4:2 (b-1) Or, perhaps, 'through those who speak lies,' &c. Otherwise, as translated in text, the Spirit identifies the speaker and the evil spirit which speaks by him, as commonly in the New Testament, and passes from one to the other. read more
4:3 know (c-23) Or 'acknowledge.' from the same root as 'knowledge' in ch. 2.4. read more
4:5 addressing (d-10) It means 'intercourse with a person,' then 'petitions and intercession;' one person speaking personally to another. (See Note, ch. 2.1, same Greek word.) The creature, fallen through Adam, belongs to the faithful, and those who know the truth, by God's speaking to them, and their freely speaking to him. This has set all on a new footing, because we have met God again, the word of God having put us into communication by grace. And the 'faithful, and those who know the... read more
4:6 minister (e-12) Or 'servant,' diakonos , as ch. 3.8. up. (f-33) Or 'been thoroughly acquainted with.' see Luke 1:3 ; 2 Timothy 3:10 . read more
4:8 little, (g-8) That is, 'some small thing,' rather than 'a little time.' It is in evident contrast with 'everything.' read more
Various Directions and Exhortations1-10. A return to, and emphatic reiteration of, the first charge to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:3-20) against heterodoxy and in favour of true godliness. This form of heterodoxy which he would have to oppose was an asceticism which taught that there was merit in abstaining from meats, and forbade conjugal intercourse as on a lower moral level than celibacy.1. The Spirit speaketh (RV ’saith’)] possibly in some definite prophecy of OT., or of our Lord, or of the... read more
IV.(1) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly.—Rather, But the Spirit. But (de) in very strong contrast to the sublime mystery of Redemption St. Paul has been speaking of as the glorious treasure contained in the Church of which Timothy and his colleagues were ministers: but in spite of that sublime truth which should occupy the thoughts and fill the hearts of Christians, men will busy themselves with other and very different things; with a spurious mock devotion, dreaming that God’s mercy and love... read more
(2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy.—The Greek words here should be translated, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies. The lies that these men utter, refer to their teaching that it was pleasing to the eye of the All-seeing Creator for men and women to avoid certain meats, and to abstain from marriage. Their hypocrisy consisted in their assumption of a mask of holiness, which holiness they considered was derived from their false asceticism and their abstinence from things which the Apostle... read more
(3) Forbidding to marry.—This strange and unnatural “counsel of perfection,” St. Paul, thinking and writing in the Spirit, looked forward to as a perilous delusion which would, as time went on, grow into the impious dogma of certain of the great Gnostic schools. This teaching was probably, even in those early days, creeping into the churches. The Jewish sects of Essenes and Therapeutæ had already taught that “abstinence from marriage” was meritorious. Men belonging to these sects doubtless were... read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Timothy 4:10
It is for godliness that the believer should strive and discipline himself or herself primarily (cf. 2 Peter 1:1-11). The reason for this is that we look forward to a genuine hope beyond the grave. That hope rests in the "living" God (1 Timothy 3:15) who is the "Savior of all man" (1 Timothy 2:2; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 2:6). God is the Savior of all in the sense that He has provided a salvation that is available to all. He is the Savior of believers in a special sense since they are those who... read more