It is interesting to notice the things Paul included in his
list. Go back and read them again, and you will see what I mean. But in verse
3, he said that a pastor “must not be given to wine.” Now let me explain that
this statement isn’t a prohibition against drunkenness because no Christian,
pastor or layperson, is to allow themselves to become drunk. We see that in
many passages. Paul is specifically telling pastors that they are not to be
addicted to wine. What does that mean? He must not have a reputation of being a
drinker. His lifestyle must be so radically different from the world that
people take notice. You see, the calling of a pastor is to lead God’s people
into holiness, so he must stand out from the world. Do you remember the
Nazirite vow in the Old Testament? One of its requirements was that the
Nazirite could not eat or drink anything that came from grapes. In a society
where drinking wine was the norm, why would that be part of this vow? It was to
show that the Nazirite had made a commitment to be different. This is also a
practical matter for pastors. Their judgment was not to be clouded at any time
by the use of alcohol. Most people think that pastors only work two days a
week, but in reality, a pastor works every day of his life. He cannot afford to
let his guard down even for a moment because in that moment, he may be needed
by someone God places in his path.
Paul continued by saying that the pastor must not be
violent. A literal translation of this word means “not a giver of blows.”
Things often happen that cause an emotional reaction – sometimes even anger –
but the pastor must never react with physical violence. Of course, the
preferred response is gentleness, but understand Paul’s point. The pastor
cannot be one who prefers using his fists rather than reason. I would take this
one step further. Words can hurt as badly as physical blows, so pastors must
guard against verbal assaults as well. The picture Paul paints by using this word
is that of a bully. Too often pastors can come across as intimidating and
demanding. Paul said, “Don’t do it!” Instead, pastors are to be gentle and not
quarrelsome.
As you look at this passage of Scripture, you begin to see a
picture of the pastor’s personality as well as his qualifications. A pastor
must be in control of his emotions and never give in to the temptation to be
contentious. Understand that is not always easy because as Paul mentioned
earlier, there are troublemakers in the church, but the pastor must approach
these troublemakers with patience and love. He must be kind and considerate in
the face of opposition. In other words, he must strive to be like Jesus. And I’ve
seen it happen – through this peaceful, loving demeanor, the pastor can defeat
those who stand against God and His church.
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