I Timothy 1
Greeting to Timothyverses 1-2
Paul – an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
commandment of God our Savior
and Lord Jesus Christ – which is our hope
Unto Timothy – my own son in the faith – grace – mercy – peace
from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord
Stop those teaching false doctrineverses 3-7
As I besought you to abide still at Ephesus
when I went into Macedonia
that you might charge some that they teach
no other doctrine
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies
which minister questions
rather than godly edifying which is in faith – so do
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart
and of a good conscience – and of faith unfeigned
from which some having swerved have turned aside
to vain jangling – desiring to be teachers of the law
understanding neither what they say
nor whereof they affirm
Purpose of the Lawverses 8-11
But we know that the law is good – if a man use it lawfully
knowing this – that the law is not made for the righteous man
but for the lawless and disobedient – for the ungodly – sinners
for unholy and profane
for murderers of fathers – murderers of mothers
for manslayers – for whoremongers
for them that defile themselves with mankind
for menstealers – for liars – for perjured persons
and if there be any other thing that
is contrary to sound doctrine
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God
which was committed to my trust
Paul’s personal testimony to grace of Godverses 12-17
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord – WHO has enabled me
for that HE counted me faithful
putting me into the ministry
who was before a blasphemer – and a persecutor – and injurious
but I obtained mercy
because I did it ignorantly in unbelief
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus
This is a faithful saying – and worthy of all acceptation
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
of whom I am chief
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy
that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering
for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe
on HIM to life everlasting
Now unto the King eternal – immortal – invisible – the only wise God
be honor and glory for ever and ever AMEN
Comparison between faithful and unfaithful servantsverses 18-20
This charge I commit to you – son Timothy
according to the prophecies which went before on you
that you by them might war a good warfare
Holding faith – and a good conscience
which some having put away concerning faith
have made shipwreck
of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander
whom I have delivered unto Satan
that they may learn not to blaspheme
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 As I besought you to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that you might charge some that they teach no other doctrine. (3853 “charge” [paraggello] means command, declare, announce, order, direct, give instructions, or transmit as a message)
DEVOTION: Timothy is a disciple of Jesus Christ who was trained by Paul to serve as an elder in the church. Here we find Timothy being left behind in Ephesus to instruct the followers of Jesus regarding false teaching that is trying to enter the church.
False teaching has been around since the Garden of Eden. Satan in the form of a serpent tempted Eve by saying something “close” to what God had instructed them in the Garden regarding their responsibility and the restrictions regarding their eating habits. He just changed a few words that God didn’t say and tempted her with a false reason why God had given the instructions.
This was happening in the church at Ephesus. In other churches there were Jewish teachers coming to the church. They were trying to instruct them that they had to obey the Law in order to be saved which no one can do. The Law was given to show everyone that they couldn’t possibly keep the Ten Commandments and other commandments of the LORD. They needed a Savior which is Jesus Christ.
Timothy was directed to announce that there is only one way to receive eternal life and that was through Jesus Christ alone. No other teaching or doctrine could give eternal life.
We have many false teachers in our communities giving all other ways to receive eternal life. We even have those who say you don’t have to do anything. They teach that everyone is going to heaven because God is a loving God. They teach there is no hell or lake of fire for those who reject Jesus Christ.
There are many warnings in the New Testament regarding false teachers. We need to examine each teacher to see if they agree with the Word of God. The Holy Spirit gives all believers discernment regarding the truth of their teachings if it is true or false. Listen to HIM!!!
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD for discernment regarding all those you read and listen to regarding the truth of the Word of God.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers:
:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that HE counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. (1743 “enabled” [endunamoo] means be strong, strengthen, to render capable or able for some task, to give capability to, to invigorate, or put on)
DEVOTION: Paul is thankful not only for his salvation but his call to the ministry. He received a special call to serve the LORD. He was given three years of training in the wilderness. He was given an opportunity by Barnabas to help him in ministry to see if that was his calling. He was presented to the Apostles in Jerusalem for their confirmation of his call.
He believed that God enabled him to be a missionary to the Gentiles. He was told of his mission in life by the LORD at his conversion. There was no doubt in his mind regarding what he should do after his conversion and training.
He proved himself faithful by his words and actions. He started right after his conversion teaching about Jesus Christ being the Messiah. This was against all he believed before. Now he had made a personal choice that would affect the rest of his life.
We have to make the same choice. Even if we are not called to lead a congregation or go to a mission field we each have our responsibility to be a witness to all those in our world.
If we are called we need to follow the calling of the LORD. HE will provide the means to complete what HE has started. There are many who feel the call to ministry as pastor/missionary that never received the call from the LORD. There should be a confirmation by other believers that you are called.
CHALLENGE: Paul received this confirmation. Listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit regarding your giftedness. Receive a confirmation from other believers.
: 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: of whom I am chief. (4413 “chief” [protos] means foremost, prominent, foremost, best, or first in time or place)
DEVOTION: Paul was writing to his protégé Timothy. He had left him in Ephesus to train the leadership in the church to combat false teachers. There were people who wanted to study fables, endless genealogies and questions about beliefs.
Timothy had his hands full with these individuals. Paul states his reason for teaching. He explained that the LORD put him into the ministry. He even explained that before he was saved he had persecuted the church in ignorance.
Then the LORD touched him. He explained that the LORD was long-suffering with him. He explained that the LORD had put him into the ministry.
Why? The reason given is that Christ came to save sinners and he was one of the foremost sinners. Paul thought he was the worst of sinners. He was the one who stood by and watched Stephen get stoned to death. He was the one who arrested Christians all around Jerusalem and then traveled around the land to arrest more. He was instrumental in the death of some Christians. He thought he was serving God. He was ignorant. God forgave him. God used him for HIS servant to reach the Gentile world with the gospel.
How many of us think that we have him beat. Yet, God forgave him and HE does forgive us. We need to forgive ourselves for our past and let HIM heal our scars. We sometimes keep digging at our scars to make them bleed when the LORD says “let them alone” but like our children we love to pick scabs. STOP IT. God has forgiven you. God wants to use each one of us if we are willing to be used of HIM. HE has a future and a hope for us. Praise HIS name.
CHALLENGE: Remember the past to praise the LORD for HIS forgiveness of our sins, but look to the future for areas where you can serve the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck. (4893 “conscience” [suneidesis] means 1 the consciousness of anything. 2 the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other. 2a the conscience. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: Have you ever had a problem with a guilty conscience, only to rationalize that what you did was okay under the circumstances? This seems to be a problem everywhere in our culture, especially since the introduction of “situation ethics.” Yet Paul makes it clear in Romans chapter 2 that God gave us a conscience for one purpose—to convict us of what we do when it is wrong, and is so doing to force us to recognize that we need a savior for our sins.
Yet there is a place for believers to make an extra effort to do what is right, no matter what the cost. Paul, in his defense before Felix, said in Acts 24:16 that he took pains to have a clear conscience before God and man. That means that he purposely chose to do what was good and right even when he knew he would suffer consequences. His purpose in doing so was to gain a hearing with the unsaved so that He could share the Gospel with them.
These days the question is framed in the format, “What would Jesus do?” If we think in these terms, we will likely be led in the direction of obedience to God. Our consciences should never let us take shortcuts. There is no place where this is more important than in the church. Ministries that seek to get around loopholes may not be judged by those in authority, but it is a bad witness to those around us nonetheless. They see Christians as people who are merely taking advantage of something, rather than doing what is right. Paul even points out here that violating one’s conscience can have the result of shipwrecking their faith. That seems to be the case today in churches who have embraced divorce, extramarital sex, and homosexuality as being okay culturally, but these things are devastating personally.
CHALLENGE: Are there any areas right now where your conscience is seeking to convict you? One thing that helps in this regard is to have an accountability partner who helps you keep on top of how your life is going. Ask someone today to agree to hold one another accountable. (MW)
: 20 Of whom is Hymenacus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. (987 “blaspheme” [blasphemeo] means speak evil of, rail on, to speak reproachfully, calumniate, to slander, to defame, or to speak outrageously)
DEVOTION: Paul gives an example of people who need to leave the church. There were two men in the church that were not keeping the truths that were taught by Paul regarding Jesus Christ.
Their actions proved that they were not holding to the faith that Paul delivered to them. He had given them an example to follow in Jesus Christ but they chose to not follow his teachings.
It is because of their actions that they were excommunicated from the church. What does that mean? Their membership was taken away and they were no longer welcomed into the church unless they repented of their sins against Jesus Christ.
Once they were out of the church they were back in Satan’s territory. The church is made up of those who are followers of Jesus and HE protects them from the attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil. The attacks still come but through the ministry of the Holy Spirit they can defend against the attacks and come out victors.
Church membership is important as there is victory in obedience to the truth of the Word of God. When you are a member of a local body of believers you have strength not only from the LORD but from each other to fight temptation.
CHALLENGE: Make sure you have other believers praying for you when you are facing trials. God answers the prayers of HIS people.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Thank Godverse 12
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Lawverse 7
Law is goodverse 8
Law not made for the righteousverse 9
Glorious gospelverse 11
Propheciesverse 18
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Commandmentverses 1, 4
Godverses 1, 2, 11, 17
God our Saviorverse 1
Fatherverse 2
God our Fatherverse 2
Blessed Godverse 11
King eternalverse 17
Immortalverse 17
Invisibleverse 17
Only wise Godverse 17
Glory foreververse 17
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Jesus verses 1, 2, 12, 14-16
Christ verses 1, 2, 12, 14-16
Jesus Christverses 1, 16
Saviorverse 1
Lordverses 1, 2, 12, 14
Lord Jesus Christ verse 1
Jesus Christ our Lordverse 2
Christ Jesus our Lordverse 12
Christ Jesusverses 14, 15
Longsufferingverse 16
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Satanverse 20
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Ephesusverse 3
Macedoniaverse 3
Hymenaeusverse 20
Alexanderverse 20
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Teach wrong doctrineverse 3
Give heed to fables verse 4
Give heed to endless genealogiesverse 4
Vain janglingverse 6
Teaches of the lawverse 7
Lack understandingverse 7
Lawlessverse 9
Disobedientverse 9
Ungodlyverse 9
Sinnersverses 9, 15
Unholyverse 9
Profaneverse 9
Murderers verse 9
Manslayersverse 9
Whoremongersverse 10
Defile themselves with mankindverse 10
Menstealersverse 10
Liarsverse 10
Perjured personsverse 10
Contrary to sound doctrineverse 10
Blasphemerverses 13, 20
Hymenaeus
Alexander
Persecutorverse 13
Injuriousverse 13
Unbeliefverse 13
Shipwreckverse 19
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Hopeverse 1
Faithverses 2, 4, 5, 14, 19
Graceverses 2, 14
Mercyverses 2, 13, 16
Peaceverse 2
Doctrineverse 3
Edifyingverse 4
Charity out of a pure heartverse 5
Good conscienceverse 5
Righteousverse 9
Sound doctrineverse 10
Thankverse 12
Enabledverse 12
Faithfulverse 12
Ministryverse 12
Loveverse 14
Saveverse 15
War a good warfareverse 18
Holding faithverse 19
Good conscienceverse 19
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Paulverse 1
Apostleverse 1
Timothyverses 2, 18
Charge some – teach no other doctrineverse 3
Sound doctrineverse 10
Glorious gospelverse 11
Committed to Paulverse 11
Christ put Paul in ministryverse 12
Chief sinner was Paulverse 14
Hymenaeus and Alexander
delivered to Satanverse 20
Last Things (Future Events)
Life everlastingverse 16
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QUOTES regarding passage
20 Paul names two who have been shipwrecked: Hymenaeus and Alexander. The former is mentioned again as a heretical teacher in 2 Timothy 2:17. Two Alexanders are spoken of in connection with Ephesus. The first was a Jew (Acts 19:34). The second is “Alexander the metalworker,” who did Paul a great deal of harm (2 Tim 4:14). He may be the one intended here.
The apostle had handed these two ringleaders “over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.” The language here is similar to that found in 1 Corinthians 5:5, where it seems to indicate excommunication from the church. The purpose was to jolt the offender into repentance, induced by the fearful thought of being turned over to Satan’s control. Bernard observes, “It is certainly a disciplinary or remedial and not a merely punitive penalty in both cases” (p. 36). (Earle, R. (1981). 1 Timothy. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 356). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
1:20. Paul put forth two examples of men who had shipwrecked their faith: Hymenaeus and Alexander. These leaders within the Ephesian church were spreading false ideas about God and Christ.
Paul stated that he handed [them] over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. The discipline that Paul imposed is also described in 1 Corinthians 5. In that case it involved a man involved in immoral behavior. In both instances, the sinning person was dismissed from the church. He was taken out of the protective community of the church and Christ’s kingdom and handed over to the kingdom of this world, ruled by Satan. Alone in Satan’s domain, the disciplined person would realize his errors, recognize the truth and goodness of God’s kingdom, and choose to repent and return to God and the church in faith.
Obviously not everyone will repent, but the church is called to practice this loving discipline so people will awaken to their sin and turn back to their Lord. (Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 154). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
The words, “that by them,” are literally “in order that in them,” that is, “in their sphere,” or, possibly, “in their power.” “Having put away,” Vincent says, is not strong enough. The Greek has it, “having thrust from them.” It implies wilful violence against conscience. The word “faith” has the definite article. It was not with reference to their personal faith, but with regard to the Faith, the Christian Faith as looked upon as a revelation, that they made shipwreck.
Commenting on the words, “whom I have delivered unto Satan,” Vincent refers the reader to his notes on I Corinthians 5:5, where another was to be delivered to Satan. He says, “On this very obscure and much controverted passage, it may be observed: 1. That it implies excommunication from the Church. 2. That it implies something more, the nature of which is not clearly known. 3. That, casting the offender out of the Church involved casting him back into the heathen world, which Paul habitually conceives as under the power of Satan. 4. That Paul has in view the reformation of the offender, ‘that the spirit may be saved’ etc. This reformation is to be through affliction, disease, pain, or loss, which also he is wont to conceive as Satan’s work.”
The word “learn” is paideuō (παιδευω), in the passive, “to be instructed or taught.” The verb, “have delivered,” is in the perfect tense, speaking of a past complete act having present results. These two were still under sentence of excommunication at the time of the writing of I Timothy. (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (1 Ti 1:18). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.)
1:20. Two in Ephesus who illustrate this principle are Hymenaeus (cf. 2 Tim. 2:17) and Alexander. Whether this is the same Alexander mentioned in Acts 19:33 and 2 Timothy 4:14 is not clear. Probably it is not. Paul’s prescription for these two blasphemers was that they be handed over to Satan, a phrase which perhaps refers to excommunication from the congregation (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1–5) and abandonment to realms controlled by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). Paul viewed the congregation as a haven and protection for believers without which they would suffer painful disadvantage. Thus excommunication was designed to chasten the two apostates. Yet Paul’s motive was remedial, not punitive (cf. 2 Cor. 2:5–8; 2 Thes. 3:14–15). (Litfin, A. D. (1985). 1 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 733–734). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Again, Paul used military language to enforce his statement, for the word “charge” (1 Tim. 1:18) means “an urgent command handed down from a superior officer” (1 Tim. 1:3). Paul also reminded Timothy that God had chosen him for his ministry. Apparently some of the prophets in the local assemblies had been led by the Spirit to select Timothy for service (see Acts 13:1–3 for an example of this procedure).
It was not easy to serve God in pagan Ephesus, but Timothy was a man under orders, and he had to obey. The soldier’s task is to “please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:4), and not to please himself. Furthermore, Timothy was there by divine appointment: God had chosen him and sent him. It was this fact that could give him assurance in difficult days. If you are God’s servant, called by the Spirit, obeying His will, then you can “stay with it” and finish the work. These assurances enabled Timothy to war the good warfare.
Paul changed the illustration from army to navy (1 Tim. 1:19). He warned Timothy that the only way to succeed was to hold fast to “faith and a good conscience.” It is not enough to proclaim the faith with our lips; we must practice the faith in our daily lives. One man said of his hypocritical pastor, “He is such a good preacher, he should never get out of the pulpit; but he is such a poor Christian, he should never get into the pulpit!”
A good conscience is important to a good warfare and a good ministry. The magazine editor H.L. Mencken defined conscience as “the inner voice which warns us that somebody may be looking.” But a man with a good conscience will do the will of God in spite of who is watching or what people may say. Like Martin Luther, he will say, “Here I stand; I can do no other, so help me God!”
Professed Christians who “make shipwreck” of their faith do so by sinning against their consciences. Bad doctrine usually starts with bad conduct, and usually with secret sin. Hymenaeus and Alexander deliberately rejected their good consciences in order to defend their ungodly lives. Paul did not tell us exactly what they did, except that their sin involved “blaspheming” in some way. Hymenaeus said that the resurrection was already past (2 Tim. 2:16–18). Alexander was a popular name in that day, so we cannot be sure that the man named in Paul’s next letter to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:14) is the same man; but if he is, no doubt he withstood Paul by teaching false doctrine.
“Delivered unto Satan” (1 Tim. 1:20) implies an apostolic discipline (see 1 Cor. 5:5) and disassociation from the local church. The verb “learn” (1 Tim. 1:20) means “to learn by discipline.” When a Christian refuses to repent, the local fellowship should exercise discipline, excluding him from the protective fellowship of the saints, making him vulnerable to the attacks of Satan. The fellowship of the local church, in obedience to the will of God, gives a believer spiritual protection. Satan has to ask God for permission to attack a believer (see Job 1–2; Luke 22:31–34).
Each local church is in a constant battle against the forces of evil. There are false prophets and false teachers, as well as false christs. Satan is the originator of false doctrines, for he is a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). It is not enough for a local church to teach sound doctrine and to proclaim the Gospel. The church must also defend the faith by exposing lies and opposing the doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1).
It is important that our ministry be balanced. Some churches only preach the Gospel and seldom teach their converts the truths of the Christian life. Other churches are only opposing false doctrine; they have no positive ministry. We must be teachers of healthy doctrine (“sound doctrine,” 1 Tim. 1:10) or the believers will not grow. We must preach the Gospel and keep winning the lost to Christ. And we must defend the faith against those who would corrupt the church with false doctrine and godless living. It is a constant battle, but it must be carried on.
Timothy must have been greatly helped and encouraged when he read this first section of Paul’s letter. God had called Timothy, equipped him, and put him into his place of ministry. Timothy’s job was not to run all over Ephesus, being involved in a multitude of tasks. His job was to care for the church by winning the lost, teaching the saved, and defending the faith. Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned. One reason some local churches are having problems is that the pastors and spiritual leaders are involved in too many extracurricular activities and are not doing the tasks God has called them to do.
It might be a good idea for our churches to take a spiritual inventory! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 213–214). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
1:20 Hymenaeus and Alexander. Hymenaeus is mentioned in 2Ti 2:17 in connection with Philetus, another false teacher. Alexander may be the opponent of the faith referred to in 2Ti 4:14, 15. Nothing else is known about these two men (see note on v. 3). I have handed over to Satan. Paul put both men out of the church, thus ending their influence and removing them from the protection and insulation of God’s people. They were no longer in the environment of God’s blessing but under Satan’s control. In some instances God has turned believers over to Satan for positive purposes, such as revealing the genuineness of saving faith, keeping them humble and dependent on Him, enabling them to strengthen others, or offering God praise (cf. Job. 1:1–22; Mt 4:1–11; Lk 22:31–33; 2Co 12:1–10; Rev 7:9–15). God hands some people over to Satan for judgment, such as King Saul (1Sa 16:12–16; 28:4–20), Judas (Jn 13:27), and the sinning member in the Corinthian church (see notes on 1Co 5:1–5). will be taught not to blaspheme. See note on v. 13. Paul learned not to blaspheme when confronted by the true understanding of the law and the gospel. That was what those men needed. God, the inspired text seems to indicate, would teach them and show them grace as He had Paul. But that evangelistic work could not go on at the expense of the purity of the church. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Ti 1:20). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, &c.] The former of these is mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17, 18 and that part of faith he made shipwreck of, or erred in, was the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, whereby the faith of some nominal believers was overthrown; and this was attended with the putting away of a good conscience, he seemingly before had; for his profane and vain babblings increased to more ungodliness: the latter seems to be the same with Alexander the coppersmith, who did the apostle much evil, 2 Tim. 4:14 and it may be is the same with him who was at Ephesus when the apostle was there, Acts 19:33, 34 and where he might be now with Hymeneus, with whom he might agree in his erroneous opinions, and therefore are particularly mentioned, Ephesus being the place where Timothy now was. It seems by their names that they were both Greeks; Alexander is a known name among the Greeks, since the times of Alexander the great, and even became common among the Jews; see the note on Acts 4:6. and Hymeneus was a name among the Grecians, from Hymen, the Heathen god of marriage: one of this name is mentioned among those said to be raised from the dead by Æsculapius; there was also a bishop of Jerusalem of this namer. Whom I have delivered to Satan; not by excommunication, which is the act of a church, and not of a single person; but by an apostolical power he had of delivering the bodies of men into the hands of Satan, by him to be tortured and afflicted, in order to bring them to a sense of their sins, and as a chastisement and correction for them, and a token of God’s displeasure at them; see the note on 1 Cor. 5:5. That they may learn not to blaspheme; or that being chastised, corrected, or disciplined, they might not blaspheme, as they had before done; either by words, contradicting, reviling, and scoffing at the doctrine of the resurrection; or by their unbecoming lives and conversations, giving themselves great liberty in sinning, supposing there was no truth in that doctrine; whereby they not only blasphemed the Christian religion themselves, but caused it to be evil-spoken of by others. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 3, p. 280). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
In 1 Timothy 1:20, Paul said, “I have delivered [Hymenaeus and Alexander] unto Satan.” Nothing in this life could be more solemn than to be apostolically handed over to Satan. Such excommunication from the church thrust the offender back into the world, where Satan is lord and god (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4) and where the offender would be exposed to Satan’s malignity and hate. Such apostolic discipline was exercised sparingly and in the hope that the offender would recover. Paul had dealt thus with the incestuous brother at Corinth (1 Cor. 5:5). Hymenaeus and Alexander were excommunicated so that they could “learn not to blaspheme.” Evidently, they did not learn their lesson. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Pastoral Epistles: An Expository Commentary (1 Ti 1:20). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
FROM MY READING:
Jesus tells three parables to demonstrate the quality and quantity of God’s love for sinners.
INSIGHT
Many things about God are difficult to understand. But there is one thing about God which is easy to understand. He earnestly longs for the lost to be saved. In the parable of the lost sheep, we see a God who is willing to leave the multitudes to seek just one which is lost. In the parable of the lost coin, we see a God who will move heaven and earth to find a prized possession. In the parable of the prodigal son, we see a God who rejoices with great joy when a lost one comes home.
As Christians, we should not let that which we don’t know cloud that which we do know. We must focus on the roses rather than the thorns. God loves the sinner, and on that, we can rest. (Quiet Walk)
“FOR THEIR SAKES”
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
John 17:19
This wonderful statement tells us what led Christ to do all He did forus. It is all here! “For their sakes I sanctify myself.” If only we could see this. This is the thing that leads to sanctification. “For their sakes,” He says, He is going to do all this. Who are these people for whom He does it? Enemies of God and therefore enemies of Christ, self-willed creatures, people who listen to Satan rather than to God, people who deliberately believe the lies against God, people who have set themselves up and put their own wills and desires against the will of God, people who delight in evil, who are full of malice, envy, lust, and passion—you and I, as we were in sin and in evil, as the result of the Fall.
“For their sakes.” We must recognize, guilty sinners as we are, that it is for us that He has done all this. “I sanctify myself,” says the eternal Son of God, the holy and pure One, the blameless and spotless One, the One whose supreme joy was to do the will of His Father. Can you imagine a greater contrast than that between “they” and “I”? And yet He says, “I sanctify myself,” which not only means the totality of His personality, but also that He did it voluntarily and willingly.
There was nothing in us to recommend this; there was no motive that could arise from anything in us. Man in sin is so condemned and hopeless that he does not want to be saved or even ask to be. No request ever went out from man to God for salvation; it has come entirely from God. “Here am I,” says our Lord.“Send Me.
A Thought to Ponder: Man in sin is so condemned and hopeless that he does not want to be saved or even ask to be.
(From Sanctified Through the Truth, pp. 42-43, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Heaven Opened
“And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” (John 1:51)
In Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28:12), angels were ascending and descending on a great ladder between Earth and heaven. Christ promised a future reality in which He Himself would be the ladder to the opened heaven.
But that was to be “hereafter.” Until Christ came to die and rise again, heaven was closed, for nothing unclean could enter there, and death had “passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Even those who died in faith could only be “comforted” in “Abraham’s bosom” deep “in the heart of the earth” (Luke 16:22, 25; Matthew 12:40), because “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).
Then Christ died and rose again “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26). In His spirit, “he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth,” and “when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8-9), leading all pre-Calvary saints with Him into heaven. Then was fulfilled the wonderful scene predicted in Psalm 24:7: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”
Since that wonderful day when Christ ascended back to heaven, “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Heaven someday will even receive our resurrected bodies. John prophesied it this way: “I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice…said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1). Heaven thenceforth will be open eternally to all the redeemed. “The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there” (Revelation 21:25).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
The word translated “example” is the term from which we derive our English word type. It refers to the imprint an object leaves behind when pressed against another, such as an impression of a seal upon melted wax. The picture Paul presented by using this term is that we are a model that is to make an impression upon others because we ourselves have been shaped by Christ.
(p. 44, Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Daman)
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