The New King James version renders one of the qualifications of elder to be “not violent” (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7). The phrase consists of two Greek words: me, meaning no or not, and plektes.
The word plektes only occurs in these two places in the New Testament. The phrase is translated “no striker” in the King James Version. There is a similar term also given as one of the qualifications in Paul’s list, translated in the KJV as “not a brawler.” There would seem to be little difference between “no striker” and “not a brawler.” The NKJV tries to make a more obvious distinction by translating the two terms: “not violent” and “not quarrelsome.”
Many Greek scholars agree with the distinction shown in the NKJV, believing the second term to have had, (at the time of Paul’s writing), an emphasis on arguing rather than physical violence.
So, the word plektes seems to have, in Paul’s writing, a reference to physical violence. It is obvious that an elder should not be a man to raise his fists at provocation. In fact, no Christian should be physically violent with others. Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:39, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
It is sad that violence is common to many men. It is pervasive in our society. However, it has no place in the life of a Christian, whose life is one of peace. It certainly can’t characterize a man who serves as an overseer of God’s people.
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