Which Two Words Does Paul Use to Speak of God's Family in 1 Timothy 3:14-15?
Question
What does it mean that the church is the colonnade and foundation of the truth?
Answer
Cosmic apologists are fond of citing 1 Timothy 3:fifteen as testify that "the church"—specifically, the Catholic Church—is the true, infallible earthly source of spiritual noesis. In item, they claim this poesy not merely supports the inerrancy of Catholic teachings merely that it likewise contradicts the doctrine of sola scriptura. Read completely out of context, the verse could be taken that fashion:
"If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to carry themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth" (i Timothy 3:15).
But, as with whatever Bible text, what something means out of context is irrelevant. Looking at the verse in light of its scriptural setting not simply defeats this particular claim, it strongly contradicts other aspects of Catholicism.
First of all, information technology would be one thing to apply ane Timothy iii:15 to generically claim "the church" as a source of potency or truth on earth. Cosmic apologists, withal, frequently bespeak to this passage and extract concepts such as an inerrant magisterium, an infallible Pope, and so forth. The telescopic of the verse in no way supports that kind of overreach. This is particularly true in lite of what Paul and the rest of the New Testament says about the church building and truth.
First Timothy three:15 is the end of Paul's clarification of proper carry for church building members, including leaders. He nowhere mentions a unique power of these leaders to brand doctrinal or interpretive decisions. Nor does he declare members of the body incapable of making those interpretations themselves. In fact, in poesy xiv Paul specifically says that his written words are what ascertain proper deport. This actually suggests the concept of sola scriptura; Paul is assigning authorisation to the written Word. He does not say, "The church will tell you lot what this letter of the alphabet means."
At the start of the epistle, Paul explicitly tells Timothy to oppose those who teach unsound doctrine (ane Timothy 1:3–7, eighteen–19). He does not tell Timothy to oppose those who disagree with "the church" or with church leaders. This echoes other statements of Paul that indicate that the content of a belief is what matters, not the person who proclaims information technology (2 Corinthians 11:xiv; Galatians 1:6–8). Paul refers to those proclaiming the gospel every bit stewards of the truth, non the source of it (1 Corinthians 4:1; 9:17). Elsewhere, Paul explicitly says there is only one "truthful" foundation for our religion, which is Christ (1 Corinthians three:11), so what he says in 1 Timothy 3:15 must be taken in that context.
It's also short-sighted to use one Timothy three:fifteen to support Catholicism, given the words that come up directly before and afterwards it. In 1 Timothy iii:one–xiii, Paul says that church leaders ought to be "the hubby of i wife" and to have demonstrated control over their household and children. Nevertheless Catholicism demands that priests exist unmarried and chaste, a prohibition that Paul condemns a few verses later (1 Timothy 4:ane–iii). That'due south hardly a ringing endorsement of Catholic doctrine.
How, then, should i Timothy 3:fifteen be interpreted? Judging by the context of 1 Timothy, also equally the residual of Scripture, certainly not that "the church" has an infallible grasp of truth. In this example, Paul seems to exist saying that the ekklesia—the body of believers, "the church"—is the structure that holds up and holds forth the gospel to the earth. For that reason, the bear of the body and its choice of leaders are critically important.
This interpretation is strongly supported by Paul'southward utilise of two Greek words, stulos and hedraioma, translated as "pillar" and "foundation." Stulos means "colonnade, cavalcade, prop, or support" and is plant in the New Testament simply here, in Revelation 3:12, and in Revelation 10:one. Hedraioma means "prop or back up" and is found just in this poetry. Both words come from Greek root words that imply something that stiffens, stabilizes, steadies, or holds. These are completely different words than what are used for other occurrences of "foundation" in English Bibles. For instance, Paul'southward reference to Christ as our "foundation" in 1 Corinthians 3:11 uses the discussion themelios, which means "foundation of a building" or "initial and founding principles of an idea."
So, in ane Timothy 3:15 Paul is not referring to "the church" as the source of truth or the creator of truth. He's saying "the church" is what holds up and holds house the truth in the world. Once again, this interpretation fits with Paul's warnings non to exist swayed by lecherous philosophies (Colossians 2:8), fake teachers (ii Timothy four:3), or whatsoever person who changes the gospel (Galatians ane:8). Rather than fall prey to simulated doctrine, we're to compare teachers to the Word of God (Acts 17:eleven; 1 Corinthians iv:6; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4).
"The church," that is, the entire population of Christian believers, bears the earthly responsibility of holding up the truth of the gospel. The ultimate basis of that truth is Christ, not the proclamations or infallibility of members of that body. Paul is calling on believers to intendance for the structure that "supports" or "props up" our bulletin to the world. First Timothy 3:15 cannot be taken to hateful that the church itself is the source or standard for truth.
Catholic Questions
What does 1 Timothy 3:15 mean when it says that the church building is the pillar and foundation of the truth?
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This folio terminal updated: Jan 4, 2022
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