Chapter XXVII (continued, part 24)
ti_ficationo( the Spirit and belief of tlie truth." because
lit., " in requital for ;" in just retribution for their liaving no love for tlie truth which was within their reach (on account of its putting a check on their bad passions), and
for their having "pleasure in unrigliteousness" (i'. 12; Romans 1. 18) : they are lost because they loved not, but rejected, the truth which would have saved them, rocelvetl not Greek, " welcomed not;" admitted it not cordially, love of tine truth—not merely love of truth, but love of THE truth (and of Jesus who is the Truth, in opposition to Satan's "lie," v. 9, 11; John 8. 42-41), can aave (Ephesians
4. 21). We are required not merely to assent to, but to Itwe the truth (Psalm 119.97). The Jews rejected Him wlio canieiii His Divine Father's name; they will receive Antichrist coming in /ti* ojyn name (John 5. 43). Their pleasant sin shall prove their terrible scourge. 11. for tliU catisc-Because " they received not the love of the truth." The liest safeguard against error is " the love of the truth." Bhall send—Oreek, "sends," or "is sending;" the "delusion" is already beginning. God Judicially .sends hardness of heart on those who have rejected the trutli, and givas them up in rigliteous judgment to Satan's delusions (Isaiah 0. 9, 10; Romans 1. 24-2(i, 28). They first cast
off the love of the truth, then God gives them up to Satan's delusions, then they settle down into " believing the lie :" an awful climax (1 Kings 22. 22, 23; Ezekiel 14. 9; Job 12. 10; Matthew 24. 5, 11 ; 1 Timothy 4. 1). strong delusion— OrecA;, " the poivcrful working of error," answering
l)Ut forward as of co-ordinate nulhority with It. She forgets the ten passages (Matthew 15. 2, 3, 0; Mark 7. 3, 5, 8, 9, 13; (lalatians 1. 14 • Colossians 2. 8) stigmatizing nian'suninsj)ired traditions. Not even the apostles' sayings were all inspired (e.g., Peter's dissimulation, Galatians 2.11-14), but only when they claimed to be so, as In their words afterwards embodied in their canonical wrillnga. Oral
to the energizing " working of Satan" (v. 9) ; the same expression as is applied to the Holy Ghost's operation In believers: "powerful" or "effectual (energizing) work-
lug"' (Ephesians 1. 19). believe b lie—rather "the lie" 39S
Pavl Prayeth for the Brethren. 2 THESSALONIANS III. They are Exhorted to Shun Fd Company.
fled—by sinners accepting it (Acts 13. 48; Galatians I. 23,
Inspiration was necessary In theit case, until the canon of the written Word should be complete; they proved their passession of inspiration by miracles wrought in support of the new revelation, which revelation, moreover, accorded with the existing Old Testament revelation; an additional test needed besides miracles (ef. Deuteronomy 13. 1-6; Acts 17. 11). When the canon was complete, the infallibility of the living men was transferred to the written Word, now the sole unerring guide, .nterpreted by the Holy Spirit. Little else has come down to us by the most ancient and U7iiversal tradition save
24). Contrast "evil spoken of (1 Pe'er 4. 14). as It ia with you—(1 Thessalonians 1. 6; 4. 10; 5. U.) 2. that Ave
. . . be delivered from unreasonable . . . men—/ti.,nien out of place, inept, unseemly: out of the ivay bad: more than ordinarily bad. An undesigned coincidence with Acts 18. 5-9. Paul was now at Corinth, where the Jews "opposed themselves" to his preaching: in answer to his prayers and those of his converts at Thessalonica and elsewhere, "the Lord, in vision,'' assured him of exemption from "the hurt," and of success in bringing in "much people." On the unreasonable, out-of-the-way perversity of the Jews, as known to the Tliessalonians, see 1 Thessalonians 2. 15, IG. have not faith—or as Oreel-; "the faith" of the Christian: the only antidote to what
this, the all-sufflciency of Scripture for salvation. There-
fore, by tradition, we are constrained to cast off all tra-
ilition not contained in, or not provable by. Scripture. The Fathers are valuable witnesses to historical facts, which give force to the intimations of Scripture: such as the Christian Lord's day, the baptism of infants, and the genuineness of tlie canou of Scriptui-e. Tradition (in the senoe human testimony) cannot establish a doctrine, but can authenticate a fact, such as the facts just mentioned. Inspired tradition, in St. Paul's sense, is not a supplementary oral tradition completing our written Word, but
is "unreasonable and wicked." The Thessalonians, from their ready acceptance of the Gospel (1 Thessalonians 1.
5,6), might think "all" would similarly receive it; but the Jews were far from having such a readiness to believe the truth. 3. faltliful—alluding to " faith " {v. 2): though many will not believe, the Lord (other very old M.SS. read " God ") is still to lie believed in as faitliful to His promises (I Thessalonians 5. 24 ; 2 Timothy 2. 13). Faith on the part of man, answers to faithfulness on the part of God. stabligh you—as he liad praj'ed (ch. 2. 17). Thougli it was on himself that wicked men were making their onset, he turns away from asking the Thessalonians' prayers for HIS deliverance (u. 2: so unselfish was he, even in religion), to express his assurance of their establishment in the faith, and preservation from evil. This assurance thus exactly answers to Iws prayer for them, ch. 2. 17, " Our Lord . . . stablish you in every good word and work." He has before his mind the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:" where, as here, the translation may he, " from the evil one:" the great hi nderer of " every good word and work." Cf. Matthew 13. 19, " the wicked one." 4. we have coiiftdence in the Lord as " faithful " {v. 3). Have confidence in no man when left to himself. [Bengei,.] that j-^e botli do—Some of the oldest MSS. inserta clause, " That ye both have done " before, " and are doing, and will do." He means the majority by "ye," not all of them (cf. v. II ; cli. 1. 3; 1 Thessalonians 3.
it is identical with the written Word now complete; then the latter not being complete, the tradition was necessarily in part oral, in part written, and coutiiuied so until, the latter being complete before the death of St. Jolin, the
last apostle, the former was no longer needed. Scripture
is, according to Paul, the complete and sufficient rule in
all that appertains to making "the man of God perfect,
thoroughly/ furnistied unto all good works" (2 Tiinotliy 3. 16,
17). It is by leaving St. Paul's God-inspired tradition for human traditions that Rome has become tlie forerunner and parent of the Antichrist. It is striking that, from
til is very chapter denouncing Anticlirist, she should draw an argument for her "traditions" by which she fosters ar.M-Christianity. Because the apostles' oral word was as trustworthy as their wriMen word, it by no means follows that tlie oral word of those »to< apostles is as trustworthy as the written word of those wlio were apostles or inspired evangelists. No tradition of ttie apostles except
their written word, can ije proved genuine on satisfactory evidence. We are no more hound to accept implicitly the Fathers' interpretations of Scripture, because we accept the Scripture canon on their testimony, than we are bound to accept the Jews' interpretation of the Old Testament, because we accept the Old Testament canon on
6). 5. If " the Lord " be here the Holy Ghost (2 Corinthians
8. 17), the three Persons of the Trinity will occur in this verse, love of Go<l—love to God. patient waiting for Clirist—rather as Greek, " the patience (endurance) of Christ," viz., which Christ showed [Alfokd] (ch. 2. 4; 1 Thessalonians 1. 3). Estius, however, supports English Version (cf. Revelation 1. 9; 3. 10). At all events, this grace, "patience," or persevering endurance, is connected with the "hope" (1 Thessalonians 1. 3, 10) of Christ's coming. In Alfokd's translation we may compare Hebrews 12. I, 2, " Kan w\Vn palieniie {endurance) . . . looking to Jesus . . . who, for the joy that was before Him, endured the cross:" so WE are to endure, as looking for the hope to be realized at His coming (Hebrews 10. 30, 37). C. we command you —Hereby he puts to a particular test their obedience in general to his commands, wh ich obedience he had recognized in V. 4. withdraw lit., to furl the sails: as we say,
their testimony, our Epistle—as distinguished from a "letter as from us," v.% viz., tliat purport#to be from us, but is not. He refers to his first Epistle to the Tliessaloniana. IG, 17. lilinMrlf—by His own might, ascontrasted with our feebleness; ensuring the efficacy of our prayer. Here iorrf Jeifui stands first; in 1 Thessalonians 3. 11, "Gild our Father." which . . . lovetl us—in tlie work
of our redemption. Referring tioth to our Lord Jesus (Romans 8.-37; Galatians 2.20) and God our Father (John 3.
16). evcrlastlns consolation—Not transi tory, as worldly cousolatious in trials (Romans 8. 38, 39). This lor all time present, and tlien "good hope" for the future. fALKORD.] through griiee—rather as Greek," ly grace;" to be joined
to steer clear of (cf. v. 14). Some had given up labour as though the Lord'sdaj' was immediately coming. He had enjoined mild censure of such in 1 Thessalonians 5. 14, "irar« . . . the unruly;" but now that the mischief had become more confirmed, he enjoins stricter discipline,
to " halli given." Grace is the clement ire wliioli tlie gift was made, comfort your hearts—unsettled as you have been through tliose who announced the immediate coming of the Lord, good word and work—The oldest MSS. invert tlie order, " work and word." Establishment
viz., withdrawal from their company (cf. 1 Corinthians 5.
in these were what the young converts at Thessalonica, needed, not fanatical teaching (cf. 1 Corinthians 15. 58).
11; 2 John 10. 11): not a formal sentence of excommunication, sucli as was subsequently passed on more heinous offenders, as in 1 Corintliians 5.5; 1 Timothy 1. 20f. He says "brother," i.e., professing Christian; for in the case of unprofessing heathen, lielievcrs neede'l not be so strict
Ver. 1-18. He Asks thefb Prayer-s : His CoNrrnRNCE iN them: Phavek fob thk.m: Charges against DisJUDKK/.Y IDLK COXDUCT; HIS OWN EXAMPI-E: COXCI.UD1N« PKAVEE AND SALUTATION. 1. Finally—?t^., " As tO wluil remains." may iiave free couriM; lit., " may run ;"
(1 Corinthians 5, 10-13). disorde»-ly—St. Paul plainly would not have sanctioned the order of ^lendicanl Friars, who reduce such a "disorderly" and lazy life to a system. Call it not an order, but a burden to the community (BENfiEl.. alluding to the Greek, v. 8, for "be chargeable,"
tpread rapidly without a drag on the wheels of its course. That the new-creating word may "run" as "swiftly" as the creative word at the flrstd'salm U7. 15). The opposite
lit., be a burden), tlic traditiont)ic oral instruction wlilch he had given to them when present (u. 10), and subsequently committed to writing (1 'Thessalonians 4. 11,
Is the word of God being " bound" (2 Timothy 2. 9). glorl-
Introduction 1 TIMOTHY. Introduction.
12). wlticli he received of Some oldest MSS. vend, "ye received;" others, " lliey received." Tlie English
4. 1, Implying the sphere wherein such conduct is appropriate and consistent. " We exhort you thus, as miniglera IN Cfirisl. exhorting our people l?J Christ." wMh quietness—quiel industry; laying aside restless, bustling, intermeddling officiousness (v. 11). their own— Brf-=»d earned by them.selves, not another's bread (i'. S). 13. b« not weary—The oldest MSS. read, " Be not cowardly in ;" do not be wanting in strennousness in doing well. Edmunds explains it. Do not culpably neglect to do well, vi2., with patient industry lo do your duty in j-our several callings. In contrast to the "disorderly, not-working busybodies" (». 11 ; cf. Galatians 6. 9). 14. note that man —mark him in your own mind as one to be avoided (v. 6). that he ntny be «8hanied Greek, "made to turn and look into himself, and so be put to shame." Feeling himself shunned by go<lly brethren, he majbecome ashamed of his course. IU. admonish him as a brother —not yet excommunicated (cf. Leviticus 19. 17). Do not shun him in contemptuous silence, but tell him why he
Ycr.sioii reading has no very old authority. 7. li«w ye ouglit to follow lis—how ye ought to live so as to " imi-
t-!te" (so the Greek for "follow") its (of. Xote, 1 Corinlhiaus Jl.l; 1 Thessaloniaiis 1.6). 8. eat nny man's bvead
{yreek, "eat bread from any man," t. e., live at any
oiu;'.s expense. Contrast v. l-', " Eul thf.ik ow.s bread." wvonglit—(Acts 20. .i^.) In both Epistles they state they maintained themselves by labour; but in this second
E})ist!e they do so iu order to offer themselves herein as an example to the idle; whereas, in the first, their object in doing so is to vindicate themselves from all imputation of mercenary motives in preacliing the Gospel (I Thessaloniaiis 2. 5, 9). [Kdml'NDS.] Tliey pieaehed gratuitously, thougli they might have claimed maintenance from their converts, labour and travail — "toil and hardship"
(.Note, 1 Thessalonians 2. 9). nlgUt aM«l day—Hcarcely allowing time for repose, clinrgeable— G/ et'A-, "a burden," or " burdensome." The Philippiaus did not regard it as n burden to contribute to his support (Pliilippians -J. 1.5,
is so avoided (Matthew 18. 15; 1 Thessalonians 5. 14). 16. Lord of peace—Jesus Christ. The same title is given to Him as to the Father, "the God of peace" (Romans 15.33; 16.20; 2 Corinthians 13.11). An appropriate title in the prayer here, where the harmony of the Cliristian community was liable to interruption from the "disorderly." The Greek nrV^e\B requires the translation, "Give yon the peace" which it is "His to give." "Peace" outward and inward, here and hereafter (Romans 14. 1"), always—unbroken, not changing with outward circumstances, by all means Greek, "in everyway." Mast of the oldest MSS. read, "in every jilace ;" thus he pi-ays for their peace in all times {" always") anti places. l<ard be with you all —May He bless yon not only with peace, hxtt also with His presence (JIatthew 28. 20). Even the disorderly brethren (cf. V. 15, "a brother") are included in this prayer. 17. The Epistle was written by an amanuensis (perhaps Silas or Timothy), and only the closing salutation written by Paul's "own hand" (cf. Romans 16.22; 1 Corinthians 16,
j6), sending to him whilst he was in this very Thessa-
loiiica (Acts 16. 15,34,40). Many Thessalonians, doubtless, would have felt it a privilege to contribute. Out as he saw some idlers among them who would have made a pretext of his example to justify tliemselves, he waived his right. His reason for the same course at Corinth was to mark how dilferent were his aims from those of the false teachers who sought their own lucre (2 Corinthians 11. 9, 12, IS). It is at the very time and j)lace of writing these Epistles that Paul is expressly said to have u roughl at teiU-mnking with Aquila (Acts IS. 3); an undesigned coincidence. 9.
(1 Corinthians 9. 4-6, Ac. ; Galatians 6. 6.) lo'. For even—
translate, "For also." We not only set you the example, but gave a positive "command." comniaiifled Greek imperfect, "We were commanding;" we kept charge of you. would not -wovTs.— Greek, "i* unwilling to work." Eengel makes this to be tlie argument: not that such a one is to have his food withdrawn from him by others; but he proves from the necessity of eating the necessity of working; using this pleasantry, Let him who will not work shoriv himself an angel, i. c, do withovit food as the angels do (but since he cannot do without food, then he ought to be not unwilling to work). It seems to me simpler to take it as a punishment of the idle. Paul often quotes good adages current anjong the jx'ople, stamping them with inspired approval. In the //ei»ei«, Beresliith Rabba, the same saying is found ; an<l in the book Zeror, "He who will not work before tlie sabbatli, must not eat on the sabbath." 11. bnsybmlles—In the Greek the similarity of sound marks the antithesis, " Doing nojie of their own business, yet overdoing in the business of others." Busy about every one's business but their own. " Nature abhors a vacuum;" so if not doing one's own business, one is apt to meddle with his neighbour s bnsine.ss. Idleness is the parent of busybotlies (1 Timothy 5. 13). Contrast 1 Thessalonians 4. U. fi. toy—The oldest MS.S. read, "Ix the Lord Jesus." 8othe Gi-eek, 1 Xlicssalouians
21 ; Colossians 4. 18). Wherever Paul does not subjoin this autograph salutation, we may presume he wrote th« whole Epistle himself (Galatians 6. 11). which—M*ieA autograph salutation. thetoKeii—todistinguish genuine Epistles from spurious ones put forth in my name (ch. 2.
2). in evei->- Epistle—Some think he signed his name to every Epistle with his own hand ; but as there is no trace of this in any M.S.S. of all the Epistles, it is more likely that he .itlndes to his writing irith his oirn hand in etosing
ever)i Epistle, ftven in those Epistles (Romans, 2 Corinthians, ?jphesians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians) wherein he does not specify his having done so. so 1 write—so I sign my name: this is a specimen of my hamlu-riting, by which to distinguish my genuine letters from forgeries. 18. He closes every Epistle by praying for gkace to those whom he addresses. Ainen—Omitted in theoldest MSS. It wasdoubtless the response of the congregation after hearing the Epistle read publicly; hence it crept into copies.
The Subscription Is spurious, as the Epistle was written not "from Athens," but from Cori)Uh.
THE PASTORAL EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO
TIMOTHY AND TITUS.
OKNtTiNKNESS.—The ancient Church never doubted of their being canonical and written by .St. Paul. They are In the Pescliito-Syriac version of the second century. Muisatohi'.s Eragment on the Canon of Scripture, the close of the second century, acknowledges them as such. IitEN.«;u.s, Adversns Heercses, 1. and 3. 3. 3; 4. 16. 3; 2. 14. 8; 3. 11. 1; 1>
16. 3, quotes 1 Timothy I. 4, 9; 6. 20; 2 Timothy 4. 9-!l ; Titus .3. 10. Clement oir Alexandiua, Stromata, 2. 457; 3. 531,
536; 1. 3'>0, quotes 1 Timothy 4. 1, 20; 2 Timothy, as to deaconesses ; Titus, 1. 12. Tertui.i.ian, De prwscriptione Hcereti-
cewHrn, 25. and 6, quotes 1 Timothy 6.20; 2 Timothy 1. 14; 1 Timothy 1.18; C. 13, Ac; 2 Timothy 2. 2; Titus 3.10,11; and Adversus Marcion. Eusebius includes the throe in the " universally ackuowledi;ed " Scripturesi. Also Tukoph400
rntroduetion. 1 TIMOTHY. Introduction,
XJ.Vft OF Aotioch (ad Aulolycux, 3. 14), quotes 1 Timothy 2. 1, 2; Titus 3. x and Cattts (in Ecskbti'S, Erclr^iaftfiral /fts-
toi-y, 6. 20) recognizes their authenticity. Clement of Home, in the end of the first century, in his first JCpintle to
0>f(H/'iif/««, eh. 29., quotes 1 Timotliy 2. 8. Ignatius, in the hegiiiningof the second eentury, in EplitJc to Poluearp, see. 6, alludes to 2 Timothy 2. 4. Polycarp, in the beginning of t!>e second CPuXavy [Epistle to Philippians, ch. 4.), olludes to 2 Timothy 2. 4; and in ch. 9. to 2 Timothy 4. 10. Hegisii'PUS, in tlie end of the second century, in Eusebius, Ecclcximtical History, 3. 32, alludes to 1 Timothy 6. 3, 20. Athenagoras, in the end of the second century, alludes to 1 1 iniol hy 6. 16. JCSTIN Maktyk, in the middle of the second century (Dialogtie contra Tri/p/ionen, 47), alludes to Titus
8. 4. The Gnostic Marcion alone rejected these E^pistles. The heresies OPix)SED in them form the transition stage from Judaism, in its ascetic form, to Gnosticism, as Biilwequentiy developed. The references to Judaism and legalism are clear (1 Timothy I. 7; 4.3; Titus 1. 10, 14 ; 3.9). Traces of l>eginning Gnosticism are also unequivocal (1 Timothy 1. 4). The Gnostic theory of a twofold principle from the beginning, evil as well as good, appears in germ in I Timothy 4. 3, etc. In 1 Timothy 6. 20 the term Gnosis ("science") itself occure. .\nother Gnostic error, viz., that " the resurrection is past," Is alluded to in 2 Timothy 2. 17,
18. The .ludaism herein opposed is not that of the earlier Epistles, which upheld the law and tried tojoinitwith
faith in Christ for justifi<!ation. It tirsf p.issed into that phase of it which appears in the B'pistle to the Colossians, whereby will-worship and angel-worship were superadded to Judiii/.ing opinions. Then a further stage of the same evil appeare in the Epistle to the Philippians 3.2, 18, 19, wherel)y immnrni practice accompanied false doctrine as to the resurrection {cf. 2 Timothy 2. 18, with 1 Corinthians 15. 12, 32, 33). This descent from legality to superstition, and from superstition to god lessness, appeal's more matured in the references to it in these Pastoral Epistles. The false teachers now know not the true use of the law (1 Timothy 1. 7, 8), and further, have put away cjond conscience as well as the faith
(1 Timothy 1. 19; 4. 2); sjieak lies in hypocrisy, are corrupt in mind, and regard godUness as a means of earthly gain (1 Timothy 6. 5; Titus 1. 11) ; overthrow the faith by heresies eating as a canker, saying the resurrection is past (2 Timothy 2. 17,
18), leading captive silly women, ever leartxing yet never knowing the trulli, reprobate as .Tannos and Jambres (2 Timothy 3.
6, 8), defiled, unbelievinr;, professing to know God, b\U in works denying Him, abominable, disobedient, reprobate (Titus 1. 15,
16). This description accords with that in the Catholic Epistles of St. .lohn and St. Peter, and in the Epistle to the Hebrews. This fact proves the later date of these Pastoral Epistles as compared with Paul's earlier Epistles. The .Judaism reprobated herein is tiot that of an earlier date, so scrupulous as to the law; it was r.ow tending to immorality of practice. On the other hand, the Gnosticism opposed in these Epistles is not the nn<i-.7f«/n!c Gnosticism of a later date, which arose as a con.sequonce of the overthrow of .Tudaism hy the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, but it was the intermediate phase between .Tudaism and Gnosticism, in which the Oriental and Gi'eek elements of the latter were in a kind of amalgam with .ludaism, just jirior to tlie overthrow of Jerusalem.
The directions as to church governors and ministers, "Ijishop-elders, and deacons," are such as were natural
for the apostle, in prospect of his own approaching removal, to give to Timothy, the president of the Church at Ephesus, and to Titus, holding the same office in Crete, for securing the due administration of the Church when ha should be no more, and at a time when heresies were rapidly springing up. Cf. his similar anxiety in his address to the Ephesian elders {Acts 2^. 21-30). The Presbyterate (elders; priest is a contraction from presbyter) and Diaconate had existed from the earliest times in the Church (Acts 6. 3; 11. 30; 14. 23). Timothy and Titus, as superintendents ot overseers (so bishop sul)sequeT 'ly meant), were to exercise the same power in ordaining elders at Ephesus which the apostle had exercised in his general supervision of all the Gentile churches.
The peculiarities of modes or thought and expression, are such as the difTerence ofsul^ect and circumstances
ttl those addressed and those spoken of in these Epistles, as compared with the other Epistles, would lead us to expect. Borne of these peculiar phrases occur also in Galatians, in which, as in the Pastoral Epistles, he, with his character-
istic fervour, attacks the false teachers. Cf. 1 Timothy 2. 6; Titus 2. 14, "Gave Himself for us," with Galatians 1. 4; 1 Timothy 1.17; 2 Timothy 4. 18, " For ever and ever," with Galatians 1.5: " Before God," 1 Timothy 5. 21 ; 6. 13; 2 Timothy 2. 14; 4. 1, with Galatians 1. 20: "A pillar," 1 Timothy 3. 15, with Galatians 2. 9: "Mediator," 1 Timothy 2. 5, with Galatians 3. 20: " In due season," Galatians 6. 0, with 1 Timothy 2. 6; 6. 15; Titus 1. 3. Time and place of writing.—The First Epistle to Timothy was written not long after Paul had left Ephesus for Macedon (ch. 1. 3). Now, as Timothy was in Macedon with Paul (2 Corinthians 1. 1) on the occasion of Paul's having passed from Ephesus into that country, as recorded Acts 19. 22; 20. 1, whereas the First Epistle to Timothy contemplates a longer stay of Timothy in Ephesus, Mosheim supposes that Paul was nine months of the " three years" stay mostly at Ephesus (Acts 20. 31) in Macedonia, and elsewhere [perhaps. Crete], (the mention of only " three months" and " two years," Acts 19.8, 10, favours this, the remaining nine months being spent elsewhere); and that during these nine months Timothy, in Paul's absence, superintended the Church of Ephesus. It is not likely that Ephesus and the neighbouring churches should have been left long without church officers and church organization, rules respecting which ai-e given in this Epistle. Moreover, Timothy was still "a youth" (1 Timothy 4. 12), which he could hardly be called cfrter Paul's first imprisonment, when he must have been at least thirty-four years of age. Lastly, in Acts
20. 25, St. Paul asserts his knovAedge that the Ephesians should not all see his face again, so that 1 Timothy 1. 3 will thus
refer to his sojourn at Ephesus, recorded in Acts 19. 10, whence he passed into Macedonia. But the difficulty is to account for the false teachers having sprung up almost immediately (according to this theory) after the foundation of the Church. However, his visit recorded Acts 19. was not his first visit. The beginning of the Church at Ephesus was probably made at his visit a year before (Acts 18. 19-21). Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla, carried on the work (Acts
18. 21-26). Thus, as to the sudden growth of false teachers, there was time enough for their springing up, especially considering that the first converts at Ephesus were under Apollos' imperfect Christian teachings at first, imbued as he was likely to be with the tenets of Phllo of Alexandria, Apollos' native town, combined with John the Baptist's Old Testament teachings (Acts 18. 24-26). Besides Ephesus, from Its position in Asia, its notorious voluptuousness and sorcery (Acts 19. 18, 19), and Its lewd worship of Diana (answering to the Phoenician Ashtoreth), was likely from the first to tinge Christianity in some of its converts with Oriental speculations and Asiatic licentiousness of prac-
tices. Thus the phenomenon of the phase of error presented in this Epistle, being intermediate between .Tudaism and
later Gnosticism (see aljove), would be such as might occur at an earlin period In the Ephesian Church, as well as later, when we know it had open "apostles" of error (Hevelatlon 2. 2, 6), and Nlcolaitans Infamous in practice. As to the
elose connection between this First Epistle and the Second Epistle (which must have been written at the close of Paul's life), on which Alford relies for his theory of making the First Epistle also writti>n at the close of St. Paul's
JXe, the similarity of circumstances, the person addressed being one and the same, and either In Epliesus at the time,
Inlrodudion. 1 TIMOTHY. Introduction.
or at least connected with Ephesns as its church-overseer, and having heretics to contend with of the same stamp as In the First Epistle, would account for the connection. Tliere is not so great identity of tone as to compel us to adopt the theorj^ that some years could not have elapsed between the two Epistles.
However, all these arguments against the later date may be answered. This First Epistle may refer not to theflj st organization of the ChurclA under its bishops, or elders and deacons, but to the moral qualiflcaUon.i laid down at a later period for those officers when scandals rendered such directions needful. Indeed, the object for which he left Timothy at Ephesus he states (1 Timothy 1. 3) to be, not to organize the Church for the first time, but to restrain the false teachers. The directions as to tlie choice of fit elders and deacons refers to tlie filling up of vacancies, not to their first appointment. The fact of there existing an institution for Church widows implies an established organisation. As to Timothy's "youth," it may be spoken of comparatively young compared with Paul, now "the aged' fPhilemon 9), and with some of the Ephesian elders, senior to Timothy their overseer. As to Acts 20. 2.5, we know not hut that " all" of the elders of Ephesus called to Miletus " never saw Paul's face" afterwards, as he " knew" (doubtless by inspiration) would be the case, which obviates the need of Alfokd's lax view, that Paul was wrong in this his positive inspired anticipation (for such it was, not a mere boding surmise as to the future). Thus he probably visited Ephesus again (1 Timothy 1.3; 2 Timothy 1. 18; 4. 20, he would hardly have been at Miletum, so near Ephesus, without visiting Ephesus) after his first imprisonment in Rome, though all the Ephesian elders whom he had addressed formerly at Miletus did not again see him. The general similarity of subject and style, and of the state of the Church between the two Epistles, favoui-s the view that they were near one another in date. Also, against the theory of the early date is the difficulty of defining, when, during Paul's two or three years' stay at Ephesus, we can insert an absence of Paul from Ephesus long enougli for the requirements of the case, which imply a lengthened stay and superintendence of Timothy at Ephesus (see, however, 1 Timothy 3. It, on the other side) a.{ter having been "left" by Paul there. Timothy did not stay there when Paul left Ephesus (Acts 19. 22; 20. 1; 2 Corinthians 1. 1). (In 1 Timothy 3. 1-1, Paul says, "I write, hoping to come unto thee shortly but on the earlier occasion of his passing from Ephesns to Macedon he had no such expectation, but had planned to spend the summer In Macedon, and the winter in Corinth,
1 Corinthians 16. 6. The expression " 2HII I come," Ac, 1 Timothy 4. 13, implies that Timothy was not to leave his post
till Paul should arrive; tills and the former objection, however, do not hold good against MosHBiM'.s theory.) Moreover, Paul in his farewell address to tlie Ephesian elders prophetically anticipates the rise of false teachers hereafter of their own selves ; therefore this First Epistle, wliich speaks of their actual presence at Ephesus, would naturally seem to be not prior, but subsequent, to the address, i. e., will belong to the later date assigned. In the Epistle to tlie Ephesians no notice is taken of tlie Judfeo-Gnostic errors, whicli would liave been noticed had they been really in existence ; however, they are alluded to in the contemporaneous sister Epistle to Colossians (Colossians 2). Whatever doubt must always remain as to the date of tlie First Epistle, there can be hardly any as to that of the Second Epistle. In 2 Timothy 4. 13, Paul directs Timothy to bring the books and cloak which the apostle had left at Troas. Assuming that the visit to Troas referred to is the one mentioned in Acts 20. 5-7, it will follow that the cloali and parchments lay for about seven years at Troas, that being tlie time that elapsed between the visit and Paul's
first imprisonment at Rome: a very unlikely supposition, that lie should have left either unused for so long. Again, when, during his first Roman imprisonment, he wrote to the Colossians (Colossians 4.14) and Philemon (Philemon
24), Demas was with him ; but when he was writing 2 Timothy 4. 10, Demas had forsaken him from love of this M"orld, and gone to Thessalonica. Again, wlien he wrote to the Epliesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon, he had good hopes of a speedy liberation ; but here in 2 Timothy 4. (5-8,' he anticipates immediate death, having been at least once already tried (2 Timothy 4. 10). Again, he is in this Epistle represented as in closer confinement than he was when writing those former Epistles in his first imprisonment (even in the Philippians, which represent him in greater uncertainty as to liis life, he cherished the liope of soon being delivered, Pliitippians 2. 24; 2Timothy 1. lC-18;
2. 9; 4. 6-S, IB). Again (2 Timothy 4. 20), he speaks of having left Trophimus sick at Miletum. This could not have been on the occasion. Acts 20. 15. For Trophimus was with Paul at Jerusalem shortly afterwards (Acts 21. 29). Besides, he would tlius be made to spe.ik of an event six or seven j'ears after its occurrence, as a recent event: moreover, Timothy wns, on that occasion of the apostle being at Miletum, with Paul, and therefore needed not to be informed of Trophimus' sickness there (Acts 20. 4-17). Also, the statement (ch. 4. 20), " Erastus abode at Corinth," implies that
St. Paul had shortly before been at Corinth, and left Erastus there ; but Paul had not been at Corinth for several yeai-s before his first imprisonment, and in the interval Timotliy had been with him, so that he did not need to write sul)- sequently about that visit. He must therefore have been liberated after his first imprisonment (indeed, Hebrews 1.'!.
2.3, 24, expressly proves that the writer was in Italy and at liberty), and resumed his apostolic journeyings, and been Imprisoned at Rome again, whence shortly before his death he wrote Second Timothy.
EtTSEBiu.s, Chronicles, anno 20S3 (beginning October, A. D. G7), says, "Nero, to his other crimes, added the persecution of Christians: under him the apostles Peter and Paul consummated their martyrdom at Rome." So Jerome, C«<rt/oo'i/« Scriptoi~iim Ecclesiaslicoriim, " In the fourteenth year of Nero, Paul was l>pheaded at Riime for
Christ's sake, on the same day as Peter, and was liuried on tlie Ostlan Road, in the thirty-seventh year after the death of our Lord." Ai.ford reasonably conjectures the Pastoral Epistles were written iie.ar this date. The interval was possibly filled up (so Clement of Rome states that Paul preached as far as "to the extremity of the west") liy a journey
to Spain (Romans 15. '24, 2S), according to his own original intention. Mukatori'S Fragment on the Canon (abont 170
A. n.) also alleges Paul's Journey into Spain. So EtjSEBiu.s, Ciikysostom, .and Jehome. Be that as it may, he seems shortly before liis second imprisonment to have visited Ephesus, where a new body of elders governed the Church (Acts 20. 25), say in the latter end of Wi A. D., or beginning of (i7. Supposing him thirty n t his conversion, he would now be upwards of sixty, and older in constitution tlian in years, tlirougli continual hardship. Even four years before he called himself " Paul the aged " (Philemon 9).
.From Ephesus he went into Macedonia (1 Timothy 1. 8). Ho may have written the First Epistle to Timothy from that country. But his use of " went," not "came," in 1 Timothy 1. 3, " When I went into Macedonia," implies he was not there when writing. Wherever he was, he writes uncertain how long he may bo detained from coming to Timothy
(1 Timothy 3. 14, 15). BiKK.s shows the proliabllity that ho wrote from Corinth, between which city and Ephesns tUo communication was rapid and easy. His (!ourse, as on both former occasions, was from Jfiicedon to Corinth. He finds n coincidence between 1 TImoth.y 2. 11-11, and 1 (Corinthians II. 31, as to women being si lent in Church ; and 1 Tl inothy
5. 17, IS, and I f;()rint lilans !). 8-10, as to the maintenances of ministers, on the same principle as the Mosalclaw, thatthe
r.s should not he mu/./.led tliat treadcth out the corn ; and 1 Timotliy 5. 19, '20, and 2 Corinthians 13. 1-1, as to olinrKOft
Tntroduction. 1 TIMOTHY, Inlroduetvyn,
Rgainst elders. It would be natural for the apostle in the very place where these directions had been enforced, to reproduoft them in his letter.
The date of the Epistle to Titus must depend on that assigned to First Timothy, with which it is connected in sub-
ject, phraseology and tone. Tliere is no difficulty in the Epistle to Titus, viewed by itself, in assigning it to tlie earlier
date, viz., before Paul's first imprisonment. In Acts 18. 18, 19, Paul, in journeying from Corinth to Palestine, for soma cause or other landed at Ephesus. Now we find (Titus 3. 13) that Apollos in going from Epliesus to Corinlli was to touch ai Crete (whicli seems to coincide witli Apollos' journey from Ephesus to Corinth, recorded Acts 18. 24. 27 ; 19. 1)
therefoi-e it is not unlikely that Paul may have taken Crete similarly on his way between Corinth and Ephesus ; or, perhaps been driven out of his course to it in one of his three shipwrecks spoken of in2 Corintiiians 11. 25, 26 ; this will account for his taking Ephesus on his way from Corinth to Palestine, tliough out of liis regular coarse. At Epliesus Paul may have written the Epistle to Titus [Hca] ; there he probably met Apollos, and gave the Epistle to Titus tohis
charge, before his departure for Corinth by way of Crete, and before the apoStle's departure for Jerusalem (Acts 18. 19-
21, 24). Moreover, on Paul's way back from Jerusalem and Antioch, he travelled some time in Upper Asia (Acts 19. 1), and it was then, probably, that his intention to "winter at Nicopolis" was realized, there being a town of that name between Antioch and Tarsus, lying on Paul's route to Galatia (Titus 3. 12). Tlius, First Timotliy will, in tliis theory, be placed two and a half years later (Acts 20. 1 ; cf. 1 Timothy 1. 3). Alfokd's argument for classing the Epistle to Titus with First Timothy, as written after Paul's first Roman imprisonment, stands or falls with his argument for assigning First Timothy to that dale. Indeed, Huo's unobjectionable argument for the earlier date of the Epistle to Titus, favours the early date assigned to First Timothy, which is so much akin to it, if other arguments be not tliought to counterbalance this. The Churcli of Crete had been just founded
(Titus 1. 5), and yet the same here^es are censured in it as in Epliesus, which shows that no argument, such as Alford
alleges against the earlier date of First Timotliy, can be drawn from them (Titus 1. 10, 11, lo, hi ; 3. 9, 11). But vice versa,
if, as seems likely from the arguments adduced, the First Epistle to Timothy be assigned to the later date, the Epistle
to Titus must, from similarity of style, belong to tlie same period. Alford traces Paul's last journey before his second imprisonment thus : To Crete (Titus 1. 5), Miletus (2 Timothy 4. 20), Colosse (fultilliug his intention, Philemon 22), Ephe-
sus (1 Timothy 1.3; 2 Timothy 1. 18), from which neighbourhood he wrote the Epistle to Titus; Troas, Macedonia, Corinth (2 Timothy 4. 20), Nicopolis (Titus 3. 12) inJSpirus, where he bad intended to winter ; a place in wliich, as being a Roman colony, he would be free from tumultuary violence, and yet would be more open to a direot attack from foes
in the metropolis, Rome. Being known in Rome as the leader of the Christians, he was probably [Alford] arrested
as implicated in causing ihe Are in 64 a. d., attributed by Nero to the Christians, and was sent to Home by the Duura-
v^irs of Nicopolis. There he was imprisoned as a common malefactor (2 Timothy 2. 9) ; his Asiatic friends deserted him, except Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1. 16). Demas, Crescens, and Titus, left him. Tychicus lie had sent to Ephesus. Luke alone remained with him (2 Timothy 4. 10-12). Under these cii'cumstauces he writes the Second Epistle to Tim-
othy, most likely whilst Timothy was at Ephesus (2 Timothy 2. 17 ; cf. 1 Timothy 1. 20; 2 Timothy 4. 13), begging him to come to him before winter (2 Timothy 4. 21), and anticipating his own execution soon (2 Timothy 4. 6). Tychicus was perhaps the bearer of the Second Epistle (2 Timothy 4. 12). His defence was not made before the emperor, lor the latter was then in Greece (2 Timotliy 4. 16, 17). Tradition represents tliat he died by the sword, wliicli accords with the fact
that his Roman citizenship would exempt him from torture; probably late in 67 a. d., or 68 a. d., the last year of Nero.
Timothy is first mentioned. Acts 16. 1, as dwelling in Lystia (not Derbe, cf. Acts 20. 4). His mother was a Jewess nanaed Eunice (2 Timothy 1. 5); his father, "a Greek" (i. e., a Gentile). As Timothy is mentioned as "a disciple " in Acts 16. 1, he must have been converted before, and this by St. Paul (1 Timothy 1. 2), probablj' at his former visit to Lystra (Acts 14.6); at the same time, probably, that his Scripture-loving mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, were converted to Christ from Judaism (2 Timothy 3. 14, 15). Not only the good report given as to him by the brethren of Lyslra, but also his origin, partly Jewish, partly Gentile, adapted him specially for being St. Paul's assistant
in missionary work, labouring as the apostle did in each place, firstly among the Jews, and then among the Gentiles. In order to obviate Jewish prejudices, he first circumcised hiin. He seems to have accompanied Paul in his tour through Macedonia; but when the apostle went forward to Athens, Timothy and .Silas remained in Berea. Having been sent back by Paul to visit the Thessalonian Church (1 Thessalonians 3. 2), he brought his report of it to the
apostle at Corinth (1 Thessalonians 3. 6). Hence we find his name joined with St. Paul's in the addresses of both
tlie Epistles to Thessalonians, which were written at Corinth. We again find him "ministering to" St. Paul during the lengthened stay at Ephesus (Acts 19. 22). Thence he was sent before Paul into Macedonia and to Corinth (1 Corinthians 4. 17; 16. 10). He was with Paul when he wrote the Second Epistle to Corinthians (2 Corinthians 1. 1) ; and the following winter in Corintli, when Paul sent from fhence his Epistle to Romans (Romans 16. 21). On Paul's return to Asia through Macedonia, he went forward and waited for the apostle at Troas (Acts 20. 3-.5). Next we find him with Paul during his imprisonment at Rome, when the apostle wrote the Epistles to Colossians (Colossians 1. 1), Philemon (Philemon 1), and Pliilippians (Philippians 1. 1). He was imprisoned and set at liberty about the same time as
the writer of the Hebrews (Hebrews 13. 2S). In the Pastoral Epistles, we find him mentioned as left by the apostle at Ephesus to superintend the Church there (1 Timothy 1. 3). The last notice of him is in the request wliich Paul makes to him (2 Timothy 4. 21) to " come before winter," i. e., about 67 A. D. [Alfobd.] Eusebius, Ecclesiiantical His-
tory, 3. 42, reports that he was first bishop of Epliesus ; and Nicophorus, Ecclesiastical History, 3. 11, represents that he died by martyrdom. If then, .St. John, as traditimi represents, resided and died in that city, it must have been at a
Uiter period. Paul himself ordained or consecrated him with laying on of his own hands, and those of the presbytery,
Id accordance with prophetic intimations given respecting him by those possessing tlie prophetic gilt (1 Timothy 1. IS;
4. 14; 2 Timothy 1. 6). His self-denying cliaracter is shown by his leaving home at once to accompany the apostle, and submitting to circumcision for tlie gospel's sake ; and also by his abstemiousness (noticed 1 Timothy 5. 23) notwithstand-
ing his bodily infirmities, which would have warranted a more generous diet. Timidity and a want of self-confidence and boldness in dealing with tlie dilliculties of his position, seem to have been a defect in his otherwise beautiful character as a Christian minister (i Corinthians 16. 10; 1 Timothy 4. 12; 2 Timothy I. 7). The design of the First Epistle was (1.) to direct Timothy to charge the false teachers against continuing to teach other doctrine than that of th« Gospel (1 Timothy 1. 3-20 ; cf. Revelation 2. 1-6); (2.) to give him instructions as to the orderly conducting of worship, the qualifications of bishops and deacons, and the selection of widows wlio should, in
returti for Church charity, do appointed service (1 Timothy 2. to 6. 2) ; (3.) to warn against covelousness, a sin preva-
lent at Ephesus, and to urge to good works (1 Timothy 6. 3-19).
Timothy Reminded of PauVs Charge 1 TIMOTHY I. to him al his Going to Macedonia.
I have taught (Galatians 1. 6-9). His prophetic bodlngs some years before (Acts 20. 29, 30) were now being realized
Ver. 1-20. Address: Paul's Design in having Left Timothy at Ephesus, viz., to Check False Teachers; Tkue Use of the Law; Harmonizing with the Gospel; God's Grace in Calling Paul, once a Blasphemer, to Experience and to Preach it; Charges to Timothy. 1. by the commandment of God—Tlie authoritative iryunction, as well as the commission, of God. In the earlier Epistles the phrase is, " By the luill of God." Here it Is expressed in a manner Implying that a neces-
(cf. ch. 6.3). 4. fables—Legends about the origin and pro- 'pagation of angels, such as the false teachers taught at Colos'e (Colossians 2. 18-23). "Jewish fables" (Titus 1. 14). "Profane, and old wives' fables" (ch. 4. 7; 2 Timothy 4. 4). genealogies—Not merely such civil genealogies as were common among the Jews, whereby they traced their descent from the patriarchs, to which Paul would not object, and which he would not as here class with "fables," but Gnostic genealogies of spirits and ceons, as they called them, " Lists of Gnostic emanations." [Alford.] So Tertullian, AdversusValentinianos, c. 3, and IREHMVS, Proe/. The Judaizers here alluded to, whilst maintaining the perpetual obligation of the Mosaic law, joined with it a theosophic ascetic tendency, pretending to see in it mys-
sity was laid on him to act as an apostle, not that it was merely at his option. The same expression occurs in the doxology, probably written long after the Epistle itself. [Alfokd.] (Romans 16. 26.) God oiir Saviour—The Father (ch. 2. 3; 4. 10; Luke 1. 47; 2 Timothy 1. 9; Titns 1. 8;
2. 10; 3. 4; Jude 25). It was a Jewish expression in devotion, drawn from the Old Testament (cf. Psalm 106. 21). our hope—(Colossians 1. 27; Titus 1. 2; 2. 13.) 3. my own son lit., "a genuine son" (cf. Acts 10. 1 ; 1 Corinthians 4.
teries deeper tlian others could see. The seeds, not the/ullgroivn Gnosticism of the post-apostolic age, then existed. This formed the transition stage between Judaism and Gnosticism. " Endless" refers to the tedious unprofitableness of their lengthy genealogies (cf. Titus 3. 9). Paul opposes to their " oeons," the " King of the cemis (so the Greek,
14-17). See Jntroduelion. mercy—Added here, in addressing Timothy, to the ordinary salutation, "Grace unto you (Romans 1. 7; 1 Corinthians 1. 3, &c.), and peace." In Galatians fi. 16, "peace and mercy" occur. There are many similarities of st5-le between the Epistle to the Gala.tlans and tlie Pastoral Epistles (see Introduction) ; perhaps owing to his there, as here, having, as a leading object in writing, the correction of false teachers, especially as to the right and wrong use of the law {v. 9). If the earlier date be assigned to 1 Timothy, it will fall not long after, or before (according as the Epistle to the Galatians was written at Ephesus or at Corinth) the writing of the Epistle to the Galatians, which also would account for some similarity of style. " Mercy" is grace of a more tender kind, exercised towards the miserable, the experience of which in one's own case especially fits for the Gospel ministry.
V. 17), to whom be gloi*' throughout the oeons of ceons." The word " oeon" was probably not used in the technical sense of the latter Gnostics as yet; but "the only wise God" (v. 17), by anticipation, confutes the subsequently adopted notions in the Gnostics' own phraseology, questions—of mere speculation (Acts 25. 20), not practical; generating merely curious discussions. " Qu :stio.»s and
strifes of words" (ch. 6.4); " to no profit" (2TimDthy 2. 14); "gendering strifes" (2 Timothy 2.23). "Vain jangling"
(v. 6, 7) of would-be "teachers of the law." godly edifying—The oldest MSS. read, "the dispensation of God," the Gospel dispensation of God towards man (1 Corinthians
9. 17), " wliich is (has its element) in faith." Conybeark
translates, "The exercising of the steivards/dp of God" (1 Corinthians 9. 17). He infers that the false teachers in Ephesus were presbj'ters, which accords with the proph-
Cf. as to Paul himself (t;. 14, 16; 1 Corinthians 7. 25 ; 2 Corinthians 4. 1; Hebrews 2. 17). [Bengel.] He did not "use "mercy" as to the churches, because " mercy" in all its fulness already existed towards them ; but in the case of an individual minister, fresh measures of it were continually needed. " Grace" has reference to the sins of men ; " mercy" to their misery. God extends His grnee to men as they are guilty; His inercy to them as they are miserable. [Trench.] Jesus Christ—The oldest MSS. read the order, " Christ Jesus." In the Pastoral Epistles " Christ" Is often put before " Jesus," to give proininence to the fact that the Messianic promises of the Old Testament, well known to Timothy (2 Timothy 3. 15), were fulfilled in Jesus. 3. Timothy's superintendence of the Church at Ephesus was as locum tenens for the apostle, and so was temporary. Thus, the office of superintending overseer, needed for a time at Ephesus or Crete, in the absence of the presiding apostle, subsequently became a permanent institution on the removal, by death, of the apostles who heretofore superintended the churches. The first title of these overseers seems to have been "angels" (Revelation 1. 20). 3. As I besouglii tliee to remain—He meant to have added, "So I still beseech thee," but does not complete the sentence until he does so virtually, not formally, af i'. IS. nt Ephesus—Paul, in Acts 20. 25, declared to the Epheslan
ecy. Acts 20. 30. However, the oldest Latin versions, and iRENiEUS and Hilary, support £n</lish Version reading.
Cf. f . 5, "faith unfeigned." 5. But— In contrast to the doctrine of tlie false teachers, the end—the aim. the commandment— Gti-eei;, " of the charge" which you ought
to urge on your fiock. Referring to the same Greek word as in VI. 3, 18; here, however, in a larger sense, as including the Gospel "dispensation of God" {Note, v. i and 11), which was the sum and substance of the " charge" coramitted to Timothj' wherewith he should "charge" his
flock, charity—LOVE ; the sum and end of the law and of the Gospel alike, and that wherein the Gospel is the fulfilment of the spirit of the law in its every essential Jot and tittle (Romans 13. 10). The foundation is/aith {v. 4), the
" end " is love (i). 14 ; Titus 3. 15). out of—springing as from a fountain, pure heart—a heart purified by faith (Acts
15.9; 2 Timotliy 2.22; Titus 1.15). good conscience—
conscience cleared from guilt by the effect of sound faith in Christ {v. 19 ; ch. 3. <J; 2 Timothy 1. 8; 1 Peter 3. 21). Con-
trast 1 Timothy 4. 2; Titus 1.15; cf. Acts23. 1. St. John uses "heart," where Paul would use "conscience." In Paul the understanding is the seat of conscience ; the heart Is the seat of tore. [Benoel.] A good conscience is Joined with sound faith ; a bud conscience with unsoundness in the
elders, " 1 know that ye all shall see my face no more." If, then, as the balance of arguments seems to favour (see In-
faith (of. Hebrews 9. 14). faith unfeigned—Not a hypo-
critical, dead, and unfruitful faith, but faith working by love (Galatians 5. 0). Tlie false teachers drew men off from such a loving, working, real faith, to profitless, speculative "questions" {v. 4) and Jangling (f. 6). 6. From which—iv'z., from a pure heart, good conscience, and faitU unfeigned, the well-spring of love, having swerved
traduction), this Epistle was written subsequently to Paul's
first imprisonment, the apparent discrepancy between his prophecy and the event maybe reconciled by considering that the terms of the former were not that /te should never
visit Ephesus again (which this verse implies he did), but that WiP.v should "see his face no more." I cannot think with IjIrks, tliat this verse Is compatible with his the-
lit., " having missed the mark (the 'end ') to be aimed at."
It Is translated " erred," ch. 6. 21 ; 2 Timotfcy 2. 18. Instead of aiming at and attaining the graces above named, they "have turned aside (ch. 5. 15; 2 Timothy 4. 4; Hebrews 12.
ory, that Paul did not actually visit Ephesus, though in
Its immediate neighbourhood (cf. ch. 3. 14 ; 4. 13). The corresponding cinijunction to " as" Is not given, the sentence not being completed till it Is virtually so ati). 18. I be- •ought—A mild word, instead of authoritative command, toTimotliy, as a fellow-helper. «omc—The indefinite pronoun is slitjhlly contemptuous as to them (Galatians 2. 12; Jode 4). [Ellicott.] teach no other doctrine—thau what 404
13) unto vain Jangling :" Hi., "vain talk," about the law and genealogies of angels (u. 7; Titus 3.9; 1.10); 1 Timothy 6. 20, " vain babblings and oppositions," <&c. It is the greatest vanity when Divine things are not trutiifully discussed (Romans 1, 21). [Bengel.] T. Sample oi tUeir
The Ettjhl Use and End of the Law. 1 TIMOTHY I. Paul's Culling to be an ApostU.
mately liable to fall utterly from the morality of the .aw. Gospel grace is the only true means of sanctification as well as of Justification, sound healthy, spiritually wholesome (ch. 6. 3; 2 Timothy 1. 13; Titus 1. 13; 2. 2), as opposed to sickly , morbid ((IS the Greek of "doting" means, ch. 6. 4), and "canker" (2 Timothy 2. 17). "The doctrine," or " teaching, which is according to godliness " (ch. 6. 3). 11. According to the glorions Gospel—The Christian's freedom from the law as a sanclifxcr, as well as a justifier, implied in the previous v. 9, 10, is what this v. 11 is connected wilh. This exemption of the righteous from the law, and assignment of it to the lawless as its true object, is " according
' vain talk" (v. 6). Desiring—They are would-be tenchers, not really Ro. the law—the Jewish law (Titus 1. 1-1 ; 3. 9). The Jiulaizers here meant seem to be distinct from those impugned in the Epistles to the Galatians and Romans, who made the works of the law necessary to justification
in opposition to Gospel grace. The Jadaizers here meant corrupted the law with "fables," which they pretended
to found on it, subversive of morals as well as of truth. Their error was not in maintaining the obligation of the
law, but in nbusinff it by fabulous and immoral interpre-
tations of, and additions to it. neither what they say, Mor whereof—neither understanding their own assertions, nor the object itself about which they make them. They understand as little about the one as the other. [AijFORD.] 8. But " Kow we know" (Romans 3.19; 7.14). law Is good—in full agreement with God's holiness and goodness. If a man—Primarily, a teacher; then, every Christian, use It lawfully—in its lawful place In the Gospel economy, viz., not as a means of a "rigliteous man" attaining higher perfection than could be attained by tlie Gospel alone (ch. 4. 8; Titus 1. 14), which was the perverted use to wliich the false teachers put it, but as a means of awakening the sense of sin in the ungodly (v. 9,
to the Gospel of the glory (so the Greek, cf. Note, 2 Corinthians 4. 4) of the blessed God." The Gospel manifests God's glory (Ephesians 1. 17; 3.16) in accounting "righteous"
tlie believer, tlirough the righteousness of Christ, without "the law" (i; 9); and in imparting that righteousness whereby he loathes all those sins against which (v.
9, 10) the law is directed. The term " blessed," indicates at once immortality and supreme happiness. The supremely blessed One is He from whom all blessedness flows. This term, as applied to God, occurs only here and cli. 6. 15: appropriate in speaking here of the Gospel blessedness,
10; cf. Romans 7.7-12; Galatians 3. 21). 9. law Is not made for a righteons man—Not for one standing by
in contrast to the eiirse on those under the law (v. 9; Galatians 3. 10). committed to my irwst—tran slate as in the Greek order, which brings into prominent emphasis Paul, "committed in trust to me;" in contrast to the kind of law-teaching which they (who had no Gospelcommission), the false teachers, aiSMWjerf to themselves (v,
faith in the righteousness of Christ put on him for Justification, and imparted inwardly by the Spirit for sanctification. "One not forensically amenable to the law." [Alford.] For sanctification, the law gives no inward power to fulfil it; but Alford goes too far in speaking of the righteous man as "not morally needing the law." Doubtless, in proportion as he is inwardly led by the
8; Titus 1.3). 13. The honour done him in having the Gospel ministry committed to him suggests the digression to wliat he once was, no better (v. 13) than those lawless ones described above (v. 9, 10), when the grace of our Lord (w. I4) visited him. and—Omitted in most (not
Spirit, the Justified man needs not the law, which is only an outward rule (Romans 6. 14; Galatians 5. 18, 23i. But as the justified man often does not give himself up wholly to the inward leading of the Spirit, he moraliy needs the outward law to show him his sin and God's requirements. The reason why the ten commandments have no power to condemn the Cliristian, is not that they have no ct?«-
all) of the oldest MSS. I tUanii— Greek, "I have (i.e.,
feel) gratitude." enabled me—The same Greek verb as in Acts 9. 22, "Saul increased the more in strength." An undesigned coincidence between Paul and Luke, his companion. jE;fta&;ed we, djz., for the ministry. "It is not In my own sti-englh that I bring this doctrine to men, but as strengthened and nerved b.v Him wlio saved me." [Theodoret.] Man is by nature " without strength" (Romans 5. 6). True conversion and calling confer power. [Bengel.] for that—the main ground of his "thanking Christ." he counted me faithful—He foreordered and foresaw that I would be faithful to the trust committed to me. Paul's thanking God for this shows that the merit of his faithfulness was due solely to God's grace, not to his own natural strength (1 Corinthians 7.25). Faithfulness
tAori<.!/ over him, but because Christ has fulfilled them as our surety (Romans 10. 4). disobedient Greek, "not sub-
Jsct;" insubordinate ; it is translated "unruly," Titus 1. 6,
10; "lawless and disobedient" refer to opposers of the
laiv, for whom it is "enacted" (so the Greek, for "is made"); "ungodly and sinners" (Crreefc, he who does not reverence God, and he who openly sins against Him), the opposers of God, from whom the law comes ; " unholy and profane " (those inwardly impure, and those deserving exclusion from the outward participation in services of the sanctuary), sinners against the third and fourth commandments; "murderers (or as the Greek may mean, 'smlters') of fathers and . . . mothers," sinners against the fifth commandment; " manslayers," sinners against the sixth commandment. 10. whoremongers, &c.—sinners against the seventh commandment, men-stealers—
is the quality required in a steward (1 Corinthians 4. 2). putting me into—rather as in 1 Thessalonians 5. 9, "Appointing me (in His sovereign purposes of grace) unto the ministry" (Acts 20. 24). 13. Wlio was before Greek, " Formerly being a blasphemer." '^Notwithstanding that 1 was before a blasphemer," &c. (Acts 26. 9, 11). persecutor —(Galatians 1. 13.) injurious Greek, "insulter;" one who acts injuriously from arrogant contempt of others.
i. e., slave-dealers. The most heinous offence against the eighth commandment. No stealing of a man's goods can equal in atrocity the stealing of a man's liberty. Slavery
Translate Romans 1. 30, "despiteful." One who added insult to^njury. Bengel ^mjuta^es, " a despiser." I prefer the idea, contumelious to others. IWahl.] Still I agree with Bengel that "blasphemer" is against God, "persecutor," against holy men, and "Insolently-injurious" includes, with the idea of injuring others, that of insolent "upplshness" [Donaldson] in relation to one's self. This threefold relation to God, to one's neighbour, and to one's
Is not directly assailed in the New Testament; to have done so would have been to revolutionize violently the existing order of things. But Christianity teaches principles sure to undermine, and at last overthrow it, wherever Christianity has had Its natural development (Matthew 7. 12). liars . . . perjured—offenders against the ninth commandment, if there be any other thing, &c. —Answering to the tenth commandment in Its widest aspect. He does not particularly specify it, because his object Is to bring out the grosser forms of transgression; whereas the tenth is deeply spiritual, so much so indeed, that It was by^lt that the sense of sin, in its subtlest form of " lust," Paul tells us (Romans 7. 7), was brought home to his own conscience. Thus, Paul argues, these would-be teachers of the law, whilst boasting of a higher perfection through It, really bring themselves down from the Gospel elovation to the level of the grossly "lawless," for wliom, not for Gospel believers, the law was designed. And In actual practice the greatest sticklers for the law as the meaiiB of moral perfection, as in this case, are those ulti-
self, occurs often in this Epistle (v. 5, 9, 14; Titus 2. 12). I obtained mercy—God's mercy, and Paul's want of it, stand in sharp contrast [Ellicott], Greek, "1 was made the oljject of mercy." The .^ense of mercy was perpetual in the mind of the apostle (cf. Note, v. 2). Those who have
felt mercy can best have mercy on those out of the way (Hebrews 5. 2, 3). because I did it Ignorantly Igncn-ance does not in itself deserve pardon ; but it is a less culpable cause of unbelief than pride and wilful hardening of one's self against the truth (John 9. 41; Acts 26. 9). Hence it is Christ's plea of intercession for his murderers (Luke 23,
34) ; and is made by the apostles a mitigating circumstanoa In the Jews' sin, and one giving a hope oC a door of re>
PauFs Calling to be an Apostle. 1 TIMOTHY I. His Charge to Tmothy.
the (eternal) ages." The LXX. translate Exodus 15. 18, "The Lord shall reign for ages and beyond them." Psalm
pentaiice (Acts 3. 17; Romans 10. 2). The "because," &c., does not imply that ignorance was a sufficient reason for werc^ being bestowed ; but shows how it was possible that such a sinner could olitain mercy. The positive ground of mercy being shown to him, lies solely in the compassion of God (Titus 3. 5). The ground of the ignorance lies in the unbelief, which implies that this ignorance is not unaccompanied with guilt. But there is a great difference between his honest zeal for the law, and a wilful striving against the Spirit of God (Matthew 12. 24-32; Luke 11. 52). [WlESlNGER.] 14. And— GjwA:, " But." Not only SO (was mercy shown me), but, &c tlie grace—by whiclr " I obtained mercy" (v. 13). was exceeding abundant Greek, " superabounded." Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5. 20). with taitli—accompanied with faith, the opposite of "unbelief" (v. 13). love—in contrast to "a blasphemer, persecutor, and injurious." wliicli Is in Christ—as its element and home [Alford]: here as its source whence it Hows to us. 15. faithful worthy of credit, because " God" who says it " is faithful"
145. 13, Margin, "Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom," lit., "a kingdom of all ages." The " life-evcrlast.- ing" (v. 16) suggested here " the King eternal," or everlasting. It answers also to " for ever and ever" at the close,
lit., "to the ages of the ages" (the countless succession of ages made up of ages). Immortal—The oldest M.SS. read, "incorruptible." Vulgate, however, and one very old MS. read as English Vei-sion (Romans 1. 23). Invisible—(Ch. 6.
16; Exodus 33. 20; John 1. 18; Colossians 1. 15; Hebrews 11.
27.) tlie only wise God—The oldest MSS. omit "wise," which probably crept in from Romans 16. 27, where it is more appropriate to the context than here (cf. Jude 25). "The only Potentate" (ch. 6. 15; Psalm 86. 10; John 5.
44). for ever, &c.—See Note, above. The thought of eternity (terrible as it is to unbelievers) is delightful to those assured of grace {v. 16). [Bengel.] 18. He resumes the subject begun at v. 3. The conclusion (apodosis) to the foregoing, "as I besought thee . . . charge" (v. 3), is here given, if not formally, at least substantially. This charge viz., "That. thou in them (so the Greek) mightest war," <&c., i. e., fulfil thy high calling, not only as a Christian, but as a minister
to his word (1 Corinthians 1.9; 1 Thessalonians 5.24; 2 Thessalonians 3. 3; Revelation 21. 5; 22. 6). This seems to have become an axiomatic saying among Christians; the phrase faithful saying, is peculiar to the Pastoral Epistles
officially, one function of which is, to " charge some that they teach no other doctrine " {v. 3). I commit—as a sacred deposit (ch. 6. 20 ; 2 Timothy 2. 2) to be laid before thy hearers, according to—in pursuance of; in consonance with, the prophecies which went before on tliee—the intimations given by prophets respecting thee at thy ordination, ch. 4. 14 (as, probably, by Silas, a companion of Paul, and "a prophet," Acts 15. 32). Such prophetical intimation, as well as the good report given of Timothy by the brethren (Acts 16. 2), may have induced Paul to take him as his companion. Cf. similar prophecies as toothers, Acts 13. 1-3, in connection with laying on of hands ; 11. 28;
(ch. 2. 11 ; 4. 9; Titus 3. 8). Translate as Greek, " Faithful is the saying." all—all possible ; full ; to be received by all, and with all the faculties of the soul, mind, and heart. Paul, unlike the false tea.cViers {v.'), understands what he
is saying, and whereof he afflrnis ; and by his simplicity of style and subject, setting forth the grand fundamental truth of salvation through Christ, confutes the false
teachei's' abstruse and unpractical speculations (1 Corinthians 1. 1&-28; Titus 2.1). acceptation—7-ece/)<iort (as of a boon) into the heart, as well as the understanding, with all gladness; this is faith acting on the Gospel offer, and welcoming and appropriating it (Acts 2. 41). Christas promised. Jesus—as manifested. [Bengel.] came Into the world—which was full of sin (John 1.29; Romans 5. 12; 1 Jolin 2. 2). This implies His pre-existence. John 1. 9, Greek, "The true Light that, coming into the world, lightetli every man." to save sinnex-s — even notable sinners like Saul of Tarsus. His instance was without a rival since the ascension, in point of the greatness of the sin and the greatness of the mercy; that the consenter to Stephen, the proto-martyr's death, should be the successor of the same! I am—not merely, "I was chief" (1 Corinthians 15. 9; Ephesians 3. S; cf. Luke 18. 13). To each believer hisown sins must always appear, as long as he lives, greater than those of others, which he never can know as he can know his own. chief—Tlie same Greek as in v. 16, " first," which alludes to this 15th v. Trans-
21. 10, 11 ; cf. 1 Corinthians 12. 10; 14. 1 ; Ephesians i. 11. In Acts 20. 2S, it is expressly said that "the Holy Ghost had made them (the Ephesijin presbyters) overseers." Clement OF Rome, Epistola ad Corinthios, states it was the custom of the apostles "to make trial by the Spirit," i. e., by
tlie "power of discerning," in order todetermine who wero to be overseers and deacons in the several churches plant-
ed. So Clement of Alexandria says as to the churches near Ephesus, that the overseers were marked out for or dination by a revelation of the Holy Ghost to St. John, by ihvm— Greek, "in them ;" arrayed as it were in them ; armed with them, warfare—not the mere "fight" (ch.
C. 12; 2 Timothy 4. 7), but the whole campaign; the military
service. Translate as Greek, not a, but " the, good warfare." 19. Holding—Keeping hold of "faith "and "good conscience" {v. 5); not "putting the latter awa.v" as "some." Faith \s like a very precious liquor; a good conscience Is the clean, pure glass that contains it. [Bengel.] The loss of good conscience entails the .shipwreck offaith. Consoiovisness of sin [unrepented of and forgiven] kills the germ of
lale in both verses, "foremost." Well might he infer where there was mercy for him, there is mercy for all who will come to Christ (Matthew 18. 11; Luke 19. 10). 16. Howbelt— Gre^A:, " But;" contrasting his own conscious sinfulness with God's gracious visitation of him in merc.v. for this cause— for this very purpose, that in me—in my
faith in man. [Wiesinger.] which— GcecA; singular, viz., "good conscience," not "faith " also; however, the result of putting autay good conscience is, one loses faith also, put away—a wilful act. They thrust it from them as a troublesome monitor. It reluctantly withdraws, extruded by force, when Its owner is tired of its importunity, and Is resolved to retain hissin at the cost of losing it. Onecannot be on friendly terms with it and with sin at one and the same time, made shipwreclt- " with respect to tiik
case, flrst—" foremost." As I was " foremost" (G)-eeA; for
chief, V. 15) in sin, so God has made me the " foi*most" sample of mercy, show—to His own glory (the middle
Greek voice), Ephesians 2. 7. nil long-sufferingOj-ccA:, "the whole (of His) long-suffering," viz., in bearing so long with me whilst I was a persecutor, a pattern—
sample (1 Corinthians lu. G, 11) to assure the greatest sinners of the certainty that they shall not be rejected in coming to Christ, since even Saul found mercy. So David made his own cise of pardon, notwithstanding the greatness of his sin, a sample to encourage other sinners to seek pardon (Psalm 32.5,6). The Greek for " pattern" Is sometimes used for "a sketch" or outline—the filling up to take place in each m.tn's own case, believe on Itim—be-