“For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain . . .” (Titus 1:7).
An elder, Paul tells us, must be “not self-willed” (NASB, NKJV), also translated “arrogant” (ESV, NET) and “overbearing” (NIV).
Arrogant and self-willed are closely related, thus the translation differences.
So what is arrogance or self-will? It is an exaggerated, ill-founded self-confidence, a bloated sense of self-importance. Arrogance manifests itself in a blatant disregard for others, including God (1 Tim. 1:13; 2 Peter 2:18-20).
While humility subordinates self-interest to achieve the well-being of others (Phil. 2:3-8), arrogance casts aside the well-being of others in the pursuit of selfish gain (see Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and fall in Daniel 4). While humility embraces God’s gracious provisions, arrogance takes credit for the good things that have come our way from the hand of God. Humility acknowledges that God is all-wise and all-powerful; arrogance assumes that one’s own wisdom and power are sufficient to bring about what is good.
God’s dealings with His people can be summed up in one word: grace. All of Paul’s epistles begin with a greeting that includes grace. Arrogance not only resists grace, it despises it. “Why do I need the gracious provisions of God (a kind of divine handout for which I have not worked) when I am fully capable of achieving the same ends by my own wisdom and works?” An elder who has such an attitude cannot convey grace to those he leads nor can he model the grace of Christ.
Arrogance is a deadly malady for anyone, so why do the Scriptures specifically speak of it in the midst of elder qualifications? Arrogance is an occupational hazard for every leader (Deut. 17:18-20). Jesus made it clear that spiritual leaders must shepherd His flock with a servant’s heart, contrasting this with Gentile leaders who “lord it over” their subjects (Matt. 20:20-28).
Arrogance promotes independence from God; humility promotes dependence on God. Arrogance can neither love God nor one’s neighbor. Indeed, it makes God an enemy (1 Peter 5:5).