1 Timothy 6 - Introduction

Of the duty of duty of servants. Not to have fellowship with new-fangled teachers. Godliness is great gain, and love of money the root of all evil. What Timothy is to flee, and what to follow; and whereof to admonish the rich. To keep the purity of true doctrine, and to avoid profane janglings.

Anno Domini 58.

ALTHOUGH slavery, in every form and degree, is contrary to the genius and spirit of the Christian religion, yet Christianity requires that those who, in the course of Providence, are permitted by him to be in that state, should honour and obey their masters, whether they be believers or unbelievers. The apostle therefore enjoined this duty, 1 Timothy 6:1.—See also 1 Corinthians 7:20. Colossians 3:22 assuring Timothy, that, if any person taught otherwise, he injuredthe cause of God by causing the name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed, a doctrine which, in all points, is conformable to godliness, 1 Timothy 6:3.—and was puffed up with pride, sacrificing the great interests of Christianity to subordinate considerations, which were not essential to the salvation of fools, and gendering strife, and every evil word and work, on points which he had nothing to do with, 1 Timothy 6:4.—Next, the apostle told Timothy, that the motive which influenced such characters, among the Ephesians, was of the basest kind, the love of gain, 1 Timothy 6:5.—but that true piety, with a contented mind, is great gain, 1 Timothy 6:6.—Whereas money is not real gain. It will not contribute in the least to make men happy in the life to come. For as we brought nothing with us into the world, so it is certain, that we can carry nothing out of it, 1 Timothy 6:7.—Therefore, instead of eagerly desiring to be rich, having food and raiment we ought to be contented, 1 Timothy 6:8.—Especially as experience teaches, that they who are bent on becoming rich, expose themselves to innumerable temptations, not only in the pursuit, but in the enjoyment of riches, by the many foolish and hurtful lusts which they engender, 1 Timothy 6:9.—Hence the apostle justly calls the love of money the root of all the evil affections and actions which are in the world, 1 Timothy 6:10.—Covetousness, therefore, being both highly criminal and disgraceful in all, but, especially in the ministers of religion, the apostle ordered Timothy, as a servant of God, to flee from the love of money, and from all the vices which it occasions; and to pursue righteousness, piety, faith, charity, patience, and meekness, 1 Timothy 6:11.—and to combat strenuously the good combat of faith, by making and maintaining the good confession concerning Jesus Christ, that he is the eternal Son of God, and Son of man, 1 Timothy 6:12.—Then he charged him in the sight of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, who himself witnessed under Pontius Pilate that confession, 1 Timothy 6:13.—to observe this commandment concerning it in an unblamable manner; whereby he would do his part in preserving the good confession of the world, till it was rendered indubitable to all by the appearing of Jesus Christ himself on earth, 1 Timothy 6:14.—whom God the Father will, at the proper time, shew to all as his eternal Son, by the glory and power with which he will send him to judge the world, 1 Timothy 6:15.

But lest Timothy, from the foregoing severe condemnation of the love of money, might have inferred, that it was a crime to be rich, the apostle, to obviate that mistake, ordered him to charge the rich, not to trust in uncertain riches for their happiness, but in God who always liveth, and who bestoweth on men all their enjoyments; 1 Timothy 6:17.—and to make a proper use of their riches, by relieving the necessities of the poor, and promoting every good work; 1 Timothy 6:18.—Because, thus they will provide for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, 1 Timothy 6:19.—Lastly, to make Timothy sensible how earnest the apostle was, that he should preserve the doctrines of the gospelpure, he renewed his charge to him; and cautioned him to avoid the vain babbling of the Judaizers, and those misinterpretations of the scriptures by which they opposed the doctrine of the apostles, and which they falsely dignified with the name of knowledge, 1 Timothy 6:20.