Bible Commentaries
1 Timothy 2

Verses 1-15

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 5-15

5 This passage is primarily intended to break down the bounds in which salvation had hitherto been confined. The testimony of past eras is no basis on which to build in this era. The testimony to the nations, committed to the apostle Paul (which he deems it necessary to solemnly affirm) is to the effect that Christ was not only the Son of David, to confirm the kingdom to Israel, or the Son of Abraham, to bring blessing to the faithful, but He is Adam's greater Son, a Man, and as such, is the Mediator for the whole human race. Nor is Israel's God limited to them: for there is only one God for all mankind. The Man Christ Jesus is giving Himself as a Ransom for all. Only a few, comparatively, are vitally affected by this fact at present, but, in due time, the offense of Adam will be much more than offset by the just award of the Man, Christ Jesus ( Rom_5:18 ). Paul was assigned this testimony for the present era. No other apostle presents it, for it is foreign to their ministry. Christ gave His soul a ransom for many ( Mat_20:28 ), but gives Himself a ransom for all. Redemption is for the saints, during the eons. Ransom is for all when the eons end.

9 The dancing women of the East, who are, perhaps, the only class who appear in public, braid their hair with strands strung with gold and pearls, and their vesture is most elaborate, to attract the attention of the men, who form their audience. How much better, for those whose reputation is bound up with the glory of God, to be adorned with acts which reflect His love and grace!

14 The part played by Adam in the temptation receives much light from this passage. While Eve was utterly deluded, Adam was not, and probably partook so as to involve himself in the same plight as Eve. In this light, his defense, "the woman that thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" ( Gen_3:12 ) has more of truth than is usually conceded. Perhaps it is especially in this sense-as deliberately involving himself in Eve's transgression-that we are to consider him as a type of Christ.

1 Each ecclesia in Paul's day seems to have had two distinct classes of officers, if we may so term them. There were the supervisors (sometimes called overseers or bishops), and the servants (or deacons). The supervisors seem to have had a general oversight of the ecclesia and its members, while the servants took a subordinate place, rendering such service as the ecclesia stood in need of. The qualifications for these positions are here given. Young and untested men were not welcome to these responsibilities. Indeed, it seems taken for granted that the supervisor is an elder (Compare Tit_1:5 ; Tit_1:7 ). Both supervisors and servants must show their fitness by controlling their own households.

15 In this epistle the ecclesia is the public exponent of the truth. It is called "God's house." Like a pillar in the temple it upheld and manifested the truth of God. In Paul's second letter to Timothy, written after the apostasy had set in, he calls the ecclesia a "great house" in which are utensils both honorable and otherwise. Such is the case today. The church is no longer "the pillar and base of the truth."

16 Not only is the manuscript evidence against the reading " God manifest in flesh", but other considerations force us to the same conclusion. In the typical teaching of the tabernacle the curtain represented His flesh ( Heb_10:20 ). Now the veil did not reveal , but rather hid the Divine presence. It could not be said to manifest it. The phrase "justified in spirit" is also inept when applied to Christ. The proclamation among the nations is out of place, as no such ministry was attempted until long after He had been "taken up in glory." The whole passage is concerned with conduct. The secret of devout conduct is traced in its various manifestations in those who are its subjects. It should be manifested in flesh by the ideal acts which it produces, it enjoys justification in spirit, is the subject of angelic inspection ( Eph_3:10 ), is proclaimed among the nations, and will be removed from the world before the Lord appears in judgment.