Lay Hands Suddenly on No Man; Keep Yourself Pure (1 Timothy 5:21–25)

1 Tim. 5:21. I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

“I charge”—I call as witnesses. This is done both to show the importance of the law being set forth and to strengthen the resolve to fulfill it without delay. Thus Moses says to Israel: “I call as witnesses against you… heaven and earth” (Deut. 4:26); thus Micah cried out: “Hear… you foundations of the earth” (Mic. 6:2). This resembles the solemn adjuration: “I adjure you by the living God.”

But to which matter does such a solemn charge refer—to what preceded, that is, to judgment, or to what follows, that is, to the not hasty but circumspect laying on of hands? The matter of judgment is certainly important, but the laying on of hands is more important. Therefore it is more likely to refer to the latter than to the former. Among our commentators, only Ambrosiaster refers this adjuration to the laying on of hands; all the rest refer it to judgment. St. Chrysostom says: “Having spoken (simply, without a solemn charge) of bishops, deacons, men, women, widows, presbyters, and all the rest, and having shown over whom the bishop’s authority extends, when he came to speak of judgment, he added: ‘I charge you before God.’ He pronounces a fearful admonition. He was not ashamed to say this even out of regard for the fact that Timothy was his beloved child (fearing, as it were, negligence even on his part). But one who was not ashamed to say of himself: ‘I fear, lest, having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified’ (1 Cor. 9:27),—could well not be ashamed or embarrassed to say this to Timothy as well. He speaks as if to say: I call God and His Son and His servants as witnesses to what I have charged you; behold, before Them I charge you. He places Timothy in fear.”

The addition of the words “and the elect angels” prompts the thought that St. Paul, pronouncing this solemn charge, places himself together with St. Timothy at the dread judgment of God—at which, as the word of God represents, both the coming Judge and His throne will be surrounded by all the angels—and speaks to him as if to say: at the dread judgment of God I stand, or shall one day stand, with you; take heed that you do not despise the commandment given to you! “He calls the Father and the Son (and the Angels) as witnesses of what he has said so that on the coming day, if anything should be done contrary to duty, he may stand righteous before them—that is, as if removing all responsibility from himself” (St. Chrysostom). “He called the elect angels in distinction from demons, which are also angels but rejected ones” (blessed Theophylact, Oecumenius).

“That you observe these things. These things”—as noted, the Eastern commentators refer to judgment. The words of St. Chrysostom have been cited; here too are the words of blessed Theodoret: “He gives two commands: not to condemn by relying on the credibility of witnesses before personal inquiry; and, after manifest conviction, not to postpone (or conceal) the sentence out of mercy toward the one being judged, thus violating justice. (And that this be strictly observed, he calls as witnesses God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ together with the holy Angels.) The Apostle placed the Angels alongside God and Christ not as their equals but as their servants. I charge you, he says, before God and His Son and His ministers.”

But Ambrosiaster refers this to the laying on of hands. “He imposes an oath before God the Father and Christ His Son and His elect Angels, whom the Lord in the Gospel calls holy (Mk. 8:38). These (holy ones) are called elect to distinguish them from others who are rejected and are not God’s angels but the devil’s, as those who join with him in apostasy. Under oath the Apostle commands the observance of what pertains to ordination for service in the Church—he commands that in this matter there be no proceeding without prior strict deliberation and that no one receive an ecclesiastical rank without careful examination, until it has been ascertained what his life is like and what his character is, but that each be ordained to the priesthood or the ministry of the Church only when he has been found worthy of it—so that, if he should afterward prove blameworthy, the ruler of the people (the bishop) need not regret that he did not fully (to the point of clarity) investigate what the man was worth and ordained one who was not approved.”

“Without prejudice,” χωρις προκριματος,—without preconception, without a preconceived opinion concerning the one being judged or the one proposed for ordination, either in his favor or against him—an opinion formed without examination on the basis of appearance or rumor alone. Let everything be determined by strict inquiry carried through to full clarity—there (if this refers to judgment) concerning the deed of the one being judged; here (if this refers to ordination) concerning the life and character of the one being chosen.

“Doing nothing by partiality.” — “By partiality,” κατα προσκλισιν,—by inclining toward someone’s side, not according to the merits of the case but according to a feeling prompted from elsewhere, according to bias. Thus the Apostle strictly forbids the bishop to act out of prejudice or partiality, whether in rendering judgment or in selecting someone for ordination. Blessed Theophylact writes: “Be even-handed, ισος, (inclining neither to one side nor the other)—toward those whose case is being decided or examined—so that there be no προκριμα (a decision made before or without deliberation)—that is, so that no one should forestall you and, winning you to his side in advance, dispose you for this reason alone (before deliberation and examination) to pronounce judgment and render a decision. Do nothing by partiality, κατα προσκλισιν (from: κλινω)—that is, out of bias, leaning to one side. Even if it were spelled with an eta (προσκλησιν), the meaning would remain the same. It is as if one said: one side invites you to help it; so do not act according to this invitation (but according to reason and justice).” Oecumenius writes: “St. Basil in his commentary on the Proverbs reads: μη κατα προσκλησιν — that is, not inclining toward what is not right, but pronouncing a just judgment. He puts it this way: doing nothing by partiality, but pronouncing just and impartial judgments.”

Cc) Ordination (1 Tim. 5:22–25)

1 Tim. 5:22. Lay hands on no one hastily, nor share in other men’s sins; keep yourself pure.

“He has arrived at the most important thing, by which the Church is maintained above all else—namely, ordination” (blessed Theophylact). And concerning it he gives rules: “for he writes to a bishop” (Oecumenius): “lay hands on no one hastily.” “What does ‘hastily’ mean? Not after a first, not after a second, not after a third examination, but having considered repeatedly and investigated carefully; for this matter is not without danger” (St. Chrysostom). “One must first inquire into the life of the one being ordained, and then call down upon him the grace of the Spirit” (blessed Theodoret).

“Nor share in other men’s sins”—that is, the sins of the one being ordained, “by elevating the unworthy to the rank of minister of the mysteries for the people” (Oecumenius). If you ordain someone hastily, without the proper inquiry, it may happen that he proves unworthy. The sins which he then commits and the harm which he thereby brings upon the Church will be imputed to you. And you will become a partaker of another’s sins. “Having given him authority, you will be subject to punishment for the sins committed by him—both past and future. For by releasing him prematurely from his former sins, you become guilty also of those which he will commit in time to come—namely: you will be the cause of the latter, because you entrusted authority to him—and of the former, because you did not allow him to mourn over them and come to a state of contrition. You become a fellow-participant both in his good deeds and in his sins” (St. Chrysostom). “One must not ordain a person in whose case sins are suspected (whose blamelessness is doubtful), lest the one who ordains him be tainted with his sins. If his sins are completely hidden (no trace of them visible), the one who ordains is safe: his conscience is free. But suspicion ought to inspire fear. And then he sins, if he ordains without examining as he ought. The one being ordained must be better than the rest. It is not enough for him to be without fault; his good works must be manifest, so that he may be deemed worthy of ordination” (Ambrosiaster).

“Keep yourself pure.” Following the line of the argument, it is more natural to understand “pure” as meaning free from the imputation of the sins of the one being ordained. Thus blessed Theodoret: “do not make yourself liable to condemnation”—of course, by rashly ordaining one who was not worthy and whose sins will defile you yourself. Thus Ambrosiaster: “By observing this (that is, by ascertaining through strict inquiry the worthiness of the one being ordained), the bishop will keep himself pure, with respect to the faith and the Church—and in the age to come will receive his reward for it.”

But other commentators understand here a command to St. Timothy to preserve his own moral purity. St. Chrysostom says: “Here the Apostle speaks of self-restraint.” Oecumenius and Theophylact write: “He gives a lesson on chastity; he exhorts to the guarding of chastity.” The connection with what precedes would then be this: but while discerning whether others are worthy of ordination, take care not to lose your own worthiness. Or: in order that you may more boldly examine whether this one is good or whether another is not, be yourself pure. Or again: if you yourself preserve your purity, you will have the eyes to see whether another is pure and worthy. — St. Chrysostom adds this observation: “If a man who was observing such fasts and had been drinking only water for so long a time that he was beginning to fall ill and suffer frequent ailments—if even to him the Apostle commands self-restraint, and he does not take offense at his counsel; then all the more ought we not to take offense when we hear anyone’s instruction on this subject. If we accept this interpretation, in it we may see the reason or occasion for the reminder that follows.”

1 Tim. 5:23. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

The words “keep yourself pure” could have prompted St. Timothy to greater abstinence and greater strictness regarding the body, as the most direct means for preserving purity. But St. Timothy was already constantly living a life of extreme abstinence, despite not enjoying robust health and being frequently ill—perhaps especially with ailments of the stomach. The Apostle recalled this and, moderating the lesson he had given, speaks as if to say: hearing these words—“keep yourself pure”—do not rush into greater feats of self-denial. Do not do this. You, given the condition of your health, need rather some relaxation, and from now on do not drink water alone, but use a little wine as well. He means grape wine, light, and moreover used mostly mixed with water.

“No longer drink only water,” μηκετι υδροποτει,—does not mean: do not drink water at all, but: do not drink water only, do not quench your thirst with water alone, as is your custom. — “Use a little wine,” οινω ολιγω χρω,—use a little wine. “By this he was not given permission to drink wine without measure, but was permitted to drink it as much as was necessary for health, and not for pleasure” (St. Chrysostom). “He did not simply say: use wine, but limited this use by adding: a little. For youth is ardent and is quickly moved by wine” (blessed Theophylact). “For your stomach’s sake”—points to ailments of the stomach. “But it seems that St. Timothy was afflicted not only with stomach ailments, but with ailments of other parts as well, as the words ‘and your frequent ailments’ suggest” (St. Chrysostom, blessed Theophylact).

Ambrosiaster reasons here: “Here the holy Apostle gives St. Timothy a personal (specifically concerning him) counsel, so that he may govern himself prudently. God desires that He be served according to one’s ability, and not so that one weakens oneself through excess and then has need to seek a physician’s help. The practice of abstinence must be conducted in such a way that it may, if possible and necessary, be gradually increased, and not so that it must afterward be diminished on account of excess admitted at the beginning. Excess (of bodily self-denial) renders even the soul weak, and the soul, troubled by the body’s exhaustion, is no longer so fervent in divine services. But the soul that is at peace in this regard is lifted up with its whole heart to God, with undivided attention beseeching Him to grant it what is needed for salvation.”

St. Chrysostom raises this question here: “Why did St. Paul not heal St. Timothy’s stomach?” And he answers: “Not because he could not, but because he wished to draw some important lesson from this; for the one whose garment raised the dead could without doubt have done this as well. — Why then did he not do it? So that we, when we now also see great and virtuous men afflicted with ailments, should not be scandalized thereby. And so this too was done for a purpose. Besides, if to the Apostle himself was given a messenger of Satan lest he be exalted, all the more (was such a safeguard against pride needed) for Timothy, because signs could easily lead him to pride. Therefore the Apostle allowed him to avail himself of the rules of medical science, so that he himself might think less of himself, and others might not be scandalized—and might understand that those holy men, performing what they performed (wondrous deeds), did not cease to be of the same nature as we.” “So that we might not think the ancients were above our nature, but might believe that they too were human beings (like us)” (blessed Theophylact).

1 Tim. 5:24. Some men’s sins are evident, going before them to judgment; and some men they follow after.

After what seems a brief digression, the Apostle returns again to the rules concerning selection for ordination, “again continuing his word on ordination” (blessed Theophylact). — When he said: do not ordain hastily, but first inquire whether a person is worthy, so as not to become a partaker of his sins—then St. Timothy could naturally have raised the question: but how is one to find out?! The Apostle forestalls this perplexity, speaking as if to say: how is one not to find out! There is no difficulty whatever in finding out. Some men’s sins go before them, reports of their deeds precede them, and before you have seen one of them face to face, it may already be known to you that he is, for example, impure in heart and body, impure in hand, impure in tongue, and the like. And this will already in advance guide you toward forming a judgment of whether he is worthy or not. All that remains is to verify whether it is indeed so in practice as is heard. And the judgment will determine itself. But some men’s sins are not evident. They are skilled at concealing them and appear to all in person as good and honorable. But their deeds all the same stand behind them and trail after them like the tail of a comet. They have not disappeared, but are still there, in their traces. Look closely and you will see. To this you are obliged, and the right to do so is given you, by my rule: “lay hands on no one hastily”—examine, consider, investigate. When you begin to examine, it will be difficult for bad deeds to remain hidden. If they are somehow concealed, then you will not be guilty, because you will have done everything possible on your part. “Evident,” προδηλοι,—manifest in advance, before you begin to examine. “Going before,” προαγουσαι,—leading you ahead, guiding, disposing, prompting. “To judgment,” εις κρισιν,—toward the pronouncement of a judgment. As if to say: here there is nothing even to examine. Other men’s deeds “follow” behind them, επακολουθουσιν,—they go behind them in their footsteps, step by step. By their outward appearance, by their seeming good conduct, these men conceal their deeds from the view of others; but there they still are, behind. Let someone look more closely and he will see.

Thus all our commentators understand this. They note, among other things, from the words “and some men they follow after” the following observation: in this life some people manage with such skill to conceal their evil deeds that they remain in good standing until the very moment of death; but after death their sinfulness is revealed there, in the other life, and exposes them to condemnation. Death does not annihilate their deeds, nor does it cause these people to pass into the other world while their deeds remain here. No—their deeds will follow after them and there will call forth righteous judgment upon them. But the deeds of others settle their fate here already, manifestly showing what awaits them there. Oecumenius, and after him blessed Theophylact, cite the opinion of St. Basil the Great, who in these words of the Apostle sees also this thought: the deeds of certain sinners that make them worthy of condemnation do not cease with their death, but continue to be committed even without them, yet are still imputed to them. These are specifically those deeds whose evil consequences do not cease with the death of those who committed them, but continue either to lead others into unbelief and false belief, or to draw them into an evil life. Such are heresies and heretical writings—and scandalous amusements and customs.

1 Tim. 5:25. Likewise also good works are evident beforehand, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.

What was said of sins is equally applicable to good works. These too are evident in some persons—known in advance, going before a man and commending him. But in others they are “otherwise,” that is, not evident, they remain unknown, so that one cannot say at first glance what such a person is like, whether good or bad. But, he says, even such works cannot remain hidden: inquire and you will find. This is vividly illustrated by the history of the election to the episcopate in the city of Comana of the holy hieromartyr Alexander, a charcoal-maker. The election took place under the chairmanship of St. Gregory the Wonderworker of Neocaesarea. When several persons put forward for election had not been approved, someone exclaimed: Are we not to elect Alexander the charcoal-maker?! But St. Gregory began to examine him and found that he was more worthy than all the rest, and he was chosen by all (August 12th).