1 Timothy 1:5

Contextual Overview

⁵ My purpose in telling you to do this is to promote love—the kind of love shown by those whose thoughts are pure, who do what they know is right, and whose faith in God is real. ⁵ whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. ⁵ for ye ende of the comaundemet is love that cometh of a pure herte and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned: ⁵ But the end of the charge is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith; ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.⁵ The purpose of this command is for people to have love, a love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a true faith. ⁵ But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned: ⁵ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned: ⁵ The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁵ But the end of the charge is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the end: Romans 10:4, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:13, Galatians 5:14, Galatians 5:22, 1 John 4:7-14

charity: Mark 12:28-34, Romans 14:15, 1 Corinthians 8:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, 1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Peter 4:8, 2 Peter 1:7

a pure: Psalms 24:4, Psalms 51:10, Jeremiah 4:14, Matthew 5:8, Matthew 12:35, Acts 15:9, 2 Timothy 2:22, James 4:8, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 3:3

a good: 1 Timothy 1:19, 1 Timothy 3:9, Acts 23:1, Acts 24:16, Romans 9:1, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Timothy 1:3, Titus 1:15, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 13:18, 1 Peter 3:16, 1 Peter 3:21

faith: Galatians 5:6, 2 Timothy 1:5, Hebrews 11:5, Hebrews 11:6, 1 John 3:23

Reciprocal: Matthew 7:12 - for Matthew 22:40 - General Mark 12:29 - Hear Romans 12:9 - love 1 Corinthians 8:2 - if 1 Corinthians 13:13 - the greatest 1 Corinthians 16:14 - General Ephesians 1:15 - faith Ephesians 4:16 - edifying Colossians 3:14 - charity 1 Thessalonians 3:6 - faith 1 Timothy 2:15 - in faith Titus 2:2 - in patience Titus 3:15 - love James 1:27 - Pure James 2:14 - though James 2:17 - so James 2:18 - and I will 1 John 3:11 - message Revelation 2:19 - charity

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God named the air "sky." Evening passed, and morning came. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "sky." There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven: and the evening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse [of sky] heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God clepide the firmament, heuene. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, the secounde dai.

Genesis 1:8
And God calleth to the expanse `Heavens;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning -- day second.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now the end of the commandment is charity,.... By the "commandment" may be meant, the order given to Timothy, or the charge committed to him; see 1 Timothy 1:18 to forbid the teaching of another doctrine, and to avoid fables and endless genealogies; the end and design of which was to cultivate peace, to maintain and secure brotherly love, which cannot long subsist, when a different doctrine is introduced and received; and to promote godly edification, which is brought about by charity or love, for charity edifies; but is greatly hindered by speculative notions, fabulous stories, and genealogical controversies and contentions: or by it may be intended the ministration of the Gospel, called the commandment, 1 Timothy 6:14, because enjoined the preachers of it by Christ; the end of which is to bring persons to the obedience of faith, or to that faith which works by love, to believe in Christ, to love the Lord, his truths, ordinances, people, and ways; or rather the moral law is designed, which is often called the commandment, Romans 7:8 since of this the apostle treats in some following verses; the end and design, sum and substance, completion and perfection of which law are love to God, and love to one another; see Matthew 22:36, which charity or love, when right,

springs out of a pure heart; which no man has naturally; every man's heart is naturally impure; nor can he make it pure; by the strength of nature, or by anything that he can do: there are some that are pure in their own eyes, and in the esteem of others, and yet are not cleansed from their filthiness, and are inwardly full of all manner of impurity; though there are some that have pure hearts, and they are such, who have clean hearts created in them by the Spirit of God; who are regenerated and sanctified by him; whose hearts are purified by faith; and who have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ; and who are not double minded, speak with a heart and a heart, but whose hearts are sincere and upright, and without hypocrisy; so that charity or love, from such a heart, is love without dissimulation, which is not in tongue and words only, but in deed and in truth; it is an unfeigned love, or loving with a pure heart fervently.

And of a good conscience; there is a conscience in every man, that accuses or excuses, unless it is cauterized or seared: but this conscience is naturally evil and defiled, and does not perform its office aright; either it takes no notice of, and is not concerned about sin, and has no remorse for it, or it takes notice of little things, and lets pass greater ones, or speaks peace when destruction is at hand: a good conscience is a conscience purified by the grace of God, and purged from dead works by the blood of Christ; under the influence of which a man acts uprightly in the discharge of his duty, and exercises a conscience void of offence towards God and man; and charity, proceeding from such a conscience, is of the right kind: and of faith unfeigned; with which a man really, and from the heart, believes what he professes; so did not Simon Magus, and all other temporary believers, whose faith is a feigned faith, a dead and inactive one; whereas true faith is an operative grace, it is attended with good works, and particularly it works by love: and that charity or love, which springs from faith unfeigned, is unfeigned love also, such as answers the design, and is the substance of the commandment. These words may be considered in a gradation, or as a spiritual genealogy, in opposition to the endless ones before mentioned, thus; that charity which is the end of the commandment comes out of a pure heart, out of which proceeds a good conscience, and from thence faith unfeigned. But the other way of interpreting seems best.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 designs to say that he did not intend to teach that the law was of no consequence, and was not, when properly understood, obligatory. Its nature and use, however, was not correctly understood by them, and hence it was of great importance for Timothy to inculcate correct views of the purpose for which it was given. The word “commandment” here some have understood of the gospel (Doddridge), others of the particular command which the apostle here gives to Timothy (Benson, Clarke, and Macknight); but it seems more naturally to refer to all that God had commanded - his whole law. As the error of these teachers arose from improper views of the nature and design of law, Paul says that that design should be understood. It was not to produce distinctions and angry contentions, and was not to fetter the minds of Christians with minute and burdensome observances, but it was to produce love.

Is charity - On the meaning of this word, see notes on 1 Corinthians 13:1.

Out of a pure heart - The love which is genuine must proceed from a holy heart. The commandment was not designed to secure merely the outward expressions of love, but that which had its seat in the heart.

And of a good conscience - A conscience free from guilt. Of course there can be no genuine love to God where the dictates of conscience are constantly violated, or where a man knows that he is continually doing wrong. If a man wishes to have the evidence of love to God, he must keep a good conscience. All pretended love, where a man knows that he is living in sin, is mere hypocrisy.

And of faith unfeigned - Undissembled confidence in God. This does seem to be intended specifically of faith in the Lord Jesus, but it means that all true love to God, such as this law would produce, must be based on confidence in him. How can anyone have love to him who has no confidence in him? Can we exercise love to a professed friend in whom we have no confidence? Faith, then, is as necessary under the law as it is under the gospel.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Timothy 1:5. Now the end of the commandment is charity — These genealogical questions lead to strife and debate; and the dispensation of God leads to love both to God and man, through faith in Christ. These genealogical questions leave the heart under the influence of all its vile tempers and evil propensities; FAITH in Jesus purifies the heart. No inquiry of this kind can add to any thing by which the guilt of sin can be taken away; but the Gospel proclaims pardon, through the blood of the Lamb, to every believing penitent. The end, aim, and design of God in giving this dispensation to the world is, that men may have an unfeigned faith, such as lays hold on Christ crucified, and produces a good conscience from a sense of the pardon received, and leads on to purity of heart; LOVE to God and man being the grand issue of the grace of Christ here below, and this fully preparing the soul for eternal glory. He whose soul is filled with love to God and man has a pure heart, a good conscience, and unfeigned faith. But these blessings no soul can ever acquire, but according to God's dispensation of faith.

The paraphrase and note of Dr. Macknight on this verse are very proper: "Now the scope of the charge to be given by thee to these teachers is, that, instead of inculcating fables and genealogies, they inculcate love to God and man, proceeding from a pure heart, and directed by a good conscience, and nourished by unfeigned faith in the Gospel doctrine. The word παραγγελια denotes a message or order, brought to one from another, and delivered by word of mouth. The charge here meant is that which the apostle ordered Timothy to deliver to the teachers in Ephesus; for he had said, 1 Timothy 1:3: I had besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, ινα παραγγειλνς, that thou mightest charge some: here he tells him what the scope of this charge was to be."

Of faith unfeigned — πιστεως ανυποκριτου. A faith not hypocritical. The apostle appears to allude to the Judaizing teachers, who pretended faith in the Gospel, merely that they might have the greater opportunity to bring back to the Mosaic system those who had embraced the doctrine of Christ crucified. This IS evident from the following verse.