Verses 1-2 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
Servants under the yoke means people who are working for someone else. In today’s vernacular this would be the employer/employee relationship that the Apostle Paul is instructing Timothy to teach others. What happens when a Christian employee speaks disrespectfully about their boss to other employees or to family? The unsaved will be quick to criticize not the employee, but the God the employee is serving. This establishes a terrible witness for the Gospel and for the LORD Jesus Christ. And what happens if a Christian employee takes advantage of the Christian employer, expecting special treatment because of their Faith? It puts the Christian employer in a very difficult position and it is a terrible witness of how Christians are supposed to behave when following Jesus. Again, the unsaved will be quick to criticize the LORD and all things Christian. Christian employees should be humble at their place of work and serve their unbelieving or believing employer because that is what the LORD expects, and pleasing the LORD should be the priority in the believer’s life. Timothy is commanded by the Apostle Paul to teach and to admonish the people in the Church to behave humbly and righteously.
Verses 3-5 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
The Greek word translated as “wholesome words” is “hugiaino” and it means to be sound or to be well, and it is metaphor for the Christian whose opinions are free from error. The Greek word translated as “doctrine” is “didaskalia” and it means teaching or instruction. So Biblical doctrine is the teaching or instruction given by God so that His people can live a quiet, fulfilling and peaceful life in righteousness although surrounded by evil spirits and unrepentant people in a sinful, fallen world. Timothy is being instructed that anyone teaching a different doctrine is proud and knows nothing and to avoid such people. Remember that Timothy was a very young pastor, and youth did not always have respect from others. So if an older man was to enter the Church and start teaching doctrine counter to that which Timothy was teaching, the people may think that this incorrect doctrine is true because this older man is more experienced. It is like going to the dentist or to a surgeon and the level of confidence a patient may have if the dentist or doctor that walks into the room looks like a young adult fresh out of school versus a gray haired man who looks like he has had much experience. It was important that Timothy know the doctrine of Christ and know the instruction of the Apostle Paul so that he could stand against any age discrimination that might hinder his ministry.
The Greek word translated as “proud” is “tupoo” and it means to be puffed up with haughtiness, to render foolish or stupid, or to be blind with conceit. A proud person thinks he/she is always right, is always superior in intellect, is always the best leader, and strives to support these suppositions. Proud people are difficult to work with or to live with. They will debate matters and create controversy (doting about questions), they will argue using words in a competitive way (strifes of words) in order to win or achieve their point of view and make others seem foolish, and their behavior creates envy, strife, detraction, suppositions (evil surmisings) that may or may not be true, and causes emotional and psychological pain and trouble to others. If the proud individual feels that he/she is superior to others, then the belief that he/she is godly can pervade their personality and character. These people become proud of being proud and are very difficult to reach with the truth of the Gospel.
Application: The love of money is the root of all evil (verse 10 below), but pride is the root of much sinful behavior. “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” Psalms 10:2 When people are proud, they can not see their need for Jesus. It is pride in one’s accomplishments, or in one’s physique, or in one’s wealth that keeps people away from salvation and eternity in Heaven. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thought.” Psalms 10:4 Remember that Satan fell from his high position in Heaven because of his pride. He wanted to be God and he thought he could do a better job. Pride stops people from seeing their weaknesses and failures and their spiritual needs. Pride leads to destruction spiritually and often physically. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Proverbs 29:23 The lesson here is to remain humble before the LORD.
Verses 6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
Think about how the LORD Jesus Christ lived during His 3 1/2 years of ministry. He owned nothing, not even a donkey. One had to be borrowed for Him to ride into Jerusalem to fulfill prophecy. He did not have a house to live in. “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:58 He did not have a steady job or a steady source of income. He “brought nothing (earthly possessions) into this world” and He did not even have a cemetery plot to be buried in but had to be given a tomb after His physical death. But He was content with food and clothing and He knew His physical needs would be met by His Father in Heaven because He was/is God manifesting in the flesh. The Apostle Paul understood this and he understood what it meant to be Christ-like. He too had no house, no steady employment, no mode of transportation other than his own two feet, and no steady income. He too trusted the LORD to provide his needs. And he was content. He was godly. He had the things that were important, including the promise of eternal life.
Application: Most Christian believers in the western world have a lot of stuff. And they spend an inordinate amount of time caring for the stuff. This writer is guilty of accumulating way more stuff than is needed. But contentment today in many cases is tied to spending. This is partly due to cultural pressures to, as was said in days gone by, “keep up with the Jones.” Spending money on stuff that isn’t needed and spending time on caring for the stuff that isn’t needed does not produce happiness or contentment. Instead, the stuff becomes a burden and often the credit cards become a burden too if used in place of cash. Keeping it simple like Jesus and His disciples did allows for great contentment because time and money can be used more wisely and for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. This then produces blessings and joy.
Verses 9-10 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Wealth, if managed properly and if shared with the Church and with those less fortunate, can be a blessing. But the sentence above states, “they that will be rich” which indicates that the riches are future or “will be” and therefore men and women are working to gain these riches. When the drive to get more and more money or assets gets stronger and stronger, Satan has a foothold in people’s lives. He will provide opportunities for wealth to be gained which more than likely will require people to compromise their morals, their beliefs, their friendships, their family relationships, and so forth in order to gain more and more in this world. When once down this path that leads to the destruction of people’s souls, it is very difficult if not impossible to change course. Money or riches becomes the god of these people and their bodies and souls become the property of the Devil.
Application: Notice, please, that the Apostle Paul does not say “money is the root of all evil”. Money by itself is merely a tool to navigate the commerce of this world. It is the love of it or the importance that is put on it that is evil as it takes over people’s lives and controls their decisions. The Greek word translated as “love” in verse 10 above is “philarguria” and it means the love of money or avarice (extreme greed for wealth or material gain). The Greek word translated as “root” is “rhiza” and it means in metaphor offspring or progeny. The saying, “Follow the money trail”, did not develop without foundation. Corrupt banks, bankers, stock brokers, stock markets, government officials, corporations, business owners, medical practitioners and health care facilities, and even churches are corrupt because of this love of money. Drug dealers, pimps, casinos and other destructive components of today’s society are all in existence because of the love of money.
Verses 11-12 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.
Christian believers are to flee these things because, like Timothy, they are men and women of God. The Greek word translated as “flee” is “pheugo” and it means to seek safety by flight, to escape safely out of danger, or metaphorically to shun or avoid by flight something abhorrent, especially vices. So the Apostle Paul was not telling Timothy to merely avoid these things, but to literally run away from them because of the extreme danger to both the physical and the spiritual life of a believer. Eternal life in Heaven is the goal of each believer and that goal must always be present in the believer’s mind so that there will not be a yielding to the temptations of the Devil.
Verses 13-14 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:
What commandment was Timothy to keep? The commandment to flee the things spoken about in this epistle and to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, to fight the good fight of faith and to lay hold on eternal life by obeying the commandment above and so that Timothy would be Christ-like and have a good witness to the saved and unsaved like Jesus did when He was standing before the pagan Pontius Pilate.
Application: Notice that the Apostle Paul indicates in verse 14 above that he was expecting the appearing of the LORD Jesus Christ during his lifetime. That is the proper Christian attitude because even though roughly 2000 years have passed since the Apostle Paul penned this epistle, the believer is to be watching for Jesus’ return as no one knows the day or the hour. The reality today is that whether a Christian believer is alive at the return of Jesus or whether a Christian believer dies before the return of Jesus, that believer will see the appearing of the LORD either way.
Verses 15-16 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.
The Greek word translated as “Potentate” is “dunastes” and it means a prince, a monarch or ruler, and one of great authority. It only occurs in the King James Bible one time. God is light and the LORD Jesus Christ is God. God took on a body of flesh so that as Jesus, He could be approached and seen by fallen mankind. As Spirit, God cannot be seen or approached.
Verses 17-19 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Those Christian believers who are wealthy with physical things are not to be proud (highminded) of their possessions and wealth because they are given by the LORD and they can be removed by the LORD also. So trusting in wealth instead of in the LORD is never to happen for the believer as only the LORD is never changing and therefore can be relied upon.
Verses 20-21 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana. (1 Timothy 6)
Application: It is interesting that even in the Apostle Paul’s day, science was in opposition to the Faith and to the Word of God. “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 Science today is no different in the continual attempt to explain away God’s creation and to attempt to disprove that there is a God in Heaven who is involved in the affairs of mankind. Science is taught as fact in the government schools of the nations, and yet should one read a science textbook from around 1950 and then read others progressing forward to today, one would find that the facts (things that are indisputably the case) from year to year changed from year to year. But the content of the King James Bible that has been around since 1611 remains the same. Who or what do you, the reader, want to believe?