Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

The
78 First Timothy HI. 13.
indeed paOfiog is to be taken at all in this sense. We would expect,
at least in this case, that the idea should have a comparative form.
Nor does the aorist diaKovijaavTEg agree with this interpretation, since
it represents the acquisition as the result of the completed service.
Farther, it is not to be conceived, that the apostle holds out
to every deacon the prospect of promotion to the office of a presbyter,
and that, as the certain reward of his service, not to say that
the idea of the offices, and their relation to each other, which lies at
the foundation of this view, is entirely unapostolical ;
comp. Mack
on the passage, who justly refers against this view to passages such
as 1 Cor. xii, 4-11 ; Rom. xii. 7, scq. " We find that even in the
second century, the idea of moving upwards in the offices of the
church is as yet unknown," Olshauson. And how unsuitable would,
the connexion be, between this reference to the higher place of
honour in the church which is to be attained, and the words great
bohhiess, etc. Quite as inconsistent with the context of the passages,
which points to the final reward to be attained by him who faithfully
discharges the duties of his office—is that other view founded on a
purely internal signification given to the expression KaXbv [3aOiibv
TTepiTToiovvrai, and substantially the opposite of the preceding, by
which the expression is understood of progress in the faith. Is it
likely that the apostle should confirm the high qualifications which
he lays down by saying, that the faithful fulfilment of the office
brings along with it an increase of faith ? The following noXXijv
nappTjacav to which reference is made with, seoning justice in support
of the internal signification assigned to fiaOjiui'^ is, as we shaH afterwards
sec, quite to a difi'crent efi'ect, and how difi'erent also is the
idea in the kindred passage, vi. 19, that they may lay hold on eternal
life ! How unsuitable also to the expression in our passage is such
an interpretation of a merely internal kind, and how little does its
generality warrant our limiting it to faith ! With more apparent
correctness therefore have others—most recently Mack and Matthies,
and also Olshausen'^—explained the expression as denoting the influential
position in the church which those only attain who use the
office of a deacon well . apostle is supposed, according to this
Interpretalion, to have the welfare of the church in view in the
qualifications which he lays down for the deacon. He prescribes
qualifications of so high an order, it is said, because a deacon who
has sei^ved well gains an influential position ;
much tliercfore (so we
are to supply) of the wellare of the church depends on him. But
in regard to this interpretation, the first thing that strikes one must
be, that the reference to the church is not more clearly exi)rcssed in
the passage ; then the words i3aOfiuv iav-olg, etc., speak first of all
* Also Hutlier: he understands by ilaO/io^ tho estimation in which the person is held
in the church, by :ra^f>riai(i tho joyous and confident freedom.