The Meaning of Double Honor

1 Timothy 5:17  Let the <elders> that rule well be counted worthy of double < honor>, especially they who <labor> in the word and doctrine.

I recently attended an appreciation service for a pastor and to justify the excessive splurging that members were drawn into,  the Master of Ceremony  quoted  1 Timothy 5:17.  A sense of indoctrinated relief seems to settle over the church, because of what they were asked to do was justified by the Holy Scripture.   Some were asked to forgo paying their bills or even giving up their grocery money to make this glorious occasion a huge success.  However, there were some who squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, because they were aware that nothing in that scripture referred to the pastor.

The festive occasion was filled with honor and praise for the pastor.  These services were once nothing more that a private affair where the members of a congregation came together to show their love for their pastor.  Often it was done after church services or outside of the church setting.  Today, in many churches they have morphed into a multi-church community affair, hosted and directed by the pastor or his appointee.  Letters or invitations are sent out to different churches, money is swapped causing undue suffering among the church community.  Often these appreciation services became the measuring rod that determined the effectiveness of the pastor’s ministry,  based upon the amount of money collected. 

The interpretation of this verse also adds to what I call the confusion of Christianity.  There are certain sections of Paul’s letter to Timothy that we will defend and apply word for word, while other segments can be  explained away.   The contradictory nature of our interpretations  comes full circle in that while we are shaping and twisting the scripture, often within the same chapter, to coincide with our indoctrinated doctrine or personal ideology, all the while we are quoting Matthew 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The shaping and twisting of the scripture is easily achieved in the household of faith because of the  belief that once a person  acknowledges the anointing of God, that person cannot lie. This naive concept of God's messengers has open the door for the wolves to come in among the flock.  The scripture encouraged the believers in 1 John 4:1, it said, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  Not one God fearing soul would stand up challenged Jim Jones as he led hundreds of believers to their untimely death.

These verses ranks number one  as to the high level of contention within the household of faith.  We cannot in good faith accept what Paul said, word for word, there must be a way to explain all of this away.   If we cannot explain this away “church is out”.  1 Timothy 2:9-11  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.   How many churches would cease to exist if these verses were enforced, word for word?  But, if there is a slight indication that the scripture is referring to money, then it is enforced. 

In the early sixties the bishops mills began to turn out bishops by the thousands.  The roster of Bishops could be reduced  if these rules were applied.  1 Timothy 3:2-6  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.  We have long since relegated the training of our children over to some other or higher power.  Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  We can explain this away, and the husband of one wife simply means one wife at any given time.

Is this verse telling you not to rebuke a preacher?   Once you make the claim that you are a preacher are you beyond condemnation? Maybe a firm understanding of who is an elder is needed, not our modern day interpretation, but in the language of the Bible.  1 Timothy 5:1-3  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Honor widows that are widows indeed.

Teachers of the Gospel of prosperity should read and re-read this scripture, but Rev. Ike explained this one away long ago.  1 Timothy 6:5-10  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Now lets get back to our study verse.  If we are to understand the meaning of 1 Timothy 5:17, we need to understand the meaning of three words.  Elders, honor and labor.  These words must be defined in accordance with the ancient Hebrew meaning and not some twentieth century polluted definition.

The apostle had given full instructions respecting bishops, 1Ti 3:1-7; deacons, 1Ti 3:8-13; widows, 1Ti 5:3-16; and he here proceeds to describe the duty of the church towards those who sustain the office of elder. The word used--elder or presbyter--properly refers to age, not an appointed position and is then used to denote the officers of the church, and was relevant to the church in which they served.  Probably because of their aged they were at first entrusted with the administration of the affairs of the church. The word was in familiar use among the Jews to denote the body of men that presided in the synagogue  Can we justifiable change the meaning of the word to accommodate the desire for power of a few, or the desire of one man to rule over the House of God?

That rule well. Presiding well, or well managing the spiritual interests of the church. The word rendered rule -proestwteV -- is from a verb meaning to be over; to preside over; to have the care of. The word is used with reference to bishops, Tit 1:5,7; to an apostle, 1Pe 5:1; and is such a word as would apply to any officers to whom the management and the government of the church was intrusted. It is probable that the same organization was pursued in every place where a church was established; and where there was a Jewish synagogue, the Christian church would be formed substantially after that model, and in such a church there would be a group of presiding elders. The language here seems to have been taken from such an Organization.

"Be counted worthy of double honor. With double respect; that is, of a high degree of respect; of a degree of respect becoming their age and office. From the quotation which is made in 1Ti 5:18, in relation to this subject, it would seem probable that the apostle had some reference also to their support, or to what was necessary for their maintenance. There is no improbability in supposing that all the officers of the church, of whatever grade or rank, may have had some compensation, corresponding to the amount of time which their office required them to devote to the service of the church. Nothing would be more reasonable than that, if their duties in the church interfered with their regular employments in their secular calling, their brethren should contribute to their support.   Especially they who labor in word and doctrine. In preaching and instructing the people. From this it is clear that, while there were "elders" who labored "in the word and doctrine," that is, in preaching, there were also those who did not labor "in the word and doctrine," but who were nevertheless appointed to rule in the church. Whether, however, they were regarded as a separate and distinct class of officers, does not appear from this passage. It may have been that there were elders to whom the general management of the church was confided, and that a part of them were engaged in preaching; a part may have performed the office of "teachers"  and a part may have been employed in managing other concerns of the church, and yet all were regarded as the <proestwteV presbuteroi—or>  "elders presiding over the church." It cannot, I think, be certainly concluded from this passage, that the ruling elders who did not teach or preach were regarded as a separate class or order of permanent officers in the church. There seems to have been a bench of elders selected on account of age, piety, prudence, and wisdom, to whom was intrusted the whole business of the instruction and government of the church, and they performed the various parts of the duty as they had the ability. Those among them who "labored in the word and doctrine," and who gave up all their time to the business of their office, would be worthy of special respect, and of a higher compensation."

Now, the progression of Christianity and the church as a business required that it adopt a business model that provide a clear and enforceable means of collection and distribution of wealth.   Many have struggled all of their lives and gone to their grave waiting for God to make them wealthy.   The age of the community church has gone the way of the community school.  Churches often collect and funnel money to organizations outside of the community that serves no purpose within the community or the local church.   Church buildings remain locked during the day as the pastors work their regular job and drug abuse and gang violence erupt, even on the steps of the church.