fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover, he must

have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil.

τυφωθεις, εις κριμα εμπεση του διαβόλου.

7 Δει δε αυτον και μαρ τυριαν καλην εχειν απο των εξωθεν ἵνα μη εις ονειδισμον

εμπεση και παγιδα του διαβολου.

8 Likewise must the 8 Διακόνους ώσαυτως σεμ deacons be grave, not νους, μη διλογους, μη οινῳ double-tongued, not given - πολλῳ

προσέχοντας,

to much wine, nor greedy αισχροκερδεις

of filthy lucre;

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

μη

9 Έχοντας το μυςήριον της πίςεως εν καθαρᾳ συνει δησει

were not to be made bishops, because being imperfectly instructed in the Christian doctrine, they were not fit to teach it to others.-Besides, as their constancy and other virtues had not been sufficiently tried, they could have had little authority, especially with the brethren of longer standing and greater experience.

2. Lest τυφωθεις, being puffed up. Bengelius says τυφω, is of the same signification with xa, that rup is a smoky heat void of flame, and that they are said rupsoda, whom wine, or pride, or an high opinion of their own knowledge, intoxicates and makes giddy. See 2 Cor. x. 5. note 1. 3. Fall into the condemnation of the devil. According to Erasmus, this clause should be translated, Fall into the condemnation of the accuser ; a sense which the word διαβολα, hath ver. 11. For he supposes that by the accuser is meant, the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, who were ready to condemn the Christians for every misdemeanor. But others understand the apostle as speaking of that evil spirit, who in scripture is called the Devil; and who was cast out of heaven for his sin, 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude, ver. 6. which in this passage is insinuated to have been pride; but in what instance, or, how shewed, is no where told. There are who think he refused some ministration appointed him by God. Others that he would not acknowledge the Son of God as his superior.

Ver. 7-1. May not fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil. Here it is intimated, that the sins which one hath formerly committed, when cast in his teeth, after he becomes a minister, may be the means of tempting him to repeat these sins, by the devil's suggesting to him, that he has little reputation to lose. Nor is this the only evil. The people knowing his former miscarriages, will be the less affected with what he says to them.-All who are candidates for the ministry ought to consider these things seriously.

pride on account of his promotion, he fall into the punishment inflicted on the devil.

7 Moreover, before his conversion, he must have behaved in such a manner, as even to have a good testimony from the heathens; that he may not be liable to reproach, for the sins he committed before his conversion, and fall into the snare of the devil, who by these reproaches may tempt him to renounce the gospel.

8 The deacons, in like manner, must be of a grave character, not double-tongued, speaking one thing to this person, and another to that, on the same subject: Not giving themselves to much wine; not persons who earn money by base methods. See ver. 3. note 2.

9 He must hold fast the doctrines of the gospel with a pure conscience. He must not from fear or self-interest either.conceal, or disguise these doctrines.

Ver. 8.-1. The deacons (See Rom. xvi. 1. note 3.) in like manner must be grave. The word σeμvous, translated grave, includes also the ideas of dignity and stayedness. These qualities were required in deacons, because they seem to have been employed in teaching. See ver. 9. note.

Ver. 9.-1. Holding fast the mystery of the faith. In the opinion of many, this is the doctrine of the salvation of the Gentiles by faith, without the works of the law of Moses, called the mystery of God's will, Ephes. i. 9. And the mystery which hath heen hid from ages and generations, Col. i. 26. But I rather think it denotes the doctrine of the gospel in general, called 1 Cor. ii. 7. A mystery; and ver. 16. of this chapter, the mystery of godliness.—The apostle's direction implies, that a deacon should be both sound in the faith, and conscientious in maintaining it. And although the apostle hath noț mentioned it, Timothy, from this direction concerning deacons, must have been sensible that it was equally necessary in bishops, as in deacons, to hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.-Soundness in the faith being required in deacons, it is a presumption that they were sometimes employed in teaching; but whether by preaching, or by catechising, is hard to say. They likewise performed the office of readers in the church. See Beza here.

10 And let these also

first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their

wives be grave, not sianderers; sober, faithful in all things.

10 Και έτοι δε δοκιμα ζεσθωσαν πρώτον, ειτα δια χονειτωσαν, ανεγκλητοι οντες.

Η Γυναικας ώσαυτως σεμ νας, μη διαβόλους, νηφαλιους, πιςας εν πασι.

Ver. 10.-1. But let these also be proved first. The word also, implies, that the rule for trying the character of the deacons, was to be observed with relation to bishops. The rule was this: They published in their assemblies for worship, the names of the persons designed for ecclesiastical functions, that if any one had aught to accuse them of, they might shew it. So we are told by Lampridius, in his life of Alexander Severus, tom. ii. c. 46. quoted at large, Truth of the Gospel Hist. p. 331. who, it seems, wished to have the same method followed in appointing the governors of provinces; and alleged the example of the Jews and Christians, who published the names of their ministers, before they established them in their offices. Now although Lampridius speaks of a rule observed by the Christians in the time of Alexander Severus, previous to their admitting persons to be bishops and deacons, it was a rule so natural and reasonable, that we may suppose it was prescribed by the apostles and that it is referred to in this passage, where he ordered persons to be proved before they exercised the deacon's office. But Estius thinks the apostle, in this direction, required that no one should be made either a bishop or a deacon, till he had given proof both of his steadfastness in the faith, and of his other virtues, during a reasonable space of time after his conversion. The other interpretation, however, agrees better with the subsequent clause, being aveyaṛntol, unaccused.

Ver. 11.-1. The women, in like manner, must be grave. In translating Tuvanas, by the word women, I have followed the Vulgate, which hath here, Mulieres similiter pudicas, the women in like manner must be modest; because I see no reason for its being made a qualification of deacons to have wives vigilant and faithful in all things; especially as it is not made a quali.. fication of bishops to have wives of that character. Besides, Chrysostom and the Greek commentators with the most ancient Latin fathers were of opinion, that the apostle, in this passage, is speaking both of those women who in the first age were employed in ministring to the afflicted, and of those who were appointed to teach the young of their own sex the principles of religion. As the manners of the Greeks did not permit men to have much intercourse with women of character, unless they were their relations, and as the Asiatics were under still greater restraints, (See Rom. xvi. 1. note 3.) it was proper that an order of female teachers should be instituted in the church, for instructing the young of their own sex. Of these I think the apostle writes in his epistle to Titus, chap. ii. 3, 4. where he gives an account of their office, and calls them, peoCurides, Female elders, because of their

age. And it is believed that they are the persons called widows, of whose maintenance by the church the apostle speaks, 1 Tim. v. 2. and whose character and state he there describes, ver. 9, 10. See the note on ver. 15. of that chapter. Farther, Clement of Alexandria reckons widows among ecclesiastical persons, Pædag. Lib. iii. c. 12. There are many precepts in scripture concerning those who are chosen, some for priests, others for bishops, others for deacons, others for widows.-Grotius tells us, these female presbyters or elders, were ordained by the imposition of hands, till the council of Laodicea; and for this he quotes the xith canon of that council-From what is said of Euodia and Syntyche, Philip. iv. 3. it is probable they were female presbyters. Perhaps also Priscilla, Tryphæna and Tryphosa were of the same order, with some others, whom in his epistle to the Romans the apostle salutes, Rom. xvi. 3. 12. as labouring in the Lord.

For these reasons, and on account of the particulars mentioned, Rom. xvi 1. note 3. I think the apostle in 1 Tim. iii. 11. describes the qualifications not of the deacons wives, but of the women who in the first age were employed by the church, to minister to the sick and afflicted, and to instruct the young of their own sex in the principles of the Christian faith.

2. Not slanderers My diabon8s. This Greek word comes from diabanhey, transfigere verbis aut calumniis, and is very properly translated slanderers. It was necessary that the women who were employed in ministring to the afflicted, and in teaching the younger women, should be free from detraction, because their slanders might provoke the bishops and deacons to administer rebukes rashly.

3. But (vps) vigilant. As it was required of the bishop that he should be vansov, vigilant or attentive to all the duties of his function and to his flock, so the women who were employed in ministring to the sick, and in teaching the young of their own sex, were to be vigilant and faithful in all things; in all the duties of their office.-Estius, who understands this verse of the wives of the bishops and deacons, is of opinion, that the word pas, translated vigilant, signifies sober, or free from drunkenness. If

12 Let the deacons be

the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and

their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to them

selves a good degree, and

great boldness in the faith

which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly.

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave

of

thyself in the house God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar

and ground of the truth.

13 Οἱ γαρ καλως διακονήσαντες, βαθμον ἑαυτοῖς και λον περιποιούνται, και πολλην παρρησίαν εν πιςει τη εν Χριςώ Ιησου.

14 Ταυτα σοι γράφω, ελπίζων ελπειν προς σε ταχιον

15 Εαν δε βραδύνω, ἵνα ειδης πως δει εν οικῳ Θεου ανατρέφεσθαι, ἥτις εςιν εκε κλησια Θεου ζωντος, ςυλος και εδραιωμα της αληθείας.

this is the apostle's meaning, the requisition in this verse will be an implied direction to the ministers of the gospel, who ought to rule well all the members of their own families, to attend chiefly to the good qualities of the women they propose to marry. See, however, ver. 2. note 2.

Ver. 12.—1. Ruling well their children and their own houses. This qualification, which was required in bishops likewise, shews how anxious the apostle was, that all who bare sacred offices should be unblameable in every respect; knowing that the disorderly behaviour of the members of their family, might give occasion to suspect that they had been careless of their morals.

Ver. 13.1. They who have performed the office of a deacon well περιποι ενται procure to themselves βαθμον καλον, an excellent step, or degree. In the early ages, the bishops or pastors were sometimes taken from among the deacons. Thus Eleutherus, bishop of Rome, before his promotion, was a deacon of that church in the time of Anicetus, as Eusebius informs us, Eccles. Hist. v. 6. Edit. Vales. But whether this was the practice in the apostles time; or, if it was the practice, whether St. Paul had it in view here, is hard to say.—Because βαθμος signifies a step or seat, some imagine the apostle alludes to the custom of the synagogue, where persons of the greatest dignity were set on the most elevated seats.

Ver. 15.1. In the house of God. The tabernacle first, and afterwards the temple, obtained the name of the house, or habitation of God, because