THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TIMOTHY. _Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle_. -Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that used by the Byzantine historians, 5573. -Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5567. -Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5557. -Y... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Timothy 1:2. _MY OWN SON IN THE FAITH_] Brought to salvation through Christ by my ministry alone. Probably the apostle speaks here according to this Jewish maxim: כל המלמר בן תכירו תורה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו ילרו _He who teaches the law to his neighbour's son_ _is considered by the Scripture... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Timothy 1:3. _I BESOUGHT THEE_] The apostle had seen that a bad seed had been sown in the Church; and, as he was obliged to go then into Macedonia, he wished Timothy, on whose prudence, piety, and soundness in the faith he could depend, to stay behind and prevent the spreading of a doctrine... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Timothy 1:4. _NEITHER GIVE HEED TO FABLES_] Idle fancies; things of no moment; doctrines and opinions unauthenticated; silly legends, of which no people ever possessed a greater stock than the Jews. Their _Talmud_ abounds with them; and the English reader may find them in abundance in _Stehl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Timothy 1:5. _NOW THE END OF THE COMMANDMENT IS CHARITY_] These genealogical questions lead to _strife_ and _debate_; and the _dispensation of God_ leads to _love_ both to God and man, through faith in Christ. These genealogical questions leave the _heart_ under the influence of all its _vi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Timothy 1:6. _FROM WHICH SOME HAVING SWERVED_] _From which some_, though they have pretended to _aim_ at the τελος, _scope_, or _mark_, have _missed that mark_. This is the import of the original word αστοχησαντες. _TURNED ASIDE UNTO VAIN JANGLING_] The original term, ματαιολογιαν, signifie... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _TEACHERS OF THE LAW_] To be esteemed or celebrated as _rabbins_; to be reputed cunning in solving knotty questions and enigmas, which answered no end to true religion. Of such the rabbinical teaching was full. _UNDERSTANDING NEITHER WHAT THEY SAY_] This is evident from almost all the Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. _BUT WE KNOW THAT THE LAW IS GOOD_] The law as given by God, is both _good_ in _itself_ and has a good _tendency_. This is similar to what the apostle had asserted, Romans 7:12: _The law is holy; and the commandment is holy, just, and good_; where see the note. _IF A MAN USE IT LAWFULLY_]... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _THE LAW IS NOT MADE FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN_] There is a _moral law_ as well as a _ceremonial law_: as the object of the _latter_ is to _lead us to Christ_; the object of the _former_ is to _restrain crimes_, and inflict punishment on those that commit them. It was, therefore, not made for th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 10. _FOR WHOREMONGERS_] πορνοις. Adulterers, fornicators, and prostitutes of all sorts. _THEM THAT DEFILE THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND_] αρσενοκοιταις. From αρσην, a _male_, and κοιτη, a _bed_; a word too bad to be explained. A _sodomite_. _MEN-STEALERS_] ανδραποδισταις. _Slave-dealers_; whether... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _ACCORDING TO THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL_] The _sound_ _doctrine_ mentioned above, which is here called ευαγγελιον της δοξης του μακαριου θεου, _the Gospel of the glory of the blessed_ or _happy God_-a dispensation which exhibits the _glory_ of all his _attributes_; and, by saving man in such a w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _I THANK CHRIST_] I feel myself under infinite obligation to Christ who hath _strengthened me_, ενδυναμωσαντι, who hath _endued me with various miraculous gifts_ of his Holy Spirit, and put me into the _ministry_, διακονιαν, the _deaconship_, the _service of mankind_, by preaching the Gosp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _A BLASPHEMER_] Speaking impiously and unjustly of Jesus, his doctrine, his ways, and his followers. _AND-PERSECUTOR_] Endeavouring, to the uttermost of his power, to _exterminate_ all who called on the name of the Lord Jesus. _AND INJURIOUS_] και υβριστην. As full of insolence as I was... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT_] The original is very emphatic, _that grace of our Lord_, υπερεπλεονασε, _hath superabounded _- it manifested itself in a way of _extraordinary_ mercy. _WITH FAITH AND LOVE_] Not only pardoning such offences, but leading me to the full experi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS_] This is one of the most glorious truths in the book of God; the most important that ever reached the human ear, or can be entertained by the heart of man. _All men_ are sinners; and as such condemned, justly condemned, to eternal death. C... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _NOW UNTO THE KING ETERNAL_] This burst of thanksgiving and gratitude to God, naturally arose from the subject then under his pen and eye. God has most wondrously manifested his mercy, in this _beginning_ of the Gospel, by saving me, and making me a _pattern_ to all them that shall _hereaf... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _THIS CHARGE_] See the note on 1 Timothy 1:5. It was a _charge_ that the Judaizing teachers should not teach differently from that doctrine which the apostle had delivered to him. See 1 Timothy 1:3. _ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECIES_] This may refer to some predictions by inspired men, relati... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _HOLDING FAITH_] All the _truths_ of the _Christian_ _religion_, firmly believing them, and fervently proclaiming them to others. _AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE_] So holding the _truth_ as to _live_ according to its dictates, that a _good conscience_ may be ever preserved. As the apostle had just... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Timothy 1:20. _OF WHOM IS HYMENEUS AND ALEXANDER_] Who _had_ the _faith_ but _thrust it away_; who _had a good conscience_ through believing, but made _shipwreck_ of it. Hence we find that all this was not only _possible_, but did _actually_ take place, though some have endeavoured to mainta... [ Continue Reading ]