1 Timothy 4
LenskiCHAPTER IV
How Timothy Is to Be Prepared to Meet the Apostasy Foretold by the Spirit
1 Timothy 4:1
1 A reading of this chapter will convince one that it is a unit: Timothy is to be prepared to meet the apostasy foretold by the Holy Spirit. The particle δέ is merely transitional and is inserted because Timothy is to warn also the churches and their officers against the coming danger (v. 6).
Now the Spirit states expressly that in later seasons some will apostatize from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, in hypocrisy of lie-speakers, such as have been seared as to their own conscience, such as forbid to marry, to abstain from foods, which things God created for reception with thanksgiving for the believers and those who have realized the truth.
This is the substance of what the Spirit “states expressly”; and it is stated in actual and not in symbolical terms. The question of prophecy is usually introduced at this place; see the subject under 1 Thess. 5:20; Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 14:3. There is no reason to think of prophecy as being anything but direct revelations to Paul himself, to other apostles, and possibly to the very few others who are known as recipients of direct revelation (of the type of Agabus). A different type of prophecy is spoken of in 1 Cor. 14. Timothy had heard all about this prophecy; he was a fellow writer of 2 Thess. 2:1–12. He knew that Paul had received this prophecy from the Spirit. It is here put into indirect instead of into direct discourse because several apostles had in all probability received the Spirit’s warning, certainly not because Paul had received it from others.
“In later seasons” does not mean “in the last days.” The latter = the whole time between the two advents of Jesus, the whole New Testament Era, beginning with Pentecost. “Later seasons” are certain short periods that simply follow earlier ones. Earlier ones had passed when Paul wrote, later ones would appear, and in one or the other or in more of them there would be apostasy. “Some will apostatize from the faith” contains the same word that was used in 2 Thess. 2:3; there it is the definite noun: “the apostasy,” here the verb ἀφίστημι in the future middle, intransitive, is used.
One must certainly be struck by the resemblance between 2 Thess. 2 and Paul’s present statements. There the whole great apostasy which is headed by the great Antichrist is revealed, and we are shown how it shall be blasted by the Word and shall finally be utterly destroyed by the Lord’s Parousia. Here Paul warns Timothy only regarding some who will apostatize a little later. We recall 1 John 2:18 where we are told that the great Antichrist is coming and that many little antichrists are already present when John writes his letter. They seem to be advance guards of the great apostasy and the great Antichrist. The Spirit gave warning already in Paul’s time, some twenty to thirty years before John wrote (Zahn).
The ablative genitive “from the faith” is objective (see the discussion in 3:9), fides quae creditur, for the apostasy of these persons consists in heeding “doctrines” or teachings that come from demons. We fail to understand how Luke 8:13 can be cited to the contrary. “Some”—apostasy always begins with “some.” Timothy and the churches must be ready when “some” appear. These give heed to (hold their minds toward) “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” These “spirits” and these “demons” are not identical; why should Paul use these two words in one brief clause? The deceitful spirits are false teachers. They are called “spirits” in accord with what they represent and in accord with the spirit that speaks from them. So 1 John 4:1–3 speaks of “spirits,” and John tells us to test them. Πλάνος (“wandering,” from which we derive “planet”) = “astray from the truth” and thus “deceitful”; the word is used regarding impostors. Whoever lends an ear to such men will be led to apostatize.
First the impostors, then, coupled with them, the doctrines they teach, and these Paul calls “doctrines of demons”; James 3:15 has the expression “wisdom demoniacal.” This is the genitive of source: doctrines that emanate from demons, and not the objective genitive: doctrines about demons, the latter the Scriptures themselves contain. How Satan himself gets hold of a man’s spirit we see in the case of Judas (Luke 22:3; John 13:27; compare 6:70). Satan is the father of lies, deception is his great work. His tools are his victims. We need not puzzle our minds about the occult activities of demons; the antichristian doctrines betray their origin all too plainly. We can also note the way in which these doctrines wreck men’s souls.
Satan also controls the great Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:9). The great danger is that today false doctrines are not recognized as coming from demons unless they deny the faith in toto, as if the devil is not cunning enough to begin with little lies, as if only those that are as big as mountains come from him.
Some will apostatize means some who at first were good church members, believers of the truth. Let us who stand be warned. All false security is dangerous. Paul does not indicate where these “deceitful spirits” come from. Some came from Judaism, some from paganism, the Roman world was infested with religious charlatans; some apostates would develop into heretical teachers; this was the case with Marcion who was at one time a Christian.
1 Timothy 4:2
2 Some construe as appositions: “of demons, of lie-speakers, of branded ones, of forbidders,” etc. And they regard these “lie-speakers” as the false prophets who are governed by the demons. The genitives occurring in v. 2 are not appositions to δαιμονίων; these genitives refer to men and not to demons. The first of these genitives depends on the phrase “in hypocrisy of lie-speakers,” and the two participial genitives are predicative modifiers of “lie-speakers” which describe them: “such as have been seared … such as forbid,” etc.
On what does the ἐν phrase depend? It may depend on the main verb “shall apostatize,” or on the modal participle “giving heed,” or it may be a modification that is coordinate with “giving heed.” The meaning remains the same in all of these constructions. Every adverbial modification eo ipso gravitates toward the main verb because the participle is modal for that verb; so vice versa, the participle being modal. By coordinating phrase and participle both are in this way referred to the main verb. Drive a pair or drive tandem, you pull the same wagon.
“In hypocrisy of lie-speakers” means that the whole thing is done in this way, namely “in connection with hypocrisy,” the wearing of a mask like the ancient show actors of the stage; and this is a hypocrisy (no article) such as belongs to “lie-speakers” who must dissemble and be hypocrites in order to get their lies across. The fact that the “deceitful spirits” of v. 1 are men is plain. As far as hypocrites are concerned, these may be conscious or unconscious hypocrites, the latter have gone so far in lying and dissembling that the vice has become a second nature to them. The entire stress is on the phrase.
In order to show how far they have sunken Paul adds the predicative perfect passive participle; he chooses the perfect to describe the state into which they have come: “such as have been seared as to their own conscience,” the accusative object being retained with the passive. The demons have seared their conscience. The R. V. translates “branded” and thinks of slaves and criminals who were marked as such by a branding iron. We fail to see how that idea applies here, for a brand of this sort was to be seen, was to mark the slave or the criminal as such for those who saw, yet the brand here spoken of would be hidden in the conscience and invisible, it would be seen only by the demons and by God. The translation of the A.
V. is correct, “seared with a hot iron,” the conscience has been cauterized so that it has lost all sensitiveness and fails to respond. Judas is an example: Satan entered into him, and to the very last every effort on the part of Jesus to reach his seared conscience proved unavailing, see John 13:18, etc., a tremendous effort; already John 6:70; and the final effort of Jesus in Matt. 26:50. These deceivers and hypocritical liars are beyond all deterrents of conscience.
This participle is passive and not middle: “they have branded themselves”—“they are marked for themselves … drive the iron in more deeply,” etc. Those who regard the participle as a middle offer the following interpretation: “They live in sins which, like branding marks, stain their conscience and are thus themselves conscious of this sin because of the feeling of hellish pain while they put on before others the glitter of holy doing.” But this interpretation is scarcely satisfactory. What they do is to perpetrate demon doctrines of deceit and lies while their own conscience is rendered incapable of feeling even a misgiving. Nothing is said about other sins. Nor is Luther so far wrong: “they have an invented (erdichtetes) and false conscience, one that is forced by violence and not natural and honest.” That is how a seared conscience looks.
1 Timothy 4:3
3 To their character is added their teaching: “such as forbid to marry, to abstain from foods, which,” etc. The infinitives after “forbid” are a case of zeugma; some call it ellipsis and remove the zeugma by inserting the opposite of “forbid” (as our versions do). In a zeugma the first term fits exactly but the second does not although the sense is perfectly plain. Paul instances only two specimens of the future teaching, both of which are contrary to the nature which God himself created. These he calls “doctrines of demons,” such as can be advocated only “in hypocrisy” by religious liars, by men whose conscience is seared against God’s own Word. He mentions these two because they are so plain, because they refer to conduct and are thus seen at a glance. They rest on a mass of other falsity, without which they could not be advocated.
To point to the Essenes, a small sect of Judaism that never amounted to much, is of little help. Josephus, Ant. 13, 5, 9, speaks of them as early as 166 B. C. They lived in seclusion near the Dead Sea and never spread. All but one group of them never married. Since they had been in existence for over two centuries, Paul could not be thinking of them here when he is speaking of devilish doctrines that are soon to arise in the Christian Church.
To mention the Therapeutæ also offers little that is tangible. Did such a sect ever exist? Somebody, it seems, at the end of the third century wrote a book under Philo’s name in which he idealized and thus supported Egyptian monasticism. In this book the author describes what he calls the Therapeutæ, Gottesverehrer. This writing was attached to one of Philo’s own and purported to date back to his time. We may safely say that no sect that bore this name ever existed.
These words are prophecy pure and simple. It is unwarranted to say that, when such prophecy is written, it must already have facts on which it is based and to claim that what is prophesied must grow out of what is already present. How or from what beginnings devilish doctrines were to arise is not the point, but that they would arise and be promulgated by conscienceless liars. “In later times” does not say how soon this will occur. It is not Paul’s object to set a precise date. His object is to warn in advance of coming danger, to have all the churches fully fortified long before the actual danger arrives. The whole monastic system that developed, together with all the lying teachings from which it arose, appeared soon enough.
It still flourishes in Rome and in all the rest of the false asceticism. Paul properly writes βρώματα, Speisen, “foods,” this and that a Christian is not to eat, not to drink.
Some refer to Col. 2:16: “in eating and in drinking,” but this epistle cannot be quoted in corroboration. A peculiar type of Judaizers had recently appeared in Colosse who advocated a peculiar doctrine to the effect that Christians must avoid certain earthly elements (στοιχεῖα) because demons did damage through them. Paul treated these silly Judaizers with disdain. see Col. 2:20–23, also 2:8. By his descent to hell Christ celebrated a glorious triumph over all the demons (Col. 2:15); it is farcical to put up ordinances such as those that are mentioned in Col. 2:21. But Paul is not speaking to Timothy about such Judaizers.
The neuter plural is usually referred only to “foods.” Thus all that follows (v. 3–5) would be restricted to “foods.” We are told that marriage is not referred to because its prohibition needs no refutation. We doubt this. Why should ἅ, “which things,” not include both marriage and foods? God created both; to forbid either is to challenge his creative will. For reception (μετάληψιν, participation) = to have our share in them, i.e., not to be debarred from them. Yet “for reception with thanksgiving,” recognizing that these are God’s good gifts to us and thus participating in them with due thankfulness to God.
We have the dative of advantage: “for the believers and those who have realized the truth.” Because but one article is used, the two terms are regarded as constituting but one class of individuals so that καί is epexegetical: believers are such as have realized. The perfect participle also includes their present state: having been brought to this realization of the blessed truth, they still continue in it. The fear of a “difficulty” in regard to this dative, since God created these things for all men, is groundless. The Scriptures regularly speak thus of believers when they, for instance, say that Christ died for them, which never means that he did not die for all men. Paul is writing for believers (v. 6), fortifying them, and hence states what God’s creative intention is in regard to them. This dative certainly does not belong to v. 4.
Paul’s words are often extended beyond their intent as when it is said that some of the Christians in the Asian churches were already affected by these erors, or that some among them were weak (introducing Rom. 14:1), or that some forgot the proper thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 4:4
4 Paul continues: Seeing that every creature of God (is) excellent, and nothing to be thrown away, being received with thanksgiving.
This is the ὅτι consecutivum (R. 1001): “seeing that.” Certainly not “because” every creature of God is excellent did he create these things; he created them, and in consequence, because of this, every one of them is excellent (Gen. 1:31). Ὅτι is not expository of “the truth”; the latter includes much more than is stated in v. 4. “And nothing to be thrown away (to be rejected), being received with thanksgiving,” is the elaboration. R. 1022 makes the participle conditional: “if (or: when) received with thanksgiving.” Others make it adjectival: “nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving.” Either will do.
1 Timothy 4:5
5 “For” explains what Christian thanksgiving does: for it is sanctified by means of God’s Word and prayer, set apart as divinely intended, as a gift that is being received with due gratitude from God’s own Creator hand. The means for so receiving marriage, our daily food and drink, and all other blessings of God (note “every creature,” everything created by God) is not twofold: God’s Word and prayer, for these two are regarded as one. God’s Word is his connection with us, our prayer is our conscious and deliberate entrance into this connection. These two unite and become one. Thus the prayers that are used in our marriage ceremonies, at table, and on other occasions, as far back as we are able to trace them, contain pertinent Scripture words and references and, besides that, are Scriptural in thought and in spirit. Passages such as Ps. 103:1–3; 106:1; 145:15, 16 are used as table prayers. Ἔντευξις is most fitting, prayer as free speech to God (Trench); we freely speak to God on the basis of his Word and perhaps even use expressions and statements that are taken from that Word.
Two things are plainly taught. 1) The devilishness of all teaching that what God has created for man’s use is not “excellent,” that marriage is only carnal and spiritually lower than celibacy (Heb. 13:4), that, for similar reasons, certain foods and drinks are not to be touched (Col. 2:21), and the like. The demons do like to contradict God. Liars accept their lies. Gnosticism attributed the creation of the world to intermediate beings and thus laid the foundation for all its vicious asceticism. 2) The reception of God’s good creatures with Christian prayer. Think how many Christians neglect table prayers, especially when they are alone or when they are eating in public places. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,” 1 Cor. 10:31. “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him,” Col. 3:17. “Christ calls marriage a divine union, Matt. 19:6: ‘What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’ Here Christ says that married people are joined together by God. Accordingly, it is a pure, holy, noble, praiseworthy work of God.
And Paul says of marriage, of meats, and similar things, 1 Tim. 4:5. ‘It is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.’” C. Tr. 371, 30.
Our passage has been used as a directive for determining how the consecration of the earthly elements in the Lord’s Supper must be performed: we use the Word, namely the Scripture words of the institution, and add the Lord’s Prayer because it was given by the Lord himself. But Paul was not thinking of the Eucharist when he wrote v. 5.
1 Timothy 4:6
6 This verse does not introduce a main section of the letter, one that deals with Timothy’s personal conduct. Chapter 4 constitutes a main section of the epistle; 5:1–6:2 is another which contains further official directions for Timothy. To make a section of 3:14–4:5 is unfeasible although it has been attempted. We have already shown that 3:14–16 concludes the second main part of the letter (chapters 2 and 3) just as 1:18, 19 concludes the first main part (1:3–17). The third main part (4:1–16) deals with coming heresies and tells how Timothy is to be fortified and is to fortify the churches against them. In 4:1–5 we have the Spirit’s prophecies about these heresies, their devilish source, their contradiction of God’s own creation.
This is objective. Now comes the subjective fortification of Timothy who is to fight these coming heresies. Note v. 6, 11, 16.
To speak about Timothy as though he were the pastor of the one congregation in Ephesus and thus to interweave applicatory admonitions to present-day pastors, is to misunderstand the paragraph. Paul is not addressing the pastor of the Ephesian congregation; he is addressing his apostolic representative for the whole territory of which Ephesus is the center. He has left Timothy there to supervise all the congregations in this most important field. Dangerous times are ahead; Paul saw them coming when he spoke the words of Acts 20:29, 30. These dangers are now near. Timothy and the churches under his supervision must be ready to meet them.
By submitting these things to the brethren thou wilt be an excellent minister of Christ Jesus as being nourished by the words of the faith and of the excellent doctrine which thou hast been following.
As in 3:14 ταῦτα refers to the preceding, so “these things” refer to the contents of v. 1–5 and not to those of the three preceding chapters. Timothy is “to submit” them to the brethren, keep bringing them to their attention in order to fortify them in advance. This verb fits v. 1–5 exactly. When Paul addresses the members of one or of more congregations he uses “brethren”; he does so also here when he speaks of them to Timothy. By doing this Timothy will be “an excellent minister of Christ Jesus.” This word is not used in its technical sense as in 3:8 and 12: “deacon,” but in the broader sense of “ministrant” or “minister”; yet it is not used with the objective genitive: one who ministers to Christ, benefits him, but with the genitive of origin or possession: appointed by or belonging to Christ, the benefit of whose work accrues to the brethren.
The participle states in what respect Timothy will then be an excellent minister of Christ, namely “as being nourished by the words of the faith and of the excellent doctrine which thou hast been following,” in brief, as a sound, safe teacher of all the brethren under his supervision. Οἱλόγοιτῆςπίστεως = die Glaubenslehren, the statements that constitute what is to be believed. The genitive of πίστις is just as objective as is that of διδασκαλία. How the one can be subjective faith and the other objective doctrine is difficult to understand. “The words of the faith and of the doctrine” = the words which state what the Christian faith and the doctrine is. Every good servant of Christ is constantly “nourished” by them (durative present passive, the dative of means). Since he is fed on them he is the kind of man and of a minister that he ought to be. The connotation of “nourished” is strength and health. We note the repetition of “excellent” (similarly in 3:13, where “ministered excellently” occurs): “excellent doctrine” makes “an excellent minister of Christ Jesus,” especially when doctrinal dangers lie ahead as Paul has just warned Timothy.
We decline to accept the view that this is the subjective genitive: “the words in which the faith of Timothy and of true Christians expresses itself.” One does not eat and is not nourished by one’s own words. B.-P. 1063 (3) is correct against C.-K. 893. These words of the faith and of the excellent doctrine express “the truth” mentioned in v. 3; they are the same as the Word of God. Lest someone draw the inference from “will be” that Timothy was not as yet an excellent minister, Paul adds the relative clause: “which thou hast been following,” the perfect stating that throughout the past Timothy has adhered to the true doctrine of the faith and that he is now doing this.
This is high praise for Timothy. It shows what Paul thought of him, why Paul trusted him and made him his apostolic representative. This praise shows how Paul’s admonitions to Timothy are to be understood. It is unfair to conclude from each admonition that Timothy suffered from a corresponding weakness. These are the words of an old leader to his tried and true representative in the work of leading where dangers lie ahead. Timothy was deeply grateful for them. They called out in a higher degree all that was true, “excellent,” and noble in him.
1 Timothy 4:7
7 Now the profane and old-womanish myths disdain to be bothered with, but exercise thyself with respect to godliness. For the bodily exercise is profitable (only) with respect to little, but this godliness is profitable with respect to everything, having (as it does) promise for the present life and for the one to come.
Our versions and some commentators regard δέ as adversative “but” because they consider only “the words of the faith and excellent doctrine” and “the profane and old-womanish myths,” which appear as opposites. An adversative “but” would, however, contrast two main sentences and not two nouns in two sentences, the first of which occurs in a participial modifier. A contrast of sentences is not indicated here; for how may “thou wilt be an excellent minister” be in contrasted opposition to the imperative “disdain myths”? This δέ simply continues the admonition. Moreover, the imperative exhortation of v. 7 has its contrast in the imperative exhortation of v. 8, the former is a negative act, the latter its positive opposite.
We scarcely need to say that these “myths” are not the teachings of demons mentioned in v. 1; the latter were to occur in the future; they were also by no means “old-womanish.” The article of previous reference and the word “myths” itself take us back to 1:4 where we have explained these wild inventions and fictions. With these Timothy must now deal; in due time devilish doctrines will appear, and then Timothy must be ready to fight them by now training himself by the way in which he handles these myths of the present time. For this reason Paul again refers to these myths. In chapter 1 Timothy is directed to order those who promulgate these myths to cease this and to put their minds on the gospel; here Timothy is directed how to treat these myths themselves when people come to him with them. Not for one moment is he to treat them seriously, discuss them, argue against them: “Disdain to be bothered with” such profane and old-womanish stuff. This is sound advice, is intended as advice, intended to confirm Timothy in the attitude he already held toward these fictions. To think for one moment that Timothy was in danger, or that Paul thought him in danger of believing these fables is doing Timothy or both Timothy and Paul a grave injustice.
Paul’s advice is sound psychology. People who are fanatical in regard to some silly religious matter desirenothing more than to have you argue with them. To do so is to leave the wrong impression as though the matter is worth discussion and argument. That encourages their folly; they think they really have something. For that very reason they will cling to their infatuation more obstinately than ever when one makes the mistake of treating them seriously. The thing to do is: Παραιτοῦ, “disdain to be bothered.”
That is the force of this imperative; it is finely chosen in every way; it is the German sich etwas verbitten. The present tense of this middle is iterative and indicates that every time someone comes with these myths Timothy is firmly, politely, the more firmly because politely, to beg to be spared. Paul uses the same imperative in 5:11; 2 Tim. 2:23; Tit. 3:10; the sense is each time according to the object involved and is more or less severe, G. K. 195. The two adjectives are also full of disdain: “profane,” with not a sacred thing about them, unworthy of a truly religious person’s attention; “old-womanish,” unworthy even of a sensible person’s attention, fit only for senile, silly old crones to chatter about. False doctrine Paul meets with divine truth; religious follies with disdain.
Instead of allowing himself to be bothered with discussions about the myths that were filling some people’s heads, Paul advises Timothy to “exercise himself with respect to godliness.” Our versions coordinate this with v. 7a. It is claimed that παραιτοῦ and γύμναζε are not adverse enough to have “but” placed between them. We answered this above when we spoke regarding the connection of v. 7 with v. 6, single terms are not the points of contrast but the thoughts of the two sentences. So here: Disdain and do not take up thy time and effort with useless stuff but devote thyself to what really pertains to godliness.
This is advice to Timothy who is Paul’s representative. Paul is not concerned merely for Timothy’s spiritual welfare lest he be captivated by these myths. If there had been a danger of that kind, Paul would have made a mistake in using such a man as his apostolic agent in a great field. No; Timothy has far more valuable things to do than to argue with ignorant and shallow fanatics. His great concern is “godliness,” godliness in the sense of complete devotion to the true religion, certainly for the sake of his own person but also when serving in his great office. He is to maintain and to increase godliness in the membership of all the churches and to keep out everything that conflicts with this godliness.
The implication is not that Timothy might forget the interests of godliness. These are not aorist but present imperatives. “Keep on in exercising thyself (present tense) with respect to godliness” = keep on as thou art doing. The implication is encouragement in following a right line of conduct, following it with all confidence.
The three πρός phrases have the same force, and we should retain that. Our versions fail to do this. Thus the first phrase does not indicate an aim: “unto godliness.” This might be the sense since the preposition is at times so used; but it cannot be the sense here where two more πρός follow which do not indicate an aim, an end, or a goal. All these phrases express relation: “with respect to godliness”—“with respect to little”—“with respect to everything.” The fact that the godliness referred to is not merely Timothy’s own personal godliness but the whole cause of godliness for which Timothy labored has already been stated. The athletic term “exercise thyself” as a gymnast does by gymnastic training and contests is metaphorical and is explained in v. 10 where Paul includes himself: “we toil and strain.” All the ardent, strenuous efforts of Timothy are to be put forth with respect to godliness, he is to be interested in this cause alone.
1 Timothy 4:8
8 “For” explains. But not by contrasting physical exercise, gymnastics, calisthenics, physical work, brisk walking, etc., with spiritual exercise in Christian virtues. This is not an admission of what everybody knows, that every person ought to take some exercise, and that, when he does, he will be profited “a little.” The caution is in place that, when Paul says a simple thing, it is a mistake to seek some deep, hidden meaning in his words. “A little” cannot mean: as far as physical health is concerned, for physical exercise does a great deal in that respect. Some even extend this “little” and say that robust physical vigor is also an asset in the godly life. But the fact that good physical specimens of humanity are better Christians than weak and sickly persons would be a new departure.
Nor is Paul voicing his concern for Timothy’s health and advising him that he ought to take at least some physical exercise in order to be able to do his spiritual work well, to which the application is sometimes added that preachers in general ought to watch this point lest they soon play out. Πρὸςὀλίγον and πρὸςπάντα do not lie on different planes but on the same plane, the spiritual plane. “The bodily exercise” Paul refers to is the true Christian training of the body. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19); its appetites must be kept in control, if necessary, by giving it a black eye as in a boxing bout (this is the word used in 1 Cor. 9:27). This is legitimate Christian asceticism, sober temperance in all bodily matters.
This, Paul says, is “profitable with respect to little,” namely as far as true and complete godliness is concerned. Paul does not mean: This amounts to nothing; the phrase is not wegwerfend, for it is here paired with the other, “with respect to everything.” Keeping the body with all its bodily desires well trained in the godly life is worth something, we must even say that it is a part of true godliness. Yet it is not the whole thing nor even the main feature; it is only “little” when it is compared with all that real godliness comprises. The base of godliness is in the spirit, its great field lies in the spiritual virtues, only a part of the territory lies in the body and the bodily members, in these physical instruments (ὅπλα, Rom. 6:13) of the godly spirit, which are to be slaves (δοῦλα, Rom. 6:19) of righteousness.
There is undoubtedly a reason that prompts Paul to say this. While in v. 7 “myths” refers back to the fables and genealogies mentioned in 1:4, the reference to “the bodily exercise” harks back to 1:7, to the ignorant use of the law by the pretended “law teachers.” The great use of the law in bringing sinners to contrition as it had brought the blasphemer and persecutor and insolent Paul himself to the Lord’s feet was a closed book to them. Their spurious godliness consisted in bodily exercises, in a false use of the law for producing such exercises. This is the background of Paul’s present statement and not v. 2, 3 which lie in the future. True godliness is acquainted with bodily training and the degree of profit involved. This godliness is not derived from profane and old-womanish myths or fables but from “the truth” (v. 3), from “the words of the faith and of the excellent doctrine which Timothy has been following” (v. 6), from the pure gospel.
These ignorant “law teachers” do not even know what this godliness is. All of Timothy’s exercising himself (which will deal with far more than a few bodily matters) will be “with respect to godliness,” for it is “this godliness” (article of previous reference) that “is profitable with respect to everything,” its fruit, profit, benefit literally extend so far.
Paul does not say: “The bodily exercise is profitable with respect to (only) little, but the spiritual exercise is profitable with respect to everything.” That would be a double falsity. There are not two kinds of exercises: one that is altogether bodily, the other altogether spiritual. The Christian’s bodily exercise is the body’s obedience to his spirit; it is the spiritual control of the body.
Secondly, this false parallel would lead to a false conclusion; for if spiritual exercise profits in all respects, then the little profit of bodily exercise would be included in this “all”; why, then, be concerned about the body at all? No; the supreme thing, the product of true gospel teaching, is true Christian godliness in spirit, soul, heart, life; in faith, love, and all Christian virtues. To exercise this godliness, to keep it constantly active in every way, is to have profit beyond compare. This exercise extends also to the body and includes also that small portion of profit; it is not lost. The great danger is to make it our chief concern.
The participle states the reason that godliness is so rich in profit: “having (as it does) promise for the present life and for the one to come.” Since godliness is itself the spiritual life, we cannot agree with those who regard the genitive as the objective genitive, namely that godliness is promised life, the less so since this is “life now and to come,” the two articles making these two expressions distinct and coordinate. An epexegetical genitive would yield the same sense: “promise, namely life now and to come,” this double life constituting what “promise” contains.
A direct objective genitive ought to have the article, it would here be ἐπαγγελίαντῆςζωῆς. The anarthrous ζωῆς is the broader objective genitive: “having promise for life, for the one (τῆς) now, and for the one (τῆς) about to come.” But would this not leave unsaid what is promised to godliness, and is “promise” ever used in such an unmodified way? C.-K. 29 supplies the answer: “promise” is never used as = the thing promised, this sense of the word is due to the context. So in this context after πρὸςπάντα profit in respect to everything is the promise godliness has. Let us add: no promise in regard to anything is what ungodliness and godlessness have.
Life now and life to come are illumined by the word “promise,” not by a certain promise or other, but by a promise that covers everything. Throughout Scripture “promise” is written about, signed, and sealed for godliness. “With respect to everything” = “for life now” as well as “for life to come.” That surely covers “everything,” πάντα. As regards “everything” for this life note, for instance, Rom. 8:28. But the stream of “promise” does not stop at the grave, it flows on into eternity. Paul does not attempt to name all that “promise” contains; the sweet word itself is enough.
“Promise” connotes grace and does not imply that godliness earns and merits so much. Born of grace, godliness now and to all eternity walks in the golden garden of promise where it plucks endless profit. Many Christians foolishly imagine that godliness forfeits so much in this life. So they forsake it occasionally in order to snatch some of these things; but these things are only apples of Sodom. Some permanently forsake godliness for what the world promises. But look at the lying promise Satan made to Eve.
To cultivate godliness in all the Asian churches by means of the true gospel was Timothy’s task. That, of course, meant that godliness would be richly cultivated in himself. Note Timothy’s incentives; they could not be stronger and richer. Promise for life here and hereafter beckons him on in his work. Note that doctrine (in v. 6, 7) is connected with godliness (in v. 8, 9). Every sacrifice and every loss of the former entail the same for the latter. No godliness ever grew on error although some imagine that it does. They even estimate how large an error must be before it hurts godliness. So they also fail to distinguish between genuine godliness and many of its current imitations. When the truth fails to produce godliness the truth has not entered the heart.
1 Timothy 4:9
9 Faithful (is) the statement and of all acceptation worthy. This dictum is identical with that occurring in 1:15 and does not seal what follows but what precedes, namely what is said regarding godliness and its promise. In 3:1 the wording is briefer. The ὅτι clause of v. 10 cannot be construed with v. 9: “Faithful is the statement, etc., … that we have set our hope on God,” etc. There is no law that would compel a writer to use a confirmatory dictum in only one way. Paul’s seal: “Reliable, in every way worth accepting!” is as objective in form as is what he says about true godliness and its blessed promise. Trust this λόγος or not, it is and remains trustworthy; accept it or not, it is and remains “worthy of all acceptation.” Verse 10 adds the subjective elaboration.
1 Timothy 4:10
10 Yea, for this thing we are toiling and straining because we have set our hope on God as living, he who is Savior of all men, especially of believers.
This γάρ does not state a reason for the preceding. Subjective actions cannot prove or establish objective facts, i.e., the fact that godliness is what it is stands whether we toil and agonize about it or not. Nor does this γάρ suggest that Paul is here offering “another reason that should move Timothy to execute his office faithfully and diligently,” the reason being that Timothy himself is one of those who are toiling and striving. Yet his doing this certainly cannot constitute a reason for his doing it.
This γάρ is folgernd and not begruendend. It does not state a reason but a consequence and is often used with exclamatory force. This is the German ja, the English “yea” or “hence.” This statement is so trustworthy; hence thou, Timothy, and I, Paul, toil, etc., as we do. Εἰςτοῦτο does not mean “for this λόγος or statement” (the neuter τοῦτο does not refer to the masculine λόγος). “This thing” = what Paul is speaking about, this thing of true godliness. “We are toiling and straining as athletes” refers to Timothy and to Paul in their offices, to their strenuous exertions to spread true godliness among men and to maintain it against present errors (v. 7) and future attacks (v. 1, 2). As one who is full of this godliness Timothy is to work and is already working in the Asian field. Paul is, of course, doing the same wherever he is working. The “we” of these verb suffixes is not indefinite: “we apostles,” leaving out Timothy, or: “we Christians.” This “we” = “thou and I,” Timothy and Paul. To combine himself thus with Timothy is beautiful on Paul’s part, for it makes his advice to Timothy (v. 6–8a, especially 8a) apply also to Paul himself.
Ἀγωνιζόμεθα has the variant ὀνειδιζόμεθα, “we suffer reproach,” which the A. V. translates; it also places a καί before the first verb: “we both labor and suffer reproach.” This reading, however, has less textual support. To adopt it because we cannot today see how it could displace the other reading is a precarious canon to follow. The fact that “suffer reproach” was changed into “strain” in order to make the thought easier, and that the alteration was suggested by Col. 1:29, is not apparent. It is worth noting that ἀγωνίζομαι is figurative: the gymnast carefully trains, the contestant strains every muscle.
We do not construe εἰςτοῦτο … ὅτι because of the tense and the sense of the verb “we have been setting our hope.” This clause states the reason for all of the present toiling and straining of Paul and of Timothy: “because we have been placing our hope on God as living.” This hoping started with Paul’s and Timothy’s conversion and continues. Hoping matches “promise” used in v. 8, so does God “as living,” for only a living God is able to keep his promise; dead idols cannot even promise, to say nothing about redeeming a promise. Both Paul and Timothy have already experienced the fulfillment of God’s promise to godliness in the life that now is, which is a sure evidence of the fulfillment that awaits them in the life to come. They have seen this fufillment in richest measure also in other godly believers. “To hope” may be construed in various ways; it is here construed with ἐπί, and the great ultimate basis of hope is indicated, the living God himself.
Toiling and straining means working and contending for others in the offices which Paul and Timothy occupied. The hope they set on the living God is not merely a hope regarding the promise for their own personal godliness but equally for that of all who can be brought to true godliness. Hence we have the relative clause, in which the relative is quite emphatic: “he who is Savior of all men, especially of believers.” Compare the relative found in 2:3; both are far stronger than an apposition would be.
God is indeed “living,” but he is also full of saving grace. All that we have said regarding “Savior” in 1:1 and 2:3 might be repeated here. He wants all men to be saved (2:3) and is thus called “Savior of all men.” We know why so many are not saved (Matt. 23:37). Therefore Paul adds: “especially of believers” just as in 1:1 he says “our Savior,” and in 2:3: “he wants all men to come to realization of truth.” This does not mean that his will to save some men is stronger than his will to save others, or that there is a duality in God’s antecedent will (Calvin). Μάλιστα, “especially,” pertains to “believers” because God’s good and gracious saving will is being accomplished in them and is not frustrated by obdurate unbelief. Paul is thinking not only of the believers already brought to a realization of the saving gospel truth, to godliness and to its sure and certain promise, but also of all believers of the future. The hope that rests on this Savior God is both sure and an inspiration to go on toiling and straining in teaching “the excellent doctrine” (v. 6), in fighting all error (v. 7), in preparing to fight all coming error (v. 1, etc.).
1 Timothy 4:11
11 So Paul exhorts Timothy, his representative: Order these things and teach them! They are written to Timothy for the very reason that he may order and teach them in the Asian churches. Every personal word directed to Timothy is not just personal but is directed to him because he is also Paul’s personal agent in the work assigned to him.
What are “these things”? Some look at παράγγελλε and, because this often means “to pass an order or a command along,” restrict “these things” to what may be regarded as commands in the foregoing. But here and elsewhere (1:3) the verb often means einschaerfen (C.-K. 30; B.-P. 978), “to pound in,” and, according to the context, “to give notice” in regard to something (see on the papyri, M.-M. 481), perhaps in a formal, authoritative manner, formally to instruct someone, etc. The point is that the verb is used to express much more than merely conveying commands. “These things” refer to all that Paul says in v. 6–10. Timothy is to order, announce, pound them in in an authoritative manner as Paul’s representative.
“And teach them,” for they are fundamentally διδασκαλία (v. 6), doctrine, which, of course, governs conduct. To teach is to explain so that these things will be understood, assimilated, taken to heart (note “nourished” in v. 6). The two imperatives are closely united; both are durative: Timothy is to keep on in this work. These are his original directions from Paul, they are repeated here so that Timothy may show them also to others wherever it is necessary. It was an advantage to him to have them in writing; it is still an advantage in the case of officials who have congregations to supervise.
1 Timothy 4:12
12 When he is attending to these things with due authority Timothy is to let no one question that authority on the score of his youth. Let no one despise thy youth but continue to be an example for believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in pureness. We can only estimate Timothy’s age; he was probably between 35 and 40 years of age. The Jew regarded a man as a νεανίας until he reached 40. Yet here age does not mean age in general but age with reference to Timothy’s position and office as Paul’s representative. The “elders” of the congregations were commonly older men, often men of years.
Timothy would also have to deal with all of them, and in case of a disagreement some of them might affect to despise Timothy because of his “youth.” It has been well said that in the case of a captain in the army 40 is old, in the case of an Anglican bishop young, in the case of an English prime minister very young, in fact, too young. A college president, a synodical president, who Isaiah 40 years old or less, would be very young and would invite the charge of immaturity even in America. Age does count in high positions. Paul did not think Timothy too young; he says so here and will let no one contradict this estimate of his representative.
The conclusion has been drawn that Timothy was timid because of his years and that Paul is here offering an antidote for this timidity. But this may be an injustice to Timothy. Paul could not use a timid man as his representative in the Asian churches, nor could he hope to stiffen such a man’s courage at a distance by means of a single sentence. Paul’s remark is intended for any man who might try to oppose Timothy in his work and might thus pass a remark regarding Timothy’s “youth” in order to influence the congregation; hence we have the wording: “let no one,” etc.
The use of γίνου in no way implies that Timothy has as yet not been an example for the believers and is now to become one; it signifies that he has been and is such an example and that he is to continue as such as a full and sufficient answer to any man who presumes to reflect on his youth. Paul is not fearing indiscretion on Timothy’s part; he is indicating the type of character and conduct that will hush every adverse remark about his youth.
Paul uses neither four (minor rhetorical completeness) nor seven (sacred number) nor ten specifications (major completeness) but five (incompleteness) and thereby indicates that he is not exhausting the subject. This appears also in the listing: two pairs and one additional point as though Paul breaks off instead of completing the list.
“In word and in conduct” = outward demeanor in speech and in general action. “Word” includes teaching and all other forms of speaking. “In love and faith,” love being apparent in word and in conduct, faith being the root of love. “In pureness” adds this one Christian virtue, to which others might be joined: Tadellosigkeit (G. K. 124)—not only sexual purity. In the LXX the word is used to indicate ritual purity; here and also in 5:2 moral cleanness and spotlessness is meant.
1 Timothy 4:13
13 While I am traveling, pay close attention to the reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching! Ἕως with the present tense means “while” (R. 975, also W. P.) although many translate it “till” (also B.-D. 383, 1). They misunderstand the situation. “While” Paul is away, (ἔρχομαι does not mean “coming” but “journeying,” “traveling” from place to place) Timothy is to watch things in the churches. The usual understanding of this passage is that Timothy is stationed only in the congregation at Ephesus, and that he is there to read the Scripture lections in the services, exhort the congregation, and act as the teacher. If that were the situation, it would be strange, indeed, that Paul would here ask him to do these things. Did Paul not tell him to teach in v. 11?
Some note that “the exhortation” precedes “the teaching” and feel that this is a bit strange; Timothy ought first to teach and then to exhort. A few say that “the reading” includes diligent private Scripture study on Timothy’s part. But the articles used with the three nouns may suggest the proper interpretation.
Timothy has a number of congregations under his care; how can he conduct the services in all of them? Is he to displace the elders? Would that be proper? Verse 11 directs him to inculcate everywhere what in the preceding Paul has stated as being necessary. And now Timothy is directed to pay close attention to “the reading” in the churches, i.e., to what lections are being read at the services. Not that lections be read, still less that Timothy is to read them, but what lections are being read.
From their very beginning all the congregations read the LXX Old Testament in their services just as was done in the synagogues. Now the present danger was that here and there some of the cranks and fanatics (1:4) and the foolish law teachers (1:7) might read or ask to have read as lections the Old Testament genealogies, to which to pin their myths, and lections from the Levitical laws, to be interpreted for their ignorant purposes. This Timothy was not to allow. It was not necessary for him to be present at every service in every church; it was easy to find out and to keep track of what was going on, to learn where suspicious lections were being read and where such as helped true godliness were being read.
The same was true with regard to “the exhortation.” This is properly placed next. We know from statements by Justin Martyr that after the Scripture reading by the lector a presbyter or some other person admonished and exhorted the people to take to heart what had been read. At times there was also “the teaching,” not necessarily of the lection read but on this or that subject. So Paul taught the gospel of Christ in the synagogues and did this without basing it on the haphtarah or the parashah that happened to be the lections of the day. How easy it would be for some of the ἑτεροδιδάσκαλοι to inflict some of their myths or some of their ignorant notions of the law on a congregation! In v. 1, 4 we see what damage this might do.
Timothy must “give heed” to what is going on, “to the lection, to the exhortation, to the teaching.” The articles are, indeed, material to the sense. The fact that Timothy is to stop this kind of thing 1:4 has already stated.
Unless we understand Timothy’s office and situation as they were, this verse will be misunderstood. Wohlenberg has interpreted it correctly but treats it all too briefly and does not mention the δίδασκε of v. 11 and the fact that two orders to Timothy to teach personally can scarcely follow each other so closely.
1 Timothy 4:14
14 Be not careless about the charisma in thee, which was given to thee by means of prophecy together with laying on of the hands of the presbytery!
What “charisma” is this? The one indicated in v. 13. Not all the charismata of apostolic times were miraculous or at least bestowed in a miraculous manner. The whole series of charismata mentioned in Rom. 12:6, etc., lists such as were non-miraculous both in character and in manner of acquisition. In 1 Cor. 12:8 the two main charismata are of the same character. In 1 Cor. 14:1, etc., all members are urged to acquire and to use with diligence the charisma of prophecy, regarding which see the exposition of 1 Cor. 14:3; Rom. 12:6; 1 Thess. 5:20.
Timothy’s charisma was his ability to understand the true gospel teaching over against spurious and false teachings. He had the gift of prophecy (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10) and of discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10), i.e., seeing through all false teaching. He could properly transmit the true Word of God, could also teach and expound it, and could detect what deviated from it. This great charisma he is to exercise as v. 11 and 13 state. “Be not careless” is a litotes which states negatively what is meant positively: “Keep attending to diligently,” “constantly care for.” There is no thought of a gift that has been miraculously bestowed on him. Also no thought of a certain talent that Timothy is to develop by private reading and study and by efforts of exercising such a talent.
How did Timothy get this charisma? The relative clause answers: “Which was given to thee by means of prophecy.” God gave Timothy this charisma, not by a miraculous gift from heaven, but “by means of prophecy,” by a communication of the Word to him, and did that under the tutelage of one of the most capable prophets this Word ever had, namely Paul himself. “Prophecy” was the means that enabled Timothy. Here, however, not the mere ability of Timothy is referred to but along with it the office for using that ability, which is the reason for mentioning the “laying on of hands.” Timothy had not received his charisma as the church members referred to in 1 Cor. 14:1, etc., had, all of whom were to seek the charisma of prophecy in order to use it merely in their capacity as church members and as private persons. None of these had hands laid on them.
Timothy was not even to be only an elder in some congregation, who had received that kind of an office as a part of the gift bestowed on him. His charisma was the ability which he was to exercise as Paul’s assistant and representative for many congregations. Thus “hands of the presbytery” were laid on him. Μετά adds this act as the accompanying feature; the imposition of hands accompanied the training in prophecy. From 2 Tim. 1:6 we see that this included also the imposition of Paul’s hands. There is no reason for thinking of two impositions of hands, one occurring at Lystra when Paul first took Timothy into the work, the other at Ephesus when Paul placed him in special charge of the extensive Asian field. One imposition is referred to, namely the one that occurred when Timothy was set aside for the latter office.
Timothy was not appointed as Paul’s representative by an act of Paul alone but by a joint act of Paul and of the mother church of the Asian territory. That is why its presbytery joined Paul in setting Timothy apart for his important work and office. Paul was not a hierarch who acted alone in this matter. He mentions “the presbytery” in this letter and at this place because all that precedes deals with Timothy’s work in the Asian churches, with his relation to them. Paul mentions himself in 2 Tim. 1:6 because in the opening section of that letter he deals with Timothy’s relation to himself. See that passage. Paul writes μετά in our passage, διά in 2 Tim. 1:6, not because the laying on of hands by the presbytery differed from the laying on of his own hands. Μετά avoids the repeating of διά in our passage; moreover, the laying on of hands may be viewed in two ways: “given to thee by means of prophecy (διά) in company with laying on of hands” (μετά)—the charisma of God, “which is in thee by means of (διά) laying on of hands.” “The presbytery” is a collective term for “the elders” or presbyters of a congregation, each congregation having several; Kretzmann wants “the deacons” included, a view which we have already answered in 3:1, 8.
We are somewhat surprised to note some of the interpretations of this passage. We note the following especially. Διὰπροφητείας is regarded as an accusative plural: infolge von Weissagungen, “in consequence of predictions.” The view that προφητείας may be a singular is rejected on the plea that such a phrase could not express the mediate cause but only the immediate cause and that “a prediction” could not be this cause. Now διά with the genitive never expresses cause, it names the means. Paul is not speaking of prediction, whether of one or of more. The defenders of this view think that at Lystra a number of prophets made predictions regarding Timothy’s future career, that the elders there then ordained him, and that this produced in Timothy an “enthusiastic state”—does that mean an ecstasy?—in which he received his charisma in a supernatural way. But one might well ask: “Whence came those inspired prophets in the young congregation at Lystra?”
1 Timothy 4:15
15 These things continue to care for, in these things ever be, so that thy advancement may be manifest to all! Continue to take heed to thyself and to the teaching! Keep remaining in them, for by doing this both thyself shalt thou save and those hearing thee!
Μελέτα = μὴἀμέλει in v. 14; it places the positive beside the negative. The verbs are somewhat different in force, yet they are opposites: not to be careless about—to be careful about. The A. V. translates “meditate upon,” apparently because of the use which the LXX makes of this word and because of the quotation found in Acts 4:25. The New Testament has this verb only in this place. Its regular meaning is well in place here, and there is no reason that continued meditation is a better meaning. All continued care for something involves abundant thought, and it is possible that one may do much meditating and little work.
“These things” on which Timothy is to spend his care, in which he is to be, are the ones Paul is speaking of in this paragraph and not merely his charisma in particular. “In them continue to be” is not as unusual an expression as some suppose; R., W. P., reports that Plutarch says of Caesar that he was ἐντούτοις, and Robertson explains this by using our “up to his ears.” “Be wrapped up in them,” Moulton. The repetition of the thought is to secure an emphasis. But the durative tenses should be noted, for they ask Timothy only to continue on the course he is already following.
Ἵνα expresses purpose or contemplated result. On “advancement” see Phil. 1:12, 25: a blow that moves forward. The usual interpretation is that Timothy will make such advancement in his field of work that everybody will see it, and that no one will then think of his being rather young for his position. We do not agree with this interpretation. What about the time that intervenes until this progress comes to the attention of men? No, Paul is not speaking of an advancement that is yet to be made but of one that has already been made a long time before Timothy’s present task and position were assigned to him.
Many years before this time, when the congregation in the city was first organized, Timothy had been with Paul in Ephesus. Since at that time he had been younger than he now was, he had not held so responsible a position. Since Timothy was ever steady and true in his present work, all would at once see the advancement that he had made since the years that intervened, and that Paul’s now putting him in full charge was not a mistake, either as far as his age or as far as his qualifications were concerned. Although he would be watched a little at first, even this would soon cease.
The pastoral applications commonly made on the basis of this verse are rather inept, namely that every young minister ought to study hard at his sermons, his catechisations, etc., attend zealously to all pastoral duties, etc., so that all his people will see that he is developing into a good minister. Timothy was in a position that was similar to that of the president of a synodical district, which is a different story. People knew him as he had been in former years. As they now observed Timothy, they would all see that he was, indeed, the man for his high position. Draw some applications for synodical presidents if you wish, but scarcely, except perhaps at long range, for seminary graduates who are just starting in the regular ministry.
1 Timothy 4:16
16 These present imperatives have the same implications as the preceding ones: not to start taking heed and to begin remaining but to keep on as hitherto. Πρόσεχε in v. 13 = to put the mind toward something; ἔπεχε to put it upon something. Here we have the mind, thought, and “meditation.” “Continue to take heed to thyself” means to thyself in thy responsible position, to all that thou shouldst be therein. This includes much more than Timothy’s personal godliness. A very godly man may nevertheless be a poor head of a church body. Not for naught did Paul write v. 14 regarding Timothy’s charisma. So here, too, he at once adds: “and to the teaching.” The R.
V. translates “thy teaching.” But the article is the same as that used in v. 13, and this dative means “all the teaching” that is done, no matter by whom, in the churches under Timothy’s care. In v. 13 three items are to receive Timothy’s attention; here “to thyself and to the teaching” combines the official and the fundamental part of the work under his supervision. Since “the teaching” in all the churches is the basis of everything else, it is enough to mention this here. Paul has no occasion to speak to Timothy about Timothy’s personal teaching.
“Keep remaining in them” means “in these things” (v. 15). Αὐτοῖς is not masculine so that Paul tells Timothy to remain with the people; this would leave the pronoun without an antecedent, “without visible means of support” (Graebner regarding such pronouns). Here we have the verb which, not only in its tense, but also in its sense, shows that throughout Paul is asking Timothy to continue as he has already been doing, that the previous imperatives contain no fears on Paul’s part. To think otherwise is to do Timothy an injustice.
Τοῦτο sums it all up in a singular; plurals and singulars are often used thus by Paul. Here at the end the singular is fitting because it brings everything to a focus. By doing this, Timothy will save both himself and those hearing him. Γάρ points to the great incentive for Timothy. God alone saves (v. 10). Yet he saves by means (2:4), and it is thus that one who uses and applies these means can very properly be said to save both himself and others. Hence also Paul does not say merely “others” but “those hearing thee” (Rom. 10:13–15.) Timothy is the mouthpiece for the Word, for all these churches regarding all their doctrine and their practice, and he saves others only as God’s instrument.
In order to be such an instrument Timothy first applies the Word to himself. R., W. P., calls “will save” an effective future; like others, also he is thinking of final salvation. But why restrict this word to the moment of death? Our saving is an extended act, and the durative “doing this” includes all of it: “wilt be saving.” This is the logical future which tells what effect will be consequent to Timothy’s doing what Paul once more tells him to do.
Men are now trying to prevent this whole work of saving (v. 7), and devilish spirits will try to do this still more in days to come (v. 1, etc.). Regarding many men in pulpits and at the head of church bodies it may be said that they are saving neither themselves nor those who hear them. Even to head a church body or a congregation in the orthodox churches does not eo ipso assure a person’s salvation. Peculiar dangers beset such a man. Let us read Paul’s letters to Timothy frequently. Some years ago a searching book appeared under the title, Kann auch ein Pastor selig werden? Blessed is the man, church officer or pastor, whose ministry is saving himself and those who hear him!
R A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research. 4th edition..
B.-P Griechisch-Deutsches Woerterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments, etc., von D. Walter Bauer, zweite, voellig neugearbeitete Auflage zu Erwin Preuschens Vollstaendigem Griechisch-Deutschen Handwoerterbuch, etc.
C.-K Biblisch-theologisches Woerterbuch der Neutestamentlichen Graezitaet von D. Dr. Hermann Cremer, zehnte, etc., Auflage, herausgegeben von D. Dr. Julius Koegel.
M.-M The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and other non-Literary Sources, by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan.
B.-D Friedrich Blass’ Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch, vierte, voellig neugearbeitete Auflage, besorgt von Albert Debrunner.