February 20, 2025
Reading Scripture in its proper cultural context can make a huge difference to how we receive it. For example, parts of today’s lesson are off putting, if not downright offensive, if we don’t read it in the context of its time. For instance, the emphasis on male leadership is a relic of a bygone age. Today, we know that women and men are equally capable of being good leaders. Likewise, plenty of people have unruly or disruptive children. Just because their children are a disappointment doesn’t disqualify them from being competent leaders. And ‘overseer’ is probably not the best translation of the Greek word episkopaes. I prefer ‘presiding officer’.
(The translation ‘faithful to his wife’ is unfortunate. The Greek reads ‘husband of one wife’. This presumably condemns divorce, since polygamy was not being widely practiced, but it may also be a prohibition against mistresses. Today, of course, we understand that leadership should be open to all, regardless of marital status. Hence, my preferred translation is, ‘in a monogamous relationship’.)
But when we put aside cultural issues, we see that this text still speaks to us. Who would argue that leaders should be “temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” (vs 2b-3)
In short, leaders in the church should be people of moral rectitude.
To be fair, decent morals are necessary leadership qualities in any line of work. Before I became a pastor, I worked with plenty of secular leaders who were intemperate and had poor self-control. Some were inhospitable, a few were quarrelsome. And one or two were certainly given to drunkenness and loved money more than anything. I did not enjoy working with them and did not respect their leadership.
Being morally upright is important in any line of work, from national service to private industry, but it is especially important in the church. One of the ways we bear witness to how much God loves us is by how we comport ourselves.
Let us pray for our leaders, from national to local and all levels in-between, to have the technical skills needed to lead us well.
And let us also pray for their moral character, that they may garner the respect and loyalty of those whom they are called to lead. Especially, let us pray for our leaders in the church. May they have the moral character that draws people to Christ.
Prayer – Holy God, we pray for all leaders of every type, both at home and far away. We pray that they may have their followers’ best interests at heart. We pray that they may be committed to following you closely. We pray that they may have the particular, technical skills needed in these times. We pray that they may have the moral character, especially the leaders in your church, that calls people to trust and follow them, to the cross and beyond. In the name of the one whose life is a moral model for ours, Jesus our sinless Lord, Amen.
God’s peace to us all,
Pastor Ken.