1 Timothy 4:7

refuse profane and old wives" fables This clause Westcott and Hort connect by a comma with the preceding rather than the following sentence. Surely to connect so closely the future -thou shalt be" and the imperative -refuse" is an unnecessary awkwardness; R.V. taking the same general view of the connexion gives the colon before and the full stop after the clause. It is of less consequence as the subject is continuous either way. If the article with -fables" points back to the -doctrines of devils" and the -lies" of 1 Timothy 4:1, yet the -godliness" and the -hope in the livingGod who is the Saviour of all men" point back also to the -truth" and the -mystery" of 1 Timothy 3:15-16.

refuse Another of the characteristic words of these Epistles; used as here 2 Timothy 2:23, and of refusing persons, 1 Timothy 5:11; Titus 3:10. In all the other passages of N. T. it has the earlier sense of deprecor, -beg off," -decline;" Luke 14:18, -with one consent began to beg off;" Acts 25:11, -If I have committed anything worthy of death I do not beg off from death;" Hebrews 12:19 -they that heard begged off from any word more being spoken."

profane As opposed to the godliness of 1 Timothy 3:16, and characteristic of the phraseology of these Epistles; cf. note on 1 Timothy 1:9. As -godliness" is seen to be more and more bound up with a reverent grasp of true doctrine, so the self-willed fancies of heretical teaching are -profane" as ignoring or denying the present working of the living God.

old wives" fables For the justification of this epithet see Introd. p. 49; cf. also Appendix, B. The article, the order of the words, and the present tense, have their proper force by rendering the whole sentence, But those profane and old wives" fables refuse steadily.

and exercise thyselfrather] R.V. omits -rather" of A.V., connecting with what follows. The conjunction itself admits of being taken either as a stronger contrast with preceding, -and … rather," or as a weaker, taking up a somewhat new point following, -and moreover." The -exercising" is taken by most commentators to contain an implied rebuke of the corporeal austerities for religion's sake taught by one school of the earliest Gnostics. But the word has a definitely recognised metaphorical meaning by this time. Cf. the use in 2 Peter 2:14, -a heart trained in covetousness"; Hebrews 5:14, -by reason of use have their senses trained to discern"; Hebrews 12:11, -them that have been trained by chastening." And St Paul's use of strong nervous words of command to brace up his younger comrade should make us lay more stress on this word of vigorous metaphor, and less perhaps on godliness; -do more than acquiesce in correct doctrine and godly dispositions; pursue a vigorous course of training; practise well and widely how to teach both Christian truth and Christian life." So Theod. Mops. Lat. interprets -exercitationem" as -diligentiam doctrinae," … -ut alios cum omni diligentia ista instruat." See Appendix, K.