Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin
CHAPTER 3
1 Timothy 3:8-13
1 Timothy 3:8-13 8. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
8. Diaconos similiter graves, non bilingues, non multo vino deditos, non turpiter lucri cupidos:
9. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 9. Habentes mysterium fidei in pura conscientia. 10. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
10. Et hi probentur primum; deinde ministrent ubi irreprehensibiles comperti fuerint.
11. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
11. Uxores similiter graves, non calumniatrices, sobrias, fideles in omnibus. 12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
12. Diaconi sint unius uxoris mariti, qui honeste praesint liberis et domibus suis.
13. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
13. Nam qui bene ministraverint gradum sibi bonum (vel, honestum) acquirunt, et multam libertatem in fide, quae est in Christo Iesu.
8 Likewise the deacons There is no reason why the diversity of interpretations should lead us to entertain any doubt. It is certain that time Apostle speaks of those who hold a public office in the Church; and this refutes the opinion of those who think that domestic servants are here meant. As to the view given by others, that it denotes presbyters who are inferior to the bishop, that is without foundation; for it is manifest from other passages, that the term bishop belongs alike to all presbyters. 967 All are constrained to acknowledge this; and more especially a passage in the first chapter of the Epistle to Titus proves clearly that this is the meaning. (Titus 1:7.) It remains to be stated that we understand ``the deacons'' to be those who are mentioned by Luke, (Acts 6:3,) and who had the charge of the poor. But those who wish to have a more full account of the duties of deacons may consult the Institutes. 968
Grave, not double-tongued The first four virtues, with which he wishes them to be endowed, are of themselves sufficiently well known. Yet it ought to be carefully observed that he advises them not to be double-tongued; because it is a vice which it is difficult to avoid in the discharge of that office, and yet ought, more than anything else, to be kept at a distance from it.
967"Que le nom d'Evesque estoit commun a tons prestres. et qu'entre prestre et evesque il n'y a nulle difference." — "That the term bishop was common to all presbyters, and that there is no difference between presbyter and bishop."
968See Calvin's Inst. of the Christian Religion, vol. 3.