Received It By Revelation

Galatians 1:11-12 - I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 - However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 - For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

Ephesians 3:6 - This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Conclusions:

• Salvation is for all and is received by faith in Christ
• The Spirit searches all things, not in order to know them, for He knows all things
• The Spirit comprehends the depth of God’s nature and His plans of grace; so the Spirit is fully competent to make the revelation claimed in 1 Corinthians 2:10
• In 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul links himself with early Christian tradition
• Paul was not the tradition’s originator, nor did Paul receive the tradition directly from the Lord
• In 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul is using technical terms for receiving and transmitting tradition
• The heart of the gospel is that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried and that He was raised from the dead
• The repetition of “together” in Ephesians 3:6 indicates the unique aspect of the mystery that was not previously known: the equality and mutuality that Gentiles had with Jews in the church, the one body
• That Gentiles would turn to the God of Israel and be saved was prophesied in the Old Testament; that they would come into an organic unity with believing Jews on equal footing was unexpected

Application:

• Have you received salvation by faith in Christ?
• Has God revealed things to you by His Spirit?
• Are other Christians your source of tradition?
• Do you share in the promise in Christ Jesus?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Eternally Condemned

Galatians 1:3-8,11 - Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!... I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.

Romans 9:3-5 - For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Romans 16:25-27 - Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

1 Corinthians 12:3 - Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

Conclusions:

• The patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons
• “Christ, who is God” is one of the clearest statements of the deity of Jesus Christ found in the entire New Testament
• “To…God be glory” is the ultimate purpose of all things
• “So quickly” means so soon after your conversion
• “One who called you” is God
• Having the grace of Christ is the test of a pure, unadulterated gospel
• The Greek word for eternally condemned originally referred to a pagan temple offering in payment for a vow
• Later, eternally condemned came to represent a curse
• Salvation is for all and is received by faith in Christ
• The Greek for cursed is anathema, and it means delivered over to the wrath of God for eternal destruction
• Paul’s great love for his fellow Jews is expressed by wishing he was cursed for their sake
• One who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit cannot pronounce a curse on Jesus; rather, he is the only one who from the heart can confess Jesus is Lord
• The Greek word for Lord in 1 Corinthians 12:3 is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to translate the Hebrew name Yahweh

Application:

• Do you see Christ as God over you?
• Do you see glorifying God as your ultimate purpose?
• Do you have faith in Christ?
• Do you love your brothers so much that you wished you were cursed for the sake of their salvation?
• Can you confess that Jesus is Lord?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

For Our Sins

Galatians 1:3-5 - Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 - For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

1 Corinthians 1:20 - Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

2 Corinthians 4:4 - The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Ephesians 6:12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Conclusions:

• Paul’s source of the early Christian tradition was other Christians
• The heart of the gospel is that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried and that He was raised from the dead
• Wise man is probably a reference to Gentile philosopher in general
• Scholar is probably the Jewish teacher of the law
• All humanly devised philosophical systems end in meaninglessness because they have a wrong concept of God and His revelation
• Lamb of God is an expression found in the Bible only in John 1
• John was saying that Jesus would be the sacrifice that would atone for the sin of the world
• The god of this age is the devil, who is the archenemy of God , the unseen power behind all unbelief and ungodliness
• Those who follow the devil have in effect made him their god.
• Christ, who is both the Incarnate Son and the Second Person of the Trinity, authentically displays God to us, for He is the very radiance of divine glory
• Christ is the image of God in which man was originally created and into which redeemed mankind is being gloriously transformed until at last, when Christ comes again at the end of this age, we who believe will be like Him
• “Not against flesh and blood” is a caution against lashing out against human opponents as though they were the real enemy and also against assuming that the battle can be fought using merely human resources
• Rules and forces are Paul’s allusions to powerful beings in the unseen world

Application:

• Is your source of tradition other Christians?
• Do you have a wrong concept of God and His revelation?
• Did Jesus sacrifice atone for your sins?
• Has your mind been blinded?
• Do you lash out against human opponents?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Take Hold Of The Life

1 Timothy 6:12,19-21 - Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses…In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.

Conclusions:

• Timothy had possessed eternal life since he had first been saved, but Paul urges him to claim its benefits in greater fullness
• When you made your good confession is probably a reference to Timothy’s confession of faith at his baptism during Paul’s first missionary journey

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Share

1 Timothy 6:18 - Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

Romans 12:7-8,13 - If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully…Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Ephesians 4:28 - He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Conclusions:

• Encouraging is exhorting others with an uplifting, cheerful call to worthwhile accomplishment
• The teacher often carried out the function of encouragement
• In teaching, the believer is shown what he must do; in encouraging, he is helped to do it
• Contributing is giving what is one’s own, or possibly distributing what has been given by others
• Let him govern is possibly a reference to an elder
• The Ephesian church had elders about the time of the writing of Romans
• Showing mercy is caring for the sick, the poor and the aged
• Serving the needy should be a delight, not a chore
• The Christian has social responsibility to all people, but especially to other believers
• It is not enough to cease from sin; one must do good
• The former thief must now help those in need

Application:

• Do you help others to do what they must do?
• Are you socially responsible to all people?
• Are you doing good?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

This Command

1 Timothy 6:12-16 - Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:7 - Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

2 Timothy 4:8 - Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Conclusions:

• A spiritual gift is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit enabling one to minister to the needs of Christ’s body, the church
• The Greek word used for any spiritual gift stresses that it is a gift of grace
• Paul uses the metaphor of the wreath given to the winner of a race
• Paul could be referring to (1) a crown given as a reward for a righteous life, (2) a crown consisting of righteousness or (3) a crown given righteously by the righteous Judge
• That day is the day of Christ’s second coming
• Timothy had possessed eternal life since he had first been saved, but Paul urges him to claim its benefits in greater fullness
• When you made your good confession is probably a reference to Timothy’s confession of faith at his baptism during Paul’s first missionary journey

Application:

• Have you been enabled to minister to the needs of Christ's body?
• Will you receive a crown of righteousness on that day?
• Have you fully claimed the benefits of eternal life?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Take Hold Of The Eternal Life

1 Timothy 6:12-16 - Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

1 Timothy 4:16 - Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

John 18:36 - Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Conclusions:

• Timothy had possessed eternal life since he had first been saved, but Paul urges him to claim its benefits in greater fullness
• When you made your good confession is probably a reference to Timothy’s confession of faith at his baptism during Paul’s first missionary journey
• God alone saves, but Christians can be God’s instruments to bring about the salvation of others
• Salvation is both an event and a process
• We are saved at the time of conversion but are still being saved in the sense of being made more conformed to Christ’s image
• Jesus agrees that He has a kingdom, but asserts that it is not the kind of kingdom that has soldiers to fight for it
• Jesus’ kingdom was not built, nor is it maintained, by military might

Application:

• Are you fighting the good fight of the faith?
• Are you God's instrument to bring about the salvation of others?
• Are you in Jesus' kingdom?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Rebuked

1 Timothy 5:14-20 - So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need. The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.

2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Conclusions:

• All elders were to exercise leadership and to teach and preach, and all were to receive honor
• But those who excelled in leadership were to be counted worthy of double honor
• This was especially true of those who labored at teaching and preaching
• Such honor should include financial support
• The use of the term Scripture for both an Old Testament and a New Testament passage shows that by the time 1 Timothy was written, portions of the New Testament were considered to be equal in authority to the Old Testament Scriptures
• Be ready in any situation to speak the needed word, whether of correction, of rebuke or of encouragement

Application:

• Do you honor your elders with financial support?
• Do you doubly honor those elders who preach and teach?
• Are you ready to correct, rebuke or encourage in any situation?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Washing The Feet Of The Saints

1 Timothy 5:5-13 - The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

Romans 12:13 - Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

John 13:14 - Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.

2 Thessalonians 3:11 - We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

Conclusions:

• The Christian has social responsibility to all people, but especially to other believers
• Christians should be willing to perform the most menial services for one another
• Busybodies are worse than idle, they interfere with other people’s affairs, a problem to which idleness often leads

Application:

• Are you socially responsible to all people?
• Are you willing to perform the most menial services for others?
• Do you interfere with other people's affairs?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Until I Come

1 Timothy 4:11-14 - Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 - Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Luke 4:16 - He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.

Acts 6:6 - They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

2 Timothy 1:6 - For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Conclusions:

• In brief, in 1 Timothy 3:14, Paul states the purpose for writing 1 Timothy—to give instructions concerning church conduct
• Jesus went to Nazareth, not at the start of His ministry but perhaps almost a year later
• Jesus custom of regular worship sets an example for all His followers
• Jesus probably read from Isaiah in Hebrew, and then He or someone else paraphrased it in Aramaic, one of the other common languages of the day
• Laying on of hands was used in the Old Testament period to confer blessing, to transfer guilt from sinner to sacrifice and to commission a person for a new responsibility
• In the New Testament period, laying on of hands was observed in healing, blessing, ordaining or commissioning and imparting of spiritual gifts
• The seven men of Acts 6 were appointed to responsibilities turned over to them by the Twelve
• The Greek word used to describe the Seven’s responsibility is the verb from which the noun deacon comes
• The Greek noun for deacon can also be translated minister or servant
• The men appointed in Acts 6 were simply called the Seven, just as the apostles were called the Twelve
• It is disputed whether the Seven were the first deacons or were later replaced by deacons
• Gifts are not given in full bloom; they need to be developed through use
• Paul was God’s instrument, through whom the gift came from the Holy Spirit to Timothy

Application:

• How are you doing in your conduct?
• Do you have a custom of regular worship?
• Do you pray for your church deacons?
• Are you developing your gifts through use?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Trustworthy Saying

1 Timothy 4:7,9-10 - Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly…This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

Luke 2:11 - Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Conclusions:

• Obviously, Savior of all does not mean that God saves every person from eternal punishment, for such universalism would contradict the clear testimony of Scripture
• God is, however, the Savior of all in that He offers salvation to all and saves all who come to Him
• Godliness requires self-discipline
• The town of David is Bethlehem
• Many Jews were looking for a political leader to deliver them from Roman rule, while others were hoping for a savior to deliver them from sickness and physical hardship
• But Luke 2:11 concerns the Savior who would deliver from sin and death
• The Lord is a designation originally reserved for God but later applied to the Messiah as well

Application:

• Have you come to Him?
• Are you self-disciplined?
• Have you been delivered from sin and death?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Thanksgiving

1 Timothy 4:2-5 - Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Romans 14:6,14-15,17-18 - He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God…As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died…For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

Conclusions:

• The motivation behind the actions of both the strong and the weak is to be the same
• Both the strong and the weak should want to serve the Lord and give thanks for His provision
• Now that Paul was a Christian, the old food taboos no longer applied
• “If anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean” is not to be generalized to mean that sin is only a matter of subjective opinion or conscience
• Paul is not discussing conduct that in the light of Scripture is clearly sinful, but conduct concerning which Christians may legitimately differ
• With regard to such matters, decisions should be decided by conscience
• Love is the key to proper settlement of disputes
• Christ so valued the weak brother as to die for him
• Surely the strong Christian ought to be willing to make adjustments in his own behavior for the sake of weak brothers
• To be concerned with such trivial matters of eating and drinking is to miss completely the essence of Christian living
• Righteousness is righteous living
• Paul’s concern for the moral and ethical dimension of the Christian life stands out in all his letters
• Joy in the Holy Spirit is joy given by the Holy Spirit

Application:

• Do you want to serve the Lord and give thanks for His provision?
• Do you generalize sin to be only a matter of conscience?
• Do you make adjustments in your behavior for the sake of the weak?
• Do you concern yourself too much with the trivial matters of Christian life?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

In Later Times

1 Timothy 4:1,7 - The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons…Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 - However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Mark 13:5 - Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you.

Conclusions:

• The Spirit searches all things, not in order to know them, for He knows all things
• Instead the Spirit comprehends the depth of God’s nature and His plans of grace; so He is fully competent to make the revelation claimed in 1 Corinthians 2
• It is clear from such words as watch out, you must be on your guard, so be on your guard, be on guard, be alert, therefore keep watch and watch in Mark 13 that one of the main purposes of the Olivet discourse was to alert the disciples to the danger of deception
• Godliness requires self-discipline

Application:

• Has the Spirit revealed God's nature and His plans for grace to you?
• Are you alert to the danger of deception?
• Do you have nothing to do with godless myths?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Deacons

1 Timothy 3:5-8 - (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.

1 Corinthians 10:32-33 - Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Mark 4:11-12 - He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, " 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"

Titus 1:7 - Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

Acts 6:2,6 - So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables…They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

Conclusions:

• The particular cause of stumbling Paul had in mind was that of eating meat offered to idols
• Living to glorify God will result in doing what is beneficial for others, whether Christians or non-Christians
• In the New Testament secret refers to something God has revealed to His people
• The secret is proclaimed to all, but only those who have faith understand
• In Mark 4:11 the secret seems to be that the kingdom of God had drawn near in the coming of Jesus Christ
• In Acts 6, the apostles were responsible for church life in general, including the ministry of the word of God and the care of the needy
• The early church was concerned about a spiritual ministry and a material ministry
• Laying on of hands was used in the Old Testament period to confer blessing, to transfer guilt from sinner to sacrifice and to commission a person for a new responsibility
• In the New Testament period, laying on of hands was observed in healing, blessing, ordaining or commissioning and imparting of spiritual gifts
• These seven men in Acts 6 were appointed to responsibilities turned over to them by the Twelve
• The Greek word used to describe the seven men’s responsibility is the verb from which the noun deacon comes
• The Greek noun for deacon can also be translated minister or servant
• It is disputed whether the Seven were the first deacons or were later replaced by deacons

Application

• Do you live to glorify God?
• Has the secrets of the kingdom of God been given to you?
• Are you violent?
• Are you concerned about the care of the needy?
• Do you confer blessing?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Drunkenness

1 Timothy 3:2-4 - Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.

Titus 1:6-7 - An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

1 Peter 5:2-3 - Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Conclusions:

• The use of elder and overseer in Titus indicates that the terms were used interchangeably
• Elder indicates maturity and experience, while overseer indicates watching over God’s flock
• Be shepherds of God’s flock is a metaphor that our Lord Himself had employed and that must have been etched in Peter’s mind
• Peter is fulfilling Christ’s command to feed His sheep as he writes 1 Peter
• What Peter writes to the elders is reminiscent of Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesians elders
• The term shepherd is an Old Testament metaphor as well
• It is clear from 1 Peter 5 that the three terms elder, overseer and shepherd all apply to one office
• Since elders, by definition, were chosen from among the older men of the congregation, Paul assumed they would already be married and have children
• A qualified unmarried man was not necessarily barred
• It is also improbable that the standard (husband of but one wife) forbids an elder to remarry if his wife dies
• The most likely meaning of husband of but one wife is simply that a faithful monogamous married life must be maintained.

Application:

• Are you quick-tempered?
• Are you a shepherd of God's flock?
• Are you blameless?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

God

1 Timothy 2:5-7 - For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

Romans 3:29-30 - Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

Titus 1:1-4 - Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Application:

• By appealing to the first article of Jewish faith, Paul argues that there is only one way of salvation for both Jew and Gentile, namely, faith in Christ
• Crucial events in God’s program are at His designated times in history
• His word is the authoritative message that centers in Christ
• Three times God the Father is called Savior, and three times Jesus is called Savior
• Paul’s purpose is to testify that, through His death, Christ has bridged the gap between God and man and made salvation available to all
• A herald is one who with authority make a public proclamation

Application:

• Do you have faith in Christ?
• Has God brought His word to light through you?
• Is salvation available to you?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible