SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:13
Porque los que bien ministraren, ganan para sí buen grado, y mucha confianza en la fe que es en Cristo Jess.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 3:13
Verse 13. That have used the office of a deacon well] They who, having been tried or proved, ver. 10, have shown by their steadiness, activity, and zeal, that they might be raised to a higher office, are here said to have purchased to themselves a good degree, baqmon kalon? for, instead of having to administer to the bodies and bodily wants of the poor, the faithful deacons were raised to minister in holy things; and, instead of ministering the bread that perisheth, they were raised to the presbyterate or episcopate, to minister the bread of life to immortal souls. And hence the apostle adds; And great boldness in the faith; pollhn parrhsian, great liberty of speech; i.e. in teaching the doctrines of Christianity, and in expounding the Scriptures, and preaching. It seems to have been a practice dictated by common sense, that the most grave and steady of the believers should be employed as deacons; the most experienced and zealous of the deacons should be raised to the rank of elders; and the most able and pious of the elders be consecrated bishops. As to a bishop of bishops, that age did not know such. The pope of Rome was the first who took this title. The same office, but not with the same powers nor abuse, is found in the patriarch of the Greek Church, and the archbishop of the Protestant Church. As the deacon had many private members under his care, so the presbyter or elder had several deacons under his care; the bishop, several presbyters; and the archbishop, several bishops. But I speak now more of the modern than of the ancient Church. The distinction in some of these offices is not so apparent in ancient times; and some of the offices themselves are modern, or comparatively so. But deacon, presbyter, and bishop, existed in the apostolic Church, and may therefore be considered of Divine origin.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. For they that have used the office of a deacon well , etc.] With diligence and faithfulness, with simplicity and cheerfulness; taking good care of the minister and poor, and of the discipline of God's house: purchase to themselves a good degree ; not an higher office, as that of presbytery or episcopacy, which is a sense calculated to serve a hierarchy; nor a degree in glory and happiness hereafter; but rather an increase of gifts and grace; or a degree of respect and honour in the church: or the sense is, they possess and enjoy, which is the meaning of the word rendered purchase, a very honourable office in the church; and which is so to them, they using it well, and discharging it in an honourable manner; unless the apostle should design what the Jews called atwnmyhmd agrd , a degree of faith: but that is expressed in the next clause: and great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus : either in the exercise of the grace of faith at the throne of grace; or in asserting the doctrine of faith before men; and in reproving either for error or immorality: all which may be boldly done by those who use this office well.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-13 - The deacons were at first appointed to distribute the charity of the church, and to manage its concerns, yet pastors and evangelists wer among them. The deacons had a great trust reposed in them. They must be grave, serious, prudent men. It is not fit that public trusts should be lodged in the hands of any, till they are found fit for the busines with which they are to be trusted. All who are related to ministers must take great care to walk as becomes the gospel of Christ.
Greek Textus Receptus
οι 3588 γαρ 1063 καλως 2573 διακονησαντες 1247 5660 βαθμον 898 εαυτοις 1438 καλον 2570 περιποιουνται 4046 5731 και 2532 πολλην 4183 παρρησιαν 3954 εν 1722 πιστει 4102 τη 3588 εν 1722 χριστω 5547 ιησου 2424
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. Purchase (peripoiountai). Only here, Luke xvii. 33, and Acts xx. 28 On which see note. Purchase is unfortunate from the point of modern usage; but it is employed in its original sense of to win, acquire, without any idea of a bargain. So Bacon, Ess. iv. 14: "There is no man doth a wrong for the wrong's sake; but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or honor, or the like." And Shakespeare:
"Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition Worthily purchased, take my daughter." Temp iv. 1, 14
Rend. acquire or obtain for themselves.
A good degree (baqmon kalon). Baqmov, N.T.o . Primarily, a step. In LXX, 1 Sam. v. 5; sir. vi. 36, a threshold: 2 Kings xx. 9, a degree on the dial. In ecclesiastical writers, order, grade, rank: see, for instance, Eusebius, H. E. vii. 15. Also degree of relationship or affinity. Here the word apparently means a position of trust and influence in the church; possibly a promotion from the diaconate to the episcopate. Others (as De Wette, Eillicott, Pfleiderer) refer it to a high grade in the future life, which Holtzmann sarcastically describes as a ladder-round in heaven (eine Staffel im Himmel). John the Scholar, known as Climacus, a monk of the latter half of the sixth century, and Abbot of the Sinai Convent, wrote a mystical work entitled Klimax tou Paradeisou the Ladder of Paradise. The ladder, according to him, had thirty rounds.
Boldness (parrhsian). Primarily, free and bold speaking; speaking out every word (pan, rJhma). Its dominant idea is boldness, confidence, as opposed to fear, ambiguity, or reserve. The idea of publicity is sometimes attached to it, but as secondary. Only here in the Pastorals: several times in Paul, as 2 Cor. iii. 12; vii. 4; Philip. i. 20. The phrase pollh parrhsia much boldness is also Pauline. An assured position and blameless reputation in the church, with a pure conscience, would assure boldness of speech and of attitude in the Christian community and elsewhere.
In faith. Connect with boldness only. It designates the boldness as distinctively Christian, founded on faith in Christ
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:13 {Gain to themselves} (heautois peripoiountai). Present middle indicative of peripoiew, old verb, to make besides (peri, around, over), to lay by. Reflexive (indirect) middle with reflexive pronoun (heautois) repeated as often happens in the _Koin_. In N.T. only here, #Lu 17:33; Ac 20:28 (Paul also, quoting #Isa 43:21). {A good standing} (baqmon kalon). Late word from bainw, in LXX for steps at a door (#1Sa 5:5). In plural the steps of a stair. In the inscriptions it means a good foothold or standing. The ecclesiastical writers (Theodoret) take it to be a higher grade or rank, but it is doubtful if Paul means that here. {Much boldness} (pollen parresian). A Pauline phrase (#2Co 3:12; 7:4; Php 1:20). {In the faith which is in Christ Jesus} (en pistei ti en Christ"i iesou). Pauline phrase again (#Ac 26:18; Ga 3:26; Col 1:4; Eph 1:15; 2Ti 1:13; 3:15).
