Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
1 Timothy 3:1-13, Overseers, deacons and the women
Paul lists what is required of an overseer, above reproach, faithful in marriage, hospitable, able to teach, managing his household well, and then of deacons and of the women, who must also be worthy of respect.
1 Timothy 3:1-13, in every translation this tool compares.
Paul sets out what the church should look for in its leaders. An overseer must have a blameless reputation, be faithful in marriage, self-controlled, welcoming, able to teach, free of drink, violence and greed, and run his own household well, since that shows whether he can care for the church. Deacons and the women are held to a similar standard of respect, honesty and proven character. What faithful to his wife means, and who the women are, are both debated.
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/elders\/","n":"Elders","s":"Older men respected for wisdom led Israel's villages in the Old Testament and still led Jewish communities and synagogues in the first century, usually as a group. The first churches took over the pattern, calling their elders overseers too, with deacons beside them.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/the-household\/","n":"The household and its head","s":"A household gathered family, slaves, freed slaves and workers under one head, and it was expected to follow that head's religion. When the head turned to a new god, the house often came too.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/honor-and-shame\/","n":"Honor before a crowd","s":"Public standing was the currency of the ancient Mediterranean. People competed for honor and dreaded being shamed in front of others.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/hospitality\/","n":"Hospitality to travelers","s":"Taking in travelers was one of the great virtues of the ancient Mediterranean, above all among Jews. Messengers could travel light because they expected to be housed.","r":""}
Overseer was a title for officials of cities and associations, and Qumran had an equivalent (Keener). Most hold it the same office as elder (Keener; the ESV and CSB Study Bibles; Carson, Moo and Morris, who add that it soon became the single bishop); Wright leaves open whether it meant one leader or one of a team. A slandered minority needed a good name, and Arnold, citing Fee, reads the devil's trap as outsiders' scandal at leaders' conduct. Faithful to his wife is disputed: polygamy was illegal in Greek and Roman law and "in this period the practice was very rare" among Judeans (the cultural backgrounds article on marriage), so Keener, his notes and the CSB Study Bible read faithfulness; Wright holds that "Polygamy was common in Paul's world" and that the phrase bars men with several wives; the ESV Study Bible sets out three views. Wright notes that wine was the cheap drink where clean water was scarce. The women of verse 11 are deacons' wives or female deacons (Keener and his notes; the ESV and CSB Study Bibles; Wright and Bird; Wright, who leaves it open).
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, introduction to 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and on 1 Timothy 3:1, 3:2-3, 3:6-7 and 3:11
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 3:2 and 3:11, and article Marriage Roles in Antiquity
- ESV Study Bible, study notes on 1 Timothy 3:1, 3:2-3 and 3:11
- CSB Study Bible, notes on 1 Timothy 3:1, 3:2 and 3:11
- N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World, ch. 23, The Pastoral Epistles, The Argument of 1 Timothy, section 4
- N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: The Pastoral Letters, comments on 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 3:8-13
- D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament, ch. 15, The Pastoral Epistles: The Ecclesiastical Organization, and The Contribution of 1 Timothy
- Clinton E. Arnold, Powers of Darkness, ch. 9, The Influence of the Powers on Believers, Hindering the Mission of the Church
