The Life and Epistles of Apostle Paul

1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law;⁸ understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

1:9 Knowing this, that the⁹ law is not made for a¹⁰ righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers¹¹ of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers,¹² for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

8. We must observe that this expression may be taken in two ways; either to denote Judaizers, who insisted on the permanent obligation of the Mosaic Law (which seems to suit the context best), or to denote Platonizing expounders of the Law, like Philo, who professed to teach the true and deep view of the Law. To suppose (with Baur) that a Gnostic like Marcion, who rejected the Law altogether, could be called "a teacher of the Law," is (to say the least of it) a very unnatural hypothesis.

9. The noun in the original is without the article here, as often when thus used. Compare Romans 2:12, 3:31, 4:13, &c.

10. Compare Galatians 5:18, "If ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law," and the note on that passage.

11. This word in English includes parricides and matricides, both of which are expressed in the original.

12. This is the literal translation.

1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious:but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant¹³ with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

1:15 This is a faithful saying¹⁴ , and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

1:17 Now unto the King eternal,¹⁵ immortal, invisible, the only wise¹⁶ God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

13. Compare Romans 5:20, "the gift of grace overflowed beyond."

14. See note on 1Timothy 3:16.

15. This seems the best interpretation of "king of the ages;" compare Revelation 11:15.

16. "Wise" is omitted in the best MSS.

1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies¹⁷ which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus¹⁸ and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan,¹⁹ that they may learn²⁰ not to blaspheme.

17. These prophecies were probably made at the time when Timothy was first called to the service of Christ. Compare Acts 13:1, 2, when the will of God for the mission of Paul and Barnabas was indicated by the Prophets of the Church of Antioch.

18. These are probably the same mentioned in the second Epistle (2Timothy 2:17, and 2Timothy 4:14). Baur and De Wette argue that this passage is inconsistent with the hypothesis that 2 Timothy was written after 1 Timothy; because Hymenaeus (who in this place is described as excommunicated and cut off from the Church) appears in 2 Timothy as a false teacher still active in the Church. But there is nothing at all inconsistent in this; for example, the incestuous man at Corinth, who had the very same sentence passed on him (1Corinthians 5:5), was restored to the Church in a few months, on his repentance. De Wette also says, that, in 2Timothy 2:17, Hymenaeus appears to be mentioned to Timothy for the first time; but this (we think) will not be the opinion of any one who takes an unprejudiced view of that passage.

19. On this expression, see the note on 1Corinthians 5:5.

20. The Greek verb has this meaning. Cf. Luke 23:16, and 2Corinthians 6:9.

1Timothy 2:1- 15

2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all,¹ supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

2:2 For kings,² and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness³ and honesty.

2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge⁴ of the truth.

2:5 For there is one⁵ God, and one mediator between God and men, the man⁶ Christ Jesus;

2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

2:8 I will therefore that men⁷ pray every where,⁸ lifting up holy hands,⁹ without wrath and doubting.

2:9 In like manner also, that women¹⁰ adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;¹¹ not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved¹² in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

1. "First of all," namely, before the other prayers. This explanation, which is Chrysostom’s, seems preferable to that adopted by De Wette, Huther, and others, who take it to mean "above all things." It is clear from what follows (v. 8) that St. Paul is speaking of public prayer, which he here directs to be commenced by intercessory prayer.

2. Here we see a precept directed against the seditious temper which prevailed (as we have already seen, p. 399) among some of the early heretics. Compare Jude 1:8, and 2Peter 2:9, and Romans 13:1.

3. This term for Christian piety is not used by St. Paul, except in the Pastoral Epistles. We must refer here to the Appendix in the larger editions. See note on Titus 1:9. It is used by St. Peter (2Peter 1:6) and by Clemens Romanus in the same sense.

4. For the meaning of this, compare 2Timothy 3:7, and Romans 10:2, and 1Corinthians 13:12.

5. This is the same sentiment as Romans 3:29, 30.

6. The manhood of our Lord is here insisted on, because thereon rests His mediation . Compare Hebrews 2:14, and 4:15.

7. The men, not the women, were to officiate.

8. Chrysostom thinks that there is a contrast between Christian worship, which could be offered in every place, and the Jewish sacrifices, which could only be offered in the Temple.

9. This was the Jewish attitude in prayer Cf. Psalm 63:4.

10. After women we must supply pray (as Chrysostom does), or something equivalent (to take part in the worship, &c), from the preceding context.

11. It is a peculiarity of the Pastoral Epistles to dwell very frequently on this virtue of self-restraint. A list of such peculiarities is given in the Appendix in the larger editions.

12. The Greek here cannot mean "in child-bearing" (A.V.). The Apostle’s meaning is, that women are to be kept in the path of safety, not by taking upon themselves the office of the man (by taking a public part in the assemblies of the Church, &c), but by the performance of the peculiar functions which God has assigned to their sex.

3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop,¹ he desireth a good work.

3:2 A bishop² then must be blameless, the husband³ of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality,⁴ apt to teach;

3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;⁵ but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.⁶

1. It should not be forgotten that the word [greek word] is used in the Pastoral Epistles as synonymous with [greek word]. See p. 378, and Titus 1:5, compared with Titus 1:7.

2. Rightly translated in A.V. "a bishop," not "the bishop," in spite of the article. See note on Titus 1:7.

3. "Husband of one wife." Compare 1Timothy 3:12, v. 9, and Titus 1:6. Many different interpretations have been given to this precept. It has been supposed (1) to prescribe marriage, (2) to forbid polygamy, (3) to forbid second marriages. The true interpretation seems to be as follows:— In the corrupt facility of divorce allowed both by the Greek and Roman law, it was very common for man and wife to separate, and marry other parties, during the life of one another. Thus a man might have three or four living wives; or, rather, women who had all successively been his wives. An example of the operation of a similar code is unhappily to be found in our own colony of Mauritius:there the French Revolutionary law of divorce has been suffered by the English government to remain unrepealed; and it is not uncommon to meet in society three or four women who have all been the wives of the same man, and three or four men who have all been the husbands of the same woman. "We believe it is this kind of successive polygamy, rather than simultaneous polygamy, which is here spoken of as disqualifying for the Presbyterate. So Beza.

4. "Hospitable." Compare Hebrews 13:2, and 5:10.

5. The allusion to "filthy lucre" is omitted in the best MSS.

6. See note on 2Timothy 2:26.

3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

3:11 Even so must their wives⁷ be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree,⁸ and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

7. We agree with Huther in thinking the Anthorized Version correct here, notwithstanding the great authority of Chrysostom in ancient, and De Wette and others in modern times, who interpret "women" here to mean "deaconesses." On that view, the verse is most unnaturally interpolated in the midst of the discussion concerning the Deacons. [This is hardly so, if we view the Primitive Diaconate as consisting of two co-ordinate branches, a diaconate of men and a diaconate of women. We observe, too, that nothing is said above of the duties of the wives of the Bishops. Our three chief modern commentators in England, Alford, Ellicott, and Wordsworth, interpret the verse before us as it was interpreted by Chrysostom and Jerome. — H.]

8. This verse is introduced by "for" as giving a reason for the previous directions, viz. the great importance of having good deacons; such men, by the fit performance of the office, gained a high position in the community, and acquired (by constant intercourse with different

3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God,⁹ the pillar and ground of the truth.

3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:God¹⁰ was manifest in the flesh, justified¹¹ in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.¹²

9. In this much-disputed passage, we adopt the interpretation given by Gregory of Nyssa. So the passage was understood (as Canon Stanley observes) by the Church of Lyons (A. D. 177); for in their Epistle the same expression is applied to Attains the Martyr. So, also, St. Paul speaks of the chief Apostles at Jerusalem as "pillars" ( Galatians 2:9); and so, in Revelation 3:12, we find the Christian who is undaunted by persecution described as "a pillar in the Temple of God." The grammatical objection to Gregory’s view is untenable; and a Greek writer of the 4th century may be at least as good a judge on this point as his modern opponents.

10. We retain the Received Text here, considering, that, when the testimony of the MSS is so divided, we are justified in retaining the text most familiar to English readers.

11. i.e. justified against gainsayers, as being what He claimed to be.

12. There can be little doubt that this is a quotation from some Christian hymn or creed. Such quotations in the Pastoral Epistles (of which there are five introduced by the same expression, "faithful is the saying") correspond with the hypothesis that these Epistles were among the last written by St. Paul.

4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

4:2 Speaking¹ lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

4:3 Forbidding to marry,² and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and³ know the truth.

4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God⁴ and prayer.

1. "Speaking lies" is most naturally taken with "demons;" but St. Paul, while grammatically speaking of the demons, is really speaking of the false teachers who acted under their impulse.

2. With regard to the nature of the heresies here spoken of, see pp. 394-397. We observe a strong admixture of the Jewish element (exactly like that which prevailed, as we have seen, in the Colossian heresies) in the prohibition of particular kinds of food; compare verse 4, and Colossians 2:16, and Colossians 2:21, 22. This shows the very early date of this Epistle, and contradicts the hypothesis of Baur as to its origin At the same time there is also an Anti-Judaical element, as we have remarked above, p. 397, note 2.

3. See note on 1Timothy 2:4.

4. We have a specimen of what is meant by this verse in the following beautiful "Grace before Meat," which was used in the primitive Church: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who feedest me from my youth, who givest food unto all flesh. Pill our hearts with joy and gladness, that always having all sufficiency we may abound unto every good work, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom be glory, honor, and might unto Thee for ever. Amen." (Apostolical Constitutions, 7:49.). The expression "Word of God" probably implies that the thanksgiving was commonly made in some Scriptural words, taken, for example, out of the Psalms, as are several expressions in the above Grace.

4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth⁵ little:but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

4:9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

4:10 For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men,⁶ specially of those that believe.

5. It seems, from a comparison of this with the following verse, that the false teachers laid great stress on a training of the body by ascetic practices. For the metaphorical language, borrowed from the contests of the Palaestra, compare 1Corinthians 9:27, and p. 585.

6. The prominence given to this truth of the universality of salvation in this Epistle (compare 1Timothy 2:4) seems to imply that it was denied by the Ephesian false teachers. So the Gnostics considered salvation as belonging only to the enlightened few, who, in their system, constituted a kind of spiritual aristocracy. See p. 395.

4:11 These things command and teach.

4:12 Let no man despise thy youth;⁷ but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit,⁸ in faith, in purity.

4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading,⁹ to exhortation, to doctrine.

4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy,¹⁰ with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:¹¹ for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

7. Compare 2Timothy 2:22, and the remarks in Appendix II.

8. The words "in spirit" are omitted in the best MSS.

9. This does not mean reading in the sense of study, but reading aloud to others; the books to read were (at this period) probably those of the Old Testament, and perhaps the earlier gospels.

10. Compare with this passage 1Timothy 1:18, and the note.

11. This in them is very perplexing; but it may most naturally be referred to the preceding these things.

5:1 Rebuke not an elder,¹ but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

1. Chrysostom has remarked that we must not take "elder" here in its official sense; compare the following "elder women."

5:3 Honor² widows that are widows indeed.

5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first³ to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents:for that is good and acceptable⁴ before God.

5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

5:8 But if any provide not for his own,⁵ and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

2. The widows were from the first supported out of the funds of the Church. See Acts 6:1.

3. First: i.e. before they pretend to make professions of godliness in other matters, let them show its fruits towards their own kindred.

4. The best MSS. omit "good and."

5. His own would include his slaves and dependants. So Cyprian requires the Christian masters to tend their sick slaves in a pestilence.

5:9 Let not a widow be taken⁶ into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.⁷

5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

5:11 But the younger widows refuse:for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first⁸ faith.

5:13 And withal they learn⁹ to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

6. It is a disputed point what list is referred to in this word; whether (1) it means the list of widows to be supported out of the charitable fund, or (2) the list of deaconesses (for which office the age of sixty seems too old), or (3) the body of church-widows mentioned by Tertullian and by other writers, as a kind of female Presbyters, having a distinct ecclesiastical position and duties. The point is discussed by De Wette, Huther, and Wiesinger. We are disposed to take a middle course between the first and third hypotheses; by supposing, viz., that the list here mentioned was that of all the widows who were officially recognized as supported by the Church; but was not confined to such persons, but included also richer widows, who were willing to devote themselves to the offices assigned to the pauper widows. It has been argued that we cannot suppose that needy widows who did not satisfy the conditions of verse 9 would be excluded from the benefit of the fund; nor need we suppose this; but since all could scarcely be supported, certain conditions were prescribed, which must be satisfied before any one could be considered as officially entitled to a place on the list. From the class of widows thus formed, the subsequent “body of widows” would naturally result. There is not the slightest ground for supposing that widows here means virgins, as Baur has imagined. His opinion is well refuted by Wiesinger and De Wette.

7. For the meaning of this, see note on 1Timothy 3:2,

8. The phrase means to break a promise, and is so explained by Chrysostom, and by Augustine. Hence we see that, when a widow was received into the number of church-widows, a promise was required from her (or virtually understood) that she would devote herself for life to the employments which these widows undertook; viz. the education of orphans, and superintendence of the younger women. There is no trace here of the subsequent ascetic disapprobation of second marriages, as is evident from verse 14, where the younger widows are expressly desired to marry again. This also confirms our view of the "wife of one husband." See note on 1Timothy 3:2.

9. The construction is peculiar, but not unexampled in

5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor,¹⁰ especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.

5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.¹¹ And, The laborer is worthy of his reward.¹²

10. Honor here seems (from the next verse) to imply the notion of reward. Compare the verb honor in verse 3 above. Upon a misinterpretation of this verse was founded the disgusting practice, which prevailed in the third century, of setting a double portion of meat before the Presbyters, in the feasts of love.

11. In pp. 378, 379. we observed that the offices of presbyter and teacher were united, at the date of the Pastoral Epistles, in the same persons; which is shown by apt to teach being a qualification required in a Presbyter, 1Timothy 3:2. But though this union must in all cases have been desirable, we find, from this passage, that there were still some presbyters who were not teachers, i.e. who did not perform the office of public instruction in the congregation. This is another strong proof of the early date of the Epistle.

12. This quotation (Deuteronomy 25:4) is applied to the same purpose, 1Corinthians 9:9 (where the words are quoted in a reverse order). The LXX. agrees with 1Corinthians 9:9.

5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation,¹³ but before two or three witnesses.

5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

5:21 I charge thee before God, and¹⁴ the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect¹⁵ angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker¹⁶ of other men’s sins:keep thyself pure.

5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

13. This rule is founded on the Mosaic jurisprudence, Deuteronomy 19:5, and appealed to by St. Paul, 2Corinthians 13:1.

14. Lord is omitted by the best MSS.

15. By the chosen angels are probably meant those especially selected by God as His messengers to the human race, such as Gabriel.

16. The meaning of the latter part of this verse is, that Timothy, if he ordained unfit persons (e. g. friends or relations) out of partiality, would thereby make himself a participator in their sins.

6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful¹ and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

1. The A.V. is inconsistent with the presence of the Greek definite article. The verb here used has the sense of claim in classical Greek, though not elsewhere in the N.T.

6:3 If any man teach otherwise,² and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting³ about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

6:5 Perverse disputings⁴ of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:⁵ from such withdraw thyself.⁶

6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

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.

2. The section from verses 9 to 10 is a general warning against the false teachers, as is evident from the whole context. It is a mistake to refer the "false teaching" to some (imaginary) teachers who are supposed by some to have preached the abolition of slavery. There is no evidence or probability whatever that such teachers existed; although it was natural that some of the Christian slaves themselves should have been tempted to "despise" their believing masters, with whom they were now united by so holy a bond of brotherhood; a bond which contained in itself the seeds of liberty for the slave, destined to ripen in due time. It would scarcely have been necessary to say this, but that a teacher of divinity has lately published a statement that "St. Paul’s epistles condemn attempts to abolish slavery, as the work of men ‘proud, knowing nothing ’ (1Timothy 6:2-4)." See Rational Godliness: by B. Williams, D. D., p. 303.

3. Sickly is the antithesis to sound above. Similar phraseology is found in Plato.

4. The original meaning of the uncompounded word (taking the reading of the best MSS.) is friction.

5. The A.V. here reverses the true order, and violates the law of the article.

6. The words "From such withdraw thyself" are not found here in the best MSS.

6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,⁷ meekness.

6:12 Fight the good fight⁸ of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou⁹ art also called, and hast professed a good¹⁰ profession before many witnesses.

6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate¹¹ witnessed a good confession;

6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only¹² Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see:to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

7. The meaning is, steadfast endurance under persecution.

8. Here we have another of those metaphors from the Greek games, so frequent with St Paul. See 2Timothy 4:7.

9. "Also" is omitted by the best MSS.

10. "The (not a) good confession" means the confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ. (Compare Romans 10:10.) Timothy had probbably been a confessor of Christ in persecution, either at Rome or elsewhere; or it is possible that the allusion here may be to his baptism.

11. For this use of "witness" or "testify" with the accusative, compare John 3:32 "What he hath seen, that he testifieth." Our Lord testified before Pontius Pilate that He was the Messiah.

12. Only. This seems to allude to the same polytheistic notions of incipient Gnosticism which are opposed in Colossians 1:16.

6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living¹³ God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal¹⁴ life.

6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust,¹⁵ avoiding profane and vain babblings,¹⁶ and oppositions of science¹⁷ falsely so called:

6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee.¹⁸ Amen.

13. "Living" is omitted by the best MSS.

14. The majority of MSS. read the true life, which is equivalent to the Received Text.

15. The treasure here mentioned is probably the pastoral office of superintending the Church of Ephesus, which was committed by St. Paul to Timothy. Cf. 2Timothy 1:14.

16. "Antitheses." There is not the slightest ground (as even De Wette allows) for supposing, with Baur, that this expression is to be understood of the contrarice oppositiones (or contrasts between Law and Gospel) of Maroon. If there be an allusion to any Gnostic doctrines at all, it is more probable that it is to the dualistic opposition between the principles of good and evil in the world, which was an Oriental element in the philosophy of some of the early Gnostics. But the most natural interpretation (considering the junction with "babblings" and the "contentions about words" ascribed to the heretics above, 1Timothy 6:4) is to suppose that St. Paul here speaks, not of the doctrines, but of the dialectical and rhetorical arts of the false teachers.

17. From this passage we see that the heretics here opposed by St. Paul laid claim to a peculiar philosophy, or "Gnosis." Thus they were Gnostics, at all events in name; how far their doctrines agreed with those of later Gnostics is a further question. We have before seen that there were those at Corinth (1Corinthians 8:1, 10, 11) who were blamed by St. Paul for claiming a high degree of "Gnosis;" and we have seen him condemn the "philosophy" of the heretics at Colossae (Colossians 2:8), who appear to bear the closest resemblance to those condemned in the Pastoral Epistles. See pp. 393-401.

18. "Amen" is not found in the best MSS.