1 Timothy 6:1 - Homilies By T. Croskery

The apostle next proceeds to deal with the distinctions of civil duty, and takes up the case of a very numerous But miserable class which appears to have been largely attracted to the gospel in primitive times.

I. THE HONOR DUE TO PAGAN MASTERS . "Whoever are under the yoke as bondservants, let them reckon their own masters worthy of all honor."

1. The condition of the slaves was one of much hardship . There was practically no limit to the power of the masters over the slaves. They might be gentle and just, or capricious and cruel. The slaves had no remedy at law against harsh treatment, as they had no hope of escape from bondage.

2. Yet their liberty had not been so restricted that they had not the opportunity of hearing the gospel . There were Christian slaves. Their hard life was ameliorated, not merely by the blessed hopes of the gospel, but by the privilege of spiritual equality with their masters which was one of its distinguishing glories.

3. The gospel did not interfere with the duty of obedience which they owed to their masters . They were to give them all honor—not merely outward subjection, but inward respect. Christianity did not undertake to overturn social relations. If it had done so, it would have been revolutionary in the last degree; it would have armed the whole forces of the Roman empire against it; it would itself have been drowned in blood; and it would have led to the merciless slaughter of the slaves themselves. Yet Christianity prepared the way from the very first for the complete abolition of slavery. The fact that with the great Master in heaven "there was no respect of persons," and that "in Jesus Christ there was neither bond nor free, but all were one in Christ," would not justify the slaves in repudiating their present subjection, while it held out the hope of their eventual emancipation. They must not, therefore, abuse their liberty under the gospel.

4. Yet there was a limit to the slave ' s obedience . He could only obey his master so far as was consistent with the laws of God and his gospel, consenting to suffer rather than outrage his conscience. Cases of this sort might arise, but they would not prejudice the gospel, like a simple revolt against existing relationships.

II. THE REASON FOR THE DUE HONOR GIVEN TO THEIR PAGAN MASTERS . "That the Name of God and his doctrine may not be blasphemed."

1. There would be a serious danger of such a result if slaves were either to withhold due service to their masters or to repudiate all subjection . God and his doctrine would be dishonored in the eyes of their masters, because they would be regarded as sanctioning insubordination. Thus a deep and widespread prejudice would arise to prevent the gospel reaching their pagan masters.

2. It is thus possible for the meanest members of the Church to do honor to God and the gospel . The apostle contemplates their adorning "of the doctrine of God our Savior in all things" ( Titus 2:10 ).

3. The same considerations apply to the case of domestic servants in our own day . The term translated here "slaves" is used with some latitude in the Scripture. It applies sometimes to persons entirely free, as to David in relation to Saul ( 1 Samuel 19:4 ), to Christians generally ( Romans 6:16 ; 1 Peter 2:16 ), to apostles, prophets, and ministers ( Galatians 1:10 ; 2 Timothy 2:24 ), and to the higher class of dependents

, and encouraged disobedience to parents. The tendency of their teaching would be to sow the seeds of discontent in the minds of the slaves, and its effects would be to plunge them into a contest with society which would have the unhappiest effects.

2. The opposition of this teaching to Divine truth .

II. THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL CHARACTER OF THESE FALSE TEACHERS .

1. They were " besotted with pride ." They were utterly wanting in the humility of spirit which the gospel engenders, but were puffed up with an empty show of knowledge.

2. Yet they were ignorant . "Knowing nothing." They had no true understanding of the social risks involved in their doctrine of emancipation, or of the true method of ameliorating the condition of the slaves.

3. They " doted about questions and disputes about words ." They had a diseased appetency for all sorts of profitless discussions turning upon the meanings of words, which had no tendency to promote godliness, but rather altercations and bad feeling of all sorts—"from which cometh envy, strife, evil-speakings , wicked suspicions, incessant quarrels." These controversial collisions sowed the seeds of all sorts of bitter hatred.

4. The moral deficiency of these false teachers . They were "men corrupted in their mind, destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is gain."

1 Timothy 6:6-8 .—The real gain of true godliness.

The apostle, after his manner, expands his idea beyond the immediate occasion that led to it.

I. THE GAIN OF GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT . "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

1. Godliness is a gain in itself , because it has " the promise of the life that now is , and of that which is to come ." Godly men come into happy and thriving circumstances, for they are taught to pursue their callings with due industry, foresight, and perseverance.

2. Godliness , allied to contentment , is great gain .

II. THE REASON FOR THIS SENTIMENT . "For we brought nothing into the world, because neither are we able to take anything out of it."

1. We are appointed by God to come naked into the world . We may be born heirs to vast possessions, but they do not become ours till we are actually born. Rich and poor alike bring nothing into the world.

2. This fact is a reason for the statement that we can carry nothing out of the world . It is between birth and death we can hold our wealth. The rich man cannot carry his estates with him into the grave. He will have no need of them in the next life.

3. There could be no contentment if we could take anything with us at death , because in that case the future would be dependent upon the present.

4. The lesson to be learned from these facts is that we ought not eagerly to grasp such essentially earthly and transitory treasures.

III. THE TRUE WISDOM OF CONTENTMENT . "But if we have food and raiment, with these let us be satisfied." These are what Jacob desired, Agur prayed for, and Christ taught his disciples to make the subject of daily supplication. The contented godly have these gifts along with God's blessing. The Lord does not encourage his people to enlarge their desires inordinately.—T.C.

1 Timothy 6:9 . — The dangers of the eager haste to be rich.

I. THE EAGER PURSUIT OF THE WORLD IS TO BE SHUNNED . "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare."

1. The apostle does not condemn the possession of riches , which have, in reality, no moral character; for they are only evil where they are badly used. Neither does he speak of rich men; for he would not condemn such men as Abraham, Joseph of Arimathsea, Gains, and others; nor such rich men as use their wealth righteously as good stewards of God.

2. He condemns the haste to be rich , not only because wealth is not necessary for a life of godly contentment, but because of its scrim and moral risks.

II. THE DANCERS OF THIS EAGER PURSUIT OF WEALTH . They "fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

1. There is a temptation to unjust gain which leads men into the snare of the devil . There is a sacrifice of principle, the abandonment of conscientious scruples, in the hurry to accumulate wealth.

2. The temptation in its turn makes way for many lusts which are " foolish ," because they are unreasonable, and exercised upon things that are quite undesirable; and which are " hurtful ," because they injure both body and soul, and all a man's best interests.

3. These lusts in turn carry their own retribution . They "drown men in destruction and perdition."

1 Timothy 6:10 .—The root of all evil.

"For the love of money is the root of all evil." This almost proverbial saying is intended to support the statement of the previous verse.

I. THE LOVE OF MONEY AS A ROOT OF EVIL .

1. The assertion is not concerning money , which , as we have seen , is neither good nor bad in itself , but concerning the love of money .

2. It is not asserted that there are not other roots of evil besides covetousness . This thought was not present to the apostle's mind.

3. It is not meant that a covetous man will be entirely destitute of all virtuous feeling .

4. It means that a germ of all evil lies in one with the love of money ; that there is no kind of evil to which a man may net be led through an absorbing greed for money . It is really a root-sin, for it leads to care, fear, malice, deceit, oppression, envy, bribery, perjury, contentiousness.

II. UNHAPPY EFFECTS OF THE LOVE OF MONEY . "Which some having coveted after have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

1. It led to apostasy . They made shipwreck of their Christian principles. They surrendered the faith. The good seed of the Word was choked by the deceitfulness of riches, and, like Demas, they forsook the Word, having loved this present world.

2. It involved the Tangs of conscience , to the destruction of their own happiness. They felt the piercings of that inward monitor who forebodes the future destruction.—T.C.

1 Timothy 6:11 . — Personal admonition addressed to Timothy himself.

The apostle now turns from his warning to those desiring to be rich to the practical exhortation to strive for the true riches.

I. THE TITLE BY WHICH TIMOTHY IS ADDRESSED . "O man of God."

1. It was the familiar title of the Old Testament prophets , and might appropriately apply to a New Testament evangelist like Timothy.

2. But in the New Testament it has a more general reference , applying as it does to all the faithful in Christ Jesus ( 2 Timothy 3:17 ). The name is very expressive. It signifies

II. THE WARNING ADDRESSED TO TIMOTHY . "Flee these things." It might seem unnecessary to warn so devoted a Christian against the love of riches, with its destructive results; but Timothy was now in an important position in a wealthy city , which contained "rich' men ( 1 Timothy 6:17 ), and may have been tempted by gold and ease and popularity to make trivial sacrifices to truth. The holiest heart is not without its inward subtleties of deceit .

III. THE POSITIVE EXHORTATION ADDRESSED TO TIMOTHY . "And follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meek-spiritedness ." These virtues group themselves into pairs.

1. Righteousness and godliness ; referring to a general conformity to the Law of God in relation to the duties owing respectively to God and man, like the similar expressions—"live righteously and godly"—of Titus 2:12 .

(a) not the "righteousness of God," for that had been already attained by Timothy; but

(b) the doing of justice between man and man, which would be for the honor of religion among men. Any undue regard for riches would cause a swerve from righteousness.

(a) holiness of heart,

(b) holiness of life, in which lies the true gain for two worlds.

2. Faith and love . These are the two foundation-principles of the gospel.

(a) the instrument of our justification,

(b) the root-principle of Christian life, and

(c) the continuously sustaining principle of that life.

(a) the immediate effect of faith, for "faith worketh by love" ( Galatians 5:6 );

(b) it is the touchstone of true religion and the bond of perfectness;

(c) it is the spring of evangelical obedience, for it is "the fulfilling of the Law" ( Romans 13:8 );

(d) it is our protection in the battle of life, for it is "the breastplate of love" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:8 ).

3. Patience , meek-spiritedness . These represent two principles which ought to operate in power in presence of gainsayers and enemies.—T.C.

1 Timothy 6:12 . — The good fight and its results.

Instead of the struggle of the covetous for wealth, there ought to be the struggle of the faithful to lay hold on the prize of eternal life.

I. THE CHRISTIAN STRUGGLE . "Fight the good fight of faith."

1. The enemies it , this warfare . The world, the flesh, and the devil; the principalities and powers; the false teachers, with their arts of seduction.

2. The warfare itself . It is "a good fight."

(a) it is in a good cause—for God and truth and salvation;

(b) it is under a good Captain—Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation;

(c) it has a good result—"eternal life."

3. The weapons in this warfare . "Faith." It is "the shield of faith" ( Ephesians 6:16 ). This is not a carnal, but a spiritual weapon. Faith represents, indeed, "the whole amour of God," which is mighty for victory. It is faith that secures "the victory that overcometh the world" ( 1 John 4:4 , 1 John 4:5 ).

II. THE END OF THE CHRISTIAN STRUGGLE . "Lay hold on eternal life."

1. Eternal life is the prize , the crown , to be laid hold of by those who are faithful to death .

2. It is the object of our effectual calling . "To which thou wast called" by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.

3. It is the subject of our public profession . And didst confess the good confession before many witnesses." Evidently either at his baptism, or at his ordination to the ministry, when many witnesses would be present.

4. This eternal life is to be laid hold of .

1 Timothy 6:13-16 . — The solemn charge pressed anew upon Timothy.

As he nears the end of the Epistle, the apostle, with a deeper solemnity of tone, repeats the charge he has given to his young disciple.

I. THE NATURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHARGE . "I charge thee … that thou keep the commandment without spot and without reproach."

1. The commandment is the Christian doctrine in its aspect as a rule of life and discipline .

2. It was to be kept with all purity and faithfulness— "without spot and without reproach" so that it should be unstained by no error of life, or suffer from no reproach of unfaithfulness. He must preach the pure gospel sincerely, and his life must be so circumspect that his ministry should not be blamed by the Church here or by Christ hereafter.

II. THE SOLEMN APPEAL BY WHICH THE CHARGE IS SUSTAINED . "I give thee charge in the sight of God, who keepeth all things alive, and Christ Jesus, who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate." The apostle, having referred to Timothy's earlier confession before many witnesses, reminds him of the more tremendous presence of God himself, and of Christ Jesus.

1. God is represented here as Preserver , in allusion to the dangers of Timothy in the midst of Ephesian enemies .

2. Christ Jesus is referred to as an Example of unshaken courage and fidelity to truth in the presence of death .

III. THE CHARGE IS TO BE KEPT WITHOUT SPOT OR REPROACH TILL CHRIST 'S SECOND COMING . "Until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ." He was to be "faithful unto death," yea, even unto the second advent.

1. It is according to apostolic usage to represent the end of Christian work as well as Christian expectation as terminating , not upon death , but upon the second advent . The complete redemption will then be fully realized.

2. It is not to be inferred from these words that the apostle expected the Lord ' s coming in his own lifetime . The second Thessalonian Epistle, written many years before, dispels such an impression. The words in 1 Timothy 6:15 , "in his own times," imply a long succession of cycles or changes.

3. The second advent is to be brought about by God himself . "Which in his own times he shall manifest, who is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords." This picture of the Divine Majesty was designed to encourage Timothy, who might hereafter be summoned to appear before the little kings of earth, by the thought of the immeasurable glory of the Potentate before whose throne all men must stand in the final judgment.

(a) God is light ( 1 John 1:5 ). He covereth himself with light as with a garment ( Psalms 104:4 ); and he is the Fountain of light.

(b) God is invisible. This is true, though "the pure in heart shall see God" ( Matthew 5:8 ), and though it be that without holiness "no man shall see the Lord" ( Hebrews 12:14 ). God is invisible

( α ) to the eye of sense,

( β ) but he will be visible to the believer in the clear intellectual vision of the supernatural state.

4. All praise and honor are to be ascribed to God , "to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen." The doxology is the natural ending of such a solemn charge.—T.C.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 .—A word of admonition and encouragement to the rich.

The counsel carries us back to what he had been saying in previous verses.

I. THE RICH ARE WARNED AGAINST A TWOFOLD DANGER . "To those who are rich in this present world give in charge not to be high-minded." It is implied that there were rich men as well as poor slaves in the Church at Ephesus.

1. The danger of high-mindedness . A haughty disposition is often engendered by wealth. The rich may be tempted to look down with contempt on the poor, as if they, forsooth, were the special favorites of Heaven because they had been so highly favored with worldly substance.

2. The danger of trustiest in wealth . "Nor to set their hope upon the uncertainty of riches."

(a) because riches may take to themselves wings and flee away;

(b) because we may be taken away by death from the enjoyment of our possessions;

(c) because riches cannot satisfy the deep hunger of the human heart.

3. The safety of trusting in God . "But upon the living God, who giveth us all things richly for enjoyment."

II. THE RICH ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE A RIGHT USE OF THEIR WEALTH .

1. "That they do good ."

2. " Rich in good works ," as if in opposition to the riches of this world. They are to abound in the doing of them, like Dorcas, who was "full of good works and almsdeeds." Wealth of this sort is the least disappointing both here and hereafter, and has no uncertainty in its results.

3. "Ready to distribute ." Willing to give unasked; cheerful in the distribution of their favors; giving without grudging and without delay.

4. "Willing to communicate ." As if to recognize, not merely a common humanity, but a common Christianity with the poor. The rich ought to share their possessions with the poor.

III. ENCOURAGEMENTS TO THE DISCHARGE OF THESE DUTIES . "Laying up in store for themselves as a treasure a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold upon the true life."

1. It is possible for rich believers to lay up treasure in heaven . This treasure is a foundation against the time to come.

2. Our riches may have an influence on our true life hereafter . "That they may lay hold on the true life."

1 Timothy 6:20 , 1 Timothy 6:21 . — Concluding exhortation and benediction.

The parting counsel of the apostle goes back upon the substance of all his past counsels. It includes a positive and a negative counsel.

I. A POSITIVE COUNSEL . "O Timothy, keep the deposit" entrusted to thee. This refers to the doctrine of the gospel. It is "the faith once delivered to the saints" ( Jude 1:3 ).

1. The doctrine of the gospel is thus not something discovered by man , but delivered to man .

2. It is placed in the hands of Timothy as a trustee , to be kept for the use of others . It is a treasure in earthen vessels, to be jealously guarded against robbers and foes.

3. If it is kept , it will in turn keep us .

II. A NEGATIVE COUNSEL . "Avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called: which some professing erred concerning the faith."

1. The duty of turning away from empty discourses and the ideas of a false knowledge .

2. The danger of such teachings .