Another group in the church deserved Timothy's special attention. Therefore Paul gave instructions concerning the care of elders to his young legate to enable him to deal with present and potential elders properly.
The structure of this pericope is similar to that of the previous paragraph dealing with widows. In both sections Paul began by showing genuine concern for the care of those in the group, namely widows and elders. He then proceeded to urge correction of those within each group that needed it.
5:17-18 It is obvious that the elders Paul referred to in this pericope were the church overseers and not just any older men in the congregation. Paul had already given the qualifications for these officers (3:1-7) and now he described them as ruling, preaching, and teaching. From this verse we learn that the overall duty of the elders was ruling the church in the sense of directing its affairs and giving oversight to all its activities (cf. 1 Pet. 5:1-4).
What were the single and double honor to which Paul referred? The single honor most likely alludes to the respect that came to the elder for being an elder.
"The term honor' does not refer merely to an honorarium, but the failure to give proper pay would imply a lack of honor. The idea of double' may refer to the double portion the oldest in the family received (Deut 21:17). It probably consisted of the twin benefits of honor or respect and financial remuneration [cf. vv. 3, 17-18]. The fact that pay was at least included shows that those who gave leadership to spiritual affairs could expect financial support from the church (cf. 2 Cor 11:8-9; Gal 6:6)."192
Another view is that the double honor did not necessarily include an honorarium or salary but consisted of the respect intrinsic to the office plus the joy of a job well done.193
"At least a part of the double honor' Paul urged for the competent elder involved a recognition for a job well done. For us today writing a letter of gratitude, making a phone call of appreciation, and expressing a personal word of praise can accomplish the same thing."194
Note that not all the elders in the Ephesian church worked hard at preaching and teaching. This may imply that all were equally responsible to preach and teach but some did it with more diligence than others. It may mean that some elders had more responsibility to preach and teach than others (e.g., pastoral staff). Both options may be in view since both situations are common. In any group of elders one will be more diligent and or more competent in these ministries than another. Verse 17 probably allows for a division of labor among the elders though all were to be "able to teach"(3:2).195The distinction that some churches make between teaching elders and ruling elders, therefore, is essentially functional, not official.196
Paul cited two scriptural authorities to support his instruction to those who serve the church by providing leadership as elders: Moses (Deut. 25:4; Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15; cf. 1 Cor. 9:9) and Jesus (Luke 10:7; cf. Matt. 10:10). If Paul meant that both quotations were Scripture, this is one of the earliest New Testament attestations to the inspiration of another New Testament book (Luke and or Matthew). However, he could have meant that only the first quotation was Scripture. He may have simply added a commonly accepted truth that Jesus also quoted, which Matthew and Luke recorded, for support. The text is not specific on this point.
5:19-20 Criticism of leaders is a favorite spectator sport. Paul directed that his readers should not entertain accusations against elders unless two or three witnesses agreed to give evidence of wrongdoing (cf. Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; John 8:17; 2 Cor. 13:1). Following a private rebuke Timothy should publicly rebuke a persistently erring elder. This procedure would also discourage others from sinning. The sin in view is difficult to ascertain. The present tense implies continued sin, but the general word for sin (Gr. tous hamartanontas) leaves the offense unspecified.197Who are the "all"and the "rest,"the elders or the entire church?
". . . since the level at which the sin of the elder is being dealt with is that of two or three witnesses, the analogy with Mt. 18:15-18, particularly v. 17, tell it to the church,' would point to all the church' as more likely . . ."198
In our day the church leaders would be those responsible to carry out what Paul commanded Timothy to do.
"Where there's smoke, there's fire' may be a good slogan for a volunteer fire department, but it does not apply to local churches. Where there's smoke, there's fire' could possibly mean that somebody's tongue has been set on fire of hell'! (James 3:6)."199
5:21 Paul could hardly have stressed the importance of absolute objectivity and honesty in dealing with offending leaders more strongly (cf. 6:13; 2 Tim. 4:1). God, Christ Jesus, and the elect angels are all judges (Matt. 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Rev. 14:10). Paul urged Timothy on behalf of these judges to judge fairly. The apostle may have been thinking of Deuteronomy 19:17 here since that verse also specifies a triad of judges in a context of judging an accused offender.
5:22 Paul also urged Timothy to minimize the possibility of elder failure by being extremely careful about whom he appointed in the first place. Laying on hands in this context probably refers to public ordination (cf. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:7)200rather than to the restoration of repentant fallen elders.201A person who appoints a deficient candidate to office shares his guilt when his unacceptability surfaces. Since Timothy occupied the seat of a judge he needed to stay free from sin himself. As in 4:6-16, Paul's concern about the sins of others led him to insert a short aside to Timothy about the importance of ordering his own life.
5:23 Paul may have realized that the process of elder discipline that he imposed on Timothy would have been hard on him physically as well as emotionally. According to this verse Timothy suffered from frequent illness. Consequently the apostle prescribed a little wine for medicinal purposes.
"The words imply that Timothy was a total abstainer from wine."202
"We must remember that wine was one of the chief remedial agents of those times in which the science of medicine was in its infancy among Greek physicians."203
This verse is a personal parenthesis in the flow of Paul's argument about sinning elders.
5:24-25 Timothy needed to be cautious about choosing church leaders, Paul continued, because sin is not always obvious as soon as someone practices it. However eventually it will become known. In the same manner good deeds can remain hidden for years. Consequently the better a church knows its potential elders the fewer surprises they will present after their appointment. This was Paul's point in these two verses.
