Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12
In a proper society the elders are respected and lead. This is true of a Church assembly; the elders, in age, have the responsibility to feed the flock.
1 Peter 5:1-3 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Paul is telling Timothy all though young, not an elder, to set the example “in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” that none can find the faults of youth in him and his preaching and teaching.
Timothy is not there to be a Bishop, which only elders can be qualified for, but to explain and set up the Churches in the area and ordain elders as Bishops. He is there is Paul’s stead. Titus is in Crete for the same reason, to set up the Churches and ordain elders to oversee them.
Titus 1:5-7 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 6If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
I believe this to be the correct way to understand this verse.
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