1 Timothy 4:1

1. Now Greek, but, contrastive between the incarnation and matter-hating Gnosticism.

The Spirit The divine inspirer of all prophecy. The apostle does not here refer to any written prophecy, although the same essential prophecy we now have at any rate in the epistles of John. He had himself briefly uttered the same prediction to the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20:29-30. He had written to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:7, where see notes) cognate predictions. The Spirit, therefore, is here the permanent prophetic witness within himself speaking forth on its own occasions.

Expressly Not in parable, allegory, or symbol; but in explicit, unmistakable, literal words.

Latter times The various phrases of this kind are of course antithetical, and to be explained by the former period to which they stand in contrast. In these last days, Hebrews 1:1, stands in antithesis to the Old Testament days, and means the days of the Christian dispensation. The last days of 2 Peter 3:3, plainly refers to the last days before the second advent; of which Martha, in John 11:24, mentions the very last day. In 1 John 2:18, we have a (not in Greek the) last time, which, in our note on 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we imply to be the close of the apostolic age. It is the same period with the latter times of this verse, when, the apostles having deceased, and the apostolic age closed, the Church is handed over to their successors, and their hands having ceased to write, the completed canon becomes her guide. John’s many antichrists are the very same as the seducing spirits of Paul here. Hegesippus, the earliest of Church historians, near the end of the second century, says, in a fragment quoted by Eusebius, (Book iii, § 32:) “The Church remained until then a pure and incorrupt virgin. If there were any that desired to corrupt the healthful type of gospel doctrine they lurked in dark retreats. But when the sacred choir of apostles departed from life, and the generation privileged to listen to their divine teachings passed away, then the system of godless error took a start, through deception of teachers varying from the apostolic doctrine. No one of the apostles surviving, they attempted with bare face to preach a falsely-styled gnosis in opposition to the preaching of the truth.”

Some The followers, of whom the seducing spirits are the leaders.

Depart from the faith As a true church officer should hold the faith. 1 Timothy 3:9; Titus 1:9.

Seducing spirits The demoniac opposite of the Spirit just mentioned. The Holy Spirit gives warning of the diabolic spirits.

Doctrines of devils Doctrines propagated by demons; not doctrines about demons.