Survey
of the Letters of Paul: 1 Timothy 6:13
This section has six verses:
1 Timothy 6:11-16
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and
follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on
eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and
hast professed a good profession before many
witnesses.
13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who
quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who
before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot,
unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and
Lord of lords;
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light
which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath
seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power
everlasting. Amen.
We will begin with the Barclay commentary.
CHALLENGE TO TIMOTHY
1 Timothy 6:11–16
First the paraphrase of the verses:
But you, O man of God, flee from these things.
Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of
faith; lay hold on eternal life, to which you are
called, now that you have witnessed a noble
profession of your faith in the presence of many
witnesses. I charge you in the sight of God, who
makes all things alive, and in the sight of Christ
Jesus, who, in the days of Pontius Pilate, witnessed
his noble confession, that you keep the commandment,
that you should be without spot and without blame,
until the day when our Lord Jesus Christ appears,
that appearance which in his own good times the
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and
the Lord of lords, will show, he who alone possesses
immortality, he who dwells in the light that no man
can approach, he whom no man has seen or ever can
see, to whom be honour and everlasting power. Amen.
THE letter comes to an end with a tremendous
challenge to Timothy, a challenge all the greater
because of the deliberate sonorous [high-flown;
grandiloquent or lofty style] nobility of
the words in which it is clothed.
Right at the outset, Timothy is challenged to excel.
He is addressed as man of God. That is one of the
great Old Testament titles. It is a title given to
Moses. Deuteronomy 33:1 speaks of ‘Moses, the man of
God.’ The title of Psalm 90 is ‘A Prayer of Moses,
the man of God.’ It is a title of the prophets and
the messengers of God. God’s messenger to Eli is a
man of God (1 Samuel 2:27). Samuel is described as a
man of God (1 Samuel 9:6). Shemaiah, God’s messenger
to Rehoboam, is a man of God (1 Kings 12:22). John
Bunyan in The Pilgrim’s Progress calls Great-Grace
‘God’s Champion’.
Here is a tide of honour. When the challenge is
presented to Timothy, he is not reminded of his own
weakness and sin, which might well have reduced him
to pessimistic despair; rather, he is challenged by
the honour given to him, of being God’s man. It is
the Christian way, not to depress people by branding
them as lost and helpless sinners, but rather to
uplift them by summoning them to be what they have
it in them to be. The Christian way is not to fling
a humiliating past in someone’s face, but to set
before that person the splendour of the potential
future. The very fact that Timothy was addressed as
‘man of God’ would make him stand up straight and
throw his head back as one who has received his
commission from the King.
The virtues and noble qualities set before Timothy
are not just heaped haphazardly together. There is
an order in them. First, there comes righteousness,
dikaiosune¯. This is defined as ‘giving both to
other people and to God their due’. It is the most
comprehensive of the virtues; the righteous are
those who do their duty to God and to their
neighbours.
Second, there comes a group of three virtues which
look towards God. Godliness, eusebeia, is the
reverence of the person who never ceases to be aware
that all life is lived in the presence of God.
Faith, pistis, here means fidelity, and is the
virtue of the person who, through all the chances [opportunities]
and the changes of life, down even to the gates of
death, is loyal to God. Love, agape, is the virtue
possessed by those who, even if they tried, could
not forget what God has done for them nor the love
of God to all people.
Third, there comes the virtue which looks to the
conduct of life. It is hupomone¯. The Authorized
Version translates this as patience; but hupomone¯
never means the spirit which sits quietly and simply
puts up with things, letting the experiences of life
flow like a tide over it. It is victorious
endurance. ‘It is unswerving constancy to faith and
piety in spite of adversity and suffering.’ It is
the virtue which does not so much accept the
experiences of life as conquer them.
Fourth, there comes the virtue which considers
others. The Greek word is paupatheia. It is
translated as gentleness, but is really
untranslatable. It describes the spirit which never
blazes into anger for its own wrongs but can be
devastatingly angry about wrongs done to other
people. It describes the spirit which knows how to
forgive and yet knows how to wage the battle of
righteousness. It describes the spirit which walks
in humility and yet also in pride of its high
calling from God. It describes the virtue which
enables people to keep a true balance between
concern and respect for others and self-esteem.
MEMORIES WHICH INSPIRE
As Timothy is challenged to the task of the future,
he is inspired with the memories of the past.
(1) He is to remember his baptism and the vows he
took there. In the circumstances of the early
Church, baptism was inevitably adult baptism, for
men and women were coming straight from the old
religions to Christ. It was confession of faith and
witness to all that the baptized person had taken
Jesus Christ as Saviour, Master and Lord. The
earliest of all Christian confessions was the simple
creed: ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ (Romans 10:9;
Philippians 2:11). But it has been suggested that
behind these words to Timothy lies a confession of
faith which said: ‘I believe in God the Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth, and in Christ Jesus who
suffered under Pontius Pilate and will return to
judge; I believe in the resurrection from the dead
and in the [eternal life].’ It may well have been a
creed like that to which Timothy gave his
allegiance. So, first of all, he is reminded that he
is a man who has given his promise. Christians are
first and foremost men and women who have pledged
themselves to Jesus Christ.
(2) He is to remember that he has made the same
confession of his faith as Jesus did. When Jesus
stood before Pilate, Pilate said: ‘Are you the king
of the Jews?’ and Jesus answered: ‘You say so’ (Luke
23:3). Jesus had witnessed that he was a king, and
Timothy had always witnessed to the lordship of
Christ. When Christians confess their faith, they do
what their Master has already done; when they suffer
for their faith, they undergo what their Master has
already undergone. When we are engaged on some great
enterprise, we can say: ‘We are treading where the
saints have trod’, but when we confess our faith
before others, we are able to say even more; we can
say: ‘I stand with Christ’; and surely this must
lift up our hearts and inspire our lives.
(3) He is to remember that Christ comes again. He is
to remember that his life and work must be made fit
for him to see. Christians are not working to
satisfy other people; they are working to satisfy
Christ. The question a Christian must always ask is
not: ‘Is this good enough to pass the judgment of
others?’ but: ‘Is it good enough to win the approval
of Christ?’
(4) Above all, he is to remember God. And what a
memory that is! He is to remember the one who is
King of every king and Lord of every lord; the one
who possesses the gift of life eternal to give to
men and women; the one whose holiness and majesty
are such that no one can ever dare to look upon
them. Christians must always remember God and say:
‘If God is for us, who is against us?’ (Romans
8:31). ~Barclay Commentary
Now to the other commentaries. We will begin with
the general and go to the specific commentaries.
Breaking into the Matthew Henry main commentary...
The apostle here charges Timothy to keep this commandment (that is, the whole
work of his ministry, all the trust reposed in him, all the service expected
from him) without spot, unrebukable; he must conduct himself so in his
ministry that he might not lay himself open to any blame nor incur any blemish.
What are the motives to move him to this?
I. He gives him a solemn charge: I give thee charge in the sight of God that
thou do this. He charges him as he will answer it at the great day to that God
whose eyes are upon us all, who sees what we are and what we do: - God, who
quickens all things, who has life in himself and is the fountain of life. This
should quicken us to the service of God that we serve a God who quickens all
things. He charges him before Christ Jesus, to whom in a peculiar manner he
stood related as a minister of his gospel: Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a
good confession. Observe, Christ died not only as a sacrifice, but as a martyr;
and he witnessed a good confession when he was arraigned before Pilate, saying
(John 18:36-37), My kingdom is not of this world: I am come to bear witness unto
the truth. That good confession of his before Pilate, My kingdom is not of this
world, should be effectual to draw off all his followers, both ministers and
people, from the love of this world.
II. He reminds him of the confession that he himself had made: Thou hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12), namely, when
he was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. The obligation
of that was still upon him, and he must live up to that, and be quickened by
that, to do the work of his ministry. ~Matthew Henry main commentary
Quoted verses:
John 18:36-37
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews:
but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou
sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into
the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the
truth heareth my voice.
1 Timothy 6:12 [see
lesson]
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also
called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Now to the specific commentaries.
1 Timothy 6:13
I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before
Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
The commentaries put this into 3-4 phrases:
1] I give thee charge in the sight of God.
2] Who quickeneth all things.
3] And before Christ Jesus.
4] Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.
1] I give thee charge in the sight of God.
I give thee charge in the sight God - see the notes on 1 Timothy 5:21 [see
lesson]. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 5:21
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that
thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing
by partiality.
A most earnest request and charge, to observe and keep all the things
faithfully, with our eyes set upon the coming of Jesus Christ, whose glory we
have to contrast with the vain glittering of this world, and his power with all
the terrors of the wicked. ~Geneva Bible Translation Notes
I give thee charge in the sight of God. - Who is omniscient and omnipotent.
~John Gill
2] Who quickeneth all things.
Who quickeneth all things - Giveth life to. ~People's New Testament
Who quickeneth all things - Who gives life to all; notes on Ephesians 2:1. It is
not quite clear why the apostle refers to this attribute of God as enforcing the
charge which he here makes. Perhaps he means to say that God is the source of
life, and that as he had given life to Timothy - natural and spiritual - he had
a right to require that it should be employed in his service; and that, if, in
obedience to this charge and in the performance of his duties, he should be
required to lay down his life, he should bear in remembrance that God had power
to raise him up again. This is more distinctly urged in 2 Timothy 2:8-10.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Ephesians 2:1
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Timothy 2:8-10
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past
already; and overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord
knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but
also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
Who quickeneth all things - God, who is the fountain of life, and who is the
resurrection; and who will raise thee up at the last day to a life of ineffable
glory, if thou be faithful unto death. And should thy life fall a sacrifice to
the performance of thy duty, all will be safe; for thy life is hid with Christ
in God, and when he who is thy life shall appear, then shalt thou also appear
with him in glory! Thy kingdom is not of this world; remember that this good
confession was made by thy Master before Pilate. Keep disentangled from all
earthly things, live to and for God, and all will be well. ~Adam Clarke
Who quickeneth all things - all creatures, for all animate creatures have their
life, motion, and bring in him; and who quickeneth all his people, at first
conversion, when dead in sin, and afterwards when dull and lifeless; and who
will quicken the dead at the last day. This seems to be mentioned to strengthen
Timothy against the fears of death, that should he die in fighting the Lord's
battles, he was able to raise him from the dead, and would do it. ~John Gill
3] And before Christ Jesus.
And before Christ Jesus - As in the presence of Christ, and stimulated by his
example. ~Barnes Notes
4] Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.
Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession - Margin, “profession.”
The same Greek word is used which in 1Timothy 6:12 is translated “profession.”
The reference is to the fact that the Lord Jesus, when standing at the bar of
Pilate who claimed to have power over his life, did not shrink from an open
avowal of the truth; John 18:36-37. Nothing can be better fitted to preserve our
minds steadfast in the faith, and to enable us to maintain our sacred vows in
this world when allured by temptation, or when ridiculed for our religion, than
to remember the example of the Lord Jesus; Let us place him before us as he
stood at the bar of Pilate - threatened with death in its most appalling form,
and ridiculed for the principles which he maintained; let us look on him,
friendless and alone, and see with what seriousness, and sincerity, and boldness
he stated the simple truth about himself, and we shall have one of the best
securities that we can have, that we shall not dishonor our profession. A clear
view of the example of Christ our Saviour, in those circumstances, and a deep
conviction that his eye is upon us to discern whether we are steadfast as he
was, will do more than all abstract precepts to make us faithful to our
Christian calling. ~Barnes Notes
A good confession - The confession made by Christ before Pontius Pilate is, that
he was Messiah the King; but that his kingdom was not of this world; and that
hereafter he should be seen coming in the clouds of heaven to judge the quick
and dead. ~Adam Clarke
And before Pontius Pilate - who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good
confession; or rather "under Pontius Pilate"; or, as the Arabic and Ethiopic
versions render it, "in the time of Pontius Pilate"; for this may refer not only
to the confession Christ made in his presence, at his examination by him, when
he owned himself to be a King, declared the nature of his kingdom, and signified
that the end of his incarnation was to bear a testimony to the truth; but it may
also refer to the faithful, plain, and open witness Christ bore to truth
throughout the whole of his ministry, under Pontius Pilate, by his doctrine and
miracles, and at last by his sufferings and death, which he endured under him;
and this is mentioned for Timothy's imitation, and to encourage him, and all
other saints, to hold fast the profession of their faith to the end. ~John
Gill
Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. - The Greek may be
rendered "under Pontius Pilate." Jesus before the Sanhedrim confessed that he
was the Christ, the Son of God, and on that confession they condemned him to
death and hurried him to Pilate for execution. I believed this is what Paul
refers to. Though before Pilate our Lord reaffirmed in substance this same
confession. ~People's New Testament
Let us look at related verses from the Bible as listed in the Treasury of
Scriptural Knowledge:
1] I give thee charge in the sight of God.
1 Timothy 5:21 ...covered above
I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that
thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing
by partiality.
2] Who quickeneth all things.
Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make
alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my
hand.
1 Samuel 2:6
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth
up.
John 5:21
For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son
quickeneth whom he will.
Act 17:25
Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing,
seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
3] And before Christ Jesus.
John 18:36-37
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews:
but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou
sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into
the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the
truth heareth my voice.
4] Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.
Revelation 1:5-6
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of
the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and
washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the
Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
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