Bible Commentaries
1 Timothy 6

Verses 1-15

19 Unless sufficient evidence to establish his guilt is produced, no charge against an elder is to be entertained. A single witness may be mistaken, or biased: he must be corroborated by one or more others. When, however, an elder's guilt is clearly established, his sin is to be made public. Such a punishment will deter others from similar offenses.

21 Prejudice and partiality should have no place in the judicial acts of an ecclesia. Natural inclination should be laid aside and all done in view of the Invisible.

22 The imposition of hands for the impartation of some grace ( 2Ti_1:6 ) was to be done deliberately, without haste, so that only those who would honor the gift might receive it.

23 At this juncture in the apostle's ministry we begin to note the decline of physical blessings. His own thorn in the flesh was not removed ( 2Co_12:7 ), Timothy, his nearest and dearest friend, is affiicted with frequent infirmities. Instead of healing him, or recommending such a course, he suggests a remedy. Paul's ministry was divided into four periods separated by three crises. The first crisis occurred in Antioch when he was severed from the rest ( Act_13:2 ). The second crisis occurred while Paul is at Ephesus, and is brought before us in the words "As these things were fulfilled" ( Act_19:21 ). The third was at Rome, when the Jews finally refused the kingdom ( Act_28:25-28 ). We have found that this letter was written at the second, central crisis in his career. Then it was that he no longer knew anyone according to the flesh. Except in the lingering testimony to the kingdom, all physical blessing vanishes. Otherwise he surely would have cured Timothy and Epaphroditus ( Php_2:26 ). When once the progress of Paul's ministries is recognized, from glory to glory ( 2Co_3:18 ), away from the earthly and physical to the celestial and spiritual, healing and other gifts will be seen to be among those things which belong to immaturity.

1 A slave with a believing owner was sometimes above his master in faith, and would be tempted to forget his subordinate position. They are exhorted to take their true place as slaves, in the flesh, even though they are brethren in spirit.

5 The tendency to make capital out of religion has greatly increased since the apostle's day. Devoutness as a means to material gain is one of the most insidious of sins, which finds its followers everywhere. From the "rice Christians" of China to the very highest ecclesiastical dignitaries, its baneful influence has paralyzed God's testimony. One of the great benefits of persecution is to purge the saints of this sin.

6 Material gain, beyond what is needed for sustenance and shelter, is not true capital. It cannot give contentment in the present, and is a total loss in the future. True capital is contentment, which gives happiness now, and devoutness, which insures a reward in the life to come. These, indeed, are great capital-far greater than the billions which men amass, but which they cannot use, and which they are sure to lose. The really rich man is he who, having provided for shelter from the elements, a house and clothing and sustenance in the form of food and drink, banks the balance in such a way that it will follow him into the future.

9 Those who refuse this course will find that they lose in every way. Riches do not give contentment, but breed foolish and harmful longings, the gratification of which is destructive to happiness and lead away from the faith. Money getting and the hoarding of means not needed for our own welfare, not only is a prolific source of evil, but robs the rich of happiness now, and only increases our loss in the life to come.

13 To make alive or vivify does not refer to the giving of life in creation, but is always used of the impartation of immortality and incorruption when used of mankind ( Rom_4:17 ; 1Co_15:36 ) . It is distinguished from resurrection ( Joh_5:21 ) in that it refers to spiritual life ( Rom_8:11 ; 2Co_3:6 ). Resurrection refers primarily to the body , rousing to the soul , and vivification to the spirit . Elsewhere we are told that all mankind will be vivified ( 1Co_15:22 ). Here the whole universe is included in God's mighty purpose to defeat death.

Verses 1-21

3 Translators have experienced much difficulty with this opening sentence, because it seemed to lack the principal verb. The A V adds so do , the Revisers so do I now . It is very seldom that any translator goes so far as to add a complete sentence to the Word of God. To be sure, the question as to who remained in Ephesus and who went to Macedonia does not seem to play any important part in the understanding of the epistle, so should not be the cause of any great spiritual loss, whichever way we may translate. Instead of "As I exhorted thee to tarry. . . [when I was] going," we may translate, ". . . remain with [them] . . . [when] going." Colloquially we would say "stop over," or "drop in at," or "visit [with them when] going." Remain and going seem to be incompatible at first glance. Actually there is no conflict between them ( cf Mat_15:32 ; Mar_8:2 ; Act_18:18 ), prosmeinai does not denote to remain permanently .

4 The interminable genealogies and teaching of the law point directly to the Circumcision. The unbelieving Jews were not only the bitterest enemies Paul encountered, as the record in Acts reveals, but those who joined the believers were often unable to break away from their inborn traditions. It was just at this time that Paul announced the new creation, in which physical relationships are ignored ( 2Co_5:16 ). The genealogies of Judaism have their place, but not in his evangel.

8 The law, too, had its place and mission. It was never given to the nations ( Rom_2:14 ). By it is the recognition of sin ( Rom_3:20 ). It was added, long after the promise was given, to involve Israel in transgression, until the Seed came to Whom the promises were made ( Gal_3:19 ). He redeems them from it and gives them the place of sons ( Gal_4:5 ). Christ is the law's consummation to everyone who believes ( Rom_10:4 ). Against the believer there is no law ( Gal_5:23 ). We are not under law, but under grace ( Rom_6:14 ).

11 "Happy" seems to be the only word we have which enables us to distinguish between this term and "blessed".

16 Paul's case is a pattern of God's present ways in grace. Instead of reforming and repenting and seeking to gain God's favor, he was madly endeavoring to do all in his power against Christ and His people ( Act_9:1-2 ). He was the foremost sinner of his day, and deserved the direst doom. Instead, he receives the greatest grace. Once outside the land of Israel, where God's grace was unrestrained by the law and His dealings with the covenant people, God calls him and transforms him into His most brilliant exponent of grace. Corresponding to the gracious character of his call, he is assigned to the dispensation of God's grace among the nations, a ministry distinct and different from that of any of the twelve apostles. They had mercy for the nations as a result of Israel's blessing: he dispensed grace in spite of, and resulting from, Israel's failure.

17 The title "King of the eons" does not limit God to the eons in time, even as "the Lord of the earth" does not limit Him in space. It describes His sovereignty during the eons, for only in them is kingly government known ( 1Co_15:24 ).

1 At the crisis in the apostle's career when this epistle was written, he first made known the secret of the evangel, the conciliation ( Rom_5:11 ). The scope of blessing has been gradually widening. The evangel of the kingdom, linked with the name of David, included only

Israelites and proselytes. The evangel of God, associated with the name of Abraham, brought blessing to those among the nations who believed. The secret of the evangel ( Rom_16:25 ) set forth in the fifth of Romans, called the conciliation, refers us to Adam, and reaches the whole race, though it brings reconciliation only to those who receive it. Hence our sympathies and prayers should go out for all mankind.

4 God's will for all mankind will not be fulfilled until the consummation ( 1Co_15:24 ). Only those who believe receive eonian salvation now. Those who acknowledge that God is greater than man, and that His will is more powerful than man's will, believe and exult in the final salvation of all mankind.

Verses 16-21

16 Christ Jesus is the only One Who has been vivified. No one else has life beyond the reach of death. Immortality is His exclusive possession. The glory of deathlessness shines forth in Him with an intensity beyond the possibility of human perception. The apostle himself came as near to this as anyone, but the brilliance blinded him. He saw Him ( 1Co_9:1 ), but He appeared as a Light, which his eyes could not bear. At His advent, they shall be like Him, since they shall view Him as He is ( 1Jn_3:2 ).

17 Those who are rich, in contrast to those already considered, who are fond of money with the intention of becoming wealthy, are exhorted not to place their dependence on their possessions, which may desert them at any moment, but to rely on God, Who alone can make their enjoyment possible. Their most profitable course lies in the employment of their wealth for the benefit of others. This brings them present happiness (for it is blessed to give), and, at the same time deposits their wealth in the divine treasury where it will appear to their account in that day. In this way they will assure for themselves real life, both now and for the eons.

20 All knowledge or "science" which is not in line with God's revelation has been found false in the past and will be so in the future. There is no conflict between true science and the Scriptures.