Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Timothy 6:1

ὅσοι κ.τ.λ. The construction is thoroughly Pauline; cp. Romans 2:12; Galatians 3:10, &c.

ὑπὸ ζυγὸν δοῦλοι, under the yoke as slaves, as the order of the words shews.

τοὺς ἰδίους δεσπότας, their several masters. But ἴδιος may be used without special emphasis, as in 1 Timothy 3:4; 1 Timothy 5:4 and the parallel passage Titus 2:9; cp. Ephesians 5:22 αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις�.τ.λ. The LXX. sometimes (especially in the later books) render the possessive pronoun by ἴδιος, and in late Greek the word is used for ἑαυτοῦ, ἑαυτῶν.

St Paul has δεσπότης in the Pastoral Epistles only (2 Timothy 2:21; Titus 2:9); elsewhere in similar contexts he has κύριος (Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; Colossians 4:1). δεσπότης (common in the LXX.; cp. 1 Peter 2:18) is perhaps the harsher word, but Philo (Quis rer. div. haer. 6) says that it is synonymous with κύριος, although he suggests a distinction between them, based on a false etymology.

πάσης τιμῆς�. The τιμή of widows (1 Timothy 6:3) and of presbyters (1 Timothy 6:17) has been enforced; we now come to the τιμή due to heathen masters from Christian slaves. Christianity taught that in Christ there was “neither bond nor free,” and gradually, through this teaching, the evils of slavery became mitigated and removed; but the Apostles and their successors were ever careful (see the various passages cited above and Ep. to Philemon passim) to preach to slaves the duty of obedience to their masters, in the existing condition of society. Unlike the Therapeutae and the Essenes who are said to have encouraged insubordination, as a practical corollary from the doctrine of the brotherhood of man, the Christian Church avoided any teaching which might seem to countenance a bellum servile, with its frightful consequences. Slaves were to commend their religion by the performance of their duty in their humble station. see on Titus 2:5.

ἵνα μὴ τὸ ὄνομα κ.τ.λ., that the Name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed. For slaves to have refused obedience would have brought immediate discredit on the Christian Faith, as subversive of the foundations of heathen society. St Paul quotes in Romans 2:24 the words of Isaiah 52:5 τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ διʼ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν (cp. 2 Samuel 12:14; Ezekiel 36:23), which are also in his mind here. Cp. [2 Clem.] § 13 for a like use of the phrase.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Timothy 6:1

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