This section is on the tasks of elders and their remuneration.
- Elders are to teach and rule.
- 5:17. Calvin sees ruling and teaching elders. But all elders are to rule and to teach – 3:2, 4-5. The distinction is between those who labour at these tasks and those who do not.
- Elders have to decide who can be baptized, or be a member of the church, or adjudicate in a matter of discipline. They also teach what God has revealed – 4:11, 13, 16. Augustine thought of God saying to him: ‘Man, O man, what My Scripture says, I say.’
- Elders are to be honoured.
- the Revised English Bible translates ‘double honour’ as ‘double stipend’, but it is ‘honour’ and ‘honorarium’. It is referring to the payment of an elder – 1 Cor.9:13. Paul did not make use of this – 1 Cor.9:14-15, 18; see 1 Thess.2:9.
- the elder is not to be a lover of money – 1 Tim.3:3. But there is a fair stipend to be paid if he needs it, especially if he has a family.
- God’s Word teaches this.
- 5:18. Paul cites two portions of Scripture – (a) Deut.25:4; 1 Cor.9:9-10. Westminster Confession: the whole counsel of God is ‘either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture’ (WCF, I.VI). See Luke 14:5.
- (b) H. P. Liddon, Patrick Fairbairn and even Calvin say that Paul is citing a well-known proverb. He is not. He is citing Luke 10:7. The usual date for Luke’s Gospel is A.D.80-90, That is well-nigh ludicrous. Luke wrote volume 1 (Luke’s Gospel) and volume 2 (Acts). Acts finishes with Paul under house arrest in Rome in A.D. 62 – Acts 28:30-31. Luke’s Gospel was written before then – Acts 1:1-2.