1 Timothy 4:6-9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Timothy 4:6

Verse 6 6Exhibiting these things to the brethren By this expression he exhorts Timothy to mention those things frequently; and he afterwards repeats this a second and a third time; for they are things of such a nature as it is proper to call frequently to remembrance. And we ought to make the contrast which is implied; for the doctrine which he commends is here contrasted by him not with false or wicked doctrines, but with useless trifles which do not edify. He wishes that those trifles may be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Timothy 4:7

Verse 7 7Exercise thyself to godliness (74) After having instructed him as to doctrine, what it ought to be, he now also admonishes him what kind of example he ought to give to others. He says, that he ought to be employed in “godliness;” for, when he says, Exercise thyself, he means that this is his proper occupation, his labor, his chief care. As if he had said, “There is no reason why you should weary yourself to no purpose about other matters; you will do that which is of the highest... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Timothy 4:8

Verse 8 8For bodily exercise is of little profit. By the exercise “of the body,” he does not mean that which lies in hunting, or in the race-course, or in wrestling, or in digging, or in the mechanical occupations; but he gives that name to all the outward actions that are undertaken, for the sake of religion, such as watchings, long fasts, lying on the earth, and such like. Yet he does not here censure the superstitious observance of those things; otherwise he would totally condemn them, as he... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Timothy 4:9

Verse 9 9This is a faithful saying He now sets down, at the conclusion of the argument, what he stated twice at the beginning of it; and he appears to do so expressly, because he will immediately subjoin the contrary objection. Yet it is not without good reason that he employs so strong an assertion; for it is a paradox strongly at variance with the feeling of the flesh, that God supplies his people, in this world, with everything that is necessary for a happy and joyful life; since they are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Timothy 4:1-16

The history of the Christian Church is the history of the sowing of tares as well as of the sowing of good grain; and it describes the work of seducing spirits as well as that of the Spirit of God. The work of heresy is not merely the denial of true doctrine, but it is the invention and propagation of a multitude of false doctrines. Nor, again, are the false doctrines so invented and promulgated, on the face of them, necessarily ungodly doctrines. On the contrary, they often assume to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Timothy 4:6

Mind for remembrance, A.V.; Christ Jesus for Jesus Christ, A.V. and T.R.; nourished for nourished up, A.V.; the faith for faith, A.V.; the good for good, A.V.; which thou hast followed until now for whereunto thou hast attained, A.V. If thou put the brethren in mind of these things ( παῦτα ὑποτιθέμενος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ); if thou suggest these things to the brethren, lay them down as principles upon which their conduct is to be based; or, enjoin them (Liddell and Scott). It only occurs... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Timothy 4:7

Unto godliness for rather unto godliness , A.V. The R.V., by putting a full stop after "fables," disturbs the natural flow of the thought. The two imperatives παραιτοῦ and γύμναζε connect and contrast the thoughts in the two clauses of the verse, as the A.V. indicates by the insertion of "rather." Profane ( βεβήλους ; 1 Timothy 1:9 , note) Old wives' ( γράωδεις ); only here in the New Testament; not used in LXX .; rare in classical Greek. Exercise thyself unto... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Timothy 4:8

Is profitable for a little for profiteth little , A.V.; for, for unto , A.V. ; which for that , A.V. Bodily exercise. Exercise which only affects the body, such as those rules which the Jewish ascetics enforced. γυμνασία only occurs here in the New Testament, and not at all in the LXX ., but is not uncommon in classical Greek. Another form is γύμνασις , and γυμνάσιον is the place where such γύμνασις takes place. For a little ; margin, for little , ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Timothy 4:9

Faithful is the saying for this is a faithful saying , A.V. ( 1 Timothy 1:15 , note). Here, however, the πιστὸς λόγος is that which precedes, viz. that "godliness is profitable for all things," etc., which we thus learn was a proverbial saying. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Timothy 4:6

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things - Of the truths just stated. They are, therefore, proper subjects to preach upon. It is the duty of the ministry to show to the people of their charge what “is” error and where it may be apprehended, and to caution them to avoid it.Nourished up in the words of faith - That is, you will be then “a good minister of Jesus Christ, as becomes one who has been nourished up in the words of faith, or trained up in the doctrines of religion.” The... read more

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