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| 1 Timothy 1:1,2
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Homily I.
1 Timothy i. 1, 2
“Paul, an Apostle of
Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus
Christ, which is our hope; unto Timothy, my own son in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our
Lord.” [The R.V. omits κυρίουand translates: Christ Jesus our hope, τῆς
ἐλπίδος
ἡμῶν.]
1. Great and admirable is the dignity of an Apostle, and we
find Paul constantly setting forth the causes of it, not as if he took
the honor to himself, but as intrusted with it, and being under the
necessity of so doing. For when he speaks of himself as
“called,” and that “by the will of God,” and
again elsewhere, “a necessity is laid upon me”
(1
Cor. ix. 16.), and when he says, “for this I was
separated,” by these expressions all idea of arrogance and
ambition is removed. For as he deserves the severest blame, who
intrudes into an office which is not given him of God, so he who
refuses, and shrinks from it when offered to him, incurs blame of
another kind, that of rebellion and disobedience. Therefore Paul, in
the beginning of this Epistle, thus expresses himself, “Paul, an
Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God.” He does not
say here, “Paul called,” but “by commandment.”
He begins in this manner, that Timothy may not feel any human infirmity
from supposing that Paul addresses him on the same terms as his
disciples. But where is this commandment given? We read in the Acts of
the Apostles: “The Spirit said, Separate me Paul and
Barnabas.” (Acts xiii. 2.) And everywhere in his
writings Paul adds the name of Apostle, to instruct his hearers not to
consider the doctrines he delivered as proceeding from man. For an
Apostle1087
| 1087 He refers to the sense of the term in Greek, which is, “One
who is sent.” See Heb. iii. 1; John viii.
28; xiv. 10. | can say nothing of his own, and by
calling himself an Apostle, he at once refers his hearers to Him that
sent him. In all his Epistles therefore he begins by assuming this
title, thus giving authority to his words, as here he says,
“Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of
God our Saviour.” Now it does not appear that the Father anywhere
commanded him. It is everywhere Christ who addresses him. Thus,
“He said unto me, Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles” (Acts xxii. 21.); and again,
“Thou must be brought before Cæsar.” (Acts xxvii.
24.)
But whatever the Son commands, this he considers to be the commandment
of the Father, as those of the Spirit are the commandments of the Son.
For he was sent by the Spirit, he was separated by the Spirit, and this
he says was the commandment of God. What then? does it derogate from
the power of the Son, that His Apostle was sent forth by the
commandment of the Father? By no means. For observe, how he represents
the power as common to both. For having said, “according to the
commandment of God our Saviour”; he adds, “and Lord Jesus
Christ, our hope.” And observe, with what propriety he applies
the titles.1088
| 1088 ἐπώνυμα,
viz. “Saviour” and “Hope.” | And indeed, the Psalmist applies
this to the Father, saying, “The hope of all the ends of the
earth.” (Ps. lxiv. 5.) And again, the
blessed Paul in another place writes, “For therefore we both
labor, and suffer reproach, because we have hope in the living
God.” The teacher must suffer dangers even more than the
disciple. “For I will smite the shepherd, (he says,) “and
the sheep shall be scattered abroad.” (Zech. xiii. 7.) Therefore the
devil rages with greater violence against teachers, because by their
destruction the flock also is scattered. For by slaying the sheep, he
has lessened the flock, but when he has made away with the shepherd, he
has ruined the whole flock, so that he the rather assaults him, as
working greater mischief by a less effort; and in one soul effecting
the ruin of all. For this reason Paul, at the beginning, elevates and
encourages the soul of Timothy, by saying, We have God for our Saviour
and Christ for our hope. We suffer much, but our hopes are great; we
are exposed to snares and perils, but to save us we have not man but
God. Our Saviour is not weak, for He is God, and whatever be our
dangers they will not overcome us; nor is our hope made ashamed, for it
is Christ.1089
| 1089 Montfaucon adopts Savile’s conjecture. mss. Christ’s. The mistake would be easily made by a
transcriber who did not follow the sense entirely. | For in two ways we are enabled to
bear up against dangers, when we are either speedily delivered from
them, or supposed by good hopes under them.
But Paul never calls himself the
Apostle of the Father, but always of Christ. Because he makes
everything common to both. The Gospel itself he calls “the Gospel
of God.”1090
| 1090 Ver. 11. 1 Thess. ii.
4. | And whatever we
suffer here, he implies, things present are as nothing.
“Unto Timothy, my own son
in the faith.”
This too is encouraging. For if
he evinced such faith as to be called peculiarly Paul’s
“own” son, he might be confident also with respect to the
future. For it is the part of faith not to be cast down or disturbed,
though circumstances occur that seem contrary to the promises. But
observe he says, “my son,” and even “mine own
son,” and yet he is not of the same substance. But what? was he
of irrational kind? “Well,” says one, “he was not of
Paul, so this does not imply ’being of’ another.”
What then? was he of another substance? neither was it so, for after
saying “mine own son,” he adds, “in the faith,”
to show that he was really “his own son,” and truly from
him. There was no difference. The likeness he bore to him was in
respect to his faith, as in human births there is a likeness in respect
of substance. The son is like the father in human beings, but with
respect to God the proximity is greater.1091
| 1091 He
supposes an Arian objector to argue that St. Paul here calls one a
“son,” and his “own son,” who was not of his
substance, and so our Lord may be called the Son of God, and yet not be
of His substance. St. Chrysostom replies (1) that even so St. Paul does
not leave room to suppose a different kind of substance, as though he
had called a brute his son. The objector rejoins, that still he calls
one a son who was not of “his own” substance. He answers
(2) that even this does not follow, since he adds, “in the
faith,” and the faith of Timothy was both exactly similar to his
own, and derived from it. Thus the passage affords no countenance even
to the doctrine of “like,” as opposed to “one
substance.” See Epistle of St. Athanasius in def. of Nicene Def.
c. v. § 8, Oxf. Tr. p. 39, and Disc. 1, c. v. p. 203. |
For here a father and a son, though of the same substance, differ in
many particulars, as in color, figure, understanding, age, bent of
mind, endowments of soul and body, and in many other things they may be
like or unlike, but there is no such dissimilarity in the divine
Essence. “By commandment.” This is a stronger expression
than “called”, as we learn from other passages. As he here
calls Timothy “mine own son,” in like manner he says to the
Corinthians, “in Christ Jesus I have begotten you,” i.e. in
faith; but he adds the word “own,”1092
to show his particular likeness to himself, as well as his own love and
great affection for him. Notice again the “in” applied to
the faith. “My own son,” he says, “in the
faith.” See what an honorable distinction, in that he calls him
not only his “son,” but his “own”
son.
Ver. 2. “Grace, mercy,
and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our
Lord.”
Why is mercy mentioned here, and
not in the other Epistles? This is a further mark of his affection.
Upon his son he invokes greater blessings, with the anxious
apprehension of a parent. For such was his anxiety, that he gives
directions to Timothy, which he has done in no other case, to attend to
his bodily health; where he says, “Use a little wine for thy
stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities” (1 Tim. v.
23.)
Teachers indeed stand more in need of mercy.
“From God our
Father,” he says, “and Jesus Christ our
Lord.”
Here too is consolation. For if
God is our Father, He cares for us as sons, as Christ says, “What
man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a
stone?” (Matt. vii. 9.)
Ver. 3. “As I besought
thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into
Macedonia.”
Observe the gentleness of the
expression, more like that of a servant than of a master. For he does
not say “I commanded,” or “bade” or even
“exhorted,” but “I besought thee.” But this
tone is not for all: only meek and virtuous disciples are to be treated
thus. The corrupt and insincere are to be dealt with in a different
manner, as Paul himself elsewhere directs, “Rebuke them with all
authority” (Tit. ii. 15.); and here he says
“charge,” not “beseech,” but “charge some
that they teach no other doctrine.” What means this? That
Paul’s Epistle which he sent them was not sufficient? Nay, it was
sufficient; but men are apt sometimes to slight Epistles, or perhaps
this may have been before the Epistles were written. He had himself
passed some time in that city. There was the temple of Diana, and there
he had been exposed to those great sufferings. For after the assembly
in the Theater had been dissolved, and he had called to him and
exhorted the disciples, he found it necessary to sail away, though
afterwards he returned to them. It were worth enquiry, whether he
stationed Timothy there at that time.1093
| 1093 He
must mean to suggest that this is a reference to former times, for he
knew the history too well to suppose that this Epistle was written
then. |
For he says, that “thou mightest charge some that they
teach no other doctrine”: he does not mention the persons by
name, that he might not, by the openness of his rebuke, render them
more shameless. There were in that city certain false Apostles of the
Jews, who wished to oblige the faithful to observe the Jewish law, a
fault he is everywhere noticing in his Epistles; and this they did not
from motives of conscience, so much as from vainglory, and a wish to
have disciples, from jealousy of the blessed Paul, and a spirit of
opposition to him. This is meant by “teaching another
doctrine.”
Ver. 4. “Neither give
heed to fables and endless genealogies.”
By “fables” he does
not mean the law; far from it; but inventions and forgeries and
counterfeit doctrines. For, it seems, the Jews wasted their whole
discourse on these unprofitable points. They numbered up their fathers
and grandfathers, that they might have the reputation of historical
knowledge and research. “That thou mightest charge some,”
he says, “that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to
fables and endless genealogies.” Why does he call them
“endless”? It is because they had no end, or none of any
use, or none easy for us to apprehend. Mark how he disapproves of
questioning. For where faith exists, there is no need of question.
Where there is no room for curiosity, questions are superfluous.
Questioning is the subversion of faith.1094
| 1094 Or
“incompatible with” ἀναιρετική. |
For he that seeks has not yet found. He who questions cannot believe.
Therefore it is his advice that we should not be occupied with
questions, since if we question, it is not faith; for faith sets
reasoning at rest. But why then does Christ say, “Seek and ye
shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. vii.
7.);
and, “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal
life”? (John v. 39.) The seeking there is
meant of prayer and vehement desire, and He bids “search the
Scriptures,” not to introduce the labors of questioning, but to
end them, that we may ascertain and settle their true meaning, not that
we may be ever questioning, but that we may have done with it. And he
justly said, “Charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minister
questions rather than the dispensation of God in faith.”1095
| 1095 The
English version is “godly edifying,” from the
reading οἰκοδομίαν. Οἰκονομίαν, as here, is the reading of mss.
nearly all Greek. [Adopted in the R.V.] | Justly has he said, “the dispensation
of God.” For great are the blessings which God is willing to
dispense; but the greatness of them is not conceived by reasoning. This
must then be the work of faith, which is the best medicine of our
souls. This questioning therefore is opposed to the dispensation of
God. For what is dispensed by faith? To receive His mercies and become
better men; to doubt and dispute of nothing; but to repose in
confidence. For what “ministers questions” displaces faith
and that which faith hath wrought and builded. Christ has said that we
must be saved by faith; this these teachers questioned and even denied.
For since the announcement was present, but the issue of it future,
faith was required. But they bring preoccupied by legal observances
threw impediments in the way of faith. He seems also here to glance at
the Greeks, where he speaks of “fables and genealogies,”
for they enumerated their Gods.
Moral.
Let us not then give heed to questions. For we were called Faithful,
that we might unhesitatingly believe what is delivered to us, and
entertain no doubt. For if the things asserted were human, we ought to
examine them; but since they are of God, they are only to be revered
and believed. If we believe not, how shall we be persuaded of the
existence of a God? For how knowest thou that there is a God, when thou
callest Him to account? The knowledge of God is best shown by believing
in Him without proofs and demonstrations. Even the Greeks know this;
for they believed their Gods telling them, saith one, even without
proof; and what?—That1096
they were the
offspring of the Gods. But why do I speak of the Gods? In the case of
the man, a deceiver and sorcerer,1097
(I speak of
Pythagoras,) they acted in like manner, for of him it was said,1098
He said it.1099
| 1099 So
Sav. mar. and ms. Colb. and afterwards,
“And his was the five years’ silence, he closed his mouth
with his finger, and compressing his lips,” &c. |
And over their temples was an image of Silence, and her finger on her
mouth, compressing her lips, and significantly exhorting all that
passed by to be silent. And were their doctrines so sacred, and are
ours less so? and even to be ridiculed? What extreme madness is this!
The tenets of the Greeks indeed are rightly questioned. For they were
of that nature, being but disputes, conflicts of reasonings, and
doubts, and conclusions. But ours are far from all these. For human
wisdom invented theirs, but ours were taught by the grace of the
Spirit. Their doctrines are madness and folly, ours are true wisdom. In
their case there is neither teacher nor scholar; but all alike are
disputants. Here whether teacher or scholar, each is to learn1100
| 1100 This
seems the only way in which the Greek can be construed. The word
vult, in the Latin, may come from another reading, but the sense
is plain. | of him from whom he ought to learn, and not to
doubt, but obey; not to dispute, but believe. For all the ancients
obtained a good report through faith, and without this everything is
subverted. And why do I speak of it in heavenly things? We shall find
upon examination that earthly things depend upon it no less. For
without this there would be no trade nor contracts, nor anything of the
sort. And if it be so necessary here in things that are false, how much
more in those.1101
| 1101 ἐκείναις. Sav. conj. ἐκείνοις, which seems necessary, unless the fault be elsewhere; he must
mean “heavenly things.” Comp. Luke xvi. 11. |
This then let us pursue, to this
let us adhere, so shall we banish from our souls all destructive
doctrines, such, for instance, as relate to nativity1102
| 1102 Γένεσις. The same word is kept throughout the passage, though it sounds
ill in places, for the sake of fidelity. | and fate.1103
If you
believe that there is a resurrection and a judgment, you will be able
to expel from your mind all those false opinions. Believe that there is
a just God, and you will not believe that there can be an unjust
nativity. Believe that there is a God, and a Providence,1104
and you will not believe that there can be a
nativity, that holds all things together.1105
Believe that there is a place of punishment, and a Kingdom, and you
will not believe in a nativity that takes away our free agency, and
subjects us to necessity and force. Neither sow, nor plant, nor go to
war, nor engage in any work whatever! For whether you will or not,
things will proceed according to the course of nativity! What need have
we more of Prayer? And why should you deserve to be a Christian, if
there be this nativity? for you will not then be responsible. And
whence proceed the arts of life? are these too from nativity? Yes, you
say, and it is fated to one to become wise with labor. But can you show
me one who has learnt an art without labor? You cannot. It is not then
from nativity but from labor that he derives his skill.
But why does a man who is
corrupt and wicked become rich, without inheriting it from his father,
while another, amidst infinite labors, remains poor? For such are the
questions they raise, always arguing upon wealth and poverty, and never
taking the case of vice and virtue. Now in this question talk not of
that, but show me a man who has become bad, whilst he was striving to
be good; or one that, without striving, has become good. For if Fate
has any power, its power should be shown in the most important things;
in vice and virtue, not in poverty and riches. Again you ask, why is
one man sickly and another healthy? why is one honored, another
disgraced? Why does every thing succeed well with this man, whilst
another meets with nothing but failure and impediments? Lay aside the
notion of nativity, and you will know. Believe firmly that there is a
God and a Providence, and all these things will be cleared up.
“But I cannot,” you say, “conceive that there is a
Providence, when there is such disorder. Can I believe that the good
God gives wealth to the fornicator, the corrupt and dishonest man, and
not to the virtuous? How can I believe this? for there must be facts to
ground belief.” Well then, do these cases proceed from a nativity
that was just, or unjust? “Unjust,” you say. Who then made
it? “Not God,” you say, “it was unbegotten.”
But how can the unbegotten produce these things? for they are
contradictions. “These things are not then in any wise the works
of God.” Shall we then enquire who made the earth, the sea, the
heavens, the seasons? “Nativity,” you answer. Did nativity
then produce in things inanimate such order and harmony, but in us, for
whom these things were made, so much disorder? As if one, in building a
house, should be careful to make it magnificent, but bestow not a
thought upon his household. But who preserves the succession of the
seasons? Who established the regular laws of nature? Who appointed the
courses of day and night? These things are superior to any such
nativity. “But these,” you say, “came to be of
themselves.” And yet how can such a well-ordered system spring up
of itself?
“But whence,” you
say, “come the rich, the healthy, the renowned, and how are some
made rich by covetousness, some by inheritance, some by violence? and
why does God suffer the wicked to be prosperous?” We answer,
Because the retribution, according to the desert of each, does not take
place here, but is reserved for hereafter. Show me any such thing
taking place Then! “Well,” say you, “give me here,
and I do not look for hereafter.”1106
But it is because you seek here, that you receive not. For if when
earthly enjoyment is not within your reach, you seek present things so
eagerly as to prefer them to future, what would you do if you were in
possession of unmixed pleasure? God therefore shows you that these
things are nothing, and indifferent; for if they were not indifferent,
He would not bestow them on such men. You will own that it is a matter
of indifference whether one be tall or short, black or white; so is it
whether one be rich or poor. For, tell me, are not things necessary
bestowed on all equally, as the capacity for virtue, the distribution
of spiritual gifts? If you understood aright the mercies of God, you
would not complain of wanting worldly things, whilst you enjoyed these
best gifts equally with others; and knowing that equal distribution you
would not desire superiority in the rest. As if a servant enjoying from his
master’s bounty food, clothing, and lodging, and all other
necessaries equally with his fellow-servants, should pride himself upon
having longer nails, or more hair upon his head; so it is for a
Christian to be elated on account of those things, which he enjoys only
for a time. For this reason it is, that God withdraws those things from
us, to extinguish this madness, and transfer our affections from them
to heaven. But nevertheless we do not learn wisdom. As if a child
possessing a toy, should prefer it to things necessary, and his father,
to lead him against his will to what was better for him, should deprive
him of his toy; so God takes these things from us, that He may lead us
to heaven. If you ask then why He permits the wicked to be rich, it is
because they are not high in His esteem. And if the righteous too are
rich, it is rather that He allows it to be, than that He makes them so.
Now these things we say superficially, as to men not knowing the
Scriptures. But our discourses would be unnecessary if you would
believe and take heed to the divine word, for that would teach you all
things. And that you may understand that neither riches, nor health,
nor glory, are anything, I can show you many, who, when they might gain
wealth, do not seek wealth; when they might enjoy health, mortify their
bodies; when they might rise to glory, make it their aim to be
despised. But there is no good man, who ever studied to be bad. Let us
therefore desist from seeking things below, and let us seek heavenly
things; for so we shall be able to attain them, and we shall enjoy
eternal delights,1107
| 1107 Ed. τροφῆς,
“food.” St. Chrys. undoubtedly wrote τρυφῆς. | by the grace and
lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Whom with the Father and
the Holy Ghost be glory, power, and honor, now, and ever, and world
without end. Amen.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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