“BUT THE SPIRIT EXPLICITLY SAYS”: This is in contrast to the truth presented in 1 Timothy 3:16. “With such wonderful truths to occupy their minds and fill their hearts, one would think that men would not busy themselves with other and very different things” _(Reese p. 161)._ Note what the Spirit say... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HUMAN AGENTS WHO SPREAD SUCH ERRORS 1 Timothy 4:2 “By means of the hypocrisy of liars”: “Pretense, outward show, by the hypocritical preaching of liars” _(Arndt p. 845). _“Certainly these false teachers must make themselves appear different from what they really are. Some have gone so far that... [ Continue Reading ]
SPECIFIC DOCTRINES 1 Timothy 4:3 “Men who forbid marriage”: “A false asceticism is the key emphasis of their teaching. How often has this sort of ascetic teaching, under the guise of. more spiritual religion, arisen to plague mankind! The Essenses and Therapeutae in the days before the church, the... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR EVERYTHING CREATED BY GOD IS GOOD”: Genesis 1:31; Mark 7:19; Acts 10:15. “Good” in the sense of being excellent in its nature. The above statement does not mean that the Christian can partake of Cocaine or Marijuana. There are things that God created as good, but which have been perverted by m... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR IT IS SANCTIFIED BY MEANS OF THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER”: First, it is the word of God that has declared such things to be good. “Thanksgiving is not. magical formula which changes the nature of these things but it gives. sacred value to them as gifts whose source might otherwise be overlooked…... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOOD SERVANT 1 Timothy 4:6 “In pointing out these things to the brethren”: The expression “these things” certainly includes what is mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:1. What Paul is writing is not just for the personal benefit of Timothy but is also meant for the entire congregation as well. Part of the... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH”: The sound doctrine will enable the preacher to know the difference between what he should teach and what should be rejected. “While he must meet demonic teaching head-on and refute it with Scripture, he must not fritter away his time with silly religious trivia” _(Kent... [ Continue Reading ]
“For bodily exercise”: SOME WRITERS ARGUE THAT “BODILY EXERCISE” IN THIS CONTEXT REFERS TO THE PRACTICES IN 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3, YET PAUL DOES NOT ARGUE THAT SUCH PRACTICES ARE OF. LITTLE PROFIT, RATHER HE ARGUES THAT THEY ARE SINFUL AND THE DOCTRINES OF DEMONS. THE CONTRAST IS NOT BETWEEN ASCETICISM AN... [ Continue Reading ]
“It is. trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance”: THE STATEMENT UNDER CONSIDERATION IS THE STATEMENT THAT GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE FOR ALL THINGS. THIS IS. TRUE SAYING AND ONE THAT CAN BE TRUSTED, AND ONE WHICH EVERYONE NEEDS TO EMBRACE WITH FULL ACCEPTANCE. THIS ALSO INFERS THAT THERE ARE S... [ Continue Reading ]
__ 1 Timothy 4:10 “For it is for this we labor and strive”: “THE LIFE OF GODLINESS, WHICH IS SO PROFITABLE FOR TIME AND ETERNITY, IS THE APOSTLE'S GOAL” _(KENT P. 158). _“We”: THIS WOULD INCLUDE TIMOTHY AND PAUL AND OTHER WORKERS AS WELL. “Labor”: “Work that points to the weariness and exhaustion w... [ Continue Reading ]
“Prescribe and teach these things”: THE THINGS JUST MENTIONED AND WHAT FOLLOWS. THE TERM “PRESCRIBE” MEANS TO ORDER, COMMAND AND CHARGE AND IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE, TO CONTINUAL TO DO SO. COMPARE WITH 1 TIMOTHY 1:3; 1 TIMOTHY 6:13 AND 17. THE PREACHER NEEDS TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD WITH AUTHORITY ... [ Continue Reading ]
“Let no one look down on your youthfulness”: The teaching and commanding in 1 Timothy 4:11 may evoke resistance upon some members. By his example and speech, Timothy must remove any barrier to the message his youthfulness might cause. Timothy was probably around 35 when this letter was written. In t... [ Continue Reading ]
“Until. come”: PAUL EXPECTED AT THIS TIME TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO EPHESUS (1 TIMOTHY 3:14). 1 Timothy 4:13 “Give attention to”: MEANING TO DEVOTE THOUGHT AND EFFORT. 1 Timothy 4:13 “The public reading of Scripture”: The word “public” is added because the Greek word “reading” is the word used of rea... [ Continue Reading ]
“Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you”: Note that even spiritual gifts, and miraculous abilities could be misused _(1 Corinthians 12:1; 1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Corinthians 14:1)_ or neglected completely. This “gift” was not. natural talent, but. miraculous gift or ability (1 Corinthians 12:4;... [ Continue Reading ]
“Take pains”: CARE FOR, ATTEND TO CAREFULLY, PRACTICE, CULTIVATE, THE VERY OPPOSITE OF THE TERM “NEGLECT” IN VERSE 14. “PAUL IS CALLING FOR CAREFUL THOUGHT IN THE PRACTICE OF THESE THINGS” _(HIEBERT P. 88)._ 1 Timothy 4:15 “With these things”: THAT IS, THEE THINGS JUST MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER. HE... [ Continue Reading ]
__ 1 Timothy 4:16 “Pay close attention to”: THAT IS, KEEP ON PAYING ATTENTION TO. 1 Timothy 4:16 “Yourself”: THAT IS, EVERYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF, HABITS, SPEECH, THOUGHTS, ATTITUDE, AND SO ON (1 TIMOTHY 4:12). “PREACHERS HAVE EVEN BEEN KNOWN TO DEVELOP MANNERISMS THAT REFLECT AGAINST THEIR CHARACTE... [ Continue Reading ]