1 Timothy 6:4-5

‘He is puffed up, knowing nothing, but having a sick craving about questionings and disputes of words, of which comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.’

Having described the wayward teaching of the false teachers in 1 Timothy 6:3, Paul now brings out:

1) Their attitude and approach (1 Timothy 6:4 a).

2) The fruits of their ministry (1 Timothy 6:4-5 a).

3) What it is that motivates them (1 Timothy 6:5 b).

1). Criticism of their attitude and approach. Those who claim to be Christians but who teach other than the Apostles’ teaching are living in the clouds, they are puffed up and full of hot air, they know nothing. Rather they have a sick interest in questionings, and disputation about words, giving the words an exotic meaning other than their real sense, and in opening men’s minds to extravagant ‘new thought’, always seeking ‘some new thing’ (Acts 17:21). But their thoughts were all on airy-fairy ideas (and thus not really heavenly) rather than being firmly grounded in true moral behaviour and response in this life. They do not think in terms of ‘doing the will of My Father in Heaven’ (Matthew 7:21), but in terms of exotic experiences. They are a parody of true heavenly-mindedness. But there is one way in which their teaching is earthly minded, and that is in their building up riches for themselves. They suppose that ‘godliness’ is a way of gain, not of holy living, and they act accordingly.

2). The fruits of their teaching. Their teaching results in envy, in strife (a word only used by Paul) and disputing, in railing (or ‘slander’) against others, especially true Christians, in evil surmising and wranglings which skirt round the truth, and all that is because their minds are corrupted, and they themselves are bereft of the truth. Such envy, strife, railing against others, and wranglings were actually well known in those days among professional philosophers who were often at each other’s throats, and it also involved their adherents.

3). What motivates their teaching. It is evidenced by their love of money, which, of course, is for ‘the cause’ but ends up in their own pockets. Their forte is goldliness, not godliness.