The Good Shepherd and Good Shepherding – 3

Scripture describes an elder’s work as a multi-faceted ministry. It is basically set forth in terms of:

1. Shepherding – John 10; Luke 15; Acts 20; I Peter 5. See our cursory treatment of that aspect.
2. Modeling – I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
3. Equipping – Ephesians 4:11-15.
4. Overseeing – Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2

Let’s look at the aspect of MODELING (It really would help if you would open to the above texts on that now. I will wait.):

In the biblical record, nothing takes place in a vacuum. A context, whether or not it is articulated, always exists. Context often is the key to ascertaining the proper meaning and application of a  text. Whereas, ignoring context can leave one short of a healthy understanding.  (Example: Matthew 18:20. Is its context about church worship? No, it is about conflict resolution and the matter of reconciliation. Then why do we only apply it to worship? Not that it cannot be so applied, but that, in doing so, we fail to see the weight it carries in the reconciliation process. We miss its intended purpose. “But what does it matter?” It matters in that a context ignored often leads to a meaning being missed. Other than that, I suppose it doesn’t really matter.)

Similarly, in our typical approach to I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, we have shorted ourselves by simply airdropping right into those elder texts without respecting their broader contexts. It is not that we have necessarily mistaught them but that we may have mishandled them. In doing so, we may have both missed the big picture and created unnecessary problems for ourselves in the elder selection process. (And, yes, there also is mention of deacons but that is not my focus.) Let’s take a look at the background of I Timothy.

Since Paul was taking off to Macedonia (his fourth missionary trip), he instructed preacher-apprentice Timothy about how to help the Ephesian church with some renegade teachers – 1:2f. (Remember that Paul had worked in Ephesus for three years – Acts 18, 19. The apostle knew the existing elders in this church, and that some would become bad actors – Acts 20:17f., esp. vv. 29f.) Later realizing that he would not soon return, Paul paused to say some things to Timothy about both that church and the young preacher’s current ministry with them. (I am sure Timothy profusely thanked Paul for sending him into the mouth of the lion! He would have a real fight on his hands – 1:18. By the way, Titus ran into similar characters in his church situation. You can read that.) Anyway, that is how we got I Timothy and I Timothy 3.

Now, we are in I Timothy 3 and its words about elders. But I Timothy does not start with I Timothy 3! CONTEXT! What was going on with that church? First, look at the bad guys in the picture. How are they described?

1:3-4: they were into strange myths and wild speculations

1:5: they had serious integrity and character problems

1:6-7: they wanted to be teachers but were dumb as a brick about it.

4:1-5: they spoke doctrines of demons, were hypocrites and liars, of no conscience, legalistic.

6:3-5: they spoke doctrines not of Christ, were conceited, into controversy, were envious and divisive and evil and greedy.

In the midst of his multiple warnings about these bad guys, Paul calls upon Timothy to stay with what he had been taught about Jesus and to confront the troublemakers. Is it hard to doubt that some were the elders to whom Paul referred in Acts 20:28,29? Remember: the church was basically brand new, without much teaching, and without bibles! It is easy to see how a church could have ended up with a rascal as an elder or preacher. Ephesus had elders, including some bad elders. There is such a thing, you know. (How did they ever get in? Politics? Money? Family? Cronyism? Deceit? Or was it a case of breaking bad? It happens.) Mark it: good shepherding begins with good shepherd selection.

And those texts are not all Paul said to Timothy about how to deal with that dangerous mess. Remember, there is an entire church witnessing all the turmoil and confusion: a church comprised by many whom the apostle himself had brought to Jesus. There is much at stake here. So, the other line of defense against these threats to the church was chapter 3. How so? Well, had the church seen an abundance of good role models, godly leaders, loving shepherds, mature examples? Maybe not! So, Paul helps them (and Timothy) by doing two things:

1. Identifying the bad guys.
2. Identifying the good guys.

That is what seems to be going on here. Paul is determined to help Timothy protect both himself and those whom Jesus already had saved – 4:16. How does the apostle go about it? Among other important things, he profiles and contrasts the bad guys and the good guys. Characteristics of both types are scattered through this letter to the young but manly preacher. Paul is drawing a picture of the bad and the good among and around that church. All Timothy has to do is lay it out for them: “Here is what the bad guys look like and here is what the good guys look like. You know these people! Now, church, you can clearly see who you can and cannot trust to be your elders. Some are bad models; some are good models. I will help you to see the difference. Some are living for Christ; some are living for the devil. Get the bad models out (often easier said than done) and get the good models in!” If not, why does Paul follow his words about elders and deacons with 3:14,15:

“I am writing these things to you (Timothy – rp), hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

It seems that the apostle is zeroed in on how elders, deacons, wives, preachers are to conduct themselves. There, again, is the emphasis upon modeling Christ in life. That seems to be the focus. You may have a better idea of it. But it seems to be how Paul sets it up for Timothy to help the church in Ephesus get things together. (We may as well note that Titus’ situation bears considerable similarity.)

Too often we have treated I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 as if they just fell out of the blue. “Here is the list. Let’s see what it means, check it off, then, get some elders.” Well, that may be okay but maybe not. For one thing, the “lists” are not the same. I hope you looked at the texts. So, which list is the correct or best, if lists they are? And who decides that? Furthermore, there are qualities to being an elder not mentioned in either “list.” How do we deal with that? Third, some have manipulated the “lists” into a pretzel in order to squeeze candidates either in or out. You think not? Fourth, and perhaps most significantly, we often define, debate, nitpick these “lists” to the point of tedium, often discouraging good men who could have helped the flock of God. (How many have heard the endless slicing and dicing of minute nuances?) All while missing the forest for the trees! Yes, I agree, those qualities noted in the “lists” have to mean something. But what is Paul’s plan in it all? Does context mean something only when we want it?

Make of it what you will. I think it is all about MODELING. (Things reproduce after their own kind, right?True also among the people of God.) The church in Ephesus is already trouble. They are sick from the head down! (Have you seen the Ephesians’ condition in Revelation 2? Did they ever figure it out? Did they ever heed Paul or Timothy about this elder thing?) I think Paul is anxious for Timothy to teach so that the church can easily identify the right kind of men to lead them in Jesus. His approach is to profile two types. He is asking the church to look and listen to who is around, and identify which type can show them how to go about their lives: domestically, socially, personally, emotionally, relationally, so forth. (By the way, this comes with age and experience. That is why an elder is called an elder. He has been to the rodeo.) MODELING is the focus here, as one aspect of an elder’s ministry. Seek out and pray for a man who can show “how to.” And remember:  good shepherding begins with good shepherd selection.