Now the end
of the commandment - see the notes on
Romans 10:4 [below].
In order that Timothy might fulfil the design of his
appointment, it was necessary that he should have a
correct view of the design of the law. The teachers
to whom he refers [verse 4]
insisted much on its obligation and importance; and
Paul designs to say that he did not intend to teach
that the law was of no consequence, and was not,
when properly understood, obligatory. Its nature and
use, however, was not correctly understood by them,
and hence it was of great importance for Timothy to
inculcate correct views of the purpose for which it
was given. The word “commandment” here some have
understood of the gospel (Doddridge), others of the
particular command which the apostle here gives to
Timothy (Benson, Clarke,
and Macknight); but it seems more
naturally to refer to all that God had commanded -
His whole law. As the error of these teachers arose
from improper views of the nature and design of law,
Paul says that that design should be understood. It
was not to produce distinctions and angry
contentions, and was not to fetter the minds of
Christians with minute and burdensome observances,
but it was to produce love.
~Barnes Notes
Notes on Romans 10:4...
Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth.
The end of the commandment is charity;” the
main design or purpose of the command is to
produce love; 1 Peter 1:9 -"Receiving the
end of your faith, even the salvation of
your souls.", the main design or purpose of
faith is to secure salvation; Romans 14:9,
“For to this end Christ both died, and rose,
and revived, that he might be Lord both of
the dead and living.". For this design or
purpose. This is doubtless its meaning here.
“The main design or object which the perfect
obedience of the Law would accomplish, is
accomplished by faith in Christ.”
~Barnes Notes |
Now the same phrase from the Adam Clark:
Now the end of
the commandment is charity - These
genealogical questions lead to strife and debate;
and the dispensation of God leads to love both to
God and man, through faith in Christ. These
genealogical questions leave the heart under the
influence of all its vile tempers and evil
propensities; Faith in Jesus purifies the heart.
The paraphrase and note of Dr. Macknight
on this verse are very proper: “Now the scope of the
charge to be given by thee to these teachers is,
that, instead of inculcating fables and genealogies,
they inculcate love to God and man, proceeding from
a pure heart, and directed by a good conscience, and
nourished by unfeigned faith in the Gospel doctrine.
The charge here meant is that which the apostle
ordered Timothy to deliver to the teachers in
Ephesus; for he had said, 1Timothy 1:3 : I had
besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, that thou
mightest charge some: here he tells him what the
scope of this charge was to be.”
~Adam Clarke
Now the same phrase from the John Gill:
Now the end of the commandment
is charity - By the "commandment" may be
meant, the order given to Timothy, or the charge
committed to him; see 1 Timothy 1:18 to forbid the
teaching of another doctrine, and to avoid fables
and endless genealogies; the end and design of which
was to cultivate peace, to maintain and secure
brotherly love, which cannot long subsist, when a
different doctrine is introduced and received; and
to promote godly edification, which is brought about
by charity or love, for charity edifies; but is
greatly hindered by speculative notions, fabulous
stories, and genealogical controversies and
contentions: or by it may be intended the
ministration of the Gospel, called the commandment,
1Timothy 6:14, because enjoined the preachers of it
by Christ; the end of which is to bring persons to
the obedience of faith, or to that faith which works
by love, to believe in Christ, to love the Lord, his
truths, ordinances, people, and ways; or rather the
moral law is designed, which is often called the
commandment, Romans 7:8 since of this the apostle
treats in some following verses; the end and design,
sum and substance, completion and perfection of
which law are love to God, and love to one another;
see Matthew 22:36, which charity or love, when
right. ~John Gill
Summation on the first
phrase:
The purpose of the Law and all the commands,
encouragements and concepts taught by New Testament
firstfruit teachers was that the Salvation Process
and, therefore, the church atmosphere must be one of
peace and not contention. Christ came in part
to put the Law back to its original purpose, which
is to point an individual to Godly concepts [fruits
of the Spirit or Spirit of the Law] and
the elements of the Salvation Process. This
cannot be accomplished when false doctrines, fables,
genealogies, self-serving brethren and contentions
are on the same stage with the elements of the
Salvation Process. There must be love, which
gives rise to peace in the mind of the firstfruit
and in the congregation of the church.
Is charity - [notice
the 2nd and 3rd commentaries included these two
words in the first phrase of the verse; Barnes Notes
did not but handles it separately] On the
meaning of this word, see notes on 1 Corinthians
13:1. ~Barnes Notes
1
Corinthians 13:1 - Though I speak
with tongues of men and of angels, and have
not charity, I am become as sounding brass,
or a tinkling cymbal.
In the English word “charity,” therefore,
there are now some ideas which are not found
in the Greek word, and especially the idea
of “almsgiving,” and the common use of the
word among us in the sense of “candor” or
“liberality in judging.” Neither of these
ideas, perhaps, are to be found in the use
of the word in the chapter before us [1
Corinthians 13]; and the more
proper translation would have been, in
accordance with the usual mode of
translation in the New Testament, love.
Tyndale in his translation, renders it by
the word “love.” The “love” which is
referred to in this chapter, and
illustrated, is mainly “love to man”
1 Corinthians
13:4-7
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not
itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh
not her own, is not easily provoked,
thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth
in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.
...though there is no reason to doubt that
the apostle meant also to include in the
general term love to God, or love in
general. His illustrations, however, are
chiefly drawn from the effects of love
toward people. It properly means love to the
whole church, love to the whole world; love
to all creatures which arises from true
piety, and which centers ultimately in God -
Doddridge.
It is this love whose importance Paul, in
this beautiful chapter, illustrates as being
more valuable than the highest possible
endowments without it. It is not necessary
to suppose that anyone had these endowments,
or had the power of speaking with the
tongues of human beings and angels; or had
the gift of prophecy, or had the highest
degree of faith who had no love. The apostle
supposes a case; and says that if it were
so, if all these were possessed without
love, they would be comparatively valueless;
or that love was a more valuable endowment
than all the others would be without it.
Summary of this
commentary in 1 Corinthians 13:
What all this means is that the atmosphere
in the church and the attitude of the
firstfruit must be love and an outgoing
concern for the Salvation Process each
member has been called to. That is, we
never want our actions, words or attitudes
to harm or offend the Salvation Process the
other brethren are going through. |
Now the second phrase of 1 Timothy 1:5...
Out of a pure heart -
The love which is genuine must proceed from a holy
heart. The commandment was not designed to secure
merely the outward expressions of love, but that
which had its seat in the heart.
~Barnes Notes
Now from the John Gill:
out of a pure
heart - which no man has naturally; every
man's heart is naturally impure; nor can he make it
pure; by the strength of nature, or by anything that
he can do: there are some that are pure in their own
eyes, and in the esteem of others, and yet are not
cleansed from their filthiness, and are inwardly
full of all manner of impurity; though there are
some that have pure hearts, and they are such, who
have clean hearts created in them by the Spirit of
God; who are regenerated and sanctified by Him;
whose hearts are purified by faith; and who have
their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience by
the blood of Christ; and who are not double minded,
speak with a heart and a heart, but whose hearts are
sincere and upright, and without hypocrisy; so that
charity or love, from such a heart, is love without
dissimulation, which is not in tongue and words
only, but in deed and in truth; it is an unfeigned
love, or loving with a pure heart fervently.
~John Gill
Let us look at some scriptures on this:
Acts 15:5-9
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the
Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was
needful to circumcise them, and to command them to
keep the law of Moses.
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to
consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose
up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know
how that a good while ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word
of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them
witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did
unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith.
2 Timothy 2:19-26
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are
his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels
of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of
earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he
shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet
for the master's use, and prepared unto every good
work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow
righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that
call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid,
knowing that they do gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but
be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them
repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the
snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at
his will.
Titus 1:9-16
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both
to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and
deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for
filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own,
said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts,
slow bellies.
13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them
sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and
commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them
that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure;
but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works
they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient,
and unto every good work reprobate.
And of a good conscience
- A conscience free from guilt. Of course there can
be no genuine love to God where the dictates of
conscience are constantly violated, or where a man
knows that he is continually doing wrong. If a man
wishes to have the evidence of love to God, he must
keep a good conscience. All pretended love, where a
man knows that he is living in sin, is mere
hypocrisy. ~Barnes Notes
Now the same phrase from the Geneva Bible
Translation Notes:
There is neither love without a good
conscience, nor a good conscience without faith, nor
faith without the word of God.
~Geneva
Now the same phrase from the John Gill
And of a good conscience; there is a conscience in
every man, that accuses or excuses, unless it is
cauterized or seared: but this conscience is
naturally evil and defiled, and does not perform its
office aright; either it takes no notice of, and is
not concerned about sin, and has no remorse for it,
or it takes notice of little things, and lets pass
greater ones, or speaks peace when destruction is at
hand: a good conscience is
a conscience purified by the grace of God, and
purged from dead works by the blood of Christ; under
the influence of which a man acts uprightly in the
discharge of his duty, and exercises a conscience
void of offence towards God and man; and charity,
proceeding from such a conscience, is of the right
kind: and of faith unfeigned; with which a man
really, and from the heart, believes what he
professes; so did not Simon Magus, and all other
temporary believers, whose faith is a feigned faith,
a dead and inactive one; whereas true faith is an
operative grace, it is attended with good works, and
particularly it works by love: and that charity or
love, which springs from faith unfeigned, is
unfeigned love also, such as answers the design, and
is the substance of the commandment.
~ John Gill
Now the last phrase of this verse:
And of faith unfeigned - Undissembled
confidence in God. This does seem to be intended
specifically of faith in the Lord Jesus, but it
means that all true love to God, such as this law
would produce, must be based on confidence in him.
How can anyone have love to him who has no
confidence in him? Can we exercise love to a
professed friend in whom we have no confidence?
Faith, then, is as necessary under the law as it is
under the gospel. ~Barnes
Notes
Remember the sermon on having the same
faith God has ["Tell
It to the Mountain"]. This phrase is
declaring that we must be in the process of
approaching or moving toward the same faith God has.
There can be no doubt in God, Christ, the Word of
God or His plan and workings with us and all
firstfruits in the Salvation Process.
Now the Adam Clarke:
Of faith unfeigned - A
faith not hypocritical. The apostle appears to
allude to the Judaizing teachers, who pretended
faith in the Gospel, merely that they might have the
greater opportunity to bring back to the Mosaic
system those who had embraced the doctrine of Christ
crucified. This Is evident from the following verse.
~Adam Clarke
The same phrase from the Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
commentary:
faith unfeigned — not a
hypocritical, dead, and unfruitful faith, but faith
working by love (Galatians 5:6). The false teachers
drew men off from such a loving, working, real
faith, to profitless, speculative “questions” (1
Timothy 1:4) and jangling (1 Timothy1:6).
~Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Now I want to finish with verses of the Bible
related to 1 Timothy 1:5...
For the end of the commandment...
Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed? and how shall they believe in him of
whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher?
Romans 13:8-10
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for
he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou
shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not
bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if
there be any other commandment, it is briefly
comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore
love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 John 4:7-14
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of
God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and
knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is
love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us,
because that God sent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that
he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation
for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to
love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is
perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in
us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father
sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
For Charity...
1 Peter 4:7-9
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye
therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among
yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of
sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
2 Peter 1:2-8
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the
knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us
all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to
glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and
precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your
faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance
patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to
brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
For a pure heart...
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right
spirit within me.
Jeremiah 4:14
O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that
thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain
thoughts lodge within thee?
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see
God.
Matthew 12:35
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart
bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of
the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness,
faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the
Lord out of a pure heart.
1 John 3:3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure.
For a good conscience...
1 Timothy 1:19
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some
having put away concerning faith have made
shipwreck:
Acts 23:1
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men
and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience
before God until this day.
Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a
conscience void of offence toward God, and toward
men.
Romans 9:1
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience
also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost [Spirit].
Titus 1:15
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them
that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure;
but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Hebrew 9:14
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to
God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve
the living God?
Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience,
in all things willing to live honestly.
1 Peter 3:16
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak
evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed
that falsely accuse your good conversation in
Christ.
For faith unfeigned...
Mark 11:22
...from the sermon, "Tell
It to the Mountain"
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in
God.
1 John 3:23
And this is his commandment, That we should believe
on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one
another, as he gave us commandment.
Summery of the verse:
This verse is in contrast to verse four where we see
false teachers with false doctrines or member caught
up in elements giving rise to contention and strife
in the congregation. Paul is advocating and
encouraging how things should be in the church...the
ideal. This is accomplished in the heart of
each firstfruit working on a three part process:
1: Love from a pure heart.
2: of a good conscience
3: invoking the same faith God has
If we do these things individually, we will have
peace among the true firstfruits and be unhindered
in our personal and collective duties and work in
the Church of God.
back to top |