(3) not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
Here Paul continues to enumerate the character traits that are absolutely required for pastors.
There are several levels at which such character traits are important.
1) They tell us, the Church, what we should look at in appointing elders.
2) Since pastors are to be examples to the Church, these traits give all of us in the Church character traits to aim for as we learn to obey Jesus.
3) These traits are enumerated to continue to show pastors how they are to live.
4) These traits are listed to show us the character of the Head Pastor, Jesus Christ.
The fourth reason is vital, since pastors/elders/shepherds/overseers are physically exercising Christ’s leadership in His Church on His behalf in His physical absence by the power of His Spiritual presence.
So a pastor must not be a drunkard. Being a drunk would show that he loves something of this world. It would demonstrate a lack of self-control and pleasure-seeking outside of the will of God. It would show that he does not use God’s time well, nor God’s resources well. God will go on to say in this book that drink exists for God to be thanked and praised – but for the drunk, alcohol is god and savior and treasure.
Jesus drank. He enjoyed wine. He gave thanks to God for it. He instituted its use in one of the two symbols he ordained for the Church’s use (The Lord’s Supper and Baptism). He created it. But he was not ruled by it. He did not live for it. He used it for God’s glory, treading a path that would lead him to the cross – which wine is to represent to his people.
A pastor must be gentle, not violent. Violence and anger reveal two things about someone’s character. First, it reveals that they are controlled by a love for this world rather than a love for being with Jesus (See James 4, including for the connection between violence and anger). Second, it reveals that they want to usurp God’s control of the world. A person who wants what God wants and trusts in God’s power, free will, and sovereignty will not get angry and hurt people. They will be gentle, trusting God to do what he pleases.
Wasn’t our Lord gentle? He is God, the Holy Judge of the world, and one day he will come in vengeance against evil. But when he came, he came to save sinners. He, even though he was not a sinner, spoke to sinners gently and with love – not hatefully, not seeking to hurt them – but seeking to save them – seeking to save us.
The requirement that an elder be not quarrelsome or argumentative is very similar to the idea that he must not be violent. Quarrelsome people seek glory for themselves and believe they can control people. We are to seek glory for God our Father and believe he controls the world. Jesus proclaimed his message and debated with religious leaders; but he did not do so for the sake of argument – but for the sake of God’s glory and for the salvation of his elect people.
Last, a pastor must not be a lover of money. We learn in Scripture that covetousness is idolatry (the end of Colossians, if I remember right). Thus, if money is our god, God is not our God. Money is what is given in exchange for things of this world. It represents being able to get what one wants. But we are to want God and his presence in his Kingdom! Jesus gave up his glory and his riches and became a human to die for his people’s entrance, with him, into his Kingdom – ultimately for the glory of the Triune God.
Summary:
1) Pastors must not love this world, but rather, treasure Christ.
2) A love of this world can show up in drunkenness, anger, argumentativeness, and a love of money.
3) Jesus gave up all he had in glory with his Father to glorify his Father and save the Church by dying for her. We are now given the gift of doing likewise.
Prayer:
Holy God, I love too much in this world – and that shows up in the fact that I do not often give thanks. I thank you first for giving your Son in my place for my sins, and for raising him to life for my salvation. I thank you for your provision – I am not hungry, naked, nor homeless. I ask you to give me the strength to live for your Kingdom and your righteousness, repudiating the love of things for the sake of your glory. Cause me to see these negative traits as warning signs of where my heart might be, and grant me repentance. Because Jesus’ death and resurrection have secured my place with you forever, amen.
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