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NASB | Titus 1:6 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Titus 1:6 namely, a man of unquestionable integrity, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of being immoral or rebellious. |
Subject: The husband of only one wife? |
Bible Note: EdB: I have never really felt it was the proper time to give anyone my belief about divorce and especially in reguards to a divorece man being a church leader, pastor, deacon or elder. However, after nearly two decades of prayer and study I will present to you my basis for my belief. I sincerely hope this will reflect an honest response, given in Christian love, kindness, and respect. What kind of person does the New Testament permit to be a church leader-pastor or deacon, or elder? The time of ordination brings this question into sharp focus and often to equally sharp contention. Some Christians assume that the clear teaching of scripture is our ungqestioned and unquestionable guide. But what constitutes that clear teaching is open to considerable question. The one question that almost invariably leads to the sharpest contention is the matter of granting ordination to one who has been divorced, whether he be remarried or not. The limited treatment that the Nes Testament gives this subject results in our being almost forced to depend directly on statements found in 1 Timothy 3:2, 12. Since the number of deacons and elders who serve, in every church exceeds the number of pastors who are connected with it, more debate arises over this matter that men eligible for the office of deacon, or elder than considering men eligible for the pastorate. Yet this question involves more than one issue. Christians would profit by giving as close attention to the basic function of a deacon or elder in the Nes Testament as given to specfic details of personal qualifications. (William Barclay, in The Daily Study Bible om 1 Timothy, gives a brief on thid mstter that would help most chruches.) Helping deacons and elders understand their true function could greatly vitalize the life of many churches. As for the deacon's or elder's qualifications, I can register some opinions on the meaning of the ! Timothy pasage, recognixing that this is anything but an authoritative statement. If you see fit to cite anything in this statement, please cite it as an opinion. Too, pleast be sure that you have given the true context of the statement. Many short statements, when taken out of context, sound like something far different from the meaning established by the context. One who wishes to study the subject must recognize that verses 2 and 12 cannot be isolated from the teachings of the entire passage, 1 Timothy 3:1_13. Too, the close similarity of the description of an acceptable bishop and acceptable deacon or elder demands that the interpreter consider the statements on each in light of statements on the other. The problems have arisen out of the translation of the Greek phrase (mias gunaikos andra in verse 2 and mias gunaikos andres in verse 12.) The context caused the number of the word for "man" to differ. Andra is singular: andres is plural. That is a meaningless point of granatical form. Traditionally this phrase has been translated "the husband of one wife." This specfic rendering opend the field to ridged interpretation and application. For most people that translation has made the phrase a standard for church leadership based on a man's marriage history. End of part one, see part 2 continued. |