长老的资格——提摩太前书3:2-7注释TheBiblical Qualifications for Elders and Deacons: An Exegesis of 1 Timothy 3:2–13

作者: Archibald Alexander Allison  译/校对者:  述宁/ 郭春雨

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Hv09HEW7XGyfV0oZg-J32g

作监督的，必须无可指责，只作一个妇人的丈夫，有节制，自守，端正，乐意接待远人，善于教导，不因酒滋事、不打人，只要温和，不争竞、不贪财，好好管理自己的家，使儿女凡事端庄、顺服。人若不知道管理自己的家，焉能照管神的教会呢？初入教的不可作监督，恐怕他自高自大，就落在魔鬼所受的刑罚里。监督也必须在教外有好名声，恐怕被人毁谤，落在魔鬼的网罗里。（提前3:2-7）

1 Timothy 3:2–7 (author’s translation): 2The overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, prudent, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching,  3not given to much wine, not a violent man, not fond of shameful gain, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not loving money,  4ruling his own house well, having his children in submission, with all reverence 5(for if one does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?),  6not newly converted, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.  7Moreover, he must also have a good testimony from those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

 

无可指责

Blameless

结构

使徒保罗先从一般性的要求来开始他对于监督资格的系列说明，然后列举了监督具体在哪些方面必须无可指责。

Structure

 The apostle Paul begins this list of qualifications for the office of overseer with a general requirement, followed by specific areas in which the overseer must be blameless.

注释

Comment

在圣经中，监督一词既指治理长老，也指教导长老。换句话说，在提摩太前书3:2-7中列举的资格要求既适用于圣言的牧者，也适用于牧养其所负责照管的羊群的其他长老。3:2中的“必须”一词指的是，这些资格是必要的，它们不仅仅是一些有用的指南，所有这些资格都是强制性的。这些是神为祂教会中的长老所规定的要求。除非具备所有这些资格，否则任何人都不得在神的教会中成为长老。我们承认基督是教会的王，这意味着我们必须遵行基督在祂的圣言中给教会设定的规则。神给教会的职责是把所有不配的人排除在治理和教导长老的职分之外。如果已经在职的人显明他不够资格担任他的职分，那么教会必须马上把他从那个职分上移除。如果这样做，教会就高举了基督的荣耀，并确保教会在更大的和平、纯洁、合一上被建立。

In Scripture, the word overseer refers to both ruling and teaching elders. In other words, the qualifications listed in 1 Tim. 3:2–7 apply to both ministers of the Word and the other elders who shepherd the flock under their care. The word “must” in verse 2 means that these qualifications are essential. They are not merely helpful guidelines. All of these qualifications are mandatory. They are requirements which God has laid down for the office of elder in his church. No man may be an elder in the church of God unless he meets all of these qualifications. We confess that Christ is king of the church. That means that the rules for the church which Christ sets down in his Word must be followed. It is the church’s God-given duty to keep all unworthy men out of the office of ruling and teaching elder. Should a man who is already in office show himself unqualified for the office he holds, the church must be diligent to remove him from that office. In so doing, the church will uphold the honor of Christ and insure that the church is edified for greater peace, purity, and unity.

经文中的“无可指责”并不是指一个人必须只有毫无罪恶才能成为神教会的监督。无可指责是指没有可以受谴责的地方。没有人能够对监督提出指控，并使其得到证实。无可指责并不意味着人可以逃避指控或定罪。而是说，当一个人的言行举止符合神在圣经中吩咐的诫命时，他就是无可指责的或者无可非议的，因此指控他犯罪或者定他有罪都不可能是公正的。

Order to be an overseer in the church of God. To be blameless is to be irreproachable. No one should be able to lay a charge against an overseer and make it stick. To be blameless does not mean that one is able to evade accusation or conviction. Rather, a man is blameless or above reproach when his words and conduct conform to the holy commandments of God in Scripture, so that he cannot justly be accused or convicted of any sin.

圣经说约伯“完全正直，敬畏神，远离恶事”（伯1:1）。神的百姓应该能够这样描述教会中的每位长老。监督的名声应该是无可非议的。无论是在言语、举止还是教义上，任何人都无法揪住他、攻击他或谴责他有什么罪行。每个基督徒都犯罪，直到有一天他在死去的时候放下这罪恶的身体。所有人都有的日常罪恶不应被用来谴责或责备某人，因为他们也犯同样的罪恶。监督必须拥有并保持良好的名声。他正直的品格应该是毫无疑问的。

The Scripture says that Job was “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). The people of God should be able to say that about every elder in the church. The overseer’s reputation should be above reproach. No one should be able to lay hold of him or assail him or reproach him because of his sins, whether in speech, conduct, or doctrine. Every Christian sins until the day he lays down this body of sin at death. Daily sins that are common to all men do not bring reproach and blame upon a person from others because they too are guilty of the same sins. An overseer must have and maintain a good name. There should be no question as to his integrity or upright character.

约翰·加尔文这样解释道：长老“不应有任何会损害他的权柄的羞耻。当然，不会有哪个人没有一点过失，但是，一个人犯有不损害他名声的一般性过失是一回事，因为即使是最杰出的人也会有一般性的过失；但是，如果一个人臭名昭著，并且因为一些令人羞耻的丑闻而名声扫地，那就是另外一回事了。因此，为了使主教（监督）不丧失权柄，他（指保罗——编者注）吩咐人，那些被选中的人应该具有良好和可敬的名声，并且没有任何重大的过失。他不仅在指导提摩太应该选择什么样的人，而且也提醒所有羡慕这职分的人，他们应该认真地检查自己的生活”（提前3:2注释）。

John Calvin explains it this way: An elder “ought not to be marked by any disgrace that would detract from his authority. There will certainly not be found a man who is free from every fault, but it is one thing to be burdened with ordinary faults that do not hurt a man’s reputation, because the most excellent men share them, but quite another to have a name that is held in infamy and besmirched by some scandalous disgrace. Thus, in order that the bishops [overseers] may not lack authority, he gives charge that those who are chosen should be of good and honorable reputation, and free of any extraordinary fault. Also, he is not merely directing Timothy as to the sort of men he should choose but he is reminding all who aspire to the office that they should carefully examine their own life” (Commentary on 1 Tim. 3:2).

结论

 1. 每一位圣言的牧者和每一位治理的长老都必须在神和世人面前有成熟和正直的品格，这样他就无可非议了。

 2. 只有这样成熟、品行端正和正直的人，才能在言语、行为、爱心、信心、清洁上成为被他照看的人的敬虔榜样（见提前4:12）。

 3. 任何在品格上有污点，或没有始终如一的敬虔生活的人都不符合这一资格要求，不应该成为长老。

 4. 一个已经是长老的人，如果他品格和名声并非无可非议，或者因为他生命中一再出现的犯罪行为损害了他的权柄，他就应该被免职。

Conclusions

1. Every minister of the Word and every ruling elder must be a man of mature character and integrity before God and men so that he is irreproachable.

2. Only a man of such maturity, character, and integrity can be a godly example to those under his care in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity (see 1 Tim. 5:12). 3. Any man who has a stain upon his character or does not live a consistent, godly life does not meet this qualification and should not be an elder.

 4. A man in the office of elder whose character and reputation are not above reproach, or whose authority is undermined by a recurring pattern of sinful behavior in his life, ought to be removed from office.

只作一个妇人的丈夫

The Husband of One Wife

结构

Structure

保罗提出的第一个条件是监督必须无可指责或无可非议。接下来的资格要求涉及一个具体方面，监督必须在这方面毫无非议。“只作一个妇人的丈夫”（或作“一个女人的男人”）是使徒讨论的第一个具体方面。

The first qualification that Paul sets forth is that the overseer must be blameless or above reproach. The subsequent qualifications address specific areas in which the overseer must be above reproach. “The husband of one wife” (or, “the man of one woman”) is the first specific area addressed by the apostle.

注释

Comment

彼得在彼得前书的开头指明自己的身份——“耶稣基督的使徒彼得”。尽管他是使徒，但他也称自己为长老：“我这作长老、作基督受苦的见证、同享后来所要显现之荣耀的，劝你们中间与我同作长老的人，务要牧养在你们中间神的群羊，按着神旨意照管他们。”（彼前5:1-2）从这两段经文可以清楚地看出，使徒们也是长老（既被称为长老又被称为监督）。我们从哥林多前书7:8-9知道，写下提摩太前书和提多书的使徒保罗没有结婚。然而，他是“奉我们救主神和我们的盼望基督耶稣之命，作基督耶稣使徒的”（提前1:1）。保罗是使徒，也是神羊群中的长老、监督。他写这封信给“因信主作（我）真儿子的”提摩太（提前1:2），以便提摩太能够知道他“在神的家中当怎样行，这家就是永生神的教会，真理的柱石和根基”（提前3:15）。保罗经常以自己作为榜样，告诉提摩太作为监督应该如何行事为人。如果从圣经“只作一个妇人的丈夫”这项规定中推论出，长老必须是已婚男人，这肯定是歪曲了圣经。

Peter begins his first letter by identifying himself as “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Although he is an apostle, he also calls himself a fellow elder: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers” (1 Peter 5:1–2). From these two passages it is clear that the apostles were also elders (called both elders and overseers). We know from 1 Cor. 7:8–9 that the apostle Paul, who wrote both 1 Timothy and Titus, was unmarried. Yet he was “an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 1:1). As an apostle, Paul was also an elder, an overseer among the flock of God. He wrote this letter to Timothy, his “true son in the faith” (1:2), in order that Timothy might know how he ought to conduct himself “in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (3:15). Paul often gave himself as an example of what Timothy ought to be doing as an overseer. This being the context, one has to twist the Scripture to derive from the stipulation “the husband of one wife” that an elder must be a married man.

这个要求的意思是，如果一个人已婚，在神看来，他不得有多于一位妻子。在一个男人可以拥有不止一个妻子的时代，这是明确禁止监督一夫多妻（参见屈梭多模和加尔文）。新约确认了神从创世起就颁布的命令，即男人应离开父母，与妻子连合，二人成为一体。（创2:24；太19:5；弗5:31）。那些不义地与妻子离婚和/或娶另一位女子的人，这样在神面前他们同时有不止一个妻子，就是违反了神的律法，不能在教会中担当职分，因为教会是主耶稣基督的新娘。这里的关键点是，在神的律法中涉及婚姻（和离婚）的方面，长老必须无可指责。如果一个人可以在神的允许下公义地（符合圣经的律例）休妻并再婚，那么他仍然有资格担任监督的职分。

must not have more than one wife in God’s sight. This is an express prohibition of polygamy for an overseer at a time when some men had more than one wife (see Chrysostom and Calvin). The New Testament confirms God’s command from the time of creation that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5; Eph. 5:31). Those who divorce their wives unjustly and/or marry another woman, so that before God they have more than one wife at the same time, contrary to God’s law, may not be office-bearers in the church, which is the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. The point here is that the elder must be blameless with respect to the law of God concerning marriage (and divorce). If a man can justly (keeping the precepts of Scripture) put away his wife with the approval of God and remarry, then he is still qualified to hold the office of overseer.

保罗并不禁止任何事实上再婚的人担任这个职分（参提前5:14，4:3；罗7:2-3；林前7:8-9）。如果一个男人在他的妻子去世后与另一个女子结婚，那么他仍然有资格在神的羊群中做长老。无论已婚还是未婚，长老都必须在遵守第七条诫命方面为其他人作出忠心而贞洁的榜样。在他妻子在世的时候，已婚的长老必须忠于他的妻子。对于在教会中担当职分的人，任何性方面的不道德行为以及婚姻中的不忠行动都不能被容忍。如果有两三个证人证明一个人犯了这样的罪，那么他就不能再在教会中担当职分。

. 5:14; 4:3; Rom. 7:2–3; 1 Cor. 7:8–9). If a man’s wife dies and he marries another, he is still qualified to be an elder in the flock of God. Whether married or unmarried, the elder must be an example to others of faithfulness and chastity in obedience to the seventh commandment. A married elder must be faithful to his one wife as long as she lives. Sexual immorality and marital infidelity cannot be tolerated among office-bearers in the church. If there are two or three witnesses that a man has committed such sins, he may not hold office in the church.

保罗假定长老通常会是已婚的。不论是担当职分的人还是其他任何人，通常都是这种情况；尽管有些人为了天国的缘故，或由于天生的情况，或由于人自己的行为，而自愿放弃结婚的权利（太19:12）。

case, both with office-bearers and with all men, though to some it is given to be eunuchs voluntarily for the sake of the kingdom of God, by birth, or by an act of men (Matt. 19:12).

结论

 1. 重要的是要了解神的律法在离婚和再婚方面禁止和允许什么。在某些情况下，一个渴慕担当教导或治理长老职分的男人是否只有一个妻子，将是决定性的。

 2. 通常的情况是，一个人结了婚并有了管理家庭的经验，他就能够知道如何照管神的教会（提后3:4-5）。

 3. 不检点、不忠诚、不按律法离婚、不按律法结婚，或未能按理牧养妻子的人不应成为或继续作监督。

4. 妇女不得担当监督的职分。

5. 监督必须一直保持未婚，这既非正常情况，圣经也没有这样命令。“婚姻，人人都当尊重，床也不可污秽，因为苟合行淫的人，神必要审判。”（来13:4）婚姻是圣洁的，是神所命令的。教会中担当职分的人应该在婚姻中活出圣洁和对神的顺服，作整个羊群的榜样。他们作为一家之主的经验将有助于监督他们的教会。

Conclusions

1. It is important to know what the law of God forbids and allows concerning divorce and remarriage. In some cases that will determine whether a man who aspires to the office of teaching or ruling elder has onlyone wife.

2. It is normal for a man to marry and to gain experience governing his household so that he may know how to take care of the church of God (1 Tim. 3:4–5).

3. Men who are unchaste, who are unfaithful, who divorce unlawfully, who marry unlawfully, or who do not shepherd their wives as they ought, should not become or remain an overseer.

4. Women are excluded from the office of overseer.

5. It is not normal, nor is it commanded, that overseers remained unmarried. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). Marriage is holy and ordained by God. The office-bearers of the church ought to live in the married estate in holiness and obedience to God as an example to all the flock. Their experience as the head of their home will be useful in their oversight of their congregation.

有节制

Vigilant

结构

 “警觉的”或“有节制的”是三个品格特征系列中的第一个。

Structure “Vigilant” or “temperate” is the first in a series of three character traits.

注释

希腊语中的“有节制的（temperate）”一词可以表示“清醒的，不醉酒的，头脑清醒的，自我克制的，温和的，节俭的，克制的，头脑清醒的，审慎的，通达情理的”。英王钦定本把这个希腊单词翻译为“vigilant（警觉的）”。有充分的理由可以相信，保罗藉着这个单词并不是说长老在喝酒方面的克制，而是指长老在思想和行动方面总体的表现。

Comment The Greek word for “temperate” can mean “sober, not intoxicated, clearheaded, self-controlled, moderate, frugal, continent, sober-minded, prudent, reasonable.” The King James Version translates this Greek word as “vigilant.” There are good reasons to believe that by this word Paul is not speaking of an elder’s restraint in using intoxicating drink, but rather of how an elder thinks and reacts in general.

首先，在下一节（3:3）中，保罗特别指出，长老不能因酒滋事。（在提多书1:7中也有涉及喝酒的相同资格条件。）由于保罗在3:3中专门讨论了喝酒的问题，所以他在3:2中似乎不太可能也是讨论这个问题。

First, in the next verse (v. 3), Paul specifically states that an elder must not be given to much wine. (This same qualification regarding the use of wine is also in Titus 1:7.) Since Paul deals specifically with the use of wine in verse 3, it would seem unlikely that he would also do so in verse 2.

其次，“有节制的”位于涉及长老的行为、思维和态度的一般品格特征的系列资格的开头。“节制”之后是“自守”（sober，头脑清醒的）。英王钦定本的译者在新约中互换地使用了这两个英语单词。例如，在提多书2:2中，我们读到“劝老年人要有节制、端庄、自守，在信心、爱心、忍耐上都要纯全无疵”。被翻译为“有节制”（sober，头脑清醒的）的单词就是我们正在讨论的单词（“有节制的”，temperate）。[2]在提多书2:2中，翻译为“temperate”的原文单词与提摩太前书3:2中的“sober”[3]的原文单词相同。请注意，这些单词在提多书的翻译中与在提摩太前书中的翻译是可互换的。如果“temperate”和“sober”这两个词是两个完全不同的观念，彼此之间有差异明显，那么把它们在翻译中互换就是错误的做法了。这两个（希腊语）单词关系密切，在新约中的含义几乎相同。

Second, “temperate” is at the beginning of a list of qualities that have to do with the general character of an elder’s behavior, thinking, and attitudes. “Temperate” is followed by “sober-minded.” The translators of the New King James Version used these two English words interchangeably in the New Testament. For example, in Titus 2:2 we read “that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience.” The word translated as “sober” is the word we are discussing (“temperate”). The word translated as “temperate” in Titus 2:2 is the same word as “sober-minded” in 1 Tim. 3:2. Notice that the translation of these words has been interchanged in Titus from what we have in 1 Timothy. If the words “temperate” and “sober” were two totally different ideas, clearly distinguished from one another, then it would be erroneous to interchange them in translation. These two (Greek) words are closely related and have almost the same meaning in the New Testament.

第三，在提多书2:2和2:6-7中，保罗在说明人的一般性品格时使用了“temperate”和“sober-minded”（原文与“sober”相同）[4]。这些经文的上下文表明，保罗使用这些单词并不是在谈论一个人在喝酒方面的克制。

Third, in Titus 2:2 and 2:6–7 Paul uses the words “temperate” and “sober-minded” (the same word as “sober”) in the context of a man’s general character. The context of these passages shows that by these words Paul is not talking about a man’s restraint in drinking wine。

在提摩太后书4:5中，我们也找到在提摩太前书3:2被翻译为“temperate”的单词的动词形式：“因为时候要到，人必厌烦纯正的道理，耳朵发痒，就随从自己的情欲，增添好些师傅，并且掩耳不听真道，偏向荒渺的言语。你却要凡事谨慎，忍受苦难，作传道的工夫，尽你的职分。”（提后4:3-5）我们正在讨论的这种资格指的是小心、警惕，提防人不相信基督福音的真理，反而去听从一些荒渺的言语。

1 Tim. 3:2. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things” (2 Tim. 4:3–5). The qualification we are discussing means to be watchful and on guard against turning aside to nice stories and fables in place of the truth of the gospel of Christ.

保罗在帖撒罗尼迦前书5:6中使用了相同的动词：“所以，我们不要睡觉，像别人一样，总要警醒谨守。”在这里，这个动词被翻译为“谨守”（be sober）。它与“警醒”一词并列。保罗在5:8中再次使用了相同的动词：“但我们既然属乎白昼，就应当谨守，把信和爱当作护心镜遮胸，把得救的盼望当作头盔戴上。”我们正在讨论的这种资格指的是：要保持警惕，在信心、爱心和盼望上殷勤行事，要关注神的事，这样我们就能恒忍到底，直到主再临的日子（参来2:1，6:11-12）。这就是为什么英王钦定本在提摩太前书3:2中使用“vigilant”而不是“temperate”的原因。

Paul uses this same verb in 1 Thess. 5:6, “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” This time the verb is translated “be sober.” It is placed parallel to “watch.” Paul uses the same verb again in verse 8: “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” The qualification we are discussing means to be on guard, to be diligent in faith, love, and hope, to pay attention to the things of God in order that we might persevere until the day of the Lord (cf. Heb. 2:1; 6:11–12). This is why the King James Version uses the translation “vigilant” instead of “temperate” in 1 Tim. 3:2.

使徒彼得在彼得前书中也多次使用同一个动词。在1:13-14中，他写道：“所以要约束你们的心，谨慎自守，专心盼望耶稣基督显现的时候所带来给你们的恩。你们既作顺命的儿女，就不要效法从前蒙昧无知的时候那放纵私欲的样子。”这段话的意思是，我们必须集中注意力，严肃认真，清楚地思考。我们必须时刻关注神圣言的真理，并且一贯地坚决遵行。在4:7中，我们读到：“万物的结局近了，所以你们要谨慎自守，警醒祷告。”要谨慎自守和要警醒的命令是平行的。万物的结局即将到来。要警醒！要保持完全清醒！醉汉和冷漠的人几乎不会注意正在发生什么事情。他们的理智和感官既不敏锐也不专注。这与保持警惕，头脑清醒或警醒的意思截然相反。彼得警告圣徒要提防魔鬼，它会像咆哮的狮子一样走来走去，寻找可吞食的人，彼得说：“务要谨守、警醒。”（彼前5:8）

The apostle Peter uses this same verb several times in his first letter. In 1:13–14 he writes: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.” The idea in this passage is that we must pay attention, be serious, and think clearly. We must be able to give diligent heed to the truth of God’s Word and consequently obey with determination. In 4:7 we read: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” The command to be watchful is parallel to the command to be serious. The end of all things is about to come. Be alert! Be wide awake! A drunkard and an indifferent man pay little attention to what is going on. Their senses and faculties are neither sharp nor keen. This is the opposite of what it means to be vigilant or clearheaded or sober. When warning the saints about the devil, who walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, Peter says, “Be sober, be vigilant” (1 Peter 5:8).

结论

Conclusions

1. 英王钦定本中的译文“vigilant（警醒）”一词更好地传达了希腊语原文的涵义。

1. The sense of the original Greek word is better conveyed by the translation “vigilant,” which is found in the King James Version.

2. 长老必须保持警惕和警醒，就像牧羊人必须时刻注意狼群以及其他可能危害他羊群的事情一样。长老必须有健全、敏锐的头脑，能够分辨时候，分清真理和谬误，知道羊群的需要等等。他必须仔细地注意自己的生活和内心，以免产生任何苦毒、不信、罪恶的生活样式，忽略神的事，或不遵守圣经命令的苗头。他必须保持头脑不迟钝，要让头脑被合适地使用而得到操练（来5:12-14）。执事的妻子（提前3:11）、老年人（多2:2）和所有神的百姓（彼前5:8）都应当这样。

2. An elder must be on guard and alert, just as a shepherd must always

be watching for wolves and anything else that might endanger his flock. An elder must have a sound, incisive mind to discern the times, truth from error, the needs of the sheep, etc. He must watch carefully over his own life and heart, lest there arise any root of bitterness, unbelief, sinful patterns of living, neglect of the things of God, or disobedience to the commands of Scripture. His senses must not be dull, but exercised by reason of use (Heb. 5:12–14). This is required of deacons’ wives (1 Tim. 3:11), older men (Titus 2:2), and all God’s people (1 Peter 5:8).

 3. 这种品格特征对于长老职分的事工具有重要意义，因为保罗这样嘱咐以弗所的长老：“圣灵立你们作全群的监督，你们就当为自己谨慎，也为全群谨慎，牧养神的教会，就是祂用自己血所买来的。我知道我去之后，必有凶暴的豺狼进入你们中间，不爱惜羊群。就是你们中间，也必有人起来，说悖谬的话，要引诱门徒跟从他们。所以你们应当警醒，记念我三年之久昼夜不住地流泪，劝戒你们各人。”（徒20:28-31）

3. This character trait is central to the work of the office of elder, for Paul charged the elders from Ephesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.… For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts 20:28–31).

 4. 无论是在私生活中，还是在公共生活中，一个对自己的生活不保持警觉的长老就无法监督和照顾好神的百姓。他的头脑和分辨力就变得迟钝。他就会像沉睡的或醉酒的人。首先，长老必须在自己的生活中一直保持警觉，以免陷入犯罪。他必须时刻遵行神的律法。其次，长老必须一直保持警觉，照顾好羊群。

4. An elder who is not vigilant over his own life, both in private and in public, will not be able to be watchful over and care for the people of God. His senses and discernment will be dulled. He will be as one who is asleep or drunk. In the first place, an elder must constantly be vigilant in his own life, lest he fall into sin. He must keep the law of God ever before his eyes. Second, an elder must constantly be vigilant in caring for the flock.

自守

Prudent

结构

这个资格特征与前面的“警醒”密切相关。这是三种品格特征系列中的第二个。

Structure

This qualification is closely related to the previous one, “vigilant.” It is the second in a series of three character traits.

注释

Comment

这个希腊语原文单词的意思是“审慎，周到，自制”。这个词指的是智慧，正常的思维，健全的头脑，良好的判断力。前面讲过的资格要求是，长老必须思维清晰、头脑健全，以便保持警惕，看守自己和羊群，而这里的资格要求是，长老必须具有健全的头脑和智慧，从而能够做出良好的判断。当非斯都指责使徒保罗因为学问太大而癫狂时，保罗回答：“非斯都大人，我不是癫狂，我说的乃是真实明白话（或合理的判断）。”（徒26:25）被翻译成“reason”（和合本翻译为明白）或“合理的判断”的原文单词与我们正在讨论的单词有关。保罗头脑清楚，并运用他的头脑讲解真理。保罗在亚基帕和非斯都面前的见证是基于健全的思维和良好的判断。

The Greek word can mean “prudent, thoughtful, self-controlled.” The word refers to wisdom, good sense, a sound mind, good judgment. Whereas the previous qualification is that an elder must have a clear head and a sound mind in order to be alert in watching himself and the flock, this qualification is that an elder must have a sound mind and wisdom in order to exercise good judgment. When Festus charged the apostle Paul with being beside himself because of too much learning, Paul replied: “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason [or, sound judgment]” (Acts 26:25). The word translated “reason” or “sound judgment” is related to the word we are discussing. Paul was in full control of his mind and was using his mind to speak the truth. Paul’s testimony before Agrippa and Festus was based on sound thinking and good judgment.

结论

1. 长老在服事中必须以智慧为引导。他在处理人和他们的问题时必须具备良好的判断力。他必须能够区分对与错，并能在人们遇到情况时提供合适的建议。

2. 长老必须具有自制力。他必须是理性的，有同情心的，并同时是直率和认真的。

3. 长老的任务之一是解决争端。这需要智慧和认真的态度。审判官必须控制好自己，以免怒气或偏见影响他的思考，让他失去敏锐的洞察和良好的判断。

4. 善变、不稳定、缺乏智慧和合理判断或无法处理问题的人不符合这个资格。

Conclusions

1. An elder must be guided by wisdom in his work. He must have good judgment in dealing with people and their problems. He must know right from wrong and be able to give good advice in the situations that people encounter.

2. An elder must be characterized by self-control. He must be reasonable, sympathetic, and yet straightforward and serious.

3. One of the tasks of an elder is to judge disputes. This requires wisdom and seriousness. The judge must be in control of himself so that anger or personal prejudice does not cloud his thinking and rob him of discernment and good judgment.

4. A person who is fickle, unstable, without wisdom and sound judgment, or unable to deal with issues does not meet this qualification.

端正

Respectable

结构

这是神要求成为监督的人应当拥有的三个品格特征中的第三个。

Structure This qualification for the office of overseer is the third in a series of three character traits that God requires an overseer to have.

注释

Comment

新英王钦定本（和英王钦定本一样）说到“举止端正（of good behavior）”时，并没有按照字面意思翻译原文的希腊文单词。首先，原文单词是宾格，不是属格；它也不是介词宾语。其次，这个希腊语单词的意思是“可敬的（respectable）”或“值得尊重的（honorable）”。该词可用于指人，以及与人有关的非人格性事物。我们发现它被用在一段赞扬某个人的题词中。使徒保罗用它来描述妇女应当穿戴的那种衣服。他在提摩太前书2:9说女人应该以正派（respectable）衣裳为妆饰；这个表述也可以被翻译成“得体的衣服”或“朴素的衣服”。在新约中，这是除了本文讨论的经文之外这个形容词唯一一次出现的地方。

The New King James Version (just like the King James Version) does not translate the original Greek word literally when it says: “of good behavior.” In the first place, the original word is in the accusative case, not the genitive; nor is it the object of a preposition. Secondly, the Greek word means “respectable” or “honorable.” The word may be used with reference to men as well as to impersonal things connected with men. We find it used in an inscription honoring a man. The apostle Paul uses it to describe the kind of clothes that a woman should wear. He says in 1 Tim. 2:9 that women should adorn themselves with respectable clothing; one could also translate it by “proper clothing” or “modest clothing.” This is the only other time that this adjective is used in the New Testament.

这个形容词与一个动词相关，这个动词的意思是“收拾、整理（to put in order）”，例如收拾灯（参太25:7）。但是，该动词的通常含义是“装饰或修饰”。

This adjective is related to a verb which can mean “to put in order,” such as to trim one’s lamp (cf. Matt. 25:7). However, the usual meaning of the verb is “to adorn or decorate.”

结论

1. “可敬的”这一翻译（《新美国标准版》和《新国际版》的译法）可以更好地传达原文单词的涵义。

2. “可敬的”和“值得尊重的”的意义比“端正”范围更广，而行为不端的人不能受到尊敬或尊重。

3. 一个可敬的人因为他的品质和诚实、正派的品格而理应受到尊敬、尊重、敬佩和荣誉。

4. 这个资格指的是，监督的生活必须是有秩序的。他必须提升自己的品格，好使他的品格反映出真理、诚实、公义、纯洁、可爱和美德。一个受人尊敬的人是敬虔的榜样，因为他遵守神的诫命；他像我们的主耶稣一样，具有从上头来的智慧和从圣经诫命而来的悟性；他像我们的主耶稣基督一样，是一个满有谦卑、爱心、同情心和自制的人。箴言中有许多地方谈论到了可敬的人：

Conclusions

1. The sense of the original word is better conveyed by the translation “respectable” (which is the translation found in the New American Standard Version and the New International Version).

2. “Respectable” and “honorable” are broader in meaning than “of good behavior,” but a man whose behavior is bad cannot be respectable or honorable.

3. A respectable man deserves to be treated with deference, esteem, high regard, and honor because of his qualities and his honest, decent character.

4. This qualification means that a bishop must have his life in order. He must adorn his character so that it shines with truth, honesty, justice, purity, loveliness, and virtue. A respectable man is a model of godliness because he keeps God’s commandments; he is a man who has wisdom from above and understanding from the precepts of Scripture like our Lord Jesus did; he is a man who has humility, love, compassion, and self-control like our Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs has much to say about the respectable or honorable man:

3:6——他有智慧和悟性（参8:18）。

5:9——他远离淫妇。

15:33——他谦卑（参18:12；22:4；29:23）。

20:3——他远离纷争。

21:21——他追随公义仁慈。

22:4——他敬畏耶和华。

26:1——他不是愚昧人（参见26:8）。

5:9 — He avoids the strange woman.

15:33 — He is humble (cf. 18:12; 22:4; 29:23).

20:3 — He ceases from strife.

21:21 — He follows after righteousness and mercy.

22:4 — He fears the Lord.

26:1 — He is not a fool (cf. v. 8). Paul says in 2 Tim. 2

保罗在提摩太后书2:15-26中说，人如果远离罪恶的事情，如果自洁，脱离卑贱的事，就必作贵重的器皿，成为圣洁，合乎主用，预备行各样的善事。这是圣经所教导的关于什么是可敬和值得尊重的人的一个例子。

:15–26 that the man who departs from iniquity and purges himself from every evil thing will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and fit for the master’s use, prepared for every good work. This is a sample of what Scripture teaches about the respectable or honorable man.

乐意接待远人

Hospitable

结构

这是神要求教会的监督应该有的两种能力或恩赐中的第一种。

Structure This is the first of two abilities or gifts that God requires an overseer in the church to have.

注释

Comment

希腊语表达“好客”的词是一个复合词。该词的第一部分表示“朋友”或“所爱之人”；该词的第二部分表示“主人”（host）。尽管该词的第二部分也可以表示“陌生人”，但我认为此复合词使用的是“主人”这个意思，整个词的意思是“好客”（hospitality）。监督必须是“乐意接待远人的人”。保罗在罗马书16:23中赞扬该犹接待了他和整个教会。所有神的百姓都需要有这种素质。彼得写道:“最要紧的是彼此切实相爱，因为爱能遮掩许多的罪。你们要互相款待，不发怨言。各人要照所得的恩赐彼此服事，作神百般恩赐的好管家。”（彼前4:8-10）在罗马书12:13里，使徒劝诫神的百姓追求好客的殷勤。希伯来书的作者还命令基督徒不要忘记好客，因为有些人因此不知不觉地接待了天使（来13:2）。

The Greek word for “hospitable” is a compound word. The first part of the word means “friend” or “one who loves”; the second part of the word means “host.” Although the second part of the word can also mean “stranger,” I think the meaning “host” is used in this compound word meaning “hospitality.” A bishop must be “one who loves to be a host.” Paul commended Gaius in Rom. 16:23 for hosting him and the whole church. This quality is required of all God’s people. Peter writes: “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:8–10). In Rom. 12:13 the apostle exhorts God’s people to pursue hospitality. The writer to the Hebrews also commands Christians not to forget hospitality, for thereby some have entertained angels without knowing it (Heb. 13:2).

接待人不一定包括为客人提供饭菜。该犹向使徒保罗和教会敞开他的家，估计是为了聚会。在圣经中许多好客的例子中，主人为客人提供一个休息的地方，提供饮食和牲畜的饲料。彼得前书第4章的那段经文教导说，好客是我们表达对神百姓的爱的一种方式。这是我们要甘心乐意做的事情。不管我们有什么样的恩赐，这都是我们使用自己的恩赐的一种方式，在基督的身体里服事他人。从最广泛的意义上讲，热情好客就是和其他基督徒分享神赐给我们的东西，借此造就他们并且彼此鼓励。就是友好地、慷慨地接纳并招待客人或陌生人。

Being a host does not necessarily involve providing a meal for guests. Gaius opened his place to the apostle Paul and the church, presumably for meetings. In many of the examples of hospitality in the Bible, the host offered his guests a place to rest, food, and provision for their animals. The passage in 1 Peter 4 teaches that being hospitable is one way we are to express our love for the people of God. It is something we are to do cheerfully and willingly. It is a means by which we can use our gifts, whatever they may be, to minister to others in the body of Christ. In the broadest sense, hospitality is sharing what God has given us with other Christians for their edification and mutual encouragement. It is the friendly, generous reception and treatment of guests or strangers.

结论

1. 每个基督徒必须好客，乐意接待人，尤其是教会的监督。监督应当在这方面作神百姓的榜样，并应教导受他所照管的百姓这样做。

2. 基督已将长老赐给教会，以造就和装备神的百姓。长老应该甘心乐意地与他人分享他们的恩赐，特别是与那些受他们照顾的人。这可能意味着要提供食物或住宿，提供自己的住处用作聚会场所，甚至随时接待到访者或那些需要辅导的人。

3. 所有神的百姓，特别是长老，不应该对陌生人和来访者冷漠以待，而是要热情、亲切、友好、和善，努力满足他们的需求，并由此表达我们的爱心和怜悯；耶稣基督还在世上的时候向我们显明祂这样的爱和怜悯，并且现在仍然藉着祂信实而慈爱地供应我们以及所有受造之物的所有需要，来显明祂的爱和怜悯（参诗104）。

Conclusions

 1. Every Christian must be hospitable, but especially an overseer in the church. An overseer is to be an example to the people of God in this area and should teach the people under his care to be hospitable.

2. Christ has given elders to the church for the edification and equipping of the people of God. Elders should be willing and glad to share their gifts with others, especially those under their care. That could mean providing food or lodging, using one’s place for meetings, or even making oneself available for visitors or those in need of counsel.

3. All the people of God, and especially the elders, are not to be cold toward strangers and visitors, but warm, gracious, friendly, and kind, endeavoring to meet their needs and in this way to show the love and compassion which our Lord Jesus showed when he was on earth, and which he still daily shows in his faithful, gracious provision for all our needs and the needs of all his creatures (cf. Ps. 104).

善于教导

Skillful in Teaching

结构

这是神要求教会中的监督应该有的两种能力或恩赐中的第二种。

Structure

This is a second gift or ability that an overseer in the church must have.

注释

Comment

这项资格是神要求教会的监督拥有的一种重要的恩赐或能力。

This qualification is an important gift or ability that God requires an overseer in the church to have.

1、谁是监督？

1. Who Is an Overseer?

随之而来的问题是：这种资格仅仅涉及圣言的牧者，还是指向所有监督羊群的长老？我之前说过，“监督”一词既指圣言的牧者，也指治理的长老。只要我们研究圣经经文本身，这一点是显而易见的。

The question arises: does this qualification refer only to a minister of the Word or also to all the elders who oversee the flock? I stated earlier that the word “overseer” refers to both ministers of the Word and ruling elders. This becomes evident when we examine the text of Scripture itself.

显然，监督（episkopos，即监督或主教）必须能够教导人。保罗在提多书1:5-7中写道：“我从前留你在克里特，是要你将那没有办完的事都办整齐了，又照我所吩咐你的，在各城设立长老（presbyterous，即presbyters，长老）。若有无可指责的人，只作一个妇人的丈夫，儿女也是信主的，没有人告他们是放荡不服约束的，就可以设立。监督（episkopon，即监督或主教）……必须无可指责……”保罗命令提多在每个城市任命长老。Presbyter就是elder（长老）。在新约圣经中，这个词被使用了62次，意思是“长老”。刚刚被引用的提多书的经文的思路是：如果有人无可指责，提多就可以任命他为长老（presbyters），因为监督（bishop）必须是无可指责的。保罗在1:5中使用“长老”一词，在1:7中使用“监督”一词，他指的是相同的人。有人可能会说，保罗是命令提多在每个城市设立圣言的牧者（因为他们也是长老），但是新约其余地方的证据都与这种理解相反。

It is clear that an overseer (episkopos = overseer or bishop) must be able to teach. In Titus 1:5–7, Paul writes to Titus: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders [presbyterous = presbyters] in every city as I commanded you—if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop [episkopon = overseer or bishop] must be blameless.…” Paul commanded Titus to appoint presbyters in every city. A presbyter is an elder. The word is used sixty-two times in the New Testament with the meaning of “elder.” The flow of the text in Titus just quoted is: If anyone is blameless, Titus may appoint him to be a presbyter, for the bishop must be blameless. Paul refers to the same people, using the word “presbyter” in verse 5 and “bishop” in verse 7. One could say that Paul commanded Titus to appoint ministers of the Word (because they too are elders) in every city, but the evidence in the rest of the New Testament is against this understanding

首先，新约中显示的模式是，几位长老在一个特定教会中牧养羊群。保罗说，其中一些长老负责圣言和教导的工作（即，指导、教导的工作），而另一些则只作治理的工作（提前5:17）。提多在每个城市设立了不止一位长老。当然，当保罗命令提多把没有办完的事情办妥时，他至少是想要提多设立长老来治理和牧养羊群，就像以弗所教会有众长老来照看羊群那样（参徒20）。这意味着长老（presbyter或elder）就是监督（episkopos），而提多书1:5-9中的资格适用于所有长老。

First, the pattern shown in the New Testament ticular congregation shepherd the flock. Paul says that some of those elders labor in the Word and in teaching (i.e., in instructing, the act of teaching), while others only rule (1 Tim. 5:17). Titus appointed more than one elder in each city. Certainly, when Paul commanded Titus to set in order the things that are lacking, he at least wanted Titus to appoint elders to rule and shepherd the flock, just as the Ephesian church had elders to watch over the flock (see Acts 20). That means that a presbyter (elder) is an overseer (episkopos) and that the qualifications in Titus 1:5–9 apply to all elders.

其次，新约圣经使用的长老一词，就是旧约以色列人中的长老职分。大家可以在福音书和使徒行传中看到这个用法。旧约长老的职分在职能上更接近治理长老，而非牧师，牧师既治理，也劳苦传道教导人。这证明长老是既牧养羊群又治理教会的。

Second, the New Testament uses the word elder (presbyteros) for the Old Testament office of elder among the people of Israel. You see this often in the Gospels and Acts. The Old Testament office of elder was closer in function to the ruling elder than to the minister of the Word, the elder who rules and also labors in the Word and in the work of teaching. This is evidence that a presbyter is an elder who shepherds the flock and rules in the congregation. Paul and Barnabas appointed presbyters in every church at the end of their first missionary journey (Acts 14:23).

第三，保罗和巴拿巴在他们的第一次宣教旅程结束时，在每个教会里设立了长老（徒14:23）。然后保罗和巴拿巴以及其他某些人一起上耶路撒冷去见使徒和众长老（徒15:2）。他们受到教会、使徒和众长老的接待（徒15:4）。使徒和众长老聚在一起，商讨他们提交的事情（徒15:6）。使徒和众长老，以及整个教会，决定将选定的人差派回到安提阿（徒15:22）。使徒、众长老和弟兄们给安提阿、叙利亚和亚细亚的外邦弟兄们写了一封信（徒15:23）。使徒和众长老在耶路撒冷做出决定（徒16:4）。在最后一次宣教旅程结束时，保罗回到耶路撒冷，他在米利都停下来，派人去以弗所，请那里的众长老来。当他们来看他时，保罗叮嘱他们要为自己以及圣灵设立他们做监督（episkopous）所要照管的羊群而谨慎，牧养好神的教会。保罗劝诫诸位监督，要谨慎，因为会有凶暴的豺狼进入羊群（徒20:17-38）。保罗到了耶路撒冷之后，他向耶路撒冷所有的长老详细报告了神在外邦人中通过他的事工所做的事情（徒21:19）。因此，我们在使徒行传中看到，长老（presbyter）和监督指的是相同的人；一个教会中有多位长老/监督；长老/监督被命令要照管会众并牧养教会（治理并指导他们），以保护神的百姓免受狼群和错谬的侵害。

Then Paul and Barnabas and certain others went up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and presbyters (15:2). They were received by the church and the apostles and the presbyters (v. 4). The apostles and presbyters came together to consider the matter brought to them (v. 6). The apostles and presbyters, with the whole church, decided to send chosen men back to Antioch (v. 22). The apostles, presbyters, and brothers wrote a letter to the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia (v. 23). The apostles and presbyters made the decision in Jerusalem (16:4). At the end of his last missionary journey, as Paul traveled back to Jerusalem, he stopped in Miletus and sent to Ephesus and called for the presbyters of the church. When they came to him, Paul charged them to take heed to themselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit had made them overseers (episkopous) to shepherd the church of God. Paul exhorted the overseers to watch carefully because savage wolves would come into the flock (20:17–38). When Paul came to Jerusalem, he reported in detail to all the presbyters in Jerusalem those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry (21:19). We see in the book of Acts, then, that the presbyters are the same people as the overseers; that there are a plurality of presbyters/overseers in one congregation; that the presbyters/overseers are commanded to watch over the congregation and to shepherd the church (rule and guide them) so that the people of God are preserved from wolves and errors

第四，雅各提到教会的长老是服事神百姓的人，他们探访病人，为他们祈祷并用油抹他们（雅5:14）。我们将这些归类为属于牧养和治理羊群的事工，而不是圣言的服事和教导事工（这是牧师的专门工作）。

Fourth, James mentions the presbyters of the church as serving the people of God by visiting the sick, praying over them, and anointing them with oil (James 5:14). We would classify this more as part of the shepherding and ruling of the sheep, than as laboring in the Word and in the work of teaching (which is the special work of the minister of the Word).

第五，使徒彼得也是一位长老，他劝诫他第一封信的读者中的那些长老：“……劝你们中间与我同作长老的人，务要牧养在你们中间神的群羊，按着神旨意照管他们。不是出于勉强，乃是出于甘心；也不是因为贪财，乃是出于乐意；也不是辖制所托付你们的，乃是作群羊的榜样。”（彼前5:1-3）。彼得并没有劝诫那些长老，要通过公开地讲道和教导圣经来牧养羊群，而是通过为羊群作榜样，并且不是作为主人来辖制他们。公开的讲道和教导这个具体工作只是牧养工作的一部分。这表明，彼得说到牧养和监督时，他主要指的是治理和照顾羊群的工作。这项工作并不排除教导或讲道，但这肯定不是彼得的重点。

Fifth, the apostle Peter, who was a fellow presbyter, exhorted the presbyters among those to whom he wrote his first epistle to “shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (5:1–4). Peter does not exhort the presbyters to shepherd the sheep by publicly preaching and teaching the Word, but by being examples to the flock and by not ruling over them as lords. The specific work of public preaching and teaching is only a part of shepherding the sheep. This shows that by shepherding and overseeing, Peter primarily has in mind the work of ruling and caring for the sheep. That work does not exclude teaching or preaching, but that is certainly not Peter’s focus.

第六，使徒彼得用牧人（shepherd）和监督来指神：“你们从前好像迷路的羊，如今却归到你们灵魂的牧人监督了。”（彼前2:25）我们就像误入歧途的羊，但现在我们已经归回，像羊一样在神的掌管、引导和看顾之下，神是群羊的大牧人（来13:20）。这表明，对牧人和监督来说，他们的任务是在看顾、治理和引导神的百姓，不仅仅是公开的讲道和教导。许多公开讲道和教导的人并不看顾神的百姓。他们不花时间，不花精力，也没有耐心来引导和治理他们。这就是为什么美国的教会陷入到今天这种虚弱状态的原因之一。教会有许许多多的传道人和教师，却很少有人像圣经所要求于长老/监督的那样，来牧养和照管神的百姓。

Sixth, the apostle Peter uses the terms shepherd and overseer for God: “For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). We were like sheep going astray, but now we have returned and are like sheep who live under the rule, guidance, and care of God, who is the great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:20). This shows that to shepherd and oversee is to care for, rule over, and guide the people of God, more so than public preaching and teaching. Many who preach and teach publicly do not care for the people of God. They do not take the time, make the effort, and have the patience to guide and rule over them. That is one reason why the church in America has fallen into the weak condition that it is in today. There have been plenty of preachers and teachers, but few who have shepherded and watched over the people of God as Scripture requires the presbyters/overseers to do.

第七，当保罗写信给腓立比教会时，他对他们这样说：“……写信给凡住腓立比、在基督耶稣里的众圣徒和诸位监督（bishops/overseers）、诸位执事。”确实，如果保罗特别提到了信徒、牧师和执事，但却忽略了教会中治理的长老，这是很奇怪的事情，因为他们是教会的关键和重要的部分。神赐给他们恩赐和权柄，来按着真理带领、牧养、教导、纠正并保护祂的百姓。很可能的是，保罗用“监督”（包括教导和治理的长老）这一个词来指代腓立比教会中所有的长老。

Seventh, when Paul writes to the church at Philippi, he addresses them as follows: “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops [overseers] and deacons.” It would be strange indeed, if Paul had specifically mentioned the believers, the ministers of the Word and the deacons, but ignored the ruling elders in the congregation, for they are an essential and important part of the church. They are some of those to whom God has given gifts and his authority to lead, shepherd, teach, correct, and preserve his people in the way of truth. It is more likely that Paul refers to all the elders in the church at Philippi with the one word “overseers”—both the teaching and the ruling elders. Lastly, if the qualifications in

最后，如果提摩太前书3:1-7和提多书1:5-9中的资格要求不是针对教会的长老职分，那么这个职分的资格要求会是什么呢？为什么圣经说明了执事和牧师（在教会里也是长老）的资格要求，却没有说明长老职分的资格要求？——要知道，长老职分可是关系到教会福祉的几个重要的特别职分之一。

Lastly, if the qualifications in 1 Tim. 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9 are not the qualifications for this office? Why would Scripture give the qualifications for deacons and ministers (who are also elders in the church), but not give any qualifications for the office of elder, especially since the office of elder is one of the most important special offices for the well-being of the church?

我们还应该注意到，治理长老和牧师的大部分工作是相同的。新约对治理长老的工作和牧师的工作作出了重要区分。牧师的特殊任务是在圣言和教导工作中的服事。除此之外，牧师的任务是施行圣礼。在其他方面，教会的所有长老/监督（牧师和治理长老）则有同样的名称和相同的职责。他们都有牧养和治理教会的职责。

We should also note that much of the work of the ruling elders and the minister of the Word is the same. The New Testament makes one important distinction between the work of the ruling elders and the work of the minister. The special task of the minister of the Word is to labor in the Word and in the work of teaching. Along with that, the minister has the task of administering the sacraments. Otherwise, all the presbyters/overseers (ministers and ruling elders) of a church have the same names and the same duties. They both have the duties of shepherding and ruling the church.

我们的结论是，新约使用长老和监督这两个词来指所有的长老，包括那些治理的长老，以及既治理又劳苦传道教导人的长老。因此，提摩太前书3:1-7列出了牧师和治理长老的资格要求。

Our conclusion is that the New Testament uses both the words presbyterand overseer to refer to all the elders, both those who rule and those who rule and labor in the Word and in the work of teaching. It follows, then, that 1 Tim. 3:1–7 sets forth the qualifications for both ministers of the Word and ruling elders.

2、教导与讲道的区别

2. The Difference between Teaching and Preaching

熟练地教导和熟练地讲道并不必然一样。在新约中，教导所指的行为比讲道更为宽泛。讲道是公开地宣讲神的圣言。所有的讲道都应教导会众。但是，教导包括许多不是讲道的事情。让我举一些例子。耶稣说，祂的父教训了祂要说的话（约8:28）。那位天生瞎眼的人教训法利赛人关于耶稣基督的事情（约9:34）。耶稣应许说，圣灵要指教我们一切的事（约14:26）。保罗说他在以弗所的各人家里教导人（徒20:20）。在哥林多前书11:14，保罗说：“你们的本性不也指示[5]你们，男人若有长头发，便是他的羞辱吗？”在以弗所书4:20-21中，保罗写道：“你们学了基督，却不是这样。如果你们听过祂的道，领了祂的教，学了祂的真理……”保罗命令所有信徒互相“用诗章、颂词、灵歌，彼此教导，互相劝戒，心被恩感，歌颂神”（西3:16）。保罗告诉帖撒罗尼迦人要“站立得稳，凡所领受的教训，不拘是我们口传的，是信上写的，都要坚守。”（帖后2:15）通过信件教导人不是讲道。保罗在提摩太前书2:12中说“我不允许女人教导（和合本译为“讲道”——译注）”，他不是单单指讲道。希伯来书5:12说“看你们学习的工夫，本该作师傅，谁知还得有人将神圣言小学的开端另教导你们”，这并不意味着所有的信徒都应该是讲道人。此外，父母教导孩子，老师教导学生，这些教导都不是讲道。

To be skillful in teaching is not necessarily the same as being skillful in preaching. In the New Testament, teaching is a much broader activity than preaching. Preaching is the public proclamation of the Word of God. All preaching should teach the congregation. But teaching includes many things that are not preaching. Let me give some examples: Jesus says that his Father taught him the things he spoke (John 8:28). The man born blind taught the Pharisees about Jesus Christ (John 9:34). Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things (John 14:26). Paul says that he taught in Ephesus from house to house (Acts 20:20). In 1 Cor. 11:14 Paul says: “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?” In Eph. 4:20–21 Paul writes: “But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus.” Paul commands all believers to teach one another “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord” (Col. 3:16). Paul tells the Thessalonians to “stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:15). Teaching someone by writing a letter is not preaching. When Paul says in 1 Tim. 2:12, “And I do not permit a woman to teach,” he is not referring exclusively to preaching. When Hebrews 5:12 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God,” it does not mean that all believers should be preachers. Further, parents teach their children, and teachers teach their students, and none of that teaching is preaching.

我并不是说，当保罗说监督必须善于教导时，他的意思是监督应该善于做所有这些事情。我的观点很简单，就是教导并不等同于讲道。监督可能善于教导，但不会讲道。自宗教改革以来，改革宗的教会一直坚持认为，讲道人应该能够阅读圣经的原始语言，以便他能够正确地分解真理的话语。治理的长老不需要达到这个标准，因为他们没有被按立来宣讲神的圣言和施行圣礼。

I am not saying that Paul means all these things when he says that an overseer must be skillful in teaching. My point is simply that teaching is not equivalent to preaching. An overseer may be skillful in teaching and not even be able to preach. Since the Reformation, Reformed churches have insisted that the preacher of God’s Word should be able to read the original languages in which the Bible was written in order that he might rightly divide the word of truth. Ruling elders do not need to meet this standard because they are not ordained to preach the Word of God and administer the sacraments.

3、这一要求的意义

3. The Meaning of This Requirement

圣经对每位长老的要求不是他能讲道，而是他善于教导。新约中两次使用希腊语“善于教导”一词。另一个地方是提摩太后书2:23-25。保罗在那里吩咐提摩太，避免愚昧无知的争执。神的仆人不可争竞，而“只要温温和和地待众人，善于教导，存心忍耐，用温柔劝戒那抵挡的人，或者神给他们悔改的心，可以明白真道……可以醒悟，脱离他的网罗”。这段经文谈论的不是宣讲神的圣言，而是藉着教导人真理，耐心而谦卑地纠正那些反对纯正教义的人。提摩太应当这样做，而不是让自己陷入与人愚昧无知的争论中。

The requirement of Scripture for every elder is not that he be able to preach, but that he be skillful in teaching. The Greek word for “skillful in teaching” is used twice in the New Testament. The other place is 2 Tim. 2:23– 25. There Paul commands Timothy to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes. Instead of quarreling, the servant of the Lord must be “gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and … come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil.” This passage is not about preaching the Word of God, but about patiently and humbly correcting those who oppose sound doctrine by teaching them the truth. Timothy is to do this, rather than embroiling himself in foolish and ignorant arguments with people.

在提多书1:5-16列出的对长老/监督的资格要求中，我们看到了同样的内容。长老必须坚守他受教所学到的真实的道理，这样就能够藉着纯正的教导驳倒并警戒那些反对真理的人（多1:9）。保罗继续说：“因为有许多人不服约束，说虚空话欺哄人，那奉割礼的更是这样。这些人的口总要堵住。他们因贪不义之财，将不该教导的教导人，败坏人的全家。”（多1:10-11）。保罗继续说：“……所以，你要严严地责备他们，使他们在真道上纯全无疵。”（多1:13）

Titus 1:5–16. An elder must hold fast the faithful word according to the teaching he has received, in order that he may be able both to convict and to exhort by sound instruction those who speak against the truth (v. 9). “For,” continues Paul, “there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain” (vv. 10–11). Paul continues: “Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (v. 13).

我们知道，那些误入歧途，进而反对真理并且败坏全家的人，他们所需要的不仅仅是公开地传讲和教导神的圣言。对于他们来说，听到这样传讲的教导固然重要，但是如果他们只需要这些，那么长老就无需如同牧人寻找一只迷羊一般去他们家中探访他们了（参诗119:176；路15:3-10）。一个像前面所说的那样反对真理的人，他迫切需要长老来到他家中驳倒并警戒他不要犯错误。长老可能需要严厉斥责他。这是照看羊群并牧养他们的工作所需，如此才能使他们留在真理里面，不被豺狼或错误的教导所破坏。长老们必须找出那些走迷的人，警戒他们并向他们传授真理，由此可以带领他们归回。长老们还必须教导和警戒那些忠心的羊，以免他们误入歧途。

We know that those who are going astray and have come to the point of speaking against the truth and subverting whole households, need more than just the public preaching and teaching of God’s Word. That is still important for them to hear, but if that were all that they needed, there would be no need for the elders to visit the people in their homes, just as a shepherd goes after a straying sheep (see Ps. 119:176 and Luke 15:3–10). When a person opposes the truth as described here, he urgently needs the elders to come to his house with sound doctrine and convict and exhort him to turn from his error. The elders may need to rebuke him sharply. This is the work of watching over the flock and shepherding them so that they remain in the truth and are not destroyed by wolves or false teaching. The elders must seek out those who stray and seek to restore them by exhorting them and teaching them the truth. The elders must also teach and exhort the faithful sheep so that they do not go astray.

为了做到这一点，长老需要充分了解圣经对教义和生命的教导。他需要能够辨别教义或生命中的错谬。他需要能够藉着圣经指出一个人所犯的错误，并且用浅显的方式教导他认识真理。这不需要具备讲道或者公开教导所必备的恩赐，但这是监督神用自己的宝血赎买回来的教会的牧者工作的核心。那是教会治理中最重要的一部分。使徒彼得非常清楚，长老的治理不像是工厂老板的治理。相反，这是牧者的治理，他在教义和生命上都树立榜样，并且耐心而温柔地照顾羊群的个体需求。

In order to do this, an elder needs to know well what Scripture says about doctrine and life. He needs to be able to discern error in doctrine or life. He needs to be able to show a man his error from Scripture and teach him the truth in a simple way. That does not require the gifts necessary for preaching, or even public teaching, yet that is the essence of the work of a shepherd overseeing the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. That is the most essential part of ruling in the church. The apostle Peter is very clear that the elder’s rule is not like that of the factory boss. Rather, it is the rule of a shepherd who sets a good example both in doctrine and in life and who patiently and gently cares for the individual needs of the sheep.

尽管使徒行传20章没有特别提及教导，但保罗为以弗所长老安排的工作与我所描述的治理长老运用其能力展开教导需要遵循的主要方式完全吻合。在使徒行传20:17-38中，保罗没有命令长老去宣讲圣言，而是要为自己和群羊谨慎，牧养神的教会，为百姓守望并警戒百姓（包括他们自己），以防凶暴的豺狼起来，说悖谬的话，引诱门徒跟从他们。

Although Acts 20 does not specifically refer to teaching, the work which Paul lays out for the Ephesian elders fits precisely with what I have described as the principal ways in which ruling elders are to use their skill in teaching. In Acts 20:17–38 Paul does not charge the elders to preach the Word, but to take heed to themselves and to all the flock, to shepherd the church of God, and to watch and warn the people (including themselves), lest savage wolves rise up, speak perverse things, and draw away disciples after themselves.

为此，我们还可以加上约翰·加尔文对“善于教导”的注释：“那些负责治理百姓的人应该有教导的能力。”保罗不是注重公开演讲的恩赐，而是“知道如何运用神的话语使百姓受益的智慧”。用劳伦斯·艾尔斯（Lawrence R. Eyres）的话说：“长老必须能够一对一地与人打交道，将圣言应用到个人的需要上。”[6]

To this we may add John Calvin’s comment on “apt to teach”: “Those who are charged with governing the people should be qualified to teach.” Paul is commending not gifts for public speaking, but “wisdom in knowing how to apply God’s Word to the profit of His people.” In the words of Lawrence R. Eyres, “An elder must be able to deal with people on a one-toone basis, applying the Word to the needs of the individual” (The Elders of the Church, p. 34).

结论

1. 长老和监督是同义词，就是指我们通常称为长老的人。

2. 在提摩太前书3:1-7中列举的资格要求适用于教会中所有的长老，无论是那些治理长老，还是既治理又劳苦传道教导人的长老。

3. 教导和讲道是有区别的。善于教导的人不一定善于讲道。提摩太前书第3章没有提到“擅长讲道”作为长老的资格。

Conclusions

1. Presbyter and overseer are synonyms for a person whom we more commonly call an elder.

2. The qualifications in 1 Tim. 3:1–7 apply to all elders in the church, both those who rule and those who rule and labor in the Word and in the work of teaching.

3. There is a difference between teaching and preaching. One who is skillful in teaching is not necessarily skillful in preaching. “Apt to preach” is not a qualification given in 1 Tim. 3 for all elders.

4. 这绝不是否认神赐下恩赐给一些人，呼召并选定他们来传讲祂的圣言。例如，保罗命令提摩太传道（提后4:2）。耶稣和使徒们也宣讲了神的道。事实是，有些长老既治理，也劳苦传道教导人（提前5:17）。这样的人是牧师或教导长老。

4. This in no way denies that God has gifted, called, and set apart some men to preach his Word. For example, Paul commanded Timothy to preach the Word (2 Tim. 4:2). Jesus and the apostles also preached the Word of God. The truth is that some elders rule and also labor in the Word and in the work of teaching (1 Tim. 5:17). Such men are ministers of the Word or teaching elders.

5. 神并没有呼召所有的长老去传道，甚至没有让他们公开地教导圣言。祂赐一些人恩赐能够讲道，给一些人恩赐能够公开教导，并且祂呼召这些人做相应的事工。教会必须按照神给人的恩赐来呼召人服事。

5. God has not called all elders to preach, or even to teach the Word publicly. He has gifted some for preaching and some for public teaching, and these he calls to that work. The congregation must call men to work according to the gifts that God has given them.

6. 神呼召所有长老来治理、牧养、监督并看顾和照管教会。长老的治理事工（及其所有相关的服事）在本质上涉及教导。这就是为什么圣经要求长老必须“善于教导”。治理神的百姓不仅仅是要设定聚会的时间，而且更重要的是，要鼓励和警戒神的百姓相信圣经并按着圣经生活，又要警告和责备那些背离真理的人。这需要有技巧，能够耐心和温柔地在私下里教导人。长老们必须确保会众不仅聆听公开的讲道和教导，而且还要在生活中顺服神的圣言。这需要教导方面的技巧。长老必须能够分辨错误的教导，无论是出自他自己的牧师还是出自教会内外的其他人。他必须能够用神圣言的真理阻止这些错误教导。他必须能够教导神的百姓，他们的想法是如何有悖于圣经。长老应该能够在信仰和生活方面向神的百姓提供合乎圣经的忠告。他应该能够根据圣经的原则在会议上就各种事务作出决定和判断。

6. God calls all elders to rule, to shepherd, to oversee, to watch out for, and to care for the church. The elder’s rule (and all that goes with it) in its very nature involves teaching. That is why Scripture requires that an elder must be “skillful in teaching.” To rule over the people of God is not merely to set the times of meeting, but, more importantly, to encourage and exhort God’s people to believe and live according to the Bible and to warn and convict those who stray from the truth. That requires skill in teaching people privately with patience and gentleness. The elders must see to it that the congregation not only hears the public preaching and teaching of God’s Word, but also lives in obedience to God’s Word. That requires skill in teaching. An elder must be able to discern false teachings, whether by his own minister or by others, both inside and outside the church. He must be able to stop them with the truth of God’s Word. He must be able to teach the people how their ideas contradict Scripture. An elder should be able to give biblical counsel to the people of God in matters of faith and life. He should be able to make decisions at meetings and judge matters according to biblical principles.

不过度饮酒（不因酒滋事）

Not Given to Much Wine

结构

Structure

第三节主要包含了监督不应该有的特点。这些负面特征中的第一个是“不因酒滋事”。

Verse 3 primarily contains things that must not characterize an overseer. The first of these negatives is “not given to much wine.”

注释

Comment

长老不能饮酒过度。饮酒过度就是喝酒过量。用箴言23:30的话说，他“流连饮酒”。这包括偶尔喝酒过量的人，以及经常喝酒过量的人。酒在他的生活中占有不同寻常的位置；对他而言，酒的重要性超过了它应该有的地位。从这个意义上讲，他被酒所奴役。这样的人没有资格在教会里做长老。圣经说，一个流连饮酒的人，是常去寻找调和酒的人，就是有祸患、有忧愁、有争斗、有哀叹、无故受伤、眼目红赤的人。渴望喝酒、被酒俘虏的人，他的眼必看见异怪的事，他必然说乖谬的话。他必像躺在海中，或像卧在桅杆上。他没有了知觉，清醒过来仍去寻酒。（箴23:29-35）。

An elder must not be given to much wine. A man who is given to much wine drinks too much wine; in the words of Prov. 23:30, he tarries long at the wine. That includes a man who has only occasional bouts of excessive drinking, as well as the man who regularly drinks too much. Wine takes an inordinate place in his life, becoming more important to him than it ought to be. In that sense, he is enslaved to drinking. Such a person is not qualified to be an elder in the church. The Scripture says that a man who tarries long at the wine, who goes in search of mixed wine, has woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, wounds without cause, and redness of eyes. He who longs for wine and is captivated by it will see strange things and will utter perverse things. He will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea or at the top of a ship’s mast, having lost his senses and resting only to awake for another drink (Prov. 23:29–35).

保罗在提摩太前书3:3里没有说长老不能喝酒。那些依据这节经文要求长老彻底戒酒的人歪曲了这项资格要求，得出了经文没有的意思。从圣经的其余部分我们知道，就像神使草生长用来喂养牲畜、使蔬菜生长供人类食用一样，神也赐给我们“能悦人心”的酒。（诗104:14-15）耶稣把酒当作圣餐的元素之一，我们将继续在圣餐中使用酒，直到耶稣再来。

Paul does not say in 1 Tim. 3:3 that an elder must not drink wine. Those who require elders to abstain from drinking any wine on the basis of this verse have twisted this qualification to say something that it does not say. We know from the rest of Scripture that just as God causes the grass to grow for the cattle and vegetation for man to eat, so God gives us “wine that makes glad the heart of man” (Ps. 104:14–15). Jesus used wine as one of the elements of the Lord’s Supper, and we are to continue using wine in the Lord’s Supper until Jesus returns.

保罗在提摩太前书稍后的地方对提摩太说：“……再不要照常喝水，可以稍微用点酒。”（5:23）圣经这样表达了神在约中的赐福：“你要以财物和一切初熟的土产尊荣耶和华。这样，你的仓房必充满有余，你的酒榨有新酒盈溢。”（箴3:9-10）。酒是神的美好恩赐之一，应被用来荣耀神。

A little later in 1 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy: “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities” (5:23). The Scripture expresses the covenant blessing of God in this way: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Prov. 3:9–10). Wine is one of God’s good gifts and is to be used to the glory of God.

在这节经文中，教会的主不允许任何过度饮酒的人担任长老的职分。这包括所有喝酒过量的人，也包括酗酒的人。圣经谴责酗酒，说醉酒的人不能承受神的国度（林前6:9-10）。

In this verse the Lord of the church disqualifies from the office of elder anyone who is given to much wine. That includes all who drink excessively, including the drunkard. Scripture condemns drunkenness, saying that no drunkard will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9–10).

一般而言，长老不得受酒的辖制，而是必须能够明智地、适量地使用酒，以荣耀神。尽管这段经文中特别提到了酒，但我认为这里的原则适用于任何可能辖制人的食物或饮料，尤其是那些损害人的判断力和人对自己言行的控制力的东西。

In general, an elder must not let wine govern him, but must be able to use wine wisely and in moderation for the glory of God. Although wine is specifically mentioned by the text, I think the principle here applies to any food or drink which has mastery over a man, especially those things which impair a man’s judgment and his ability to control his speech and actions.

由于酒会损害人的判断力和人对自己言行的控制力，所以耶和华晓谕亚伦说：“你和你儿子进会幕的时候，清酒、浓酒都不可喝，免得你们死亡。”（利10:8-9）这样做的原因是使他们能够“将圣的、俗的、洁净的、不洁净的，分别出来；又使你们可以将耶和华藉摩西晓谕以色列人的一切律例教训他们。”（利10:10-11）

Because wine can impair a man’s judgment and ability to control his speech and actions, God commanded Aaron: “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die” (Lev. 10:8–9). The reason for this was so that they would be able to “distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses” (vv. 10–11).

同样，和教会的长老一样，地方行政官员也不能饮酒过度：“利慕伊勒啊，君王喝酒，君王喝酒不相宜；王子说，浓酒在那里也不相宜。恐怕喝了就忘记律例，颠倒一切困苦人的是非。”（箴31:4-5）。还可以比较以赛亚书5:20-25，28:7和以西结书44:21。

Similarly, civil magistrates, just like elders in the church, are also not to be given to much wine: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted” (Prov. 31:4–5). Compare also Isa. 5:20–25; 28:7; Ezek. 44:21.

结论

Conclusions

 1. 酒是神所赐予的美好的东西，但必须被正确地使用，从而能够荣耀神。

 2. 监督不能过度饮酒。他不能有任何不明智地使用酒的行为，也不能被酒或者其他任何影响他判断力的食物或饮料所辖制。对酒上瘾的人就没有资格担任这职分。醉酒的人也没有资格担任这个职分。

1. Wine is a good thing given by God, but must be used rightly to the glory of God.

2. An overseer must not be given to much wine. He must not use wine unwisely in any way, nor be enslaved by it or any other food or drink that impairs his judgment. Addiction to wine disqualifies a man from office. A man who becomes drunk also fails to meet this qualification for office.

 3. 用约翰·加尔文的话说：“牧师饮酒过量不仅不得体，而且通常还会导致很多更糟的事情，比如争吵、愚蠢的态度、不贞洁以及其他无须提起的事情。”（提后3:3注释）也可以比较一下保罗在以弗所书5:18中对所有信徒的劝诫。所有信徒，尤其是长老（因为他是群羊的榜样），都不应醉酒。相反，基督徒应该被圣灵所充满。

 4. 从该资格要求中我们可以推断出，监督就像民事执政官员（特别是法官）一样，不应饮酒过度或受制于任何具有和酒一样对人言语、行为和判断力产生影响的食物、饮料或毒品。

 5. 长老必须能够善用神赐给人的酒，由此表明他有能力控制自己。他必须能够明智地、适度地使用酒，由此来荣耀神。他绝对不能饮酒过度。

3. In the words of John Calvin, “Excessive drinking is not only unseemly in a pastor, but usually results in many things still worse, such as quarrels, foolish attitudes, unchastity, and others there is no need to mention” (Commentary on 1 Tim. 3:3). Compare also Paul’s exhortation to all believers in Eph. 5:18. No believer, but especially no elder (for he is to be an example to all the flock), should be drunk with wine. Rather, Christians should be filled with the Holy Spirit.

4. From this qualification we can infer that an overseer, just like civil magistrates (especially judges), should be neither “given to” nor under the control of any food or drink or drug which has the same kind of effect as wine on a man’s speech, conduct, and judgment.

 5. An elder must show his ability to rule himself in the way he uses God’s gift of wine. He must be able to use wine wisely and in moderation to the glory of God; he must never “give himself to much wine.”

没有暴力倾向的人（不打人）

Not a Violent Man

结构

这是第3节中五个否定性资格要求中的第二项。

Structure

This is the second of five negative requirements in verse 3.

注释

Comment

这个被我翻译成“有暴力倾向的人”的希腊语单词在新约中只出现过两次，两次都是对监督职分的要求（提前3:3和多1:7）。这个希腊语单词是名词，指的是击打或殴打他人的人。这就是为什么英王钦定本将此词翻译为“打人的人”（striker）的原因。此处使用的这个词与另一个希腊名词有关，意思是“打，击”或由击打而导致的“伤，瘀伤”（见徒16:23、33；路10:30）。

The Greek word which I have translated “a violent man” occurs only twice in the New Testament, both times as a requirement for the office of overseer (1 Tim. 3:3 and Titus 1:7). The Greek word is a noun which refers to a person who strikes or smites another person. This is the reason why the King James Version translates this word as “striker.” The word used here is related to another Greek noun which means “blow, stroke” or “wound, bruise” as the result of a blow (see Acts 16:23, 33; Luke 10:30).

这显然是指那种发怒的时候常常用手或脚甚至手中的某些器具打别人的人。这些人没有资格担当监督的职务。怒气和暴力都不应是做监督的人的特征。他不能打家人，也不能打家人以外的人。唯一例外的是神在圣经中明确允许的击打（例如，民事官员执行的惩罚[出21:23-25]和父母的管教[箴23:13-14]）。

This is clearly referring to men who are wont to strike others out of anger with their hand or foot, or even with some instrument in their hand. Such men are not qualified to hold the office of overseer. Neither anger nor violence should characterize an overseer. He must not strike his family, nor people outside the family. The only exceptions are striking that is specifically permitted by God in Scripture (e.g., punishment by the civil magistrate [Ex. 21:23–25] and discipline by parents [Prov. 23:13–14]).

当发生争执或吵架时，神禁止所有人（不仅是监督）互相殴打（出21:18-19）；也禁止孩子殴打父母（出21:15）；甚至，当一个人打坏了他的奴仆或婢女的眼睛或牙齿，他就会受到惩罚（出21:26-27）。耶稣在马太福音中教导我们，神恨恶暴力的根源，即愤怒。（太5:21-26）

God forbids all men (not just overseers) to strike one another when there is an argument or fight (Ex. 21:18–19). Children are forbidden to strike their parents (Ex. 21:15). There is even a penalty when a man strikes the eye or tooth of his servant or maid and destroys it (Ex. 21:26–27). Jesus teaches us in Matthew that God abhors the root of violence, namely, anger (Matt.5:21–26).

结论

 1. 监督必须能够控制自己的思想和身体，以免打人，或者快快动怒。

2. 这意味着监督必须温柔、平和，并能够控制自己的身体，这样就没人能说他是打人的人，或者是有暴力倾向的人。陷入激烈争吵或打架的人没有资格担当监督的职分。

3. 在身体上虐待妻子、子女或其他任何人的人，没有担任长老的资格。

4. 无法控制自己的怒气、容易发火或用言语攻击他人的人不应担当监督职分，因为无法控制的怒气必然导致发生暴力。

Conclusions

1. An overseer must have control over his mind and body so that he does not hit other people and is not swift to anger.

2. This means that an overseer must be gentle, peaceable, and able to keep his body under control so that no one can say that he is a striker or a violent man. A man who gets into violent arguments or fistfights is not qualified to be an overseer.

3. A man who physically abuses his wife, his children, or anyone else, is disqualified from the office of elder.

4. A man who is not able to control his anger, who has outbursts of anger, or who lashes people with his tongue, ought not to bear the office of overseer, since uncontrolled anger is bound to erupt in violence.

不喜欢不义之财

Not Fond of Shameful Gain

结构

这是第3节中五个否定性资格要求中的第三项。

Structure

 This is the third of five negative requirements in verse 3.

注释

Comment

并不是所有提摩太前书的希腊语抄本都包含3:3中被翻译成“不喜欢不义之财”的两个词；但在现存的新约圣经抄本中占绝大部分比例的“拜占庭”抄本（大部分为小楷体抄本），以及更多来自其他组别的抄本（在奈瑟勒希腊语圣经的校勘注释中为al）包含这两个词。由于绝大多数抄本都证明了它们的真实性，因此我们应该接受它们是这节经文的组成部分。反对接受它们的观点是说它们是从提多书1:7的类似经文中加进去的。

Not all Greek manuscripts of 1 Timothy contain the two words translated “not fond of shameful gain” in 3:3, but the “Byzantine” manuscripts (mostly minuscules), which form the vast majority of the extant manuscripts of the New Testament, along with a greater number of manuscripts out of other groups (al in Nestle’s critical apparatus), include them. Since the vast majority of manuscripts attest to their authenticity, we should accept them as rightly part of this verse. The argument against accepting them is that they have been added from the similar passage in Titus 1:7.

保罗在希腊语中使用由“不义”和“财”组成的复合形容词。“不喜欢不义之财”这样的翻译最能传达其涵义。不义之财是人以不诚实手段获得的任何东西，或者所获得的东西本身就是可耻或邪恶的。

In Greek, Paul uses a compound adjective composed of the words for “shameful” and “gain.” Its meaning is best conveyed by the translation “fond of shameful gain.” Shameful gain is anything that a man gets by dishonest means, or which is itself shameful or wicked.

彼得在彼得前书5:2中讲了同样的话，他劝诫长老们“务要牧养在你们中间神的群羊，按着神旨意照管他们。不是出于勉强，乃是出于甘心；也不是因为贪财，乃是出于乐意。”彼得是说，人担任监督去服事的动机不应该是为了得到不诚实的收获。他不应试图利用自己在神羊群中的监督地位来高举自己。他也不应试图为自己积累对他人的权力、控制或权威。

Peter speaks of the same thing in 1 Peter 5:2, where he exhorts the elders to “shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly.” Peter is saying that a man’s motivation to serve as an overseer should not be to achieve dishonest gain. He should not seek to exalt himself by using his position as an overseer among the flock of God. He should not try to garner to himself power, control, or authority over others.

他的愿望不应该是让自己因为可能会得到的荣誉、尊敬、威信或奉承而膨胀。他成为监督的动机不应该是他藉着这个职分能够获得的好处。相反，他的动力应该是服事耶稣基督并拓展祂国度的渴望。

His desire should not be to puff himself up with pride because of the honor, respect, prestige, or flattery that may come to him. His motivation to be an overseer should not be some advantage that he can get by this office.Rather, a man’s motivation should be an eager desire to serve Jesus Christ and further his kingdom. This qualification should be applied broadly to money and material goods. A man who just wants wealth should not be an overseer. One’s goals in defending oneself or others from criticism or accusations should not be self-serving.

这个资格应该广泛应用于金钱和物质方面。一个只想获得财富的人不应成为监督。保护自己或他人免受批评或指责的目标不应是出于自私的目的。这种资格也适用于非物质性的不正当收获，例如权力、荣誉和称赞。

This qualification also applies to the shameful gaining of nonmaterial things, such as power, honor, and praise. Conclusions

结论

1. 这一资格禁止监督以罪恶的动机或以任何不诚实的方式获取金钱或财产。

2. 人的目标如果是为了获得权力、控制、权威、荣誉、威望、尊敬或奉承，而不是为了荣耀神并造就教会，他就没有资格担当这职分。

3. 一个会不择手段达到自己目的的人喜欢不义之财，因此他就没有资格成为监督。

Conclusions

1. This qualification forbids an overseer to acquire money or material possessions with sinful motives or in any dishonest way.

2. It also disqualifies from office a man whose goal is to get power, control, authority, honor, prestige, respect, or flattery, rather than to glorify God and edify the church.

 3. A man who is unscrupulous in getting his way is also fond of shameful gain, and therefore is not qualified to be an overseer.

只要温和

Gentle

结构

这个正面的资格要求与第3节中它前后的五个否定性资格要求形成对比。

Structure This positive requirement stands in contrast to the five negative requirements which surround it in verse 3.

注释

Comment

这个词的意思是“温柔的、顺服的或友善的”。使徒保罗在哥林多后书10:1中把温柔归因于我们的主耶稣基督，他“藉着基督的温柔、和平”劝哥林多教会。而雅各则告诉我们，从上头来的智慧，先是清洁，后是和平，温良柔顺……（雅3:17）

温柔应该是每一个基督徒的特点。保罗写道：“你要提醒众人，叫他们顺服作官的、掌权的，遵他的命，预备行各样的善事。不要毁谤，不要争竞，总要和平，向众人大显温柔”（多3:1-2），以及“当叫众人知道你们谦让的心”（腓4:5）。

The word means “gentle, yielding, or kind.” The apostle Paul ascribes gentleness to our Lord Jesus Christ in 2 Cor. 10:1, where he pleads with the church at Corinth “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” James tells us that the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable and gentle (James 3:17).Gentleness should characterize every Christian. Paul writes: “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men” (Titus 3:1–2), and “Let your gentleness be known to all men” (Phil. 4:5).

保罗受圣灵的默示，把温柔作为监督必不可少的素质单独列出来。与一个饮酒过度、有暴力倾向或喜欢不正当收获的人相反，监督必须是温柔的。“温柔的”的反面是“粗暴的、刻薄的和压迫的”。使徒彼得劝告作仆人的，凡事要存敬畏的心顺服主人，不但顺服那善良温和的，就是那乖僻的（harsh）也要顺服（彼前2:18）。彼得在这节经文中把温柔的和乖僻的对立起来。我们在接下来的几节经文（彼前2:19-24）中可以看到，一个乖僻的主人不公地让他的仆人承受悲伤或痛苦，那就是为行善而受苦。彼得指向耶稣基督，祂是我们的榜样。祂没有犯任何罪，但遭到了乖僻之人的辱骂，为我们忍受那些人施加的苦难。

Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, singles out gentleness as a necessary quality in an overseer. In contrast to a man who is given to much wine, violent, or fond of shameful gain, an overseer must be gentle. Gentle is the opposite of abrasive, caustic, or oppressive. The apostle Peter admonishes servants to be submissive to their masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh (1 Peter 2:18). In this verse Peter sets gentle over against harsh. We learn in the next verses (vv. 19–24) that a harsh master causes his servant to endure grief and suffer wrongly, that is, suffer for doing good. Peter points to Jesus Christ, who is our example. He committed no sin and yet was reviled by harsh men and suffered at their hands for us.An overseer is not to be a harsh man. He is not to revile people and make them suffer for doing good. A man who makes others endure grief unnecessarily lacks this important qualification for the office of overseer.

监督不应该是乖僻的人。他不应该辱骂人，让他们因行善而受苦。一个让他人忍受不必要的悲伤的人，缺乏担任监督职分的这个重要条件。就算是人悖逆真理，监督也不能态度粗暴和怒气冲冲。相反，即使面对纷争和反对，他也必须对所有人有包容精神，力求避免冲突，而不是煽风点火。保罗写信给提摩太：“惟有那愚拙无学问的辩论，总要弃绝，因为知道这等事是起争竞的。然而主的仆人不可争竞；只要温温和和地待众人，善于教导，存心忍耐，用温柔劝戒那抵挡的人，或者神给他们悔改的心，可以明白真道。”（提后2:23-25）

An overseer must not get rough and angry, even when people oppose the truth. Rather, he must have a forbearing spirit toward all, even in the midst of disputes and opposition, seeking to avoid strife, not incite it. Paul wrote to Timothy: “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Tim. 2:23–25). Conclusions 1. All Christians should

结论

1. 所有的基督徒都应该是温柔的，但监督尤其应该如此。

2. 年轻人和缺乏经验的人常常缺少这种素质；他们往往浮躁而轻率。他们可能对真理非常热心，但他们的粗暴态度会冒犯他人。或者，他们可能会缺乏包容精神，容易被别人的言行所冒犯。

3. 往往在争论过程中，我们能够看出一个人是否具备圣经所要求于监督的温柔。当遇到不对的事情，或面对分歧或指责的时候，人很自然地会失去包容精神和温柔的态度。

4. 一个在争论中失去包容精神和温柔举止的人不应成为监督。

Conclusions

 1. All Christians should be gentle, but especially an overseer.

 2. Young and inexperienced men often lack this quality; they tend to be impetuous and rash. They may be very zealous for the truth, but offend others by their harsh manner. Or they may lack a forbearing spirit and easily get offended by what others say or do.

3. It is often in the midst of controversy that a man shows whether he has the gentleness which Scripture requires for overseers. It is a natural tendency for a man to lose his forbearing spirit and gentle manner when something is not right or when there is disagreement or criticism.

4. A man who loses his forbearing spirit and gentle manner when there is controversy ought not to be an overseer.

不争竞

Not Quarrelsome

结构

第3节中的第四个否定性资格要求是在监督要温柔的这个肯定性资格要求之后。在这节经文中，有三个紧密相关的资格要求，都与人的性情有关。这方面的特殊性表明，神对监督者具有合适性情的必要性的重视。

Structure The fourth negative requirement in verse 3 follows the positive requirement that an overseer be gentle. There are three closely related requirements in this verse which all have to do with a man’s disposition. The particularity in this area shows the importance that God places on the necessity of an overseer having a right disposition.

注释

Comment

被翻译成“不争竞”的这个词的意思是“不卷入争执、争吵或冲突”。类似的翻译包括“不争论的”、“不闹事的人”、“平和的”和“不争竞”。在新约中其他地方只出现过一次，在提多书3:2。保罗在那里告诉提多，要提醒众人“不要毁谤，不要争竞，总要和平，向众人大显温柔”。提多书中被翻译成“和平”的单词的意思是：一个人不会因为任何原因而对他人怀有邪恶的仇恨；不对别人说恶毒的话或对他们怀恨在心；尽管比别人优秀，也不因此骄傲自大。所有这些罪恶的事情表明，这样的人是好争论、好争竞的。

The word translated “not quarrelsome” means “not given to disputes or quarrels or strife.” From this follow translations such as “uncontentious,” “not a brawler,” “peaceable,” and “not quarrelsome.” The adjective itself is used only one other time in the New Testament, in Titus 3:2. There Paul tells Titus to remind people “to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Translated “peaceable” in Titus, the word means that one does not have sinful hatred toward others for any reason; one does not speak evil of others or hold grudges against them; one is not lifted up in pride as though he were better than others. All these sinful things show that a man has a contentious, quarrelsome spirit.

缺乏这种资格的人会不断地发现别人的缺点，不断地挑剔他们的言行，并且总是和人发生争执。因此，他将很难与他人相处，并且往往会有许多牢骚、纠纷和争吵。他会总是挑毛病。这样的性格会让人变得非常郁郁寡欢。

A man who lacks this qualification will continually find fault with people, continually pick apart what they say and do, and will always have a bone of contention with someone. Consequently, he will find it hard to get along with others and will tend to have many grievances, disputes, and quarrels. He will always be finding something that is not right. Such a disposition will make a man very unhappy.

一些包含相关动词或名词的经文段落支持这样的解释。在约翰福音6:52中，犹太人因为耶稣说祂要把祂的肉给人吃而争吵不休。在提摩太后书2:23-25保罗劝诫提摩太“惟有那愚拙无学问的辩论，总要弃绝，因为知道这等事是起争竞的。然而主的仆人不可争竞；只要温温和和地待众人……用温柔劝戒那抵挡的人……”保罗在提多书3:9-11中对提多说：“要远避无知的辩论和家谱的空谈，以及纷争，并因律法而起的争竞，因为这都是虚妄无益的。分门结党的人，警戒过一两次，就要弃绝他。因为知道这等人已经背道，犯了罪，自己明知不是，还是去作。”在雅各书4:1中，使徒问道：“你们中间的争战、斗殴，是从哪里来的呢？不是从你们百体中战斗之私欲来的吗？”

Several passages containing the related verb or noun support this interpretation. In John 6:52 the Jews quarrel about Jesus’ statement that he will give people his flesh to eat. In 2 Tim. 2:23–25 Paul exhorts Timothy to “avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, … in humility correcting those who are in opposition.” In Titus 3:9–11 Paul tells Titus: “But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” In James 4:1 the apostle asks: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”

监督者不应该争竞，而是必须避免纠纷、争吵和冲突。他必须纠正那些误入歧途的人，却不与他们吵架。他必须温柔（见上文关于“温柔”的释经）、谦卑、和平、忍耐、包容、带来和睦，而不是引发对立和分裂。约翰·加尔文注释说这节经文要求监督是这样一个人：“他知道如何和平而从容地承受伤害，他愿意原谅人，忍受羞辱，不因自己粗暴严厉的态度而令人害怕，也不强取他应得的一切。不争竞的人就是避免纠纷和争吵的人。”

 Instead of being quarrelsome, an overseer must avoid disputes, quarrels, and strife. He must correct those who stray, but without quarreling with them. He must be gentle (see the exegesis of “gentle,” above), humble, peaceable, long-suffering, forbearing, and reconciliatory, rather than antagonistic and divisive. John Calvin comments that this verse requires an overseer to be a man “who knows how to bear injuries peacefully and with moderation, who excuses much, who swallows insults, who does not make himself dreaded for his harsh severity, nor rigorously exact all that is due to him. The man who is not contentious is he who avoids disputes and quarrels.”

结论

1. 提摩太前书3:3强调监督身上需要有敬虔的性情。

2. 其中的一个方面是，监督不应该喜欢争竞。监督不应该总是心怀抱怨，而应该和平、带来和睦、看他人比自己强、忍耐和宽容。

3. 罪人的本性往往是为了争竞而挑剔、争吵、引起纠纷。一个有资格担当监督职分的人必须靠神的恩典克服这种罪。只有如此，他才能够在教会中担当这个职分。

4. 这种资格并不是指，监督应该无视或粉饰罪恶，而声称他是为了避免争执。相反，正如保罗在提摩太后书2:23-24中所写的，监督必须谦卑地纠正那些犯错和反对真理的人，同时又不和人争吵。监督无视或粉饰罪恶就是犯罪。

Conclusions

1. 1 Tim. 3:3 emphasizes the need for a godly disposition in an overseer.

2. One aspect of that is that an overseer must not be given to quarrels. Rather than continually being disgruntled about something, an overseer should be peaceable, reconciliatory, thinking more highly of others than of himself, long-suffering, and forbearing.

3. It is typical of sinful human nature to find something wrong, something to quarrel over, some point to dispute, just for the sake of contention. A man who is qualified for the office of overseer must have overcome this sin by the grace of God. Until he does, he should not bear office in the church.

4. This qualification does not mean that an overseer ought to ignore or whitewash sin, claiming that he is avoiding contention. Rather, as Paul writes in 2 Tim. 2:23–24, in humility an overseer must correct those who err and oppose the truth, while at the same time not quarreling. It is sinful for an overseer to ignore or whitewash sin.

不贪爱钱财

Not Loving Money

结构

这是3:3中的第五个否定性资格要求，也是这个资格表中的最后一个以单个词表示的特征。

Structure This is the fifth negative requirement in verse 3, and the last single-word characteristic in this list of qualifications.

注释

Comment

这个单词被翻译为“notcovetous”（新英王钦定本）（即，不贪婪。和合本译为不贪财——译者注）太不准确。希腊语原文单词的字面翻译是“不爱银子”。由于在保罗时代，银子是通用的货币，因此我们不应将其含义限制在字面意义上。这就是为什么我遵循词典的翻译，即“不爱钱”。人们通常用其他希腊语单词表达“贪婪”这个范围更广的概念（例如，罗13:9）。

The translation “not covetous” (NKJV) is too imprecise for this word. A literal translation of the original Greek word is “not loving silver.” Since silver was commonly used as money in Paul’s day, we should not restrict the word to its literal meaning. That is why I have followed the lexicons’ translation, “not loving money.” The broader idea of covetousness is usually conveyed by other Greek words (see, e.g., Rom. 13:9).

希伯来书13:5使用了相同的形容词，所有基督徒都受到警戒——不可贪爱钱财，要以自己所有的为足。这种资格要求并非长老独有。圣经列举了一些贪爱钱财的罪的例子。在路加福音12:13-21中就有这样一个例子。有人对耶稣说：“夫子，请你吩咐我的兄长和我分开家业。”在直截了当地回答那个人之后，耶稣警告众人说：“你们要谨慎自守，免去一切的贪心；因为人的生命不在乎家道丰富。”然后耶稣对他们讲了一个财主的比喻。他修建了更大的谷仓来存放他大量的粮食和财物，并告诉自己：“灵魂哪，你有许多财物积存，可作多年的费用，只管安安逸逸地吃喝快乐吧！”但是神斥责这位财主说：“无知的人哪，今夜必要你的灵魂，你所预备的要归谁呢？”凡为自己积财，在神面前却不富足的，也是这样。第二个例子是路加福音16:1-14，耶稣在其中讲述了不公义的管家的故事，最后的结论是：“一个仆人不能事奉两个主，不是恶这个爱那个，就是重这个轻那个；你们不能又事奉神，又事奉玛门”（16:13）；“法利赛人是贪爱钱财的，他们听见这一切话，就嗤笑耶稣”（16:14）。

The same adjective is used in Heb. 13:5, where all Christians are exhorted to live without loving money, being content with what they have. This qualification is not unique to elders. Scripture gives some examples of the sin of loving money. One example is found in Luke 12:13–21, where we read that a man said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” After replying directly to the man, Jesus warned the crowd: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then Jesus told them a parable about a rich man who built bigger barns to hold his plentiful crops and goods, telling himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” But God rebuked the rich man: “You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” A second example is Luke 16:1–14, where Jesus tells the story of the unjust steward, concluding with this statement: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (v. 13). “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him” (v. 14).

这些例子表明，贪爱钱财就是服事钱财，相信钱财，或爱恋钱财。认为生命是在于大量的财富和财产就是贪爱钱财。相信钱是生活中最重要的事情，这样的生活也就是贪爱钱财。保罗警告提摩太：“但那些想要发财的人，就陷在迷惑、落在网罗和许多无知有害的私欲里，叫人沉在败坏和灭亡中。贪财是万恶之根。有人贪恋钱财，就被引诱离了真道，用许多愁苦把自己刺透了。但你这属神的人要逃避这些事，追求公义、敬虔、信心、爱心、忍耐、温柔。”（提前6:9-11）同样，在提摩太后书3:1-5保罗警告说：“你该知道，末世必有危险的日子来到。因为那时人要专顾自己、贪爱钱财、自夸、狂傲、谤讟、违背父母、忘恩负义、心不圣洁、无亲情、不解怨、好说谗言、不能自约、性情凶暴、不爱良善、卖主卖友、任意妄为、自高自大、爱宴乐、不爱神，有敬虔的外貌，却背了敬虔的实意，这等人你要躲开。”如果人贪爱钱财、自我、享乐或任何其他事情，他就是违背了爱神的诫命，这是第一条并且也是最大的诫命（太22:37-38）。

These examples show that loving money means serving it, placing one’s confidence in it, or having a deep affection for it. To think that life consists in the abundance of wealth and possessions is to love money. To live as if money were the most important thing in life is also to love money. Paul warned Timothy: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in de

struction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:9–11). Again, in 2 Tim. 3:1–5 Paul warns: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” Loving money, self, pleasure, or anything else competes with loving God, which is the first and great commandment (Matt. 22:37–38).

有些无知且没有定见的人说，基督徒所拥有的比生活最基本的必需品更多就是错误的，这是歪曲了圣经，以至于自招灭亡。相反，圣经教导说，利益、财富和财产是主对那些敬畏祂的人的祝福（申8，28:1-14；箴3:9-10）。贪爱钱财并不等同于一个人拥有的财富或他所获得的金钱的数量。

Some people who are untaught and unstable twist the Scriptures to their own destruction when they say that it is wrong for Christians to have more than the bare necessities of life. To the contrary, the Scriptures teach that a good increase, wealth, and possessions are the blessings of the Lord to those who honor him (e.g., Deut. 8; 28:1–14; Prov. 3:9–10). The love of money cannot be equated with the amount of wealth a man has or the money he receives. Conclusions

结论

 1. 这种资格比“不贪婪”更为具体。它要求长老不能贪爱钱财。

2. 所有基督徒，尤其是长老，必须爱神超过其他一切。在人的生命中，没有其他任何事情能排在第一位。

3. 穷人可能贪爱钱财，而富人或许不，或者说，富人也可能贪爱钱财，同时穷人却不。任何为金钱而活，相信钱财，或者爱恋钱财的人，都是贪爱钱财的人。

4. 一个贪爱钱财的人不可避免会被吸引，不再服事主耶稣基督。人不能既事奉神，又事奉玛门。

Conclusions

 1. This qualification is more specific than just “not covetous.” It requires that elders not be lovers of money.

2. All Christians, and especially elders, must love God above anything else. Nothing else should ever take the number one place in a man’s life.

3. A poor man may be a lover of money, while a rich man may not, or a rich man may be a lover of money, while a poor man is not. Anyone who lives for his money, places his confidence in it, or has a deep affection for it, is a lover of money.

4. A man who loves money will inevitably be drawn away from serving the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot serve God and mammon. Ruling His Own House Well

好好管理自己的家

Ruling His Own House Well

结构

Structure

这是资格清单结尾三项较长的资格要求中的第一个。尽管大多数资格要求都与人的品格和状态有关，这项资格要求却是少数有关能力的一项。

 This is the first of three lengthy requirements which conclude the list of qualifications. While most of the requirements concern a man’s character or status, this is one of the few that require certain abilities.

注释

Comment

监督的主要职责之一就是照管神的教会。翻译成“照管”的希腊文单词在新约中仅被使用了3次。除了这节经文外，路加福音10:34-35也使用了这个单词：好撒玛利亚人照顾被打伤的的人，为他包裹伤口、在伤口上抹上油和酒，带他去一家旅馆并雇用店主照应他。正如牧羊人照顾他所有的羊一样，监督也必须照管神所有的百姓。他必须用神的话语喂养他们，保护他们免受敌人和恶狼的侵害，并引导他们认识教义并且有合乎圣经的行为，必要的时候安慰、劝勉和责备他们。

One of the main duties of an overseer is to take care of the church of God. The Greek word translated “take care of” is used only three times in the New Testament. In addition to this verse, it is used in Luke 10:34–35,where the good Samaritan took care of the injured man by binding up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them, taking him to an inn, and hiring the innkeeper to take care of him. Just as a shepherd cares for all his sheep, so an overseer must care for all the people of God. He must feed the people from God’s Word, protect them from enemies and wolves, and lead them in doctrine and conduct that is scriptural, comforting, admonishing, and censuring as needed.

要想有资格来照管神的教会，一个人必须首先知道如何管理好自己的家庭。被翻译为“家”的希腊语单词的含义广泛。在本节经文中，它指的是一个男人的家庭的几个方面。首先，监督必须自律。这是善于治理的基础，因为说到底，良好的治理是建立在自我管理之上的。一个不善于管理自己，却试图治理别人或期望别人管理好他们自己的人，是虚伪的。他会失去他人的尊重，也无法管理好任何事情。箴言16:32说：“不轻易发怒的，胜过勇士；治服己心的，强如取城。”箴言25:28说：“人不制伏自己的心，好像毁坏的城邑，没有墙垣。”其次，监督必须按着神的律法，管理好他的妻子和儿女，使他们顺服并且言行恭敬。家庭里必须有敬重、尊敬和良好的秩序。第三，监督必须管理好他的仆人、雇员、财产，以及商业事务。

In order to be qualified to take care of the church of God, a man must first know how to rule his own household. The Greek word translated “house” has a wide range of meanings. In this verse it refers to several aspects of a man’s household. First, an overseer must rule himself well. This is foundational to good government because, ultimately, good government is based on self-government. A man who does not rule himself well, but seeks to rule others or expects them to govern themselves, is a hypocrite. He will lose the respect of others and will be unable to rule over anything well. Prov. 16:32 says: “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Prov. 25:28 says: “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” Second, an overseer must rule his wife and children well, having them in obedience and submission, according to the law of God. There must be reverence, respect, and good order in the home. Third, an overseer must govern his servants, employees, property, and business affairs well.

这意味着监督必须证明他有能力恰当地处理自己的事务。他必须在日常生活中表现出良好的判断力和自律。如果在这些方面存在不足，他将无法妥善地照管神的教会。他缺乏必要的能力，也得不到必要的尊重和权威。这个论证是从较小的责任引申到更大的责任。人在不多的事上忠心，将要托付他更大的事情。比较一下马太福音25:14-30里面关于不同恩赐的比喻。

This means that an overseer must demonstrate that he has the ability to run his own affairs properly. He must show good judgment and discipline in his daily life. If this is deficient, a man will not be able to take care of the church of God properly. He will lack both the abilities and the respect and authority that are necessary. The argument is from the lesser responsibility to the greater responsibility. He who is faithful with a few things will be put in charge of greater things. Compare the parable of the talents in Matt. 25:14–30.

结论

1. 长老的部分任务是照管神的教会，就像牧羊人照管他的羊一样。

2. 在一个人被托付去照管神的教会之前，他必须管理好自己的家庭，这包括管理好他自己、他的家人和他的日常事务。

3. 如果一个人不能很好地管理自己，如果他的孩子不忠心或不顺服，或过着放荡的生活，或者他的妻子叛逆，那么他就不适合在神的教会中进行治理。

4. 保罗不要求做监督的没有日常生活的经验。与罗马天主教的理想形象相反，一个有日常生活经验，并且很好地履行人际关系所赋予他的职责的人，要比一个过着隐修生活的人得到了好得多的训练，并且更适合在教会中治理（参加尔文，关于提摩太前书3:4的注释）。

Conclusions

1. Part of the elders’ task is to take care of the church of God, just as a shepherd takes care of his sheep.

2. Before a man can be trusted to care for the church of God, he must rule his own household well, including himself, his family, and his daily affairs.

3. If a man does not govern himself well, if his children are unfaithful or insubordinate, or lead dissolute lives, or if his wife is rebellious, he is not suited to govern in the church of God.

4. Paul does not require that an overseer be without experience in the ordinary life of men. Contrary to the Roman Catholic ideal, a man experienced in ordinary life and well practiced in the duties that human relationships impose, is far better trained and fitted to rule in the church than a man who leads a hermitic life (see Calvin, Commentary on 1 Tim. 3:4).

不是初入教的

Not Newly Converted

结构

Structure

这是资格清单结尾三个较长的资格要求中的第二个。这一个使用了否定性的词，而另两个词都是肯定性的。

This is the second of three lengthy requirements which conclude the list of qualifications. This one is worded negatively, while the other two are worded positively.

注释

Comment

保罗使用的这个希腊语形容词（neophyton），没有在新约圣经其他任何地方被使用过。从字面上看，它的意思是“新种植的”。在基督教作品中，这个形容词用于那些新近被接纳进入基督教会的人。我把它翻译为“初入教的”，因为这清楚地传达了其含义。圣经中还有其他几段经文使用植物来比喻信徒（例如，太13:1-23；约15:1-8；罗6:5；林前3:5-9）。

Paul uses a Greek adjective (neophyton) that is not used anywhere else in the New Testament. Literally, it means “newly planted.” In Christian literature, this adjective is used of those who have been newly planted in the Christian church. I have translated it as “newly converted,” since that clearly conveys its meaning. There are several other passages of Scripture which use the metaphor of a plant for believers (e.g., Matt. 13:1–23; John 15:1–8; Rom. 6:5; 1 Cor. 3:5–9).

保罗补充了关于这个资格要求的理由。如果一个新入教的人成为了监督，他将很容易变得自高自大或自负。这个希腊语单词是完成时态，也可以表示“被蒙骗的”，“被迷惑的”和“变得盲目或愚蠢的”。这个动词在新约的其他两个地方被使用过，都在保罗书信中。在提摩太前书6:4，这个词被翻译为“他是自高自大”，很符合经文的上下文。这个词可以被翻译成“盲目的”或“愚蠢的”，但上下文表明这个人自高自大：他不愿意受教，不接受有益的话语，甚至不服从我们主耶稣基督纯正的话与那合乎敬虔的道理（6:3）。可以说，他的骄傲使他眼瞎，看不见真相，让他失去良好的判断力。保罗使用这个词的另一处经文是提摩太后书3:4，它在这里被翻译为“傲慢的”（和合本译为“自高自大”——译注）。这也符合提摩太前书第3章的上下文，因为在3:1-5中作者以几种方式提到了傲慢和骄傲。和这个动词相关的名词形式在新约中没有被使用，它的意思是“妄想，自负或傲慢”。揭示这个动词的含义的线索出现在经文说明的后果中：就落在魔鬼所受的刑罚里（提前3:6，请参见下文）。综上所述，这些证据相当有力地说明，保罗使用的动词的意思是“自高自大或自负”。

Paul adds a reason for this qualification. If a new convert were an overseer, he would too easily become puffed up or conceited. In the perfect tense, the Greek word can also mean “beclouded,” “deluded,” and “becoming blinded or foolish.” This verb is used in two other places in the New Testament, both in Paul’s letters. In 1 Tim. 6:4, the word is translated “he is proud,” which fits well with the context. One could translate “blind” or “foolish,” but the context suggests that the man is puffed up: he refuses to teach and consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness (6:3). You could say that his pride blinds him to the truth and gives him poor judgment. The other text where Paul uses this word is 2 Tim. 3:4, where it is translated “haughty.” This fits the context in 1 Tim 3 also, for arrogance and pride are mentioned in several ways in verses 1–5. Although not used in the New Testament, the noun related to this verb means “delusion, conceit, or arrogance.” A further indication of the meaning of this verb is given in the consequence: one may fall into the condemnation of the devil (v. 6, see below). Taken together, the evidence is fairly convincing that by this verb Paul means “be puffed up or conceited.”

如果一个新信主的基督徒很快承担起照管教会、教导和治理教会的责任，他很容易因为骄傲和愚蠢的自负而自高自大。只有神的恩典和圣灵的工作以及神的话语才能使罪人成圣。谦卑、知识、智慧、自制以及其他所有监督需要的条件并非能一蹴而就。人需要花费许多时间来学习和实践这些事情，弃绝肉体的行为，结出圣灵的果子。圣经还教导说，神要降下试炼和管教，从而在祂的百姓身上成就这些事（参来12:10-11；雅1:2-8）。一个新入教的信徒先从喝奶的状态长大成为吃干粮的成熟基督徒，然后才能预备好成为监督。他必须心窍习练得通达，才就能分辨好歹（来5:12-14）。

If a new Christian suddenly received the responsibility of watching over the congregation, teaching and ruling in the church, he could easily become puffed up with pride and foolish self-confidence. It takes the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit with the word of God to sanctify a sinner. Humility, knowledge, wisdom, self-control, and all the other things an overseer needs do not come overnight. It takes time for a man to learn and practice these things, to put off the deeds of the flesh and put on the fruit of the Spirit. Scripture also teaches that God sends trials and chastening to work these things in his people (cf. Heb. 12:10–11; James 1:2–8). A new convert must go on from the milk to the solid food of the mature Christian before he is ready to be an overseer. He must by reason of use have his senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Heb. 5:12–14).

因为骄傲而自高自大的结果是，人可能会落在魔鬼所受的刑罚里。由于主耶稣基督是审判官，所以我们必须理解保罗是在谈论神对魔鬼的审判，因为魔鬼骄傲自大对抗神。根据彼得后书2:4，神将那些犯了罪的天使丢入地狱中，让他们在黑暗中被锁链所捆绑，直等到审判的时候（参犹6）。神责罚魔鬼，让他在地狱中受到永远的惩罚。保罗说骄傲招致毁灭（参箴16:18-19）。

The consequence of being puffed up with pride is that a man might fall into the condemnation of the devil. Since the Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge, we must understand Paul to be speaking of God’s condemnation of the devil for lifting himself up in pride against God. According to 2 Peter 2:4, God cast the angels who sinned down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment (cf. Jude 6). God condemned the devil to everlasting punishment in hell. Paul is saying that pride leads to destruction (cf. Prov. 16:18–19).

亨德里克森（Hendriksen）暗示，使徒保罗在重访新建立的教会之前，没有按立长老（New Testament Commentary: Exposition ofthe Pastoral Epistles，第128页）。然而，在第一次宣教之旅中，保罗似乎没有等待太多的时间就按立了长老（参徒14:23）。原因是所有这些教会的新成员并非都是新入教的。许多从小就学习圣经、一生都服事主的犹太人也信了基督，成为基督教会中的一员。由于这些犹太人并不是新入教的，在这些新教会中有许多人从一开始就有资格在教会中担当职分。

Hendriksen suggests that the apostle Paul did not appoint elders in new churches until he revisited them (New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, p. 128). However, it does not appear that Paul waited very long before appointing elders on his first missionary journey (see Acts 14:23). The reason for this is that not all the members of these new churches were newly converted. Many Jews who had learned the Scriptures as a child and had served the Lord all their life also believed in Christ and became part of the Christian church. Since these Jews were not new converts, there were many men in these new congregations who were qualified from the start to bear office in the church. Conclusions

结论

1. 不论长幼，一个新入教的人不应该成为长老。对于长老这个职分，比起一个人的年龄，他作为基督徒的成熟程度要重要得多。

2. 即使一个新入教的人有出色的素质和学习能力，这也不足以让他有资格担当监督的职分。

3. 让一个新入教的人在教会里做监督，这可能会导致骄傲，并且可能由此导致他的堕落，甚至使他落入永恒的毁灭。

4. 对于由一群新入教的人组成的教会来说，他们需要一段时间之后才会产生有资格成为长老的人。

5. 在被呼召成为神圣言的牧者之前，新基督徒应当表现出有成熟的信仰。

Conclusions

1. Whether young or old, one who is a new Christian should not be an elder. A man’s maturity as a Christian is more important for the office of elder than his age in years.

2. Even outstanding human abilities and learning are not sufficient to qualify a newly converted man for the office of overseer.

3. Making a new believer an overseer in the church may lead to pride, which may lead to his fall and even to his eternal destruction.

 4. It takes time before a congregation of new believers has men who are qualified to be elders in the congregation. 5. New Christians should show maturity in the faith before they are called to be ministers of the Word of God.

在教外有好名声

A Good Testimony from Those Outside

结构

Structure

这是资格清单末尾的三个较长的资格要求中的最后一个。这最后一项要求与人在教外（即在非信徒中）的声望有关。3:2-6构成了一个长句，保罗在其中列出了除最后一项条件以外的所有条件。最后是一个独立的句子。之所以这样，部分原因是3:2-6中的主要动词是“是……”的形式，而第7节中的主要动词是“有……”的形式。

This is the last of three lengthy requirements which conclude the list of qualifications for the office of overseer. This last requirement has to do with a man’s reputation outside the church (i.e., among unbelievers). Verses 2–6 form one long sentence in which Paul lays out all the qualifications, except the last one. The last one is in a sentence by itself. Part of the reason for this is that the main verb in verses 2–6 is a form of the verb “to be,” while the main verb in verse 7 is a form of the verb “to have.”

注释

Comment

虽然保罗在这里开始了一个新句子，但他把它和前面的经文紧密地联系在一起，以便清楚地表明，它与3:2-6中提到的内容一样，都是对监督职分而言极为必要的资格要求。

Although Paul begins a new sentence, he connects it closely to the preceding verses in order to make it clear that this is just as much a necessary qualification for the office of overseer as the things mentioned in verses 2–6.A ma

一个有资格担当监督职分的人必须过这样的生活，也就是甚至在不信的人（教会以外的人）中间他也有很好的见证。他们不得不承认他是一个正直而睿智的人，因为他在他们中间的日常生活举止得体而无可挑剔。监督一定不能是伪君子，在基督徒圈子里说正确的话，但在日常事务中却没有按着他在基督里的呼召而生活。一个人往往要花一天中的很多个小时与非信徒一起工作。他们对他的评价很重要。他们可能讨厌他的基督信仰，但对他不应该有任何可以被证实的指控。他必须是一个品格高尚且无可非议的人。保罗在歌罗西书4:5中劝诫所有基督徒：“你们要爱惜光阴，用智慧与外人交往。”保罗写信给帖撒罗尼迦人时说：“……但我劝弟兄们要更加勉励；又要立志作安静人，办自己的事，亲手作工，正如我们从前所吩咐你们的，叫你们可以向外人行事端正，自己也就没有什么缺乏了。”（帖前4:10-12）每个基督徒，包括监督在内，都必须在所有人，包括在不信者面前，言行合宜。

A man who is qualified for the office of overseer must live in such a way that even unbelievers (those outside the church) give a good testimony concerning him. They should be forced to acknowledge that he is an upright and wise man because he behaves honorably and innocently among them in his daily life. An overseer must not be a hypocrite who does and says the right thing around Christians, but does not walk worthy of his calling in Christ in his daily affairs. Often a man spends many hours a day working with unbelievers. Their assessment of him is important. They may hate his Christianity, but they should not be able to prove any just charge against him. He must be a man of character and above reproach. Paul exhorts all Christians in Col. 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul says: “But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing” (1 Thess. 4:10–12). Every Christian, including an overseer, must conduct himself properly among all men, including unbelievers.

但以理是长老必须具备的这种素质的一个很好的例子。但以理“显然超乎其余的总长和总督，王又想立他治理通国”（但6:3）。玛代和波斯人的王虽然不信，但不得不称赞但以理，又委以他重任。“那时总长和总督寻找但以理误国的把柄，为要参他；只是找不着他的错误过失，因他忠心办事，毫无错误过失。”（但6:4）但以理这些不信的同事们在他的日常工作或生活中没有发现任何缺点，除了他对永生神的敬拜。

Daniel is a good example of this quality which elders must have. Daniel “distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm” (Dan. 6:3). The king of the Medes and Persians, though an unbeliever, was forced to speak highly of Daniel and entrust him with great responsibilities. “So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him” (v. 4). Daniel’s unbelieving colleagues could find no fault with his daily work or life, except his devotion to the living God.

如果长老在认识他的非信徒面前没有好的见证，他就有可能遭人指摘、陷入魔鬼的网罗。这不是为基督受凌辱（参来11:26），而是因为行为不当而受到指摘。有不合宜的行为却仍在主耶稣基督的教会里被任用担当长老职分的基督徒，不信的人会对他加倍地欺侮和羞辱。他们不仅会辱骂这样的人，而且还会因为他而亵渎基督以及祂的教会。不信的人总是在寻找机会嘲笑基督和祂的教会。

If an elder does not have a good testimony among unbelievers who know him, he is in danger of falling into reproach and the snare of the devil. This is not the reproach of Christ (cf. Heb. 11:26), but reproach for misconduct. Unbelievers will heap insults and disgrace upon a man who behaves improperly and yet is placed in the office of elder in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only will they revile such a man, but they will also blaspheme Christ and his church because of him. Unbelievers are always looking for an occasion to mock Christ and his church.

陷入魔鬼的网罗或陷阱就是退回到魔鬼的权势和控制之下。保罗告诉提摩太要谦卑地纠正“那抵挡的人，或者神给他们悔改的心，可以明白真道，叫他们这已经被魔鬼任意掳去的，可以醒悟，脱离它的网罗”（提后2:25-26）。陷入魔鬼的网罗或陷阱意味着要按魔鬼的意思行，而不是按神的旨意行。这可能涉及严重的犯罪，或者只是疏忽长老的职责。长老陷入魔鬼网罗的另一种方式是站在一个错误的立场上，反对真理、良好的判断和教会的利益。

To fall into the snare or trap of the devil is to fall back under the power and control of the devil. Paul tells Timothy to correct in humility “those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:25–26). To fall into the snare or trap of the devil means to do the devil’s will instead of God’s will. It could involve a serious sin or simply neglecting one’s duty as an elder. Another way in which an elder may fall into the snare of the devil is to take a bad stand and set oneself against the truth, good judgment, and the good of the church.

一个在教外没有好见证的人是分裂的人。他没有尽自己的一切事奉主。教会不应该委以重任，让他带领和牧养群羊来走公义的道路。如果这样的人成为了长老，反而只会造成他生命的分裂。这会让他更加伪善，让他内心顺服主和固执己意的张力增加。这只会叫他跌倒。一个在教外的人面前没有好见证的人有被魔鬼俘虏的危险，以至于他不拥护和捍卫真理（如忠心的长老所当行的），而是反对真理，因此需要悔改。

A man without a good testimony from those outside has a divided heart. He is not serving the Lord with all his being. The church should not trust him to lead and shepherd the sheep in the paths of righteousness. To make such a man an elder only increases the division of his life. It tends to increase his hypocrisy and the tension in him between obeying the Lord and doing his own will. This only sets him up for a great fall. An elder who does not have a good testimony from those outside is in danger of being taken captive by the devil so that instead of standing for and defending the truth (as a faithful elder should), he opposes the truth and needs to repent.

结论

1. 即使是不信的人也必须见证长老在日常生活中过着可敬的生活。

2. 这一资格排除了假冒为善者，他们的日常生活与他们对基督的认信相互抵触。

3. 此资格排除了任何在不信的人中间行为不合宜的人。一个人在工作和商业活动中的行为方式是他是否能够担当长老这一职分的重要指标。

4. 重要的是，长老要处理好他所有的日常事务，从而让不信的人没有机会指摘他或基督的教会。

5. 让不信的人有机可乘来指摘他的人，有陷入魔鬼谬误网罗的危险。