1 and 2 Timothy and Titus E-Book

John Calvin

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Crossway Classic Commentaries
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 1998

Seitenzahl: 477

Beschreibung

Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's reader For hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth. The Crossway Classic Commentary Series, carefully adapted for maximum understanding and usefulness, presents the very best work on individual Bible books for today's believers. Timothy and Titus were two of Paul's faithful associates. When problems arose in a church, Paul knew he could depend on either one of them to handle the situation. In these three epistles Paul encourages his younger colleagues in their roles as pastors. He advises them on worship, leadership, integrity issues, and generation gaps. With confidence the aging apostle passes the torch of faith and exhorts them to be Christ's representatives on earth. John Calvin's exploration of the key passages of these three pastoral epistles not only provides historical insight into the early church, but also guidance and encouragement for pastors and lay leaders today.

Leseprobe

THE CROSSWAY CLASSIC COMMENTARIES

1, 2 Timothy and Titus

by

John Calvin

Series Editors

Alister McGrath and J. I. Packer

CROSS WAY BOOKS

WHEATON, ILLINOIS • NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND

1, 2, Timothy and Titus

Copyright © 1998 by Watermark

Published by Crossway

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.

First printing, 1998

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.

1, 2 Timothy and Titus / by John Calvin.

p. cm. — (The Crossway classic commentaries)

ISBN 13:978-1-58134-021-1

ISBN 10: 1-58134-021-4 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Bible. N.T. Pastoral Epistles—Commentaries. I. Title. II. Series.

BS2735.C29   1998227’.8307—dc2198-34828

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

CH      24   23   22   21   20   19   18   17   16   15   14   13

First British edition 1998

Production and Printing in the United States of America for

CROSSWAY BOOKS

Norton Street, Nottingham, England NG7 3HR

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 1-85684-183-9

Contents

Series PrefaceIntroductionDedication to 1 and 2 Timothy1 TimothyIntroduction to 1 TimothyChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 62 TimothyIntroduction to 2 TimothyChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4TitusDedicationIntroduction to TitusChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3

Series Preface

The purpose of the Crossway Classic Commentaries is to make some of the most valuable commentaries on the books of the Bible, by some of the greatest Bible teachers and theologians in the last 500 years, available to a new generation. These books will help today’s readers learn truth, wisdom, and devotion from such authors as J. C. Ryle, Martin Luther, John Calvin, J. B. Lightfoot, John Owen, Charles Spurgeon, Charles Hodge, and Matthew Henry.

We do not apologize for the age of some of the items chosen. In the realm of practical exposition promoting godliness, the old is often better than the new. Spiritual vision and authority, based on an accurate handling of the biblical text, are the qualities that have been primarily sought in deciding what to include.

So far as is possible, everything is tailored to the needs and enrichment of thoughtful readers—lay Christians, students, and those in the ministry. The originals, some of which were written at a high technical level, have been abridged as needed, simplified stylistically, and unburdened of foreign words. However, the intention of this series is never to change any thoughts of the original authors, but to faithfully convey them in an understandable fashion.

The publishers are grateful to Dr. Alister McGrath of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, Dr. J. I. Packer of Regent College, Vancouver, and Watermark of Norfolk, England, for the work of selecting and editing that now brings this project to fruition.

THE PUBLISHERS

Crossway Books

Wheaton, Illinois

Introduction

In the church as in the world, leadership quality makes all the difference. Lacking good leadership, institutions decay and people perish; with good leadership, all are enriched. What is good leadership? It is a compound of unifying management and motivating foresight, relational wisdom and strategic vision: the leader knows where he is going and knows how to bring others along with him. Power to lead, though open to abuse and often abused in fact, is a great and precious gift.

The Bible shows us great leaders. Jesus is in a class by himself: then come, in the Old Testament, Moses, David, and Nehemiah in the front rank and, in the New Testament, Peter and Paul alongside them; and we see Paul exercising leadership not only in planting and guiding churches and strategizing for unity, but also by giving leadership training to his own deputy leaders, Timothy and Titus. For this is the agenda—the initial agenda, anyway—of the Pastoral Epistles, as we call them.

In the battered churches of the late twentieth-century West, leadership is often conceived in purely defensive terms, as a matter of congregational maintenance and running repairs in the ongoing storm. But such a view is unbiblically narrow. Mission—loving outreach with the Gospel to our neighbors who need to know Christ and the life of his kingdom—must ever be the goal and indeed the context of maintenance. The pastoral epistles certainly deal with maintenance, and are often treated as if that is all they deal with, but the alert reader will see that, here as elsewhere in Paul’s writings, discussion of maintenance and order is set in a mission and outreach frame.

They say that it takes one to know one, and Calvin was undoubtedly a leader of the authentic apostolic type. Like Paul, he was a great churchman, in the sense that he knew the church was central in God’s plan for the world and so merited endless prayer and care on the part of Christian people. Like Paul also, his eyes and his heart were always ranging beyond the present to what further progress Christ’s kingdom needed to make in individual lives, churches, and wider communities. His down-to-earth elucidation of Paul’s thought in the Pastorals exemplifies this. Calvin the leader tunes in perfectly to Paul the leader as Paul instructs his own assistant leaders and with them all church leaders at any level that were to come after them. That is what gives these commentaries classic status.

Calvin’s letters of dedication show the range of Christian leadership. Titus goes to his former senior colleague in the Geneva pastoral team, Guillaume Farel and Pierre Viret, now (1549) pioneering reformation at Neuchatel and Lausanne respectively. “I think there has never been … a circle of friends so heartily bound to each other as we have been in our ministry. With both of you I discharged here the office of pastor, and … I always seemed to be of one mind with you … our alliance and friendship have been entirely consecrated to Christ’s name … and have no other aim than that all men should be at one with us in him.” The Timothy commentaries went to the Duke of Somerset, Protestor of England, guardian of the boy-king Edward VI, and patron of Reformation. “A country’s welfare is certain when its leaders acknowledge that it is God’s Son himself who creates them, preserves them and rules over them. England is strong because you have promoted true worship of God and cast out idols … you have numerous Timothys doing this work, and with them you could do no better than put your energies into following Paul’s pattern which he teaches.” And what a difference it would make if all church leaders, at whatever level, followed that same pattern today!

J. I. PACKER

Dedication to 1 and 2 Timothy

To the most illustrious and Christian Prince, the Lord Edward, Duke of Somerset, Earl of Hertford, Protector of England and Ireland, Tutor to the King, greetings.

Most noble Prince, wonderful accounts of your strong character, and especially of your outstanding godliness, have been reported to us. These reports warm the hearts of all good men, even among those who have never seen you, so that every right-minded person in England must hold you in high esteem and affection. Such people not only see your goodness, which others must admire from a distance, but they benefit from you being such an excellent governor, as does the whole population. These numerous reports we have heard are not wrong and do not come from people flattering you, as your deeds have shown that they are true.

The work of a tutor is not easy even with someone who has only modest means, but you are tutor to a huge kingdom, as well as to a king, and the wise and skillful way you carry out your duties is admired everywhere. Your brilliance extends beyond matters of law and peace to war where God has made you courageous and most successful.

Despite all the difficult matters, which everyone knows you have had to attend to, you have made the restoration of religion your top priority. Your emphasis on the Gospel benefits your countrymen as much as any prince. A country’s welfare is certain when its leaders acknowledge that it is God’s Son himself who creates them, preserves them and rules over them. England is strong because you have promoted true worship of God and cast out idols. You have found it necessary to restore Christ to his throne by promoting true godliness and trampling on the sacrilegious power of the anti-Christian Roman Church. This action is even more commendable when we recall how few other rulers are prepared to bow to Christ’s scepter.

So, the most illustrious king has greatly benefited from having a person like yourself in his family to guide his upbringing. While everyone is agreed about his noble character, it was necessary that he should be trained to have mature strength and for you to guide the Church of England until he was old enough to take this on himself. I am sure that he still knows that God’s providence gave you to him so that he might have these affairs passed on to him in an excellent state.

As far as I am concerned, neither my great distance from you nor my humble station in life can stop me from congratulating you on the way you have spread Christ’s glory in all you have done. God has been pleased to use me to work and struggle to bring back the pure teaching of the Gospel to the world. So, why should I not, no matter how far I am from you, express in the strongest terms my respect for you? For God has made you a protector and defender of this same teaching, in his special goodness. As I had no other way of expressing this affection I have for you, I now present to you my commentaries on two of Paul’s letters. I did not choose the gift out of the air, but carefully selected it as it is so suitable for you. For in these letters Paul tells his much-loved Timothy what kind of teaching will edify God’s church. He tells him what evils and enemies to fight against, and what trials he will have to endure. He encourages him not to give up in the face of any difficulties, but to be courageous, to use his authority to curb the licentiousness of evil people and not to give gifts in an effort to curry favor. These two letters give a summary of how a church should be rightly governed. You are now making great efforts to reform the Church of England in your king’s name. Like nearly all other churches in the world, it has been terribly corrupted by the dreadful evil of popery. But you have numerous Timothys doing this work, and with them you could do no better than put your energies into following Paul’s pattern which he teaches. Everything in these letters is relevant for us today, and little that is needed to edify the church cannot be deduced from them. I hope that my efforts in these commentaries will help here. However, I would rather that you tried them for yourself, rather than boast about them myself. I would be more than satisfied if you, most noble Prince, approve of them. I am certain from your renowned kindness that you will accept in good part the service I now give you.

May the Lord, who controls the whole world, strengthen and prosper England. May he give its excellent king a royal spirit and greatly bless him. May he allow you to continue in your noble work, so that through you the Lord’s name may be glorified everywhere.

Geneva, 20 July 1556

1 Timothy

Introduction to 1 Timothy

I believe that this letter was written for the sake of other people, and not just for Timothy himself. If you think about this carefully you will agree with me. Of course, I am not denying that Paul’s aim was to teach and instruct Timothy as well. However, my point is that this letter contains many things that would have been excluded if the letter was only written for Timothy’s benefit. Timothy was a young man without enough authority to curb the powerful people who opposed him. Paul makes it clear that at this time some people were so bent on making a name for themselves that they would not submit to anybody. If Timothy had not acted decisively, there is no telling what havoc they would have caused in the church, as they were so fired by their selfish ambitions. In addition to this, there were a number of things that needed to be put right in Ephesus with Paul’s backing and authority. Paul wanted to instruct Timothy about many things, but he wanted to advise many other people as well.

1 Timothy Chapter 1

In this chapter Paul opposes the selfish people who were only interested in focusing attention on themselves as they discussed empty questions. You can deduce that these people were Jews, who made a show of being keen to uphold the law. They cared more about their futile debates than about building up Christians in the faith. Such abuse of God’s law should not be tolerated. They only used God’s law as a topic of empty discussion and as an excuse to burden the church with unnecessary and inconsequential matters. This kind of corruption has been the order of the day for too many centuries among Roman Catholics. A chaotic plethora of hollow and profitless speculations form the basis of scholastic theology. Even today, in an attempt to impress, many people teach God’s Word as if it were some kind of secular philosophy. Paul promises that he will help Timothy to eradicate this false teaching. He does this by pointing to the most important lessons to be learned from the law, while at the same time pointing out that people who turn to the law with other motives are in reality polluting it.

Then Paul admits to his own unworthiness and says in glowing words how God has turned him into the man he is through the work of God’s grace in him. Paul does this to ensure that no one rejects his authority. Paul concludes this chapter with a serious warning that is meant to strengthen Timothy with solid teaching and a good conscience. Paul also makes use of the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander as a warning to others.

Verses 1-4

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith.

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. Had Paul been only writing to Timothy, he would not have needed to set out his credentials and highlight his apostolic appointment, as he does in this verse. Had he just been writing to Timothy, it would have been enough to say his name. Timothy did not need any evidence to convince him that Paul was an apostle of Christ. For a long time Timothy had been totally happy to acknowledge this. So Paul must be aiming at those who did not want to listen to him and were not so prepared to embrace what he said. For their sake Paul emphasizes that he is an apostle of Christ Jesus, so that they will not write him off as an unimportant nonentity.

By the command of God. Paul goes on to say he is an apostle due to the command or appointment of God. For no one can make himself an apostle, but a person appointed by God to this office is a genuine apostle and should be held in honor. Paul does not say that God the Father alone was responsible for him being an apostle: he says that he is an apostle by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus. Paul adds the name of Christ. As the church is ordered and ruled, the Father does everything with the Son, so that the Father and the Son are united in this.

God our Savior. Paul calls God Savior, which is a title more often given to the Son. However, this title is entirely appropriate for the Father. The Father gave his Son to us, so it is correct to say the glory of our salvation comes from the Father. Our salvation only comes because the Father loved us so much that, through his will, he redeemed and saved us through the Son.

Christ Jesus our hope. This is a particularly appropriate title for Christ, because we have hope as we look to Christ, as only in him do we find our salvation.

2. To Timothy my true son. Paul heaps much praise on Timothy as he commends him in this way. Paul says that Timothy is my true son. He is not ashamed to be called his father. Paul also wants other people to acknowledge that Timothy is his son. Paul commends Timothy as if he were another Paul. We may wonder how this can be consistent with Christ’s command, “do not call anyone on earth ‘father’” (Matthew 23:9), or with Paul’s own assertion, “even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15). I reply by pointing out that when Paul says that he is Timothy’s father, he does not lessen God’s honor in any way, or substitute glory for himself in God’s place. Everyone knows that if one thing is subordinate to another, then they are not fighting each other. This is the way that Paul claims to be Timothy’s father, while God himself remains Timothy’s Father.

In the faith. God is only Father to all those who have faith. Through his Word and the power of his Spirit he regenerates all believers. He alone confers faith. He graciously allows ministers to share his honor without losing any of his honor himself. Strictly speaking, Timothy’s spiritual Father was God, and only God; but Paul in a subordinate way, as God’s minister, was Timothy’s spiritual father as well.

Grace, mercy and peace. Paul’s usual order for these words is changed here, because mercy comes second and not first. This may be in deference to Timothy. Grace should come really come second because grace comes from mercy. It is through God’s mercy that we are welcomed into his grace, where he continues to love us. It is rather unusual to mention the result before the cause.

3. As I urged you. Paul reminds Timothy why he had asked him to remain in Ephesus. It was with real reluctance, on account of a compelling need, that Paul was separated from his faithful helper whom he loved so much. Timothy had to stay, as Paul’s deputy, as there was nobody else qualified to cope with such demanding duties. Timothy must have been greatly affected by this. It prevented him from dissipating his energies and helped him to rise to exceptional standards of behavior.

That you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines. Paul also tells Timothy to resist false teachers who were polluting pure teaching. Paul’s concern for God to be honored is apparent in this instruction he gives to Timothy to carry out this duty at Ephesus. Paul never moved on from a church without appointing a minister there, no matter how busy he was in founding new churches. It is true, as one writer has said, “It takes as much ability to keep what you have gained as it took to gain it.”

Command certain men. The word command implies authority. Paul wanted to furnish Timothy with authority to keep the others in check.

Not to teach false doctrines. Literally, “to teach differently.” This could mean “to teach in a different way,” that is, using a different method, or “to teach new doctrine.” I do not agree with Erasmus’ translation, “to follow a new doctrine,” as this could refer to hearers as well as teachers. We have a broader meaning here if we translate the words as, “to teach in a different way.” This indicates that Paul wanted Timothy to stop people from introducing new methods of teaching that are not consistent with the true method he had given them. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy Paul does not just tell Timothy to be faithful to the contents of the teaching, but he uses the word “pattern,” which means to keep a real likeness to his teaching. “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching” (2 Timothy 1:13). Just as God’s truth is one, so there is only one way to teach it. This is the way that has no pretense about it and is not characterized by a demonstration of human eloquence, but displays the majesty of the Spirit. Anyone who departs from this will be disfiguring the doctrine itself. So “to teach differently” does refer to the form of the teaching.

If we translate “to teach differently” as “to teach something different,” it relates to the contents of the teaching itself. Note that “new teaching” includes not only teaching that is directly opposed to the pure teaching of the Gospel, but also any extraneous ideas or godless speculations that pollute the pure Gospel. People’s wild thoughts merely corrupt the Gospel, and people who trivialize it in a godless way, by turning Christianity into a clever spectacle, obscure the Gospel. This kind of teaching opposes God’s Word and the pure doctrine Paul tells the Ephesians to uphold.

4. By myths I do not think he means errors that have been dreamed up, but silly stories that are without foundation. Something that is not false may still be an exaggerated story. This is the way that Suetonius spoke of “history in fables,” and Livy uses the verb “to fable” to refer to silly and senseless talk. The word Paul uses here—myths, literally “tales”—means trifles, and this is confirmed by the example of a fable that he gives.

Endless genealogies. Under the heading of fables Paul places arguments about genealogies, not because they are all untrue but because they are silly and lead nowhere. So this verse means that they are not to take any notice of fables that have the same character as genealogies. This is exactly what Suetonius meant by “history in fables,” which is something for which even the learned are rightly derided by sensible people. To devote one’s life to tracing the family tree of Achilles or Ajax, or trying to calculate how many sons Priam had, must be termed a ridiculous occupation that ignores the quest for useful information. If this is out of place in a classroom, which is the place for making inquiry into things, how much more out of place it is in our quest for seeking knowledge about God. These genealogies can be endless because their convoluted paths never end.

These promote controversies. Paul judges teaching by its fruit. Anything that does not build up is discarded, even if there is nothing wrong with it in itself. Anything that fuels arguments should be condemned outright. Such were the intricate ideas to which these self-seekers devoted their clever minds. We must bear in mind the test by which all teaching should be tried. People who build others up should be encouraged, but those who indulge in fruitless controversies should be ignored, as they are not worthy of God’s church. Had this test been applied over several centuries, even though religion would have been polluted by numerous errors, there would not have been so much devilish discussion that masquerades under the name of scholastic theology. This school of theology has nothing of value in it, as it is full of sterile controversies and idle speculations. The more engrossed people become in this, the more they should be pitied. I know all about the plausible arguments that are put forward to defend it, but they do not stand up against Paul’s condemnations here.

God’s work—which is by faith. Intricate arguments of this kind flatter people’s intellectual pride, but they do not lead to a knowledge of God. Paul refers to the kind of teaching that is godly, either because God approves of it or because it is in line with God’s will. This sort of teaching includes loving each other, showing reverence for God, and repentance, as these all stem from faith. Faith always promotes godliness. Paul realized that faith is the only basis for worshiping God, so it was enough for him to mention faith on which everything else is built.

Verses 5-11

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

We know that the law is good if a man uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for good men but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

Timothy had to cope with people who had no principles, and who claimed support from the law for their ideas. Paul preempts them by demonstrating that the law, far from lending weight to their arguments, is in fact in total agreement with the Gospel he himself teaches. Their line of argument is similar to those who, in our own day, love to indulge in subtle arguments about theology. They accuse us of killing off sacred theology, as if they were the only ones who nurtured it in their hearts. Those who opposed Paul deliberately used the law to stir up opposition against him. How did Paul answer this attack? To crush their arguments, he anticipates their line of attack and points out that his teaching is in perfect accord with the law. They are the ones who are twisting the law for their own ends and totally abusing it in the process. In our own day we teach true theology and we have to attempt to restore something that has been crushed and twisted by trumped-up so-called theologians. In reality they can only offer feeble, hollow ideas. When Paul says the law (verses 8-9), he means the complete law, not an individual law.

5. The goal of this command is love. If the goal of the law is that we should be taught about the love that flows from faith and a good conscience, the opposite results from those who pervert its teaching into idle questions. In this verse it does not matter whether we take love to refer to all of the Ten Commandments, or just to the second half of the Ten Commandments. We are commanded to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors as ourselves. However, when love is mentioned in the Bible, it is most often restricted to loving our neighbors. If Paul had spoken of love by itself in this passage I would have immediately thought that he was referring to love of God and love of neighbor. But Paul adds faith and a good conscience, so my exposition suits this context well. The law can be summed up as saying that we should worship God with a pure heart and a good conscience, and that we should love each other. Anyone who moves away from this pollutes God’s law and perverts it to serve some other strange purpose.

Love … faith. Someone may ask why Paul seems to put love before faith. I think this is a childish objection. Just because love is mentioned first does not mean that it is superior to what is mentioned after it. Paul clearly states that love flows from faith. Everyone knows that the cause of something determines the result. It is as if Paul is saying here, “We have been given the law so that we can learn the faith, which is the mother of a good conscience and of love.” So we start with faith, not love.

A pure heart and a good conscience. There is little difference between these two, as they are both fruits of faith. A pure heart is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles: “he purified their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). According to Peter a good conscience is based on Christ’s resurrection: “A good conscience … saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). Here it is clear that genuine love is impossible without reverence for God and a clear conscience. Note how Paul describes each virtue.

It is so easy to brag about faith and a good conscience although few people show by their deeds that they are not hypocrites in some way. Note carefully that Paul says that faith should be sincere. By this he means that faith is insincere unless it shows itself to have a good conscience and unless it demonstrates itself in love. Because our salvation rests on faith, and since full-hearted worship of God stems from faith and a good conscience and love, it is little wonder that Paul says that they constitute the essence of the law.

6. Paul carries on with his theme that the goal of God’s command is love and that everything else misses the mark. The word translated wandered away, literally “missing aim,” means to turn away from, or to miss the target.

Meaningless talk. Note that Paul judges that all teaching that does not have this end in view is meaningless talk. He asserts that all other ideas and talents people may possess will fade into nothing. People do, however, applaud vain trifles, but Paul is adamant that whatever does not edify is meaningless talk. So we should take great care never to look for anything in God’s holy Word that does not edify, in case God punishes us for misusing his Word.

7. Paul is not opposing those who publicly attack the teaching of the law, but those who falsely claim to be its teachers. Such people understand nothing as they spend all their time pondering idle curiosities.

What they so confidently affirm. He adds this rebuke concerning their arrogance. No other people push themselves forward as much as these teachers who rashly pontificate about things they know nothing about. Today we see how the theologians of the Sorbonne babble about their ideas. But about what? About things that are not revealed to human beings and have never been clearly taught in the Bible. They place more confidence in purgatory than in the resurrection of the dead. If we do not accept, as gospel, their false notions about the prayers of the saints, they complain that religion itself is undermined. And what can we say about fictitious doctrines such as the endless mazes they have made concerning heaven and its hierarchies? This list goes on forever! In all this the ancient proverb, “Ignorance is bold,” is fulfilled, according to the apostle. He says of these people, “such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions” (Colossians 2:18).

8. Paul, again, preempts a false accusation. It is as if they say of him, “Do you want to bury the law and rub it out for good?” This was their argument whenever Paul exposed their hollow theories. To rebut their false idea Paul affirms that the law is good, but that it must be used properly. However, Paul also demonstrates that the law totally supports his teaching and so he turns the tables on his accusers.

9. The apostle’s intention here is not to list all the functions of the law. Rather, he makes his attack a personal one, on those people he is dealing with. Often, the people who claim to have the highest regard for the law turn out to live lives that show that they are the greatest despisers of the law. People who champion free will and justification through deeds are prime examples of people who do this in our day. They are always talking about a perfectly holy life and winning God’s favor through merit, while they continue to live blatantly evil and godless lives, provoking God’s wrath as they dare to scorn his judgment. They make a show of extolling the virtues of free will and of distinguishing good and evil, while all the time they remain enslaved to Satan, chained up as one of his captives. Paul curbs the proud insolence of such detractors by warning them that the law, as it were, is God’s sword that will pierce them. He points out that he and people like him have no reason to be afraid of the law or to be against it, as the law is not an enemy to righteous people—to those who live godly lives, freely worshiping God.

I know all about some scholars who draw subtle inferences from Paul’s teaching, as if he had set out to deliver a theological thesis on the nature of the law. They point out that the law has no connection with God’s children who have been born again by God’s Spirit, as the law was not given for the sake of righteous people. However, the context of this verse makes me choose a simpler explanation. Paul takes it that good laws are made to deal with the behavior of bad people and that God’s laws were laid down to curb the evil ways of godless people, as people who are good on their own do not need such laws. This leaves one question: Has any person existed who does not belong to the category of those who need the law to restrain them? I reply that Paul does not here say that “righteous” people refers to people who are completely perfect, since no such people exist; rather Paul is talking about people whose chief motivation is goodness, so that their desire for godliness is like an inner law that needs no external guidance. Paul’s aim was to quash the impudent attacks of those who claimed to live by the law on those who really did demonstrate that they lived under the rule of the law. It was these opponents who were most in need of the law, but they did not really care about the law.

This is seen clearly in the next part of this verse. Even if people do not see that in Paul’s list of evil deeds there is an implied criticism of his opponents, this can still be seen as a straightforward denial of the charge they leveled at him. If their zeal for the law had been sincere and not hypocritical, then they would have used it to fight off these attacks, instead of using it for their own selfish ends as they indulged in stupid chatter.

Lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful. The sinful here refers to those who live an immoral life.

10. Paul touches on different kinds of sin and briefly mentions all categories of transgressions. These people are obstinate and rebellious, and he describes them as lawbreakers and rebels. They are the root cause of sin. The unholy and irreligious may correspond to the first and second halves of the Ten Commandments. He then goes on to mention those who lead impure and dissolute lives, as there are three ways that people can harm their neighbor: through violence, dishonesty and lust—all of which Paul condemns. Those who kill their fathers or mothers . .. murderers and the violent people Paul singles out; then he mentions adulterers and perverts, as people who indulge in lust; and then he mentions slave traders and other dishonest practices, such as lying.

And for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine. Paul maintains that his Gospel supports the law and does not oppose it. He says it is in line with the Lord’s pronouncement that whatever … is contrary to sound doctrine is against his law. So those who turn their backs on the Gospel are not embracing the law but chasing after shadows.

Sound doctrine. This contrasts with the frivolous arguments that, as Paul makes clear elsewhere, shipwreck the faith of the false teachers and manage to lead others astray.

11. By describing the gospel as the glorious Gospel, Paul emphasizes that God demonstrates his glory in the Gospel. This also served as a sharp rebuke to those who wanted to disparage it. Paul specifically stated that God had entrusted the Gospel to him, to underline that the Gospel he preached is God’s only Gospel, and to emphasize that all the myths he had spoken against were at odds with both the Gospel and the law.

Verses 12-13

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

12. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord. Consider Paul’s previous way of life. He claimed a great honor for himself in calling himself an apostle, although he knew that he did not deserve this at all. He did not want to be open to the charge of being presumptuous, so he immediately says that he is only an apostle through God’s grace and that he is totally unworthy of this in himself. He even shows that what seems to exclude him from holding his position of authority turns out to be to his advantage, since it is necessary for God’s grace to shine through him more strongly. People cannot accuse him of being unworthy to hold such an honorable office because he gives Christ thanks for it. Christ chose him to hold this office, and that is the last word. Some people say this kind of thing is a show of false humility, but Paul’s aim was not to boast about himself at all, just to boast strongly in the Lord.

What is Paul giving thanks for? He has been given a role in serving Christ, and he deduces that Christ considered him faithful to do this work. Christ does not receive everyone indiscriminately. He chooses those who are suitable for the work, and so everyone Christ honors in this way, we know to be worthy to hold the office. Judas’ brief rise to office, before his sudden fall, is consistent with this. As the psalmist says, “May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership” (Psalm 109:8). It was different in Paul’s case, as he received his office for a different reason in a different set of circumstances. As Christ said of Paul, “This man is my chosen instrument” (Acts 9:15).

But by saying this Paul seems to be saying that his previous faithfulness was the reason for him being called by God. If that were indeed the case, then Paul’s expression of thanks would be phony and stupid, as his apostleship would have depended more on his own merit than on God. I do not think it right to say that Paul was appointed to his apostolic work because his faith was previously known to God, as Christ could only see the good in him that his Father had given him. It always remains true that “you did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). However, Paul is saying something different here. To Paul his faithfulness was validated because Christ appointed him to be an apostle. Paul states that the people Christ appoints as apostles must be pronounced faithful by Christ’s decree. This decision is not dependent on foreknowledge but is a witness given for human benefit. It is as if Paul is saying, “I am grateful to Christ. He has called me to this service. By doing this he has publicly approved of my faithfulness.”

Who has given me strength. Paul moves on to another blessing Christ has given him. Christ enabled him to hold this office, or, strengthened him so he could hold this office. From the start God’s hand made him and qualified him for this office. But that is not all. The strength he was given includes that constant supply of grace he experienced while he held this office. He received his apostleship through Christ’s grace. He continues in his apostleship through the same grace.

13. A blasphemer and a persecutor. Paul had blasphemed against God and had persecuted the church. Paul now owns up to what could easily have been held against him. He does not try to excuse his sins. By openly acknowledging his own unworthiness he highlights God’s wonderful grace even more. Paul does not just say that he was a persecutor but adds that he was a violent man, venting his anger on the church.

I acted in ignorance and unbelief. Paul says, “My unbelief was forgiven because I acted out of ignorance.” The result of his unbelief resulted in persecution and violence. He is probably suggesting that he can only be forgiven because there were extenuating circumstances: his ignorance. This makes us ask: Does God forgive if we sin intentionally? My answer here is that we should note the word unbelief here, for it limits Paul’s words to the first half of the Ten Commandments. Breaking the laws of the second half of the Ten Commandments, even if deliberate, can be forgiven. Anyone who deliberately breaks the laws in the first part of the Ten Commandments is sinning against the Holy Spirit, as he is directly confronting God. This person is not sinning because he is weak but because he is a rebel, and this is a definite indication that he is condemned. We can deduce a definition of sinning against the Holy Spirit from this. In the first place, it is a deliberate rebellion against God by breaking the laws of the first half of the Ten Commandments. Second, it is a premeditated rejection of the truth, for when God’s truth is not rejected with deliberate malice the Holy Spirit is not being opposed. Third, unbelief in this context is a broad term, whereas deliberate intent is the opposite of ignorance, and it is this deliberate intention that is involved in blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So the people who maintain that sinning against the Holy Spirit is breaking the laws of the second half of the Ten Commandments are mistaken, as indeed are the people who make great play of ignorant and thoughtless violence. People only sin against the Holy Spirit when they oppose God and put out the light of the Holy Spirit in the process. This is blatant evil. Paul states this to warn everyone who walks in the light, so that they do not turn against the truth they once upheld and so make a fatal move. God forgave Paul his blasphemy because he acted in ignorance, but people who deliberately blaspheme can expect no such forgiveness.

It might be thought that Paul’s thoughts here are irrelevant since all unbelief stems from ignorance. My answer to this is that some unbelievers are so blind that their wrong ideas lead them astray, while other unbelievers, who are blind as well, are motivated by malice. While Paul had an evil disposition to a certain extent, his mindless zeal took hold of him so that he was convinced that his actions were right. So Paul was not deliberately attacking Christ, but did so out of ignorance. But most Pharisees, in their false accusations against Christ, did so with a bad conscience. While they did this in partial ignorance, they were motivated by selfishness and a deliberate rejection of sound teaching. They were in total rebellion against God and they opposed Christ in a deliberate and calculated way.

Verses 14-17

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

14. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly. Paul emphasizes again God’s grace that was poured out on him. He does this not just to witness to his own gratitude but to defend against the slanderous and malicious attacks of his detractors who wanted to attack his apostleship. When Paul says that the Lord’s grace was poured out on him, and poured out … abundantly, he means that his past offenses have been wiped away and forgotten so that they no longer drag him down at all or leave him in an inferior position against other good people who have received God’s grace.

Along with … faith and love. Faith and love may be thought of as both referring to God. This would then mean that God has revealed himself to be a faithful God and shows us his love in Christ as he gives his grace to Paul. But I opt for a more straightforward exposition. Faith and love bear witness to God’s grace that has just been referred to, so nobody will conclude that Paul is boasting for no good reason. Faith is contrasted with Paul’s unbelief (verse 13); love in Christ is contrasted with the cruel persecution Paul had handed out to believers. It is as if he was now saying that God had transformed him and he was now a new person. So Paul revels in God’s grace in him, which wipes out all memory of his former way of life.

15. Here is a trustworthy saying. Paul has just defended his ministry against false attacks. Now he turns the tables on his enemies and uses the arguments of his opponents to attack them. Paul says that the church benefits from him being a persecutor because he was called to be an apostle. It focuses on God’s grace in Paul and so shows that Christ calls all sinners to confidently expect forgiveness of sins. When Paul turned from being a wild attacking beast into a shepherd and pastor, Christ showed his grace in a special way. It demonstrated that the way of salvation is open to everyone, no matter how notorious sinners they might have been previously.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Paul makes this general statement: Christ Jesus came … to save sinners. He gives a little introduction to this important topic, as he often did: Jesus came into the world. This is the major point in our religion, that the lost should find their salvation through Christ. We should never lose our sense of reverence and wonder about our salvation, no matter how many thousands of times Christ’s salvation is offered to us by God the Father and no matter how often Christ himself tells us of his saving work. So whenever we are tempted to doubt our salvation, we should expel the thought. The truth concerning our salvation is our shield that silences all doubts.

To save sinners. Sinners is the emphatic word here. People are willing to say that Christ’s work is to save people, but reluctant to believe that salvation belongs to sinners. We are liable to focus on our own unworthiness, and as soon as we concentrate on this, our trust in God collapses. So the more a person is burdened by his sins, the more he should confidently turn to Christ. He trusts in what is taught here, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, not righteous people. Note how Paul applies to himself the truth of Christ’s work. He wanted people to know that what he had said about himself was nothing out of the ordinary.

Of whom I am the worst. Paul was not speaking out of false modesty here. Paul acknowledged his sin with humility and truth, from the depths of his heart. But the question arises about why Paul should say he is the worst sinner, since he acted in ignorance and the rest of his life seemed blameless to other people. This underlines how gravely God looks on the sin of unbelief, especially when it goes hand in hand with violence. People might easily overlook all that Paul said about himself as the actions of a zealous person. God, however, judges unbelief, deliberately persisted in, very seriously, as he holds the obedience of faith so highly. Note carefully what is taught in these verses. People who are harmless, and may even have sterling characteristics and lead virtuous lives in the eyes of the world, may be viewed as great sinners in God’s sight, because of their persistent opposition to the Gospel and their dogged unbelief. This shows us most clearly how all the outward show and pomp of hypocrites counts for nothing in God’s sight, as long as they continue to resist Christ.

16. Paul repeats that he is the worst of sinners. From the start God showed his grace in Paul in a most obvious way. So, no one could entertain any doubt that he would be forgiven if he came to Christ in faith. Our doubts evaporate when we see that Paul is a type of the grace we want.

17. Now to the King eternal. Paul’s praise of God overflows with these expressions about God, as he sought words to express his gratitude to God. Paul is so overwhelmed with this that he interrupts his train of thought. Nothing was more wonderful for Paul than his conversion. Paul leaves us with an example here: we should never be able to reflect on our own Christian calling without being lost in praising God. Paul’s previous life is forgotten as he praises God for his grace. How fathomless is God’s glory! The attributes of God Paul mentions here are always true but are never more relevant than in this context. Paul calls him the King eternal, or the King of the ages who never changes. He calls him invisible, as he lives in inaccessible light—“who lives in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16). All agree with Paul’s conclusion in Romans 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

Verses 18-20

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

18. I give you this instruction. Everything Paul has said about himself has been a digression from his main theme. His main aim was to give Timothy authority, to give him this instruction, literally “charge.” Before he could do this he had to make his own supreme authority totally secure and defeat those who attacked his position. Paul had demonstrated that his apostleship should not be held in any less honor because he had once attacked Christ’s kingdom. Paul had dealt with his detractors, and now he returns to the main theme of his exhortation. The instruction mentioned here is the same as the word for “command” used in verse 5.

My son. Paul is showing both his affection for Timothy and also how much he recommends him to others.

In keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them. Paul further encourages Timothy by reminding him about the witness God’s Spirit had given to him. Timothy derived much comfort from knowing that his ministry had God’s approval. He had been called by God’s revelation, before people had cast their vote in his favor. It is as if Paul was saying, “While it may be terrible not to live up to human expectations, how much more shameful is it to ignore God’s wishes!”

The prophecies. We need to understand what Paul means by these prophecies. Some commentators believe that, through some special revelation, Paul invested Timothy in this office. I agree with this, but must point out that others, in addition to Paul, were involved in this. For the word prophecies is in the plural. From this I deduce that there were a number of prophecies about Timothy commending him to the church. He was so young that he could have been dismissed on this account. Paul could have been open to the accusation of supporting such a young man for the office of presbyter. In addition to this, God had appointed that Timothy’s work should be especially important. He was not like every other minister, as he was second only to the apostles. He frequently stood in for Paul when he was absent. So it was especially important that he had a strong witness to demonstrate that the appointment to his office came from God himself and did not come from human hands. It was extraordinary to be honored with the praise of the prophets. But Timothy was a special case, and God wanted to seal his appointment with his own voice before anyone human was involved. God did not want him to start his ministry until he had been called to this through the revelations of prophets. Paul and Barnabas experienced the same thing when they were commissioned to teach the Gentiles. This was something new, and so it needed to be validated if it was not to be written off as a totally irrational act.

But the following objection may be raised here. “If God had said through his prophets the kind of ministry Timothy should undertake, why did he need to be told to witness about this? Surely he could not undermine any of God’s promises?” My reply is that it could only happen as God had promised. However, Timothy had a duty not to be lazy but to show that he was a willing and obedient servant of God and his providence. As Paul reminded Timothy of God’s promises, through which he was commissioned and pledged to serve in God’s church, so Timothy was spurred on to greater heights. Timothy was reminded why he had been called.

You may fight the good fight. By adding this Timothy is reminded to rely on God’s initial approval of him, so he can fight more strongly for him. What greater encouragement could we have than to know that what we are doing we do because God has specifically told us to do it? With this armor we will never lose. Fight the good fight indicates that a war is on. Paul relates this to all Christians, and especially to Christian teachers, who can be thought of as God’s standard bearers in Christ’s army. It is as if Paul had said, “You have battles in your ministry, but remember that God’s Word to you is your armor, and your victory is assured. May that give you renewed courage.” A good fight is fought under God’s control and so is glorious.

19. Holding on to faith. Here faith means sound doctrine, in the general sense. “They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” (3:9). This is the teacher’s top priority. He must stick to the pure truth of the Gospel. He should minister this with a good conscience, that is, with a clear conscience, as well as with genuine zeal. Where faith and a good conscience are present, everything else will follow.

Some have rejected these. Paul explains the necessity of having a good conscience, as well as faith;