The
1
Timothy (NIV)
By
Syd Cleveland
(©
1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2006 and Revised
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PAUL = Paul wrote some thirteen inspired letters which are included
in the New Testament as "books."
It was the custom of that time to begin a letter with the writer's name
and Paul followed that custom in each of his books. Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts
AN APOSTLE = The Greek "apostolos" (Strongs #G652) means "messenger, one
who sent on a mission, an ambassador."
Jesus originally gave this title to his twelve disciples (Luke
OF CHRIST JESUS BY THE COMMAND OF =
Paul originally planned to become a Jewish rabbi and was taught by
Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). However Christ
directly intervened in his life, commissioned him, and sent him as the Lord's
missionary-ambassador to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:8; 1
Timothy 2:7). The knowledge that
he had been directly chosen and commissioned by God encouraged Paul during the
hardships he suffered as a result of his calling.
GOD OUR SAVIOR = In the New Testament this phrase only occurs
Paul's letters (see 1 Timothy 1:1; 2:3; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4) and in Jude
25. Because Nero had called himself
"Savior of the world," it is possible Paul used "God our
Savior" to
emphasize the only real Savior is the God of heaven.
CHRIST JESUS OUR HOPE = Another unique
feature is Paul's designation of Christ Jesus as "our hope." Here Paul encourages believers to place their
hope for this life and the life to come in Jesus Christ the "Faithful and
True Ruler of God's Creation" (Revelation
1 Tim 1:2
TIMOTHY = This name means "honoring
God." Timothy was one of Paul's
closest friends and trusted coworkers.
"When Timothy
was a child, his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois taught him the
Scriptures (2 Timothy
1:5;
MY TRUE SON IN THE FAITH = When spoken of children the Greek word
"gnesios" (Strongs #G1103) means
"legitimate, lawfully born" as opposed to illegitimate. Thus Timothy was a genuine Christian and a
true convert of Paul's gospel ministry during his first missionary journey
around A.D. 47. Timothy grew so rapidly
in Christ that just two years later (A.D. 49) he was invited to become Paul's
apprentice.
GRACE, MERCY AND PEACE = Paul pronounces this three-fold blessing
upon Timothy, his "true son in the faith." Blessing faithfulness is a Christian
tradition worthy of emulating today.
GRACE = The Greek "charis" (Strongs #G5485) means "acceptance,
favor, grace." It is "that
which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance, for a kindness
granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude. A favor done without
expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of
God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver;
unearned and unmerited favor." -- The Complete Word Study
Dictionary of the New Testament, Zodhiates, page 1469.
MERCY = The Greek "eleos" (Strongs #G1656) means "mercy,
compassion."
AND PEACE = The Greek "eireenee" (Strongs #G1515) means "peace,
quietness, rest."
"Grace
identifies the free nature of salvation, that which is unmerited and without
obligation. Mercy is the application of
grace and reminds us that redemptive freedom rescued us from the pathetic
condition of our sinfulness. Peace
refers us to the effect of salvation, namely, that we were set free from the
condemnation of sin and reconciled to God.
This is true not only objectively in that we no longer stand before God
as enemies but now as beloved children; but also subjectively in that we have
been relieved of the hostility in our hearts toward God and the torment of
guilt in our consciences." -- The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the
New Testament, Zodhiates, page 565.
Peace "is one
of God's best gifts to people. ... In Christ we have peace of heart and
mind." -- Zondervan New International Bible Commentary, 1
Timothy 1:2.
FROM GOD THE FATHER AND CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD = Here Paul
differentiates between Father and Son without ascribing any hierarchical or
relational superiority to either. As
Father, God faithfully guides, graciously nurtures, and lovingly provides for
His people. As Christ (Greek
"Christos" [Strongs #G5547 meaning "Divine Messiah"), God
unselfishly redeems, powerfully sanctifies, and abundantly rewards His
people.
"Cristos Iesous (Christ Jesus)
stresses the deity of Christ first and then His humanity (and occurs) only
after His resurrection beginning with Acts 19:4 and often in the
epistles." -- The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament,
Zodhiates, page 1483.
As Lord (Greek
"kurios" [Strongs #G2962 meaning "God,
Lord, Master"), Christ's authority is supreme over all God's creation.
1 Tim 1:3
THAT YOU MAY COMMAND = Here Paul charged Timothy to root out
certain false doctrines that turn people away from "the glorious
gospel" (1 Timothy
CERTAIN MEN = Paul specifically names Hymenaeus
and Alexander (1 Timothy
FALSE DOCTRINES = In verses 3 through 11
Paul warns against heretical teachers in the church at
These false
teachers "are characterized by:
(1) teaching false doctrines (1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:3);
(2) teaching Jewish myths (Titus 1:4);
(3) wanting to be teachers of the Old Testament law (1 Timothy
1:7);
(4) building up
endless, far-fetched, fictitious stories based on obscure genealogical points
(1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 3:9);
(5) being conceited (1 Timothy 1:7; 1 Timothy 6:4);
(6) being argumentative (1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy
(7) using talk that was meaningless (1 Timothy 1:6);
(8) not knowing what they were talking about (1 Timothy 1:7; 1
Timothy 6:4);
(9) teaching ascetic practices (1 Timothy 4:3); and
(10) using their positions of religious leadership for personal
financial gain (1 Timothy 6:5)." --Zondervan NIV Study Bible note on 1 Timothy 1:3.
"The church
has always had false teachers--they appeared on the scene in the very first
generation, within thirty-five years of the church's birth at Pentecost (A.D.
30-65). What was the nature of these
'false doctrines,' and what is meant by 'myths and endless genealogies'? There
are two possible answers. (1) The reference could be to the vagaries of what
became known as Gnosticism, with its endless genealogies of intermediary beings
("aeons") between God and humankind. (2)
But verse 7 suggests that these were Jewish teachers, who were caught up in the
mythological treatment of OT genealogies, and Titus
1 Tim 1:4
MYTHS = The use of the word "myths" indicates these
"false doctrines" were invented by the "certain men" Paul
mentioned in the previous verse. As
such, these myths had no foundation in the truths of Scripture. Also see note on 1 Timothy
1:3.
AND ENDLESS GENEALOGIES = "'Genealogies' is used in a wider
sense than that customarily accorded it, and describes fatuous and extravagant
interpretations of OT history, possibly mingled with certain Gnostic
philosophical notions. These are said to
be 'endless,' for those who wander along these strange bypaths find themselves
in an interminable labyrinth, leading nowhere." -- The International Bible
Commentary, F. F. Bruce, page 1475.
1 Tim 1:5
THE GOAL ... IS LOVE = "The highest goal of true religion is
the unselfish love of full loyalty to God and boundless goodwill to our fellow
human beings. This must be our ultimate goal in life." -- Zondervan NIV
Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 1:5.
WHICH COMES FROM = Here we discover agapay loves "comes from": (1) a pure heart; (2)
a good conscience; (3) a sincere faith.
When these three elements are combined in our hearts they produce the
evidence that we are truly Christ's disciples (John
SINCERE FAITH = The Greek "anupokritos" (Strongs #G505) means "not
hypocritical, unfeigned, without pretense."
1 Tim 1:6
WANDERED AWAY FROM THESE = "These" refers to "a pure
heart, ... a good conscience and a sincere faith"
mentioned in the previous verse. The
result is "meaningless talk."
AND TURNED TO MEANINGLESS TALK = "It is clear that Paul regarded
(this) as the very opposite of the serious content of the Gospel. ... There was
an unproductiveness about the false teaching which was
the opposite of true faith. ... What strikes us is the irrelevance of their
teaching. ... The test of a good discussion is not that we have enjoyed a
verbal battle (i.e. assumed the stance of a protagonist or "Devil's
Advocate"), but that it has promoted mutual understanding and love; is
sincere, openhearted and based on faith." -- New Bible Commentary, 21st
Century Edition, edited by Wenham, Motyer, Carson, France, page 1295.
1 Tim 1:7
THEY WANT TO BE TEACHERS OF THE LAW = The Apostle James faced
similar "wannabees" in the
THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT = Because
they have "wandered away" from "a pure heart and a good
conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5-6).
"Paul
recommends two tests by which the hollowness of such false doctrine may be
exposed: (1) All teaching must be judged by what it
produces. In contrast to the irrelevance
and fruitlessness of the speculative and vain, the true ministry, here
designated 'God's work -- which is by faith' will produce the noble quality of
love. The steps by which it will reach
this goal are here traced for us. Not
being mere sentiment, nor unrelated to ethical standards, the love spoken of
finds birth in a heart that is pure.
This, in turn, results from 'a good conscience,' which is itself the product of a 'sincere faith.' These virtues vindicated the character of the
true teaching. ... (2) 'Sound doctrine,' a term confined to the Pastorals, is
the standard by which all teaching is to be tested. Healthy, and healthful in its influence, this
doctrine was, by this time, well defined; its essential features being
crystallized in 'the glorious gospel of the blessed God.' 'False doctrines' would immediately stand out
in contrast with the true doctrine, which consisted not in theological dogma
but in apostolic teaching." -- The International Bible Commentary, F. F.
Bruce, page 1475.
1 Tim 1:8
THE LAW IS GOOD IF = The key word here is “IF”
– “IF one uses it properly.”
ONE USES IT PROPERLY = An improper use of
the law results in legalism or antinomianism.
"Paul
concedes here (as in Romans
The “continuing
function” is to rein in lawbreakers and rebels (1
Timothy 1:9-10). However, as Paul
makes clear in 1 Timothy 1:10, if the Christian lives
a life approved by “sound doctrine that conforms to the glorius gospel,” the law is not necessary.
1 Tim 1:9
THE LAW = "'Law' in this verse has no definite article and
probably refers to law in general. The apostle indicates that the purpose of
law is not to police good people but bad ones. In other words, we need law for
the punishment of criminals and the protection of society." -- Zondervan
NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 1:9
"Paul
provided a striking list of examples which seem to be intentionally based on
the Ten Commandments (cf. Exodus 20:3-17).
The list begins with three pairs corresponding to the first table of the
Decalogue dealing with offenses against God: (1) 'lawbreakers and rebels,' (2)
'the ungodly and sinful,' (3) 'the unholy ["anosiois,"
"not devout"; cf. "hosious" in 1 Timothy 2:8] and irreligious' ["beblois," "profane"; cf. 1 Timothy 4:7;
THE LAW IS MADE … FOR = Here Paul is clear that the law was
not made for Christians under the New Covenant, but rather for those who rebel
against God, who live lives that are “contrary to the sound doctrine that
conforms to … the gospel.”
NOT FOR THE RIGHTEOUS = The law is
designed to point out sin, thus the law is made for rebellious sinners. A "righteous" person utilizes the
“sound doctrine … of the gospel” to tell him what Jesus wants
him to avoid. He is not condemned by the
law because Jesus forgives his sins.
"The Law is
designed to show people their sinfulness.
Thus the Law is not for one who had already recognized his sin and
turned to Christ. That person is no
longer under the Law but should now walk in the Spirit (Galatians
1 Tim 1:10
PERVERTS = The Greek word "arsenokoites" (Strongs #G733) literally means "a
male who lies in bed with another male," thus it is translated
"homosexual, sodomite, abuser of mankind, defiler of mankind." Also see notes on Leviticus 18:22; 1
Corinthians 6:9-11; Romans 1:27.
LIARS = The Greek word “pseustes” (Strongs #G5583) means “liar,
falsifier.”
"At first glance, ... lies don't seem like a big deal. ... They are
simply cover-ups, ... protecting (ourselves) from the
judgment of others. The biblical view,
however, takes us further than that. The
Bible indicates that lies hurts us, they are sins
against others, and they are sins against God.
"They hurt us
in that lies deceive us, not just other people.
They persuade us that we are on top of our problem. We think we can fool others, but we can't be
fooled. With other people, the power of
lies is obvious. Anyone who has been
lied to knows that lies divide people; lies are the language of war. With God, lies provide evidence that our
allegiances are not with him. Instead,
they show that our allegiance is to Satan -- the Father of Lies -- and to
ourselves.
"The way out
is to speak God's languagae, the language of
truth. This is the way we can worship
him. We can worship him by imitating
him. ... Worship consists of walking humbly before God in small steps of
obedience. And truth-telling is part of
that walk.
"Speaking the
truth goes even deeper than having true words come out of our mouths. It also means that we believe what is
true. For example, it means that we
believe the truth about ourselves (as the Holy Spirit reveals it to us through
the Word and through Christian counselors).
It means saying, 'Lord, I confess that I have been committed to my own
idols and desires.'" -- Blame it on the Brain, Welch, p.
200
CONTRARY TO SOUND DOCTRINE = Antinomianism (lawlessness) is
contrary to both sound doctrine and the Gospel (1 Timothy
1 Tim 1:11
THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL = The gospel
("good news") is that Jesus saves us from our sins, not that he takes
away the law.
1 Tim 1:12
APPOINTING ME TO HIS SERVICE = See note on 1 Timothy 1:1.
1 Tim 1:13
I WAS ONCE = God is more concerned about what we are and will
become than about what we once were.
"The apostle
... knew so well the pit from which he had been dug. When he said he was a blasphemer and a
persecutor and a violent man, he was not exaggerating for the sake of effect
(see Acts 9:1-2; 22:4-5, 19-20; 26:9-11 for the vivid truth). Yet Paul was shown mercy because his actions
were the product of ignorance and unbelief.
Willful disobedience triggers God's wrath (cf. Numbers 15:22-31; Hebrews
10:26). But God deals gently with the
ignorant and misguided (Hebrews 5:2). -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New
Testament, Walvoord & Zuck, page 732-733.
A BLASPHEMER = Greek "blasphemos"
(Strongs #G989). See note on 1 Timothy
1:20.
A PERSECUTOR = The Greek "dioktes" (Strongs #G1376) means "to persecute, to
pursue with evil intent."
A VIOLENT MAN = The Greek "hubristes" (Strongs #G5197) means "injurious,
spiteful, contemptuous, arrogant." "An insolent persecutor of others who mistreats them for the
pleasure which the affliction of the wrong brings him." -- The
Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, Zodhiates, page 1402.
1 Tim 1:14
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS POURED OUT ON ME ABUNDANTLY = Paul's
"recollection of what he had done through 'ignorance and unbelief' served
to heighten his awareness of the mercy and grace of God. What struck him was the abundance of that
mercy. It reminds us that God does not
hold our past against us when we are 'in Christ Jesus.'" -- New Bible
Commentary, 21st Century Edition, edited by Wenham, Motyer, Carson, France,
page 1296.
1 Tim 1:15
HERE IS A TRUSTWORTHY SAYING = Paul indicates that what follows
this phrase is of absolute importance to Christian faith.
DESERVES FULL ACCEPTANCE = There is no room for Christians to disagree
with this crucial element of Christian faith.
CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS = This is the very heart of the Gospel.
OF WHOM I AM THE WORST = This is evidence
of the convicting power of the Gospel.
Recognition and confession of our sin is the first step to
repentance, forgiveness and restoration.
See note on 1 Timothy 1:16.
"Those who
are most conscious of their previous opposition to God usually become the most
vocal in their understanding of God's unlimited patience. Such people become exhibits of what God can
do." -- New Bible Commentary, 21st Century Edition, edited by Wenham,
Motyer, Carson, France, page 1296.
1 Tim 1:16
FOR THAT VERY REASON = A reference back to
the previous verse: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners." Paul believed he was
saved as a demonstration of God's plan to save sinners through Jesus Christ.
"Paul
represents the extreme example. If God
was patient and gracious enough to save Paul, He is patient and gracious enough
to save anyone. All who follow can look
back at Paul as a prototype or pattern.
The ultimate sinner became the ultimate saint; God's greatest enemy
became His finest servant. Somewhere
between these extremes fall all the rest.
In studying Paul's pattern, Christians can therefore learn about
themselves." -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, Walvoord
& Zuck, page 733.
THE WORST OF SINNERS = Paul also described himself as: "the
least of the apostles" (1 Corinthians 15:9) and "less than the least
of all God's people" (Ephesians 3:8).
1 Tim 1:17
THE KING ETERNAL = The Greek "aion" (Strongs #G165) refers to indefinite time rather
than to physical things such as the universe.
Here it is best translated "eternal," although translated
literally it is "King of the Ages."
In context of the previous 5 verses Paul uses the title "the King
eternal" to specifically refer to Christ Jesus, but also to
"God" (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in general (see Psalm 90:2;
Genesis 21:33; John 1:1-2; Revelation 1:8, 17; Hebrews 9:14).
IMMORTAL = The Greek "aphthartos" (Strongs #G862) means "immortal, not
corruptible, not able to decay."
Immortality is attributed to God alone (Romans 1:23; 1 Timothy 6:15-16).
INVISIBLE = The Greek "aoratos" (Strongs #G517) means "invisible, unable
to be seen by human eyes."
Invisibility is a characteristic of a Spirit, and thus of Divinity (1
Timothy
THE ONLY GOD = In the context of the
previous 5 verses Paul is speaking specifically about Jesus Christ, thus
"King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God" are specific
descriptions/titles of Christ. However,
Paul is also speaking about "God" in a larger, general sense. Paul is not saying that Jesus is the
"only" God and therefore the Father and Holy Spirit are not equally "God." Scripture teaches there is only one God, but
that God is composed of three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit who have
different functions (Deuteronomy 6:4 cf. 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5-6;
Matthew 3:16-17; John 14:26; James 2:19).
HONOR = The Greek "timee" (Strongs #G5092) means "honor, reverence,
respect, dignity."
GLORY = The Greek "doxa" (Strongs #G1391) means "praise, worship,
glory, favorable opinion, full recognition."
FOR EVER AND EVER = Here it is the Greek "aioonas
toon aioonoon" utilizing
the root word "aion" (Strongs #G165).
AMEN = The Greek "amen" (Strongs #G281) is transliterated
from the Hebrew (Strongs #H543) and means "surely, verily, trustworthy,
amen."
1 Tim 1:18
THE PROPHECIES ONCE MADE ABOUT YOU = See note on 1 Timothy
1 Tim 1:19
FAITH AND GOOD CONSCIENCE = These are two
crucial items used in Christian warfare.
"These two always seem to travel together (cf. 1
Timothy 1:5; 3:9). Strength in
the one is always combined with strength in the other. So also is failure in the one correlated with
failure in the other." -- The Bible Knowledge
Commentary, New Testament, Walvoord & Zuck, page 733.
REJECTED = The Greek "apotheomai" (Strongs #G683) means "a strong and
deliberate thrusting away, casting away, repel, reject."
1 Tim 1:20
HYMENAEUS = He was "a heretic who was undermining the faith of
many of Paul's weaker converts. Hymenaeus was mentioned twice by Paul in his correspondence
to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17). Hymenaeus had
slipped into the error of teaching that the resurrection was simply an
allegorical way of saying that one's soul was released from sin. The distortion of the gospel was appealing to
many who had Gnostic leanings or Greek backgrounds. Paul recognized the dangers of Hymenaeus' claims and finally excommunicated him." --
Everyone in the Bible, William P. Barker, page 141.
ALEXANDER = He "was one of the converts who later renounced
their belief in Christ and were described by Paul as a person who made a
shipwreck of their faith." -- Everyone in the Bible, William P. Barker,
pages 28-29.
HANDED OVER TO SATAN = Paul is saying these man had been
ex-communicated, or disfellowshipped ("expelled" 1 Corinthians 5:13). In 1 Corinthians 5:5 Paul used a similar term
for the same thing: "hand this man over to Satan." As indicated in his letter to the
Corinthians, the purpose of disfellowshipping was not
to punish the men, but to reclaim them: "so that ... his spirit (may) be
saved on the day of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 5:5). A month later, when Paul wrote 2 Corinthians
2:5-11 he wrote the man who had been disfellowshipped by the Corinthian church
had repented and was to be restored.
Also see Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5:5, 7, 11, 13; Galatians 5:19-21;
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; Titus 3:10.
"Paul viewed
the congregation as a haven and protection for believers without which they
would suffer painful disadvantage. Thus
excommunication was designed to chasten the two apostates. Yet Paul's motive was remedial, not
punitive." -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, Wavoord & Zuck, page 734.
TO BE TAUGHT NOT TO BLASPHEME = The
suggestion is that "Satan" would so punish these men that they would
turn from their "blasphemy" and be restored to fellowship.
BLASPHEME = The Greek "blasphemeo" (Strongs #G987) means "to blaspheme,
to revile. To hurt the reputation or
smite with reports or words, speak evil of, slander, rail.
... To speak with impious irreverence concerning God Himself or what stands in
some particular relation to Him. ... Especially to revile God
and divine things. ... Reviling (blaspheming) against the Holy Spirit means to
resist the convicting power of the Holy Spirit." -- The Complete Word
Study Dictionary of the New Testament, Zodhiates, page 340.
I URGE = The Greek "parakaleo" (Strongs #G3870) means here to
"admonish or exhort" someone to do something.
"The New
Testament has seven different Greek nouns for prayer, four of which occur in
this verse: (1) Requests: This word
basically carries the idea of desire or need. All true prayer begins in a sense
of need and involves a deep desire, although it should never stop there. God
wants us to bring our "requests" to him, and he always has a
listening ear. (2) Prayers: This word always signifies praying to God. It is
used for both private and public prayers (here public). (3) Intercession: This
word was used in the sense of "conversation" and then of
"petition." Perhaps it suggests the idea that prayer should be a
conversation with God, but it also implied boldness of access to God's
presence. We must come to God with full confidence and enter into close
communion with him in a conversational atmosphere if we want to experience
depth and richness in our prayer life. And only those who really commune with
God in private can edify others in their public prayers. (4) Thanksgiving: This
word suggests that giving of thanks should always be a part of our praying.
Thanking God for what he has done for us in the past strengthens our faith to
believe that he will meet our needs in the future." -- Zondervan NIV Bible
Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:1.
REQUESTS = The Greek "deesis" (Strongs #G1162) means "to express one's
particular need, to pray for a particular benefit." Here the prayer begins by acknowledging a
need.
PRAYERS = The Greek "proseuche" (Strongs #G4335) means "pray to God,
offer prayers to God."
INTERCESSION = The Greek "enteuxis" (Strongs #G1783) means "coming together
to entreat, or intercede."
THANKSGIVING = The Greek "eucharistia" (Strongs #2169) means "thanksgiving,
gratitude, gratefulness." Eucharist
is another name for the Lord's Supper, indicating communion is a time of
highest thanksgiving and gratitude for the greatest gift of God's Son, Jesus
Christ.
BE MADE FOR EVERYONE = Specifically
"everyone" includes "kings and all those in authority" (1
Timothy 2:2). The purpose of these
"requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving" is two-fold: (1)
"that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and
holiness" (1 Timothy 2:2); and (2) that "all men (may) be saved
and ... come to a
knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).
1 Tim 2:2
IN AUTHORITY = The Greek "huperoche" (Strongs #G5247) means "eminence in
authority or power, superiority in rank or character."
"The fact
that we are permitted to assemble peaceably for public worship is dependent on
our rights under law--law as upheld and enforced by our legislators,
administrators, and judicial leaders. We ought to pray for them, and also thank
God for them." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:2.
"Paul makes
no distinction between those rulers that are just and those that are not. He sees it as a Christian duty to pray for those
whose actions affect every citizen." -- New Bible Commentary, Wenham,
Motyer,
PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIVES = "Anyone who is irreverent is living
an ungodly life." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:2.
GODLINESS = The Greek "eusebeia" (Strongs #G2150) means "devotion,
piety, godliness."
HOLINESS = The Greek "semnotes" (Strongs #G4587) means "decency,
integrity, uprightness, dignity."
1 Tim 2:3
GOD OUR SAVIOR = The Greek literally reads "in the sight of
Savior our God." These nouns are
genitives thus grammatically they are linked together as one and the same
thing: God is our Savior, and our Savior is God. Paul goes on to explain the functions of both
the Father and the Son in 1 Timothy 2:5.
1 Tim 2:4
WHO WANTS = The Greek "thelo" (Strongs #G2309) means "desire, intent,
will" which implies an active purpose.
"It could be
argued that what God wants must surely come to pass. But it is important to remember that both the
Old Testament and the New Testament speak of God's 'desire' or His 'will' in
quite varied ways, determined by the context.
Sometimes God's 'will' cannot be distinguished from His decree: what He
wills to happen, happens. At other times God's 'will' is His command
(e.g. 1 Thessalonians 4:3). At still
others, it refers to His stance. The God
who cries, 'I take no pleasure in the death of anyone ... Repent and live!'
(Ezekiel 18:32) is also the One of whom it is said that He wants all people to
be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. It is of course, possible to array these
statements in some sort of contradictory pattern. In fact, they are part of a consistent
biblical picture in which God is presented as simultaneously utterly sovereign
and distinctly personal. To set His
sovereignty over against His personal interaction with us, His image-bearers,
is to destroy the biblical portrayal of God.
In the context of 1 Timothy 2, Paul is anxious
to stress divine compassion towards all people irrespective of race, status or
condition. Whatever Paul and other New
Testament writers say about election, certainly it is integral to early
Christian preaching that God desires all to come to a
knowledge of the truth." -- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
ALL MEN TO BE SAVED = In the previous
verse Paul refers to God as "God our Savior." God's primary desire is that all mankind be
saved, thus it is illegitimate to conceive of God as having to be
"begged" to save someone -- His very nature is that of saving. However, it is man's responsibility to accept
God's free gift of salvation.
"Salvation
has been provided for all, but only those who accept it are saved." --
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:4.
"Salvation is
both an event and a process. We are saved
at the time of conversion but are still being saved in the sense of being made
more conformed to Christ's image (1 Corinthians
1 Tim 2:5
ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR = In the Trinity, Jesus is both
"God" and "mediator" (see note on 1 Timothy 2:3 and 1 John
"This is a
primary affirmation in the OT, in opposition to the polytheism of Paul's day.
The fact that there is only one God (monotheism) is the basic premise of both
Judaism and Christianity. But then comes a difference, for Christianity goes on to assert that
'there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' 'Mediator' occurs only once in LXX (Greek
translation of the OT). Job was frustrated by the fact that God was not a man
with whom he could converse. In despair he wished that there might be someone
to arbitrate between himself and God (Job
"To be of any
use, a bridge across a chasm or river must be anchored on both sides. Christ
has closed the gap between deity and humanity. He has crossed the grand canyon, so deep and wide, between heaven and earth. He
has bridged that which separated us from God. With one foot planted in eternity
(deity), he planted the other in time (humanity). He who was the eternal Son of
God became the Son of Man. And across this bridge, we can come into the very
presence of God, knowing that we are accepted because we have him as a
Mediator." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:5.
BETWEEN GOD AND MEN = Christ does not mediate between God and
Satan, or between mankind and Satan. He
mediates between humans and God. The
purpose of the atonement was to bring God and mankind together. Christ's death on the cross conquered Satan
(1 John 3:8), it was not a ransom paid to Satan to buy back human beings.
THE MAN CHRIST JESUS = Here Paul emphasizes Christ's humanity
(through the Incarnation). It was the
"man" Christ Jesus who died on the cross (1 Timothy
2:6).
1 Tim 2:6
GAVE HIMSELF AS A RANSOM = The previous
verse (1 Timothy 2:5) tells us that Christ mediates between God and humans, not
between God and Satan. Thus, Christ's
death on the cross was the "ransom" payment made to God, not to Satan
(see Ephesians 5:2).
1 Tim 2:7
APPOINTED = Paul was not elected or chosen by a church board. His appointment came from Jesus Christ.
A HERALD = Paul's great work was to herald the good news that God
"wants all men to be saved." A
"herald" has authority to make a public proclamation. Paul's authority came directly from Christ.
APOSTLE = The Greek term "apostolos" (Strongs #G652) is a naval term referring
to a ship which is commissioned and sent out.
Here Paul states the gift of "apostle" is given to one whom
Jesus Christ has commissioned to proclaim the Gospel.
A TEACHER OF THE TRUE FAITH = Christianity, as taught the Gentiles
by Paul is "the true faith" (see Galatians 1:6-9).
1 Tim 2:8
I WANT MEN EVERYWHERE = The Greek word
"aner" (Strongs #G435) means "male,
man, husband" -- it does not mean mankind or even humans (which would
include females). Some believe this
phrase prohibits women from praying in the public worship services of the
church. However this text is speaking to
men "everywhere," not just in church.
In addition, 1 Corinthians 11:4-7 clearly indicates both men and women
prayed and prophesied in the public services of the church. Furthermore, there were specific regulations
regarding that ministry: women were to pray or prophesy with their heads
covered, while men were to uncover their heads.
Thus Paul's directive here addressed a general need among Christian men
(including husbands): angry, argumentative men were "lift(ing) up holy hands in prayer." Their hearts did not match their deeds, so
Paul called them back to the spirit of true worship. Peter, also writing under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, makes it very clear that God does not hear the prayers of a
husband who mistreats his wife (1 Peter 3:7).
LIFT UP HOLY HANDS IN PRAYER = This
directive is not focused on church worship services, but is aimed at men
"everywhere."
"Lifting up
one's hands in prayer is often mentioned in the OT (see 1 Kings 8:22; Psalm 28:2; Psalm 141:2; Psalm 143:6;
Lamentations 3:41). It is a natural gesture, indicating earnest desire. The word "holy" here means devout,
pious, and pleasing to God. Linked to lifting up holy hands is the idea of
moral purity. We cannot pray effectively unless our lives are clean and
committed to our Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing does more to alienate the mind from
sincere prayer than an attitude of anger and a quarrelsome spirit." --
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:8.
1 Tim 2:9
I ALSO WANT WOMEN TO DRESS = Paul's statement here is in perfect
harmony with Peter's in 1 Peter 3:3-5 -- since both messages were inspired by
the Holy Spirit, Christians cannot charge Paul with misogyny.
MODESTLY = The Greek "kosmios" (Strongs #G2887) means "ordered, well
arranged, decent."
"Plato
presents someone who is 'kosmios' as the citizen who
quietly fulfills the duties which are incumbent on him and is not
disorderly. He associates such a person,
even as Paul does, with the 'sophron' (Strongs #G4998),
sensible, self-controlled, one who voluntarily places limitations on his own
freedom. The virtue of the 'kosmios,' however, is not only the propriety of his dress
and demeanor, but of his inner life, uttering and expressing itself
outwardly." -- The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament,
Zodhiates, page 880.
WITH DECENCY = The Greek "aidos" (Strongs #G127) means "modesty,
bashfulness." This term is only
used in 1 Timothy 2:9 and Hebrews 12:28.
"Modesty,
an innate moral repugnance to a dishonorable act or fashion. 'Aidos' is grief
due to the personal sense of evil. ... It implies reverence for the good as
good, not merely as that to which honor and reputation are attached." --
The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, Zodhiates, page 127.
"The
Christian woman is not to adorn herself with 'gold or pearls or expensive
clothes' so as to draw attention to herself. At worst, this is what the
prostitutes did. At best, it shows pride and self-centeredness, both of which
are contrary to the spirit of Christ. Such dress is especially unbecoming in
church. Rather, Christian women are to adorn themselves 'with good deeds,
appropriate for women who profess to worship God.' We must express our faith
through good deeds." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:9.
AND PROPRIETY = The Greek "sophrosune" (Strongs #G4997) means "of sound
mind, sane, temperate." It suggests
godly Christian women should not follow the extremes of fashion.
NOT WITH BRAIDED HAIR OR GOLD OR PEARLS = The Scripture has many examples of God's
people wearing jewelry -- God Himself dressed up His bride in gold and
expensive clothing (see Ezekiel 16:9-14).
Therefore Paul is not suggesting that the wearing of gold pearls or expensive
clothes, or braiding one's hair, is in itself immoral, indecent, or wrong. But rather those things should not be the
focus of a Christian woman's life (1 Timothy
"The
specifics Paul mentioned are not wrong in themselves,
but become inappropriate when they indicate misplaced values (see 1 Peter
3:3). In the Ephesian church these
styles may have been associated with the local temple prostitutes. Christians must be careful about letting a
pagan culture set their fashions. ... This was no plea for women to make themselves unattractive; it was simply an exhortation to
reject the world's yardstick for measuring beauty and adopt heaven's standards
(1 Samuel 16:7). One should expect
nothing less from women (and men) who profess to worship God." -- The
Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord & Zuck, page 735.
EXPENSIVE = The Greek "poluteles" (Strongs #G4185) means "very
expensive, sumptuous, lavish."
1 Tim 2:10
BUT WITH GOOD DEEDS = Modesty, decency and propriety -- rather than
outward adornment -- are the focus of godly women. Godliness is a matter of the heart and not a
matter of expensive dress. Godliness is
not enhanced by dressing in such outmoded, unbecoming clothing that one appears
eccentric, odd or peculiar. Modesty is
neither expensive nor eccentric.
1 Tim 2:11
A WOMAN = The Greek "gune" (Strongs #G1135) means "woman,
wife." The phrase is singular,
meaning "a" woman, or "the" woman, not "all"
women or "many" women (plural).
If Paul was instructing all the women in the church he would have used
the plural, rather than singular, phrase.
SHOULD LEARN = Paul is presenting the practical ideal: "a
woman should learn in quietness and full submission." The same could be said of any man. This does not mean that women are to be forever
learning and never teaching, but rather that in a learning situation (whether
in public or in the privacy of one's own home), a respectful decorum should be
maintained.
LEARN IN QUIETNESS = It is highly likely that Paul's words in this section
apply to husbands and wives rather than to worship services in the church. Consider that the word "church" is
not used even once in this chapter, and that Paul has just addressed men
"everywhere" (1 Timothy 2:8).
In addition, "childbearing" is not an issue of the church, but
rather of the family. Therefore it is
very likely that these particular verses apply to the relationship between a
husband and his wife rather than to the women in a particular church.
The fact that the
wife is to "learn in quietness" first indicates there is something
she currently lacks and thus should learn.
In this case, what she needs to learn is to be taught by her husband
(see note on 1 Timothy
"The word, 'hesuchia' (Strongs #G2271), translated 'quietness' in 1 Timothy 2:11 and 'silent' in verse 12, does not mean
complete silence or no talking. It is
clearly used elsewhere (Acts 22:2; 2 Thessalonians
FULL SUBMISSION = The Greek "hupotage" (Strongs #G5292) means "subordination,
subjection, submission, obedience."
"'Submission'
does not mean surrendering one's mind and conscience or abandoning one's
private judgment. It does mean, however, that a woman must be submissive to her
husband (cf. Titus 2:5)--though it may well have the wider application of
submission to the officials and regulations of the church." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:11.
1 Tim 2:12
I DO NOT PERMIT = The Greek "epitrepo"
(Strongs #G2010), means "give permission, permit, allow."
Here Paul is most
likely speaking about a wife in her own home (as in Ephesians
It should be
carefully pointed out that the words “church” or “public
meeting” are not even mentioned in this verse, nor
in the entire book of 1 Timothy. The
immediate context of this chapter deals with the home and interpersonal
relationships (as also in 1 Timothy chapter 5).
The justification in the immediate context for
applying 1 Timothy
"Some believe
that Paul here prohibited teaching only by women not properly instructed, i.e.,
by the women at
“A woman
should attempt nothing, either in public or private, that
belongs to man as his peculiar function. This was prohibited by the Roman laws:
In multis juris nostri articulis deterior est conditio
foeminarum quam masculorun,; l. 9, Pap. Lib.
31, Quaest. Foeminoe
ab omnibus officiis civilibus vel publicis
remotae sunt; et ideo nec judicis esse possunt,
nec magistratum gerere, nec postulare,
nec pro alio invenire, nec procuratores
existere; l. 2, de Reg. Juris.
Ulp.
Lib. i. Ad Sab.
- Vid. Poth. Pand. Justin., vol. i.
p. 13. ‘In our laws the condition
of women is, in many respects, worse than that of men. Women are precluded from
all public offices; therefore they cannot be judges, nor execute the function
of magistrates; they cannot sue, plead, nor act in any case, as
proxies.’ They were under many
other disabilities, which may be seen in different places of the Pandects. But to be in silence - It was lawful
for men in public assemblies to ask questions, or even interrupt the speaker
when there was any matter in his speech which they did not understand; but this
liberty was not granted to women.” – Adam
Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible.
“They may
teach in private, in their own houses and families; they are to be teachers of
good things (Titus 2:3). They are to bring up their children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord; nor is the law or doctrine of a mother to be forsaken,
any more than the instruction of a father (see Proverbs 1:8). Timothy, no
doubt, received much advantage, from the private teachings and instructions of
his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois; but then women are not to teach in the
church; for that is an act of power and authority, and supposes the persons
that teach to be of a superior degree, and in a superior office, and to have
superior abilities to those who are taught by them: nor to usurp authority
over the man; as not in civil and political things, or in things relating
to civil government; and in things domestic, or the affairs of the family; so
not in things ecclesiastical, or what relate to the church and government of
it; for one part of rule is to feed the church with knowledge and
understanding; and for a woman to take upon herself to do this, is to usurp an
authority over the man: this therefore she ought not to do.” – John
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“Women must
learn the principles of their religion, learn Christ, learn the scriptures;
they must not think that their sex excuses them from that learning which is
necessary to salvation. They must be
silent, submissive, and subject, and not usurp authority. The reason given is
because Adam was first formed, then Eve out of him, to denote her
subordination to him and dependence upon him; and that she was made for him, to
be a help-meet for him. And as she was last in the creation, which is one
reason for her subjection, so she was first in the transgression,
and that is another reason. Adam was not deceived, that is, not first;
the serpent did not immediately set upon him, but the woman was first in the
transgression (2 Corinthians 11:3), and it was part of the sentence, Thy
desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee, (Genesis
"This
prohibition in no way contradicts Titus 2:2-5.
It relates to teaching in the church in the presence of men and to the
fact that authority in matters concerning the church is not committed to
women." -- The International Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce, page 1477.
"The
application of these biblical truths to present-day church life causes much
dispute. If we say that Paul was
culturally conditioned, so that if he were writing today he would emphasize
only the equality of the sexes, we make God's revelation dependent on
transitory fashion -- changing from year to year (and thus uninspired). And who can tell what Paul would write were
he here today? If, on the other hand, we
insist on a precise application of each feature of first-century practice, we
run the risk of being irrelevant to modern life and even ridiculous. Our task is carefully to discern the basic
biblical principles which do not change and apply them sensitively to our
present situation." -- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
AUTHORITY = The Greek "authenteo" (Strongs #G831) means "to domineer, to
usurp authority over." The word
"usurp" means to seize and hold the power or rights of another by
force and without legal authority; to take over or occupy without right.
“AUTHORITY:
to lord it over the man, literally, “to be an autocrat (“one person
having unlimited power, a despot”).” – Jamiesson, Fausset and Brown
Commentary
"Authenteo" is used of "a self-appointed killer
with one's own hand, one acting by his own authority or power." -- The
Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, Zodhiates, page 288.
“To
teach (didaskein). In the public meeting clearly.
And yet all modern Christians allow women to teach Sunday school classes. One
feels somehow that something is not expressed here to make it all clear. Nor to have dominion over a man (oude authentein
AUTHORITY OVER A MAN = See note on "be silent." As newly converted, spiritually immature,
headstrong women began to overthrow order and decorum in the home, or in the
growing church, the Lord inspired Paul to bring them back to the reality of
Christian "headship" (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23). Immediately following this comment about
authority, Paul speaks about the criteria for determining spiritual leadership
in the local congregation (1 Timothy 3:1-13), specifically requiring the
leadership to be male and the "husband of one wife" (also see 1
Timothy
BE SILENT = Greek "hesychia"
(Strongs #G2271) meaning "silence, quietness, rest" -- the opposite
of unruly disorder and confusion (see note on 1 Timothy
1 Tim 2:13
FOR ADAM WAS = There is a reason why Paul inserted verses 13
through 15 here. If Paul was not
appealing to an order of authority, leadership or headship that has existed since
creation, there was no need to include these verses. The order which exists as a result of
creation does not imply in any way that women are inferior to men.
"Paul based
his restrictions on Genesis chapters 2-3.
Some argue that 'For' does not express the reason for woman's silence
and submission, but is used only as a connective word as in 1 Timothy 2:5. The meaning, then, would be that Adam's
priority in creation illustrates the present situation of male priority in
teaching at
FORMED FIRST = The issue here is spiritual
headship and spiritual leadership. The
spiritual principle established in the Old Testament is that the first-born was
the spiritual leader. Adam, as
"first born" of the human family, was responsible for the spiritual
well-being of his family. Since Adam was
male, the role of spiritual headship is passed on to all males. Eve, as a female and "a helper" for
Adam (Genesis
1 Tim 2:14
ADAM ... NOT ... DECEIVED; ... WOMAN WHO WAS DECEIVED = Adam was
the more guilty of the pair because he was not deceived and thus sinned with a
full knowledge of God's instruction not to eat from the tree. In addition, Adam was the divinely-declared "head"
of his family, therefore it was his responsibility to
help his wife follow God's word. The
careful Bible student will observe that, rather than being a derogatory
statement about all women everywhere for all time, this text clearly points out
the fact that Eve was deceived and indicts Adam as the greater sinner. If anything, Paul is absolving Eve on the
basis she was unknowingly deceived.
Thus Paul's
warning to Timothy revolves around the concept of deception and the resulting
disobedience of God's commands. Not only
was deception occurring within Christian homes (as it did in the beginning at
Eden), but it was also causing both men and women in several of the New
Testament churches to fall for false doctrines (see 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 cf.
Titus 1:9-11). Scripture is clear that
men sin just as frequently as women, and that gender has no bearing whatsoever
upon moral faithfulness (Galatians
1 Tim 2:15
SAVED THROUGH CHILDBEARING = The focus of
1 Timothy 2:9-15 has been on the role of the woman/wife (childbearing is a
function of the home/family unit, not the church). If wives will function in their proper role
("helper suitable for the man/husband" Genesis
"This verse
is difficult to explain. Literally, the passage reads: "But she will be
saved through the childbirth, if they continue in faith. . . ." The verb
'save' (Strongs #G4982) is used in the NT for both physical healing (mostly in
the Gospels) and spiritual salvation (mostly in the letters). Perhaps it
carries both connotations here. The wife may find both physical health and a
higher spiritual state through the experience of bearing and rearing children.
... By begetting children and thus fulfilling the design God appointed for
women, a woman will be saved from becoming a prey to the social evils of her
day and will take her part in the local church." --
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:15.
IF THEY CONTINUE = Conditional phrase.
A TRUSTWORTHY SAYING = See note on 1 Timothy
AN OVERSEER = The Greek "episkope" (Strongs #G1984) means "to look after,
the act of visiting or being visited."
"The word
'overseer' is not to be identified with 'bishop', although the later bishops
exercised the role of oversight. The
idea of an authoritative office such as seen in the role of bishop throughout
Christian history does not belong to New Testament thought. Paul was writing of those whose job it was to
supervise, but who did not possess an independent authority. There is no suggestion that there was only
one bishop in each church and certainly no suggestion that an overseer, as
happened in the case of the later bishops, would supervise several churches."
-- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
"In the light
of the fact that the common, present-day meaning of the word 'bishop' bears no
relation to the position Paul envisages when he refers to 'episkope,'
it seems regrettable that not only the RSV but also the majority of other
recent translations have adhered to it.
The NIV gives more accurately 'overseer,' but even this is not without
certain ecclesiastical overtones. The
idea underlying the word is that of a guardian, superintendent or leader. Instead of 'being an overseer' a stricter
translation might provide us with the expression 'overseership'
or with such a phrase as 'spiritual supervision and leadership.' Even so, the interpretation based on the
omission of the word office should not be so weighted as to imply that it is
the task which is all-important and that formal recognition and acknowledged
leadership may be ignored. That such
were officially appointed, known, respected and obeyed is clear from such
passages as 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13; Hebrews 13:17. Quite obviously Paul is not commending an
aspirant guilty of unworthy self-seeking, but rather one who is moved by a true
desire for the welfare of God's people. ... The responsibility involved is
onerous, but its fulfillment highly satisfying." -- Zondervan
International Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce, page 1478.
A NOBLE TASK = The ministry of
"overseer" is a noble ministry.
"Anyone who
aspires to such a position 'desires a noble task'--and, we might add, a place
of heavy responsibility. One needs to be sure that such a desire is not an
expression of pride, but rather that it reflects a deep commitment to the work
of the church." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 3:1.
1 Tim 3:2
ABOVE REPROACH = The Greek "anepileptos" (Strongs #G423) means "not deserving
blame, rebuke, or censure." There
is nothing in the life of this person an enemy can seize upon to attack or
condemn.
"All these
qualities are to be expected in any serious Christian person but especially so
in Christian leaders." -- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
THE HUSBAND OF BUT ONE WIFE = The Bible allows for remarriage under
certain conditions, one of which is the death of the spouse. Interpreting this phrase to mean the overseer
can never have been married before his present wife contradicts Scripture. The meaning is that he must be faithful to
his wife (i.e. be a "one woman man").
See note on 1 Timothy 5:9 for a similar statement regarding destitute
widows.
This requirement
"exclude(s) any bigamists." -- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
Some, who seek
Biblical approval for the ordination of women, turn this phrase around and
claim women who are "the wife of but one husband" are eligible for
pastoral leadership. This playing around
with Scripture is reprehensible. It
would be far better to admit that the idea of women pastors is a non-Biblical,
human invention, then to corrupt the Word of God.
TEMPERATE = The Greek "nephalios" (Strongs #G3524) means "to fast,
abstain from eating." Here it means
a person who is able to control himself when eating and drinking.
SELF-CONTROLLED = The Greek "sophron" (Strongs #G4998) means "discrete,
self-disciplined, self-controlled."
RESPECTABLE = The Greek "kosmios" (Strongs #G2887) means "orderly, decent,
one who quietly fulfills his duties."
See note on 1 Timothy 2:9.
HOSPITABLE = "Christians traveling in the first century
avoided the public inns with their pagan atmosphere and food that had already
been offered to idols (cf. 1Co 8). They would therefore seek out a Christian
home in which to stop for the night. A valuable by-product was that believers
from widely scattered areas would get to know each other, thus cementing lines
of fellowship." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 3:2.
1 Tim 3:3
NOT QUARRELSOME = The Greek "amachos" (Strongs #G269) means "not a fighter,
not contentious or quarrelsome."
NOT A LOVER OF MONEY = "The love of money (see 1 Timothy
1 Tim 3:4
HE MUST MANAGE HIS OWN FAMILY WELL = This
implies that the overseer is a married man.
"Unruly homes
do not offer the right kind of training experience for ruling the church. This is a principle which has often been
overlooked when choice of prospective ministers has been made." -- New
Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
1 Tim 3:5
MANAGE HIS OWN FAMILY = The Greek "proistimi" (Strongs #G4291) means "to stand
before, preside over, care for." In
the relationship a man has with his family are the indicators of his ability to
care for the church.
TAKE CARE OF GOD'S CHURCH = The Greek "epimeleomai"
(Strongs #G1959) means "to have concern for, take care of."
1 Tim 3:6
NOT BE A RECENT CONVERT = There is no substitute for Christian
experience and a solid relationship with Christ. New converts are not ready to assume the
ministry of "overseer" until they have sufficiently matured in
Christ.
"It is worth
noting that in the similar list in Titus (Titus 1:6-9) this requirement is
omitted, presumably because the church was so recent that it would have been
difficult to apply. Where possible it is
clearly undesirable for new Christians to be given too much responsibility until
they are established." -- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer,
CONCEITED = The Greek "tuphoo" (Strongs #G5187) means "high-minded,
swollen with pride."
FALL UNDER THE SAME JUDGMENT AS THE DEVIL = This
judgment is torment in the lake of burning sulfur (see Revelation
"We believe
that only God is uncreated, that he created all life, and that he pronounced
everything he created as 'good.' Satan
was therefore created by God as a good creature. At some time in history he
fell, and the cause of his fall was pride. All proud people are subject to the
same judgment as he is." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy
3:6.
1 Tim 3:7
NOT FALL INTO DISGRACE = "Satan likes nothing better than to
disgrace God's work and God's people by trapping church leaders in sin before a
watching world. It is important
therefore that overseers achieve and maintain a good reputation before
unbelievers." -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, Walvoord
& Zuck, page 737.
THE DEVIL'S TRAP = Scripture accurately portrays Satan as actively
waging war on believers. His trap
includes three temptations: the
"love of the world," "the cravings of sinful man" and
"the lust of his eyes" (1 John
1 Tim 3:8
DEACONS = The Greek "diakonos" (Strongs #G1249) means "a waiter, a
servant, one who ministers or serves."
"'Diakonos' is also used in the NT as a technical term side
by side with 'episkopos' (Strongs #G1985), 'bishop'
or 'overseer' (1 Timothy 3:8, 12; Philippians 1:1). The deacons in this sense were helping or
serving the bishops or elders, and this is why they were probably called
deacons. They did not, though, possess
any ruling authority as did the elders.
Tychicus was called a deacon in his relation to Paul (Ephesians
"The word translated
'deacon' ('diakonos') means literally a 'humble
servant.' The role of the deacons is to
carry out, under the elders' oversight, some of the more menial tasks of the
church so that the elders can give their attention to more important things." -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New
Testament, Walvoord & Zuck, page 737.
WORTHY OF RESPECT = This requirement also
extends to their wives as well (1 Timothy
NOT INDULGING IN MUCH WINE = Drunkenness is prohibited by
scripture: Ephesians 5:15-18; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
1 Tim 3:9
KEEP HOLD OF THE DEEP TRUTHS OF THE FAITH = The ministry of deacons
still requires orthodoxy in doctrinal theology even though deacons do not
minister the Word as teachers and apostles do.
WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE = This is a
conscience that has been washed clean by the blood of Christ (Hebrews
1 Tim 3:10
IF THERE IS NOTHING AGAINST THEM = The
Greek "anegkletos" (Strongs G410) means
"without accusation." It is a
legal term specifically meaning "free from any legal charge." This implies that the deacon lives his life
above any accusation. Also see 1
Corinthians 1:8; Colossians 1:22; 1 Timothy 3:10; Titus 1:6-7.
1 Tim 3:11
THEIR WIVES = Some believe this is
speaking about deaconesses. However, history
indicates the ministry of deaconesses did not exist in the church until several
centuries after Paul wrote. Romans 16:1 mentions
Phoebe as a "servant" ("diakonos")
of the church in Cenchrea. There the Greek word is in the feminine:
"deaconess." However it is not
likely that she held an official position in the church as a deaconess.
"In the Greek
language the same word is used for 'woman' and 'wife' ('gunay'
Strongs #G1135). Since this word is found here for 'their wives,' there are
three possible interpretations as to what group Paul is talking about. (1)
These women were the wives of the deacons, though the word 'their' is missing
in Greek. (2) Another possibility is that Paul is speaking of women in general;
the context of verses 8-12 would seem to rule this out. (3) The third choice is
a reference to deaconesses, of whom Phoebe (Romans 16:1) is an example. We know
that there were deaconesses in the church in later centuries, but whether such
an order existed in the first century is debatable. We are inclined to favor the idea that the
reference is to 'their wives.' Paul
talks about the qualifications of the deacons in verses 8-10 and again in
verses 12-13. It would seem natural to assume that he is talking about their
wives in verse 11." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on
1 Timothy 3:11.
TEMPERATE ... AND TRUSTWORTHY IN EVERYTHING = These
are two basic requirements for wives of deacons, and also for all Christians.
1 Tim 3:12
THE HUSBAND OF BUT ONE WIFE = The Bible allows for remarriage under
certain conditions, one of which is the death of the spouse. Interpreting this phrase to mean the overseer
can never have been married before his present wife contradicts Scripture. The meaning is that he must be faithful to
his wife (i.e. be a "one woman man").
See note on 1 Timothy 3:2 for "overseers" and 1 Timothy 5:9
for a similar statement regarding destitute widows.
1 Tim 3:13
GREAT ASSURANCE IN THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST = This
"great assurance" is a by-product of faithful service, not a reward
for service. When one has carefully
applied the principles Jesus taught, the resulting success contributes to an
"excellent standing" (or, "reputation") in the church.
1 Tim 3:15
THE PILLAR AND FOUNDATION OF THE TRUTH = Not only is the church to
stand for truth as a "pillar," but it is also the
"foundation" where truth is taught "from the ground
up." These terms emphasize the
solidity of the truth as it is found in God's Word. Therefore, it is vitally important that
heretical teachers, false prophets, and all false doctrines be rooted out from
the church (see 1 Timothy
"The temple
devoted to 'Diana of the Ephesians' was renowned for its massive pillars."
-- Zondervan International Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce, page 1479.
1 Tim 3:16
THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS IS GREAT = The
Greek "musterion" (Strongs #G3466) means
"mystery in the sense something is hidden, not fully
manifested."
Here it means
"some sacred thing hidden or secret which is naturally unknown to human
reason and is only known by the revelation of God." -- The Complete Word
Study Dictionary, New Testament, Zodhiates, page 1000.
APPEARED IN A BODY = A reference to Christ's Incarnation (see
Philippians 2:6-8). The Greek "phaneroo" (Strongs #G5319) means "to
manifest, to show openly," it means Christ actually existed as a human
being and was seen as such. It does not
mean Christ only pretended (i.e. only "appeared") to be a human
being.
WAS VINDICATED BY THE SPIRIT = The Greek
"dikaioo" (Strongs #G1344) means
"justify, make righteous, vindicate."
"In 1 Timothy
3:16, it is said of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, that He was justified in ('en'
[Strongs #G1722]) the Spirit or by means of the Spirit. In the appearance of the Spirit upon Jesus,
there was the confirmation of the claims of the Son of God that He was the
Messiah, the King of Israel, the Redeemer of
mankind. This refers to the descent of
the Holy Spirit upon Him at His baptism and through the miracles which He
performed in full agreement with the Spirit and with God the Father. The justification (vindication) of His
claims, however, was through His resurrection (Romans 1:4; 1 Peter
"The Holy
Spirit enabled Jesus to drive out demons (Matthew
In addition, the
reception of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) was
further vindication of Christ's ministry and promises (see John
SEEN BY ANGELS = Angels saw Christ at His birth (Luke
THE SPIRIT CLEARLY SAYS = Paul could be referring to a direct
revelation he had received from the Holy Spirit (i.e. Acts
IN LATER TIMES = Some incorrectly
associate these "later times" with the end of the world. However these "later times" began
with Christ's first coming (see Hebrews 1:1-2).
In the context of 1 Timothy 4:7, it is plain
that Paul understood the predicted deception and abandonment of the faith by
some already existed in the church of his day.
Also see 2 Timothy 3:1.
ABANDON THE FAITH AND FOLLOW DECEIVING SPIRITS ... DEMONS = As long
as one holds to the faith one will not be deceived. But when a believer abandons the faith, he
has rejected the guidance of the Holy Spirit and opened himself up to every
deception of Satan's evil spirits and demons.
"Spiritual
error is seldom due to innocent mistakes.
It is more often due to the conscious strategies of God's spiritual
enemies (cf. Ephesians
1 Tim 4:2
HYPOCRITICAL LIARS = The use of the word
"hypocrite" (Strongs #G5272) indicates these false teachers know the
truth but have deliberately "abandoned the faith." The result is their consciences have been
"seared as with a hot iron" -- they have been "branded" --
so that they no longer experience remorse or guilt. They are beyond hope.
1 Tim 4:3
FOODS WHICH GOD CREATED TO BE RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING = This
includes the "unclean" meats (see 1 Timothy 4:4) which God forbade
His people to consume in the Old Testament (see Leviticus 11). Those who "believe and who know the
truth" of Christianity are no longer under ceremonial laws of
"clean" and "unclean" foods. See Colossians 2:20-23 for further inspired
instruction regarding the uselessness of ascetism.
1 Tim 4:4
EVERYTHING GOD CREATED IS GOOD = See Genesis
RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING = Here the custom of giving thanks
before a meal is reinforced by Scripture.
1 Tim 4:5
IT IS CONSECRATED = The Greek "hagiazo" (Strongs #G37) means "to sanctify,
hallow, make holy." When understood
in the context of 1 Timothy 4:3-4, there are no "unclean" foods for
Christians for both God's Word and prayer makes the food "holy."
THE WORD OF GOD = This phrase is used
throughout Scripture to mean:
(1) a prophecy or directive from God to a prophet [1 Chronicles
17:3-4; Luke 3:2];
(2) the entire cannon of Scripture [Proverbs 30:5; Matthew
15:6];
(3) the spoken word/preaching [Acts
(4) the "sword of the Spirit" [Ephesians
(5) "Christ
in you, the hope of glory" [Colossians
(6) literally the word from God [1 Thessalonians
(7) In John 10:35,
"the word of God" is synonymous with "the Scripture."
(8) In Acts 6:7;
8:14, "the word of God" is synonymous with Christianity.
(9) In Revelation
19:13 "the Word of God" is a title for Jesus Christ.
1 Tim 4:6
POINT THESE THINGS OUT = From the
immediate context "these things" include the false doctrines of
"forbidding people to marry" and "abstaining from certain
foods" (1 Timothy 4:3).
THAT YOU HAVE FOLLOWED = The Greek "parakoloutheo" (Strongs #G3877) means "to follow
closely, to conform to." It
indicates Timothy's sincere conversion to Christianity and his consistent
application of its truths to his life.
1 Tim 4:7
GODLESS MYTHS = From the Greek "bebelos"
(Strongs #G952) meaning "a person who ought to be barred from entering the
temple, void of religion or piety, lacking any relationship to God;" and
the Greek "muthos" (Strongs #G3454) meaning
"a tale, fable, myth, something fabricated in the mind which opposes
reality."
OLD WIVES' TALES = Perhaps these could be best describes as tall
tales that elderly women love to tell children.
A dictionary defines "old wives' tales" as "a bit of lore
passed on by word of mouth" -- in other words, a superstition, or legend.
TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE GODLY = The Greek
"gumnazo" (Strongs #G1128) means "to
exercise, train." It is the root
word from which we get our English word "gymnasium." In other words, the concept is to practice
something over and over until you get it right.
Therefore, how godly we become depends upon how diligently we
practice. Our carnal nature, which is
evidenced by old habits and sinful thoughts, does not miraculously disappear --
it has to be replaced with the new, godly, ways of thinking and responding (see
Romans 12:2).
"There are
several principles in Paul's exhortation to Timothy to train himself to be
godly that are applicable to us today.
The first is personal responsibility.
Paul said, 'Train yourself.' Timothy was personally responsible for his
progress in godliness. He was not to
trust the Lord for that progress and then relax. ... He must work at this
matter of godliness; he must pursue it.
"The second
principle in Paul's exhortation is that the object of this training was growth
in Timothy's personal spiritual life.
Elsewhere Paul encourages Timothy to progress in his ministry, but the
objective here is Timothy's own devotion to God and the conduct arising from that
devotion. Even though he was an
experienced, well-qualified Christian minister, Timothy still needed to grow in
the essential areas of godliness: the fear of God, the comprehension of the
love of God, and the desire for the presence and fellowship of God.
"The third
principle in Paul's words of exhortation to Timothy is the importance of
minimum characteristics necessary for training.
Many of us have watched various Olympic competitions on television, and
as the commentators have given us the backgrounds of the various athletes, we
become aware of certain irreducible minimums in the training of all Olympic
competitors. It is very likely that Paul
had these minimum characteristics in mind as he compared physical training with
training in godliness."
"The first of
these irreducible minimums is commitment.
No one makes it to the level of Olympic, or even national, competition
without a commitment to pay the price of rigorous daily training. And similarly, no one ever becomes godly
without a commitment to pay the price of the daily spiritual training which God
has designed for our growth in godliness. ... There is a price to godliness,
and godliness is never on sale. It never
comes cheaply or easily. The verb
'train,' which Paul deliberately chose, implies persevering, painstaking,
diligent effort.
"The second
irreducible minimum in training is a competent teacher or coach. No athlete, regardless of how much natural
ability he has, can make it to the Olympics without a skillful coach who holds
him to the highest standard of excellence and sees and corrects every minor
fault. In the same way, we cannot train
ourselves to be godly without the teaching and training ministry of the Holy
Spirit. He holds us to the highest
standard of spiritual excellence as He teaches and trains us through His
Word. Therefore, we must consistently
expose ourselves to the teaching of the Word of God if we are to grow in
godliness. ...
"The third
irreducible minimum in the training process is practice. It is practice that puts feet to the
commitment and applies the teaching of the coach. It is practice, where the skill is developed,
that makes the athlete competitive in his sport. And it is the practice of godliness that
enables us to become godly Christians." -- Victory Over
Temptation, Wilkinson, (Jerry Bridges), pages 71-73.
1 Tim 4:8
PHYSICAL TRAINING ... GODLINESS = Here Paul contrasts the physical
training of an athlete with the spiritual training of the believer. The physical has some value in this life, but
spiritual training provides both physical and spiritual benefits which extend
to eternity.
1 Tim 4:10
THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN = "Obviously this does not mean that God
saves every person from eternal punishment, for such universalism would contradict
the clear testimony of Scripture. God
is, however, the Savior of all in that He offers salvation to all and saves all
who come to Him." -- Zondervan NIV Study Bible note on 1
Timothy 4:10.
1 Tim 4:12
SET AN EXAMPLE = The Greek "tupos"
(Strongs #G5179) literally refers to the engraved metal piece ("die")
used for stamping a design onto a softer metal, such as in coining money. The example is to be set in five specific
areas: speech, life, love, faith and purity.
1 Tim 4:13
PUBLIC READING OF SCRIPTURE = Just as in the Jewish synagogues
(Luke
PREACHING = In addition to reading Scripture, a Christian pastor is
to preach. The Greek "paraklesis" (Strongs #G3874) literally means to
"exhort." Thus the pastor is
to exhort his congregation to obey the Word he has read.
TEACHING = The Greek "didaskalia"
(Strongs #G1319) means "teaching, learning."
"The New
Testament employs two terms for teaching, 'didache' (Strongs
#G1322) and 'didaskalia.' Generally speaking, 'didache'
means the substance of teaching (i.e. what is taught), and 'didaskalia'
the act of teaching." -- The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New
Testament, Zodhiates, page 448.
1 Tim 4:14
DO NOT NEGLECT = "'Neglect' means to be careless about
something; being careless about God's gifts is a sin." --
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, on 1 Timothy 4:14.
A PROPHETIC MESSAGE = See note on 1 Timothy
LAID THEIR HANDS ON YOU = Laying on of hands was a formal blessing,
or commission (see 1 Timothy
1 Tim 4:15
YOUR PROGRESS = The Greek "prokope"
(Strongs #G4297) means "to drive forward." The goal of diligence is to ensure spiritual
development and progress.
1 Tim 4:16
WATCH YOUR LIFE AND DOCTRINE CLOSELY = It is of first importance
that every Christian carefully examine his own life. A thorough examination includes both the
visible, outward life and the invisible, hidden thoughts. A pastor must not only watch over his flock, but he
must also watch over himself.
AN OLDER MAN = The Greek "presbuteros"
(Strongs #G4245) means "elder" -- it is used to denote an elderly man
in contrast to "younger men."
1 Tim 5:3
PROPER RECOGNITION = From the Greek "timao"
(Strongs #G5091) meaning "respect."
The Jewish synagogues took special care to see that widows were not
destitute (see Luke
The word
"appears to convey not only the normal idea of respect, but also of
material support (see Matthew 15:5). ... It was a Christian duty to care for
these ... widows with no other means of support (i.e. who were genuinely
destitute)" -- The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, vol. 14.
"Probably
means taking care of them, including the giving of material support. Widows were particularly vulnerable in
ancient societies because no pensions, government assistance, life insurance,
or the like were available to them." -- Zondervan NIV Study Bible note on 1 Timothy 5:3.
"In
commanding Timothy to 'give proper recognition to those widows who are really
in need' the apostle states a principle which has had a wide and permanent
influence not only on ecclesiastical discipline but upon European
legislation. Speaking of the growth of
the modern idea of a will, by which a man can regulate the descent of his
property inside and outside his family, Sir Henry Maine remarks, that 'the
exercise of the Testamentary power was seldom allowed to interfere with the
right of the widow to a definite share, and of the children to certain fixed
proportions, of the devolving inheritance.
The shares of the children, as their amount shows, were determined by
the authority of Roman law. The
provision for the widow was attributable to the exertions of the Church, which
never relaxed its solicitude for the interest of wives surviving their husbands
-- winning, perhaps, one of the most arduous of its triumphs when, after
exacting for two or three centuries an express promise from the husband at
marriage to endow his wife, it at length succeeded in engrafting the principle of
Dower on the Customary Law of all Western Europe.' This is one of the numerous instances in
which the Gospel, by insisting upon the importance of some humane principle,
has contributed to the progress and security of the best elements in
civilization" -- The Expositor's Bible, Timothy, pp. 159-160.
WIDOWS = Paul wrote this around 63-65 A.D.
WHO ARE REALLY IN NEED = Paul defines this as a widow who has no
living family to assist her (1 Timothy 5:4).
"As early as
Acts 6:1-4 the church had established a charitable outreach to widows. Now about 30 years later the ministry to
widows, of whom there were no doubt many, showed signs of being a major burden
to the congregation. Paul was eager in
this passage to identify those who did not truly need help in order to leave
enough for those who did" -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament
Edition, p. 742.
1 Tim 5:4
HAS CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN = In other words, the widow had
relatives who should support her (also see 1 Timothy
5:8).
"The apostle
makes it quite clear that where widows have close relatives, these relatives
must relieve the church of the responsibility to support them" -- \iThe Tyndale New Testament Commentaries,\p
vol. 14.
"In
God's economy the first responsibility for caring for the needy falls on the
family, not the church and surely not the state" -- The Bible Knowledge
Commentary, New Testament Edition, p. 742.
1 Tim 5:5
LEFT ALL ALONE = In the context of 1
Timothy 5:4 this means she has no immediate family members to care for her.
1 Tim 5:6
WHO LIVES FOR PLEASURE IS DEAD = Paul is simply indicating the
widow was dead spiritually even though she was alive physically.
"Many widows
were tempted to resort to immoral living as a means of support. ... Timothy is
here reminded that widows supporting themselves illicitly are attempting to
support what is already dead (i.e. a religious corpse). Such people have clearly no claim on the
Church's care" -- \iThe Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries,\p vol. 14. Also see 1 Timothy
5:9.
1 Tim 5:7
SO NO ONE MAY BE OPEN TO BLAME = Educating the congregation to know
the will of God is an important part of pastoral ministry.
1 Tim 5:8
PROVIDE FOR = The Greek "pronoeo" (Strongs #G4306) means "to provide for,
take thought of, care for beforehand."
In context it is primarily speaking about providing financially for
one's family so that the church is not burdened by them. Also see notes on 1 Timothy
5:16; Exodus 20:12 and Mark 7:10-13.
HIS RELATIVES = The Greek "idios" (Strongs #G2398) means "one's own, one's
possessions, one's relatives, etc."
In the context here, it is speaking about one's own relatives or
extended family (see 1 Timothy 5:4).
HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY = The Greek "oikios" (Strongs #G3609) means "one's own
household, one's domestic servants."
In the context here, it is speaking about one's immediate family.
1 Tim 5:9
LIST OF WIDOWS = "Here and in the next verse specific details
are given about the qualifications of the widow the church is to support. ...
There was a mutual obligation between the church and these widows: the church
was to relieve their poverty, they were to consecrate themselves to the
ministry of the church" -- \iThe Wycliffe Bible
Commentary.
\p"The church should not be charged with the
maintenance of those widows who had relatives of their own that were able to
maintain them. ... In the primitive church there was care taken of poor widows
... (they) share(d) in the public bounty. ... Rich
people should be ashamed to burden the church with their poor relatives"
-- \iThe Matthew Henry Commentary.
\p"What exactly this list involved is not known. It may have been an official order for
service in the congregation; more likely it was merely a roll of those widows
who were to receive assistance from the congregation" -- \iThe Bible Knowledge Commentary,\p
New Testament Edition, p. 743.
"While there
is no evidence of an order of widows comparable to that of the overseers, it
appears that those on the list were expected to devote themselves to prayer (1
Timothy 5:5) and to good deeds (1 Timothy 5:10)." -- Zondervan NIV Study
Bible note on 1 Timothy 5:9.
UNLESS SHE IS OVER SIXTY = "The proviso of so high an age as sixty presents a
difficulty as to whether widow should be understood in the same sense as in 1
Timothy 5:3-8 (i.e. of genuinely destitute Christian widows) or in the sense of
widows belonging to an order. In the
former case it is inconceivable that the church would set an arbitrary age in
dispensing help to destitute widows, while in the latter case it is difficult to
believe the entry age to an official ecclesiastical order would be as high as
sixty, in the contemporary world a relatively more advanced age than in our
own. It seems preferable, therefore, to
suppose that special duties in the Church were reserved for some of the old
widows receiving aid, and some official recognition of this fact was
given" -- \iThe Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries,\p vol. 14.
Also see 1 Timothy 5:3-8; Acts 6:1-4.
HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO HER HUSBAND = The Greek has literally
"the wife of one man". This
same phrase appears again in the list of qualifications for overseers (1
Timothy 3:2) and deacons (1 Timothy
1 Tim 5:10
WASHING THE FEET OF THE SAINTS = In the
days of sandals and dusty roads this menial task was much appreciated. Washing feet was not a religious rite, but
rather a demonstration of hospitality and humble loving service (Luke
1 Tim 5:12
THEY BRING JUDGMENT ON THEMSELVES = This
"judgment" comes as the result of deciding to marry (see 1 Timothy
BROKEN THEIR FIRST PLEDGE = When a person becomes a Christian he
pledges his first loyalty to Jesus Christ.
Perhaps young Christian widows had a habit of marrying unbelievers and
consequently were drawn away from the faith,
thus "breaking" their pledge of loyalty to Christ (1 Timothy
5:15). Perhaps these widows also
solemnly promised to be devoted only to Christ (as in some of the religious
orders in Catholicism [i.e. nuns]) when they were put on the list of widows
eligible to receive aid.
"The pledge
Paul referred to was probably a more or less formal commitment, taken on
joining the list of widows, wherein the woman vowed to serve Christ entirely
without thought of remarriage. In this
way she could devote herself without distraction to the Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians
1 Tim 5:14
THE ENEMY = The Greek "antikemai" (Strongs #G480) means "opposed to,
against." The context indicates
this is probably a reference to Satan (see 1 Timothy
1 Tim 5:15
SOME HAVE ... ALREADY TURNED AWAY = In
context this refers to "younger widows" who are "overcome"
by their "sensual desires" and abandon their "dedication to
Christ" by marrying (1 Timothy
TO FOLLOW SATAN = "We believe that only God is uncreated, that
he created all life, and that he pronounced everything he created as
'good.' Satan was therefore created by
God as a good creature. At some time in history he fell, and the cause of his
fall was pride. All proud people are subject to the same judgment as he is (see
Revelation
1 Tim 5:16
SHE SHOULD HELP THEM = This is in complete
harmony with Paul's command that believers are to care for their own family
rather than look to the church (or government) for support (1 Timothy 5:8).
1 Tim 5:17
WHO DIRECT = The Greek word "proistemi" (Strongs G4291) means "to stand
before, preside over, to care for."
Never does the New Testament present elders as being little kings or
dictators in the local church. Rather
elders are to serve the congregation (see Acts
DOUBLE HONOR = A euphemism for "being paid wages" (1
Timothy
"'Double
honor' contains the two elements of respect and remuneration." -- The
International Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce, page 1482.
"Though Paul
reserved the right not to receive support from a congregation (1 Corinthians
"Some have
found here a distinction between ruling elders and teaching elders. But this is
doubtful. Probably some elders gave themselves to preaching and teaching in
addition to their regular duties--as was the case with Stephen and Philip as
deacons." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, on 1 Timothy 5:17
1 Tim 5:18
DESERVES HIS WAGES = Jesus taught that the Gospel minister, Bible
teacher, and elder are to be financially supported (Luke 10:7). Also see Matthew 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians
11:7-9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; 1 Corinthians 9:3-14; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy
5:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 7:8.
"The use of
this term ("Scripture") for both an OT (Deuteronomy 25:4) and a NT
(Luke 10:7) passage shows that by this time portions of the NT (or what
ultimately became a part of the NT) were considered to be equal in authority to
the OT Scriptures." -- Zondervan NIV Study Bible note on
1 Timothy 5:18.
"As usual,
Paul quotes the OT as 'Scripture.' But
does the introductory formula, 'For the Scripture says,' apply also to the
second quotation? Scholars are divided on this question, but if it does, this
is probably the earliest instance of the Lord's words being quoted as
Scripture." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy
5:18.
1 Tim 5:19
TWO OR THREE WITNESSES = Here Paul applies Old Testament law to
safeguard elders from false witnesses (Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 19:15-21; 2
Corinthians 13:1).
1 Tim 5:20
THOSE WHO SIN = Here the word "sin" ("hamartanontas" [Strongs #G264]) is a present active
participle meaning "those who habitually keep on sinning." In context, Paul is speaking about church
elders who habitually keep on sinning (1 Timothy
SO THAT THE OTHERS MAY TAKE WARNING = The
public rebuke is to be a warning to the "other" elders in the
congregation.
1 Tim 5:21
THE ELECT ANGELS = These are holy, unfallen
angels who remained God's chosen messengers in contrast to Satan and the fallen
evil angels who were cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:9).
KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS = The Greek "phulasso" (Strongs #G5442) means "to keep watch,
to observe, to not violate."
WITHOUT PARTIALITY = The Greek "prosklisis" (Strongs #G4346) means "without
inclination, without partiality."
DO NOTHING OUT OF FAVORITISM = The Greek "prokrima"
(Strongs #G4299), means "without preference, without judging
beforehand." The Christian pastor
is to be even-handed in his administration of justice, not allowing his
personal preferences to sway his integrity.
1 Tim 5:22
DO NOT BE HASTY IN THE LAYING ON OF HANDS = In
context this specifically refers to the ordaining of elders (1 Timothy
DO NOT SHARE IN THE SINS OF OTHERS = Scripture clearly warns
against choosing to associate with evil companions because their sins "rub
off" on the believer and bring him grief: Proverbs 22:24-25; Proverbs
1:10-19.
KEEP YOURSELF PURE = The Greek "hagnos" (Strongs #G53) means "pure, innocent,
blameless, chaste." It is related
to "hagios" (Strongs #G40) which means
"holy." This certainly refers
to living a moral, Christ-centered life, but in context it can also refer to
refusing to sully oneself by being "hasty in the laying on of hands."
1 Tim 5:23
USE A LITTLE WINE = The Greek "oinos" (Strongs #G3631) means "wine." Here it was intended for medicinal purposes:
"because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses."
"The word for
wine (Strongs #G3631) is sometimes used in LXX for unfermented grape juice.
Furthermore, it is generally agreed that the wine of Jesus' day was usually
rather weak and, especially among the Jews, often diluted with water." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 5:23.
"'Oinos.' Wine
derived from grapes. The mention of the
bursting of the wine skins in Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38 implies
fermentation. ... The drinking of wine, though not forbidden by Scripture (as
is drunkenness [Ephesians
1 Tim 5:24
SINS OF SOME MEN ARE OBVIOUS ... OTHERS TRAIL BEHIND = The context indicates Paul is advising Timothy to be careful
in examining candidates for elders for both obvious and hidden sins.
PLACE OF JUDGMENT AHEAD OF THEM = There is
a further theological implication to Paul's instructions regarding the
examination of candidates for elders: a Christian's sins are confessed and
forgiven by Jesus Christ. When a
Christian prays to Christ and asks for forgiveness, his prayer rises to the
most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus is ministering for us at
the throne of God (Hebrews 4:16; 6:19, 20; 8:1, 2; 9:24; 12:2). By confessing our sins now they "reach
the place of judgment ahead of us" and are forgiven (1 John 1:7; 2:2;
Revelation 1:5). Even the record of our
sins is totally erased (Psalms 103:12; 130:3, 4; Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah
31:34). Thus the Christian has no fear
of judgment, for the judgment has already occurred for him (Philippians 4:3;
Revelation 3:5).
SINS OF OTHERS TRAIL BEHIND THEM = However, the wicked do not
confess their sins and receive forgiveness.
Thus they face a future judgment in which their sins "trail behind
them" and come up to face them.
Because their sins are not forgiven there is a heavenly record
(Revelation 13:8; 17:8;
1 Tim 5:25
CANNOT BE HIDDEN = See 1 Corinthians 4:5.
SLAVERY = In Rome slaves outnumbered free citizens nearly three to
one. Not only did unbelievers have
slaves, but so did Christians (see Philemon
"Under normal
circumstances slaves and masters had no associations outside the institution of
slavery. With the advent of the gospel,
however, these two groups found themselves thrown together in the congregation
in new ways, creating problems the apostles were forced to address repeatedly
(cf. 1 Corinthians 7:20-24; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians
3:22-25; Philemon 115-17; 1 Peter 2:13-25).
Paul's instructions here correspond entirely with what is taught
elsewhere in the New Testament on the subject, with one major exception: in
this passage he addresses only slaves.
Usually his exhortations to submit to authority were immediately
buttressed by warning masters against abusing their authority (cf. Ephesians
6:5-9; Colossians
WORTHY OF FULL RESPECT = "Slaves are admonished to give full
respect to their masters. Paul was always concerned that the conduct of
Christians should be such as to bring glory to God and not bring reproach on
his name and on the Gospel." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1
Timothy 6:1.
1 Tim 6:2
BELIEVING MASTERS = These were Christian
slave owners (see note on 1 Timothy 6:1).
Paul is in no way condoning or encouraging slavery. Rather, during this time when Nero was
persecuting Christians, Paul recognized that proclaiming freedom for slaves
would simply provide the government with another excuse for murdering God's
people.
1 Tim 6:3
FALSE DOCTRINES = Paul defines "false doctrines" as
teachings that do "not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus
Christ and to godly teaching."
1 Tim 6:4
HE IS CONCEITED = "Doctrinal error is seldom merely a case of
being innocently mistaken. There is
almost always some degree of culpability.
The false teachers in
QUARRELS ABOUT WORDS = "Even well-intentioned theological
discussions sometimes have a tendency to degenerate into word-battles or
exercises in semantics." -- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy
6:4.
MALICIOUS TALK = "'Malicious talk' (Strongs #G3055), when
directed against God, means 'blasphemy,' but when directed against other
people, as here, it means 'abusive speech' or 'slander.'" -- Zondervan NIV
Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 6:4.
1 Tim 6:5
WHO HAVE BEEN ROBBED OF THE TRUTH = The
Greek "apostereo" (Strongs #G650) means
"to be defrauded, deprived of a possession." This suggests that these false teachers at one
time knew the truth.
FINANCIAL GAIN = See note on 2 Corinthians 11:7.
1 Tim 6:6
CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN = The Greek
"autarkeia" (Strongs #G841) means
"self-sufficient (in a good sense), contentment, a satisfied
mind." Paul describes the source of
"contentment" as being the knowledge that no worldly possession can
make one's heart more valuable (1 Timothy 6:7). Therefore we should be satisfied with having
the basic necessities of life (1 Timothy 6:8).
1 Tim 6:8
WE WILL BE CONTENT = The Greek "arkeo" (Strongs #G714) means "suffice,
sufficient, be satisfied with, content."
Genuine contentment is rapidly vanishing in today's materialistic
society. Contrary to Adler and Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the Holy Spirit teaches
Christians that there is very little that is necessary for godliness (1 Timothy
6:6), and that through our knowledge of Him,
Christ supplies all we need for godliness: 2 Peter 1:3. Also see Hebrews 13:5; Luke 10:42.
1 Tim 6:9
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET RICH = This is the
opposite of the "contentment" expressed in the previous verse (1
Timothy 6:8).
RUIN AND DESTRUCTION = "Wrong desires plunge people into 'ruin
[Strongs #G3639] and destruction [Strongs #G684].' Both words mean 'destruction,' but the second
is stronger, implying eternal condemnation. The combination of these two words
here suggests that Paul is speaking of destruction for time and eternity."
-- Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 6:9.
The Greek "apoleia" (Strongs #G684) means "perdition, ruin,
full destruction." Also see John
17:12; Philippians 1:28; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy
6:9; Hebrews 10:39; 2 Peter 3:7; Revelation 17:8, 11.
"In the New
Testament, 'apoleia' refers to the state after death
wherein exclusion from salvation is a realized fact, wherein man, instead of
becoming what he might have been, is lost and ruined. ... (It is) the second
death which is eternal exclusion from Christ's kingdom. (It applies to ) one determined to remain spiritually lost. ... 'Apoleia' and the verb 'apollumi
(Strongs #G622), (meaning) to destroy, lose, perish, must never be construed as
meaning extinction. One dies physically
when his spirit and his body separate.
Neither the body becomes extinct, nor the spirit. The body decomposes and ceases to exist in
the form it was. Its constituent parts,
however, continue to exist in a noncohesive form. The spirit takes a new existence, separate
from its previous existence joined with the body." -- The Complete
WordStudy Dictionary, New Testament, by Zodhiates, p. 246
"OLETHROS;
gen. 'olethrou,' masc. noun, from 'ollumi' (n.f.), to destroy, kill. Ruin, destruction. Used of divine punishment (1 Corinthians 5:5;
1 Thessalonians 5:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Timothy 6:9; Septuagint: Proverbs
21:7). The verb 'ollumi'
(n.f.) does not occur, but
its derivative, 'apollumi' (Strongs #G622), to
destroy, does. The fundamental thought
is not annihilation by any means, but unavoidable distress and torment."
-- The Complete Wordstudy Dictionary, New Testament,
Zodhiates, AMG Publishers, p. 1036.
1 Tim 6:10
THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL = The person who trades his soul for possessions has made an
irrevocable bargain that is irreparable (Mark
PIERCED THEMSELVES WITH MANY GRIEFS = "The metaphor ... may be
taken from the wild beast which, leaping at the bait hung over a pit, falls in,
and is impaled on the stake below." -- The International Bible Commentary,
F. F. Bruce, page 1483.
1 Tim 6:11
GODLINESS = The Greek "eusebeia" (Strongs #G2150) means "devotion,
piety, godliness."
FAITH, LOVE, ... GENTLENESS = Similar to
the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians
1 Tim 6:12
TAKE HOLD OF THE ETERNAL LIFE = "Timothy had possessed eternal
life since he had first been saved, but Paul urges him to claim its benefits in
greater fullness (see 1 Timothy 2:4;
1 Tim 6:13
WHILE TESTIFYING BEFORE PONTIUS PILATE = See John
1 Tim 6:14
KEEP THIS COMMAND = This does not refer to just the instruction of
the immediately preceding verses, but rather to
the entire body of sacred teaching Paul had communicated to Timothy.
THE APPEARING OF OUR LORD = The second
coming of Christ. This word was used by
secular Greek writers for the visible manifestation of an invisible deity.
1 Tim 6:15
BRING ABOUT IN HIS OWN TIME = Both Christ's first coming and His
second coming occur in God's own time (Galatians 4:4). Thus the time of Christ's second coming is
not something we humans can predict.
Jesus repeatedly stated we do not know the day or hour (Matthew 24:36;
Matthew 25:13; Luke 21:8; Acts 1:7).
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS = John the Revelator applies this
title to Christ (Revelation
1 Tim 6:16
WHO ALONE IS IMMORTAL = "God alone is 'immortal' (1
Corinthians
UNAPPROACHABLE LIGHT = This light is too
bright for human eyes. See note on 1
John 1:5.
WHOM NO ONE HAS SEEN OR CAN SEE = See Exodus 33:20; John
1 Tim 6:18
BE GENEROUS AND WILLING TO SHARE = "Wealth imposes a heavy
responsibility on its possessor. The greater our means for doing good, the greater our obligation." --
Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary on 1 Timothy 6:18.
1 Tim 6:19
LAY UP TREASURE FOR THEMSELVES = See Jesus' teaching in Matthew
TAKE HOLD OF THE LIFE = See note on 1 Timothy
1 Tim 6:20
GUARD WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO YOUR CARE = A Christian pastor is to
guard three things: the truth of the Gospel, the vitality of his relationship
to Christ, and the well-being of the flock to which he ministers.
Every Christian
must guard against presuppositions (which twist God's Word); liberalism (which
waters down God's Word); legalism (which confines the spirit of God's Word);
psychology (which replaces God's Word with man's word); spiritualizing (which
goes beyond God's Word); and denominationalism (which boxes in God's Word with
human
organization and teachings). Also see
2 Timothy 1:14.
THE OPPOSING IDEAS = Truth does not have two contradictory sides,
for truth is in perfect harmony with itself.
Those who try to contradict truth are following "what is falsely
called knowledge." The primary
evidence of error is that it opposes itself.
1 Tim 6:21
GRACE BE WITH YOU = The word
"you" is in the plural in Greek, meaning "you-all." This indicates that while Paul specifically
wrote to Timothy, he expected his letter to be read by, and profit, the church
at large.
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