Fathers

1 Timothy 3

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This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, 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 thou oughtest to behave thyself 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: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

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What the Fathers say

1 Timothy 3:10

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

And here he requires, though in other words, that he be "not a novice," where he says, "Let these also first be proved," where the conjunction "also" is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops, for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason for the "not a novice" in that case. …

Homily on 1 Timothy 11 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Just as, he says, regarding the bishop I required that he not be a recent convert, so I require that these also not be admitted to the ministry without having been tested, but only after having been sufficiently tested and found to be blameless—just as no one would entrust a newly purchased slave with any managerial position before he has proven himself worthy of it over time.

Commentary on 1 Timothy ↗

Oecumenius

And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being blameless. And let these also first be tested. Just as, Paul says, the bishops, so that they may not be beginners.

Commentary On 1 Timothy ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

But none could rightly be ordained a minister in the Church if the apostle had said, "If any is without sin," where he says, "If any is without crime;" or if he had said, "Having no sin," where he says, "Having no crime." Because many baptized believers are without crime, but I should say that no one in this life is without sin,—however much the Pelagians are inflated, and burst asunder in madness against me because I say this: not because there remains anything of sin which is not remitted in baptism; but because by us who remain in …

Against Two Letters Of The Pelagians 1.14.28 ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

For, since it is written, "That one should first be proved, and so minister" (1 Tim. iii. 10), much more ought he first to be proved who is taken as an intercessor for the people, lest bad priests should become the cause of the people's ruin. There can therefore be no excuse, no defence against this, since it is clearly known to all how solicitous about diligent attention to this matter is the holy and excellent teacher, who forbids that a novice should accede to sacred orders (1 Tim. iii.). …

Register of Epistles, Book 9, Epistle 106 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, and let these also first be proved, and so let them minister, he shows how they should be examined. For someone might say: I consider all men good; for this ought to be in your character. But for their promotion all are to be examined; hence they too are examined. Hence he says, and let these also first be proved and so let them minister, having no crime, i.e., no mortal sin. …

Commentary on 1 Timothy ↗