Survey of the Letters of Paul: 1 Timothy 1:17
1 Timothy 1:17| Now the commentary on John 1:18: John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time - This declaration is probably made to show the superiority of the revelation of Jesus above that of any previous dispensation. It is said, therefore, that Jesus “had an intimate knowledge of God,” which neither Moses nor any of the ancient prophets had possessed. God is invisible: no human eyes have seen him; but Christ had a knowledge of God which might be expressed to our apprehension by saying that he saw him. He knew him intimately and completely, and was therefore fitted to make a fuller manifestation of him. See John 5:37; John 6:46; 1 John 4:12; Exodus 33:20; John 14:9. This passage is not meant to deny that men had witnessed “manifestations” of God, as when he appeared to Moses and the prophets (compare Numbers 12:8; Isaiah 6:1-13); but it is meant that no one has seen the essence of God, or has “fully known God.” The prophets delivered what they “heard” God speak; Jesus what he knew of God as his equal, and as understanding fully nature. John 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. John 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? ~Barnes Notes ------------------------------ Numbers 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Isaiah 6:1-13 (whole chapter) 1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. 11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, 12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. 13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. ~ Barnes Notes |
The only wise God - notes, Romans 16:27. The word
“wise” is missing in many mss., and in some editions
of the New Testament. It is omitted by Griesbach;
marked as doubtful by Tittman, and rejected in the
valuable edition of Hahn. Erasmus conjectures that
it was added against the Arians, who maintained that
the Father only was God, and that as he is here
mentioned as such, the word wise was interpolated to
denote merely that the attribute of perfect wisdom
belonged only to him. Wetstein regards the reading
as genuine, and suspects that in some of the early
manuscripts where it is missing it was omitted by
the transcriber, because it was regarded as
inelegant for two adjectives to be united in this
manner. It is not easy to determine as to the
genuineness of the reading. The sense is not
materially affected, whichever view be adopted. It
is true that Yahweh is the only God; it is also true
that he is the only wise God. The gods of the pagan
are “vanity and a lie,” and they are wholly
destitute of wisdom; see Psalm 115:3-8; Psalm
135:15-18; Isaiah 40:18-20; Isaiah 44:10-17.
~Barnes Notes
Psalm 115:3-8
3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done
whatsoever he hath pleased.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's
hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have
they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have
they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have
they, but they walk not: neither speak they through
their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto them; so is
every one that trusteth in them.
Psalm 135:15-18
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the
work of men's hands.
16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have
they, but they see not;
17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is
there any breath in their mouths.
18 They that make them are like unto them: so is
every one that trusteth in them.
Isaiah 40:18-20
18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness
will ye compare unto him?
19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the
goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth
silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no
oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he
seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a
graven image, that shall not be moved.
Isaiah 44:10-17
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image
that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the
workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered
together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear,
and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the
coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh
it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry,
and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and
is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh
it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and
he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it
after the figure of a man, according to the beauty
of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress
and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself
among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash,
and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will
take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it,
and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and
worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and
falleth down thereto.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part
thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is
satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha,
I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his
graven image: he falleth down unto it, and
worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith,
Deliver me; for thou art my god. ~Barnes Notes
Be honour - Let there be all the respect and
veneration shown to him which is his due. ~Barnes
Notes
And glory - Praise. Let him be praised by all for
ever. ~Barnes Notes
Amen - So be it; an expression of strong
affirmation; John 3:3. Here it is used to denote the
solemn assent of the heart to the sentiment conveyed
by the words used; see the Matthew 6:13 note; 1
Corinthians 14:16 note. ~Barnes Notes
Let us look at the three verses and commentary
referenced in this commentary on the word, "Amen."
| John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Now the commentary on, "Amen." Amen - This is a word of Hebrew origin, from a verb signifying “to be firm, secure, to be true and faithful.” It is a word expressing consent or strong approbation [warm approval or praise]; a word of strong asseveration [solemn declaration]. It means “verily, certainly, so be it.” It is probable that this word was used by the people in the synagogue to signify their assent to the prayer that was uttered by the minister, and, to some extent, it was probably so used in the Christian Church. 1 Corinthians 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? And the commentary: Say Amen - This word means “truly, verily;” and is an expression of affirmation John 3:5 or of assent. Here it means assent. How can he pronounce “the” Amen; how can he express his assent; how can he join in the act of devotion? This “might” have been, and probably “was,” expressed aloud; and there is no impropriety in it. It “may,” however, be “mental” - a silent assent to what is said, and a silent uniting in the act of thanksgiving. In one way or the other, or in both, the assent should always be expressed by those who join in acts of public worship. ~Barnes Notes |
Now from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge...
Now unto the King eternal:
Psalm 10:16
The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are
perished out of his land.
Malachi 1:14
But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock
a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a
corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD
of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
Revelation 17:14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb
shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and
King of kings: and they that are with him are
called, and chosen, and faithful.
Invisible:
John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten
Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath
declared him.
Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal power and
Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
The only wise God:
Romans 16:27
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for
ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus,
and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.
Judges 1:25
And when he shewed them the entrance into the city,
they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but
they let go the man and all his family.
be honor and glory fore ever and ever:
Psalm 72:18-19
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who
only doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and
let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen,
and Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus
throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Revelation 7:12
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be
unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Amen:
Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and
the glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.