Since each verse is a stand-alone lesson, I want
to begin this lesson of 1 Timothy 2:6 with the same
commentary from Barclay's Commentary as verse 6 is
continuing the thought began in verses 1-5.
In Barclay's Commentary for 1 Timothy 2:1-7 we read,
'Few passages in the New Testament so stress the
universality of the gospel. Prayer is to be made for
all; God is the Saviour who wants all to be saved;
Jesus gave his life a ransom for all. As Walter Lock
writes in his commentary: 'God's will to save is as
wide as his will to create.'
"The end and intent of the Scripture is to declare
that God is benevolent and friendly-minded to
mankind; that he that declared that kindness in and
through Jesus Christ, his only Son; the which
kindness is received by faith. That is why prayer
must be made for all. God wants all men and women,
and so, therefore, must his Church."
The first 8 verses of Chapter 2 are clearly speaking
to everyone getting an opportunity at Salvation and
the admonition that we should be looking at everyone
we encounter knowing they will have this opportunity
and treating them accordingly.
Who gave himself a ransom for
all - This also is stated as a reason why
prayer should be offered for all, and a proof that
God desires the salvation of all. The argument is,
that as Christ died for all, it is proper to pray
for all, and that the fact that he died for all is
proof that God desired the salvation of all.
Whatever proof of his desire for their salvation can
be derived from this in relation to any of the race,
is proof in relation to all. On the meaning of the
phrase “he gave himself a ransom,” see the Matthew
20:28 note; Romans 3:25 note; on the fact that it
was for “all,”.
Let us look at the commentary for Matthew 20:28
Note:
everything in this text box taken from
Barnes Notes.
Matthew 20:28
Even as the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28 - To
give his life a ransom for many - The
word “ransom” means literally a price paid
for the redemption of captives. In war, when
prisoners are taken by an enemy, the money
demanded for their release is called a
ransom; that is, it is the means by which
they are set at liberty. So anything that
releases anyone from a state of punishment,
or suffering, or sin, is called a ransom.
People are by nature captives to sin. They
are sold under it. They are under
condemnation, Ephesians 2:3; Romans 3:9-20,
Romans 3:23; 1 John 5:19. They are under a
curse, Galatians 3:10. They are in love with
sin They are under its withering dominion,
and are exposed to death eternal, Ezekiel
18:4; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 11:6; Psalm 68:2;
Psalm 139:19; Matthew 25:46; Romans 2:6-9.
They must have perished unless there had
been some way by which they could he
rescued. This was done by the death of Jesus
- by giving his life a ransom. The meaning
is, that he died in the place of sinners,
and that God was willing to accept the pains
of his death in the place of the eternal
suffering [second
death] of the redeemed.
Quoted verses:
Verse regarding we are under condemnation
because of sin:
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God.
Verse regarding we are under a curse:
Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that continueth not in
all things which are written in the book of
the law to do them.
Verse regarding sin leading to eternal
death:
Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of
the father, so also the soul of the son is
mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
The reasons why such a ransom was necessary
are:
1. that God had declared that the sinner
shall die; that is, that he would punish, or
show his hatred to, all sin.
2. that all people had sinned, and, if
justice was to take its regular course, all
must perish.
3. that man could make no atonement for his
own sins. All that he could do, were he
holy, would be only to do his duty, and
would make no amends for the past.
Repentance and future obedience would not
blot away one sin.
4. No man was pure, and no angel could make
atonement. God was pleased, therefore, to
appoint his only-begotten Son to make such a
ransom. See John 3:16; 1 John 4:10; 1 Peter
1:18-19; Revelation 13:8; John :29;
Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 8:2-7; Isaiah
53:1-12;
This is commonly called the atonement.
Quoted verses:
Quoted verse for Point 4 regarding Jesus
dying that we might live:
1 Peter1:18-19
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver
and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as
of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
For many - See
also Matthew 26:28; John 10:15; 1 Timothy
2:6; 1 John 2:2; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15;
Hebrews 2:9.
Quoted verse:
2 Corinthians
5:14-15
13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is
to God: or whether we be sober, it is for
your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us;
because we thus judge, that if one died for
all, then were all dead:
---end of
commentary on Matthew 20:28--- |
Now back into the Barnes Notes for the second
half of the verse:
To be testified in due time
- Margin, “a testimony.” The Greek is, “the
testimony in its own times,” or in proper times.
There have been very different explanations of this
phrase. The common interpretation, and that which
seems to me to be correct, is, that “the testimony
of this will be furnished in the proper time; that
is, in the proper time it shall be made known
through all the world;” see Rosenmuller. Paul
affirms it as a great and important truth that
Christ gave himself a ransom for all mankind - for
Jews and Gentiles; for all classes and conditions of
people alike. This truth had not always been
understood. The Jews had supposed that salvation was
designed exclusively for their nation, and denied
that it could be extended to others, unless they
became Jews. According to them, salvation was not
provided for, or offered to pagans as such, but only
on condition that they became Jews. In opposition to
this, Paul says that it was a doctrine of revelation
that redemption was to be provided for all people,
and that it was intended that the testimony to this
should be afforded at the proper time. It was not
fully made known under the ancient dispensation, but
now the period had come when it should be
communicated to all.
~Barnes Notes
Let us now continue in other commentaries on today's
verse:
Who gave himself a ransom - The word λυτρον
signifies a ransom paid for the redemption of a
captive; and, the word used here, and applied to the
death of Christ, signifies that ransom which
consists in the exchange of one person for another,
or the redemption of life by life; or, as Schleusner
has expressed it in his translation of these words,
“He who by his death has redeemed all from the power
and punishment of vice, from the slavery and misery
of sinners.” As God is the God and father of all,
(for there is but one God, 1 Timothy 2:5), and Jesus
Christ the mediator of all, so he gave himself a
ransom for all; i.e., for all that God made,
consequently for every human soul; unless we could
suppose that there are human souls of which God is
not the Creator; for the argument of the apostle is
plainly this:
1. There is one God;
2. This God is the Creator of all;
3. He has made a revelation of his kindness to all;
4. He will have all men to be saved, and come unto
the knowledge of the truth; and
5.He has provided a mediator for all, who has given
himself a ransom for all. As surely as God has
created all men, so surely has Jesus Christ died for
all men. This is a truth which the nature and
revelation of God unequivocally proclaim.
To be testified in due time
- The original words, are not very clear, and
have been understood variously. The most authentic
copies of the printed Vulgate have simply,
Testimonium temporibus suis; which Calmet
translates: “Thus rendering testimony at the
appointed time.” Dr. Macknight thus: Of which the
testimony is in its proper season. Wakefield thus:
“That testimony reserved to its proper time”
Rosenmullen: “This is the doctrine which is reserved
for its own times;” that is, adds he, “the doctrine
which in its own time shall be delivered to all the
inhabitants of the earth.” Here he translates,
doctrine; and contends that this, not testimony, is
its meaning, not only in this passage, but in 1
Corinthians 1:6; 1 Corinthians2:1, etc. Instead of
testimony, one MS., [Cod.
Kk., vi. 4, in the public library, Cambridge],
has, mystery; but this is not acknowledged by any
other MS., nor by any version. In D*FG the whole
clause is read thus: The testimony of which was
given in its own times. This is nearly the reading
which was adopted in the first printed copies of the
Vulgate. One of them now before me reads the passage
thus: “The testimony of which is confirmed in its
own times.” This appears to be the apostle’s
meaning: Christ gave himself a ransom for all. This,
in the times which seemed best to the Divine wisdom,
was to be testified to every nation, and people, and
tongue. The apostles had begun this testimony; and,
in the course of the Divine economy, it has ever
since been gradually promulgated; and at present
runs with a more rapid course than ever.
~Adam
Clarke
Quoted Verses:
1 Corinthians 1:6
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in
you.
1 Corinthians 2:1
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto
you the testimony of God.
Now from the John Gill [edited by me]:
Who gave himself a ransom for
all - What the Mediator gave as a ransom for
men is "himself", his body and his soul, which were
both made an offering for sin; and his life, which
is the result of union between soul and body; his
whole human nature as in union with his divine
person, and so might be truly said to be himself:
this he gave into the hands of men, of justice and
of death; and that voluntarily, which shows his
great love to his people; and also as a "ransom", or
a ransom price for them, in their room and stead; to
ransom them from the slavery of sin, and damnation
by it, from the captivity of Satan, and the bondage
of the law, and from the grave, death, hell, ruin,
and destruction [second
death]: and this ransom was given for
"all".
It intends that Christ gave himself a ransom for all
sorts of men, for men of every rank and quality, of
every state and condition, of every age and sex, and
for all sorts of sinners, and for some out of every
kindred, tongue, people, and nation, for both Jews
and Gentiles; which latter may more especially be
designed by all, as they are sometimes by the world,
and the whole world; and so contains another
argument why all sorts of men are to be prayed for,
since the same ransom price is given for them; as
that for the children of Israel was the same, for
the rich as for the poor.
~John Gill
Now from the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown
gave himself — (Titus
2:14). Not only the Father gave Him for us (John
3:16); but the Son gave Himself (Philippians 2:5-8).
Quoted verses:
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a
peculiar people, zealous of good works.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross.
ransom — properly of a
captive slave. Man was the captive slave of Satan,
sold under sin. He was unable to ransom himself,
because absolute obedience is due to God, and
therefore no act of ours can satisfy for the least
offense. Leviticus 25:48 allowed one sold captive to
be redeemed by one of his brethren. The Son of God,
therefore, became man in order that, being made like
unto us in all things, sin only excepted, as our
elder brother He should redeem us (Matthew 20:28;
Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18, 1 Peter 1:19). The
Greek implies not merely ransom, but a substituted
or equivalent ransom: the Greek preposition, “anti,”
implying reciprocity and vicarious substitution.
Quoted verses:
Leviticus 25:48
After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one
of his brethren may redeem him:
Matthew 20:28 [discussed
above]
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom
for many.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace;
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from
your vain conversation received by tradition from
your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot:
for all — Greek, “in
behalf of all”: not merely for a privileged few;
compare 1 Timothy 2:1 : the argument for praying in
behalf of all is given here.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 2:1
I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men;
to be testified —
Greek, “the testimony in its own due times,” or
seasons, that is, in the times appointed by God for
its being testified of (1Timothy 6:15; Titus 1:3).
The oneness of the Mediator, involving the
universality of redemption (which faith, however,
alone appropriates), was the great subject of
Christian testimony [Alford] (1 Corinthians 1:6; 1
Corinthians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:10).
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 6:15
Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed
and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of
lords.
Titus 1:3
But hath in due times manifested his word through
preaching, which is committed unto me according to
the commandment of God our Saviour.
1 Corinthians 1:6
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in
you:
1 Corinthians 2:1
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto
you the testimony of God.
2 Thessalonians 1:10
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints,
and to be admired in all them that believe (because
our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
~Jamieson, Fausset and
Brown |