This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer{Or, bishop}, he desires a good work.
If a man seeketh the office of bishop ... It is erroneous to see in this anything resembling the monarchical, metropolitan or diocesan bishop, an office that developed during the historical progress of Christianity, but which is not found anywhere in the New Testament, Bishops were elders, presbyters, overseers, pastors, shepherds and stewards; but all of these titles are descriptive of one office only, that of an elder of a local congregation.  Paul used these titles synonymously (Acts 20:17,28, etc.). Furthermore, it is wrong to see this chapter as Paul's commissioning Timothy to set up any organization or to initiate and define the duties of those whom he was expected to appoint.  As Lenski put it: