¹⁷ Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching; ¹⁸ for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves to be paid.” ¹⁹Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁰ As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. ²¹ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. ²² Do not ordain anyone hastily, and do not participate in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

²³ No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

²⁴ The sins of some people are conspicuous and precede them to judgment, while the sins of others follow them there. ²⁵So also good works are conspicuous; and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden.

Now, ordination to the position of an elder is something we should take very seriously. It is not a matter of popularitly, or having the correct balance of groups. I’d argue that the mode of life of this person is very important: they should truly be repentant and keeping close accounts of their flaws.

The Roman Church has argued that the best way to keep people disinterested and not engaging in factions is to not let them marry. That the priesthood should be celibate. And many saints of the church were.

Many still are.

But that is not the only means of leadership. The orthodox, protestants, and some Catholic rites have married priests. One of the tests of eldership is that the man involved can lead his wife and children: if he cannot lead those whom he loves how can he lead the church, which is full of irritable, broken, cross-grained people like me?

The other thing is that he is a bit older. His wife is a bit older. They have dealt with many of the issues of the day. (This is not to deny that young people cannot have a great ministry — but Paul tells timothy not to let them despise his youth for a reason).  His wife can teach and lead the younger women, and he can counsel the men, by word and example.

(As I am writing this, the economics of it became more apparent. In a working class  or slave church, you wait until a man’s back has gone and he cannot do physical labour, Then, if he is righteous and can teach, make him an elder and support him. This is speculation — but Paul set the age to enrollment in the widow’s roll (for support) at sixty, and advised widows under that to remarry. In the ancient times, if you made it to 60 as a manual labourer you were doing fairly well,)

Attached to this is that the elders should judge their own but not openly condemn until a person is flagrantly disregarding them and continuing in sin. Open declaration of faults removes the mantle or mana from that person.

As Ordination needs to be done carefullly, Condemnation needs to be done carefully. But it needs to be done.