1 Timothy 1:12

Contextual Overview

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. He gives me strength. ¹² I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, ¹² And I thanke Christ Iesus oure Lorde which hath made me stronge: for he counted me true and put me in office ¹² And I thank him who enabled me, Messiah Yeshua, our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; ¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength, because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. ¹² I thank him that enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service; ¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; ¹² I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹² And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus, our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I thank: John 5:23, Philippians 2:11, Revelation 5:9-14, Revelation 7:10-12

who: 1 Corinthians 15:10, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 4:17

counted: Acts 16:15, 1 Corinthians 7:25

putting: 1 Timothy 1:11, Acts 9:15, Colossians 1:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:10 - not worthy of the least of all 1 Samuel 3:20 - established Nehemiah 9:8 - foundest Nehemiah 13:13 - counted Proverbs 13:17 - but Jeremiah 23:28 - speak Matthew 20:4 - Go Matthew 24:45 - is Luke 10:2 - the Lord Luke 18:11 - God Acts 26:16 - a minister Romans 1:1 - called Romans 1:5 - we have 1 Corinthians 1:14 - thank 1 Corinthians 4:7 - who Galatians 1:15 - and Ephesians 4:12 - the work Colossians 1:23 - whereof 1 Thessalonians 2:4 - to be 1 Timothy 1:18 - charge 1 Timothy 2:7 - I am 1 Timothy 3:11 - faithful 2 Timothy 2:2 - faithful Hebrews 3:2 - as Hebrews 3:5 - faithful Revelation 11:17 - We give

Cross-References

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God named the dry land "earth" and the water that was gathered together "seas." God saw that this was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry ground "land" and the gathered waters he called "seas." God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry [land] Earth, and the collection of waters he called Seas: and God saw that it [was] good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that this was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it.

Genesis 1:10
And God clepide the drie place, erthe; and he clepide the gadryngis togidere of watris, the sees. And God seiy that it was good;

Genesis 1:10
And God calleth to the dry land `Earth,' and to the collection of the waters He hath called `Seas;' and God seeth that [it is] good.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land "earth," and the gathering of waters He called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I thank Jesus Christ our Lord, c. l The subject matter of this thanksgiving being the apostle's call to the ministry of the word, and his furniture and fitness for it, shows, that while others were fond of being teachers, and called doctors of the law, he esteemed it an high honour and special favour bestowed upon him, that he was a preacher of the Gospel and that all his gifts and abilities for it were not of himself, nor from men, but were owing to the free grace of God, and favour of Christ; wherefore he gloried not in them, as if he had not received them, but gives Christ the glory of them, and thanks to him for them;

who hath enabled me; who gave him all his abilities for the preaching of the Gospel, and all that strength to perform the various parts of labour and service he was called unto, and all that firmness, resolution, and fortitude of mind he was endued with, to bear and suffer what he did for the sake of Christ and his Gospel.

For that he counted me faithful; not that he was so antecedent to the grace and gifts bestowed on him by Christ, or that Christ foresaw that he would be so, and therefore chose him for his service; but he counted him faithful, having made him so by his grace, and thus he kept him; faithfulness being a necessary requisite and qualification for a Gospel minister, he having a great trust committed to him, being made a steward of the manifold grace and mysteries of God:

putting me into the ministry. The ministry of the word, the work of the ministry, or preaching of the Gospel, the dispensation or administration of it to the sons of men; this he did not thrust himself into, nor take this honour to, and of himself; nor was he put into it by men, but was chosen to it of God, and called unto it by the Spirit, and was placed in it by Christ himself, who in person appeared to him, and made a minister of him; see Romans 1:1

Acts 13:2. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "his ministry", the ministry of Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord - The mention of the gospel 1 Timothy 1:11, and of the fact that it was committed to him, leads the apostle to express his gratitude to him who had called him to the work of preaching it. The Lord Jesus had called him when he was a blasphemer and a persecutor. He had constrained him to leave his career of persecution and blasphemy, and to consecrate himself to the defense and the propagation of the gospel. For all this, though it had required him to give up his favorite projects in life, and all the flattering schemes of ambition, he now felt that praise was due to the Redeemer. If there is anything for which a good man will be thankful, and should be thankful, it is that he has been so directed by the Spirit and providence of God as to be put into the ministry. It is indeed a work of toil, and of self-denial, and demanding many sacrifices of personal ease and comfort. It requires a man to give up his splendid prospects of worldly distinction, and of wealth and ease. It is often identified with want, and poverty, and neglect, and persecution. But it is an office so honorable, so excellent, so noble, and ennobling; it is attended with so many precious comforts here, and is so useful to the world, and it has such promises of blessedness and happiness in the world to come, that no matter what a man is required to give up in order to become a minister of the gospel, he should be thankful to Christ for putting him into the office. A minister, when he comes to die, feels that the highest favor which Heaven has conferred on him has been in turning his feet away from the paths of ambition, and the pursuits of ease or gain, and leading him to that holy work to which he has been enabled to consecrate his life.

Who hath enabled me - Who has given me ability or strength for this service. The apostle traced to the Lord Jesus the fact that he was in the ministry at all, and all the ability which he had to perform the duties of that holy office. It is not necessary here to suppose, as many have done, that he refers to miraculous power conferred on him, but he makes the acknowledgment which any faithful minister would do, that all the strength which he has to perform the duties of his office is derived from Christ; compare John 15:5 note; 1 Corinthians 15:10 note.

For that he counted me faithful - This is equivalent to saying that he reposed confidence in me. It means that there was something in the character of Paul, and in his attachment to the Saviour, on which reliance could be placed, or that there was that which gave the assurance that he would be faithful. A sovereign, when he sends an ambassador to a foreign court, reposes confidence in him, and would not commission him unless he had reason to believe that he would be faithful. So it is in reference to all who are called by the Redeemer into the ministry. They are his ambassadors to a lost world. His putting them into the ministry is an act expressive of great confidence in them - for he commits to them great and important interests. Hence, learn:

(1) That no one ought to regard himself as called to the ministry who will not be “faithful” to his Master; and,

(2) That the office of the ministry is most honorable and responsible. Nowhere else are there so great interests entrusted to man.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. I thank Christ — I feel myself under infinite obligation to Christ who hath strengthened me, ενδυναμωσαντι, who hath endued me with various miraculous gifts of his Holy Spirit, and put me into the ministry, διακονιαν, the deaconship, the service of mankind, by preaching the Gospel, for that he counted me-he knew that I would be, faithful to the charge that was delivered to me.