\\INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 3\\

In this chapter the apostle treats of the qualifications of officers
of churches, bishops and deacons, and of their wives; and points at
the principal reason of writing this epistle to Timothy: and first,
he commends the office of a bishop, as a good and desirable one; and
asserts it to be such in the strongest manner, \\#1Ti 3:1\\ and then
follow the qualifications for it, some of which are of the economical
or domestic kind, and regard him as an husband and parent, and the
head of the family; others of a moral nature, and relate to sobriety,
hospitality, temperance, patience, and liberality; and others of the
ecclesiastical sort, as aptness to teach, and that he should not be a
novice in religion; and in general, that he should be a man of a
blameless life, and of good report in the world, \\#1Ti 3:2-7\\,
next an account is given of the qualifications of deacons; some
which concern their moral character; others their soundness in the
faith; and others their domestic affairs, and their conduct in their
families; about which they should be first examined, before they were
put into their office; the characters of their wives are also given;
and for their encouragement in the faithful performance of their
office, it is observed, that they hereby obtain a good degree of
honour and boldness in the faith of Christ, \\#1Ti 3:8-13\\. And the
end of the apostle's writing this epistle, and particularly of giving
Timothy this account of the qualifications of the officers of the
church of God, is, that he might know whom to appoint over it, and how
to conduct himself in it; which he commends from its being the house of
God, the church of the living God, and the pillar and ground of truth,
\\#1Ti 3:14,15\\. Of which truth he gives a summary, in several
particulars of it, which open the great mystery of godliness,
\\#1Ti 3:16\\.