For those of us who serve as elders or deacons, today’s passage can be quite daunting, perhaps even causing some of us to wonder whether we will ever be worthy of our office. But Paul’s lists of qualifications can also seem a bit arbitrary – why doesn’t he say that elders and deacons should be prayerful or charitable or knowledgeable of the Scriptures?

Well, the qualifications for an elder make sense if we look at them through the lens of what an elder is supposed to do. Far from being merely a member of the board of trustees of a local non-profit corporation (which is the way many modern elders see themselves), Paul expected elders to be overseers – concerned with holding Christians accountable for their spiritual growth and conduct. And sometimes such oversight requires confronting people about the sin in their lives that they don’t yet recognize.

So of course those tasked with such a judicial role should be all the things Paul lists in verses 2-7. For who would want a judge who is drunk or greedy or quarrelsome? And of course we are more likely to listen to those who set a good example for us in family matters, those who through self-control are worthy of our respect.

And what about deacons? In Paul’s day, congregations tended to meet in people’s homes, so deacons didn’t have to worry about the upkeep of buildings and grounds. Instead, they were responsible for gathering and distributing the church’s gifts to the needy. So of course those who are called to such financial stewardship shouldn’t be greedy drunkards. Of course we should be able to trust them to speak honestly about the needs around us, while at the same time being discrete about those needs which might prove embarrassing. And of course we would expect deacons to demonstrate their trustworthiness by looking after their own families first.

So of course those of us who are called to be deacons and elders should seek to live up to Paul’s high standards of conduct. But it’s even more important that we seek to do the jobs the church needs us to do.

I Timothy 3:1-16 (ESV)

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,
5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that,
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.