Analysis Of The Chapter This chapter 1 Timothy 1 comprises the following subjects: (1) The salutation to Timothy, in the usual manner in which Paul introduces his epistles; 1 Timothy 1:1. (2) The purpose for which he had left him at Ephesus; 1 Timothy 1:3. It was that he might correct the false i... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST; - see the notes on Romans 1:1. BY THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD - See the notes at 1 Corinthians 1:1. OUR SAVIOUR - The name Saviour is as applicable to God the Father as to the Lord Jesus Christ, since God is the great Author of salvation; see the notes, Luke 1:47; comp... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO TIMOTHY - For an account of Timothy, see Intro. Section 1. MY OWN SON IN THE FAITH - Converted to the Christian faith by my instrumentality, and regarded by me with the affection of a father; see notes, 1 Corinthians 4:15. Paul had no children of his own, and he adopted Timothy as a son, and un... [ Continue Reading ]
AS I BESOUGHT THEE TO ABIDE STILL AT EPHESUS - It is clear from this, that Paul and Timothy had been laboring together at Ephesus, and the language accords with the supposition that Paul had been compelled to leave before he had completed what he had designed to do there. See the Intro. Section 2.... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER GIVE HEED TO FABLES - That is, that they should not bestow their attention on fables, or regard such trifles as of importance. The “fables” here referred to were probably the idle and puerile superstitions and conceits of the Jewish rabbies. The word rendered “fable” (μῦθος muthos) means pr... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE END OF THE COMMANDMENT - see the notes on Romans 10:4. In order that Timothy might fulfil the design of his appointment, it was necessary that he should have a correct view of the design of the law. The teachers to whom he refers insisted much on its obligation and importance; and Paul desig... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM WHICH SOME HAVING SWERVED - Margin, “not aiming at.” The word here used - ἀστοχέω astocheō - means properly, to miss the mark; to err; and then, to swerve from compare 1Ti 6:21; 2 Timothy 2:18. It does not mean that they had ever had that from which they are said to have swerved - for it doe... [ Continue Reading ]
DESIRING TO BE TEACHERS OF THE LAW - That is, to have the credit and reputation of being well versed in the law of Moses, and qualified to explain it to others. This was a high honor among the Jews, and these teachers laid claim to the same distinction. UNDERSTANDING NEITHER WHAT THEY SAY - That is,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE LAW IS GOOD - We admit this; it is that which we all concede. This declaration is evidently made by the apostle to guard against the supposition that he was an enemy of the law. Doubtless this charge would be brought against him, or against anyone who maintained the sentiments w... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THIS - That is, “If anyone knows, or admits this, he has the prover view of the design of the law.” The apostle does not refer particularly to himself as knowing or conceding this, for then he would have uses the plural form of the participle (see the Greek), but he means that anyone who had... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHOREMONGERS - Leviticus 19:29; Leviticus 20:5. FOR THEM THAT DEFILE THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND - Sodomites. See the evidence that this crime abounded in ancient times, in the notes on Romans 1:27. It was forbidden by the law of Moses, and was punishable with death; Leviticus 20:13. FOR MENSTEALER... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL - The gospel is a system of divine revelation. It makes known the will of God. It states what is duty, and accords in its great principles with the law, or is in harmony with it. The law, in principle, forbids all which the gospel forbids, and in publishing the requi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I THANK CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD - The mention of the gospel 1 Timothy 1:11, and of the fact that it was committed to him, leads the apostle to express his gratitude to him who had called him to the work of preaching it. The Lord Jesus had called him when he was a blasphemer and a persecutor. He ha... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WAS BEFORE A BLASPHEMER - This does not mean that Paul before his conversion was what would now be regarded as an open blasphemer - that he was one who abused and reviled sacred things, or one who was in the habit of profane swearing. His character appears to have been just the reverse of this,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT - That is, in his conversion under these circumstances and in the aid which was afterward imparted to him in his work. WITH FAITH AND LOVE WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS - Accompanied with the exercise of faith and love; or producing faith and love. The gr... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING - Greek, “Faithful is the word,” or doctrine - ὁ λογος ho logos. This verse has somewhat the character of a parenthesis, and seems to have been thrown into the midst of the narrative because the mind of the apostle was full of the subject. He had said that he, a great sinn... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT FOR THIS CAUSE - That is, this was one of the causes, or this was a leading reason. We are not to suppose that this was the only one. God had other ends to answer by his conversion than this, but this was one of the designs why he was pardoned - that there might be for all ages a permanent p... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW UNTO THE KING ETERNAL - This ascription of praise is offered to God in view of the mercy which he had shown to so great a sinner. It is the outbreak of that grateful emotion which swelled his bosom, and which would not be denied expression, when Paul recalled his former life and the mercy of God... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS CHARGE - This command or injunction. It does not refer to any “charge,” or “cure,” which he had as bishop or minister, as the word is sometimes used now, but to the commands or injunctions which he was delivering to him. The command particularly referred to is that in 1 Timothy 1:8. ACCORDING T... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLDING FAITH - Fidelity to the cause in which you are enlisted - as a good soldier should do. This does not mean, as it seems to me, that Timothy should hold to the system of doctrines revealed in the gospel, but that he should have that fidelity which a good soldier should have. He should not betr... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM IS HYMENEUS AND ALEXANDER - Hymeneus is nowhere else mentioned in the New Testament, except in 2 Timothy 2:17, where he is mentioned in connection with Philetus as a very dangerous man. An Alexander is mentioned in Acts 19:33, which some have supposed to be the same as the one referred to he... [ Continue Reading ]