7 “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.” (Titus 1:7–8 (ESV)
In Titus 1:5 the Apostle Paul referred to leaders in the church as elders (πρεσβυτέρους; presbyterous). In today’s text. He used the word overseer (ἐπίσκοπον; episkopon). It is apparent the two words, from which we derive the English words Presbyterian and Episcopalian, are synonymous. Respectively, they refer to the church leader’s character and responsibilities. Both words identify those who shepherd the church of the living God (I Peter 5:1-5).
Paul continued his directive to Titus by writing and overseer was God’s steward (οἰκονόμον; oikonomon). A steward was a manager or administrator for his master. In this context, the elder manages the church for God alone. It is to the Lord alone to whom he is responsible.
Stewards were slaves. Their masters entrusted them with authority to manage their estate (Luke 16:1-13). Paul compared his stewardship as an apostle (I Cor. 4:1-2) to an elder’s responsibilities (Acts 20:28).
Such a steward must be above reproach (ἀνέγκλητον; anenkleton). This meant an elder was to be blameless and above accusation. His pattern of life was to be exemplary. “The need for blamelessness is repeated from verse 6. The reason this quality is so important is that an overseer serves as a steward of God. Damage to a church leader’s reputation is damage to God’s reputation.”[1]
Additionally, an overseer must not be arrogant (αὐθάδη; authade). This means to be stubborn and self-willed. “In a number of languages ‘arrogant’ may be expressed as ‘thinking one is so much better than everyone else’ or ‘always looking down on other people’ or ‘always saying, I am better.’[2]
Neither is he to be quick-tempered (ὀργίλον; orgilion). He must not have a tendency to become angry.
James 1:19-20 says, “19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
An overseer must not be a drunkard (πάροινον; paroinon). He must not be addicted to alcohol or be a heavy drinker.
He is not to be violent (πλήκτην; plekten). This means an elder must not be a bully or one given to physical violence. He cannot be a severe or a demanding man.
An elder must not be greedy for gain (αἰσχροκερδῆ; aischrokerde). This refers to being fond of dishonest gain. “A greedy desire to gain great wealth should not be the motive that drives a man into church leadership (I Tim. 6:5, 10). However, this does mean church leaders are required to live in poverty, for Paul calls for renumerating certain church leaders (I Tim. 5:17),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
Positively, an overseer should be hospitable (φιλόξενον; philoxenon), which means to show love to strangers (I Tim. 3:2; I Peter 4:9).
He is to be a lover of good (φιλάγαθον; philagathon). In Psalm 15, David describes the man who loves what is good.
Psalm 15 (ESV) – “1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.”
An elder must be self-controlled (σώφρονα; sophrona). He is a man of moderation and sensibility. He is discreet.
He is to be upright (δίκαιον; dikaion). A church leader is to be righteous and just before God and others.
An overseer is to be holy (ὅσιον; hosion). This means to be set apart from sin and dedicated to the Lord.
Finally, he is to be disciplined (ἐγκρατῆ; enkrate). This is another term for self-control.
“The qualities Paul lists here are largely identical to those given in 1 Timothy 3:1–7. As in his letter to Timothy, the character traits Paul identifies in Titus are outwardly visible and were prized in the culture of his day. In addition to being in accord with godliness, these behaviors would commend the church to the world and enable the elders to gain a hearing in the wider society. Even in this day of lawlessness, non-Christians still esteem such righteous deeds, which help demonstrate the new life that the gospel brings,” concludes Dr. Sproul.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] A. Duane Litfin, “Titus,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 762.
[2] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 763.
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