I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
All Commentaries on 1 Timothy 5:21 Go To 1 Timothy 5
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Having spoken of Bishops and Deacons, of men, and women, of widows and elders, and of all others, and having shown how great was the authority of a Bishop, now he was speaking of judgment, he has added, I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that you observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Thus fearfully he charges him. For though Timothy was his beloved son, he did not therefore stand in awe of him. For as he was not ashamed to say of himself, Lest by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away 1 Corinthians 9:27; much less would he be afraid or ashamed in the case of Timothy. He called the Father and the Son to witness. But wherefore the elect Angels? From great moderation, as Moses said, I call heaven and earth to witness Deuteronomy 4:26; and again, Hear ye, O mountains, and strong foundations of the earth. Micah 6:2 He calls the Father and the Son to witness what he has said, making his appeal to Them against that future Day, that if anything should be done that ought not to be done, he was clear from the guilt of it.
That thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. That is, that you deal impartially and equally between those who are upon trial and are to be judged by you, that no one may pre-occupy your mind, or gain you over to his side beforehand.
