1 Timothy 1

1 Timothy 1:1-99

The Greeting

1:1-2. I Paul, writing with all the authority of an Apostle of Christ Jesus, and in obedience to the direct commandment of God who has saved us from our sins, and of Jesus Christ, who is the object of our hope, send this letter to you Timothy, with all the confidence which a father feels in a true son in the faith; and I ask God, the Father of us all, and Christ Jesus our Lord, to give you grace for your work, to aid you in your difficulties, and give you peace at heart.

The greeting is formal and elaborate; it is partly personal to Timothy , but also official , perhaps because the letter is meant to be read to others (cf. μεθ ʼ ὑμῶν , 6:20), and to be treated as an authoritative guidance for the Church or Churches to which Timothy has to communicate its regulations; it is to strengthen Timothy’ s hands against false teachers; cf. 1:11, 2:7.

1. ἀπόστολος ] εὐθέωςτοῦἀκροατοῦτὴνδιάνοιανεἰςτὸνἀποστείλανταπαραπέμπει (Chrys.).

χριστοῦἸησοῦ ] In the other Epistles (Jas., Pet., Jude, Jn.) the order is Ἰης . Χρ ., perhaps because to their writers the memory of the earthly life had been the first thing; in St. Paul the order is generally Χρ . Ἰης ., perhaps because the knowledge of the Heavenly Messiah came before that of the earthly life; but there is no uniformity in him, though when he refers to facts of the earthly life the order is often Ἰης . Χρ . 6:3, II 2:8, 1 Corinthians 2:2, 1 Corinthians 2:3:11, 1 Corinthians 2:15:57, 2 Corinthians 8:9.

For a full examination of the usage, cf. I.C.C., Galatians, pp. 392 ff.

κατ ʼ ἐπιταγήν ] ἐπιταγή , Paul only in N.T. (1 Corinthians 7:6, 1 Corinthians 7:25, 2 Corinthians 8:8, Titus 2:15); κατ ʼ ἐπιταγήν (Titus 1:3, Romans 16:26). It suggests a royal command which must be obeyed, cf. Esther 1:8, and was used of divine commands (cf. M.M. s.v.). Ramsay quotes κατ ʼ ἐπιταγὴντοῦΚυρίουΤυράννουΔιός (Inscr. Le Bas Waddington, No. 667).

Here it refers primarily to the choice of Paul as an Apostle (2:7, Acts 22:14), though it may include the wider command of the King of all the ages (cf. 1:17, 6:15), revealing the message of salvation (Romans 16:26) and calling for obedience, cf. εἰςὑπακοὴνπιστέως (Romans 1:5). It gives the commission in virtue of which he acts, and the rule and standard of his work. Paul writes because necessity is laid upon him (1 Corinthians 9:16-18); he is anxious to be able to report to his Lord, when He returns, κύριε , γέγονενὃἐπέταξας (Luke 14:22).

θεοῦσωτῆροςἡμῶν ] Possibly with an allusion to the heathen use of the title as applied to Zeus, Apollo, or Æ sculapius (Titus 2:13 note) cf. Harnack, Exp. of Christianity, i. 2. 2;, but the phrase is Jewish, Deuteronomy 32:15, Psalms 24:5, Luke 1:47, Jude 1:25. By St. Paul it is applied to the Father in 1 Ti., to Christ only in 2 Ti. (1:10), to the Father and to Christ in Tit.: in the earlier Epistles only to Christ, Ephesians 5:23, Philippians 3:20, but cf. 1 Corinthians 1:21. Here it anticipates the thoughts of 1:15, 2:3, 4, 15, 4:10, 16.

τῆςἔλπιδοςἡμῶν ] On whom we place our hopes, whom we hope to see and to be like; cf. Colossians 1:27 Χριστὸςἐνὑμῖν , ἡἔλπιςτῆςδόξης , and 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:3. Cf. Psalms 64:6 ἐπάκουσονἡμῶνὁθεὸςὁσωτὴρἡμῶν , ἡἔλπιςπάντωντῶνπεράτωντῆςγῆς : Wisd 14:6 ἡἔλπιςτοῦκόσμου , of Noah (Wohlenberg). Liv. xxviii. 39: “ spem omnem salutemque nostram,” of Scipio (Wetstein). Similarly κύριε , ὑπομονὴἸσραήλ , Jeremiah 17:13. Here the phrase has almost become a fixed title, as it has become by the time of Ignatius (Trall. Inscr. and 2, Magn. 11, Ph. 5 and 11, Eph. 21. Cf. ἡτελείαπίστις , ad Polyc. 10): and Polycarp, Phil. 8.

2. Τιμοθέῳ ] Cf. Introd., p. xxvi.

γνησίῳτέκνῳ (dilecto, Vg.; germano, Ambros.; viscerali, itg.) perhaps combines the thought of 1 Corinthians 4:17 “ my true son whom I have begotten and to whom I have a right to appeal,” with that of Php 2:20-22 , “ my son whom I know that I can trust,” perhaps with implied contrast to others who had failed him, inf. 3-11, 6:3-10. Dibelius compares the use of father and son for teacher and pupil in the Mysteries, quoting Poimandres 13:3, p. 340 (Reitzenstein), μὴφθόνειμοι , πάτερ · γνήσιοςυἱὸςεἰμίδιάφρασονμοιπαλιγγενεσίαςτὸντρόπον .

ἐνπίστει ] Cf. ἐνΧριστῷ , 1 Corinthians 4:15; ἐνκυρίῳ , ib. 17. There the stress is on the spiritual sphere, here on spiritual character, faith in and loyalty to Christ; cf. 4. 5 and Titus 1:4 κατὰκοινὴνπίστιν .

χάριςἔλεος , εἰρήνη ] For χάρις and εἰρήνη , cf. S.-H., Romans 1:5-7: ἔλεος is found in prayers combined with εἰρήνη ), with εἰρήνη and ἀγάπη in Jude 1:2, with χάρις and εἰρήνη , as here, only in 2 Timothy 1:2, 2 John 1:3. The addition in 1 and 2 Ti. (not in Titus) may have reference to Timothy’ s difficulties at Ephesus. τοῦτοἀπὸπολλῆςφιλοστοργίας · πλείοναγὰρἐπεύχεταιτῶσͅπαιδί , δεδοικὼςὔπεραὐτοῦκαὶτρέμων , Chrys.; cf. ἠλεήθην 14. 16 he invokes for his son the mercy which had aided himself.

ἀπὸθεοῦπατρὸςκαὶχρ . Ἰ . τοῦκ . ἡμῶν ] cf. S.-H., Romans 1:7; Frame, 1 Thessalonians 1:1. πατρός is here, perhaps, limited by ἡμῶν (cf. 1), or quite unlimited “ the Father,” ἐξοὗπᾶσαπατριὰὀνομάζεται , Ephesians 3:15; the father invokes blessings on his spiritual son from the source of all fatherhood.

1:3-20. Appeal to Timothy. Warn the false teachers at Ephesus not to waste their time on myths and genealogies and teachings about the law to the neglect of the true spiritual aim of the gospel. They entirely misunderstand the true purpose of the law, as seen in the light of the gospel. Its purpose was to control sin, but the gospel saves from sin; yes, it saved me the chief of sinners, and I was allowed to be its preacher. Do you then, as my true child, hand on this charge, and be warned by the fate of Hymenæ us and Alexander.

Note.— The key-words of the section are πίστις with its cognates (cf. 1, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19 bis) and ἀγάπη (5. 14), which are contrasted with intellectual speculation: cf. the contrast between γνῶσις and ἀγάπη in 1Co_8, between speaking with tongues and prophesying in 1Co_14.

3-11. Paraphrase. I wrote to press on you the purpose with which I urged you to stay in Ephesus when I had to leave for Macedonia. It is that you should strictly charge certain teachers there— I need not mention their names— not to pride themselves on being teachers of novelties, or to waste their time on untrustworthy legends and questions of genealogies which are unending, for they only supply them with abstruse investigations, and do not help them to do their work as God’ s stewards, whose one aim is to produce faith. The whole purpose of the charge which Christ has given us, His stewards, is to produce a true spirit of love, springing out of simplicity of aim, of a clear conscience, and a sincere faith. But some of these teachers have wholly failed in these qualities, and turned out of the narrow path into worthless discussions: they claim to be Christian rabbis, but they do not understand their own assertions, nor the meaning of the subjects on which they are so positive.

But we know that the law is of high value, if a teacher enforces its right purpose, if he realizes that law is never enacted to control one who is already acting rightly, but it is to control the wilful and restless, those who violate their duty to God and their neighbour in any way that is inconsistent with the sound teaching of Christ. This is the position of the law in the light of the good news that the blessed God has now communicated His glory to men and enabled them to obey. It is this good news with which I was entrusted, I on whose behalf you have to speak.

Note.— With the whole section cf. Acts 20:30, and inf. 6:3-10: here, the stress is laid on the character of the teaching; there, on the character of the teachers.

3. For the historical position, cf. p. xvii. On the duty of the Bishop to check his clergy from useless discussions, cf. Chrys., de Sacerd., § § 409-412.

καθὼςπαρεκάλεσα ] What is the apodosis? Probably (as Grotius suggested) ἵναπαραγγείλῃς , “ As I urged, so now see that you charge” ; ἵνα being elliptical, vid. note on Titus 3:13. If this is not so, then the sentence is an anacoluthon, cf. Romans 5:12; such anacolutha are common at the commencement of letters; cf. Ignatius, Rom_1, Eph_1, Son_1; Pap. Oxyr. x. 1299, quoted in MM S.V. καθώς . The reason is that the act of writing takes the place of an apodosis. “ As I urged, so now I write.” So on the stage the apodosis has often to be supplied from some movement on the part of the actor; cf. Soph. O.T. 325. A similar movement explains Matthew 26:50.

παρεκάλεσα ] Perhaps “ encouraged,” implying hesitation on T.’ s part (so Chrys., Theod.-Mops.), but more probably “ urged.” Cf. 2:1, Philemon 1:9.

προσμεῖναι (cf. 5:5, not in the earlier Epistles, but cf. Acts 13:43), slightly stronger than μένειν , “ stay on.”

τισί ] They have not reached the point of shipwreck of faith, and have not had to be dealt with judicially like Hymenæ us and Alexander (20); so he tactfully mentions no names; cf. 6-19, 5:15, 24, 6:10, 21, and compare 2 Corinthians 3:1, 2 Corinthians 10:2.

ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν , cf. 6:3, Ign. ad Polyc. 3 (Cf. κακοδιδασκαλεῖν , Clem. R. ii. 10; ἑτεροδιδάσκαλος , Eus. H.E. iii. 32). The word was possibly coined by the writer, half-parodying νομοδιδάσκαλοι . They pride themselves on being “ teachers of law” ; they are really only teachers of novelties, of things alien to the true gospel, παρὰτὴνδιδαχὴνἣνὑμεῖςἐμάθετε , Romans 16:17; ἕτερονεὐαγγέλιον , Galatians 1:6.

4. προσέχειν (c. dat. 3:8, 4:1, 13, Titus 1:14: also Luke (2), Acts (6), Heb (2), not in the earlier letters; but cf. Acts 20:28).

μυθκαὶγεν . ἀπεράντοις ] ἀπέραντος , used with a note of impatient scorn (cf. ἀπεραντολογία , ἀπεραντολογεῖν ; Athenæ us, Strabo ap. Wetstein), is the emphatic word, and probably qualifies both μυθ . and γεν . Cf. the similar protest in Epict. iii. 24, σὺδ ʼ Ὀμήρῳπάνταπροσέχειςκαὶτοῖςμύθοιςαὐτοῦ (Dibelius).

μυθ . καὶγεν . to be taken closely together, μύθοι being defined by γενεαλογίαι , legendary stories about genealogies; but γενεαλογίαι was used widely of any mythologies connected with the history of early founders of states. Cf. Polyb. Hist. ix. 1, 4, where ὁγενεαλογικὸςτρόπος of the historian is contrasted with the parts which deal with colonizations, foundations of cities, the policy of nations, and is said to be specially attractive to the inquisitive; and ib. 2. 1, τὰπερὶτὰςγενεαλογίαςκαὶμύθους , is contrasted with these more historical parts. So Philo calls the history of the patriarchs in the Pentateuch τὸγενεαλογικὸνμέρος (de V. Mosis, ii. 8).

There may be implied here a contrast with the short, clear historical life and teaching of the Lord, “ the mystery of godliness” summed up in 3:16. Cf. 2 P 1:16 οὐγὰρσεσοφισμένοιςμύθοιςἐξακολουθήσαντεςἐγνωρίσαμενὑμῖντὴντοῦΚ . ἡμῶνἸ . Χρ . δύναμινκαὶπαρουσίαν .

The exact reference of the words is uncertain.

(i) Probably they refer to something Jewish; and if so, to legends and stories centring round the pedigree of the patriarchs and O.T. history which were handed down in tradition, the Rabbinical Haggada, and which are prominent in Jewish Apocalypses (so cf. Hort, Judaistic Christianity, p. 135), and were used to support the institutions of the Jewish law. The Book of Jubilees, “ an attempt to rewrite primitive history from the standpoint of the law,” based on τὸγενεαλογικόν and introducing many legends about evil spirits, or “ The Book (attributed to Philo) concerning Biblical Antiquities,” a legendary chronicle of O.T. history from Adam to Saul, dating from the 1st century a.d. (ed. M. R. James, S.P.C.K., 1917), would be the best illustrations of this.

Cf. also Justin M. Dial. c. Tr. c. 112; Irenæ us, 1:30, for similar profitless discussions. This Jewish reference is made probable (i) by the fact that these teachers claimed to be νομοδιδάσκαλοι : (ii) by the clear reference in Titus 1:14 Ἰουδαϊκοῖςμύθοις : 3:9 γενεαλογίαςκαὶἔρειςκαὶμάχαςνομικάς : (iii) by Ign. ad Magn. c. 8 (possibly an allusion to this place), where μυθεύμασινπαλαιοῖςπλανᾶσθαι is a note of living κατὰἸουδαϊσμόν . (iv) The allusion to Jannes and Jambres, 2 Timothy 3:8, is perhaps drawn from such legendary Haggada.

This reference is supported by Chrys., Pelagius, Thdt. τὴνἸουδαϊκὴνἑρμηνείαντὴνὑπ ʼ αὐτῶνκαλουμένηνδευτέρωσιν : and Ambrosiaster, “ de fabulis quas narrare consueti sunt Judæ i de generatione suarum originum.” F. H. Colson (J. Th. St. xix. 265-271) thinks that the reference is not to a Pharisaic Judaism, but to a “ somewhat conceited pseudo-Hellenic Judaism,” which treated the O.T. as the “ grammatici” and “ rhetores” treated Homer in literary circles; and he quotes a similar criticism of such points by Suetonius, Tiberius, c. 70, “ Maxime curavit notitiam historiæ fabularis, usque ad ineptias atque derisum,” quoted with other reff. by Mayor on Juv. 7. 234.

(ii) But, possibly, to the genealogies of the æ ons, which in Gnostic teaching separated the supreme God from the material world, cf. 4:1-4. Irenæ us directly applied these words to the teaching of Valentinus (adv. Hæ r. præ f. i.), and so did Tertullian (Præ scr. 7 and 33); but neither states that our writer was referring to them, for Irenæ us applies Matthew 7:15 and Tertullian Colossians 2:8, Galatians 4:3, Galatians 5:2 to the same heretics; and Tert. (adv. Valent. 3) supposes St. Paul to anticipate these teachers, and to meet the germs of their teaching ; cf. Introd. p. xvii.

ἐκζητήσεις ] Here only in N.T., “ out-of-the-way researches” (Cf. ἐκζητεῖν , Ecclus 39:1, 3 (of the Jewish Rabbi, σοφίανπάντωνἀρχαίωνἐκζητήσει . . . ἀπόκρυφαπαροιμιῶνἐκζητήσει ), 1 P 1:10 and “ eruere” ). For the distinction from ζητήματα , cf. Acts 15:2 γενομένης . . . ζητησέωςοὐκὀλίγηςἔταξαν . . . ἀναβαίνειν II. καὶ B. περὶτοῦζητήματοςτούτου .

οἰκονομίανθεοῦ ] “ God’ s stewardship,” i.e. they do not help them to carry out the stewardship entrusted to them by God; cf. Titus 1:7 ὡςθεοῦοἰκονόμον : supra 1 κατ ʼ ἐπιταγήν : 11 ἐπιστεύθην . Ign. ad Eph_6, πάνταὃνπέμπειὁοἰκοδεσπότηςεἰςἰδίανοἰκονομίαν . The metaphor is a favourite one with St. Paul (cf. esp. 1 Corinthians 9:17) and St. Luke: elsewhere only in 1 P 4:10.

This is ultimately “ God’ s own method,” His “ scheme of salvation” (cf. Ephesians 1:10, Ign. Eph. 18, 20 (ubi v. Lightfoot), Clem. Alex. Strom. i. 24: οἰκονομίακαθ ʼ ἣνἐπαιδεύοντοἙβραῖοι . . . εἰςμόνοντὸπιστεύειντὸνθεὸνεἶναι (quoted with other interesting illustrations in Tatiani, Or., ed.

Schwarz, Texte und Unters. i. 4, 1, pp. 86-90); but the analogy of Tit 1:7 shows that this is not the primary thought here, and is almost conclusive against the reading of the Western text, οἰκοδομήν , for which cf. 3:15, 1 Corinthians 3:9, and supra, p. xxxvi.

τὴνἐνπίστει ] which has faith as its central principle— faith in the steward (cf. 1) and faith in those whom he teaches (cf. 5); faith, not abstruse questionings (cf. 4); faith, not stress on law (7-11); cf. Col_2, Gal_3.

5. τὸδὲτέλος ] τούτεστιτὸσυνπλήρωμα , cf. Romans 10:4, Chrys.; but here the metaphor is of “ the way” . “ The goal,” “ the true end to be reached” ; cf. Ign. Eph. 14, ἀρχὴμὲνπίστις , τέλοςδὲἀγάπη .

τῆςπαραγγελίας ] i.e., primarily, the charge which Timothy has to give (παραγγείλῃς , 3; παραγγελίαν , 18): but the last words, οἰκοδ . θεοῦτῆνἐνπίστει , have carried the mind on to the whole scheme of salvation, and perhaps extend the meaning more widely— the end of all Christian moral preaching, the whole moral charge which is given to God’ s stewards; cf. ἡδιδασκαλία , 6:1: ἡἐντολή , 6:14: τὸκήρυγμα , 1 Corinthians 1:21.

ἀγάπη ] Cf. Galatians 5:6 πίστιςδι ʼ ἀγάπηςἐνεργουμένη , inf. 1:14, 2:15, 4:12, 6:11.

ἐκκαθαρᾶςκ .] Cf. 2 Timothy 2:22, 2 Timothy 2:1 P 1:22 (Si v.l.), Matthew 5:8. It is an O.T. conception, Genesis 20:5, Genesis 20:6, Job 11:13, Job 33:3, Psalms 23:4, Psalms 50:12.

συνειδήσεωςἀγ .] 1:19, 1 P 3:16, 21; καλή , Hebrews 13:18; contrast συνειδ . πονηπά , Hebrews 10:22. For the history of the word, which is of Greek philosophic origin, cf. S.-H. on Romans 2:15; Bonhoffer, Epiktet und das NT, p. 156.

ἀνυποκρίτου ] 2 Timothy 1:5 “ a word chiefly Christian” (but used in Wisd 5:19, 18:6), “ as might be expected from Our Lord’ s warnings against ὑπόκρισις and ὑποκριταί , partly from the high standard of veracity set up by the Apostles; cf. James 3:17 , Romans 12:9, 2 Corinthians 6:6 , 1 P 1:22 ” ; Hort ad Ja. l.c. The words are in an ascending scale, simplicity of aim, which is always ready to listen to truth , a constant desire to do right, and a faith which accepts Christ as its guide with sincerity and consistency (cf. Galatians 2:13), resulting in love for God and man.

All these qualities can be re-created in the penitent sinner; cf. Psalms 50:12, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 3:12.

6. ὧν ] Failure in these moral qualities loses sight of the true goal; cf. 1:19.

ἀστοχ .] 6:21, 2 Timothy 2:18 (only in N.T.), Ecclus 7:19, 8:9, and common in Polybius and Plutarch, “ failing to strike,” or perhaps, rather more definitely, “ taking no pains to aim at the right path” ; cf. the description of their character in 6:3-5, Ecclus 8:9 μὴἀστόχειδιηγήματοςγερόντων : and for the thought, Matthew 7:14.

ἐξετραπ .] 5:15, 6:20, 2 Timothy 4:4, Hebrews 12:13 only in N.T. ματαιολογία here only in N.T.; cf. Titus 1:10, Romans 1:21.

7. νομοδιδάσκαλοι ] Perhaps without reference to the Jewish law, half-ironical, “ claiming to be professors of moral philosophy” ; cf. Epict. ii. I, 25, πῶςοὖνἔτιὑμῖνπιστεύσομεν , ὦφίλτατοινομοθέται (Dibelius); but vv. 4, 8, 9, 10 make a reference to the Jewish law more probable.

τίνων ] The interrogative is probably used for the relative for the sake of variety alone, as in late Greek they tended to become interchangeable; cf. Moulton, N.T. Greek, p. 93; Blass, P. 175.

διαβεβαιοῦνται ] Titus 3:8 only in N.T., “ on which they insist, lay so much stress.” Hort (W.H. App., pp. 167 and 171) suggests that the form is really subjunctive, Cf. ζηλοῦτε , Galatians 4:17 φυσιοῦσθε , 1 Corinthians 4:6, “ nor on what points they ought to insist” ; cf. Romans 8:26 τὸγὰρτίπροσευξώμεθακαθὸδεῖοὐκοἴδαμεν : but this would probably have been stated more clearly.

8. οἴδαμεν ] “ We Christians,” with, perhaps, a conscious reference to Romans 7:12, Romans 7:14 οἴδαμενγὰρὅτιὁνόμοςπνευματικός .

καλός (cf. note, p. 22) ὁνόμος . The Mosaic Law, but only as the instance used by these teachers of what is true of all law, νόμος 9.

ἐάντις ] Any teacher (cf. τισί , 3; τινές , 6): νομίμως (here and II 2:5 only in N.T.), in accordance with its true spirit, “ as a law,” not “ as a Gospel.” “ Si quis sciat quibus, quare, et quamdiu habenda sit data,” Pelag. Law with its penalties is needed to control sinners, but when once the true love of God is created in a man’ s heart, there is no longer need to appeal to its sanctions; Love fulfils it: the true Christian is “ non sub lege sed cum lege” (Aug. on Joh_1, Tr. 3), he is “ amicus legis” (Ambrosiaster on Romans 2:12), and law is put on a firmer basis, not as a penalizing force, but as the guidance of a loving God; cf. Romans 3:31, Romans 7:14, Romans 8:4, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:23. “ When at last love suffuses all the mind— love of God and His Laws, and love for our neighbour as made in His image and the chief mirror of His goodness, then indeed the yoke becomes easy and the burden light,” Inge, Personal Idealism, p. 16.

9. δικαίῳνόμοςοὐκεῖται : cf. Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23 κατὰτῶντοιούτωνοὐκἔστινόμος . He appeals to an universal principle, acknowledged generally, and Cf. ὁμηδὲνἀδικῶνοὐδενὸςδεῖταινόμου , Antiphanes Fr. 288 (Koch), and Aristotle’ s claim for philosophy; τὸἀνεπιτάκτωςποιεῖνἅτινεςδιὰτὸντῶννόμωνφόβονποιοῦσιν , Diog. Laert. 5:20 (Wetstein). The heathen imagined a past golden age in which law was not needed (Tac. Ann. iii. 26; Ovid, M. i. 90), and the Christian Fathers attributed the same to the patriarchal period; cf. Ambrosiaster, ad loc., “ Custodientes legem naturalem, quam si humanum genus ducem habuisset, lex in litteris per Moysem data non esset” ; and Iren. iv. 16, 3, quoting this verse, “ ‘ lex non posita est justis’ : justi autem patres virtutem decalogi conscriptam habentes in cordibus et animabus suis … non fuit necesse admoneri eos correptoriis literis.” Ambrose, de Off. iii. 5.31, “ Justus legem habet mentis suæ et æ quitatis et justitiæ suæ normam, ideoque non terrore pœ næ revocatur a culpa sed honestatis regula” (Wohlenberg).

ἀνόμοιςκ .τ .λ .] The list follows the order of the Decalogue: ἀνομ . καὶἀνυποτ ., the general refusal to obey all law: ἀσεβ . καὶἁμ . (cf. 1 P 4:18, Jude 1:15) the general refusal to obey the law of God: ἀνος . καὶβεβήλ ., the more detailed opposition to the law of God: πατρολ . μητρολ . the 5th, ἀνδροφ . the 6th Commandment, cf. Exodus 20:15, πόρν . ἀρς . the 7th, ἀνδραπ . the 8th, ψεύστ . ἐπιόρκ . the 9th. In each case extreme forms of the sin are chosen to emphasize the strength of the evil in the heathen world and the real need of law for those who have not heard of the gospel: cf. Romans 1:21-32. Plato, Phœ d., pp. 113, 114; Verg. Æ n. vi. 608 sqq.

10. ἀνδραποδίσταις ] Cf. Exodus 21:16, Deuteronomy 24:7, and an interesting chapter in Philo, de Spec. Legg. iv. 4, which condemns ἀνδραποδίσται as οἱτὸπάντωνἄριστονκτῆμα , τὴνἐλευθερίαν , ἀφαιρουμένοιτοὺςἔχοντας . Slavery is not condemned here, but slave trading is.

εἴτιἔτερον … ἀντίκειται ] Perhaps a semi-conscious reminiscence of Rom 13:9 εἴτιςἑτέραἐντολή , and of Gal 5:17 ταῦταγὰρἀλλήλοιςἀντίκειται .

τῇὑγιαινούσῃδιδασκαλίᾳ ] i.e. the moral teaching of the gospel; but as these sins have just been treated as sins controlled by the Mosaic Law, the gospel is thought of as absorbing in itself the Law of Moses and, we may add, the natural law written in the hearts of the heathen, which itself often, as embodied in legislation, condemned many of these vices; cf. 5:8, 1 Corinthians 5:1; so Pelag. “ legem evangeliis concordare demonstrat,” and Ambrosiaster, quoted above.

ὑγιαινούσῃ ]. Sanœ , doctrinœ , “ sound” (cf. Luke 5:31, Luke 7:10, Luke 15:27), not “ wholesome.” There may be an allusion to the diseases of the soul (cf. Plato, Rep. iv. 18; Philo, de Abr. 38, ἔτιτῶνπαθῶνκαὶνοσημάτωνπαρευημερούντωντοὺςὑγιαίνονταςλόγους , 2 Timothy 2:17 ὁλόγοςαὐτῶνὡςγάγγραινα ); but it is doubtful whether the medical reference was at this time more conscious than in our word “ sound” : cf. Proverbs 24:76 (= 31:8) κρῖνεπάνταςὑγιῶς : ib. 13:3 ὁφοβούμενοςἐντολὴνοὗτοςὑγιαίνει : Plut. Mor., p. 20 F, ὑγιαινούσαιπερὶθεῶνδόξαικαὶἀληθεῖς .

The metaphor is common in and confined to the Pastoral Epistles in N.T. 6:3, 2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 4:3, Titus 1:9, Titus 1:13, Titus 1:2:1, Titus 1:2, Titus 1:8: it is of a piece with the stress on an ordered regulated life, and is found in Stoic writers: ὑγιὴςλόγος , Marc. Aur. viii. 30.

διδασκαλία ] Used in N.T. only by St. Paul (except Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7 in quotation from Isaiah 29:13), 15 times in Past. Epp., 4 elsewhere. It varies elsewhere between the sense of “ active teaching” (cf. 4:1, 13-16, 5:17, 2 Timothy 3:16, Titus 2:7, Romans 12:7, Romans 15:4, Colossians 2:22) and “ the body of doctrine” (4:6, 6:1, 3, 2 Timothy 3:10 (?), 4:3, Titus 1:9, Titus 1:2:1, Titus 1:10, Ephesians 4:14): here the latter is probably right, as it implies a definite standard; but the contrast to ἐτεροδιδασκαλεῖν (3), νομοδιδάσκαλοι (7), suggests the former.

11. κατὰτὸεὐαγγελιονκ .τ .λ .] Constructed with the principal sentence οἴδμεν . . . χρῆται : cf. Romans 2:16.

τῆςδόξηςτοῦμακ . θ .] Possibly a title for Christ. The gospel of Him who is the manifestation of the Divine Glory (cf. Hort on James 2:1 and Titus 2:13 note); but the context suggests rather the glory of God as manifested in man, of which all sinners fall short (Romans 3:23), but which gives liberty to the children of God (Romans 8:21), which is the note of a ministry of righteousness and of the Spirit, and into which we are gradually transformed, 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, 4:2 Corinthians 3:4-6, 2 Corinthians 3:1 P 4:14. It is thought of here as a present glory, though its complete realization will come with the Returning Christ, cf. 6:15, 16. καὶτὰμέλλοντααἰνίττεται , Chrys.

τοῦμακαρίουθεοῦ ] Here and 6:15. God as containing all happiness in Himself and bestowing it on men. “ Beatus beat” (Bengel); cf. Isaiah 65:19 “ I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people.” The exact title is not found elsewhere, but “ the happy gods,” θεοὶμάκαρες , is frequent from Homer’ s time; and the idea of God as independent of men, and containing all happiness in Himself, came through Epicurus (τὸμακάριονκαὶἄφθαρτον , ap. Plut., p. 1103 D) and Aristotle (εὐδαίμωνἐστὶκαὶμακάριος . . . δι ʼ αὐτὸναὐτός , de Rep. vii. 1) into Alexandrine Judaism, and is common in Philo (e.g. ὁθεὸς . . . σωτήρτεκαὶεὐεργέτης , μακαριότητοςκαὶπάσηςεὐδαιμονίαςἀναπλέως , de Spec. Legg. i. 209) and Josephus (ὁθεὸςἔχειτὰπάντα , παντελὴςκαὶμακάριος , C. Ap. ii. 22). See other instances in Wetstein and Dibelius.

ὃἐπιστεύθην (Cf. κατ ʼ ἐπιταγήν , 1) ἐγώ : cf. Ephesians 3:7, Colossians 1:23, Colossians 1:25, Titus 1:3. I, your father, whom you have to represent; I, the founder of the church, who have authority to enforce against false teachers ; I, who know the power of the gospel to rescue from sin.

12-17. Paraphrase. Yes, it was entrusted to me; but when I say me, I must stop to thank Him who gave me strength for the task, Christ Jesus our Lord, for He deemed that He could trust me; for His own purpose He chose me for service,— me who before had blasphemed His truth and persecuted and harried His followers. But mercy was shown to me, because I did it in blindness while still unbelieving; but the grace of our Lord overflowed its channel and flooded my heart with faith and love, that perfect love which is known only in Christ Jesus. Faithful, indeed, is that saying, and worthy of whole-hearted acceptance:

“ Christ Jesus stooped this world within

Sinners to rescue from their sin,”

sinners— of whom I am chief; yet for this very purpose was mercy shown to me, that in me first Jesus Christ might make clear that there are no limits to His long-suffering, and so make me the first sketch of all the myriads who are going to believe on Him and win life eternal. Now to Him who rules the ages, to the immortal, the invisible, the only God be honour and glory age after age. Amen.

This section is a personal digression, dominated by the emphatic ἐγώ (11); but it is not a mere digression, it serves as an encouragement to Timothy (cf. ἔλεος , 2; ἡλεήθην , 13, 16); and it illustrates the main purpose of the gospel, to save sinners and to produce love and faith; cf. 2 Timothy 1:12-14.

12. χάρινἔχω ] 2 Timothy 1:3, not elsewhere in St. Paul, but it was a common phrase; cf. Luke 17:9 and Hebrews 12:28; Pap. Oxyr. i. 113, χάρινἔχωθεοῖςπᾶσιν (Dibelius); perhaps a little stronger than εὐχαριστῶ . “ I feel and show, I express, gratitude.”

τῷἐνδυναμώσαντι ] Perhaps a reminiscence of Php 4:13 πάνταἰσχύωἐντῷἐνδυναμοῦντίμε . Here the primary thought is “ who gave me strength for my task as Apostle,” the time being that of ἐπιστεύθην : Cf. ὅτιπιστόν . . . διακονίαν : and 2 Timothy 1:7 πνεῦμαδυνάμεως : 2 Corinthians 3:5 ἡἱκανότηςἡμῶνἐκτοῦθεοῦ : Ign. Smyrn. 4, πάνταὑπομένω , αὐτοῦμεἐνδυναμοῦντοςτοῦτελείουἀνθρώπου : but there lies behind this “ the strength to conquer sin and obey the law” (cf. Romans 5:6, Romans 8:3), and this thought emerges in 14-16, Cf. 10-11.

ὅτιπιστόνμεἡγήσατο .] “ Fidelem si putaveris, facies,” Seneca, Ep. Mor. i. 3; Cf. 1 Corinthians 7:25 ἡλεημένοςὑπὸκυρίουπιστὸςεἶναι .

θέμενος ] Appointing for His own purposes: cf. ἔθετο , 1 Corinthians 12:18, 1 Corinthians 12:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 οὐκἔθετοἡμᾶςεἰςὀργήν , and ἐτέθην , inf. 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:11, 2 Timothy 1:1 P 2:8 (ubi v. Hort). There is perhaps a reminiscence of Isa 49:6, quoted by St. Paul of himself, Acts 13:47 τέθεικάσεεἰςφῶςἐθνῶν , and of Jer 1:5 προφήτηνεἰςἔθνητέθεικάσε .

εἰςδιακονίαν ] Not only εἰςἀποστόλην ; for service of any kind, cf. 1 Corinthians 16:15, 2 Timothy 4:11, Hebrews 1:14, Acts 11:29 (when Paul was used for much humbler service), 20:24 in Paul’ s address to the elders of Ephesus; but, above all, for the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:18.

13. βλάσφημονκαὶδιώκτηνκαὶὑβριστήν ] A triad (as so often in St. Paul) with perhaps an ascending scale rising from words to acts of authorized persecution and of illegal violence; cf. Psalms 1:1. Bengel would treat them as sins against God, against others, and against himself (insulting his own Saviour), all failures in love; but though βλάσφημον may include blasphemy against God, the other distinction is fanciful; and the main thought of each word is of attacks on the Church; cf. Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:23, Philippians 3:6, Acts 22:4, Acts 26:9-11.

ἠλεήθηνκ .τ .λ .] Cf. Acts 3:17, Luke 23:34, and more directly Romans 10:2 , Test. XII. Patr., Jude 1:19, of which this may be a ren iniscence, ἀλλ ʼ ὁθεὸςτῶνπατέρωνμουἠλέησέμεὅτιἐνἀγνωσίᾳτοῦτοἐποίησα . Ign. Rom_9, perhaps a reminiscence of this place, οὔδεγὰρἄξιοςεἰμι , ὢνἔσχατοςαὐτῶνκαὶἔκτρωμα · ἀλλ ʼ ἠλέημαίτιςεἶναι . There is therefore no reason to assume the influence here of the Greek conception that sin is the result of ignorance.

14. ὑπερεπλεόνασε ] Here only in N.T., but found in Ps.-Sol 5:19; cf. Romans 5:20 ὑπερεπερίσσευσενἡχάρις . ὕπερ = “ above its usual measure,” rather than “ rising higher than my sin.” This v. was the origin of the title of Bunyan’ s autobiography, Grace Abounding.

μετὰπίστεως ] In contrast with ἀπιστία : ἀγάπης in contrast with βλ . καὶδι . καὶὑβριστήν : cf. Titus 3:3.

τῆςἐνχτῷ . Ἰησοῦ ] Not the love shown by Christ Jesus, which is already implied in ἡχάρις , but the true love which Christians feel, cf. 5 supra, and which is only felt in union with Christ, and is a reflection of His love; cf. John 15:9 μείνατεἐντῇἀγάπῃτῇἐμῇ .

15. πιστὸςὁλόγος ] Cf. Titus 3:8 n., and for the v.l. ἀνθρώπινος , cf. Introd. p. xxxvi. Probably a quotation, as the phrase ἦλθενεἰςτὸνκόσμου as applied to Christ is elsewhere only found in John. The whole phrase implies a knowledge of Synoptic and Johannine language (cf. Luke 5:32, John 12:47), and is a witness to their essential unity, but does not imply direct quotation from either.

πάσης , “ entire,” perhaps combining the thought of “ wholehearted,” cf. 16, and “ universal,” Cf. 2:4.

πάσηςἀποδ . ἄξιος ] Here and 4:9 Only in N.T. (cf. ἀπόδεκτος 2:3, 5:4), but common in contemporary Greek, both as applied to persons— cf. Dittenberger, Syll. 246, from Sestos, c. 130-120 b.c., τῆςκαλλίστηςἀποδοχῆςἀξιούμενος ; Orelli, Inscr. i. 337, from Ephesus, c. a.d. 148, ἀνδρὸςδοκιμωτάτουκαὶπάσηςτιμῆςκαὶἀποδοχῆςἀξίου — and to things or sayings; cf. Diodorus Sic. xii. 15, νόμουἀποδοχῆςἀξιούμενον : Justin Martyr, Tryph. c. 3, ἀποδοχῆςἄξια , opposed to φορτικὰκαὶβάναυσα : cf. Acts 2:41 οἱμὲνοὖνἀποδεξάμενοιτοῦλόγοναὐτοῦἐβαπτίσθησαν . For other instances, see Field, Otium Norvic, ad loc., and Wetstein. Its meaning varies between mere “ acceptance” and stronger “ approbation,” “ welcome,” Philo, de Decal. 10, ἀποδοχῆςκαὶτιμῆςμεταλαμβάνειν .

ἦλθενεἰςτὸνκόσμον ] Contrast ἡἁμαρτίαεἰςτὸνκόσμονεἰσῆλθε . Romans 5:12 and cf. John 1:9, John 12:46, John 16:28. The analogy of Joh 6:14, Romans 5:12 shows that the idea of Divine pre-existence is not necessarily involved in it.

ὧνπρῶτόςεἰμι ] “ I am,” not “ I was.” The sinner remains a sinner even if forgiven; the past is always there as a stimulus to deeper penitence and service. The sins for which he reproaches himself are not sins against the moral law (cf. Philippians 3:6), but sins against the truth and the light; sins which disqualified him from Apostleship. Hence the longer he lives, the more he knows of the power of Christ and His truth, the severer becomes the self-reproach for having opposed it; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:9 ἐλάχιστοςτῶνἀποστόλων : Ephesians 3:8 τῷἐλαχιστοτέρῳπάντωνἁγίων , and here πρῶτοςἁμαρτώλων . “ Quoniam enim præ ceteris Sacramento se imbuit Salvatoris, propius ad cognoscendam magnificentiam ejus accedens, accusat se magis qui tantum boni tarde agnovit,” Ambrosiaster. For similar self-condemnation, cf. Tert. de Pæ n. c. 4 and c. 12, with Glover’ s comment, Conflict of Religions, p. 313) and Mr.

Keble’ s Letters of Spiritual Counsel, Preface, pp. xxxv-l. Celsus used this verse to point his taunt against the character of the Apostles, Orig. c. Cels. i. 63; cf. Ep. Barn. v. 9. Moreover, by this time Paul had himself been evil-spoken of (Romans 3:8, 1 Corinthians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 10:30, Acts 13:45), persecuted (1 Corinthians 4:12, 2 Corinthians 4:9, Acts 13:50), insulted (1 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Corinthians 12:10), and so could more keenly enter into the feelings of those whom he had wronged.

16. διὰτοῦτοἠλεήθηνἵνακ .τ .λ .] It is suggestive to compare Romans 9:17, Romans 9:18 λέγειγὰρἡγραφὴτῷφαραώ · ὅτιεἰςαὐτὸτοῦτοἐξήγειράσε , ὅπωςἐνδείξωμαιἐνσοὶτὴνδύναμίνμουκαὶὅπωςδιαγγελῇτὸὄνομάμουἐνπάσῃτῇγῇ · ἄραοὖνὃνθέλειἐλεεῖ , ὃνδὲθέλεισκληρύνει .

πρώτῳ ] Starts with the meaning “ chief” (cf. πρῶτος , 15), but also implies “ first” in contrast to those who are coming after .

ἐνδείξνται ] A favourite word with St. Paul, 5 times in earlier Epp., 4 in Past. Epp. (elsewhere 2 in Heb.). He only also uses ἔνδειγμα and ἔνδειξις .

Ἰησοῦςχριστός ] The change of order (contrast vv. 1, 2, 12, 14, 15) perhaps emphasizes the note of personal affection, and recalls the moment of conversion, and the words ἐγώεἰμιἸησοῦςὃνσὺδιώκεις , Acts 9:5.

τὴνἅπασαν ] Here only in N.T. with the article. His entire unlimited, ever-patient patience, not only converting, not only choosing me for service, but making me Apostle, and keeping me faithful.

ὑποτύπωσιν ] Here and 2 Timothy 1:13 only in N.T.: an incomplete sketch in contrast to the complete picture (ἀναγράφειν , Ar. Eth. N. i. 7; ἐξεργασία , Plotinus, Enn. vi. 37, ap. Wetstein, who quotes other instances): the first sketch for a gallery of portraits; cf. σκιά , Hebrews 10:1. The substantive may be consciously active, “ that He might draw a sketch,” “ ad informationem,” Vulg.; “ deformationem,” Am.: or of the result “ to serve as a sketch,” “ ad exemplum,” Ambrosiaster. The former is more common elsewhere: the latter suits 2 Timothy 1:13 better; cf. ὑπόδειγμα , 2 P 2:6. For this vista into future generations, cf. Ephesians 3:20, Ephesians 3:21

ἐπ ʼ αὐτῷ ] As upon a sure corner-stone. πιστεύεινἐπί , c. dat., is only applied elsewhere to Christ in quotations from Isaiah 28:16 (Romans 9:33, Romans 9:10:11, Romans 9:1 P 2:6), and that passage may be in the writer’ s mind here.

17. For similar doxologies, cf. Galatians 1:5, Romans 11:36, Romans 16:27, Philippians 4:20, Ephesians 3:21 inf. 6:16.

τῷβασιλειͅτῶναἰώνων ] This first title is suggested by τῶνμελλόντων and by ζωὴναἰώνιον of 16, and ἀφθάρτῳ also by ζωὴναἰώνιον : but the others are not specially connected with the context, and the whole is probably a semi-quotation from some Jewish liturgical formula; cf. Psalms 10:16 βασιλεύσεικύριοςεἰςτὸναἰῶνακαὶεἰςτὸναἰῶνατοῦαἰῶνος : Tob 13:1, 6, 10 in prayer, εὐλογητὸςὁθεὸςὁζῶνεἰςτονὺςαἰῶνας . . . ὑψώσατετὸνβασιλέατῶναἰώνων . . . εὐλόγειτὸνβας . τῶναἰώνων . . . εἰςπάσαςταςγενεαςτοῦαἰῶνος : Test. XII. Patr., Reuben, c. 6; Clem. Romans 1:61 (also in a prayer), Liturg. Jacobi, Brightman, E. and W. Lit., p. 51.

ἀφθάρτῳ , ἀοράτῳ ] Cf. 6:16, John 1:18: both common thoughts in Greek philosophical conceptions of God, and in later Jewish speculations; cf. Wisd 12:1; Philo, de Abr. 75 f.; Vita Mosis, ii. 171 ; Josephus, Bell. Jud. vii. 346; Epicurus ap. Diog. Laert. x. 123, τὸνθεὸνζῶονἄφθαρτονκαὶμακάριοννομίζων (and other exx. in Wetstein or Dibelius); cf. Clem. Rom. ii. 20, τῷμόνῳΘεῷἀοράτῳ , πατρὶτῆςἀληθείας , τῷεξζαποστείλαντιἡμῖντὸνσωτῆρακαὶἀρχηγὸντῆςἀφθαρσίας , δι ʼ οὗκαὶἐφανέρωσενἡμῖντὴνἀλήθειανκαὶτὴνἐπουράνιονζωήν , αὐτῷἡδόξαεἰςτοὺςαἰῶναςτῶναἰώνων .

μόνῳ ] Cf. 6:16, Romans 16:27. 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 Corinthians 8:5 explains the emphasis on this.

18-20. Paraphrase. This charge, then, I now in my absence place in your care, my own son Timothy; recalling to mind the words of the Christian prophets which led me to choose you to help me in my work, that in the strength of these words you may carry on God’ s true campaign, holding fast yourself faith and a good conscience, for remember how some refused to listen to their conscience and so made shipwreck of their faith: of such are Hymenæ us and Alexander on whom I formally passed sentence, that they may learn under discipline not to speak against the truth.

Compare the similar warning from the example of others in 2 Timothy 1:15.

18. ταύτηντὴνπαραγγελίαν ] i.e. the charge of 5 as expanded in 11.

παρατίθεμαι ] For the metaphor, cf. 2 Timothy 1:13 note. The middle shows that he still feels his own responsibility: he will still have to give account for that which had been entrusted to him, 11. “ That I may be faithful to my trust, I choose one whom I can trust,” cf. 2 Timothy 2:2.

τέκνονΤιμόθεε ] Cf. Ramsay on Galatians 3:1, p. 310; and notice how here, as in Philippians 4:15, the personal address to another follows directly on an account of his own work and of Christ’ s power to aid him. Is there a play on Timothy’ s name, “ You whose name commits you to giving honour to God” ? cf. τῷ . . . θεῷτιμή 17.

κατὰτὰςπροαγ . ἐπὶσὲπροφητείας ] “ Either according to the previous” (cf. Hebrews 7:18 ἀθέτησιςπροαγούσηςἐντόλης : Jos. Ant. xix. § 298, ὅπερἐνταῖςπροαγούσαιςγραφαῖςπαρέδομεν ) “ prophecies about thee” . or “ according to the prophecies leading” “ me towards you.”

προφητείας ] Utterances by Christian prophets pointing out T.’ s promise of useful work. The plural point, to more than one such occasion, and may well include St. Paul’ s first choice of T. (cf. ὃςἐμαρτυρεῖτοὑπὸτῶν . . . ἀδελφῶν , Acts 16:2, and the appeal to their first common work in 2 Timothy 3:11), and his delegation of him for the special work at Ephesus; cf. 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6 (of Timothy himself), Acts 13:1-3 (of St. Paul’ s delegation to new work), Acts 20:28 : so Chrys. ὅτεπεριέτεμεκαὶὅτεἐχειροτόνει . Such prophecies may have come from Silas, who himself was a prophet, Acts 15:32.

ἵναστρατεύῃ . . . στρατείαν ] The metaphor is perhaps suggested here by τῷβασιλεῖτῶναἰώνων , the true campaign in the service of the true King. Cf. Maximus Tyr. xix. 4, στράτηγονμὲντὸνθεόν , στρατείανδὲτὴνζώην , ὁπλίτηνδὲτὸνἄνθρωπον (ap. Wetstein). It was a common metaphor both in philosophical writers (cf. Plato, Apol. 28 D; Epict. iii.24, στρατείατίςἐστινὁβίοςἑκάστου : Seneca, Ep. 96, “ Vivere, mi Lucili, militare est” ) and in the mysteries, cf.

Apuleius, Met. xi. 15, “ da nomen sanctæ huic militiæ .” “ Enrol thyself in the sacred soldiery of Isis.” These may have influenced the Christian use of it, but the thought here is more of an aggressive campaign against evil, and its use is Jewish; cf. 4 Mac 9:23 ἱερὰνκαὶεὐγενῆστρατείανστρατεύσασθεπερὶτῆςεὐσεβείας . “ Omnis vita hominis militia (Job 7:1) imprimis hominis Christiani (2 Corinthians 10:4) maxime vero pastoris evangelici (1 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 2:4, Philippians 2:25),” Grotius. For interesting illustrations cf. Wetstein and Dibelius, ad loc.

τὴνκαλὴνστρατ ] ἐστὶγὰρκαὶκακὴστρατεία , Chrysostom, but the contrast is rather with service of earthly kings.

19. ἔχωνπίστινκαὶἀγ . συνείδησιν ] Cf. 5. The leader must have the qualities he is going to enforce.

ἀγοθὴνσυνείδησιν .] “ Bonam erga dogmata conscientiam,” Thd.Mops. This may be included, but the thought is as wide as in 5.

ἥν ] i.e. συνείδησιν , cf. 6 note. The teacher who does not practise what he preaches will find his faith fail him.

ἀπωσάμενοι ] Cf. Acts 13:46, Proverbs 15:32 ὃςἀπωθεῖταιπαιδείανμισεῖἑαυτόν : Hosea 4:6 ὅτισὺἐπίγνωσινἀπώσω , κἀγῶἀπώσομαισέ : Test. XII. Patr., Asher i. ἀπωθούμενοςτὸἀγαθὸνπροσλαμβάνειτὸκακόν . The word implies violent effort, a kicking against the pricks; cf. Bengel, “ Invita recedit: semper dicit Noli me læ dere” ; cf. ἀπηλγηκότες Ephesians 4:19.

περὶτὴνπίστιν ] Perhaps (cf. note, p. 20) here “ about the Christian faith,” i.e. they have not held to the central doctrines, cf. 6; and this is strongly supported by 6:21, 2 Timothy 2:18 περὶτὴνἀληθείανἠστόχησαν , and perhaps by μὴβλασφημεῖν (20); but the connexion with πίστινκαὶἀγαθὴνσυνείδησιν and the stress on πίστις throughout the whole chapter make the subjective meaning more probable.

ἐναυάγησαν ] For the metaphor, cf. Orelli on Hor. Od. i. 14; Lightfoot on Ign. ad Polyc. c. 2; Cebetis Tabula, ναυάγουσινἐντῷβίῳκαὶπλανῶνται : Philo, de Decal. c. 14, σαλεύουσιν … μηδέποτεεἰςλιμένακατᾶραιμηδ ʼ ἐνορμίσασθαιβεβαίωςἀληθείᾳδυνάμενοι . The Christian teacher must be good soldier and good sailor too.

20. ὦνἐστιν ] SO 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 2:18 only: in each case with two nominatives, perhaps implying some common action of the two.

Υ̓μέναιος ] cf. 2 Timothy 2:18. Ἀλέξανδρος , perhaps the same as in 2 Timothy 4:14, but not the same as the Jew Alexander, Acts 19:33.

οὓςπαρέδωκατῷΣατανᾷ ] The origin of this phrase seems to lie in Job 2:6 εἶπενδὲὁκύριοςτῷδιαβόλῳἸδοὺπαραδίδωμίσοιαὐτόν · μόνοντὴνψυχὴναὐτοῦδιαφύλαξον , where Satan is allowed to inflict any bodily suffering short of death on Job to test the sincerity of his religion. Hence it seems to have become a formal phrase for passing sentence, perhaps in the Jewish synagogue, certainly in the Christian Church; and it is also possible that the use may have been influenced by, it is at least illustrated by, the contemporary Pagan “ execration-tablets” by which a person who had been wronged handed over the wrong-doer to the gods below, who inflicted bodily suffering upon him; cf. Greek Papyri in the British Museum, i. p. 75, νεκυδαίμονπαραδίδωμίσοιτὸνδεῖνα . . . ὅπως … : so also of a form for exorcising a demon, παραδίδωμισεεἰςτὸμέλανχάοςἐνταῖςἀπωλείαις , Pap. Paris. 574. In the same way a ceremonial or moral offence against the God was punished by infliction of disease; it was only healed after confession of the sin (Deissmann, Light from the East, p. 304; Sir W. Ramsay, ad loc., and in Expository Times, Oct.-Dec. 1898).

The punishment implied is either (i) an exercise of the power of Joh 20:23 ἄντινωνκρατῆτετὰςἁμαρτίας , κεκράτηνται , carrying with it exclusion from the society, cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 3 John 1:10 ἐκτῆςἐκκλησίαςἐκβάλλει : cf. Tert. Apol. 39 of the meetings of the Church for discipline, “ judicatur magno cum pondere … si quis ita deliquerit ut a communications orationis et conventus et omnis sancti commercii relegetur,” so Chrys. ἐξεβάλλετοτοῦκοινοῦσυνεδρίου : Theod. “ abalienavi ab ecclesia” ; or also (ii)the infliction of some bodily suffering: and the analogy of Job, of the Pagan tablets, of 1 Corinthians 11:30 διὰτοῦτοἐνὑμῖνπολλοὶἀσθενεῖςκαὶἄρρωστοικαὶκοιμῶνταιἱκανοί (cf. Acts 5:1-11, Acts 13:11), makes it almost certain that this is included.

παρέδωκα ] Seems to imply the action of the Apostle only, and if the infliction was only bodily suffering this would be probable, cf. Acts 13:11; but the action of the whole community is not excluded; there would be no need to repeat the whole details to Timothy, and it is included in 1 Corinthians 5:3-5 where the language is equally individual, ἐγὼ . . . κέκρικα . . . παραδοῦναι .

μὴβλασφημεῖν ] Might include the thought not to speak evil of us, cf. 6:4, Titus 3:2; but as the warning is against false teaching, the main thought is not to speak evil of God, to misrepresent His truth, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:15.

πίστις — πιστεύειν — πιστός

A careful account of the previous history of these words will be found in Burton, Galatians, I.C.C., pp. 475-85; cf. also Hort on 1 P 1:21. Here it will be sufficient to note the usages in these Epistles and to compare them with the earlier Pauline letters.

πίστις = (a) faithfulness, Titus 2:10, and perhaps 1 Timothy 2:15, 1 Timothy 2:5:11, 2 Timothy 2:22; so Romans 3:3, Galatians 5:22. In both groups the usage is rare.

(b) faith as the essential quality of each Christian life, so passim: as in St. Paul; but whereas St. Paul frequently adds a defining word— ἸησοῦΧριστοῦ , Ἰησοῦ , τοῦυἱοῦτοῦθεοῦ , εἰςΧριστόν , ἐντῷκυρίῳἸησοῦ , that is rare here, and the one phrase in which it occurs, ἡπίστιςἡἐνΧρ . Ἰης . (I 3:13, II 1:13, 3:15), is slightly different: “ the faith which is found in union with Christ.” The object of the faith no longer needs defining.

(c) the principle of faith as characteristic of Christianity, and as professed and taught: almost equal to “ the Creed,” “ the doctrines believed” ; but it is doubtful whether it is ever quite equivalent to that. The strongest instances of this use are: I 4:1 ἀποστήσονταίτινεςτῆςπίστεως : 4:6 ἐντρεφόμενοςτοῖςλόγοιςτῆςπίστεως : 5:8 τὴνπίστινἤρνηται : 6:10 ἀπεπλανήθησανἀπὸτῆςπίστεως : II 3:8 ἀδόκιμοιπερὶτὴνπίστιν . More doubtful are I 1:2, 19, 3:9, 6:12, 21, II 4:7 τῆνπίστιντετήρηκα : Titus 1:4 κατὰκοινὴνπίστιν , 1:13.

This scarcely goes beyond St. Paul’ s use of ἡπίστις : cf. Romans 3:31, Romans 10:8 τὸῥῆματῆςπίστεωςὃκηρύσσομεν : 12:6 κατὰτὴνἀναλογίαντῆςπίστεως : 1 Corinthians 16:13 στήκετεἐντῇπίστει : Galatians 1:23 εὐαγγελίζεταιτὴνπίστινἥνποτεἐπόρθει : 6:10 τοὺςοἰκείουςτῆςπίστεως : Philippians 1:27 συναθλοῦντεςτῇπίστειτοῦεὐαγγελίου : Colossians 2:7 βεβαιουμένοιτῇπίστεικαθὼςἐδιδάχθητε . But the usage is more frequent here, and perhaps slightly more fixed.

πιστεύειν = (a) to entrust, commit to, 2 Timothy 1:12, and in passive I 1:11, Titus 1:3; so Romans 3:2, 1 Corinthians 9:17, Galatians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:4.

(b) to believe, (i) c. dat. Titus 3:8 οἱπεπιστευκότεςθεῷ : cf. Romans 4:3; (ii) ἐπί with dative, I 1:16, cf. Romans 9:33, Romans 10:11.

Once in the passive, I 3:16; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:10 (si vera lectio).

In the verb there is no difference in usage.

πιστός = (a) trustworthy: I 1:12, 15, 3:1, 11, 4:9, II 2:2, 11, 13, Titus 1:6 (?) 9, 3:8; so 10 times in St. Paul.

(b) believing: I 4:3 τοῖςπιστοῖς : 4:10 πιστῶν : 4:12 τῶνπιστῶν : 5:16 εἴτιςπιστή : 6:2 bis, Titus 1:6 (?). This also is found in St. Paul but much more rarely, Galatians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 6:15, and more doubtfully, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:2; but never of οἱπιστοί = the believers, the Christian body: yet οἱἄπιστοι is a regular title for “ unbelievers.”

Similarly—

ἀπιστεῖν : Romans 3:8 only— probably “ to be unbelieving,” though perhaps “ unfaithful.”

2 Timothy 2:13 only— probably “ to be unfaithful.”

ἀπιστία : St. Paul 4 times, Romans 3:3, Romans 3:4:20, Romans 3:11:20, Romans 3:23— “ want of faith,” “ state of unbelief.”

Past. Epp. 1 Timothy 1:13 only, in the same sense.

ἄπιστος : St. Paul 14 times, always, “ unbelievers,” “ heathen.”

Past. Epp. twice, 1 Timothy 5:8 “ unbeliever,” Titus 1:15 “ wanting in faith.”

There is then a slight difference from the Pauline letters, and a rather greater fixity of meaning. πίστις as the Christian quality is not felt to need a defining object: it approaches nearer to the meaning of a faith professed and taught; and πιστός has become the natural antithesis to “ heathen” ; οἱπιστοί , a common term for the Christian Body. The difference is slight and conceivable within St. Paul’ s own lifetime and in his own writing, but it is noteworthy; cf. also Parry, pp. ciii-cx.

καλός , ἀγαθός

The distinction between ἀγαθός , practically good, morally good , and καλός , æ sthetically good, beautiful, good to men’ s eyes ,1 is still present in Hellenistic Greek, though the contrast had been blurred. It is there, cf Genesis 1:8ff. ἴδενὁθεὸςὅτικαλόν : Matthew 5:16 ὅπωςἴδωσινὑμῶντὰκαλὰἔργα : 1 P 2:12 ἐκτῶνκαλῶνἔργωνἐποπτεύοντες : 1 Timothy 5:25 τὰἔργατὰκαλὰπρόδηλα : 6:12 τὴνκαλὴνὁμολογίανἐνώπιονπολλῶνμαρτύρων : Luke 8:15 καλῇκαὶἀγαθῇ . On the other hand, καλός appears as the antithesis of κακός (Hebrews 5:14), of πονηρός (Genesis 2:9, Genesis 2:17 τοῦγινώσκεινκαλὸνκαὶπονηρόν , Leviticus 27:10, Isaiah 5:20, Micah 3:2): and this is perhaps the most common usage of it in the N.T. It is clear then that the distinction cannot always be pressed: it may often be a mere desire for euphony or variety which decides the choice between the two words, except where there is a clear reference to the effect upon others.

A comparison of the Pastoral Epistles with St. Paul’ s earlier letters is suggestive. St. Paul uses καλός 16 times, καλῶς 8, generally in the sense “ practically” or “ morally good” ; cf. καλοποιεῖν , 2 Thessalonians 3:13; κατεργάζεσθαιτὸκαλόν , Romans 7:18; τὸκαλὸνποιεῖν , Romans 7:21, 2 Corinthians 13:7, Galatians 6:9, a phrase not found in Pastoral Epistles. (The sense “ good to sight,” καλὰἐνώπιονπάντωνἀνθρώπων , Romans 12:17, 2 Corinthians 8:21, is a quotation from Proverbs 3:4.) He never uses καλὰἔργα . The Pastoral Epistles use καλός 24 times, καλῶς 4; cf. καλοδιδασκάλος , Titus 2:3, and the phrase καλὸνἔργον , καλὰἔργα , 7 times: often with reference to a deed as seen by others, I 2:3 ἐνώπιοντοῦθεοῦ : 3:7 μαρτυρίανκαλὴνἀπὸτῶνἔξωθεν : 5:10 ἐνἔργοιςκαλοῖςμαρτυρουμένη , 5:25, 6:12 (v. supra): at other times with the idea of excellence in contrast to other specimens of the same class, I 1:18 τὴνκαλὴνστρατείαν : 4:6 καλὸςδιάκονος . . . τῆςκαλῆςδιδασκαλίας : 6:12 τὸνκαλὸνἀγῶνατῆςπιστέως : cf. II 4:7.

There is no essential difference between the two writers, between τὸκαλὸνποιεῖν and τὰκαλὰἔργα as descriptions of the Christian life, and Pastoral Epistles also use frequently ἕργονἀγαθόν , ἔργαἀγαθά : the change of phraseology perhaps points to a different writer, but in any case is due to the growing sense in Christian teachers, so marked in 1 P, that the lives of Christians must be one of the chief means of winning the heathen to Christ: and this would be quite natural to St. Paul, always insistent on the duty of his converts to the heathen world, cf. Galatians 6:10, Romans 12:18.

“ No one English word will express καλός fully, the meaning changing with the context. Thus ‘ every creature of God is good’ (1 Timothy 4:4), i.e. free from defilement, fit for human use, with the Creator’ s stamp upon it. ‘ The law is good’ (1 Timothy 1:8), valuable, working a good purpose, an excellent instrument in a teacher’ s hand, if he use it in accordance with that purpose. One who desires a bishopric sets his heart on ‘ a good task’ (1 Timothy 3:1), on an honourable post that sets him before the world’ s eye, and that requires constant labour: he must rule his family with dignity and success (1 Timothy 3:4, cf. 5:17), he must have an excellent reputation from those without (1 Timothy 3:7): the deacon who gains distinction acquires a distinguished position for higher service (1 Timothy 3:13, cf. 4:6). The widow must not only have taken part in every good work , but be well reported of by others for striking deeds of charity, (ἔργοιςκαλοῖς , 1 Timothy 5:10). The Christian soldier must endure hardness as a well-trained soldier (2 Timothy 2:3), engaged in a noble struggle (τὸνκαλὸνἀγῶνα 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7) in the most honourable of all campaigns (1 Timothy 1:8). The doctrine which he preaches is attractive, winning, with the glow of healthy life upon it (1 Timothy 4:6, Titus 2:1, Titus 2:7).

Timothy’ s public profession had something heroic about it, as had that of his master (τὴνκαλὴνὁμολογίαν , 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:13): Titus is to be an example of ‘ excellent’ works (Titus 2:7): the rich are not only to do good , but to use their wealth for works of special excellence , to lay up a ‘ good’ foundation, one well-laid, a sound base for an eternal life (1 Timothy 6:18, 1 Timothy 6:19). All members of the Christian family are to take the lead in honest, honourable occupations (Titus 3:14), for this is the duty of those who believe in God, who had purified unto Himself a peculiar people for the very purpose that they should be zealous for works that should rise above the level of the world and exhibit the beauty of holiness (ζηλωψὴνκαλῶνἔργων , Titus 2:14, where Theodoret paraphrases καλῶν by τῶνἐπαινουμένωνἔργων ).” 1

I.C.C. International Critical Commentary.

S.-H. The Epistle to the Romans, by Sanday and Headlam, in the I.C.C.

Pap. Oxyr. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, ed. Grenfell and Hunt, vols. i.-xv., London, 1898-

J. Th. St. The Journal of Theological Studies, London, 1910-

Dittenberger, Sylloge Inscriptionum Grœ carum, ed. W. Dittenberger, 1888.

Orelli, Inscriptiones Latinœ Selectœ , I. II., ed. J. E. Orelli, 1828.

Pap. Paris. Paris Papyri, ed. Brunet de Presle, Paris, 1865.

1 Cf. Hort on James 2:7; “ καλός is what is good as seen, as making a direct impression on those who come in contact with it: contrast ἀγαθός , which is good in result.”

1 From my St. Paul the Master Builder, p. 118.