One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all respect;
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Ruleth well his own house Before he is set over the Church, let him have given proofs of his talents for governing within his own house, by the regularity he has made all his dependants observe. In the infancy of the Church, it was frequently necessary to ordain the most regular fathers of families bishops, for want of others of a sufficient age who had observed perpetual continency.
With all chastity. The Greek implies, grave, sober, temperate; but as this seems to answer what is said in Titus i. 6., it seems to be properly understood of chastity. (Witham)
The church leader must be “one that governs well his own house.” Even those who are without the church have the saying that one who is a good manager of a house will be a good statesman. For the church is, as it were, a small household. In a house there are children and wife and domestic duties, and some one person has to provide order for them all. So in the church there are women, children, employees and subordinates. As a man has in his wife a partner in power, so does one who presides over the church.
But because the Churches were to be exposed to attacks, he requires not that superior and highly exalted virtue, but a moderate degree of it; for to be sober, of good behavior, and temperate, were qualities common to many. Having his children in subjection with all gravity. This is necessary, that an example might be exhibited in his own house. For who would believe that he who had not his own son in subjection, would keep a stranger under command? One that rules well his own house. Even those who are without say this, that he who is a good manager of a house will be a good statesman. For the Church is, as it were, a small household, and as in a house there are children and wife and domestics, and the man has rule over them all; just so in the Church there are women, children, servants. And if he that presides in the Church has partners in his power, so has the man a partner, that is, his wife. Ought the Church to provide for her widows and virgins? So there are in a family servants, a...
