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| 1 Timothy 4:16 |
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both
save thyself, and them that hear thee.
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before doing a study on any
single verse, read all the verses from the beginning
of the chapter to this point and maybe a verse or
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1 Timothy 4:11-16
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an
example of the believers, in word, in conversation,
in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was
given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the
hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly
to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both
save thyself, and them that hear thee.
THE PERSONAL DUTY OF THE CHRISTIAN LEADER
HERE in this passage is set out in the most vivid
way the personal duty of every Christian leader.
(1) Christian leaders must remember that they have
been set apart for a special task by the Church.
Their position does not make sense apart from the
Church. Their commission came from it; their work is
within its fellowship; their duty is to build others
into it. That is why the really important work of
the Christian Church is never done by any travelling
evangelist but always by its settled ministry.
(2) Christian leaders must remember the duty to
think about these things. Their great danger is
intellectual laziness and the closed mind,
neglecting to study and allowing their thoughts to
continue in well-worn grooves. The danger is that
new truths, new methods and the attempt to restate
the faith in contemporary terms may merely annoy
them. Christian leaders must be Christian thinkers
or they fail in their task; and to be a Christian
thinker is to be an adventurous thinker as long as
life lasts.
(3) Christian leaders must remember the duty of
concentration. The danger is that they may waste
their energies on many things which are not central
to the Christian faith. They are presented with the
invitation to many duties and confronted with the
claims of many spheres of service. There was a
prophet who confronted Ahab with a kind of parable.
He said that in a battle a man brought him a
prisoner to guard, telling him that if the prisoner
escaped his own life would be forfeit; but he
allowed his attention to wander, and ‘while your
servant was busy here and there, he was gone’ (1
Kings 20:35–43). It is easy for a Christian leader
to be busy here and there, and to let the central
things go. Concentration is a prime duty of all
Christian leaders.
(4) Christian leaders must remember the duty of
progress. Their progress must be evident to all. It
is all too true of most of us that the same things
get the better of us year in and year out; that as
year succeeds year, we are no further on. Christian
leaders plead with others to become more like
Christ. How can they do so with honesty unless daily
they become more like the Master to whom they belong
and whom they seek to serve? The first prayer of
Christian leaders must be that they may grow more
like Christ, for only in this way will they be able
to lead others to him.
~Barclay's Commentary
Verse 16 is in five parts:
1] Take heed unto thyself.
2] [Take heed]
unto the doctrine.
3] Continue in them.
4] For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself.
5] [Thou shalt save]
them that hear thee.
1] TAKE HEED UNTO THYSELF
Take heed unto thyself
- This may be understood as relating to everything
of a personal nature that would qualify him for his
work. It may be applied to personal piety; to
health; to manners; to habits of living; to temper;
to the ruling purposes; to the contact with others.
In relation to personal religion, a minister should
take heed:
(1) that he has true piety; and,
(2) that he is advancing in the knowledge and love
of God. In relation to morals, he should be upright;
to his contact with others, and his personal habits,
he should be correct, consistent, and gentlemanly,
so as to give needless offence to none. The person
of a minister should be neat and cleanly; his
manners such as will show the fair influence of
religion on his temper and deportment; his style of
conversation such as will be an example to the old
and the young, and such as will not offend against
the proper laws of courtesy and urbanity. There is
no religion in a filthy person; in uncouth manners;
in an inconvenient and strange form of apparel; in
bad grammar, and in slovenly habits - and to be a
real gentleman should be as much a matter of
conscience with a minister of the gospel as to be a
real Christian. Indeed, under the full and fair
influence of the gospel, the one always implies the
other. Religion refines the manners - it does not
corrupt them; it makes one courteous, polite, and
kind - it never produces boorish manners, or habits
that give offence to the well-bred and the refined.
~Barnes Notes
Take heed unto thyself
- See that the life of God remains and the work of
God prospers in thine own soul. Take heed to thy
doctrine, that the matter be pure and orthodox; that
thou teach nothing for truth but what God has
revealed. ~Adam Clarke
Take heed unto thyself
- Not as a man, or a Christian only, but as a
minister; and as every minister should take heed to
his life and conversation, that it be exemplary, as
in 1Timothy 4:12 to his gifts, that they be not
lost, or neglected, but used and improved; to the
errors and heresies abroad, that he be not infected
with them; and to his flock, which is the other part
of himself, that he feed it with knowledge and
understanding: and to thy doctrine: preached by him,
that it be according to the Scriptures, be the
doctrine of Christ, and his apostles, and according
to godliness; that it tend to edification, and is
pure, incorrupt, and all of a piece; and that it be
expressed in the best manner, with all boldness and
plainness; and that he defend it against all
opposition: ~John Gill
Take heed unto thyself
- This is the special duty of every minister. Let
him watch himself first of all.
~People's New Testament
2] TAKE HEED UNTO THE
DOCTRINE
And unto the doctrine -
The kind of teaching which you give, or to your
public instructions. The meaning is, that he should
hold and teach only the truth. He was to “take heed”
to the whole business of public instruction; that
is, both to the matter and the manner. The great
object was to get as much truth as possible before
the minds of his hearers, and in such a way as to
produce the deepest impression on them.
~Barnes Notes
And unto the doctrine -
The two requisites of a good pastor: His teaching
will be of no avail unless his own life accord with
it; and his own purity of life is not enough unless
he be diligent in teaching. This verse is a summary
of 1 Timothy 4:12.
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 4:12
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example
of the believers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. [see lesson
on this verse]
And unto the doctrine -
Take heed what you teach.
~People's New Testament
3] CONTINUE IN THEM
Continue in them - That
is, in these things which have been specified. He
was ever to be found perseveringly engaged in the
performance of these duties.
~Barnes Notes
Continue in them -
i.e., In taking heed to thyself and to thy doctrine;
for this must be thy continual study. Without this,
the Divine influence shall recede from thy heart,
and the Divine gift from thy intellect; and, like
Samson shorn of his strength, thou wilt soon become
as another man, as any common man; thy power will
depart from thee, and thou shalt be no longer able
to persuade; the Unction shall depart from thee,
and, destitute of spiritual feeling thyself, thou
shalt not be able to cause others to feel. Take the
apostle’s advice, and thou shalt save thy own soul,
and the souls of them that hear thee.
~Adam Clarke
Note:
Every firstfruit will have moments of doubt
regarding his or her calling or whether they
currently have the Holy Spirit. These are
almost always momentary and totally different from
what I just read in the commentary.
Continue in them - or
"with them"; the members of the church at Ephesus;
or rather in the doctrines of the Gospel; which
should be done, though a majority is against them;
though rejected by the wise, learned, and rich;
though not to be comprehended by carnal reason; and
though loaded with reproach and scandal; and though
persecuted, yea even unto death for them:
~John Gill
Continue in them — (see
2 Timothy 3:14). ~Jamieson,
Fausset, Brown
Quoted verse:
2 Timothy 3:14
But continue thou in the things which thou hast
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom
thou hast learned them.
4] FOR IN DOING THIS THOU
SHALT BOTH SAVE THYSELF
For in doing this thou shalt
both save thyself - By holding of the truth,
and by the faithful performance of your duties, you
will secure the salvation of the soul. We are not to
suppose that the apostle meant to teach that this
would be the meritorious cause of his salvation, but
that these faithful labors would be regarded as an
evidence of piety, and would be accepted as such. It
is equivalent to saying, that an unfaithful minister
of the gospel cannot be saved; one who faithfully
performs all the duties of that office with a right
spirit, will be. ~Barnes
Notes
for in doing this, thou shall
both save thyself - a minister by taking heed
to himself, and doctrine, saves himself from the
pollutions of the world, from the errors and
heresies of false teachers, from the blood of all
men, and from all just blame in his ministry.
~John Gill
5] THOU SHALT SAVE THEM
THAT HEAR THEE
And them that hear thee
- That is, you will be the means of their salvation.
It is not necessary to suppose that the apostle
meant to teach that he would save all that heard
him. The declaration is to be understood in a
popular sense, and it is undoubtedly true that a
faithful minister will be the means of saving many
sinners. This assurance furnishes a ground of
encouragement for a minister of the gospel. He may
hope for success, and should look for success. He
has the promise of God that if he is faithful he
shall see the fruit of his labors, and this result
of his work is a sufficient reward for all the toils
and sacrifices and self-denials of the ministry.
Yet what minister of the gospel is there, who is at
all faithful to his trust, who is not made the
honored instrument of the salvation [contributor]
of many more than one? Few are the devoted ministers
of Christ who are not permitted to see evidence even
here, that their labor has not been in vain. Let
not, then, the faithful preacher be discouraged. A
single soul rescued from death will be a gem in his
eternal crown brighter by far than ever sparkled on
the brow of royalty.
~Barnes Notes
Note: In my
experience, ministers may see some of the fruits of
their labor but the great stories may not be known
to him until the Kingdom.
And them that hear thee
- by being an example to them in doctrine and
conversation, a minister is the means of saving and
preserving those that attend on him, from erroneous
principles, and immoral practices; and by faithfully
preaching the Gospel to his hearers, he is
instrumental in their eternal salvation; for though
Jesus Christ is the only Saviour, the only efficient
and procuring cause of salvation, yet the ministers
of the Gospel are instruments by which souls believe
in him, and so are saved; the word preached by them,
being attended with the Spirit of God, becomes the
engrafted word, which is able to save, and is the
power of God unto salvation; and nothing can more
animate and engage the ministers of the word to take
heed to themselves and doctrine, and abide therein,
than this, of being the happy instruments of
converting sinners, and saving them from death; see
James 5:20. ~John Gill
Quoted verse:
James 5:20
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner
from the error of his way shall save a soul from
death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
6] COMMENTARY FOR PARTS 4-5
1 Timothy 4:16
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both
(h) save thyself, and
them that hear thee.
(h) Faith is by
hearing, and hearing by preaching: and therefore the
ministers of the word are so said to save themselves
and others, because in them the Lord has put the
word of reconciliation.
~Geneva Bible Translation Notes
Note: I speak
much to the fact that the sermon is as much for the
minister giving the sermon as it is for the
congregation. It is all about the Word of God being
uttered and discussed. The minister is a human in
the Salvation Process. The Word of God is spiritual.
The Word of God is the agent or element doing the
saving denoted in this verse.
thou shalt ... save thyself,
and them that hear thee — (Ezekiel 33:9;
James 5:20). In performing faithfully his duty to
others, the minister is promoting his own salvation.
Indeed he cannot “give heed unto the teaching” of
others, unless he be at the same time “giving heed
unto himself.” ~Jamieson,
Fausset, Brown
Quoted verses:
Ezekiel 33:9
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to
turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he
shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered
thy soul.
James 5:20
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner
from the error of his way shall save a soul from
death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Let us finish in the Treasury of Scriptural
Knowledge. For the sake of time I will only
read a couple of these but post them in the text for
your further study of this lesson.
1] Take heed unto thyself:
1 Chronicles 28:10
Take heed
now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house
for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.
2 Chronicles 19:6
And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye
judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you
in the judgment.
Mark 13:9
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver
you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall
be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and
kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Luke 21:34
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day
come upon you unawares.
Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto
me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the
foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let
every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is
laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Colossians 4:17
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry
which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou
fulfil it.
2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the
word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Titus 2:7
In all
things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in
doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Titus 2:15
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all
authority. Let no man despise thee.
Hebrews 12:15
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
2 John 1:8
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things
which we have wrought, but that we receive a full
reward.
2] Take heed unto the doctrine:
1 Timothy 4:6
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these
things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus
Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of
good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1 Timothy 1:3
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I
went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some
that they teach no other doctrine,
Romans 16:17
Now I
beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Ephesians 4:14
That we
henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro,
and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive;
Titus 2:7
...mentioned above
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good
works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity,
sincerity,
Hebrews 13:9
Be not
carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For
it is a good thing that the heart be established
with grace; not with meats, which have not profited
them that have been occupied therein.
2 John 1:9
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the
doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and
the Son.
3] Continue in them:
Acts 6:4
But we will
give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
ministry of the word.
Acts 26:22
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue
unto this day, witnessing both to small and great,
saying none other things than those which the
prophets and Moses did say should come:
Romans 2:7
To them who
by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory
and honour and immortality, eternal life:
2 Timothy 3:14
But continue thou in the things which thou hast
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom
thou hast learned them;
Titus 1:9
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.
4] For in doing this thou shalt
both save thyself
Ezekiel 3:19-21
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from
his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall
die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy
soul.
20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his
righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a
stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because
thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his
sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall
not be remembered; but his
blood will I require at thine hand.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that
the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall
surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast
delivered thy soul.
Ezekiel 33:7-9
7 So thou, O
son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the
house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word
at my mouth, and warn them from me.
8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou
shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the
wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine
hand.
9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way
to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he
shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered
thy soul.
Acts 20:26-27
26 Wherefore I take you to record this
day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all
the counsel of God.
1 Corinthians 9:27
But I keep
under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest
that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway.
5] Thou shalt save them that hear
thee
Isaiah 55:11
So shall my
word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall
not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish
that which I please, and it shall prosper in the
thing whereto I sent it.
Jeremiah 23:22
But if they
had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to
hear my words, then they should have turned them
from their evil way, and from the evil of their
doings.
Romans 10:10-14
10 For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on
him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and
the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto
all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved.
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?
1 Corinthians 9:22
To the weak
became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am
made all things to all men, that I might by all
means save some.
1 Thessalonians 2:16
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they
might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the
wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of
rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.
2 Timothy 2:10
Therefore I
endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they
may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ
Jesus with eternal glory.
Philemon 1:19
I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will
repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest
unto me even thine own self besides.
James 5:20
Let him know, that he which converteth
the sinner from the error of his way shall save a
soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
RECAP OF THIS
LESSON:
1] Take heed unto thyself
a. Consider every aspect of yourself including piety,
health and manners.
b. Consider appearance, dress, grammar, habits and
relationships.
c. Let religion refine your manners.
d. Be courteous, polite and kind.
e. Allow the life of God and the work of God to
prosper you soul; your life.
f. Ministers [and all firstfruits]: consider and
invoked your gifts that God as given you. Be
constantly improving. Immerse yourself in Word and
Doctrine. Express the Word with boldness and
plainness. Defend it against all opposition. Keep an
eye on yourself first.
2] Take Heed unto the
Doctrine
a. Hold only the truth.
b. Consider what is taught and what is heard.
c. Be a good example of Doctrine and/or the Word of
God.
3] Continue in them
a. Continue in the Word of God and its instruction
and principles and commands.
b. Never stop or neglect Bible study.
c. Divine influence must be continual.
d. Continue with the Word of God despite the world
and family/friends being opposed to it.
e. Be assured of what you learn in the Word of God.
4] For in doing this thou
shalt both save thyself.
a. All sermons, Bible studies and teachings are for
the minister too.
b. Stay in the Salvation Process.
c. Any pastor in trouble with his ministry is surely
in trouble with his Salvation Process and vice
versa.
d. Avoid false doctrines and heresies of false
teachers.
5] Thou shalt save them
that hear thee.
a. The Word of God, in and through Christ, not the
minister is doing the saving.
b. God works both with firstfruits and firstfruits
who are in the servant duty position of minister.
c. The ministry was created by God to help the
people in their Salvation Process.
d. A true minister does all ministerial work by
power of the Holy Spirit.
6] Commentary on parts 4
and 5
a. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by
preaching.
b. There is no way a true minister can help the
congregation without helping himself. |
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