklesia," meaning a calling out - out of the world, out of our situations, out of our own thing, our own selves, our own ways - to serve Him by serving others around us. So how does one oversee or superintend that?
I expect it is in much the same way as when I was employed as a superintendant. The overseer must care for the people that make the church! Dirt needs to be cleaned up (sin must be dealt with). Repairs must be made (healing of body, soul, and spirit must take place). Yards (individual households) must be kept, with the help of a caring superintendant, by any means at his or her disposal. The overseer must teach the Word and LIVE the Word as an example to those around him. Verses 2-7 list off the characteristics he or she must reflect. These are NOT the job description, these are the qualifications for the job! You can't be one without these things!
Moreover, Paul tells Timothy here that to desire this superintendency for the church, the people of God, is a good thing! It is something that we all need to aspire to, and something every true overseer MUST be. Let us aspire to be those who are becoming more like a true overseer of God's people.
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)
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