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Encouragement to Pastors From 1 Timothy
By jason | July 3, 2008
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5.17)
Before I jump into, what I think will be an encouragement to pastors (it has been for me this morning) I need to set the stage a bit.
Paul’s logic here indicates the two key activities of an elder: authority (rule) and teaching (1 Timothy 2.12; 3.1-7). The second clause (”especially those who labor in preaching and teaching”) clarifies who the elders are. “Especially” in this context is more likely rendered as an adverb creating an appositional phrase (”that is”), though you still retain this somewhat with “especially.” This would be consistent with a prior use in 1 Timothy 4.10 (BDAG, 613).
The point isn’t that there are two different kinds of elders, those who teach and those who rule, all are to be able to teach (1 Timothy 3.2). Rather, it indicates that within the elder team there are some who are especially gifted in preaching and teaching.
Okay, with that then get on with the encouragement, Jason.
The use of “labor” in the second clause is poignant for what most of us as pastors feel. “Feel” is deliberate because this is more than just what we think, it hits on a felt need in my estimation. It means to “exert oneself physically, mentally, or spiritually, work hard, toil, strive, struggle.” Paul often uses it of mental and spiritual labor (BDAG 558).
Often, as I’ve mentioned on several occasions, people look at what you do as a pastor and think that it’s not hard work. People will look at you and think they can do what you do, and probably think they can do it better than you. People will at times even look down on your because you don’t have a “real job.” They convey the message that you are a pastor because you couldn’t cut it in the real world. And if you are really honest this cuts deep.
But the encouragement from God, via the apostle Paul, to you today is what you do matters. It’s hard work. Just because you’re not swinging a hammer, just because you’re not making a sale, just because you’re not in the biz world doesn’t mean you don’t work hard.
God is encouraging you this morning, implicitly, to accept his view of you, not what the world is trying to beat in your head. If you work hard at preaching and teaching you are worthy of double honor.
So study hard, pray hard, and look to the ultimate reward from God not the fleeting affirmation of those who do not understand what you do or how eternally significant it really is.
Topics: Leadership, Spiritual Growth, The Scriptures |
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
That is good stuff. Hey listen, I want to ask a favor that you are more than welcome to turn down. I’m working on a resource for younger people in ministry. Basically, I’m asking as many pastors as I know to submit to me a general outline of the average work week, including hours in sermon prep, pastoral care, etc. Could you possibly email me some of your week-to-week habits as a pastor? I would really appreciate it.
email me at mattgallion@gmail.com
Thanks!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Could probably do that for you. I’ll email it to you over the weekend if I can.
July 5th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
i got the chance of working with a pastor,for almost 6 months and found out that his job goes beyond preaching and teaching, but he has many hats to wear
we dont realize how hard they really have it.
i hope that as non pastors we can help where we are needed to lighten the load!
as for me i’m still tryin to figure out how to set up the chairs the right way! (ha)