1 ทิโมธี 1:7 วิจารณ์

After the inscription (Ti1 1:1, Ti1 1:2) we have, I. The charge given to Timothy (Ti1 1:3, Ti1 1:4). II. The true end of the law (Ti1 1:5-11), where he shows that it is entirely agreeable to the gospel. III. He mentions his own call to be an apostle, for which he expresses his thankfulness (Ti1 1:12-16) IV. His doxology (Ti1 1:17). V. A renewal of the charge to Timothy (Ti1 1:18). And of Hymenaeus and Alexander (Ti1 1:19, Ti1 1:20).

In this chapter, after the inscription and salutation, the apostle having entreated Timothy to abide at Ephesus, observes, that his end was, that he might check the false teachers there, whom he describes; and then he gives an account of his apostleship, and also of his conversion, to the encouragement of sinners, and to the glory of the grace of God; and closes with an exhortation to Timothy to constancy and perseverance in his Christian warfare. The inscription and salutation are in Ti1 1:1 and much in the common form; and whereas, when he went into Macedonia, he desired Timothy to continue at Ephesus, his end was, to restrain the false teachers from preaching the doctrine they did, which was contrary to the Gospel, fabulous, useless, and unedifying, Ti1 1:3 for though these men set up for teachers of the law, they went off, and strayed from its general end, which was love with faith, through their ignorance of it, Ti1 1:5 not but that the law itself was good, as Gospel ministers full well knew; which is said to prevent an objection against them, as laying it aside as useless; but the abuse of it is what is complained of, it being made for some persons, and not for others who are mentioned, between which, and the sound doctrine of the Gospel, there is an agreement, Ti1 1:8 which leads on the apostle to observe his call to the office of a preacher of it by Christ, his qualification for it, and investiture with it, for which he gives thanks, Ti1 1:12 And in order to illustrate the grace of God in converting him first, and then making him a minister of the word, he takes notice of his state and condition before conversion, what a vile sinner he had been, and of the abundant grace God bestowed on him in it, Ti1 1:13 And that this case of his might not seem strange and incredible, he observes, that this is the sum of the Gospel, that Christ came into the world to save the chief of sinners, such an one as he was, Ti1 1:15. And besides, the end of the Lord in his conversion was, by the pattern of longsuffering he showed in him, that others might be encouraged to believe in Christ also, Ti1 1:16 and then for all this grace bestowed on him, he ascribes honour and glory to God, Ti1 1:17 and renews his charge to Timothy to fight manfully against the false teachers, to which he should be the more induced by the consideration of the prophecies that went before of him, Ti1 1:18 and to hold faith and good conscience, which had been dropped by some professors; of which instances are given in Hymenaeus and Philetus, Ti1 1:19.

Desiring to be teachers of the law,.... They were very fond of being called Rabbi, Rabbi, and styled doctors of the law, and of being thought to have skill in interpreting the law, and good talents in expounding it, and preaching upon it; which was now most in vogue, and gained the greatest applause, when the preaching of the Gospel was treated with contempt, not only by the unbelieving Jews, but by judaizing Christians, and carnal professors, Understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm: they did not understand the law, the nature and end, the purity and spirituality, and perfection of it, which they were so fond of teaching, and went into many foolish and unlearned questions about it; see Ti2 2:23, and which they as foolishly answered: these are the ignorant and unlearned men, who, notwithstanding their vain show of learning, and pretence to skill in interpreting the law, wrested the Scriptures to their own destruction, and that of others; they were ignorant of the things they talked of, and knew not by what arguments to confirm them, and yet were very bold and confident in their assertions: and generally speaking so it is, that those who can prove least assert most, and that with the greatest assurance.

For both the law and the Gospel are the energy of one Lord, who is "the power and wisdom of God;" and the terror which the law begets is merciful and in order to salvation. "Let not alms, and faith, and truth fail thee, but hang them around thy neck." In the same way as Paul, prophecy upbraids the people with not understanding the law. "Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." "Professing themselves wise, they became fools." "And we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully." "Desiring to be teachers of the law, they understand," says the apostle, "neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned."

It is encouraging to the faithful but distressing to the heretical to see these heresies overthrown. Moreover, their further question, “whether the Unoriginated be one or two,” shows how false are their views, how treacherous and full of guile. It is not for the Father’s honor that they say this but for the dishonor of the Word. Accordingly, if any one should answer, unaware of their craft, that “the Unoriginated is one,” they immediately spurt out their own venom, saying, “ ‘Therefore the Son is among things originated,’ and well have we said, ‘He was not before his generation.’ ” This in turn elicits all sorts of disturbances and confusions, separating the Son from the Father and reckoning the Framer of all among his works. Now first they may be convicted on this score, that, while blaming the Nicene bishops for their use of phrases not in Scripture, though these are not injurious but subversive of their irreligion, they themselves went off upon the same fault, that is, using words not in Scripture, and those that show contempt for the Lord, being “without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.”

"Desiring to be teachers of the law." Here we see another cause of evil, the love of power. Wherefore Christ said, "Be not ye called Rabbi" (Matt. xxiii. 8); and the Apostle again, "For neither do they keep the law, but that they may glory in your flesh." (Gal. vi. 13.) They desire preeminence, he means, and on that account disregard truth. "Understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." Here he censures them, because they know not the end and aim of the Law, nor the period for which it was to have authority. But if it was from ignorance, why is it called a sin? Because it was incurred not only from their desiring to be teachers of the law, but from their not retaining love. Nay, and their very ignorance arose from these causes. For when the soul abandons itself to carnal things, the clearness of its vision is dimmed, and falling from love it drops into contentiousness, and the eye of the mind is blinded. For he that is possessed by any desire for these temporal things intoxicated, as he is, with passion, cannot be an impartial judge of truth. "Not knowing whereof they affirm." For it is probable that they spoke of the law, and enlarged on its purifications and other bodily rites. The Apostle then forbearing to censure these, as either nothing, or at best a shadow and figure of spiritual things, proceeds in a more engaging way to praise the law, calling the Decalogue here the law, and by means of it discarding the rest. For if even these precepts punish transgressors, and become useless to us, much more the others.

Two walls must adhere to the cornerstone in order to preserve “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”—one from the Jews and the other from the Gentiles. We mustn’t let our minds be put off by the great number of reprobate Jews, among whom were the builders; those, that is, who “wished to be teachers of the law,” but as the apostle says about them, “do not understand either what they are saying or the things about which they are making their assertions.” It was as a result of this mental blindness, after all, that they rejected the stone which was put at the head of the corner. But it wouldn’t be put at the head of the corner unless it offered to the two peoples coming from different points a peaceful joining, a coupling of grace.

Therefore, let us not love ourselves but him, and in feeding his sheep let us seek those things that are his, not those things that are ours. For in some inexplicable way whoever loves himself, not God, does not love himself; and whoever loves God, not himself, does himself love himself. For he who cannot live of himself dies, of course, by loving himself. Then he who loves himself so that he may not live does not love himself. But when he from whom comes life is loved, by not loving himself, he who does not love himself—precisely that he may love him from whom he has life—loves himself all the more. Therefore, let those who feed Christ’s sheep not be “lovers of themselves,” that they may not feed them as their own but as his. Let them not wish to acquire their own gains from them, as “lovers of money,” or to be their lords, as “haughty,” or to glory over honors which they take from them, as “proud,” or to go so far as even to create heresies, as “blasphemous,” or to not yield to the holy fathers, as “disobedient to parents.” Let them return evils for goods to those who wish them to perish because they do not wish them to perish, as “ungrateful.” Let them not kill their own souls and those of others, as “wicked.” Let them not sunder the motherly bowels of the church, as “irreligious,” not feel no compassion for the weak, as “without affection,” not attempt to taint the reputation of the saints, as “detractors,” or not fail to rein in their worst desires, as “incontinent.” Let them not engage in lawsuits, as “unmerciful,” or fail to know how to give help, as “without kindness.” Let them not point out to the enemies of the godly the things that they have learned ought to be kept secret, as “traitors.” Let them not disturb the human sense of shame by shameless pursuits, as “licentious,” or fail to understand what they say or assert, as if they were “blinded.” Let them not prefer carnal enjoyments to spiritual joys, as “lovers of pleasures more than of God.”

What, therefore, if the soul and spirit of a human being is given by God himself, whenever it is given; and given, too, by propagation from its own kind? Now this is a position which I neither maintain nor refute. Nevertheless, if it must be defended or confuted, I certainly recommend its being done by clear and certain proofs. Nor do I deserve to be compared with senseless cattle because I avow myself to be as yet incapable of determining the question, but rather with cautious persons, because I do not recklessly teach what I know nothing about. But I am not disposed on my own part to return railing for railing and compare this man with brutes. Rather, I warn him as a son to acknowledge that he is really ignorant of that which he knows nothing about. I warn him not to attempt to teach that which he has not yet learned, lest he should deserve to be compared with those persons whom the apostle mentions as “desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things about which they make assertions.”

This, therefore, is the upright and most exact faith of the holy Fathers, that is, the confession of faith. But as Paul says, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers that they should not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Accordingly some, after having ceased to go along the straight road of truth, dash themselves against the rocks, “when they understand neither what they say nor the things about which they make assertions.” For after attributing the glory of the sonship only to the Word begotten of God the Father, they say that another son of the seed of David and Jesse has been conjoined to him and has a share in the filiation and of the glory proper to God and of the very indwelling of the Word and has had almost everything from him but has nothing at all of his own.

desiring to be teachers of the law, not understanding either what they say or the matters about which they make confident claims. desiring to be teachers of the law. Another excuse for failure. For not only, he says, does hostility lead to this, but also ambition for honor, which itself arises from hatred and envy. not understanding either what they say. He wants to show that they truly came from love of power to wanting to be teachers. For neither do they know the law, nor about the things about which they make confident claims. For if they had known the law, they would have believed in Christ, which is also said elsewhere. "Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not hear the law?" (Gal. 4:21) For if they had known the law, they would certainly have believed that it leads to Christ.

That is, suffering from love of power and passion for glory. They would not have been such, if they had love and faith. Here he accuses them of knowing neither the purpose of the law nor the time until which it was destined to hold sway. But perhaps they sinned out of ignorance, and therefore do not deserve condemnation? No! Their ignorance arose from love of power and from the fact that they had no love. For, he says, desiring to be lawmakers and teachers of the law, they pay no attention to the truth, so that they themselves are to blame for their ignorance. What then do they affirm? Perhaps about purifications and various other bodily practices observed according to the law.

Then when he says, desiring to be teachers of the law, he describes the condition of those who teach false things: first, their restless ambition; second, their shortcomings. In regard to the first he says, desiring to be teachers of the law: they love the first place at feasts; and to be called by men, Rabbi (Matt 23:6); do not be many masters (Jas 3:1). In regard to the second he says, understanding neither: they have not known nor understood; they walk in darkness (Ps 81:5); the sun of understanding has not risen upon us (Wis 5:6); the things they say by quoting authorities they do not understand; nor whereof they affirm, i.e., by way of drawing a conclusion.

Paul's salutation to Timothy, Ti1 1:1, Ti1 1:2. For what purpose he had left him at Ephesus, Ti1 1:3. What the false apostles taught in opposition to the truth, Ti1 1:4-7. The true use of the law, Ti1 1:8-11. He thanks God for his own conversion, and describes his former state, Ti1 1:12-17. Exhorts Timothy to hold fast faith and a good conscience, and speaks of Hymeneus and Alexander who had made shipwreck of their faith, Ti1 1:18-20.

Teachers of the law - To be esteemed or celebrated as rabbins; to be reputed cunning in solving knotty questions and enigmas, which answered no end to true religion. Of such the rabbinical teaching was full. Understanding neither what they say - This is evident from almost all the Jewish comments which yet remain. Things are asserted which are either false or dubious; words, the import of which they did not understand, were brought to illustrate them: so that it may be said, They understand not what they say, nor whereof they affirm. I will give one instance from the Jerusalem Targum, on Gen 1:15 : And God made two great lights, and they were equal in splendor twenty-one years, the six hundred and seventy-second part of an hour excepted: and afterwards the moon brought a false accusation against the sun, and therefore she was lessened; and God made the sun the greater light to superintend the day, etc. I could produce a thousand of a similar complexion.

ADDRESS: PAUL'S DESIGN IN HAVING LEFT TIMOTHY AT EPHESUS, NAMELY, TO CHECK FALSE TEACHERS; TRUE USE OF THE LAW; HARMONIZING WITH THE GOSPEL; GOD'S GRACE IN CALLING PAUL, ONCE A BLASPHEMER, TO EXPERIENCE AND TO PREACH IT; CHARGES TO TIMOTHY. (1Ti. 1:1-20) by the commandment of God--the authoritative injunction, as well as the commission, of God. In the earlier Epistles the phrase is, "by the will of God." Here it is expressed in a manner implying that a necessity was laid on him to act as an apostle, not that it was merely at his option. The same expression occurs in the doxology, probably written long after the Epistle itself [ALFORD] (Rom 16:26). God our Saviour--The Father (Ti1 2:3; Ti1 4:10; Luk 1:47; Ti2 1:9; Tit 1:3; Tit 2:10; Tit 3:4; Jde 1:25). It was a Jewish expression in devotion, drawn from the Old Testament (compare Psa 106:21). our hope-- (Col 1:27; Tit 1:2; Tit 2:13).

Sample of their "vain talk" (Ti1 1:6). Desiring--They are would-be teachers, not really so. the law--the Jewish law (Tit 1:14; Tit 3:9). The Judaizers here meant seem to be distinct from those impugned in the Epistles to the Galatians and Romans, who made the works of the law necessary to justification in opposition to Gospel grace. The Judaizers here meant corrupted the law with "fables," which they pretended to found on it, subversive of morals as well as of truth. Their error was not in maintaining the obligation of the law, but in abusing it by fabulous and immoral interpretations of, and additions to, it. neither what they say, nor whereof--neither understanding their own assertions, nor the object itself about which they make them. They understand as little about the one as the other [ALFORD].