Question
My Bible question comes from I Timothy 3:4 where the qualifications of elders are given.The term children is being applied as >>one of the qualifications of an elder. Can the term children in this passage include a man with just one child, or does it mean more than one? I realize the word children is plural, but based on other applications in the Bible it seems also to apply to just one child. If possible convey your thoughts on this question, and please use Bible passages to base your opinions on.
Answer
There is some discussion of this subject in the Lord’s church. Most people I know believe that a single child qualifies a man to be an elder according to 1 Timothy for the very reason that you state: children is frequently used to refer to a single child.
As just one example from the Bible, in Gen. 16, Sarai says to Abraham,
2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing [children]. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.
When Hagar became pregnant with Ishmael, Sarai was extremely jealous and couldn’t stand looking at her. So Sarai was upset even though Hagar was pregnant with just a single child. A strict interpretation of verse 2 would make one assume that Sarai would only have reacted if Hagar had more than one child, since she said “children.” However, she is simply using the term the same way we do today. If you ask a parent of an only child if she has any children, she will say, “I have a daughter” or “I have one.” She wouldn’t say, “No, I only have one child.” I believe the same is true of an Elder’s qualifications in 1 Timothy.
To add a little more to what Michael wrote, a few more examples may help show that children is a general term that include any number of offspring, one or more. We will list three examples and then make a concluding point.
GEN 21:7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
In this passage although Sarah uses “children”, it is clear that she only had one child, Isaac.
1TI 5:4 but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
Here Paul speaking of Christian widows who should not be constantly cared for by the church would be in situations where they had children or grandchildren to take care of them. Obviously this would include those with one child.
1TI 5:9 ¶ A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,
1TI 5:10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.
Finally, Paul describes those widows who should be placed on the list of those who should be constatly cared for by a local church. Among other things, they were to have brought up children. Of course, this would include those who just had one child.
Therefore in 1 Tim. 3:4 and Titus 1:6 where Paul mentions an elder or bishop having children who believe, he obviously means that it would include one or more children. The point being a man should show that he rules his house well by raising his children (one or more) to be Christians so the church may see that he has experience that would serve him well in leading the church. (GLH)
By Gary Hunt
