The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy - Chapter 1
1 Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior, and of our Lord Jesus Christ our hope,
2 Unto Timothy my natural son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I besought thee to abide still in Ephesus, when I departed into Macedonia, so do, that thou mayest warn some, that they teach none other doctrine,
4 Neither that they give heed to fables and genealogies which are endless, which breed questions rather than godly edifying which is by faith.
5 For the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
6 From the which things some have erred, and have turned unto vain jangling.
7 They would be doctors of the Law, and yet understand not what they speak, neither whereof they affirm.
8 And we know that the Law is good if a man uses it lawfully.
9 Knowing this, that the Law is not given unto a righteous man, but unto the lawless and disobedient, to the ungodly, and to sinners, to the unholy, and to the profane, to murderers of fathers and mothers, to manslayers,
10 To whoremongers, to buggerers, to menstealers, to liars, to the perjured, and if there be any other things that are contrary to wholesome doctrine,
11 Which is according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which is committed unto me.
12 Therefore I thank him which hath made me strong, that is, Christ Jesus our Lord: for he counted me faithful, and put me in his service:
13 When before I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an oppressor: but I was received to mercy: for I did it ignorantly through unbelief.
14 But the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 Notwithstanding for this cause was I received to mercy, that Jesus Christ should first show on me all long-suffering unto the ensample of them, which shall in time to come believe in him unto eternal life.
17 Now unto the King everlasting, immortal, invisible, unto God only wise, be honor, and glory, forever, and ever, Amen.
18 This commandment commit I unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies, which went before upon thee, that thou by them shouldest fight a good fight,
19 Having faith and a good conscience, which some have put away, and as concerning faith, have made shipwreck.
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus, and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme.
Editor’s thoughts:
Verses 3-5 - To teach what is of God, and not what is of man. Base all words on what God says, and all comments made through His eyes and of love so as not to deter those who are of the faith to stray from it or stumble. Instruct those that would teach to teach the doctrine that had been presented to them, and none other. (Read Galatians 1:8)
Verse 6 - Jangling - As an adjective; the producing of discordant sounds, noise. As a noun; idle babbling; vain disputation.
Verses 7-10 - A listing as to why and who the law is intended to serve. This is to say it is to say that it is to serve notice, and if need be convict those who refuse to hear, see and/or learn the truth of the Gospel, and judge them in the righteousness of God’s own words.
Verses 13-15 - Thanks be to God for the sacrifice of Christ Jesus who has redeemed us all, for as with Paul each of us can or should consider ourselves to have been the worst of the worst.
Verses 18-19 - Fight the good fight and run the race with endurance, so that your conscience might be clear of wrongdoing, and filled with the knowledge of a strong faith. (Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-25; Hebrews 12:1; Hebrews 10:35-36)
R.P. Woitowitz Sr. - Humble servant of Christ
“The law is good if a man uses it lawfully. However there were those that used it unlawfully, as an engine to divide the church, a cover to the malicious opposition they made to the gospel of Christ; they set it up for justification and so used it unlawfully. We must not, therefore, think to set it aside, but use it lawfully, for the restraint of sin. The abuse which some have made of the law does not take away the use of it; but, when a divine appointment has been abused, call it back to its right use and take away the abuses, for the law is still very useful as a rule of life; though we are not under it as under a covenant of works, yet it is good to teach us what is sin and what is duty. It is not made for a righteous man, that is, it is not made for those who observe it; for, if we could keep the law, righteousness would be by the law (Read Galatians 3:21 ): but it is made for wicked persons, to restrain them, to check them, and to put a stop to vice and profaneness. It is the grace of God that changes men’s hearts, but the terrors of the law may be of use to tie their hands and restrain their tongues. A righteous man does not want those restraints which are necessary for the wicked; or at least the law is not made primarily and principally for the righteous, but for sinners of all sorts, whether in a greater or less measure. In this black roll of sinners, he particularly mentions breaches of the second table, duties which we owe to our neighbour; against the fifth and sixth commandments, murderers of fathers and mothers, and manslayers; against the seventh, whoremongers, and those that defile themselves with mankind; against the eighth, men-stealers; against the ninth, liars and perjured persons; and then he closes his account with this, and if there be any other things that is contrary to sound doctrine. “ - Matthew Henry - Theologian
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