Survey of the Letters of Paul:  1 Timothy 4:7
                                                                                                                                                                           
 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

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...and a quick look at the phrases in verse 6 to keep things in context.

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 commentaries

Once again, the verse reads:

1 Timothy 4:7
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Barnes Notes:

But refuse - That is, refuse to pay attention to them, or reject them. Do not consider them of sufficient importance to occupy your time.

Profane - The word here used does not mean that the fables here referred to were blasphemous or impious in their character, but that they had not the character of true religion; 2 Timothy 2:16. And old wives’ - Old women’s stories; or such as old women held to be important. The word is used here, as it is often with us, in the sense of silly.

Quoted verse:
 2 Timothy 2:16
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Fables - Fictions, or stories that were not founded on fact. The pagan religion abounded with fictions of this kind, and the Jewish teachers were also remarkable for the number of such fables which they had introduced into their system. It is probable that the apostle referred here particularly to the Jewish fables, and the counsel which he gives to Timothy is, to have nothing to do with them.

And exercise thyself rather unto godliness - Rather than attempt to understand those fables. Do not occupy your time and attention with them, but rather cultivate piety, and seek to become more holy. ~Barnes Notes

Adam Clarke:

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables - This seems to refer particularly to the Jews, whose Talmudical writings are stuffed with the most ridiculous and profane fables that ever disgraced the human intellect. It may with equal propriety be applied to the legends of the Romish Church. Let any man read the Aurea Legenda, and he will find of profane and old wives’ fables what may stand, with considerable propriety, column for column with the Talmud. See Joseline’s Life of St. Patrick for miracles, without rhyme or reason, abundantly more numerous and more stupendous than all the necessary ones wrought by Jesus Christ and his apostles. This is enough to persuade a man that the Spirit of God had these very corruptions and this corrupt Church particularly in view.

Exercise thyself rather unto godliness - To understand this expression it is necessary to know that the apostle alludes here to the gymnastic exercises among the Greeks, which were intended as a preparation for, their contests at the public games. They did this in order to obtain a corruptible or fading crown, i. e, a chaplet of leaves, which was the reward of those who conquered in those games; Timothy was to exercise himself unto godliness, that he might be prepared for the kingdom of heaven, and there receive a crown that fadeth not away. ~Adam Clarke

John Gill:

But refuse profane and old wives' fables - Either Jewish ones, the traditions of the elders; or those of the Gnostics, concerning God, angels, and the creation of the world; or those doctrines of demons, and which forbad marriage, and commanded abstinence from meats before mentioned; which are called profane, because impious and ungodly, and old wives' fables, because foolish and impertinent; and which were to be rejected with abhorrence and contempt, in comparison of the words of faith and good doctrine.

And exercise thyself rather unto godliness - either to the doctrines which are according to godliness, and tend to godly edification, which the above fables did not, study these, meditate on them, digest them, and deliver them to others; or to a godly life and conversation, exercise thyself, to have a conscience void of offence to God and men; or to internal religion, inward godliness, the exercise of the graces of faith, hope, love, fear, reverence, humility, &c. or rather to the spiritual worship of God, according to his will, not in a formal, cold, and customary way, but with the heart, in truth and sincerity, in faith, and with fervency and purity. ~John Gill

Geneva Bible Translation Notes:

(10) But refuse profane and old wives' fables, (11) and exercise thyself [rather] unto (g) godliness.

(10) He contrasts again true doctrine not only with the false and apostate doctrine, but also with all vain and curious wiles.
(11) It is not only necessary that the minister of the word be sound in doctrine, but also that his life is godly and religious.
(g) In the true serving of God. ~Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge

Notice how many are from the letters to Timothy.

For, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables":

1 Timothy 1:4
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

2 Timothy 2:16
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

2 Timothy 2:23
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

2 Timothy 4:4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Titus 1:14
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

For "and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.":

1 Timothy 1:4
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

1 Timothy 2:10
But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

1 Timothy 6:11
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

2 Timothy 3:12
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Titus 2:12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Hebrews 5:14
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

2 Peter 1:5-8
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. ~Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge


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