A personal advice to Timothy: (5:23):
In continuation with the topic of purity, Paul gives a personal and medical advice to Timothy. Timothy may have been averse to wine as he seemed to be more inclined to asceticism (cf. 4:3-5) which is associated with total abstention. timothy was abstaining from alcohol just to set a good example. In those days water was not pure and he might have been developing stomach ailments with frequent illness. The abstinence was hurting his health. Wine was safer to drink than water. So Paul advises him to drink a little wine for his stomach’s sake. It is not wise to sacrifice his health for the sake of this abstinence, he will do more good for the Lord if takes care of his body. This instruction is only for medicinal purpose. This rules out anything associated with alcoholism.
Paul could have healed him instantly. He had divine healing powers not at his command but only at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes God heals through His servants, through natural remedies or through the work of doctors or even through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. There is no contradiction among them.
The difficulty in choosing the elder: (5:34-35):
Paul is continuing the teaching given (5:22), advises Timothy to choose the leaders carefully. Good works are always evident and seen by others. Some people appear as holy and hide their sins. What we see on the outside is not the real picture in one’s life. So hasty, superficial assessments, whether positive or negative, are sometimes inaccurate, leading to the choosing of unqualified men. Further we may even overlook people with fine qualities. With the passing of time, a man’s true colors will emerge to the observer. It is always good to ask for God’s discernment and wait upon God for choosing leaders, because after all it is God’s work and His will should be fulfilled in the affairs of the church. The church leaders lives should be above reproach.