Many westerners view nearly all ruling figures as corrupt authoritarians. Americans, whose history is saturated with Boston Tea Party-like events and revolutionary fervor, are often repulsed by the idea of voluntary submission to those in positions of power. Tragically, this worldview has dramatically impacted the lens through which Christians view the eldership.

It is likely that one of the reasons many congregations have exerted so little energy and effort towards establishing an eldership is the result of American anti-establishmentarianism and love of democratic rule where every man gets to cast his vote. Congregations of Christ which truly desire to follow divine truth will have to work towards ridding themselves of this destructive attitude. Thankfully, efforts towards increasing voluntary submission to authorities should be made easier when believers realize that the Bible’s view of elders entirely contradicts the tyrannical despot so common among governmental rulers.

Christians have heard preachers deliver sound and sage wisdom to husbands that follows along this line: “If husbands would truly love like Christ, their wives would not have so much difficulty submitting to their authority.” Likewise, if Christian men who are working towards becoming elders will manifestly exhibit the virtue to be highlighted in this article, more congregations will surely be inclined to submit to their leadership.

Paul initiated his list of qualifications with the statement: “A bishop then must be…” (1 Tim. 3:2; see also Tit. 1:6: “if a man is…”). The general consensus among scholars is that the verb “must be” (present active indicative of dei) denotes something that is “necessary” or that “must take place as a matter of necessity.”^[1] Philip Towner, in his commentary on Timothy and Titus posed the question: “If a church were to place an ad in a newspaper inviting applications for church leadership positions, what might it include?”^[2] Paul answers such a question with a resounding, “a bishop must possess these qualities!”

While “the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2) and “having faithful children” (Tit. 1:6) may get the most press, this article will attempt to highlight what may be one of the most supremely important qualities a man must possess before he is ready to lead a congregation: a bishop must be “gentle” (1 Tim. 3:3).

Paul’s use of the word “gentle” may be simple enough to understand based on words which surround it like, “not violent” or “not quarrelsome” (1 Tim. 3:3), but the Greek word epieikes, from whence “gentle” is translated, is rich in nuanced meaning. Consider the following scholarly definitions:

“Not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom, yielding, gentle, kind, courteous, tolerant.”^[3]

“Pertaining to being gracious and forbearing—‘gentle, gracious, forbearing.’”^[4]

“Yielding to any person or feeling, pliable, mild, gentle, forbearing.”^[5]

The great scholar R. C. H. Lenski notes how no English word perfectly captures the nuance of the Greek for “gentle:”

Would that we had a good English equivalent for this noble term! We lack one, hence the A. V. offers “your moderation,” the R. V. “your forbearance,” margin “gentleness,” Matthew Arnold “your sweet reasonableness.” Yet each of these touches only one side of the Greek concept.^[6]

Considering the meaning of “gentle” (epieikes) brings the potency of the word into focus. More than avoiding brawls and melees, be they physical, verbal, or otherwise — “gentle” reflects a kind of character trait which is highly adaptable to other’s needs and priorities. Gentleness, in this sense, reflects a kind of tolerance a good elder will need in shepherding a diverse group of people with varied backgrounds, interests, and priorities. An elder is not a bully, tyrant, or despot. He considers his flock and yields to them whenever possible without surrendering his position as overseer.

This balancing act between yielding to the members of one’s congregation while maintaining rule and oversight is no easy task. It demands that an elder listen first, consider thoughtfully the opinions of others, and carefully weigh out his options before proceeding with any decisions. As The New American Commentary notes:

In contrast to practicing violence, the Christian leader is to be “gentle” or forbearing in his relationships to troublemakers. The “gentle” man uses elasticity in supervision and is flexible rather than rigid. Synonyms for “gentle” include yielding, kind, forbearing, and considerate.^[7]

The demand of all Christians to be gentle in their dealings with others, even those who promote destructive doctrines, runs throughout Paul’s letters to the evangelists Titus and Timothy. Consider the following example passages:

But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will (2 Tim. 2:23-26, emphasis added).

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men (Tit. 3:1-2, emphasis added).

It has been rightly observed that the character traits described by Paul which are necessary for the eldership are elsewhere demanded of all Christians. How true this is! Gentleness is one of the hallmark virtues of Christianity. Believers do not seek to bully their opponents or oppress their enemies. They gently guide others to the truths of God and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, all the while carefully considering their needs. If more Christians would put on the blessed quality of gentleness, more Christian men would be well on their way to becoming elders. Let the apostle’s words ring forever aloud: “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Phil. 4:5, NIV).

Article by: Shahe Gergian | shahegergian@yahoo.com

 ^[1] Richard C. Blight, An Exegetical Summary of 1 Timothy (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2009), 159.

 ^[2] Philip Towner, 1–2 Timothy & Titus, vol. 14, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 1 Ti 3:1.

 ^[3] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 371.

 ^[4] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 748.

 ^[5] S. T. Bloomfield, A Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament (London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans, 1840), 142.

 ^[6] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (Columbus, O.: Lutheran Book Concern, 1937), 875–876.

 ^[7] Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin, 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, vol. 34, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 111.