Mr. D's Notes on I Timothy
Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.
Copyright 2000

CHAPTER 26

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

Our text mentions some that were under a yoke. The yoke has been a common tool for controlling work animals for many centuries.

Encyclopedia Britannica (CDROM version) mentions: "wooden bar or frame used to join draft animals at the heads or necks so that they pull together.

"Control of a team of yoked beasts was difficult. Furthermore, ancient yokes pressed against a hard-pulling animal's windpipe, choking it. The invention of the horse collar solved this problem and led to the replacement of oxen by horses. In some areas of the world, however, oxen still are yoked together much as they were in medieval Europe."

Frontier School of the Bible for many years used the yoke as a symbol for the school. Not only did it depict the setting of the school, in ranch country, but it also symbolized the thought of being in a yoke with God in living our Christian lives.

We will be looking at BEING A WORKING SERVANT in verse one and BEING A LOVING SERVANT in verse two.

Lev. 26.13 pictures what we see in our text. "I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright." The Israelites were in servatude for many years - now god had freed them.

I. BE A WORKING SERVANT

Verse 1. Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and [his] doctrine be not blasphemed.

The first point to be made is that this passage is not to be used to validate slavery, nor is it to be used to validate abolition of slavery. The verse is simply teaching how to act if you are a slave. It assumes that some are slaves - since Paul knew there were slaves in the society around him, he desires to give them teaching on how they should behave as Christians.

The Roman empire sported more than sixty million slaves, so if anyone reading Paul's letter had thought he was attempting to abolish slavery they are very mistaken - if Paul wanted to preach slavery was wrong he would have died much sooner than he did. The Roman empire would not have stood for that sort of language very long. Furthermore God was not leading Paul in making a statement for or against slavery - only for servants living honorably.

Some suggest that close to half the Roman Empire were slaves of one sort or another. Many were removed from their countries to Rome and other centers of control to serve the empire. Others were just enslaved within their own country.

Stedman points out an important fact: "But the truth is that, though Scripture does not denounce slavery, neither does it approve of it. There is no defense of slavery in Scripture; there is no attempt made to perpetuate it in any degree. In fact, although there were sixty million slaves in the Roman Empire at the time this letter was written, by the end of the second century slavery had widely disappeared, largely because of the impact of Christian teaching and influence of Christians throughout the Empire."

He goes on to say "The process was never to be one of armed revolt, even of strikes or boycotts or riots. Rather, it was by obedience to words such as these in Paul's letter to Timothy, where it was laid upon both Christian slaves and Christian masters to look at each other in a different way and to treat each other with honor and respect even though the institution of slavery continued. Slaves were to look to God to change the practice." I might add, as did the Israelites

There are a couple of very prominent Old Testament accounts that show again that God wants us to live within the status that we find ourselves in. Joseph was sold into slavery, and served well all those years.

Daniel and thousands of others were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Daniel also served his captures well and was rewarded for his good service.

The obvious application would be to the employees of our day - those that feel that they are treated as slaves - which is probably most of us! JOKE! We as employees are destined to have opportunity to treat our employers correctly or incorrectly - this is one of the passages that can give us guidance.

GIVE YOUR EMPLOYER ALL HONOR. Now, that doesn't mean only when you are one on one with them in their office, IT IS WHEN YOU ARE HAVING COFFEE AND EVERYONE IN THE BREAK ROOM IS DISHING HIM DIRT - give them honor ALL the time.

Why? The verse is very clear - so that God's teaching or doctrine is not blasphemed.

This word translated "honor" is the same term we studied in chapter five where we are told to honor the elder that ruleth well. US POOR SLAVES HAVE TO HONOR EVERYONE AND NOBODY GIVES A HOOT ABOUT US!!!!!! LARGE SMILEY FACE IMPLIED! God asks that we honor! This we should do.

In the area of how to honor, you might give due consideration to how you speak to them, how you react to them, how you talk behind their back about them, and how well you perform in the work place for them.

Just what Paul had in mind when he mentioned the doctrine of God being blasphemed would be of great interest to me. I have to think it related to the possibility of witnessing to the master. If we are slothful workers, or if we have an attitude toward them, I am sure that they will feel our incorrect feelings and relate it directly to how they feel toward our belief system. If they see that you are a goof off, they will wonder what moral/ethical teaching there can be within your belief system.

Sad to say, this is a passage that needs to be adopted by many believers. Many I see today are just like the lost when it comes to work ethic and attitude.

We might consider the reverse of blaspheme. If we are to work so that the name of God and His doctrine is not blasphemed, then we should be working so that they are being glorified!

WOW! When you go to work, you go in such a manner that you are attempting to glorify God! No, it isn't easy, but that should be our attitude!

This attitude basically goes back to love thy neighbor - put them before yourself. In the rights movements of the 70's there was total concentration on the individual and what they wanted - at all cost - at anyone else's cost.

One might want to relate this passage to the union movement in our country as well. I will allow you to work through that one on your own. Concentrate on how you can honor someone when you are demanding that they give of their material gain for your benefit. You might add a side light of allegiance - who are you following when called on to strike - the union or Christ. How do you honor the employer if you are acting against his desire and betterment?

Let's add just a little emphasis to what we have said. One of the usages Thayer puts to this Greek word translated slave is "devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests." Now, put a little personal application to that as you go to work tomorrow!

Another little emphasis: The term translated master is the word that our English word despot comes from. A despot is a tyrant - a dictator. GIVE HONOR EVEN IF THEY ARE A TOTALLY LOUSY BOSS might well be the thought of the text!

Give the honor due them, so that God's NAME AND DOCTRINE will not be spoken of in a demeaning manner.

If you would like to read a clear view of how God feels about His good name, read Ezek. 20 and notice how many times He speaks of His name and His not wanting it to be polluted.

II. BE A LOVING SERVANT

2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise [them], because they are brethren; but rather do [them] service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

Oh wow, Paul had to add a little salt to the wounds. Not only do we have to be nice to our lost masters, but we have to be nice to the ones we go to church with too!

Notice that there are BELIEVERS which had slaves in Bible times. This is made quite clear in the book of Philemon as well. Again we see that Paul is not preaching against slavery - only giving guidelines for believers as they continue on in their present situation.

Now, to understand this passage, we might try to place ourselves into this situation. Being a slave, you know your master (owner) is a Christian. It would be very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that they should free you just because he is a believer. Despise is a good word to describe the feeling that would arise if you weren't set free.

The word translated despise is used in Matt. 6.24 and depicts hate. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

A possible translation of the word would be “disesteem” or the opposite of esteem.

This is not to say that the believing slave owner should free his slaves, nor is it to say that they should keep their slaves. I am told that during our countries early days many believers kept slaves knowing that their lot would be much worse if they were owned by nonbelieiver.

It is to say that the slave should keep a proper attitude. On the other hand the reason to give them a proper attitude is because they are on the same level spiritually as the owner. Both slave and master are born again, both slave and master are bound for eternity, both slave and master are indwelt by Almighty God. This common bond should make it easier to keep proper attitudes - from both sides.

Paul adds "these things teach and exhort." It must be that the church at Ephesus had some slaves with an attitude, and possibly some owners that were not handling their own business properly. Paul wants the church to encourage the proper attitude. In our world of employee/employer, we ought also to teach these things - that we keep our attitudes straight and proper and give honor to the higher up.

The term master here is the same word as is used in verse one - a tyrant.

"Do them service" is of interest. Service, is actually the term used of a slave - be in bondage to the master that is a believer. Not only are you owned, but you are to live your life as if you are owned.

There is a double benefit to this. If a slave is a good worker with a pleasant attitude, his master/employer will be very pleased with the slave - this often relates to good being aimed toward the slave/employee.

The last part of the verse seems to uplift the believing master. Paul via the Holy Spirit says of them, "they are faithful and beloved," - faithful would be the Master’s response to God while it seems to me that beloved would be God's response to the master.

There is some discussion as to what the benefit relates to. Is it the benefits of salvation, or is it the benefit of the servant doing well?

Barnes held that it was benefit of salvation. "That is, the benefit which the gospel imparts--for so the connection requires us to understand it. It cannot mean, as many have supposed, that they were "partakers of the benefit of the labours of the servant," or enjoyed the fruits of their labours,--for how could this be a reason for their treating them with the more respect? . . . . But the true reason assigned is, that the master had been, by the grace of God, permitted to participate in the same benefits of salvation as the servant; he had received, like him, the pardon of sin, and he was to be regarded as a fellow-heir of the grace of life"

Wesley and Burkitt also viewed it as relating to salvation.

Adam Clarke on the other hand held that it was not the Gospel. "Joint partakers of the benefit. This is generally understood as referring to the master's participation in the services of his slaves. Because those who are partakers of the benefit of your services are faithful and beloved; or it may apply to the servants who are partakers of many benefits from their Christian masters."

I would follow Barne's thought I think specifically, however all are true by application.

In over thirty years of working I have never asked for a raise, or change in working conditions. God has always supplied in all areas of our life. I have been with employers that have been able to bless in a material way - and have, and I have been with employers that have not been able to bless. When material needs were needed, the Lord either moved the employers to raise the level of pay or God just did it on His own. Our responsibility is to treat our masters/employers correctly and allow God to care for the rest.

I worked with two different men that found their businesses in decline. As things deteriorated, I worked with them as best I could and as long as I could to work less hours to cut overhead.

There are two applications I would like to make.

1. The joy that ought to arise from having a Christian employer. I have had both and find working for a believer is very nice. The atmosphere of the work place is much less tense. You don't have to worry about off colored conversations and quite often you don't have to worry about being asked to do things that are against your belief.

2. The joy of an employer over having believers working for them. I worked for two Jewish men in Denver for a number of years. They went out of their way to hire believers. I'd guess that most of the time, there was at least 80% of the work force that was Christians.

The owners found the work ethic of the Christian was one that was profitable and less cumbersome to them.

I trust that we as employees and employers are living this passage each and every day.

I would like to finish these points of application with a comment by Ray Stedman that reflects how we should live. "Everything is going to rest upon how you feel about them. If you think they are ding-a-lings who are unworthy of your respect, then no matter how polite you may be when they are watching, your attitude toward them will be one of bitterness and resentment; you will be constantly trying to find ways to goof off and justify it, because of their attitude toward you. But Scripture says, "regard them as worthy of respect" -- no matter what they are like, no matter how they treat you. Why? Because they are made in the image of God. Just like you, when God's grace touches them, they are capable of reflecting his glory and beauty; they are the potential bearers of God himself, so they are to be treated with respect."

I mentioned in the beginning that the yoke tends to also symbolize our relationship to God. I would like to share just one man's walk in the yoke of the Lord.

John Wesley

He preached three messages a day average for over fifty-four years (about 44,000 sermons) while traveling 200,000 miles by horseback and carriage.

He did a four-volume commentary on the Bible, a dictionary, a large work on church history plus some grammars and medical books. Then there were the books on church music, his seven volumes of sermons and other misc. papers. Well then there was the fifty volume Christian Library that he edited.

He worked from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and broke only for meals. He was quoted during this time as saying "I have more hours of private retirement than any man in England."

At 83 he was upset with himself for not being able to write more than 15 hours a day without his eyes bothering him. At 86 he was disappointed in himself because he could only preach twice a day. He was traveling up to fifty miles a day to preach all over England and Wales.

(Here are some other passages that speak to the slave/master relationship for the Christian for further study. Rom. 12.2; I Cor. 7.21-24; Eph. 6.5-9; Col. 3.22-41; Titus 2.9; Philemon 8-21; I Pet 2.18.)

If you have the attitude that all you do is to assist God in the yoke with Him, then your attitude to your employer or employee will be proper.

If on the other hand you feel trapped in a yoke - having to serve with God, then your attitude will stink in every area.

God sent His Son to die for us. He owns us. We were bought with a price. Indeed, this passage relates directly to our relationship to God. We are slaves.

May we live like it.