More from our Catholic Father in the Faith, St Paul the Apostle, with commentary in light blue so anyone who wishes to ignore it may do so. To read it, simply highlight it with your mouse.
I’m never sure from one post to the next whether Reformed wants commentary or not.
I Timothy 3:1 - Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
If an office holder dies, another should always be appointed to fill the office - that’s how succession works - you can’t have a vacant office. If the President dies, we immediately get a new one sworn in. When each apostle died, another was appointed to take their office. They appointed or ordained other Bishops as well, and they created new offices as the Church grew.
I Timothy 1:18 - This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
Paul is passing on authority to Timothy and Titus as a father passes on authority to his son - an inheritance that would one day be passed on to Timothy’s successors.
Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Paul writes to others in regards to how they are to receive Timothy:
1 Corinthians 4:17 - For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
Timothy was sent with the full authority of Paul. Paul passed on authority as a rule of faith - the authority Jesus gave to Paul did not die with Paul, Paul passed it on and expected his successors to do the same. Paul expected Christians to obey these men who received this authority.
2 Timothy 1:13-14 Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the truth which has been entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us,
2 Timothy 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Timothy is to ordain others as he himself has been ordained. From Paul, to Timothy, to faithful men, to others also - four generations of apostolic succession in one passage of Scripture.
Titus 1:5-7 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you-- 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be above reproach (blameless). He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
Titus is appointing or ordaining bishops. He has been given authority and is likewise ordaining others with the same authority. This includes the authority to teach, which is the mission of the church.
I Timothy 1:3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
I Timothy 4:11-13 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation(preaching), to teaching.
Timothy and Titus are told to command and teach, to charge others NOT to teach different doctrine, appoint elders, and guard the deposit of faith (guard the truth) and pass it on to others. How was authority passed on from the apostles to their successors?
2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands
I Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
This authority from Paul to the elders or Bishops was passed on by a ceremonial laying on of hands. That’s exactly what is done and has been done for the last 2000 years. Apostles, as Fathers, pass on their teaching and their teaching authority that they received from Christ. It is only through Christ’s authority that the successors have authority. That’s the only way Timothy had any authority to command, rebuke and teach. Paul did NOT tell Timothy to let everyone read the Bible for themselves. He also gave Timothy the authority to lay on hands - to ordain others.
