INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 1 In this chapter, after the inscription and salutation, the apostle having entreated Timothy to abide at Ephesus, observes, that his end was, that he might check the false teachers there, whom he describes; and then he gives an account of his apostleship, and also of his... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST,.... His name was well known to Timothy, and very dear to him; and so was his office as an apostle, and which he mentions, not so much for Timothy's sake, but for the sake of others, that what he delivers in this epistle might come with its proper weight and authority... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO TIMOTHY MY OWN SON IN THE FAITH,.... Not in the flesh, or by natural descent, but in a spiritual sense, in the faith of Christ; for Timothy was not related to the apostle according to the flesh, as some have thought, but the relation was spiritual; though the apostle was not properly his spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
AS I BESOUGHT THEE TO ABIDE, STILL AT EPHESUS,.... Where it seems he now was, being left here by the apostle, and where he was desired by him to continue: WHEN I WENT INTO MACEDONIA; not when he went his first journey there, for Timothy was then along with him, Acts 16:3 and so he seems to be in hi... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER GIVE HEED TO FABLES,.... Old wives' fables, 1 Timothy 4:7 or Jewish fables, Titus 1:14 the traditions of the elders; anything that was not true; or if it was, yet idle, vain, trifling, and unprofitable: AND ENDLESS GENEALOGIES; not of deities, as the Theogony of the Gentiles, or the ten Sep... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE END OF THE COMMANDMENT IS CHARITY,.... By the "commandment" may be meant, the order given to Timothy, or the charge committed to him; see 1 Timothy 1:18 to forbid the teaching of another doctrine, and to avoid fables and endless genealogies; the end and design of which was to cultivate peace... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM WHICH SOME HAVING SWERVED,.... The apostle, in this verse and the next, describes the persons he suspected of teaching other doctrines, and of introducing fables and endless genealogies; they were such who departed from the above things; they erred from the commandment, or law, notwithstanding... [ Continue Reading ]
DESIRING TO BE TEACHERS OF THE LAW,.... They were very fond of being called Rabbi, Rabbi, and styled doctors of the law, and of being thought to have skill in interpreting the law, and good talents in expounding it, and preaching upon it; which was now most in vogue, and gained the greatest applause... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE LAW IS GOOD,.... The apostle says this to prevent an objection that might be made to him, that seeing he bore so hard on such who were fond of being teachers of the law, he was himself against the law, and the preaching and proper use of it; but this he would not have concluded,... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THIS, THAT THE LAW IS NOT MADE FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN,.... No man is naturally righteous since Adam, excepting the man Christ Jesus: some that are righteous in their own opinion, and in the esteem of others, are not truly and really so; none are righteous, or can be justified in the sight of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHOREMONGERS,.... Fornicators and adulterers, who were transgressors of the seventh command, Exodus 20:14 these God will judge, and such shall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone: FOR THEM THAT DEFILE THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND; who are guilty of sodomy; such, accordi... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL OF THE BLESSED GOD,.... For no doctrine is sound, but what is agreeable to that: this is a very great encomium of the Gospel. The doctrine preached by the apostles was not only Gospel, or good news, and glad tidings, but the Gospel of God; of which he is the author,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I THANK JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, c. l The subject matter of this thanksgiving being the apostle's call to the ministry of the word, and his furniture and fitness for it, shows, that while others were fond of being teachers, and called doctors of the law, he esteemed it an high honour and special f... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WAS BEFORE A BLASPHEMER,.... Of the name of Christ, contrary to which he thought he ought to do many things; and he not only blasphemed that name himself, calling him an impostor and a deceiver, but he compelled others to blaspheme it also, Acts 26:9. This, as well as what follows, is said, to i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT,.... That is, the love of Jehovah the Father; so the Ethiopic version reads, "the grace of God"; of God the Father, since he is distinguished in the text from Jesus Christ. God is abundant in grace and goodness; he is rich and plenteous in mercy; ther... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION,.... This is said, lest it should be thought strange, or scarcely credible, that so great a sinner should be saved; as well as to give a summary of the glorious Gospel the apostle was intrusted with; and in opposition to fables, endless geneal... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT, FOR THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY,.... Though so great a sinner, and even the chief of sinners: THAT IN ME FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHOW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFERING; not that the apostle was the first that was converted upon Christ's coming to save sinners; for there were many converted before h... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW UNTO THE KING ETERNAL,.... This doxology, or ascription of glory to God, on account of the grace bestowed upon the apostle, may be considered, either as referring to all the three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, who are the one and only God; and to whom all the attributes of wisdom, pow... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS CHARGE I COMMIT UNTO THEE, SON TIMOTHY,.... After a digression the apostle had made concerning himself, his conversion, and call to the ministry, he returns to his former subject, and original design, and renews the charge he gave to Timothy; and which was not only an order to charge others to... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLDING FAITH, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE..... By "faith" is meant, not the grace of faith, but the doctrine of faith, a sense in which it is often used in this epistle; see 1 Timothy 3:9 and the "holding" of it does not intend a mere profession of it, and a retaining of that without wavering, which is t... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM IS HYMENAEUS AND ALEXANDER,.... The former of these is mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:17 and that part of faith he made shipwreck of, or erred in, was the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, whereby the faith of some nominal believers was overthrown; and this was attended with the putting aw... [ Continue Reading ]