1 Timothy 6

1Ti 6:1-21.

EXHORTATIONS AS TO

DISTINCTIONS OF

CIVIL

RANK; THE

DUTY OF

SLAVES, IN

OPPOSITION TO THE

FALSE

TEACHINGS OF

GAIN-SEEKERS;

TIMOTHY'S

PURSUIT

IS TO

BE

GODLINESS,

WHICH

IS AN

EVERLASTING

POSSESSION:

SOLEMN

ADJURATION TO

DO

SO AGAINST

CHRIST'S

COMING;

CHARGE TO

BE

GIVEN TO THE

RICH.

CONCLUDING

EXHORTATION.

1. servants--to be taken as predicated thus, "Let as many as are

under the yoke (as) slaves"

(Tit 2:9).

The exhortation is natural as there was a danger of Christian slaves

inwardly feeling above their heathen masters.

their own masters--The phrase "their own," is an argument for

submissiveness; it is not strangers, but their own masters whom

they are required to respect.

all honour--all possible and fitting honor; not

merely outward subjection, but that inward honor from which will

flow spontaneously right outward conduct (see on

Eph 5:22).

that the name of God--by which Christians are called.

blasphemed--Heathen masters would say, What kind of a God must be

the God of the Christians, when such are the fruits of His worship

(Ro 2:24;

Tit 2:5, 10)?

2. And--rather, "But." The opposition is between those Christian

slaves under the yoke of heathen, and

those that have believing masters (he does not use the phrase

"under the yoke" in the latter case, for service under believers is not

a yoke). Connect the following words thus, "Let them

(the slaves) not, because they

(the masters) are brethren

(and so equals, masters and slaves alike being Christians),

despise them (the masters)."

but rather, &c.--"but all the more (so much the more: with the

greater good will) do them service because they (the masters) are

faithful (that is, believers) and beloved who receive (in the mutual

interchange of relative duties between master and servant; so

the Greek) the benefit" (English Version violates

Greek grammar). This latter clause is parallel to, "because

they are brethren"; which proves that "they" refers to the

masters, not the servants, as TITTMANN takes it, explaining the verb in the common

sense

(Lu 1:54;

Ac 20:35),

"who sedulously labor for their (masters') benefit." The very

term "benefit" delicately implies service done with the right

motive, Christian "good will"

(Eph 6:7).

If the common sense of the Greek verb be urged, the sense must

be, "Because they (the masters) are faithful and beloved who are

sedulously intent on the benefiting" of their servants. But PORPHYRY [On Abstinence, 1.46] justifies the sense

of the Greek verb given above, which also better accords with

the context; for otherwise, the article "the," will have nothing

in the preceding words to explain it, whereas in my explanation above

"the benefit" will be that of the slaves' service.

These things teach--

(1Ti 4:11;

Tit 2:15).

3. teach otherwise--than I desire thee to "teach"

(1Ti 6:2).

The Greek indicative implies, he puts not a merely supposed

case, but one actually existing,

1Ti 1:3,

"Every one who teaches otherwise," that is, who teaches

heterodoxy.

consent not--Greek, "accede not to."

wholesome--"sound"

(1Ti 1:10):

opposed to the false teachers' words, unsound through profitless

science and immorality.

words of our Lord Jesus Christ--Paul's inspired words are not merely

his own, but are also Christ's words.

4. He is proud--literally, "wrapt in smoke"; filled with the fumes

of self-conceit

(1Ti 3:6)

while "knowing nothing," namely, of the doctrine which is according to

godliness

(1Ti 6:3),

though arrogating pre-eminent knowledge

(1Ti 1:7).

doting about--literally, "sick about"; the opposite of

"wholesome"

(1Ti 6:3).

Truth is not the center about which his investigations

move, but mere word-strifes.

questions--of controversy.

strifes of words--rather than about realities

(2Ti 2:14).

These stand with them instead of "godliness" and "wholesome words"

(1Ti 6:3;

1Ti 1:4;

Tit 3:9).

evil surmisings--as to those who are of a different party from

themselves.

5. Perverse disputings--useless disputings. The oldest manuscripts

read, "lasting contests" [WIESINGER]; "incessant collisions"

[ALFORD].

"Strifes of words" had already been mentioned so that he would not be

likely to repeat the same idea (as in the English Version reading)

again.

corrupt minds--Greek, "of men corrupted (depraved) in mind." The

inmost source of the evil is in the perverted mind

(1Ti 6:4;

2Ti 3:8;

Tit 1:15).

destitute of the truth--

(Tit 1:14).

They had had the truth, but through want of moral integrity and of love

of the truth, they were misled by a pretended deeper gnosis (knowledge)

and higher ascetical holiness, of which they made a trade [WIESINGER].

supposing, &c.--The Greek requires, "supposing (regarding the

matter in this point of view) that piety

(so translated for 'godliness')

is a means of gain (that is, a way of advancing one's worldly interests:

a different Greek form, poriswa, expresses

the thing gained, gain)"; not "that gain is godliness," as

English Version.

from such withdraw thyself--omitted in the oldest manuscripts.

The connection with

1Ti 6:6

favors the omission of these words, which interrupt the connection.

6. But--Though they err in this, there is a sense in which

"piety is" not merely gain, but "great means of gain": not the

gaining which they pursue, and which makes men to be

discontented with their present possessions, and to use religion

as "a cloak of covetousness"

(1Th 2:5)

and means of earthly gain, but the present and eternal

gain which piety, whose accompaniment is contentment,

secures to the soul. WIESINGER remarks that Paul

observed in Timothy a tendency to indolence and shrinking from the

conflict, whence he felt

(1Ti 6:11)

that Timothy needed cautioning against such temptation; compare also

the second Epistle. Not merely contentment is great gain (a

sentiment of the heathen CICERO [Paradox

6], "the greatest and surest riches"), but "piety with contentment";

for piety not only feels no need of what it has not, but also has that

which exalts it above what it has not [WIESINGER].

The Greek for contentment is translated "sufficiency"

(2Co 9:8).

But the adjective

(Php 4:11)

"content"; literally, "having a sufficiency in one's self"

independent of others. "The Lord always supplies His people with what

is necessary for them. True happiness lies in piety, but this

sufficiency [supplied by God, with which moreover His people are

content] is thrown into the scale as a kind of overweight"

[CALVIN]

(1Ki 17:1-16;

Ps 37:19;

Isa 33:6, 16;

Jer 37:21).

7. For--confirming the reasonableness of "contentment."

and it is certain--Vulgate and other old versions support this

reading. The oldest manuscripts, however, omit "and it is certain"; then

the translation will be, "We brought nothing into the world (to teach us

to remember) that neither can we carry anything out"

(Job 1:21;

Ec 5:15).

Therefore, we should have no gain-seeking anxiety, the breeder of

discontent

(Mt 6:25).

8. And--Greek, "But." In contrast to the greedy gain-seekers

(1Ti 6:5).

having--so long as we have food. (The Greek expresses

"food sufficient in each case for our continually recurring wants"

[ALFORD]). It is implied that we, as believers,

shall have this

(Isa 23:16).

raiment--Greek, "covering"; according to some including a

roof to cover us, that is, a dwelling, as well as clothing.

let us be therewith content--literally, "we shall be sufficiently

provided"; "we shall be sufficed" [ALFORD].

9. will be rich--have more than "food and raiment."

Greek, "wish to be rich"; not merely are willing,

but are resolved, and earnestly desire to have riches at any

cost

(Pr 28:20, 22).

This wishing (not the riches themselves) is fatal to

"contentment"

(1Ti 6:6).

Rich men are not told to cast away their riches, but not to "trust" in

them, and to "do good" with them

(1Ti 6:17, 18;

Ps 62:10).

fall into temptation--not merely "are exposed to temptation," but

actually "fall into" it. The falling into it is what we are to

pray against, "Lead us not into temptation"

(Jas 1:14);

such a one is already in a sinful state, even before any overt act of

sin. The Greek for "temptation" and "gain" contains a play on

sounds--porasmus, peirasmus.

snare--a further step downwards

(1Ti 3:7).

He falls into "the snare of the devil."

foolish--irrational.

hurtful--to those who fall into the snare. Compare

Eph 4:22,

"deceitful lusts" which deceive to one's deadly hurt.

lusts--With the one evil lust ("wish to be rich") many others

join themselves: the one is the "root of all evils"

(1Ti 6:10).

which--Greek, "whatever (lusts)."

drown--an awful descending climax from "fall into"; this is the last

step in the terrible descent

(Jas 1:15);

translated "sink,"

Lu 5:7.

destruction . . . perdition--destruction in general (temporal or

eternal), and perdition in particular, namely, that of body and soul

in hell.

10. the love of money--not the money itself, but the love of

it--the wishing to be rich

(1Ti 6:9)

--"is a root (ELLICOTT and MIDDLETON: not as English Version, 'the

root') of all evils." (So the Greek plural). The

wealthiest may be rich not in a bad sense; the poorest may covet to be

so

(Ps 62:10).

Love of money is not the sole root of evils, but it is a leading

"root of bitterness"

(Heb 12:15),

for "it destroys faith, the root of all that is good"

[BENGEL]; its offshoots are "temptation, a snare,

lusts, destruction, perdition."

coveted after--lusted after.

erred from--literally, "have been made to err from the faith"

(1Ti 1:19; 4:1).

pierced--

(Lu 2:35).

with . . . sorrows--"pains": "thorns" of the parable

(Mt 13:22)

which choke the word of "faith." "The prosperity of fools destroys

them"

(Pr 1:32).

BENGEL and WIESINGER make

them the gnawings of conscience, producing remorse for wealth badly

acquired; the harbingers of the future "perdition"

(1Ti 6:9).

11. But thou--in contrast to the "some"

(1Ti 6:10).

man of God--who hast God as thy true riches

(Ge 15:1;

Ps 16:5;

La 3:24).

Applying primarily to Timothy as a minister (compare

2Pe 1:21),

just as the term was used of Moses

(De 33:1),

Samuel

(1Sa 9:6),

Elijah, and Elisha; but, as the exhortation is as to duties

incumbent also on all Christians, the term applies secondarily

to him (so

2Ti 3:17)

as a Christian man born of God

(Jas 1:18;

1Jo 5:1),

no longer a man of the world raised above earthly things;

therefore, God's property, not his own, bought with a price, and so

having parted with all right in himself: Christ's work is to be

his great work: he is to be Christ's living representative.

flee these things--namely, "the love of money" with its evil results

(1Ti 6:9, 10).

follow after righteousness--

(2Ti 2:22).

godliness--"piety." Righteousness is more in relation to

our fellow man; piety ("godliness") to God"; faith is the

root of both (see on

Tit 2:12).

love--by which "faith worketh."

patience--enduring perseverance amidst trials.

meekness--The oldest manuscripts read, "meek-spiritedness," namely,

towards the opponents of the Gospel.

12. Fight the good fight--BIRKS thinks this

Epistle was written from Corinth, where contests in the national games

recurred at stated seasons, which will account for the allusion here as

in

1Co 9:24-26.

Contrast "strifes of words"

(1Ti 6:4).

Compare

1Ti 1:18;

2Ti 4:7.

The "good profession" is connected with the good fight

(Ps 60:4).

lay hold on eternal life--the crown, or garland, the prize of

victory, laid hold of by the winner in the "good fight"

(2Ti 4:7, 8;

Php 3:12-14).

"Fight (literally, 'strive') with such striving earnestness as

to lay hold on the prize, eternal life."

also--not in the oldest manuscripts.

professed a good profession--Greek, "didst confess

THE good confession," namely, the

Christian confession (as the Greek word is the same in this

verse as that for "confession" in

1Ti 6:13,

probably the profession here is the confession that Christ's

kingdom is the kingdom of the truth,

Joh 18:36, 37),

at thy being set apart to thy ministerial function (whether in general,

or as overseer at Ephesus): the same occasion as is referred to in

1Ti 1:18; 4:14;

2Ti 1:4.

before many witnesses--who would testify against thee if thou shouldest

fall away [BENGEL].

13. quickeneth all things--that is, "maketh alive." But the oldest

manuscripts read, "preserveth alive"; as the same Greek means in

Ac 7:19;

compare

Ne 9:6.

He urges Timothy to faithfulness here by the present manifestation of

God's power in preserving all things, as in

1Ti 6:14,

The assurance that "eternal life,"

1Ti 6:12,

will be the result of "fighting the good fight," rests on the fulness

and power of Him who is the God of all life, present and to come.

witnessed--It was the Lord's part to witness, Timothy's

part to confess (or "profess,"

1Ti 6:12)

"the good confession" [BENGEL]. The

confession was His testimony that He was King, and His kingdom that of

the truth (see on

1Ti 6:12;

1Ti 6:15;

Mt 27:11).

Christ, in attesting, or bearing witness to this truth, attested the

truth of the whole of Christianity. Timothy's profession, or

confession, included therefore the whole of the Christian

truth.

14. keep this commandment--Greek, "the commandment," that is, the

Gospel rule of life

(1Ti 1:5;

Joh 13:34;

2Pe 2:21; 3:2).

without spot, unrebukeable--agreeing with "thou." Keep the commandment

and so be without spot," &c. "Pure"

(1Ti 5:22;

Eph 5:27;

Jas 1:27;

2Pe 3:14).

until the appearing of . . . Christ--His coming in

person

(2Th 2:8;

Tit 2:13).

Believers then used in their practice to set before themselves the day

of Christ as near at hand; we, the hour of death

[BENGEL]. The fact has in all ages of the Church

been certain, the time as uncertain to Paul, as it is to us; hence,

1Ti 6:15,

he says, "in HIS times": the Church's true

attitude is that of continual expectation of her Lord's return

(1Co 1:8;

Php 1:6, 10).

15. in his times--Greek, "His own [fitting] times"

(Ac 1:7).

The plural implies successive stages in the manifestation of the

kingdom of God, each having its own appropriate time, the regulating

principle and knowledge of which rests with the Father

(1Ti 2:6;

2Ti 1:9;

Tit 1:3;

Heb 1:1).

he shall show--"display": an expression appropriate in reference

to His "APPEARING," which is stronger than His

"coming," and implies its visibility; "manifest": make

visible (compare

Ac 3:20):

"He" is the Father

(1Ti 6:16).

blessed--in Himself: so about to be the source of blessing to

His people at Christ appearing, whence flows their "blessed hope"

(1Ti 1:11;

Tit 2:13).

only--

(Joh 17:3;

Ro 16:27;

Re 15:4).

King of kings--elsewhere applied also to Jesus

(Re 1:5; 17:14; 19:16).

16. Who only hath immortality--in His own essence, not merely at

the will of another, as all other immortal beings

[JUSTIN MARTYR,

Quæst. ad Orthod., 61]. As He hath immortality, so

will He give it to us who believe; to be out of Him is death. It is

mere heathen philosophy that attributes to the soul indestructibility

in itself, which is to be attributed solely to God's gift. As He hath

life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in

Himself

(Joh 5:26).

The term used in the New Testament for "immortal," which does not

occur, is "incorruptible." "Immortality" is found in

1Co 15:53, 54.

dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto--After

life comes mention of light, as in

Joh 1:4.

That light is unapproachable to creatures, except in so

far as they are admitted by Him, and as He goes forth to them

[BENGEL]. It is unapproachable on account

of its exceeding brightness [THEOPHYLACT]. If one

cannot gaze steadfastly at the sun, which is but a small part of

creation, by reason of its exceeding heat and power, how much less can

mortal man gaze at the inexpressible glory of God [THEOPHYLACT, To Autolycus]

(Ps 104:2;

1Jo 1:5).

no man hath seen--

(Ex 23:20;

Joh 1:18;

Col 1:15;

Heb 11:27;

1Jo 4:12).

Perhaps even in the perfect state no creature shall fully see God.

Still the saints shall, in some sense, have the blessedness of

seeing Him, which is denied to mere man

(Mt 5:8;

1Co 13:12;

1Jo 3:2;

Re 22:4).

17. Resuming the subject from above,

1Ti 6:5, 10.

The immortality of God, alone rich in glory, and of His people through

Him, is opposed to the lust of money (compare

1Ti 6:14-16).

From speaking of the desire to be rich, he here passes to those

who are rich: (1) What ought to be their disposition; (2) What

use they ought to make of their riches, and, (3) The consequences of

their so using them.

rich in this world--contrasted with the riches of the future kingdom

to be the portion of believers at Christ's "appearing,"

1Ti 6:14.

high-minded--often the character of the rich (see

Ro 12:16).

trust--Greek, "to have their trust resting."

in . . . in--rather, "upon . . . upon," as the oldest manuscripts.

uncertain riches--rather as Greek, "the

uncertainty of riches." They who rest their trust on riches,

rest trust on uncertainty itself

(Pr 23:5).

Now they belong to one person, now to another, and that which has many

masters is possessed by none [THEODORET].

living God--The best manuscripts and versions omit "living." He who

trusts in riches transfers to them the duty he owes to God [CALVIN].

who giveth--Greek, "affordeth."

all things richly--temporal and eternal, for the body and for the soul.

In order to be truly rich, seek to be blessed of, and in, God

(Pr 10:22;

2Pe 1:3).

to enjoy--Greek, "for enjoyment." Not that the heart may

cleave to them as its idol and trust

(1Ti 4:3).

Enjoyment consists in giving, not in holding fast.

Non-employment should be far removed, as from man, so from his

resources

(Jas 5:2, 3)

[BENGEL].

18. do good--like God Himself

(Ps 119:68;

Ac 14:17)

and Christ

(Ac 10:38).

TITTMANN translates, "to do," or "act well"; as

the Greek for "to be beneficent" is a distinct word,

agathopoiein.

rich in good works--so "rich in faith," which produces good works

(Jas 2:5).

Contrasted with "rich in this world,"

1Ti 6:17.

Literally, it is "rich in honorable (right) works." Greek,

"kalois," "ergois," are works good or right in

themselves: "agathois," good to another.

ready to distribute--free givers [ALFORD]; the heart not cleaving to

possessions, but ready to impart to others.

willing to communicate--ready contributors

[ALFORD]: liberal in

admitting others to share our goods in common with ourselves

(Ga 6:6;

Heb 13:16).

19. Laying up in store--"therefrom (that is, by this means

[ALFORD]; but BENGEL makes

the Greek "apo" mean laying apart against a future

time), laying up for themselves as a treasure"

[ALFORD]

(Mt 6:19, 20).

This is a treasure which we act wisely in laying up in store,

whereas the wisest thing we can do with earthly treasures is "to

distribute" them and give others a share of them

(1Ti 6:18).

good foundation--(See on

1Ti 3:13;

Lu 6:48;

1Co 3:11).

The sure reversion of the future heavenly inheritance: earthly riches

scattered in faith lay up in store a sure increase of

heavenly riches. We gather by scattering

(Pr 11:24; 13:7;

Lu 16:9).

that . . . eternal life--The oldest manuscripts and

versions read, "that which is really life," its joys being solid

and enduring

(Ps 16:11).

The life that now is cannot be called so, its goods being

unsubstantial, and itself a vapor

(Jas 4:14).

"In order that ('with their feet so to speak on this foundation'

[DE WETTE]) they may lay hold

on that which is life indeed."

20, 21. Recapitulatory conclusion: the main aim of the whole Epistle

being here summarily stated.

O Timothy--a personal appeal, marking at once his affection for

Timothy, and his prescience of the coming heresies.

keep--from spiritual thieves, and from enemies who will, while men

sleep, sow tares amidst the good seed sown by the Son of man.

that which is committed to thy trust--Greek, "the deposit"

(1Ti 1:18;

2Ti 1:12, 14; 2:2).

"The true" or "sound doctrine" to be taught, as opposed

to "the science falsely so called," which leads to

"error concerning the faith"

(1Ti 6:21).

"It is not thine: it is another's property with which thou hast been

entrusted: Diminish it not at all" [CHRYSOSTOM].

"That which was entrusted to thee, not found by thee; which thou hast

received, not invented; a matter not of genius, but of teaching; not of

private usurpation, but of public tradition; a matter brought to thee,

not put forth by thee, in which thou oughtest to be not an enlarger,

but a guardian; not an originator, but a disciple; not leading, but

following. 'Keep,' saith he, 'the deposit,'; preserve intact and

inviolate the talent of the catholic faith. What has been entrusted to

thee, let that same remain with thee; let that same be handed down by

thee. Gold thou hast received, gold return. I should be sorry thou

shouldest substitute aught else. I should be sorry that for gold thou

shouldest substitute lead impudently, or brass fraudulently. I do not

want the mere appearance of gold, but its actual reality. Not that

there is to be no progress in religion in Christ's Church. Let there be

so by all means, and the greatest progress; but then let it be real

progress, not a change of the faith. Let the intelligence of the whole

Church and its individual members increase exceedingly, provided it be

only in its own kind, the doctrine being still the same. Let the

religion of the soul resemble the growth of the body,which, though it

develops its several parts in the progress of years, yet remains the

same as it was essentially" [VINCENTIUS LIRINENSIS, A.D. 434].

avoiding--"turning away from" (compare

2Ti 3:4).

Even as they have "turned away from the truth"

(1Ti 1:6; 5:15;

2Ti 4:4).

profane--

(1Ti 4:7;

2Ti 2:16).

vain--Greek, "empty": mere "strifes of words,"

1Ti 6:4,

producing no moral fruit.

oppositions--dialectic antithesis of the false teachers

[ALFORD]. WIESINGER, not so

probably, "oppositions to the sound doctrine." I think it likely germs

existed already of the heresy of dualistic oppositions, namely, between

the good and evil principle, afterwards fully developed in Gnosticism.

Contrast Paul's just antithesis

(1Ti 3:16; 6:5, 6;

2Ti 2:15-23).

science falsely so called--where there is not faith, there is not

knowledge [CHRYSOSTOM]. There was true "knowledge," a special gift of

the Spirit, which was abused by some

(1Co 8:1; 12:8; 14:6).

This gift was soon counterfeited by false teachers arrogating to

themselves pre-eminently the gift

(Col 2:8, 18, 23).

Hence arose the creeds of the Church, called symbols, that is,

in Greek, "watchwords," or a test whereby the orthodox might

distinguish one another in opposition to the heretical. Perhaps here,

1Ti 6:20,

and 2Ti 1:13, 14,

imply the existence of some such brief formula of doctrine then

existing in the Church; if so, we see a good reason for its not being

written in Scripture, which is designed not to give dogmatic

formularies, but to be the fountain whence all such formularies are to

be drawn according to the exigencies of the several churches and ages.

Probably thus a portion of the so-called apostle's creed may have had

their sanction, and been preserved solely by tradition on this account.

"The creed, handed down from the apostles, is not written on paper and

with ink, but on fleshy tables of the heart"

JEROME [Against John of Jerusalem, 9].

Thus, in the creed, contrary to the "oppositions" (the germs of which

probably existed in the Church in Paul's latter days) whereby the aeons

were set off in pairs, God is stated to be "the Father

Almighty," or all-governing "maker of heaven and earth" [BISHOP HINDS].

21. Which some professing--namely, professing these

oppositions of science falsely so called.

erred--(See on

1Ti 1:6;

1Ti 2:11)

--literally, "missed the mark"

(2Ti 3:7, 8).

True sagacity is inseparable from faith.

Grace--Greek, "the grace," namely, of God, for which we

Christians look, and in which we stand [ALFORD].

be with thee--He restricts the salutation to Timothy, as the

Epistle was not to be read in public [BENGEL]. But

the oldest manuscripts read, "be with you"; and the "thee" may be a

transcriber's alteration to harmonize with

2Ti 4:22;

Tit 3:15.

Amen--omitted in the oldest manuscripts.

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