1 Tim 6:2

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.

1. In your own words state the counsel given by Paul to Timothy in verse 2a, and the reason for it.
2. Why does one serve in verse 2b?
3. In your own opinion why does Paul close this counsel with an imperative?

1 Tim 6:3-5

3 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 surmising,
5 Perverse disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness; from such withdraw thyself.

1. What group of people in these verses does Paul expect to have reject his counsel?
2. State verse 5c in your own words – – you will probably need to consult the interlinear translation for this verse above.  Watch the word order.

1 Tim 6:6

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1. Is Paul against wealth?  (Does chapter 5 contribute understanding to your response to this question?)  Support your answer from 1 Timothy.

1 Tim 6:7-9

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.
9 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.

1. What function do these verses have in Paul’s counsels in chapter 6:1-9?

1 Tim 6:10

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.

1. State verse 10a in your own words.  (I’ll bet you do it incorrectly!)
2. What is the function of verse 10?

1 Tim 6:11

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

1. What is the man of God to flee in this verse?

1 Tim 6:12-14

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of 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:

1. What is the function of God in verse 13a?
2. Why does Paul write verse 13b?  What does it add to what he said?

1 Tim 6:15-16

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.

1. Summarize the teaching of these verses.

1 Tim 6:17-19

17 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.

1. State verse 17 in your own words.  Relate it to verse 10.
2. What, according to verses 18 and 19 is the reason for the counsel of verse 17?

1 Tim 6:20, 21

20 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.

1. List the things that constitute “that which is committed to thy trust,” which Timothy is to keep or guard.
2. What is the message of verse 20b and 21a?
3. What connection, if any do you see between verse 21a and 1 Tim 5:12?  Is there a common message?  (Note the interlinear translation of verses 20 and 21 above.)
4. Why do you think Paul concludes this epistle to Timothy with the words, “Grace be with you”?

Assignment Answers

1 Tim 6:1

1. Christian slaves are to deem their own masters as worthy of all honor.  (This is not an endorsement of slavery.)
2. Slaves being rude, failing to honor their own master, would not destroy slavery, but would bring reproach on the effect of the gospel in the lives of the people who accepted it as the guide of life; the name of God and the teaching of the gospel would be blasphemed.

1 Tim 6:2

1. Slaves who have masters who believe the gospel are not to despise those masters, not because slavery is right, but because the slave master is a brother in Christ.  The Christian cannot despise a brother, even if he is abused by the brother.
2. The service to be given in verse 2b is to be given because a faithful Christian brother is beloved because of his love to Christ – – even if he sees things differently than I do.  Christian unity is the result of my conviction that the other person loves Christ.  Our common love for Christ unites us and gives toleration – – even when we are in Christian experience and knowledge years apart.
3. In my opinion the imperative is used here because of the unpopularity of the counsel given.  Paul knew this opinion would be unwelcome.  The golden rule has never been popular.  The counsels in 6:1, 2 remind one of Matt 5:44, 45, 47.
   

   “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; . . . 
   “For if ye love them which love you, What reward have ye?  Do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?  Do not even the publicans so?

1 Tim 6:3-5

1. Those people in verse 5c who suppose piety to be a way to secure gain [greek; porismon – “means of gain” (A & G, p. 699); “to procure:, Harper.]
2. The KJV translates v. 5c, “supposing that gain is godliness.”  Such a concept is very appealing and, I think, popular today; if I am rich I am a godly person.  But this is not good theology!

   The interlinear material appearing above translates the phrase, “supposing piety to be gain.”  This is a concept we all can be comfortable with.  To serve God is gain – – eternal life and a home in heaven plus receiving a hundredfold in this life (Mark 10:30).

   But this translation of our phrase can’t be reliable because Paul, in verse 5, our verse, is setting forth the thoughts of a warped or corrupted mind, having been deprived of the truth.

   In the greek our phrase is worded, supposing gain (porismon) to be the piety.  Theologically this translation could be acceptable – – warped minds suppose of gain that it is the (mark or guarantee of) piety.  But linguistically this translation is not acceptable, because porismon does not mean gain; it means, “means of gain” (Arndt & Gingrich, p. 699).  Because in our phrase porismon and  eusebian (piety) are both in the accusative case we might not be able to tell which one came first if one of them did not have the definite article with it.  But one does have the definite article with it – – and that one comes first in the word order.  So our phrase reads “supposing piety to be the means of gain.”

   Now we can see why Paul said that such a concept was from a warped mind deprived of the truth.  In chapter 5 Paul had said that if any family had a widow they were to take care of her – – not the church (5:4, 8).  Paul also said that if any believing woman had widows, she was to take care of them and not the church (5:16).  But he also taught that the church was to take care of those who were in need and had nobody else to care for them if their life was a service to God.

   With such counsels making up much of chapter 5 one wonders how anyone could have conceived of godliness (here church membership and life style?) as a means of gain (porismon).  (The noun translated means of gain, in the verb form means “to procure” (A & G, p. 699).)

   But apparently some people did see Christianity, with its strong emphasis on loving one’s neighbor as an opportunity to acquire gain.  A conclusion Paul says results from a mind deprived of the truth – – and warped.

1 Tim 6:6

1. No, Paul is not against wealth, because he says piety plus self-sufficiency equals great gain (verse 6).

   The desire for the gain of wealth, by means of piety, which seduces the mind and replaces godliness as the goal of life is that which is the result of a depravation of truth, according to verse 5.  The formula for verse 5 is something like, piety + church liberality equals gain – – this is the mark of a warped mind.

   The formula for verse six is, piety + self sufficiency equals great opportunity to acquire gain.  If judgment is by works, as we have seen it to be, then the opportunity to do good works is an opportunity for gain, and the ability to meet a need, resulting from self-sufficiency, is a great opportunity for acquiring gain – – laying up treasure in heaven; a means of gain.

   These principles are the other side of the counsels appearing in chapter 5.  Financial stability plus piety equals great opportunities for doing good, which good acts bring great reward in heaven – – great gain.

1 Tim 6:7-9

1.  They restate verses 3-6.

1 Tim 6:10

1. The love of money is a root of all evils.
2. Verse 10 has the function of restating verses 3-6, and 7-9.

1 Tim 6:11

1.  The man of God is to flee the love of money; not money-the source of the self-sufficiency of verse 6, which is capable of doing good.

1 Tim 6:12-14

1.  He is the One who gives life to, or, makes alive (zoogoneo) all things.
2. Verse 13b adds that while God is the one making and keeping all alive (verse 13a), Jesus Christ our pattern was a continuingly good witness – – under trouble (verse 13b), and it is before these two that Paul urges Timothy to be steady.

1 Tim 6:17-19

1. Whereas the love of money is a root of all evils (verse 10), Paul urges Timothy to remind those who are now rich not to be haughty or to put their hope, or to foresee (greek; elpizo) the future, through the riches which are uncertain, but to have their hope, and outlook for the future seen through God, the One offering to us, or presenting to us (Greek: parecho) all things richly for enjoyment.

In this verse we are urged to trust in God whose thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace and not of evil – – to give us an expected end.

1. The reason for the counsel of verse 17 is that doing good works (GreeK: agathoergein, to work good ) lays up a good basis (Greek: themelion) for the future (greek: mellon, about to be) that enables us to lay hold on “the really life” (greek: ontos zoas).

1 Tim 6:20, 21

1. The teachings of the gospel, 4:6, the spiritual gift in him by the laying on of hand of the presbytery, 4:14, the prophecies respecting him, 1:18, and being impartial, 5:21.
2. Avoid being drawn away from the teaching and preaching of the gospel.
3. The warning of 6:21a keeps people from losing the pure gospel – – their first love (5:12)
4. Grace is the power of God which changes and enables people.  If Timothy was to successfully carry out the charge given to him he would have to have grace.  Note the following:

   “In the matchless gift of His Son, God as encircled the whole world with an atmosphere of grace as real as the air which circulates around the globe.  All who choose to breathe this life-giving atmosphere will live and grow up to the stature of men and women in Christ Jesus” (Steps to Christ, p. 68).

   “The only way to grow in grace is to be disinterestedly doing the very work which Christ has enjoined upon us – – to engage, to the extent of our ability, in helping and blessing those who need the help we can give them.  Strength comes by exercise, activity is the very condition of life.  Those who endeavor to maintain Christian life by passively accepting the blessings that come through the means of grace and doing nothing for Christ, are simply trying to live by eating without working.  And in the spiritual as in the natural world, this always results in degeneration and decay (Steps to Christ, pp. 80, 81).

 

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