The following INTRODUCTION is taken from the New KJV Personal
Study Bible: Thomas Nelson Publishing: 1990, 1995.
The letters of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus constitute a subgroup
among the letters of Paul. They are addressed not to churches,
but to pastors. Paul's younger colleagues in ministry. Therefore,
since the eighteenth century, they have been called the Pastoral
Epistles.
These three letters share similar characteristics and contents.
They presume a time after the end of Paul's life.
AUTHOR AND DATE
The first verse of each letter identifies Paul as the author.
Some scholars dispute this claim, but there is strong external
and internal evidence under girding the authenticity of these
letters.
Paul was released from his imprisonment, recorded at the end of
Acts, in late A.D.62 or early A.D.63. First Timothy was probably
written about A.D.65. The only specific historical reference (1
Tim.1:3) hints at a period of further travel and ministry. Titus
was probably written shortly after 1 Timothy but before the
apostle's rearrest and imprisonment in A.D.66. In 2 Timothy,
probably written in A.D.67, Paul had been rearrested and was
expecting execution (2 Tim.4:6).
BACKGROUND
Timothy, a native of Lystra in Asia Minor, was the son of a
Jewish mother and Gentile father (Acts 16:1-3). He was a convert
of the apostle Paul, who had evangelized Lystra on his first
missionary journey. Timothy joined Paul and Silas on the second
missionary journey and travelled with them to Greece. Paul sent
him to visit the Thessalonian and Corinthian churches (see I
Cor.4:17; 1 Thess.3:2). His close associate with the apostle
is shown by Timothy's name being joined with Paul's at the
opening of six epistles (2 Cor.1:1; Phil.1:1; Col.1:1; 1
Thess.1:1; 2 Thess.1:1; and Philem. Timothy is also
mentioned in 1 Cor.4:17; 16:10; 2 Cor.1:19; Phil.2:19; 1
Thess.3:2. 6).
FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY
The books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus form the section of
the New Testament referred to as the Pastoral Epistles. For
author, date, and additional background see Introduction to the
Pastoral Epistles.
BACKGROUND
At the time of writing I Timothy, Paid had stationed his
associate at Ephesus (1:3) to oversee the work there and
possibly throughout Asia Minor. Comparatively young (4:12),
Timothy needed instruction in supervising the affairs of the
church and counsel in matters of personal ministerial conduct. In
1 Timothy Paul is particularly concerned that the false teachers
in Ephesus be refuted.
CONTENTS
Paul warns Timothy against false teaching and gives him guidance
on how to handle it. He lists qualifications for bishops,
deacons, and widows; gives instructions on prayer and ministry;
and compares earthly wealth with spiritual riches. Paul also
offers Timothy directives for his personal life.
PURPOSE
This letter was written to provide pastoral care and guidance to
a young church leader. Its words are intended to encourage him
and to help him refute false teaching.
OUTLINE of 1 Timothy
1. Salutations from Paul to Timothy 1:1,2
2. Sound doctrine contrasted with false 1:3-11
3. Paul's testimony and charge to Timothy 1:12-20
4. Prayer in the Christian life 2:1-8
5. Women in the Christian community 2:9-15
6. Qualifications for church leaders 3:1-13
A. Bishops 3:1-7
B. Deacons 3:8-13
7. The character of the church 3:14-16
8. False teaching in the last days 4:1-5
9. Timothy's task 4:6-5:2
A. Instructing others 4:6-11
B. Nurturing himself 4:12-16
C. Rebuking others 5:1,2
10. The widow's role and ministry 5:3-16
11. Selecting and nurturing leaders 5:17-25
12. Spiritual riches versus wealth 6:1-10
A. Exhortation to bondservants 6:1,2
B. Dangers of carnal teachers 6:3-5
C. Exhortation on godliness 6:6-8
D. Warning against greed 6:9,10
13. Final commands to Timothy 6:11-21
A. Pursue godliness 6:11-16
B. Command the rich 6:17-19
C. Guard the truth 6:20,21
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CHAPTER ONE
Paul immediately claims he is an APOSTLE (one sent forth),
and was appointed not by men but by the command of God and
Christ. We have seen in the book of Acts how Jesus appeared to
Saul or Paul on the road to Damascus. He addresses Timothy
as a true child in the faith. We can gather from all of his
writings that he had a special spiritual bond with Timothy, and
was no doubt very instrumental in leading and teaching
Timothy the true way of the work of the Lord.
He asks that God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give
Timothy grace, mercy, and peace. We notice once more no such
greeting is from the person of the Holy Spirit, which would
amount to a snub of sorts IF the Holy Spirit was a person
separate from the Father and Jesus. As we have stated before, it
was not a snub on Paul's part because the Holy Spirit is NOT a
separate person of the Godhead (verses 1-2).
WARNING AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS
When Paul was in Macedonia he urged Timothy to stay in
Ephesus and stop those who were teaching false doctrines. We are
not told HOW Timothy was to do this, we can only surmise it was
by boldly teaching and possibly writing about the errors of the
false teachers. Timothy was to guide people away from endless
speculations over myths and genealogies, which can cause so many
arguments, which in turn distract away from living a life of
faith and godliness. Paul desired to see all people filled with
love, from a goof pure heart,a clear conscience, and sincere
faith. Many he say have turned away from the foundation of
Christianity, and have turned to this arguing over myths and
endless pedigrees, as if your ancestral genealogy was crucial to
your salvation.
Paul gets pretty blunt here, as he tells us that those false
teachers were wanting to be teachers of the law (found in the
books of Moses) but in reality he says they did not
have a clue what they were talking about, though they came across
in speech as if they were experts on the law (as one funny
explanation says about the word "expert" - "ex" is an unknown
quantity; and "spert" is a drip under pressure).
Paul declares that God's laws are GOOD, when used for the
purpose they were created for. And the bottom line is that the
laws were brought into being by God, not for the righteous but
for the sinner. He proceeds to name some of the common sins.
Probably many of those sins he lists were common practice in his
day, and as we read them, many are common practice even to this
very day. The laws design was mainly towards those who were
disobedient and rebellious, ungodly and sinful, who consider
nothing sacred, and trample on what is holy, who hate and despise
their fathers and mothers. The laws are for the sexually immoral,
for homosexuals, lesbians, slave traders, for liars and breakers
of oaths, and for just anything that is contrary to right
teaching, that he says came to him through the glorious GOOD NEWS
of the Gospel, entrusted to him by our blessed God (verses 3-11).
Paul gives thanks to Jesus Christ for putting him into His
ministry. Paul remembers he was a blasphemer and a persecutor of
the Church of God, yet he obtained mercy as he did the former
through ignorance and unbelief in the Gospel of Christ. He is
reminded of the great mercy of Jesus, and the fact that He came
into the world to save sinner, whom Paul says he was up at the
head of the class as being. Yet Paul obtaining mercy was a figure
or pattern for other sinners who would also obtain mercy long
after Paul was not on this earth (verses 12-16).
In verse 17 we have theses words: "And unto the King
eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and
glory for ever and ever. Amen."
The CONTEXT is the thought of Jesus Christ, note verses 12,
14, 15, 16. So from the context, the "King eternal" - "immortal"
- "invisible" - "the only wise God" IS REFERRING TO Jesus
Christ. Jesus is then GOD!!
Yes, God the Father is God, and the Son of the Father is
God, BOTH have the name of God. Often in the New Testament the
word "God" is used as a last name, just as Hunt is my last name
and all in my family have the name "Hunt" attached to their first
name. So it is with the "Godhead" - all in that family are God.
The Father is God, and Jesus His Son is God. One God, or Godhead,
but two personal individual Beings make up that ONE God, using
the word "God" here as a surname.
It would seem that there were certain prophetic utterances
made about Timothy at an earlier point in his life and ministry,
and those utterances were of a positive nature, by which he could
wage a good spiritual warfare. We are not told what those
specific prophecies were in the life of Timothy, but we can be
sure Timothy knew what Paul was referring to.
Such applications by Timothy would make sure he held the
faith with a good conscience, which some Paul says, concerning
the faith, have made shipwreck. He names two individuals who have
broken the faith and have turned away from the narrow pathway
that leads to life eternal. Those two individuals were men by the
names of Hymeneus and Alexander. We know nothing more of them
from the New Testament than what is said about them here in
verses 18-20.
Paul had been willing to let them go, to have them delivered
over to Satan and his world, hoping that in so doing they would
learn to be disciplined back to the straight and narrow way of
righteousness and salvation, and to stop living a blasphemous
life (verse 20).
CHAPTER TWO
PRAYERS AND THE ONE MEDIATOR
Paul teaches in verses 1-3 that prayers should be made for
"all men" - for kings and all that be in authority. does this
mean that we should pray for "dictators" and people in authority
like Hitler was in authority over Germany before and during the
great Second World War? Well, we may include them in our prayers
that they would REPENT of their horrific SINS and madness against
other humans made in the image of God. It is hardly a Christian
thought to be "giving in thanks" for such people.
The answer to such verses (there are a few more in the New
Testament; such as 1 Peter 2:13,14) is two fold. First, the
second half of verse two shows we are praying that we should lead
a quiet and peaceable life in godliness - under all men. It is
like Daniel leading such a life in captivity to the Babylon
armies and king Nebuchadnezzar, as well as his friends, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego. They served God FIRST, under all
situations, and of course prayed they would be granted to live in
godliness even if those in authority were evil. If there was a
conflicts between serving God and the dictates and commandments
of men, they obeyed God first, even if it meant dying for their
faith.
As Paul says in verse 3, "This is good and acceptable in the
sight of God our Savior."
Second, the Bible uses many many times "general statements"
- the example of "all the world should be taxed" (Luke 2:1) is
one of dozens of "general statements" in the Bible. Obviously the
people in South America or Australia, did not come up to
Palestine to be taxed. We then obviously do not "give thanks" to
all men. It is not a thankful situation to have people like
Hitler walking this earth and bringing all the evil they may
bring upon other people and nations.
Paul continues to tell us in verse 4 that God would desire
that all people be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth. That is God's desire, but it does not mean ALL WILL repent
and be saved. God cannot force anyone against their will to
repent and acknowledge Him as Savior. Yet we are to remember that
even such evil men as Hitler, God wishes would repent and be
saved. So we could certainly pray that all people would come to
acknowledge God, repent of sins, accept Jesus as their Savior,
and so find salvation.
Verse 5 gives an important truth. There is ONLY ONE mediator
between God the Father and mankind, and that is the man Christ
Jesus. There can be NO OTHER, not the mother of Jesus, Mary, not
any "apostle" or religious leader. Only Christ Jesus is the
mediator. As the book of Hebrews shows over and over again, only
Jesus is our High Priest in heaven pleading our case before the
heavenly Father.
Some take the word "man" in this verse for Jesus as proof
that Christ was not God in the flesh, not divine, but mealy a
human man with "more of the Spirit" than any other man ever born
on earth. But again such ideas come from not reading the entire
Bible. We see in Daniel 9:21 that the angel Gabriel is called a
"man." An angelic being called a "man" - Gabriel is hardly a
"man" as we think of a human person.
The Bible uses many "figures of speech" - words and phrases
that put things into more human language for us to "get the
picture" so to speak. When we then read of Gabriel being a "man"
it is showing us that this mighty angelic being can be, in form
and shape, like a human person. But it is not trying to prove to
us that this spirit angelic being IS LITERALLY a man. So Jesus in
heaven, as our mediator, is not a literal flesh and blood human
man somehow able to exist on the right hand of the Father. But it
is showing us that Jesus does have the form and shape of human
kind. His form and shape in His glorious resurrection is
described in Revelation chapter one, and human like shape is
given, but it can hardly be said that He is literally a physical
man.
Paul's mind is again on Jesus the Christ, and he cannot pass
up the opportunity to mention that the Messiah gave Himself in
death to buy back (a ransom) and free all mankind. This was
foretold in the Old Testament, and in due time it all came to
pass within the time frame which God the Father had desired upon
(verse 6).
Paul then ties in with Jesus the fact that he Paul was
called by Him to be a preacher and an apostle, and a teacher to
the Gentiles. He claims this is very truth and part of the faith
(verse 7).
Verse 8 is an interesting verse. The phrase "I will
therefore" is in the Greek more specific, being, "It is my
direction." The Greek word used for "men" is "aner" and means
the male sex only. It is never used for the female sex. "Lifting
up holy hands" - many times in the Old Testament we see men
literally lifting up their arms and hands to pray. It is
certainly not wrong to follow such examples. Some men in various
"churches" of Christianity, at the end of the service, giving
what some call the "benediction" - raise their arms up while
blessing the congregation as they finish their worship service.
Paul wants the "men" everywhere to pray. What and when can
this be? Paul must have something specific in mind, as he chose
the Greek word "aner" which means ONLY the male sex, and never
the female sex. As the next verses (9-15) have to do with
"official" worship service context, I believe Paul is addressing
the same context, and is directing Timothy as a church leader to
only have the "men" pray aloud in the official teaching/worship
service. This was the understanding and practice in most
"churches" for the last number of centuries, until the last
decades of the 20th century. Many churches today have adopted an
"anything goes" mentality, and so would also completely
ignore the next number of verse to do with "women" learning in
silence during the worship service.
THE FUNCTION AND DRESS OF WOMEN
AND THE CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
Verses 9 and 10 are often given by some religious
organizations as a proof text that God wants Christian women NOT
to have elaborate hair styles, or wear jewelry, or clothes that
are costly (and how do we determine "cost" for what is costly to
one person is inexpensive to another). Are churches to have an
"apparel committee" to decide what the cost of buying clothes
should be for its members?
Again, as we read the entire Bible, we soon come to the
realization that some of God's people (men and women) did wear
costly clothes and did adorn themselves with jewelry. Jesus had a
cloak that was seamless (you might remember some cast lots over
it at Jesus' crucifixion). such a garment was looked upon as
"rare" and indeed "costly."
So, with ALL the Bible in view, we understand these verses
not as saying God's women should not have pretty hair styles,
jewelry, and expensive clothes, from time to time, but that the
MAIN attitude of mind is that women have INNER beauty,
complimented with good works. You may want to read about the
virtuous woman as found in Proverbs 31.
How these verses in 1 Timothy should be read is like this:
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves NOT ONLY in
modest apparel, with humility and decorum; NOT ONLY with
elaborate hair at times, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; BUT
MORE IMPORTANT (which becomes women professing godliness) with
good works.
Verses 11-14 and the subject of women learning in silence,
must have only one context, and that is the subject of "official
church worship service." It can hardly have anything to do with
women teaching their children, or being a teacher in a school
system. Paul was writing to Timothy concerning things within "the
church" (see chapter 3:14,15). Paul was not writing about public
school systems or the role of women in their families as wife and
mother. These verses here must be of the same nature and context
as that found in 1 Cor.14:34-35.
It is not the purpose of this Bible Story to go into an
in-depth study on the role of women in the official church
worship service. Yet, it should be very clear from the two
passages above referred to, that Paul taught that in the Church
of God worship service, women were not to take a "teaching" role,
as found be expected from a male minister such as Timothy. They
were to be in "silence with all subjection" - the word
"subjection" in the Greek is a military term, which means "to
rank under." Paul appeals to the very beginning of human
creation in the book of Genesis. He does not go into all the
details of HOW he understood that creation of man and women, was
God's design for a woman to NOT take a "teaching" role in an
official way within the "church of God."
We must remember that Paul was very plain in telling us in
the book of Galatians, he was NOT taught the mysteries and Gospel
of God by any human man but by the Lord Himself.
In these verses Paul is quite up front in telling Timothy
that this IS the WAY it should be. He was at times in his letters
to people and churches, very bold with "authority" - and I guess
if you or I were taught directly from the Lord, we would also at
times be bold with authority in some of our statements,
especially concerning how things should be conducted within the
church congregation, if we had been personally instructed
by the Lord on how it was to be conducted.
This does NOT mean women are inferior to men, or lack
something in the brain which men have and women do not have. This
is not the case at all, just as children are not less perfect in
the brain than their mother. It all simply has to do with "roles"
or "functions" that certain ones are to fulfil within a certain
context of life and relation to others.
And Paul would clearly argue that God had certain "roles"
for men and women to function within, when it came to the church
congregation.
It all has to do with "role function" and has nothing to do
with personal salvation, or in private (such as we find in the
example of Acts 18:24-28 with a man and his wife giving better
instruction to Apollos in the way of God and the Gospel) teaching
and instructing people in Scriptural matters.
The woman is on equal footing with men for salvation. Paul
finishes his thoughts by saying the woman shall be saved "in THE
childbearing" - the Greek containing the definite article "the" -
which would be a reference to Jesus Christ (verse 15). It was
after all through a woman that the Son of God became flesh and
blood, to die for the sins of both men and women. Women shall
indeed be saved as men are, through Jesus, IF they continue in
faith and love and holiness and modesty (self-control). And is
not this the heart of salvation, be it for women and for men?
Yes, it is. There maybe different roles that men and women
function in at times, but the bottom line for salvation is
exactly the same for both sexes.
CHAPTER THREE
QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Paul opens with a true saying, in saying, that if a man
desires the function of an Elder or Bishop (Greek is "episkopos"
and means "overlooker") he does indeed desire a noble work. But
desiring such a work does not automatically mean he is qualified
for such a work. For the apostle goes on to tell us what are the
basic requirements for a man holding the function of a church
leader or shepherd of the flock of God.
He must be living a basically blameless Christian life. This
does not mean he may not make certain mistakes or errors at times
(Peter obviously did as the apostle Paul had to correct him as we
read in Galatians chapter two). Yet his overall life will be one
that can be held up for others to follow and be inspired by.
He must be the husband of one wife. This phrase may seem
hard to understand today, but when we note that polygamy, or have
more than one wife at the same time, was ALLOWED by God under the
Old Covenant, we see here that Paul was inspired to set a new
standard. Having a number of wives at the same time was no more
allowed under the New Covenant or Testament, especially for an
Elder or shepherd of the church.
He needed to be of a sober or sound mind, not one that would
think and act like a man who had too much alcohol to drink. And
so it would follow that he would also be a man of good common
behaviour, knowing how to act in many different situations and
circumstances that life can put us in. Hence he would have good
respectable manners and language when dealing with people (and
children) of all ages.
A spiritual leader would have an outgoing hospitable
disposition. He would enjoy being hospitable to people, sharing
his time, his home, his life, with others. He would not
be someone who was a loner, preferring to be by himself and away
from other individuals. Jesus was not a loner, except when He
needed time to be with the heavenly Father in prayer. Otherwise
Christ was a people person, wanting to serve them, teach them, be
with them. So a leader in the congregation was to be also, for
Paul instructed he was to be a "teacher" - not necessarily a
great "preacher" but he was to be a "skilful teacher" as the
original Greek reads. Teaching the truth of God's word is a large
part of the work of any man who is chosen to be a spiritual
leader in the Church of God.
He is also a person who is not to be hot tempered, or quick
tempered, not to be a quarrel-some person, saying and doing
wrong, as one that is drunk with wine. Or "not given to wine"
could mean, he is not given to drinking too much wine or alcohol
as one who becomes an alcoholic. He is to always have
self-control over alcoholic drinks.
He is not to be a "striker" - not someone who is ready to
get into hot arguments over "religion" and even get so worked up
that he looses physical control of himself. It is a sad
commentary to learn that many physical wars in history have been
waged among people who thought they were doing the will of God,
by literally battling it out with others.
A leader in the church must not be doing the work of a
spiritual guide for the sake of a pay-check, or to try and get
more and more physical goods or money, thinking that he is
rightly entitled to living a high and splendid material life.
That kind of mental thought and ambition is not for the man who
desires the work of the ministry.
Paul again goes back to give emphasis on the fundamental
nature that must be evident in a spiritual leader - a nature that
is NOT of the "brawler" type personality. A brawler person is
anything but patient, they tend to be loud, abrasive, crude,
ready to fight with words and/or actions, at the drop of a hat. A
church leader must be patient, longsuffering, and certainly not
having the brawler type personality.
Because he is not to desire the work of spiritual leader for
the end result of obtaining material wealth, such a leader must
then not be a covetous person, according to Paul.
He is to rule his own household well, his children being in
good subjection with a sensible mindset that makes them serious
in knowing the rightness of listening to their father, and being
in subjection to his guidance in the way they should conduct
themselves in school and out of school. This was important a
qualification to Paul because if a man could not guide and rule
his own family, the apostle could not see it possible for him to
guide and take care of the church of God.
I personally have only known one man in my personal dealings
with other ministers, who willfully stepped down from the
ministry because he had lost control of his teenage sons. His
sons were indeed into big time bad things that no sons of a
minister should ever be in. I had great respect for that
minister for being humble enough to admit this qualification, to
see somewhere along the way he had lost control of his children,
and for then resigning from the ministry. He did not wait for
other spiritual leaders to ask him to step down from active
service in the ministry, he himself withdrew and stepped down.
I suppose the apostle Paul would have no arguments with such
a leader being reinstated into the Eldership after his children
were of adult age and out from under their father's domain. All
adults are on their own before God and other people. What the
apostle here is saying is that when a spiritual leader's children
are still children, and under their father's domain, then that
leader must have normal respectable control over them, where the
children are in control and not out-of-control with the society
or the laws of the land. If they are in trouble with the police
and courts of the land, and cannot be ruled well, then that
church leader is to step away from the ministry, during that time
when his children are still children under his care.
And of course no man should be brought into the spiritual
leadership who is not having good rule over his household and
family.
A church leader is not to be a novice, or one "newly
planted" as the Greek reads. As Paul says, such a one coming
into leadership when a relatively new Christian, will often be
lifted up with pride and vanity, which will give Satan am
opportunity to enter and lead that man into paths of
unrighteousness, that vanity and pride have often led men in
the ministry who were not novices. I have seen long time church
men who became leaders fall under pride and vanity, how much more
so for those that would be novices in Christianity and godliness,
if given such a high responsibility as spiritual leader way
before their time to mature in righteousness and the skill of
understanding the word of
God.
Finally the church leader must have a "good report of them
which are without" - those outside the Christian community and/or
those outside the local church that he is to help lead. He must
have lived and be living a life of conduct in word and deed and
reputation, that is respected by those who know him and have
social and business dealings with him. Those people may not know
what church he belongs to, they may not go to the same church,
they may not know he is being chosen as a church leader by the
church he attends. But they sure will know about how he conducts
himself in business and in community social events. He must be
respected as being kind, patient, fair, honest, trustworthy,
skilled in his work or trade, a "nice person to know" as we say,
and a moral upright person.
It is true that few can ever win all people, some will just
not like a certain person, and it may simply be because of
"personality clashes" and nothing else. Some people are
hard to win no matter how nice and "good" you are to them and
others, but by and large, in the main, the spiritual leader must
have the love and confidence of those outside his church
congregation, and with whom he must meet and "rub shoulders with"
in the day to day world.
As Paul says, appointing any man to church leadership who
does not qualify on this point, is bound to give room for the
Devil to work his snares, and to also bring reproach on himself,
his church, and the name of Christianity (verses 1-7).
...........................
Written November 2005
  Chapter Ninety:Paul writes 1 Timothy - Part two
CHAPTER THREE
QUALIFICATIONS FOR DEACONS
In many respects the qualifications for those serving as
deacons or servants - working on the more physical things within
a local congregation, as those chosen for such work recorded in
Acts chapter 6 - are very similar for those chosen as spiritual
leaders of the congregation. They must be of a serious mind-set
for things concerning Christianity, be not double-tongued or have
a mind that goes two different ways, so none can expect which way
they will follow or which path they will take in any same
situation. In other words being very unpredictable in words or
actions. They also must not be given to "much wine" or the abuse
of alcohol and the wrong mind-set and actions that result from
such abuse. They must not be ruled by the greed of ambition to be
materially wealthy. They must hold the faith of God with a pure
conscience - have the correct motive for wanting to be a part of
the family of God.
Those serving in mainly the physical matters of the church
must be proved, or approved (again see Acts 6). They must have a
basic good behaviour of living, with no serious or large
weaknesses that would bring reproach from none-Christians or
Christians.
The servant of the church must have a wife that is also well
respected for their serious Christianity, who do not slander or
give out false tales and reports on other people, and are true
and faithful in all that they do.
The servant of the church must also have only one wife, the
idea of polygamy or having more than one wife at any one time, is
not to be practiced. They must rule their children and all in
their household in a good and well manner. Their family is to be
balanced and live in such a way as to be respected by all
Those that function as a servant or deacon of the church,
Paul says, have acquired or gained for themselves a good "degree"
or as the Greek is, a good "step" (such as in a staircase). They
will gain more influence, and respectability, as if climbing a
stairway. They will also gain more confidence, assurance, in the
faith or work which is in Christ Jesus (verses 8-13).
Paul tells Timothy that he was writing to him, with the hope
of coming to be with him in the very near future. But He says, if
he was delayed, he was writing to him so he could know how to
manage and behave himself in certain matters that are the day to
day workings of the Church of God, which was the pillar and
ground of the truth. He reminds Timothy that great is the mystery
of godliness, and which basics were that God did come in the
flesh (a member of the Godhead did come to earth as a human flesh
and blood person), lived a righteous and holy life through the
power of the Spirit, angels saw and gave testimony to this truth,
and witnessed that He, Christ Jesus, did preach to the people,
was believed by many, and after His death and resurrection, did
ascend to heaven with glory and into the glory of heaven (verses
14-16). Paul wrote in other letters that Jesus ascended to heaven
to sit on the right hand of God the Father, in the heavenly
throne room of the heavenly Jerusalem city, which will all come
to this earth in God's time plan (read the wonderful 20, 21, and
22 chapters of the book of Revelation).
CHAPTER FOUR
END TIME DOCTRINES OF DEMONS
Paul relates that the Spirit of God had foretold that in the
latter days (which by the definitions of how the words "latter
days" or "last days" are used in the New Testament, it means from
the start of the Christian age to the return of Jesus) some would
depart from the truth or faith, the correct body of teachings
from God, and would give heed to spirits of seduction, and to
teachings that were not only "bad" theology but were derived
from the false ideas of demons. Pretty hard and straight talk
indeed from the apostle Paul.
These demons speak lies while play acting (coming as if
angels of light - see 2 Corinthians 11:13-15), and have their
very minds branded with evil, as a permanent scare.
What are TWO of these end time false doctrines? One is the
teaching that "forbids to marry." And sure enough we see that in
the largest "Christian" church on earth (with over one BILLION
members) there is a teaching that forbids its "priests" to marry,
saying to remain single while leading the flock of God gives more
time to devote to serving the flock. While that church
organization admits there is no Scriptural ground for holding
such a view, it nevertheless forces its spiritual leaders to
remain single (as of the writing of this in 2005).
It may be true, as most Bible scholars agree, Paul was
probably a single man when serving in the Christian ministry,
which we can gather from certain verses in his epistles. The fact
also remains that Paul said he and Barnabas did have the
authority to "lead around a wife" as the apostle Peter did and
others also. Leading around a wife simply meant, having a wife
who travelled with her husband while he preached and taught
the word of God to people in towns and villages, here and there,
near and far.
We have seen that those who serve in leadership roles in the
church are to have one wife. They are to rule their children
wisely and correctly, and have a good responsible family that
others can look to as an example of what a fine Christian family
should be.
True, at times, and for various different reasons (the
example of Paul himself) some of the servants of God would be
single. You may remember in the Gospels Jesus once answered the
twelve concerning not being married, and He said, not all can
accept this, only to those to whom it is given, that is the power
over mind and body to be single and not fall into sexual sins. We
have sadly seen in the last few decades the revealed facts of
many sexual sins by priests who were commanded by their church to
remain un-married. Few indeed can accept being single all their
lives while serving in the ministry, and not fall into immoral
sins, often done in secret, sometimes for decades, before such
sins become open before all.
The second great end time doctrine of demons is the
forbidding to eat certain foods, which God created to be eaten,
and to be received with thanksgiving. Some church organizations
forbid the drinking or eating of tea or coffee or alcoholic wine
or other fermented beverages. Some church groups teach that
eating meat, even of the "clean" animals as specified in Deut. 14
and Lev.11, is "sin" or not quite as "holy" as eating only
fruits, vegetables, and nuts, as they claim that was God's
original diet for mankind.
All the above ideas are incorrect. There is not time, nor is
it the intent of this Bible Story to detail the theological
errors of those teachings.
I do though want to explain what these verses are saying,
because some have the false theology that Paul is here "doing
away with" the Old Testament laws of God given to Israel
concerning "clean" and "unclean" meats. Clean and unclean
animals existed in the time of Noah, when he brought them into
the Ark (see the first chpaters of Genesis). So clean and unclean
animals did not begin with Moses and the Israelites.
You will notice the foods some will forbid to eat are foods
that God created to be eaten and are received with thanksgiving
by those who believe and KNOW THE TRUTH. Every creature of God is
good, nothing to be refused .... but we must read on! IF those
foods are received by being SANCTIFIED by the WORD of God! Being
"set apart" by God's word.
Yes, the bottom line is STILL the WORD of God, and the Lord
does sanctify, or set apart, clean and unclean meats or foods, in
His word. We logically realize that not ALL vegetation is good
food to eat, why some "greens" if eaten will KILL you!
Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11 are still in the Bible.
Nowhere in the New Testament have those clean and unclean laws
been abolished.
But SOME have in the latter days come along and now teach
that even the clean meats are not to be eaten, and you are kinda
more "righteous" if you follow the "original" diet God intended
for mankind, which is being a vegetarian. The truth is that Paul
made it very clear in Romans 14 that it was the vegetarian who
was "weak" in the faith - theologically weak - theologically not
are "learned" in the word of God, as those who know certain
creatures were created and sanctified by God, from the very first
week of creation (Genesis chapter one) to be eaten with
thanksgiving by those who know the truth.
We have certainly seen in the last days the emergence of
these two false doctrines, which are then not of God, and so can
only be of the fallen angelic word, we now call "demons."
Then we must remember that Paul only gave two examples of
false teachings that would arise in the latter times. There are
MANY others besides the two Paul mentioned. You will discover the
many other doctrines of demons as you read and read and read
more of the word of God, reading from Genesis to Revelation. Only
by being familiar with ALL God's word will you be able to avoid
the seductions of demonic spirits (verses 1-5).
Paul told Timothy to put the brethren in remembrance of the
things he had just mentioned, so doing Timothy would be a good
minister of Jesus Christ, he would so be nourished up in the
words of faith and of good sound doctrine, where unto he had
already attained. Timothy was to refuse to have anything to do
with old profane fables and myths floating around all over the
place. He was to exercise himself to godliness. Physical
exercise was not bad, it did have some benefit for a little time,
towards the physical body, but godliness was profitable for
eternity, for today and for ever more in the life which was
yet to come. This thought of mind was indeed the worthy thing,
and because of it Paul said we labour for the Lord and even
suffer reproach from the world, because we live a life that puts
trust in the Eternal God, who is the Saviour of all men,
especially of those who now believe in Him (verses 6-10).
Paul then goes on to tell Timothy that he was to command and
teach the things he was writing to him. His relative youth of age
(probably compared to the apostle Paul) he should not hold as a
disadvantage, but he should be a fine example to the believers,
in word, in conduct, in love, in mental attitude, in faith, and
in leading a pure life.
Yes, that which is right and proper before God no man should
pull back from. No minister of the Lord should fail to teach,
preach, and obey.
Timothy was to give attention to reading, to encouragement,
and to sound doctrine, as he worked in leading those in the
Church of God. This is the three pillars upon which every church
congregation should be built, of course Jesus is the foundation
for those pillars. The church is to constantly be reading the
word of God, it is a place for its members to uplift and
encourage each other, and it is place where sound doctrine is to
be searched for and held on to.
Timothy was to meditate on all these things Paul was writing
to him about, he was to take hold of them, and so let all see the
profitable results in his life.
Paul reminds him to "take heed unto yourself" - a way of
saying he was to watch his steps in how he thought, spoke, and
lived. He was to continue on the right pathway to eternal life,
and in so doing he would not only save himself but also those
that would hear him and follow his example (verse 11-16).
CHAPTER FIVE
VARIOUS INSTRUCTION ON DEALING
WITH PEOPLE WITHIN THE CHURCH
Older men in the church should be corrected with love and as
if they were your father, and the younger men corrected and
taught remembering they are your brothers in the body of Christ,
and so the same principle applies to teaching and correcting
older women and younger women in the church (verses 1-2)
Widows should be given honour, and those widows that have
relatives in the church, those relatives should help support them
in any physical way needed, so the church as a whole can take
care of other people, while not having to worry about the
widows that have family members in the church.
Widows in the church who really do have very little in the
way of physical comforts, will indeed be having to trust on the
Lord to have those physical necessities provided. It will be an
important part of her prayers to God. The people in the church
should then make sure that helping widows with physical needs is
high on their priority list. On the other hand Paul says that
the widow who only lives and prays for more and more material
things, is actually in a state of being spiritually dead.
Obviously anyone who has a large part of their prayer life
devoted to asking for physical things, has a wrong attitude. It
is then a BALANCED approach Paul is teaching here in regards to
the needs of widows and the help that relatives and the church as
a whole can give.
Paul finishes this part of his instruction on helping widows
by saying that those in the church who do not care for their
relatives, and especially for those within their own household,
have denied the basic faith of Christianity, and in some ways
such people are worse than unbelievers, for in most cases the
unbelievers in the world do show compassion and do help close
relatives and those in their household. If the world can do
such hospitable things then surely those professing Christianity
should be doing them also (verses 3-8).
WIDOWS IN THE NUMBER
Verses 9-16 have somewhat of a question. The question being
in verses 9. What did Paul mean by "Let not a widow be taken into
the number...." or as the Greek can be understood to mean, "Let
not a widow be chosen...."
One thing we can know is as Albert Barnes in his Bible
Commentary says, whatever Paul was specifically talking about, it
was clearly understood by Timothy, and probably also by the rest
of the NT church at that time.
It is a section of Scripture we do need to look at and try
to understand some important truths BEING taught and NOT being
taught. Albert Barnes has some very fine comments on these
verses, which I will quote at some length.
Quotes from Barnes' Notes on the New Testament:
".....In the Acts of the apostles (chap.6:1) we have this
account: 'And in those days, when the number of the disciples was
multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the
Hebrews, BECAUSE their widows were neglected in the daily
ministration.' It appears that from the first formation of the
Christian church, provision was made out of public funds of the
society for the indigent WIDOWS who belonged to it. To this, as
to a well-known practice, Paul here evidently refers......Under
threescore years old. For such reasons as those mentioned in
verses 11-14. Having been the wife of one man. "
On this point Barnes gives 5 reasons as to why we should
understand this phrase to mean the widow had only been married to
one man, and had since becoming a widow who remained unmarried.
The 5 points are briefly: (1) This is the natural meaning of such
a phrase (2) "Widows indeed" would naturally have more force of
meaning in understanding that she had remained un-married and had
only ever been married to one husband (3) While it was not wrong
for a widow to marry again, the context proving so, there would
be given a certain "honour" to such widows who had remained
un-married. See Luke 2:36,37 (4) Among the heathen it was
regarded as especially honourable to have been married but to one
man, and such widows wore the Pudicite Coronam, or a crown of
chastity (5) As these persons were not only to be maintained by
the church, but appear also to have been intrusted with an office
of guardianship over the younger females, it was of importance
that they should have such character that no occasion of
offence should be given, even among the heathen; and in order to
that, Paul gave direction that only those should be thus enrolled
who were in all respects widows, and who would be regarded, on
account of their age and their whole deportment, as "widows
indeed."
Barnes ends these 5 points with, "I cannot doubt, therefore,
that he meant to exclude those from the number here referred to
who had been married the second time."
These select widows had to have a history of a life of good
works. Obviously this would be known within the church and the
local society in which the widow lived and conversed. They were
to have brought up children. Paul not being specific, this could
refer to her own children or the children of others, as a "nanny"
type lady. The main thought is that she had a good knowledge of
correct child-rearing. She had to be a person who had been
hospitable to people, even "strangers" that needed a helping
hand, or fellow Christians passing through the locality where she
lived and needed some lodging or meals. Certainly such Christians
would have been "strangers" as such to the local
area.
Washing the saints feet? It is not certain if this should be
taken literally or metaphorically. It was the custom of the times
and the land to wash the sand from off people's feet who came
within your house. It may have been a figure of speech that
denoted someone who served others. There is no evidence that he
refers to it as a "religious rite" or a "religious ordinance,"
any more than he refers to the act of bringing up children as a
"religious rite."
This numbered widow had also to be one noted for the work of
relief for those in various types of afflictions, but Paul does
not elaborate on the types of afflictions he may have had in
mind.
She was to be a follower of that which is "every good work."
As Albert Barnes notes: "A sincere Christian will, like God, be
the friend of all that is good, and will be ready to promote
every good object according to his ability. He will not merely be
the friend of one good cause, to the neglect of others, but he
will endeavour to promote every good object...."
YOUNGER WIDOWS REFUSE
Not refuse in the church, but refuse as to the matter under
discussion, the widows who are admitted into the "number." Of
course all respect and love are to be shown to them as to any
Christian.
Now, what about the hard saying "to wax wanted against
Christ"? As Barnes notes, the thought conveyed to the mind by
these words are NOT what the original means, and does injustice
both to the apostle and to the "younger widows." In the Greek
there is no idea of lewdness or sin. The word means "wandering or
roving in sport" - the idea is playing in the wind, or roving in
frivolity. Tracing the word back we can also see it portrays
revelry or luxury, just not a full controlled life that would be
required for a widow who is chosen to be in the "number" for the
positions and function that the "numbered" widows were to be a
part of.
It is obvious by now that the numbered widows were not just
chosen to be recipients of the churches physical goods. There was
a group of numbered widows over the age of 60 for some function
that entailed a service to the church that was beyond them just
receiving physical goods from the funds of the church. Exactly
what was that function is difficult to say, as we are 2,000 years
from the fact of it, but Timothy and the church knew what Paul
was referring to.
The context makes it clear that Paul had experience with
knowing that younger widows would have a hard time functioning in
this role of widows (that Paul thought it best they be 60 years
old at least and widows indeed, quite content to not marry), as
they would want to re-marry and could hardly be expected to be
able to devote themselves to this special service for Christ
within the church.
Paul hence said that it would be the best for younger widows
to indeed re-marry (verse 14) and possibly raise children, guide
their household. This shows he was speaking about younger widows
in the context of them being child-bearing age, and still having
a large interest in being mothers.
Their is no thought here that Paul had in mind widows taking
vows to remain single or to enter such practices as taking the
veil in Nunneries.
HAVING DAMNATION
Once more words that could carry to the mind, the act of sin
and evil. Barnes in his notes I believe gives the true sense of
what Paul was meaning here.
"The meaning is, that they would contract guilt, if they had been
admitted among this class of persons, and then married again. The
apostle does not say that that would be wrong in itself (v.14) or
that they would be absolutely prohibited from it, but that injury
would be done if they were admitted among those who were 'widows
indeed' - who were supported by the church, and who were
intrusted with a certain degree of care over the more younger
females - and would then leave that situation. It might give
occasion for scandal....." (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament).
It was a special function that the widows indeed were chosen
for, and that function to Paul would be best served by widows who
needed to have no mind in wanting to re-marry. If that class of
widows, chosen for that particular function of Paul's time, found
itself rife with widows wanting to leave that function and
re-marry and raise families, then for Paul that would bring
disrespect and dishonour on the whole function of what those
widows were called to work at within the church. So Paul's
conclusion was that younger widows should think about re-marriage
and raising a family (v.14), which is also a very
respected function in the church. A lot of church growth is
through the families within the church.
CAST OFF THEIR FIRST FAITH
Again, words that could carry to the mind the wrong idea of
individuals casting away their Christian faith and loss of
salvation.
Paul did not have this situation in mind here. Albert Barnes
once more I believe gives the sense of what the apostle had in
mind:
"This does not mean they would lose all their religion, or wholly
fall away, but that this would show they had not the strong
faith....When they became widows, all their earthly hopes seemed
to be blasted. They were then dead to the world, and felt their
sole dependence on God. But if, under the influence of these
strong emotions, they were admitted to the 'class of widows' in
the church, there was no certainty that they would continue in
this state of mind. Time would do much to modify their
grief....They would be disposed to enter into the marriage
relation, and thus show that they had not the strong and simple
faith which they had when the blow which made them widows fell
heavily upon them."
In other words it can be difficult for younger widows to
MAINTAIN an attitude of mind that is not interested in
re-marriage and raising children, especially if they had no
previous children from the marriage they once had.
Such younger widows can feel certain emotions at one time
(when they find themselves as widows) and then different emotions
about life and marriage, at a later time.
In Paul's mind, this special class and function of "widows
indeed" for service in the church, needed a mind-set which could
be constant regarding "no marriage or family plans." Widows over
the age of 60, were in Paul's mind, the best candidates for the
church widows "taken into the number."
OTHER DISTRACTIONS FOR YOUNGER WIDOWS
We would hope that in the Christian community the not so
nice things Paul spoke about in verse 13, would not be a problem
with younger widows. We would hope that such is not the case in
our own local congregation. Yet, we must face the fact that human
nature is well and healthy in far too many local congregations of
the Church of Christ. It is obvious from Paul's words that in his
time, a good portion of the younger widows were guilty of the
things the apostle mentions.
Younger widows supported by the church were too often in a
mind-set that fostered more and more idleness, and with idleness
comes too much talk in the wrong direction, towards gossip, and
speaking things that are not appropriate or that does not become
what a Christian woman should be doing and saying.
So it was better in the apostles mind that younger widows
marry again and raise a family and guide their household, putting
their time and energy into a family that could be helping the
church in a positive way, and so give no opportunity for the
Christian adversary to disdain the Christian faith, or speak evil
against it.
Some, Paul says, have been taken in the clutches of the
enemy of the Christian faith and have been turned aside from the
true ways of God back to the ways of Satan.
The apostle finishes this part of his instructions to
Timothy by once again stating that believing Christians who have
widows in the church should support them, if they need physical
support, so the church does not have to be concerned with those
widows, but can then help the widows in the congregation that
have no relatives to help them (verses 9-16).
What potent teaching the apostle Paul here gives on some
aspects of the Christian church. He will yet give Timothy and all
leaders in the Christian community, much more instruction on some
basic situations that most churches will face as time marches on.
............................
Written December 2005
  Chapter Ninety-one:Paul writes 1 Timothy - Part three
CHAPTER FIVE
REWARDS FOR ELDERS
We have come to verses 17-25. Paul says that the Elders or
those in functions of spiritual leadership and guidance in the
church, are to be given double respect. He has already outlived
to Timothy the basic qualifications for a man to be chosen as an
Elder or Overseer, and that we discussed when we studied chapter
three of this first epistle to Timothy.
It could also well be that Paul here refers more than to
just "respect" as the Greek word can be understood, to physical
substance as well. It was not uncommon as we read the New
Testament to see that some Elders were supported by the members
of the church in the daily needs of this physical life. Most of
those full-time ministers probably did not get all that much in
the way of money and food to live on, hence Paul could say they
really should have double the amount.
Today, very few full-time ministers are in that situation.
Most churches who do pay for spiritual leaders to be employed
full time, give them a fair living for their service, in the
way of money, food, and lodging. The too often reality today is
that many of those full time men in the ministry, get paid WAY
MORE than they probably should, as some live a physical life
style far beyond the average working man or family.
Paul no doubt is, within the context, including the physical
pay for Elders as we see in verse 18 he gives the example of the
ox when it works, it was not to be muzzled so it could eat of the
physical crop, as it performed its work on the farm. He also
quotes from Leviticus 19:13 and Deuteronomy 24:14 (which Jesus
also taught was correct - see Matthew 10:10) that those who work
(in any trade or job) are worthy of a physical reward. The
laborer is indeed worthy of his reward (verses 17,18), or his
hire.
ELDERS THAT ARE TO BLAME
Elders or spiritual leaders who may have fallen into a
SERIOUS sin, are to have MORE than just one person bringing the
accusation. Such serious sins will no doubt be recognized by more
than one person, so Paul gives instruction that there be at least
two or three people bringing the accusation of the serious sins
of an Elder to other Elders. Paul also gives the overall general
position he takes, that such Elders correctly accused of serious
sins, be corrected and rebuked before ALL, the whole
congregation.
Such is the importance of the function of an Elder in the
church. The seriousness of the sin committed and rebuke before
all, would uphold the importance of those in the spiritual
oversight of a church, and also be a sobering reminder to other
Elders that they cannot practice serious sins, as if they are
beyond and above being openly corrected. Paul himself had to
openly rebuke Peter before all for a serious sin, as we have seen
when we went through the epistle to the Galatians.
It is also a sad fact that some in the 20th century have
thought themselves above the law, and thought they were divinely
given the freedom to practice serious sins, while they held the
function of spiritual leader in their church organization.
By ministers being rebuked before all for serious sins,
there would be a certain correct, and godly "fear" brought upon
all members of the church.
Could there be a situation where an Elder is dismissed from
the ministry while his serious sins are not made public? Yes, I
suppose there could be that situation. Yet, as we know, human
nature is such that the sins of a man dismissed from the
ministry, can hardly ever be kept secret. They have a way of
being revealed to most if not all. I suppose the fact of not
being rebuked before all, would safe the Elder some public
embarrassment.
It is also true that some sins of an Elder, while serious
enough to have given open rebuke before all, would not
automatically dismiss him from the function of church
minister. When Paul needed to rebuke Peter before all (as we read
in Galatians) it is obvious Peter repented of his sin and error,
and was able to continue in the ministry of Jesus Christ. There
is needed to be may factors taken into the whole situation and
context in dismissing an Elder from the ministry, which must take
into account the very nature of the sin. Peter's sin was a
"judgment" sin - a sin of partiality - agreeing with the
"theology" of an issue then not carrying through with it in
practice. Peter's sin was not a sin of "morality" per se. Hence
after being openly corrected and Peter seeing his error
and repenting, the church did not see his sin as one that
warranted his dismissal from the church ministry.
Paul ends his thought and teaching reminding Timothy that
there was not to be any favoritism given to this or that man in
the ministry. Nothing was to be done with partiality. Just
because a man had been used mightily by God, such as Peter indeed
was, did not make that man above the overall and general just
practices of the church towards Elders who sin in one form or
another. The guidelines of correcting Elders were to apply to men
who had served for a long time or a short time. That was the
correct way of it all as far as Paul saw it, and we must remember
Paul was indeed inspired by the Holy Spirit. His writings have
become part of the God breathed inspired text of the New
Testament (verses 19-21).
ELDERS CHOSEN
Within the previous context, verse 22 and the laying on of
hands, would be in connection with choosing or ordaining Elders.
Elders have to meet demanding qualifications as outlined by
Paul in the third chapter of this epistle to Timothy. Men who are
married and with children, have to prove through time they are
able to wisely and righteously lead and guide their family. They
can not be new converts to the Christian faith. They have to
prove they can teach correctly God's word to others. They have to
be well respected in their local community in their work and
interaction with their community. All this takes time to prove a
man is above a bad report.
In the Jewish society of Paul's time a man could not be in
the Priesthood until at least the age of 30. And we must remember
the Jewish society of that first century A.D. was in many ways
not at all like our modern society. Jewish boys were considered
adults at age 12, yes that is age 12. For young men and women NOT
to be married by the age of 18 was considered a family disgrace.
So in that context the age of 30 was pretty old in Paul's
time. The word "elder" back then carried not only a spiritual
maturity with it, but also literal age.
Paul did not believe in spiritual leaders of a congregation
being young by the standards of his age. Timothy may well have
been much younger than Paul, but he was probably over the age of
30, which was somewhat old in their society when young men
and women were commonly married before age 18.
The words "neither be partakers of other men's sins" could
be connected with the previous instruction of not having young
men leading churches. If time is given for men to prove
themselves worthy of spiritual Eldership, it is likely they will
not fall into serious sins. Looking for spiritual leaders to lay
hands upon and have enter the ministry of Jesus Christ, is very
serious work, and surely no man or men want to make a mistake and
have great sinners turn up in the ministry. We all have sins but
the thought here of Paul is sins that bring scandal and shame of
the Church of Christ. Men brought into the ministry who have been
proved and tested over time, will go a long way in preventing
shameful scandal. It may not prevent it completely, but having
young men in the ministry who have not been given time to mature
in many different parts of their lives, will give Satan the
adversary much more ammunition to work his dark and deceivable
ways.
If we are to take this last half of verse 22, by itself and
separate from the first half, then Paul was instructing Timothy
to be careful as he worked with and communicated with people. He
was not to allow himself to be taken in and end up being a part
of the sins of others. He was to keep himself pure in this
respect. Anything that gives the hint of being wrong that others
are doing we should stay clear away from. It is very important
that a minister of God be careful, watchful, circumspect, in all
his doings as he works with other people. He should give all
diligence to be NOT found tainted with the sins of other people,
and certainly not the scandalous sins of other ministers. Some
scandalous immoral sins of famous TV evangelists in the 20th
century, have brought shame on the Church of God. It ruined the
lives of those TV personalities, and other ministers could have
also been disgraced if they were in some way connected with those
sins of others.
WINE NOT GRAPE JUICE
Verse 23 is interesting in a few ways. First, Timothy had a
stomach problem of some kind (which is not detailed), which
obviously Paul could not heal. The great apostle could do at
times many mighty miracles, but not all the time. Paul could not
heal in some miraculous way the problem with Timothy's stomach.
So, being able to do some miraculous miracles at some times, does
not guarantee you can do them all the time, or all kinds of
miracles. Paul could not, for whatever reason, heal Timothy of
his stomach sickness. He could though tell him that some wine
would help the problem. I guess we could say this knowledge was a
kind of miracle, God inspiring Paul to know that wine was
the answer for Timothy. Then again Paul knowing the specific
problem, he may have had experience with it all, from his past
years of life, and just knew the answer to the stomach
problem was a little wine.
I can not see that "grape juice" would have done anything
for Timothy, as those opposed to wine or alcohol drinking would
have us understand it.
The truth of the matter is that the Jews in the first
century drank wine and other fermented beverages. It was a part
of their natural diet, as it was for many peoples from the lands
of the East.
It could be that Paul knew Timothy was not a wine drinker,
for whatever reasons, which we are not told, and that he had to
give him specific instructions to drink some wine for his often
stomach problem and infirmities.
SINS - GOOD WORKS - OPEN OR COVERED
Paul in verses 24 and 25, is probably reminding Timothy, of
things that are pretty common knowledge to anyone who has lived
for any length of time, and is rubbing shoulders with other
people in their daily lives. Some sins from some people are just
plain open for all to see and view, they seem to be not bothered
by showing them in an open way. Then there are some people who
"put on a front" a very pretty picture to show to the world, and
so others just do not see any sin in them, small all large. Yet,
they may have sins hidden away so to speak, large sins, but well
covered over with the lovely picture they paint on themselves to
present to others. Often those sins do eventually come to the
surface, and people begin to find they were not the pretty
picture they presented to the world. If they do not come to light
in this life time, they certainly will in the day of judgment,
when the rewards are handed out. They may well be saved and be
given eternal life, their hidden sins not being unto eternal
death, but their reward from the Lord may not be as great as most
would have expected. Our sins will not be plastered all over the
universe, but our reward will tell somewhat of a story.
Likewise, the good work of some are very evident, open, for
all to behold. They are serving in this or that charity, helping
here and there, always doing some kind deed for those less
fortunate. You have no doubt met many of those kinds of
individuals, perhaps you are one of them. Nothing wrong with all
that good work stuff, not at all wrong. We need more people with
"good works" that are open for all to see, maybe then it would
catch fire in many other people to do the same. Paul is not
against "open good works" - not at all, he often commended people
in his epistles for their good works. He is just stating a fact
and then contrasting it for us to remember that some have good
works, but done in more private a way, yet, eventually even this
comes to surface. If not during the life of such people with
"hidden good works" then probably at their death or shortly
after. And if not then, at the judgment it will be evident, when
the Lord gives them a BIG reward, for all their good works, that
were mainly hidden form the eye of mankind, but not from the eyes
of God.
CHAPTER SIX
SERVANTS
Those who are hired servants in one form or another are to
respect those they work for, showing no respect would in Paul's
mind bring discredit on the very name of God, that the servants
were claiming as being their Father, and their God, in their
religious faith.
Those servants who had believing employers, they were
certainly not to hold in any disrespect, for they were then all
brethren in the Lord, all partakers of God. Servants with
believing masters should then have an even deeper respect for
them, and give them more service if and when the opportunity
would warrant (verses 1-2).
Paul told Timothy to teach and even exhort the instructions
he was giving him. Did Paul know that what he was instructing
Timothy was the oracles of God, the words of Christ? Yes, he did!
I suppose that being taught directly from Christ Himself (as we
have seen Paul said he was - see Galatians 1), would give you
full confidence that your instructions on the matters Paul
presented to Timothy, was the word of the Lord. So, Paul said
that if any man taught otherwise, and not to wholesome words and
the doctrines of Christ which was according to godliness, then
such a person was PROUD, KNOWING NOTHING. Such would be those who
would be arguing the semantics of words, always questioning this
and that, and such an attitude would yield only envy, strife,
arguing, and evil surmising, speculations and conclusions (verses
3-4).
Paul pulled no punches here, he finishes his thoughts about
those who would argue that he was not inspired to bring these
instructions on how the Church of God should be governed, with
these words, "Perverse disputings of corrupt minds, and destitute
of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, from such
withdraw yourself" (verse 5).
Men who are only out to seek a following and perhaps
physical material gain, would be those with the mind-set that
Paul lays out in these verses. They will be willing to go with the
flow of what the people desire, even of what other ministers (who
would be like themselves) want and are willing to compromise the
truth of God, for the gain and favor of men.
On the other hand Paul thinking about what is true gain,
says that godliness with CONTENTMENT is great gain. If you are
doing and teaching the truth of the word of God, you will be
content, the appraise of men will mean nothing, what people can
give you in the way of physical goods, will not entice you to
compromise with the truth of God.
The apostle reminds us that we entered this world with
nothing, and we shall carry nothing out of this world with us,
when we die. So he admonishes us to be content with food and
raiment, the basic needs of physical life. If we are living and
teaching the true word of the Lord, we can know God is on our
side, we are living this physical life the way the Father in
heaven wants His children to live, and that is indeed
contentment. And the end result, when glorified into the very
family of God, will be riches beyond our imagination (verses
6-8).
Paul also reminds us that those who have a mind-set to
acquire the riches of this world, will fall into a snare and
temptations, into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which only
drown people into destruction, certainly spiritual destruction,
and in some cases physical ill-health.
I once talked to a man who was caught up in "get rich"
schemes. He went off to a seminar and there they worked at how to
get rich for three full days, day and night, no sleep, just
worked through the whole three days without sleep, at how to "get
rich." He told me that that was nothing, as he once went on a
seminar for SEVEN DAYS, no sleep, just continuous seminar
meetings, day and night, on how to build a business to "get
rich." He looked at me quite seriously and said, "I want to be a
millionaire."
Such a mind-set as the man above is NOT what the child of
God is to have. Such a goal and attitude of mind will destroy you
spiritually and can harm you physically as well. Think about
going for a whole seven days without sleep, and what it would do
to your body, which as Paul said in another epistle of his, is
the very Temple of God.
Money is not evil of itself. Some of God's people down
through the centuries have been wealthy individuals, like Abraham
and Job, David and Solomon, but physical goods and money did not
consume their minds. But a mind having the wrong kind of love for
money is ONE (as the Greek reads) of the roots of all that is
evil. Some in Paul's day had become consumed with the love of
money and had erred from the faith, had fallen from the faith and
from the grace of God. They had pierced themselves through with
many arrows of sorrow. Many a materially rich person have found
that if they do not have God in their lives, with a correct
perspective on physical wealth, they end up with many sorrows.
Wealth is not wrong or evil per se. It can be a great
blessing to use to serve and help others. If we find ourselves
physically wealthy, and we are God child, and we can keep the
correct attitude towards material wealth, then praise the Lord.
What a wonderful opportunity and gift we have been given, to use
our wealth to give and to serve others with it, to help proclaim
the Gospel of grace, salvation, and the Kingdom of God (verses
9-10).
PASTORAL AIMS
Looking at all the wrong attitude of mind, Paul admonishes
Timothy to, "...flee these things; and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto you are called, and have professed a good profession
before many witnesses" (verses 11-12).
Paul said he gave charge for him on all the matters
discussed, before the sight of God and Christ Jesus, who did
witness before Pontius Pilate that He had a good profession of
doing what was righteous. Timothy was to keep the directions Paul
had instructed him on, without spot of corruption, unrebukeable
in conduct, right up to the very end, to the coming of Christ, if
He should come in Timothy's life time. God the Father would show
Him, Christ Jesus to the world once more, in His time plan, the
one who is Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who
only had immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can
approach.
It makes little or no difference as to whether you think the
phrase "who only has immortality" refers to God the Father or to
Jesus Christ. The fact is as Jesus stated in the Gospels, He and
the Father are ONE!! There is ONE God but that one God, or
Godhead, is made up of TWO Spirit Individual Beings, both with
immortality, dwelling in the light no man can approach. Both God
the Father and Jesus His Son, have immortality. No man has
immortality, only God. People are not born with an immortal soul.
The light the Godhead dwells in no man can approach, no man
has seen, nor can see (verses 13-16).
No man can approach the light of God's face and live (so God
Himself told Moses - Exodus 33:20), and this is probably what
Paul is referring to. Because as we continue to see in Exodus
33, God did allow Moses to see His back parts, to see the glory
of His back parts, the light of glory as God is in the "spirit"
dimension. It was the glory of God's back parts that Moses was
allowed to see and NOT the glory of His face, for God had
indeed told him that no man can see the glory of His face and
live.
CONCERN FOR THE MATERIALLY WEALTHY PEOPLE
Paul once more returns to admonish those in the church who
are materially wealthy. They were not to be high-minded, proud
and vain in their wealth. They were not to TRUST in uncertain
riches (that can be here today and disappear tomorrow for various
economic reasons, as those in the 1929 Stock Crash found out).
They were to TRUST in the Living God, who gives us so many riches
to enjoy, that are better than material wealth. Think about the
riches of being able to see and hear, walk and talk, smell and
taste and touch. To have good health is worth more than all
physical riches, as people with wealth but no health have often
found out.
The wealthy in this world's goods were to do good, be rich
in good works, ready to give and distribute their wealth, willing
to be sociable and not snobbish or aloof with those not in their
wealth class. Certainly the rich in material goods have a
wonderful opportunity to use their wealth in helping others less
fortunate than themselves. There are so many good "charities" of
work out there to give to, the wealthy can help so many in
true need.
By so giving they would lay up for themselves a good
foundation against the time to come, when love and good works
would be the bottom line, the main accountability as to what a
person has done with what they were given. Using wealth correctly
by those who have it, would also more importantly, be a good way
to lay hold on eternal life.
As children of God we are all expected to use what we have
been given to work with to serve others. Our talents, abilities,
wealth of any kind, God expects us to use. If we do not, we may
end up like the "unprofitable servant" of Matthew 25:30 and not
even obtain eternal life, but be cast out into outer darkness,
which is another way of saying, cast away from the light of God,
His presence, and eternal life (verses 17-19).
FINAL CHARGE
Timothy was to KEEP that which he had been intrusted with.
He was to avoid profane and vain babblings, and the false
oppositions of a science, which was falsely called "science."
Some had already fallen victim to the false science of Paul's day
and had erred concerning THE faith (verses 20-21).
There can be many types of vain babblings that the child of
God needs to avoid, as they walk through this unconverted world.
Some talk and discussions we need to walk if not run away from,
as they are not worthy to be entertained by the mind of the
Christian.
There is a false science out there. The world puts forth the
teaching of evolution, the science behind it, being a false
so-called "science." And so it goes, with some other types of
that which is called "science" by those who ignore God and His
Word the Bible.
We have the false science of the false ideas on how to rear
children, which one famous man (now dead) had a whole generation
of parents following. After 20 years he did have the courage to
tell the world he was wrong, and that his teachings had helped
rear a generation of rebellious, dysfunctional, disrespectful,
ill-mannered, young people. There have been the false "science of
foods and nutrition" over the past 30 years, which has led to a
generation of over-weight children and adults, and many other
physical health problems. Some have now openly condemned and
proved that particular "science" was false in many ways. The
science of cigarette smoking, once thought to be of no harm, has
been fully blow to bits as a false science.
Yes, you need to be aware that a lot of science maybe and
often is, a science falsely called so. Do not let that false
science cause you to wander and stray from THE faith which is in
God and His Word.
The first epistle of Paul to Timothy - what a wealth of
instruction it is for every Christian and every Christian
minister and for all the Churches of God everywhere.
........................
Written January 2006
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