Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Timothy: Chapter 3].
of course, two sides to this matter. {Reproach} (\oneidismon\).
Late word from \oneidiz•\. See Ro 15:3. {The snare of the
devil} (\pagida tou diabolou\). Here subjective genitive, snare
set by the devil. \Pagis\, old word from \p•gnumi\, to make fast.
So a snare for birds (Lu 21:35), any sudden trap (Ro 11:9),
of sin (1Ti 6:9), of the devil (1Ti 3:7; 2Ti 2:26). Ancients
used it of the snares of love. The devil sets special snares for
preachers (conceit verse 6, money 6:9, women, ambition).
3:8 {Deacons} (\diakonous\). Accusative case of general reference
like the preceding with \dei einai\ understood. Technical sense
of the word here as in Php 1:1 which see (two classes of church
officers, bishops or elders, deacons). {Grave} (\semnous\). See
Php 4:8. Repeated in verse 11; Tit 2:2. {Not double-tongued}
(\m• dilogous\). Rare word (\dis, leg•\) saying same thing twice.
Xenophon has \diloge•\ and \dilogia\. In Pollux, but LXX has
\digl•ssos\ (double-tongued, Latin _bilinguis_). Only here in
N.T. One placed between two persons and saying one thing to one,
another to the other. Like Bunyan's Parson "Mr. Two-Tongues."
{Not given to much wine} (\m• oin•i poll•i prosechontas\). "Not
holding the mind (\ton noun\ understood as usual with \prosech•\,
1Ti 1:4) on much wine" (\oin•i\, dative case). That attitude
leads to over-indulgence. {Not greedy of filthy lucre} (\m•
aischrokerdeis\). Old word from \aischros\ (Eph 5:12) and
\kerdos\ (Php 1:21). "Making small gains in mean ways" (Parry).
Not genuine in verse 3. In N.T. only here and Tit 1:7 (of
bishops).
3:9 {The mystery of the faith} (\to must•rion t•s piste•s\). "The
inner secret of the faith," the revelation given in Christ. See
for \must•rion\ in Paul (2Th 2:7; 1Co 2:7; Ro 16:25; Col 1:26;
Eph 3:9). {In a pure conscience} (\en kathar•i suneid•sei\). See
1:19. "The casket in which the jewel is to be kept" (Lock).
3:10 {First be proved} (\dokimazesth•san pr•ton\). Present
passive imperative third plural of \dokimaz•\, old and common
verb, to test as metals, etc. (1Th 2:4, and often in Paul). How
the proposed deacons are to be "first" tested before approved
Paul does not say. See Php 1:10 for the two senses (test,
approve) of the word. {Let them serve as deacons}
(\diakoneit•san\). Present active imperative of \diakone•\ (same
root as \diakonos\), common verb, to minister, here "to serve as
deacons." Cf. \diakonein\ in Ac 6:2. See also verse 13. {If
they be blameless} (\anegkl•toi ontes\). "Being blameless"
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