Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Timothy 3:12-16

"Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well. For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory." — 1 Timothy 3:12-16 (ASV)

1. Above, the Apostle showed what the character of deacons and their wives should be; here he shows how deacons should behave toward their wives, children, and family. He structures this by:

   1. Giving the advice.
   2. Giving the reason, which begins with, for they who have ministered well.

2. He says, therefore: I have said that the wives of deacons should be chaste. If chastity must be possessed by their wives for the good of the deacons, it is doubly necessary in the deacons themselves, so that they may be completely free from relations with women. But because so few men could fulfill this requirement, he says that at least they should be husbands of one wife. For if they have had several, it is a sign of incontinence and is contrary to the meaning of the sacrament of matrimony. That is why the Lord instituted matrimony as a state of one to one. That is also why the first wife is blessed, but not the second.

3. Then he admonishes them on how they should behave toward their children when he says, who rule well their children, by instructing them well in good discipline and a good life: have you children? Instruct them and bow down their neck from their childhood .

4. Then he exhorts them to rule their whole house well—that is, their family—namely, with gentleness: be not as a lion in your house, terrifying those of your household and oppressing those who are under you .

   He gives the reason for this when he says, for they who have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree. It is as if to say: What you expect of bishops is reasonable, because they are prelates. But why expect this from a deacon, who is a minister?

   He answers this when he says, they who have ministered well shall purchase to themselves a good degree. First, he shows that the good use of this ministry is a path to a higher dignity; second, it is a road to eternal life. Regarding the first, he says, they who have ministered well in exercising the office of deacon, shall purchase to themselves a good degree—that is, they deserve to be promoted to a higher dignity: because you have been faithful over a few things, I will place you over many things (Matthew 25:21). And he says good, because, as said above, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desires a good work (1 Timothy 3:1).

   But they do not find their ultimate purpose in this; rather, along with this they are rewarded by God: where I am, there also shall my minister be (John 12:36). And so he says, and much confidence—that is, in the help of grace in the present life and of glory in the future. And this is in the faith which is in Christ Jesus, meaning, through the faith of Christ: and such confidence we have through Christ towards God (2 Corinthians 3:4); I will deal confidently and will not fear (Isaiah 12:2).

5. Then when he says, these things I write to you, he presents the reason for all the previously mentioned admonitions. He does this in three steps:

   1. He excludes a supposed reason.
   2. He states the true one, at but if I tarry.
   3. He assigns the reason for that, at which is the Church.

6. Regarding the first point, it should be noted that from what Paul had written, Timothy could have supposed that he would never see Paul again; otherwise, it would seem superfluous to write letters to him. Hence Paul says, these things I write to you, hoping that I shall come to you shortly. He called him son because he was very dear to him: for this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son (1 Corinthians 4:17).

   And he says hoping, as if not certain: having more things to write unto you, I would not by paper and ink; for I hope that I shall be with you and speak face to face (2 John 1:12). I write, therefore, even though I have hope, because hope should not be prolonged too much: it is the part of man to prepare the soul; and of the Lord to govern the tongue (Proverbs 16:1).

7. Hence he says, but if I tarry long; for we would have come unto you, I Paul indeed, once and again: but Satan has hindered us (1 Thessalonians 2:18). I write that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God: God makes men of one mind to dwell in a house (Psalms 67:7).

8. Then when he says, which is the Church of the living God, he gives the reason why one should behave properly in it. Second, he gives the reason for this reason, which is twofold:

   1. By commending the Church.
   2. By commending the unity of the Church, at and evidently great.

   Regarding the first point, he does two things:

   1. He commends the Church based on the one whose Church it is.
   2. He commends it based on the truth of the Church itself, at the pillar.

9. Based on the one whose Church it is, it is the Church of the living God. For a church is, as it were, an assembly, because in the Church is found the assembly of believers: whom he called, them he also justified (Romans 8:30). And they are assembled for God: that they also may be one in us (John 17:21).

   Hence he says, which is the Church of God, and adds, living, to distinguish it from other gods to whom the Gentiles are assembled. For these gods are dead, but the God of the Church is living: as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself (John 5:26). Consequently, we must behave in it so as to be spiritually alive: holiness becomes your house, O Lord (Psalms 92:5).

10. The second reason is from the truth of the Church. For it is natural for humans to desire knowledge of the truth, since truth is the perfection of the intellect. Hence Augustine says that humanity's ultimate purpose is happiness, which is nothing less than joy in the truth. This truth was discovered by philosophers through creation (Romans 1:19), but they wavered. They were not certain of the truth, both because they had been corrupted by errors and because there is hardly one truth on which all agree.

    But in the Church there is firm knowledge and truth; hence he says, the pillar: my throne is in a pillar of a cloud ; their heads shall be of gold and the sockets of brass (Leviticus 26:37). They are called golden because they are holy in themselves. And ground, that is, in relation to others, because they cannot be strengthened in the truth except by the sacraments of the Church: and you being once converted, confirm your brethren (Luke 22:32); I have established the pillars thereof (Psalms 74:4). Therefore, because the Church is the assembly of God and gives knowledge of the truth, we ought to be in it.

11. Then when he says, and evidently great, he commends the truth of the Church. He commends:

    1. Christ, for whose manifestation it was revealed.
    2. Its exaltation, at is taken up into glory.

    But he commends Christ in two ways:

    1. Regarding his divine nature.
    2. Regarding the human nature, at which was manifested in the flesh.

12. He says, therefore, and evidently great is the mystery of godliness. A mystery, or sacrament, is the same as a secret sign. But nothing is as secret as what we keep in our hearts. Much more, then, what is kept in God’s heart is both secret and holy: the things that are of God, no man knows but the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11); my secret to myself (Isaiah 24:16); verily you art a hidden God (Isaiah 45:15). And this is the word of God in the Father’s heart: my heart has uttered a good word (Psalms 44:2).

    Of course, this secret is the mystery of godliness. But a person's secret is sometimes vain: the Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain (Psalms 93:11). Because this mystery restores the world, it is called a mystery of godliness. It is also great, because it is the true God who is immense.

13. Therefore, this secret which was locked in God’s heart became man. Hence he describes him second regarding his human nature: first, regarding the flesh; second, regarding the soul.

    Regarding the first, he says, which was manifested in the flesh. Just as a word concealed in the heart is revealed by an audible word, so the Word of God, residing in God’s heart, was revealed in the flesh: the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

    Regarding the soul, he says, was justified in the Spirit. This is explained in two ways. First, so that it would not be believed that the flesh was conceived beforehand, he says that it was not, because it was in the Spirit—that is, it was conceived by the Holy Spirit: that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20); therefore the Holy which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35); and this is because the Holy Spirit shall come upon you (Luke 1:35). Or, it can be understood as the human spirit: and Jesus, crying again with a loud voice, yielded up the Spirit (Matthew 27:50). And so he revealed himself in the flesh, while still with the Spirit. And I say with a justified Spirit, because he is just without any blemish.

14. Then when he says, appeared, he describes his manifestation:

    1. The one made to the angels.
    2. The one made to humans, at has been preached.

15. He says, therefore, that the mystery which appeared to angels exceeded even their knowledge. Something is said to "appear" when it has the power to be seen or not be seen, and is not subject to the power of the viewer. Hence we do not say that a stone appeared to me, but that I saw a stone. Therefore, if an angel had in its own nature and power the ability to see the Word, the Word would not be said to "appear" to the angel; rather, the angel would see him whenever it willed. And therefore, the Apostle says, appeared unto angels, because they did not see him by their own nature.

    But it is true that he appeared to angels from the very beginning, when, after they turned from themselves, he deified them. But when he became incarnate, many mysteries were made known to the angels which were not known before. Accordingly, Bede says that at the nativity his brightness appeared to the angels, which had never before been seen in its reality by humans.

16. And this happened in two ways: first, by the ministry of the apostles; second, in the knowledge of the faithful, to whom he was revealed.

    In the past, it is true that he was known only to the Jews, but now also to the Gentiles. Hence he says, has been preached unto the gentiles: going, therefore, teach all nations (Matthew 28:19); declare his glory among the gentiles (Psalms 95:3). And this succeeded, because he is believed in the world, which is what the Lord prayed for (John 17:26). It is remarkable that the whole world was converted by people who were simple, poor, powerless, and of low status: there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble (1 Corinthians 1:26). And this was so that no flesh should glory in his sight (1 Corinthians 1:29).

17. Second, he shows that God’s truth alone does this, because he was taken up in glory. This refers to Christ, because after he was revealed, he was taken up into heaven: and the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven (Mark 16:19); every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:11).