the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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1 Timothy 4:8
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Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
bodily: 1 Samuel 15:22, Psalms 50:7-15, Isaiah 1:11-16, Isaiah 58:3-5, Jeremiah 6:20, Amos 5:21-24, 1 Corinthians 8:8, Colossians 2:21-23, Hebrews 13:9
little: or, for a little time, Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:10
godliness: 1 Timothy 6:6, Job 22:2, Titus 3:8
having: Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Job 5:19-26, Psalms 37:3, Psalms 37:4, Psalms 37:16-19, Psalms 37:29, Psalms 84:11, Psalms 91:10-16, Psalms 112:1-3, Psalms 128:1-6, Psalms 145:19, Proverbs 3:16-18, Ecclesiastes 8:12, Isaiah 3:10, Isaiah 32:17, Isaiah 32:18, Isaiah 33:16, Isaiah 65:13, Isaiah 65:14, Matthew 5:3-12, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:19, Mark 10:20, Luke 12:31, Luke 12:32, Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 3:22, 2 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 1:4, 1 John 2:25, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:21
Reciprocal: Genesis 13:2 - General Genesis 24:1 - blessed Genesis 24:35 - the Lord Genesis 28:15 - I am Genesis 33:11 - enough Genesis 47:12 - his father Genesis 49:25 - with blessings Deuteronomy 4:40 - it may go Deuteronomy 5:33 - well Deuteronomy 28:2 - come on thee Deuteronomy 28:4 - General Deuteronomy 32:47 - General 1 Kings 3:14 - I will lengthen 2 Chronicles 31:10 - Since Job 1:9 - Doth Job Psalms 41:2 - blessed Proverbs 3:2 - length Proverbs 11:4 - but Proverbs 13:25 - righteous Proverbs 19:23 - shall abide Proverbs 22:4 - By Isaiah 30:23 - shall he Isaiah 33:6 - fear Ezekiel 13:8 - behold Joel 2:13 - your garments Luke 5:38 - General Luke 18:12 - fast Luke 18:30 - manifold more John 6:63 - the flesh 1 Corinthians 13:3 - profiteth 2 Corinthians 6:10 - and Colossians 2:23 - a show 1 Timothy 6:3 - the doctrine 2 Timothy 2:14 - to no Hebrews 4:2 - did Hebrews 7:18 - the weakness Hebrews 12:11 - exercised James 2:14 - What 2 Peter 1:6 - godliness
Cross-References
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD .
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord .
So it happened in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground.
So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground.
And in processe of dayes it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the grounde, an oblation vnto ye lorde:
At harvest time, Cain brought a gift to the Lord . He brought some of the food that he grew from the ground, but Abel brought some animals from his flock. He chose some of his best sheep and brought the best parts from them. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift.
In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,
Sotheli it was don after many daies, that Cayn offride yiftis to the Lord of the fruytis of erthe;
And in processe of time it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the ground, an offering vnto the LORD.
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord .
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For bodily exercise profiteth little,.... Meaning not the exercise of the body in the Olympic games, as by running, wrestling, c. which profited but little, for the obtaining of a corruptible crown at most though since a word is used here, and in the preceding verse, borrowed from thence, there may be an allusion to it: much less exercise of the body for health or recreation, as riding, walking, playing at any innocent diversion; which profits but for a little time, as the Syriac and Arabic versions read; and the latter renders the phrase "bodily recreation": nor is the exercise of the body in the proper employment of trade and business, to which a man is called, and which profits for the support of life for a little while, intended; nor any methods made use of for the mortification of the body, and the keeping of it under, as watchings, fastings, lying on the ground, scourging, c. but rather mere formal external worship, as opposed to godliness, or spiritual worship. There ought to be an exercise of the body, or a presenting of that in religious worship before God there should be an outward attendance on the word and ordinances; but then, without internal godliness, this will be of little advantage: it is indeed showing an outward regard to public worship, and may be a means of keeping persons out of bad company, and from doing evil things; but if this is trusted to, and depended on, it will be of no avail to everlasting life; see Luke 13:26
but godliness is profitable unto all things; to the health of the body, and the welfare of the soul; to the things of this life, and of that which is to come; to themselves and others, though not to God, or in a way of merit:
having promise of the life that now is; of the continuance of it, of length of days, of living long in the earth, and of enjoying all necessary temporal good things, the mercies of life; for God has promised to his spiritual worshippers, to them that fear him, and walk uprightly, that their days shall be prolonged, that they shall want no good thing, nor will he withhold any from them that is for their good, that is proper and convenient for them:
and of that which is to come; even of eternal life; not that eternal life is received or procured hereby; for it is the free gift of God, and is not by any works of men, for otherwise it would not be by promise; for its being by promise shows it to be of grace: there is nothing more or less in it than this, that God promises glory to his own grace; for internal godliness, which animates and maintains spiritual worship, is of God, is of his own grace, and every part of it is a free gift of his, as faith, hope, love, fear, &c.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For bodily exercise profiteth little - Margin, “for a little time.” The Greek will admit of either interpretation, and what is here affirmed is true in either sense. The bodily exercise to which the apostle refers is of little advantage compared with that piety which he recommended Timothy to cultivate, and whatever advantage could be derived from it, would be but of short duration. “Bodily exercise” here refers, doubtless, to the mortifications of the body by abstinence and penance which the ancient devotees, and particularly the Essenes, made so important as a part of their religion. The apostle does not mean to say that bodily exercise is in itself improper, or that no advantage can be derived from it in the preservation of health, but he refers to it solely as a means of religion; as supposed to promote holiness of heart and of life. By these bodily austerities it was supposed that the corrupt passions would be subdued, the wanderings of an unholy fancy lettered down, and the soul brought into conformity to God. In opposition to this supposition, the apostle has here stated a great principle which experience has shown to be universally correct, that such austerities do little to promote holiness, but much to promote superstition. There must be a deeper work on the soul than any which can be accomplished by the mere mortification of the body; see the notes on Colossians 2:23, and compare 1 Corinthians 9:25-27.
But godliness - Piety or religion.
Is profitable unto all things - In every respect. There is not an interest of man, in reference to this life, or to the life to come, which it would not promote. It is favorable to health of body, by promoting temperance, industry, and frugality; to clearness and vigor of intellect, by giving just views of truth, and of the relative value of objects; to peace of conscience, by leading to the faithful performance of duty; to prosperity in business, by making a man sober, honest, prudent, and industrious; to a good name, by leading a man to pursue such a course of life as shall deserve it; and to comfort in trial, calmness in death, and immortal peace beyond the grave. Religion injures no one. It does not destroy health; it does not enfeeble the intellect; it does not disturb the conscience; it does not pander to raging and consuming passions; it does not diminish the honor of a good name; it furnishes no subject of bitter reflection on a bed of death.
It makes no one the poorer; it prompts to no crime; it engenders no disease. If a man should do that which would most certainly make him happy, he would be decidedly and conscientiously religious; and though piety promises no earthly possessions directly as its reward, and secures no immunity from sickness, bereavement, and death, yet there is nothing which so certainly secures a steady growth of prosperity in a community as the virtues which it engenders and sustains, and there is nothing else that will certainly meet the ills to which man is subject. I have no doubt that it is the real conviction of every man, that if he ever becomes certainly “happy,” he will be a Christian; and I presume that it is the honest belief of every one that the true and consistent Christian is the most happy of people. And yet, with this conviction, people seek everything else rather than religion, and in the pursuit of baubles, which they know cannot confer happiness, they defer religion - the only certain source of happiness at any time - to the last period of life, or reject it altogether.
Having promise of the life that now is - That is, it furnishes the promise of whatever is really necessary for us in this life. The promises of the Scriptures on this subject are abundant, and there is probably not a lack of our nature for which there might not be found a specific promise in the Bible; compare Psalms 23:1; Psalms 84:11; Philippians 4:19. Religion promises us needful food and raiment, Matthew 6:25-33; Isaiah 33:16; comfort in affliction, Deuteronomy 33:27; Job 5:19; Psalms 46:1-11; Hebrews 13:5; support in old age and death, Isaiah 46:4; Psalms 23:4; compare Isaiah 43:2; and a good reputation, an honored name when we are dead; Psalms 37:1-6. There is nothing which man really “needs” in this life, which is not promised by religion; and if the inquiry were made, it would be surprising to many, even with our imperfect religion, how literally these promises are fulfilled. David, near the close of a long life, was able to bear this remarkable testimony on this subject: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread;” Psalms 37:25. And now, of the beggars that come to our doors, to how few of them can we give a cup of cold water, feeling that we are giving it to a disciple! How rare is it that a true Christian becomes a beggar! Of the inmates of our alms-houses, how very few give any evidence that they have religion! They have been brought there by vice, not by religion. True piety sends none to the alms-house; it would have saved the great mass of those who are there from ever needing the charity of their fellow-men.
And of that which is to come - Eternal life. And it is the only thing that “promises” such a life. Infidelity makes no “promise” of future happiness. Its business is to take away all the comforts which religion gives, and to leave people to go to a dark eternity with no promise or hope of eternal joy. Vice “promises” pleasures in the present life, but only to disappoint its votaries here; it makes no promise of happiness in the future world. There is nothing that furnishes any certain “promises” of happiness hereafter, in this world or the next, but religion. God makes no promise of such happiness to beauty, birth, or blood; to the possession of honors or wealth; to great attainments in science and learning, or to the graces of external accomplishment. All these, whatever flattering hopes of happiness they may hold out here, have no assurance of future eternal bliss. It is not by such things that God graduates the rewards of heaven, and it is only “piety” or “true religion” that furnishes any assurance of happiness in the world to come.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. For bodily exercise profiteth little — Προς ολιγον εστιν ωφελιμος. Those gymnastic exercises, so highly esteemed among the Greeks, are but little worth; they are but of short duration; they refer only to this life, and to the applause of men: but godliness has the promise of this life, and the life to come; it is profitable for all things; and for both time and eternity.
But godliness is profitable unto all things — By godliness we are to understand every thing that the Christian religion either promises or prescribes: the life of God in the soul of man; and the glory of God as the object and end of that life. To receive the first, a man must renounce his sins, deny himself, take up his cross, and follow his Lord through evil and through good report. To obtain the latter, a man must labour to enter into that rest which remains for the people of God.
Having promise, of the life that now is — The man that fears, loves, and serves God, has God's blessing all through life. His religion saves him from all those excesses, both in action and passion, which sap the foundations of life, and render existence itself often a burden. The peace and love of God in the heart produces a serenity and calm which cause the lamp of life to burn clear, strong, and permanent. Evil and disorderly passions obscure and stifle the vital spark. Every truly religious man extracts the uttermost good out of life itself, and through the Divine blessing gets the uttermost good that is in life; and, what is better than all, acquires a full preparation here below for an eternal life of glory above. Thus godliness has the promise of, and secures the blessings of, both worlds.
