Bible Commentaries
1 Timothy 6

Verse 1

1 Timothy 6:1

6:1-2 Instructions Concerning Servants

Yoke = "As many as are under the yoke of bondage..." cf. Galatians 5:1

Master = 10x in NT, despotes, a ruler with absolute power,

Honor = value, esteem, respect.

Name of God = Christianity would be very odium if it brought social disorder. Not to be dishonored and reproached. Christianity taught patience and meekness, not rebellion or violence.

Verse 2

1 Timothy 6:2

Despise = neglect, fail to care for. [Not used here of actual contempt or disrespect. Idea is that they are not to shirk their duty or grow lax in their service.]

YLT "..let them not slight them..."

Partakers = something in which both benefit.

1) the masters partake of the servants labor OR 2) the servants partake of the gospel’s benefits.

OR BOTH would partake, the master would receive benefit by the servant’s labour, and the servant would partake by receiving better treatment from the master.

Verse 3

1 Timothy 6:3

This points seems to be aimed especially at anyone who would try to foster discontent among the slaves, or create trouble and social strife. It extends to anyone teaching any false teaching, and a teaching not coming from Christ or his apostles.

Wholesome = healthy, uncorrupted

Verse 4

1 Timothy 6:4

Doting = sick, a morbid (interest), to pine after, [NKJV obsessed]

Strifes of words = war of words

Railings = harsh language

Evil surmisings = suspicions

Verse 5

1 Timothy 6:5

useless wringlings -- KJV The word which is here used in the Received Text - παραδιατρίβη paradiatribē - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means “mis-employment;” then “idle occupation.” (Robinson’s Lexicon)

The idea is that of employments that merely consumed time without any advantage.

constant friction ... -- Paul then spells out the result of the attitude and action of the false teachers: “envy” or “jealousy”; “strife” or “discord” (usually linked to envy); “malicious talk” or “slander” (blasfhmivai, blasphçmiai); “evil suspicions” or “conjectures”; and “constant friction” or “thorough or mutual irritation” which results “between men of corrupt [or ’ruined’] mind.” - CPNIV

Perverse -- useless

destitue [robbed] of the truth -- The perfect tense here for “have been robbed” indicates that these men were robbed of “the truth” in the past and are now reaping the consequence of that event.

Knight has suggested that the one doing the action conveyed by the passive verb, “have been robbed,” should be seen as “’the god of this world,’ [who] has brought about this condition.”

Gain -- a means for advancing. Using sacred work for secular gain. Supposing that the way to appear godly (to advance, get gain) is to argue, to cause war of words, and conditions of verse 4.

Since Paul warns against the quest for money governing a church leader’s life (1 Timothy 3:3, 1 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:7, Titus 1:11) and argues that he himself does not minister in order to gain financially (1 Thessalonians 2:5), it is apparent that some have been using ministry or church leadership simply as a way to get ahead financially. - CPNIV

The thought here could be expressing the old Jewish belief that material prosperity was the evidence that God was pleased with the man and counted him righteous.

Withdraw thyself = "Timothy, don’t fall into a class of those men." A warning about "brotherhood camps", certain schools, and/or brotherhood publications that war on words, etc.

Verse 6

1 Timothy 6:6

The theme of the book of Ecclesiastes.

Verse 7

1 Timothy 6:7

Verse 8

1 Timothy 6:8

Verse 9

1 Timothy 6:9

Snare = trap

Lusts = desires

Verse 10

1 Timothy 6:10

1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Verse 11

1 Timothy 6:11

O man of God = term often used for a prophet or evangelists.

O man: 1 Timothy 6:20; Deuteronomy 33:1; 1 Samuel 2:27, 1 Samuel 9:6; 1 Kings 13:1, 1 Kings 13:26, 1 Kings 17:18, 1 Kings 17:24, 1 Kings 20:28; 2 Kings 1:9, 2 Kings 1:13; 2 Kings 5:20, 2 Kings 23:17; 1 Chronicles 23:14; 2 Chronicles 8:14; Nehemiah 12:24, Nehemiah 12:36; Jeremiah 35:4; 2 Timothy 3:17

Follow = pursue

Meekness = gentleness

Verse 12

1 Timothy 6:12

Professed = verb; confessed, acknowledged, Lit. to say the same things.

Profession = noun form of the same word.

Professed a good profession -- See James 2:24 note "Being Saved" for the importance of confessing one’s faith in Christ.

Verse 13

1 Timothy 6:13

Before Pilate = Matthew 17:11; John 18:36-37

Verse 14

1 Timothy 6:14

Verse 15

1 Timothy 6:15

Only Potentate = mighty ruler (over the universe), emphasis seems to be on the word "only".

Verse 16

1 Timothy 6:16

Immortality = Jesus Christ is the only source for man for eternal life.

No man can approach = Barnes "The light where he dwells is so brilliant and dazzling that mortal eyes could not endure it. This is a very common representation of the dwelling place of God."

Verse 17

1 Timothy 6:17

Ephesus had a good number of rich people (a large banking system there) and the church probably had some rich people in in as well.

Verse 18

1 Timothy 6:18

Verse 19

1 Timothy 6:19

Laying up ... Treasures in heaven, Matthew 6:20

Verse 20

1 Timothy 6:20

Science falsely... Knowledge, gnostics. McKnight points to 1 Corinthians 12:8 where "knowledge" was one of the spiritual gifts., and says that here some falsely claimed to have this inspired "knowledge."

Verse 21

1 Timothy 6:21