THE, account of Paul's first connection with Timothy is contained in Acts 16:1, 3. It is there stated that his mother was a Jewess, and her name, as well as that of his grandmother, is mentioned in 2 Tim. 1:5 where the apostle pays a respectful tribute to, the piety of both. After this period, Timothy was for a long time an attendant upon Paul, accompanying him in his travels, and sharing his labors and dangers; and, notwithstanding his youth, he was often intrusted with commissions of much importance, indicating, on the part of the apostle, great confidence in his abilities and in his piety.

      In respect to the occasion on which this Epistle was written, it is rendered certain, by allusions contained in it, that it was addressed to Timothy at Ephesus, where it seems Paul had left him in charge of the affairs of his ministry during his absence on a journey into Macedonia. (1 Tim. 1:3.) Several of the apostle's journeys into Macedonia are alluded to in the Acts, particularly one mentioned Acts 20:1, in which case he went from Ephesus. In this instance, however, it is said (19:22) that Timothy had gone into Macedonia before him. He might, nevertheless, have returned to Ephesus so as to have been left there when Paul was compelled to leave the city by the disturbances created by Demetrius. Still, as there are no allusions in the Epistle to the extraordinary commotion which occasioned Paul's sudden. departure at this time, many have supposed that it must have been on some other occasion that this Epistle was written. All that is essential, however, to a correct understanding of it is clear, namely, that it is a letter of instructions sent by Paul to Timothy at Ephesus, at a time when he had been left there in charge of the affairs of his ministry.

      1. God our Savior. The title of Savior is more usually given to Jesus Christ, though God the Father is in several instances so designated. (Luke 1:47. 1 Tim. 4:10. Tit. 2:10. Jude 25.) [462]

      3. Charge some, &c. The false teachers condemned in this passage (3-7) were evidently those who insisted strenuously upon the obligations of the Jewish law. This class of men seem to have been a very general source of difficulty in the churches; their attempts to encumber Christianity with the burden of Mosaic rites, often occasioned the apostle great solicitude, and are the subject of severe rebuke in many of his Epistles.

      4. Fables and endless genealogies; idle and puerile superstitions, originating either in the traditions of the Jews, or in pagan philosophy.--Minister questions; promote disputes and contention.--Which is in faith; which simple faith can produce.

      5. The end of the commandment; the whole design and object of it.--Charity out of, &c.; kindness and good-will to man springing from, &c.

      6. From which; that is, from the promotion of kindness and good-will between man and man, mentioned above as the end and aim of the divine commands.--Vain jangling; useless and irritating disputes.

      7. Desiring to be; pretending to be,--desiring to be so esteemed.

      9, 10. The meaning seems to be, that the Mosaic law, with its onerous rites and threatened penalties, is not now to be pressed upon those who have abandoned their sins, and are looking for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Its hard conditions may be urged upon those who still continue in sin, and of course reject every other ground of salvation; but they must not be brought in to burden and oppress those who have turned from the law to the gospel.

      11. According to, &c.; referring to the doctrine mentioned at the close of the preceding verse. The meaning is, contrary to the requirements enjoined by the gospel, &c.

      12. Faithful; worthy of being intrusted.

      13. Compare Gal. 1:13, and Acts 8:3.--I did it ignorantly, &c. It was not done with open and designed [463] hostility against God as God, and therefore did not come under the condemnation denounced by the Savior against the sin not to be forgiven. See Matt. 12:31, 32. Mark 3:28-30, and notes.

      15. I am chief. This is evidently not to be understood in a literal sense. He means thus to acknowledge the greatness of his guilt, which otherwise his expressions in v. 13 might perhaps have been supposed to deny.

      16. For a pattern to them; for an example to them,--that is, an example of the long-suffering of Christ, that future sinners might not be discouraged from coming to him.

      18. The prophecies which went before on thee. This expression seems to refer to certain divine indications by which the future fidelity and success of Timothy's ministry were made known to the church.

      19. Holding; holding fast.--Concerning faith have made shipwreck; that is, have made shipwreck of their faith.

      20. Hymeneus and Alexander. The same individuals, apparently, are mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17, 18, and 4:14. An Alexander of Ephesus is spoken of as taking an active part in the disturbances produced by Demetrius; although whether his action in that case was intended to be friendly or hostile to Paul, seems to be uncertain.--Delivered unto Satan; to the kingdom of Satan; that is, he had excommunicated them from the kingdom of Christ.

      6. To be testified; to be proclaimed as the Savior.

      7. Verity; truth. [464]

      8. Without wrath and doubting; without feelings of anger or ill-will towards men, or of coldness and distrust towards God.

      9, 10. Compare the passage, 1 Pet. 3:3, 4.

      13. For Adam, &c.; in token of the superior position which man was intended to hold. Compare 1 Cor. 11:8, 9.

      14. Was not deceived; that is, by the serpent. (Gen. 3:1-6.)--Was in the transgression; was led into transgression.

      15. In child-bearing; in her appropriate province of rearing and educating her children. The meaning is, that if she devote herself patiently and faithfully to the duties of her proper sphere, the way of eternal salvation is open to her as well as to man.

      1. A bishop; literally, an overseer, an officer holding a general charge and superintendence in respect to the affairs of the church, with powers and duties adapted, in many respects, doubtless, to the peculiar circumstances and habits of the times.

      2. The husband of one wife; chaste.

      3. Greedy of filthy lucre; eager after gain.

      6. Not a novice; not a very recent convert to Christianity.

      7. Of them which are without; of the people of the world in general.

      8. Not double-tongued; that is, they must be honest and sincere.

      9. The mystery of the faith; the gospel,--often spoken of as a mystery, on account of its having been [465] long withheld from the knowledge of mankind.

      10. Let these also first be proved; by time. As in the case of bishops, (v. 6,) they should not be novices.

      12. Husbands of one wife; chaste.--Houses; families.

      13. A good degree; a good standing and estimation.

      15. In the house of God; in the church,--as is immediately indicated.--Ground; foundation.

      16. Manifest in the flesh; in the person of Christ. (John 1:1, 14.) Justified in; vindicated by.

      1. Doctrines of devils; corrupt and wicked doctrines.

      2. Seared with a hot iron; hardened to sin.

      3. Forbidding, &c.; that is, enjoining self-imposed penances and mortifications, as a mode of obtaining the favor of God. There has been, in all ages of the church, a great tendency to this error.

      7. Refuse; reject.--Old wives' fables; nursery tales, which can only please the merest children in religious knowledge.--Rather unto godliness, that is, to moral and spiritual purity, rather than outward sanctity, sought through self-inflicted mortification.

      8. Bodily exercise; the training of the body to privations and hardships, as specified above.--Godliness; holiness of heart. [466]

      10. Who is the Savior of all men; inasmuch as he offers salvation to all.

      12. Let no man despise thy youth; that is, let your life and conversation be such that they will not.

      14. The gift; the ministerial office.--By prophecy; by divine direction.--The presbytery; the eldership, referring to those older than himself in the ministerial work, by whom he was solemnly inducted to the office.

      15. Thy profiting; thy spiritual advancement and welfare.

      3. Widows indeed; those that are entirely friendless and desolate, as explained below. (v. 5.) To honor them in this case means to provide for them. (Compare 5:17.)

      4. Let them,--that is, the children or nephews; let them take care of their relative, and not call upon the church.

      5. Trusteth in God, &c.; that is, she ought to trust in God, and live a holy and blameless life.

      6. Is dead; dead to the cause of Christ. Perhaps the meaning is, that she is to be excluded from all share in the charities of the church.

      9. Taken into the number; selected, chosen. This expression is usually understood to refer to some office in the church, held by aged widows, the nature of which we can only infer from the circumstances of the case. Perhaps Phebe (Rom. 16:1, 2) was one of this class.--Having been the wife of one man; having, been faithful [467] and true during her married life. The expression cannot be intended to censure a second marriage, inasmuch as such a marriage is recommended in v. 14.

      10. Washed the saints' feet; been hospitable and kind to them,--washing the feet being the token and symbol of hospitality.

      11. Refuse; that is, in respect to the appointment or election referred to above. (v. 9.)

      12. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the usage in the early church, to which the apostle refers in this passage, (9-12,) to account for the apparent severity of this language. It seems to imply that being received into the number referred to above, (v. 9,) they came under some obligation to remain single, and in devote themselves for life to the service of the church. But what circumstances there were to render it necessary or desirable to impose such an obligation, does not appear.

      14. The younger women; including, of course, the widows, as it is this class which is the subject of these instructions.

      16. Have widows; related to them, or dependent upon them.

      17. Honor; reward. This is shown to be the meaning by what follows.

      20. Before all; publicly.

      21. The elect angels; the holy angels.

      22. Lay hands; in ordination.

      23. By this direction, which stands in striking contrast with the ascetic doctrines which Paul had condemned, (4:3,) he shows that no religious end is answered by suffering any bodily discomfort or pain which can be [468] avoided; but that Christianity seeks to promote the welfare and happiness of man in all respects,--in small things as well as in great, at present as well as for the future, and in respect to the comfort of the body as well as to the prosperity of the soul.

      24. They follow after; that is, they are concealed for a time, and afterwards developed.

      25. Cannot be hid; cannot long be hid. The meaning of the two verses is, that, though sin may be secreted for a time, and virtue remain unobserved, yet in the end the true character of every one will be fully known.

      1. Under the yoke; the yoke of bondage.--Be not blasphemed; that is, that reproach be not brought upon the cause of Christ.

      2. Despise them; treat them with disrespectful freedom.--The benefit; the blessings of the gospel.

      3. Wholesome words; sound doctrine.

      13. Who quickeneth all things; who giveth life to all things.-- Witnessed a good confession. He boldly avowed himself to be the Messiah (John 18:35-37.) [469]

      15. In his times; in his own promised time.

      20. Oppositions, &c.; oppositions to the truth by false philosophy. [470]

[AINT 462-470]