John Chrysostom : And here he requires, though in other words, that he be "not a novice," where he says, "Let these also first be proved," where the conjunction "also" is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops, for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason for the "not a novice" in that case. For would it not be absurd, that when a newly purchased slave is not entrusted with anything in a house, till he has by long trial given proofs of his character, yet that one should enter into the Church of God from a state of heathenism, and be at once placed in a station of preeminence? — Homily on 1 Timothy 11 Pelagius : The mystery of faith is the passion of Christ, out of which comes the redeeming process by which our salvation is won. "The clear conscience" refers to the fact that the person who knows this mystery purely is not confounded by the spectacle of Christ's humiliation, or, it means that this mystery should be preached straightforwardly, piety not requiring anything beyond the statement itself. — PELAGIUS'S COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY Theodore of Mopsuestia : The mystery of faith referred to by the apostle here is the teaching about Christ, which he is about to expound in what follows. — COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY