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1 Timothy 5:17-25 - Chapter by Chapter Bible Study
Appropriate Treatments
Chapter 5:17-25
Elders Treatment
17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
18 For the Scripture says, " YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and " The laborer is worthy of his wages."
19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.
20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
Truth Treatment
21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.
22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.
Ailment Treatment
23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
Sin’s Treatment
24 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.
25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
1 Tim 5:17-25
Key Words
· 6 SIN / SINS / SINNING
· 2 ELDER / ELDERS
· 2 WORTHY
· 2 QUITE EVIDENT
· 5 YOU / YOUR / YOURSELF
· 1 ACCUSATION
· 1 TWO OR THREE WITNESSES
· 1 LITTLE WINE
· 1 DOUBLE HONOR
Title(s)
Appropriate Treatments
Outline
I. Elder Treatment 17-20
II. Truth Treatment 21-22
III. Ailment Treatment 23
IV. Sin’s Treatment 24-25
Cross References, Questions, Observations
17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
· Rule proisteŻmi - to set or place before to set over to be over, to superintend, preside over to be a protector or guardian to give aid to care for, give attention to profess honest occupations
· Considered Worthy axiooŻ - o think meet, fit, right to judge worthy, deem, deserving
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
1 Tim 3:5
8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:8
7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Heb 13:7
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
Heb 13:17
12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,
13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
1 Thess 5:12-13
6 Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
7 Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
8 I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, " YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about oxen, is He?
10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
1 Cor 9:6-12
a) How can elders be shown double honor?
1) Three responsibilities of elders are ruling, preaching and teaching
18 For the Scripture says, " YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and " The laborer is worthy of his wages."
·
13 'You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.
Lev 19:13
14 " You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.
15 " You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the Lord and it become sin in you.
Deut 24:14-15
10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.
Matt 10:10
7 "Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.
Luke 10:7
a) How common is it for companies in China to cheat workers out of wages they have earned?
b) What is the primary idea Paul is teaching in v17-18?
1)
19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.
· Accusation kateŻgoria - accusation, charge
11 I said in my alarm, " All men are liars."
Psalms 116:11
6 " On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
Deut 17:6
15 " A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.
16 " If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing,
17 then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days.
18 "The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely,
19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.
Deut 19:15-19
1 This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.
2 Cor 13:1
28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Heb 10:28
16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
Matt 18:16
a) How does this principle differ from receiving an accusation against any other member of the congregation?
1) Often, people will attack an elder to take him down so that they can proceed with their own agenda
20 Those who continue in sin,rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
· Rebuke elegchoŻ - to convict, refute, confute generally with a suggestion of shame of the person convicted by conviction to bring to the light, to expose to find fault with, correct by word to reprehend severely, chide, admonish, reprove to call to account, show one his fault, demand an explanation by deed to chasten, to punish
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
Gal 2:11-14
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
2 Tim 4:2
13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,
Titus 1:13
6 " If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ' Let us go and serve other gods' (whom neither you nor your fathers have known,
7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end),
8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.
9 " But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
10 "So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
11 "Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
Deut 13:6-11
18 "The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely,
19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.
20 " The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you.
Deut 19:18-20
1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
4 "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?" And she said, "Yes, that was the price."
9 Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well."
10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.
Acts 5:1-11
15 " If your brother sins , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
Matt 18:15
a) Why does Matt 18:15 say to reprove you brother in private, but an elder is to be rebuked in the presence of all?
1) God wants people to be fearful of sinning.
21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.
· Solemnly charge diamarturomai - to testify earnestly, religiously to charge to attest, testify to, solemnly affirm to give solemn testimony to one to confirm a thing by testimony, to testify, cause it to be believed
13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Tim 6:13-14
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
2 Tim 4:1-2
15 ' You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
Lev 19:15
28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Gen 25:28
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;
Romans 2:9-12
a) Why does Paul say he’s in the presence of God and Christ Jesus?
b) What is a chosen angel?
c) Why is partiality bad?
1)
22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.
·
10 " He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
11 "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?
12 "And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
Luke 16:10-12
26 "Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27 "For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
Acts 20:26-27
19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, " The Lord knows those who are His," and, " Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness."
2 Tim 2:19
a) What does it mean to lay hands on someone?
b) How soon is too soon?
c) How does laying hands on someone too soon cause you to share responsibilities for other’s sin?
d) What is the danger of hastily laying hands on someone?
1)
23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
· Wine oinos - wine metaph. fiery wine of God's wrath
3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, "They have no wine."
4 And Jesus *said to her, " Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."
5 His mother *said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
7 Jesus *said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim.
8 And He *said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him.
9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom,
10 and *said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
John 2:3-10
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
Eph 5:18
7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
Titus 1:7
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
Titus 2:32:25-27
a) Since Timothy had frequent ailments, why didn’t Paul simply heal him?
1)
24 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.
·
3 (now the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite),
1 Sam 25:3
5 When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came.
6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left.
7 Thus Shimei said when he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow!
8 " The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!"
2 Sam 16:5-8
2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.
2 Chron 25:2
2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And he would say, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."
3 Then Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king."
4 Moreover, Absalom would say, " Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice."
5 And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
6 In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.
2 Sam 15:2-6
a) Name some sins that are quite evident.
b) Name some sins that are not quite so evident.
1)
25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.
·
16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matt 5:16
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.
Psalms 37:3-6
3 "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
5 "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matt 6:3-6
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
Prov 27:2
a)
1)
Key Verse
21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.
Central Teaching
God prescribes the proper treatment for elders, truth, ailments, and sin.
Application
What application should you make from this passage?
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