Who Are You? (1)

For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, Titus 1:7 NASB

Overseer – What characteristics accompany the “overseer” (Greek – episkopos), a term sometimes translated as “bishop”? Paul gives Titus a list, both negative and positive. We have discovered that people who function in this role do so because of the recognition of their godly behavior by the community. They do not have any official status other than how they act. There are no business cards with the title “bishop” permanently affixed.

What are the actions that accompany these men and women? First, Paul notes that they must be “above reproach.” The Greek term is anenkleton. This word combines the negative particle with a word that means, “to be called to account.” In other words, the overseer must be one who has a blameless life. There is nothing that he or she still needs to atone for. This doesn’t mean that there never has been any issue. It means that all those concerns are in the past. Now this person is living with holy determination and conviction. And we all know it!

Notice that it isn’t just blamelessness. It’s blamelessness in the context of stewardship. This is a household word (Greek – oikonomos). If there were ever a place where service to others should show up, it’s at home. Paul uses this word because home life is a model of community life. One is simply the extension of the other. So an overseer needs to be without reproach in the community nearest to him or her, the home, as well as the extended community. And don’t we know this! How much easier to live the “holy” life outside the confines of the house! To put on the right face in the crowd. But Paul won’t have this. Charity might not start at home but stewardship does.

Of course, stewardship is an expression of humility, an attitude of respect for the dignity of every part of God’s creation. It cannot be divorced from its partnership with me authade. The combination of the conditional “not” and the word for self-willed yields some further insights. If you and I are going to demonstrate true stewardship, then it will be intertwined with not focusing on self-satisfaction. It will be concerned about public shame. It will not act with arbitrary capriciousness. And it will not be any of the following: sullen, gloomy, ill-tempered, depressed, grumpy, irritable or crabby.

Ouch!

Maybe that’s enough for one day. Paul’s list goes on, but our personal assessment might need some time to simmer before we can digest any more.

Topical Index: overseer, episkopos, above reproach, anenkleton, stewardship, oikonomos, self-willed, authade, Titus 1:7