Survey
of the Letters of Paul: 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.
Let us begin with the Barclay Commentary for
verses 6-10
ADVICE TO A SERVANT OF CHRIST
1 Timothy 4:6–10
If you lay these things before the brothers, you
will be a fine servant of Jesus Christ, if you feed
your life on the words of faith, and the fine
teaching of which you have been a student and a
follower. Refuse to have anything to do with
irreligious stories like the tales old women tell to
children. Train yourself towards the goal of true
godliness. The training of the body has only a
limited value; but training in godliness has a
universal value for mankind, because it has the
promise of life in this present age, and life in the
age to come. This is a saying which deserves to be
accepted by all. The reason why we toil and struggle
so hard is that we have set our hopes on the living
God, who is the Saviour of all men, and especially
of those who believe.
THIS passage is closely packed with practical
advice, not only for Timothy but for any servant of
the Church who is charged with the duty of work and
leadership.
(1) It tells us how to instruct others. The word
used for laying these things (hupotithesthai) before
the brothers is significant. It does not mean to
issue orders but rather to advise, to suggest. It is
a gentle, humble and modest word. It means that
teachers must never dogmatically and belligerently
lay down the law. It means that they must act rather
as if they were reminding people of what they
already knew or suggesting to them, not that they
should learn from them, but that they should
discover from their own hearts what is right.
Guidance given in gentleness will always be more
effective than bullying instructions laid down with
force. It is possible to lead people when they will
refuse to be driven.
(2) It tells us how to face the task of teaching.
Timothy is told that he must feed his life on the
words of faith. No one can give out without taking
in. Those who teach must be continually learning. It
is the reverse of the truth that when people become
teachers they cease to be learners; each day they
must come to know Jesus Christ better before they
can bring him to others.
(3) It tells us what to avoid. Timothy is to avoid
pointlesstales like those which old women tell to
children. It is easy to get lost in side issues and
to get entangled in things which are at best
embellishments. It is on the great central truths
that people must constantly feed their minds and
nourish their faith.
(4) It tells us what to seek. Timothy is told that,
as athletes train their bodies, so Christians must
train their souls. It is not that bodily fitness is
despised; the Christian faith believes that the body
is the temple of the Holy Spirit. But Paul is
pleading for a sense of proportion. Physical
training is good, and even essential; but its use is
limited. It develops only part of an individual, and
it produces only results which last for a short
time, for the body passes away. Training in
godliness develops the whole person in body, mind
and spirit, and its results affect not only time but
eternity as well. Christians are not athletes of the
gymnasium, they are the athletes of God. The
greatest of the Greeks recognized this. The Athenian
orator Isocrates wrote: ‘No ascetic ought to train
his body as a king ought to train his soul.’ ‘Train
yourself by submitting willingly to toils, so that
when they come on you unwillingly you will be able
to endure them.’
(5) It shows us the basis of the whole matter. No
one has ever claimed that the Christian life is an
easy way; but its goal is God. It is because life is
lived in the presence of God and ends in his still
nearer presence that Christians are willing to
struggle so hard. The greatness of the goal makes
the toil worth while.
~Barclay Commentary
Now to the other commentaries...
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things - Of the truths just
stated. They are, therefore, proper subjects to preach upon. It is the duty of
the ministry to show to the people of their charge what “is” error and where it
may be apprehended, and to caution them to avoid it. ~Barnes Notes
Nourished up in the words of faith - That is, you will be then “a good minister
of Jesus Christ, as becomes one who has been nourished up in the words of faith,
or trained up in the doctrines of religion.” The apostle evidently designs to
remind Timothy of the manner in which he had been trained, and to show him how
he might act in accordance with that. From one who had been thus educated, it
was reasonable to expect that he would be a faithful and exemplary minister of
the gospel. ~Barnes Notes
Whereunto thou hast attained - The word used here means, properly, to accompany
side by side; to follow closely; to follow out, trace, or examine. It is
rendered “shall follow,” in Matthew 16:17; “having had understanding,” in Luke
1:3; and “hast fully known,” in 2 Timothy 3:10. It does not elsewhere occur in
the New Testament. The meaning here seems to be, that Timothy had followed out
the doctrines in which he had been trained to their legitimate results; he had
accurately seen and understood their bearing, as leading him to embrace the
Christian religion. His early training in the Scriptures of the Old Testament 2
Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:15, he had now fully carried out, by embracing the Lord
Jesus as the Messiah, and by evincing the proper results of the early teaching
which he had received in connection with that religion. If he now followed the
directions of the apostle, he would be a minister of the Lord Jesus, worthy of
the attainments in religious knowledge which he had made, and of the
expectations which had been formed of him. No young man should, by neglect,
indolence, or folly, disappoint the reasonable expectations of his friends.
Their cherished hopes are a proper ground of appeal to him, and it may be
properly demanded of every one that he shall carry out to their legitimate
results all the principles of his early training, and that he shall be in his
profession all that his early advantages make it reasonable to “expect” that he
will be. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Matthew 16:17 phrase "to accompany side by side" here is "shall
follow"
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 1: 3 phrase "to accompany side by side" here is "having had
understanding."
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from
the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
2 Timothy 3:10 phrase "to accompany side by side here" is "hast fully
known"
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith,
longsuffering, charity, patience,
2 Timothy 1:5 Timothy's early training in the scriptures
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt
first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in
thee also.
2 Timothy 3:15 Timothy's early training in the scriptures
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Now to the Adam Clarke
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things - Show the Church that,
even now, there is danger of this apostasy; put them on their guard against it;
for the forewarned are half armed. Schoettgen supposes from this verse that what
is spoken above refers to the Jews alone; and that there is no reference here to
a Church which in after ages might apostatize from, or corrupt, the true
doctrine of our Lord and Savior. Bishop Newton and others are of a different
opinion.
Nourished up in the words of faith - By acting as I command thee, thou wilt show
that thou art a good minister of Jesus Christ, and that thou hast been nourished
from thy youth upon the doctrines of faith. The apostle seems to allude here to
Timothy’s Christian education.
Whereunto thou hast attained - Which thou hast thoroughly understood. ~Adam
Clarke
Let us go now to John Gill...
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things - Either of all the main
and principal things already mentioned in the preceding chapters; as that the
end of the commandment is love; that Christ's coming into the world to save the
chief of sinners is a faithful saying, and worthy of acceptation; that prayers
should be made for all sorts of men, for the reasons given; and that there is
salvation for men and women through the incarnate Son of God; that such and such
are the qualifications of elders and deacons; and that the incarnation of Christ
is, without controversy, the great mystery of godliness: or of the things which
are particularly hinted at in the prophecy delivered in the beginning of this
chapter; as that there should be a falling off from the doctrine of faith in the
latter days; that this should come to pass through attending to erroneous
spirits, and doctrines of "demons", and through the lies of hypocritical,
hardened, and infamous men; whose particular dogmas, by which they might be
known, would be, to forbid marriage to certain persons, which is of divine
institution and honourable, and to order an abstinence from meats at certain
times, contrary to the will and providence of God. These the apostle would have
Timothy propose, and subject to consideration, and from time to time refresh the
memories of the saints with, who are apt, through negligence and inattention,
and the weakness of the natural faculty, to be forgetful hearers of the word;
that whenever such persons should arise, they might be on their guard against
them. It is one part of the business of Gospel ministers to put the churches in
mind of what they have received and known, and are established in. By "the
brethren" are meant the members of the church at Ephesus; whom the apostle
accounted as brethren, being of the same family and household, and would have
Timothy reckon and use as such, and not as subjects and servants, to be lorded
over.
Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ - a minister of Jesus Christ is
one of his making, qualifying, calling, and sending; and who makes Christ, the
doctrines respecting his person and offices, his grace, righteousness, and
salvation, the subject of his ministry; and he is a good one, who, besides
having a good work of grace wrought in him, has good gifts and abilities from
Christ, and who makes a good use of them, and freely and fully imparts them for
the good of others; and being employed in a good work, he abides in it, and
nothing can deter or remove him from it; and such an one was Timothy, and so
would it be manifest by doing what the apostle hints unto him; as well as he
would appear to be
nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine - by which are meant
the truths of the Gospel, called the words of faith, because they are things to
be believed, hold forth the object of faith, Christ, and are the means by which
faith comes, and is increased: and good doctrine, being the doctrine of the
Scriptures, and of Christ, and of his apostles, and according to godliness; and
contain good things, which make for the glory of the grace of God, and the
comfort and welfare of firstfruit souls. These are of a nourishing nature; they
are the wholesome and salutary words of Christ; they have in them milk for
babes, and meat for strong men; by which both grow and thrive, when error eats
as does a canker. So Philo the Jew speaks of the soul, being "nourished with
sciences", and not with food and drink, which the body needs; and a little after
he says, you see the food of the soul what it is, it is the continual word of
God. Now Timothy, by discharging his work aright, would show to the brethren,
that as he had been nourished and trained up, first under his religious parents,
and then under the Apostle Paul; so he still continued in the same truths, and
to live and feed upon them, and to be nourished by them: or the words may be
rendered actively,
nourishing - that is, either himself, as the Syriac version renders it, or
others; for though all nourishment comes from Christ the head, yet it is
ministered by joints and bands to the members; it is conveyed by the means of
the word and ordinances, ministered by the preachers of the Gospel, who feed the
church with knowledge, and with understanding; and none but those who are
nourished themselves are fit to be the nourishes of others; and such an one was
this evangelist: for it follows,
whereunto thou hast attained - he had arrived to a considerable degree of
knowledge of Gospel truths, and was still pursuing and following on to know more
of them, and was exhorted to continue in them, knowing of whom he had learned
them. All this is said by way of encouragement to him to do as the apostle
directs. ~John Gill
Recap:
Question: What makes for a good minister of Jesus Christ? Answer:
1] He is nourished up in the words of faith. He is immersed in the Word of
God
2] He is nourished up in good doctrine. He practices good theology.
He preaches good doctrine.
3] He puts the brethren in remembrance of truth and doctrine.
This is the thrust of verse 6. It begs the next question:
Question: What makes for a good firstfruit of Jesus Christ? Answer:
1] He is nourished up in the words of faith. He is immersed in the Word of
God
2] He is nourished up in good doctrine. He practices good theology.
He embraces and invokes good doctrine.
3] He puts himself in remembrance of truth and doctrine.
4] He encourages the family and the brethren. There is mutual spiritual
support and encouragement.
Encouragement scriptures for ministers and
brethren:
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye
do.
Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is
faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
1 Peter 4:8-10
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.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to
another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good
to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Bible study/Embracing Doctrine scriptures:
Titus 2:1
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
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.
Hebrews 4:11
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the
same example of unbelief.
Notice the commentary on this one...
Let us therefore labour - Let us earnestly strive. Since there is a rest whose
attainment is worth all our efforts; since so many have failed of reaching it by
their unbelief, and since there is so much danger that we may fail of it also,
let us give all diligence that we may enter into it. [The Kingdom] is
never obtained but by diligence; and no one enters there who does not earnestly
desire it, and who does not make a sincere effort to reach it. ~Barnes Notes
2 Peter 1:15
Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these
things always in remembrance.
2 Peter 3:14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may
be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election
sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
So Timothy is seen here getting advice from his elder, Paul.
And you see the Word of God giving you the same kind of advice. This is
what we learn in 1 Timothy 4:6
back to main page