Paul has already written that Timothy (and the congregation) should give honor to older men as well as widows who have sought to live a godly life (5:1-16), but now he gives instructions about honoring the elders (pastors) of the congregation. Paul writes “let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (5:17). When read in conjunction with verse 18, we can carefully surmise that Paul is referring to money. 1 Timothy 5:18 reads “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain’ and ‘the laborer is worthy of his wages.’” For those pastors who faithfully carry out the ministry and labor in the word, Paul commands that they be paid well. Quoting from Deuteronomy 25:4, he uses an illustration of an ox who is treading out grain. Since this ox is doing a lot of work, it should not be muzzled from eating. The illustration is clear – a pastor who works hard should be compensated accordingly. Paul was not saying that a pastor should become rich, but that he should not be forced to struggle acquiring the basic necessities of life. It also becomes obvious that the church at Ephesus needed direction on how to handle accusations toward a pastor. Paul’s instruction is clear: “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses” (5:19). There may have been people falsely accusing pastors simply because they did not like them, but Paul commands that any accusation must be at the mouth of 2-3 people. For those pastors found guilty of sin, Paul instructs that they should be “rebuke[d] in the presence of all, that the rest may also fear…observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality” (5:20-21a). Then in reference to ordaining a man to preach the gospel, Paul warned Timothy not to participate quickly but rather examine the character first (5:22). Paul then writes “no longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities” (5:23). Some people view this verse as a license to drink wine, but I think that it is a total misunderstanding of the passage. I believe this verse communicates two things about Timothy: he had stomach problems (probably from unsanitary water conditions) and he had refused to drink wine because of his position as a leader. In Timothy’s quest to keep his character pure, he was willing to suffer health problems for the sake of integrity. Timothy never wanted anyone to question his character. Using this verse as proof for drinking wine is a complete dismissal of the truth being taught. Timothy had purposely given up his Christian liberty in order to be held in the highest standard. Paul was making provision for Timothy to drink wine instead of polluted water for the sake of his health. Paul’s letter to Timothy was a challenge for him to remain pure and have integrity. If you are a leader, put all of these things into practice knowing that people look to you for an example to be followed. Never abuse your freedom at the expense of your integrity.
Dear God, help me to closely follow the instructions You have given to the church. May I count my pastor as worthy, pray for his strength in temptation, and fight for his integrity. But provide the strength for me to follow Your ways and have a high standard of leadership.
