An Elder’s
Qualifications
1 Timothy 3:1-7
Titus 1:5-9
Qualifications of Overseers
Specific To The Office








Desires the work – 1 Tim. 3:1
Husband of one wife – 1 Tim. 3:2
Rules own house well – 1 Tim. 3:4-5
Children are faithful – Tit. 1:6
Not a novice – 1 Tim. 3:6
Good reputation outside – 1 Tim.
3:7
Godly wife – 1 Tim. 3:11
Especially capable with the Word –
Husband Of One Wife
Only used twice in the NT, both times
in regard to elders’ qualifications.
Literally in the Greek:
“of one wife a husband”
“of one woman a man”
Although it is generally agreed that
this phrase, at minimum, means that
an elder has demonstrated himself
to be faithful in marriage, there is
disagreement beyond that.
Husband Of One Wife
Interpretations
An overseer must be a married man.
An overseer must not be a polygamist.
An overseer must be married once
and only once in a lifetime.
An overseer’s character is such that he
demonstrates faithfulness to one wife.
Husband Of One Wife
An overseer’s character is such that he
demonstrates faithfulness to one wife.
1. An elder must be “a one woman man”.
2. Concubines or “lovers” were an
accepted practice in Greek culture.
E.g,. epitaphs seen on gravestones:
“a one woman man”
Husband Of One Wife
An overseer’s character is such that he
demonstrates faithfulness to one wife.
William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, p. 155
“The first situation that wrecked marriage
among the Greeks was the fact that
relationships outside marriage carried
no stigma whatsoever, and were in fact
the accepted and the expected thing.
...Demosthenes laid it down as the
accepted practice of life: ‘We have
Husband Of One Wife
An overseer’s character is such that he
demonstrates faithfulness to one wife.
William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, p. 155
courtesans for the sake of pleasure;
we have concubines for the sake of
cohabitation, we have wives for the
purpose of having children legitimately,
and of having a faithful guardian for all
our household affairs....’”
Husband Of One Wife
An overseer’s character is such that he
demonstrates faithfulness to one wife.
This concept of the phrase:
a. Disqualifies the man with whom
there is a question about his character.
b. Avoids placing reproach upon
actions that have divine approval.
(May a widowed man who scripturally
remarries be an elder?)
Husband Of One Wife
An overseer’s character is such that he
demonstrates faithfulness to one wife.
This definition of the phrase:
c. Raises the question: Must a man
step down from being an elder
when his wife dies?
(Does he still meet the qualification of
being a one woman man?)
Rules Own House Well
1 Tim. 3:4-5 – “He must be one who
manages his own household well,
keeping his children under control
with all dignity (but if a man does not
know how to manage his own
household, how will he take care of the
church of God?)”
Tit. 1:6-7 – “…having children who
believe (faithful children), not accused
of dissipation or rebellion.”
Rules Own House Well
Often lost in all of the
discussions over “plurality of
children” and “believing
children”
is the basic qualification –
A man MUST have
demonstrated the ability to
keep his children “under
control with all dignity”.
Rules Own House Well
 How respectful are his children to
him?
 How do his children behave when
he’s not around?
 What is the reputation of his children
with other parents and peers?
 What company do his children
keep?
 How do his children dress? Are they
involved in worldly forms of
recreation?
 Do his children show positive signs
“Faithful” or
“Believing”
In Tit. 1:6 does pista mean “believing”
(NASB) as in “a Christian”? Or does it
mean “faithful” (NKJV) as in
trustworthy?
Ultimately, a decision on “believing” or
“faithful” may be irrelevant. If a man has
children old enough to be Christians,
and they are not yet Christians, could
he be viewed by some as one who
does not “manage his own household
well”?
Misc. Questions
A man has four children. Three
are Christians and one is only 5
years old. Does he meet the
qualification?
 Does he have “believing children”?
 Has he met the stated intention of
the qualification, to keep “his
children under control with all
dignity”?
 Are there any signs the man has
failed to manage his own household
well?
Misc. Questions
A man has four children. Three
are Christians and one is only 5
years old. Does he meet the
qualification?
 Is a man automatically disqualified if he
has a child who is limited mentally?
(No)
 Does God want us to place an
interpretation on this passage that
disqualifies an otherwise qualified man
simply because one of his children is
UNABLE to become a Christian? (No)
Misc. Questions
A man has 4 children and all
ARE OF AGE, but only 3 are
Christians. Does he meet the
qualification?
 Does he have “believing children”?
YES
 Is there any possible doubt that the
man has failed to manage his own
household well?
YES
Misc. Questions
An elder’s grown faithful
children die before he dies. Must
he step down?
 Has he already proven his ability to
manage his own household well, and
thus manage the church?
 When did he start FAILING to
manage his household well? When
did he cease to be above reproach?
When did he cease to be blameless?
Misc. Questions
An elder’s child becomes
unfaithful long after leaving
home. Is the elder no longer
qualified?
 Are these children still being
“managed” by him?
 Does this indicate that he failed to
manage them well in the first place?
 Prov. 22:6 – “Train up a child in the
way he should go; even when he is
old he will not depart from it.”
Children – Plurality?
Can a man with only one
child serve as an elder or
deacon?
H.E. Phillips, Scriptural Elders
and Deacons, p. 144.
“This author has in the past
committed himself to the position
that a man MUST have more than
one child to qualify for the
eldership. The position in that form
I now disown.”
Children – Plurality?
Both the OT and NT inspired
writers often used the plural for
the singular in speaking of a
person’s offspring.
 The rules of language we apply
to these passages must also be
applied to 1 Tim. 3:4 and Tit. 1:6 -- unless there is good reason not
to.
Children – Plurality?
Genesis 21:7 – Sarah nursed
“children” (offspring)
Matthew 22:24 – 7 brothers, wife dies,
no “children” (offspring). * Matthew
quotes Deut. 25:5 and substitutes the
plural for the singular, meaning “one or
more.”
Luke 20:29, 31 – “without child”
(ateknos) is parallel to “no children” (ou
tekna)
Children – Plurality?
1 Cor. 7:14 – “For the unbelieving wife
is sanctified by the husband: else were
your children (offspring) unclean; but
now they are holy.”
1 Tim. 5:4,10 – Widow can’t be put on
the list if she has brought up only one
child?
Children – Plurality?
Eph. 6:4 – “Fathers, do not provoke
your children (offspring) to wrath”
BUT… It Is Argued
“fathers” plural --- “children” plural
“elder” singular --- “children” plural
BUT… It is Argued Back
“widow” singular --- “children” plural
1 Tim. 5:4, 10
THE CONSISTENT USE OF
“CHILDREN” IN THE SCRIPTURES
REFERS SIMPY TO “OFFSPRING,”
Children – Plurality?
INVALID ARGUMENTS
“A Man Can’t Get The Right Kind Of
Experience With Only One Child”
 This is “human wisdom” not
scripture. We are interested ONLY
in how the Bible uses the term.
Children – Plurality?
I see no Scriptural basis for
someone to BIND, on a man
or a church, a requirement
for a man to have a plurality
of children before he can be
an elder or a deacon.
Likewise, Their Wives…
Reverent (Grave) – serious, mature,
dignified, respectable; not trifling, petty,
giddy, frivolous.
An elder’s wife will be dealing with
serious issues via their husbands. If they
are not spiritually reverent, they will
undermine his service by complaints,
criticisms and general discontentedness.
Likewise, Their Wives…
Not a slanderer (diabolos) – not a
malicious gossip.
An elder’s wife must be guarded and
measured in speech. With access to
privileged information arising from her
husband’s duties, she will learn things
about members of the congregation she
would rather not know. Much damage
can be done by spreading tales.
Likewise, Their Wives…
Not a slanderer (diabolos) – not a
malicious gossip.
The stresses and strains of an elder can
be enormous, and confidential sharing of
thoughts and feelings is a crucial element
of marital oneness. A man must know
that he can speak candidly with his wife
without her speaking to others about it.
Likewise, Their Wives…
Temperate (self-controlled) –
(same as an elder in 3:2); a balanced,
deliberate, sober, controlled
demeanor.
A temperate woman lives a wellordered life.
This is not a woman who lives by her
impulses, or who is undisciplined and
given to extremes.
Likewise, Their Wives…
Faithful in all things – an elder’s wife
must be trustworthy, reliable, true to the
principles of godliness as she goes about
her daily life.
• Does she keep her word; is she
dependable, or do I always wonder if
she will come through as promised?
• Do I have spiritual confidence in her,
or is there evidence of divided
loyalties in her life?
Qualifications of Overseers
Specific To The Office








Desires the work – 1 Tim. 3:1
Husband of one wife – 1 Tim. 3:2
Rules own house well – 1 Tim. 3:4-5
Children are faithful – Tit. 1:6
Not a novice – 1 Tim. 3:6
Good reputation outside – 1 Tim.
3:7
Godly wife – 1 Tim. 3:11
Especially capable with the Word –
Will You Obey The Gospel?
Hear the Gospel (Rom. 10:17)
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God
(John8:24)
Repent of Your Sins (Acts 17:30-31)
Confess that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts
8:37)
Be Baptized for Forgiveness of Sins (Acts
2:38)
Live Faithfully until You Die (Rev. 2:10)