“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15).
It doesn’t take a trained architect to understand the difference between a buttress (or foundation) and a support column (or pillar). Nevertheless, the church is identified with each of these distinct architectural elements here in 1 Timothy 3:14-15. These structural references become easier to understand if we view them from different perspectives.
From a long-term perspective, the church is an enduring entity that represents Christ in every age. Thus, the church serves as a foundation in the sense that “…no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). From a short-term perspective, every local Christian community is responsible to uphold Jesus before others and represent Him in a Biblically accurate manner. While it is truly regrettable that many self-identified churches have disavowed one or both of these functions, that does not change what the church should be.
Although it isn’t obvious from the text, this passage enjoyed the benefit of a ready-made, first-century illustration. You see, Timothy held a leadership position within the church in the ancient city of Ephesus, a place that was known as the home of the Temple of Diana. Diana’s temple was constructed from marble and stood 425 feet (130 m) long and 220 feet (67 m) wide. It was also supported by 127 glittering columns that were 60 feet (18 m) high. This structure was so magnificent that it was honored with a place among the seven wonders of the ancient world.
One commentator offers a further description of these support columns and ties these concepts together…
“All (of these pillars) were made of marble, and some were studded with jewels and overlaid with gold. The people of Ephesus knew well how beautiful a thing a pillar could be. It may well be that the idea of the word pillar here is not so much support–that is contained in buttress–as display. Often the statue of a famous man is set on the top of a pillar that it may stand out above all ordinary things and so be clearly seen, even from a distance. The idea here is that the Church’s duty is to hold up the truth in such a way that all men may see it.” (1)
(1) Barclay, William. “Commentary on 1 Timothy 3:1-16”. “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/1-timothy-3.html. 1956-1959.