1 Timothy 3:14

1Ti 3:14-16. These things — Concerning the character of persons fit to be intrusted with the office of bishops or deacons; I write, hoping to come to thee shortly — It seems evident from hence, that Paul intended to have come back to Timothy at Ephesus in a little time, but was providentially called another way; but, as Doddridge observes, it can by no means be concluded from hence that Paul wrote this epistle to Timothy after his imprisonment at Rome. But if I tarry long — If I am hindered from coming, I give thee these instructions in the mean time; that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself — That is, how to discharge thy office properly; (which is the scope of the whole epistle;) in the house of God — In which thou hast the honour to bear so high an office, even in that house, or family, which is the church of the living God — Where he is worshipped in spirit and in truth by his believing people, manifests his special presence, and bestows peculiar blessings. The tabernacle first, and afterward the temple, obtained the name of the house or habitation of God, because there the symbol of the divine presence resided, 1Sa 1:7; Mat 21:13; Mat 23:38. But under the gospel dispensation no material building or temple is called the house of God. That appellation is given only to the church of God, or to those societies of men who profess to believe in Christ, and join together in worshipping God according to the gospel form. The pillar and ground — Or support, as εδραιωμα signifies; of the truth — That is, of the whole system of gospel truth. “Some commentators think Timothy is called, in this passage, the pillar and support of the truth, for the same reason that Peter, James, and John are called pillars, (Gal 2:9,) and that the particle ως, as, should be supplied before these words, and the clause translated thus: That thou mayest know how thou ought to behave thyself, as the pillar and support of the truth in the church, of the living God. But, not to insist on the harshness and irregularity of this construction, it must be observed, that seeing the interpretation of the passage hath been much contested, a word, which entirely changes the apostle’s meaning, should by no means be inserted in the text on mere conjecture, because in that manner the Scriptures may be made to speak any thing which bold critics please.” — Macknight. According to the common reading, the church of God is evidently here called the pillar and support of truth. And since the apostle must be understood as speaking, not of any particular falsely pretended, fallen, or corrupt church, but of the true, genuine, catholic church, or, as he expresses himself, the church of the living God, consisting of all the true churches of Christ throughout the world, and comprehending all true believers and lovers of God, all who hold the mystery of faith in a pure conscience; (1Ti 3:9;) this church, so constituted, may with perfect propriety be termed the pillar and support of the truth, as preserving, from age to age, the Holy Scriptures, which attest the truth, and as always believing and maintaining the great fundamental articles of the Christian faith. Bengelius, however, and many others, adopt a different reading, so far as to end the sentence with the church of the living God, and to begin the next with the words following, thus: The mystery of godliness is the pillar and ground of truth, and confessedly a great thing. And this reading is approved by Witsius, Whitby, Doddridge, Wesley, and many other eminent commentators. According to this interpretation, by the mystery of godliness we are to understand that wonderful and sublime doctrine which is revealed in the gospel, and immediately specified in six articles, which sum up the whole economy of Christ upon earth.

God was manifest in the flesh — Namely, the Word that was in the beginning with God, and was God, was incarnated, (Joh 1:14,) in the human nature of Jesus, conceived by a miracle in the womb of the virgin, and born of her, to whom, therefore, the divine names of God, Lord, and Jehovah, are repeatedly given in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; as also the divine titles of the true God, 1Jn 5:20; God over all blessed for ever, Rom 9:5; Jehovah of hosts, Isa 8:13-14; Hos 12:5; the Lord of glory, 1Co 2:8; the Holy One and Just, and the Prince of life, Act 3:14-15; the first and last, Rev 1:17. To him divine attributes are ascribed; omnipresence, Mat 18:20; omnipotence, Php 3:21; omniscience, Rev 2:23. And divine works, namely, those of creation, Joh 1:3; preservation, Col 1:17; Heb 1:3; redemption and salvation, passim, and judging all mankind at the last day, Mat 25:31-32, &c. And to him, as we have very often seen in the course of these notes, divine worship was frequently paid by those divinely-inspired persons, who could not be mistaken, particularly in a matter so momentous. He was manifested in the form of a servant, in the fashion of a man, for thirty-three years, his divine glory frequently breaking forth through the veil of his humanity, especially in the wisdom of his discourses, in the power of his miracles, in the holiness of his spotless life, and in his unspeakable and never-ceasing benevolence, beneficence, and other divine virtues, and in a peculiar manner when he was transfigured on the holy mount, 2Pe 1:16-17. Justified in the Spirit — The Lord Jesus appeared on earth in all the infirmity and frailty of mortal flesh, poor, despised, persecuted, and at last put to death as a blasphemer; yet he professed and maintained a high claim, the highest possible, even that of being the Messiah, the Son of God in a peculiar sense, and one with his Father, Joh 8:58; Joh 10:30; Joh 10:36. Now how could he be justified in making this claim? He was justified in, or by, the Spirit — Namely, the Holy Ghost; 1st, That Spirit had moved holy men of old, (2Pe 1:21,) to utter many predictions concerning him, and these were all exactly fulfilled in him. 2d, The Spirit descended upon him in a visible form at his baptism, and pointed him out as the person, whom the voice from heaven declared to be God’s beloved Son; and this Spirit he possessed without measure in its gifts and graces, as his doctrine, life, and miracles showed. 3d, By this Spirit he was raised from the dead, (1Pe 3:18,) and thereby powerfully demonstrated to be the Son of God, Rom 1:4. 4th, He baptized his disciples with this Spirit, particularly on the day of pentecost, according to the prediction of the Baptist, (Mat 3:11,) and his own often-repeated promise, and thereby convinced of sin those that did not believe in him, whether Jews or Gentiles, and showed them to be inexcusable in resisting such evidence; giving full proof, at the same time, that he himself was righteous, Joh 16:7-10.

Seen of angels — However regardless men might be of this astonishing mystery, this manifestation of God in the flesh, the angels viewed it with deep and constant attention and great interest, as a most astonishing and instructive spectacle, more mysterious than any work of creation, or dispensation of providence, and giving them such views of their Maker’s justice and grace, and especially of his love, as they had not had before, 1Pe 1:12. Accordingly they worshipped him at his entrance into the world, Heb 1:6; celebrated his birth, Luk 2:9-13; ministered to him in the desert, Mat 4:11; and in his agonies, Luk 2:43; were present at his resurrection and ascension, Luk 24:4; Act 1:10.

Preached to the Gentiles — This also is termed a mystery Eph 3:4-6; Col 1:25; where see the notes. And if we consider how the Gentile world was sunk in idolatry and vice of every kind, and that whoever preached the gospel to them must testify against their abominable practices in strong terms, and therefore had every reason to expect the most violent opposition and ill usage, even to imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom, we must allow both that God manifested astonishing grace in sending his apostles to preach the gospel to them, and that these his messengers displayed amazing fortitude in going so willingly to preach it. Believed on in the world — This was a still greater mystery; 1st, That a poor, mean, and persecuted man, crucified as the vilest malefactor, should be believed on as the Messiah expected by the Jews and all nations — the Son of God — the Saviour of the world. 2d, That his gospel, so simple and unpromising in appearance, preached without wisdom of words, and by men who had not the advantage of wealth, power, or learning to recommend them, and whose doctrine condemned the reigning idolatry, should be believed in as a revelation from God: especially as, 3d, It could not prevail but it must evidently overthrow the heathen idolatry, established and revered for ages, and bring all the esteemed doctrines of the philosophers into discredit, and therefore would certainly be opposed and persecuted by the three classes of people of the greatest power, the priesthood, the philosophers, and the Roman emperor, with all subordinate kings and magistrates. 4th, Whoever believed it were under an indispensable obligation to confess it; and whoever did so was in danger of suffering the loss of all things, imprisonment, torture, and death. But notwithstanding all these obstacles in the way, Jesus and his gospel were believed on in the world. “This undeniable fact, of which the evidence remains at this day, is mentioned as a part of the mystery of godliness, because it is a strong proof of the truth of Christ’s resurrection, and of the spiritual gifts and miraculous powers by which the apostles and their assistants are said, in the Christian records, to have spread the gospel through the world. For, to believe that the multitudes, not only among the barbarous nations, but among the learned Greeks and Romans, who forsook their native religion and embraced the gospel, were persuaded to do so merely by the force of words, without the aid of miracles and spiritual gifts, is to believe a greater miracle than any recorded in the gospel history.” — Macknight.

Received up into glory — When his ministry on earth was completed; when he had fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, and answered the ancient types; taught the whole truth belonging to his new dispensation, and confirmed it by miracles; had set his followers a perfect example; expiated sin by dying, broke the power of death by his resurrection; giving his disciples clear proof thereof by frequently appearing to them, as well as by showing them that the ancient prophets had foretold these things; and had given them their commission and all needful instruction; — He, who had so long tabernacled in our frail nature in a state of poverty, reproach, and suffering, was received up into glory: that is, as the eternal Son of God, he resumed the glory he had with his Father before the world was; (Joh 17:5;) his human nature was transformed and glorified, and in his complete person, as God and man, he was placed at the head of the whole creation for the good of his church, (Eph 1:20-22,) invested with all authority and power in heaven and on earth, and constituted the final Judge of men and angels.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. In doctrine.

a. Timothy set as champion of the doctrine of the incarnation against the errorists predicted by the Spirit as about to appear, 1Ti_3:14 to 1Ti_4:10.

14. These things—Not only the precepts of Church order in 1Ti_2:1 to 1Ti_3:13, but including the entire charge against the heresies in chapter first. For as the charge is against their false doctrines, so the Church order, in possession of the true doctrine, is the stronghold against them.

Write I—Place them on visible monumental records.

Shortly—Greek, sooner; that is, sooner than his writing a letter naturally presupposed.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

1Ti_3:15. How thou oughtest to behave thyself.—The language seems open to a double interpretation, as the R.V. shows—“how men ought to behave.” Perhaps St. Paul meant that his letter should teach Timothy what men should be in office, as well as the officials themselves what manner of men they must be. The Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.—“If the Church is here called ‘the pillar and stay of the truth,’ the expression is one of the least Pauline, the most difficult and the most modern in these epistles. On the other hand, all difficulties vanish if we refer the words to Timothy, who is here bidden to bear himself as an upholder and supporter of the truth” (Farrar).

1Ti_3:16. And without controversy.—Lit. “confessedly.” God was manifest.—R.V. “He who was manifested.” Ellicott thinks it not at all improbable that we have a quotation from some well-known hymn, or possibly from some familiar confession of faith. Justified in the Spirit.—As in 1Pe_3:17, the Spirit seems to be contrasted with the flesh. Preached unto the Gentiles.—R.V. “among the nations.” How inseparably St. Paul considered his own mission to be united to the purposes of God in giving His Son, this phrase makes evident. Received up into glory.—The reference is to the event recorded in Act_1:9, the assumption of our Lord.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—1Ti_3:14-15

The Dignity and Stability of the Church.

I. The Church is the habitation of the living God.—“The house of God, which is the Church of the living God” (1Ti_3:15). The Church of God does not consist of massive buildings, however grandly designed or richly decorated, but is a congregation of immortal souls and of bodies, which are temples of the living God. How different from the lifeless idol Diana, in whose honour the Ephesians built a temple that was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world, and how different the worship and service! God’s house must have rules and regulations to preserve it from unseemly disorder and irreverence. The congregation worshipping the living God must have a constitution and laws to preserve it from faction and anarchy. Officers of such a Church must have the highest qualifications, and their behaviour be above suspicion. To them is largely entrusted the moral culture and destiny of living souls. “As I was walking in the fields,” writes M‘Cheyne, “the thought came over me, with almost overwhelming power, that every one of my flock must soon be in heaven or hell. Oh, how I wished that I had a tongue like thunder, that I might make all hear; or that I had a frame like iron, that I might visit every one and say, ‘Escape for thy life!’ Ah! sinners, you little know how I fear that you will lay the blame of your damnation at my door!”

II. The Church is the stay and defence of the truth.—“The pillar and ground of the truth” (1Ti_3:15). “To the Church has been assigned a post of great responsibility. Truth in itself is self-evident and self-sustained; it needs no external support or foundation. But truth as it is manifested to the world needs the best support and the firmest basis that can be found for it. And it is the duty and privilege of the Church to supply these. God’s household is not only a community which in a solemn and special way belongs to the living God—it is also the pillar and ground of the truth.” The Church is stable and enduring because it rests upon and is made up of unchanging truth: the truth it declares defends and preserves it. One of the red republicans of 1793 was telling a good peasant of La Vendée, “We are going to pull down your churches and your steeples—all that recalls the superstitions of past ages, and all that brings to your mind the idea of God.” “Citizen,” replied the good Vendéean, “pull down the stars then.”

III. The greatness of the Church needs special qualifications in its officers.—“These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God” (1Ti_3:14-15). As his hope of visiting Ephesus soon was not very confident, the apostle regards the work of governing the Church as of such vital importance that he provides for Timothy’s lengthened superintendence by giving him the preceding rules to guide him. Thus he commends the weight and dignity of the pastoral office, because pastors are stewards to whom God has committed the charge of governing His house. If any person has the superintendence of a large house, he labours night and day with earnest solicitude that nothing may go wrong through his neglect or ignorance or carelessness. If only for men this is done, how much more should it be done for God! St. Francis, reflecting on a story he heard of a mountaineer in the Alps who had risked his life to save a sheep, says, “O God, if such was the earnestness of this shepherd in seeking for a mean animal which had probably been frozen on the glacier, how is it that I am so indifferent in seeking my sheep?”

Lessons.—

1. God is the life of His own Church. 2. The Church lives by being faithful to the truth.

3. No pains should be spared in acquiring efficiency in Church work.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

1Ti_3:15. The Christian in the Church.

I. The condition our subject supposes.—

1. The Church comprises all the redeemed and sanctified people of God.

2. Frequently means a particular community or company of believers associated together for religious purposes.

II. The obligations we are under to enter this state.—

1. Suitability.

2. Consolation.

3. Safety.

4. Usefulness.

III. The duties arising from the state.—

1. Worship, in the use of the means of grace.

2. These duties in the use of the means regard the minister.

3. Your fellow-members.

4. The welfare and prosperity of the whole interest.—W. Jay.

The Church the House of God.

I. The Church of God—

1. Is any number of Christians meeting together.

2. All the Churches in existence on earth at the same time.

3. All the people of God of all ages.

II. The Church of God is a house.—

1. It has a foundation.

2. The materials of the house are men. The materials differ from each other, and are prepared for the heavenly building before they go to it.

3. The putting of the materials together is done by union and mutual dependence on each other.

III. The Church of God is the house of God.—

1. He is the builder.

2. The owner.

3. The inhabitant.—C. Bradley.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF 1Ti_3:16

An Epitome of the Gospel.

I. The incarnate God a mystery, but a fact.—“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.” The oldest manuscripts and versions read, “He who was manifest in the flesh.” Paul speaks of the truth as the mystery of godliness, in order to express both the Divine and the human aspects of the Christian faith. On the Divine side the gospel is a mystery, a disclosed secret. It is a body of truth originally hidden from man’s knowledge, to which man by his own unaided reason and abilities would never be able to find the way. The mystery of godliness has for its centre and basis the life of a Divine Person; and the great crisis in the long process by which the mystery was revealed was reached when this Divine Person was manifested in the flesh. “Mystery” in Christian theology implies something which once was concealed but has now been made known: “manifest” implies making known what had once been concealed. An historical appearance of One who had previously existed, but had been kept from the knowledge of the world, is what is meant by “who was manifest in the flesh.” The famous statue of Christ in the gallery at Stuttgart, by Dannecker, was produced after reading the words “God manifest in the flesh,” which led to the conversion of the sculptor. The subject he proposed to himself seemed too great; but as he reflected that others could preach and write on Christianity, which he could not do, he wrought out the statue as the expression of his faith.

II. The incarnate God was vindicated as Divine in His own spirit.—“Justified in the Spirit.” His flesh was the sphere of His manifestation; His spirit was the sphere of His justification. It was in His spirit that Christ was affected when the presence of moral evil distressed Him. This spiritual part of His nature which was the sphere of His most intense suffering, was also the sphere of His most intense joy and satisfaction. As moral evil distressed His spirit, so moral innocence delighted it. In a way that none of us can measure, Jesus Christ knew the joy of a good conscience. His justification or vindication in respect to His spirit or higher being was effected by all that manifested that higher being—His words, works, His Father’s testimony at His baptism and at the Transfiguration, and by His resurrection.

III. The incarnate God is a suggestive revelation to the angelic intelligences.—“Seen of angels.” This manifestation of a perfectly righteous man was not confined to the human race. The angels also witnessed it, as well as His triumphant return to glory, and can bear testimony to the reality of both facts. Angels saw the Son of God with us, not having seen Him before. Not even they had seen His Divine nature, which is not visible to any creature, but they saw Him incarnate.

IV. The incarnate God is the theme of the gospel and the object of faith.—

1. As such He was declared to the nations. “Preached unto the Gentiles.” What angels came to know by seeing, the nations learned by preaching. He is a new message to the one class as well as to the other—to the angels so near to Him, and the Gentiles so far off.

2. As such He was and is accepted by perishing men. “Believed on in the world.” Though many reject Him, many believe on Him. To reject Him is to perish; to believe on Him is to be saved.

V. The incarnate God is now reigning in heavenly glory.—“Received up into glory.” At His ascension He was received up so as now to be in glory, carrying on His mediatorial work and ruling the universe, until all things shall be finally subdued unto Him. The revelation of the eternal Son, which imposes on those who accept it a holiness of which His sinlessness must be the model, is something awful and profound. But He does not impose a pattern for imitation without at the same time granting the grace necessary for struggling towards it. The sinlessness of Christ is immeasurably beyond us here; and it may be that in eternity the loss caused by our sins in this life will never be entirely cancelled. But having followed Christ on earth, we shall follow Him still more in heaven (Plummer, Fausset).

Lessons.—

1. The gospel is the revelation of the incarnate God.

2. The fundamental facts of the gospel are well authenticated.

3. If we reject the gospel we shall be condemned by both earth and heaven.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

1Ti_3:16. Mysteriousness of Godliness.

I. Godliness as it exists in the soul and character of man is a mystery.—

1. It is mysterious in its commencement.

2. Mysterious in its own proper nature or in that in which it consists.

3. Mysterious to those who are themselves possessed of it.

4. A mystery to the world.

II. Godliness as it exists in the form of Christian doctrine is a mystery.—

1. Because of its own intrinsic nature.

2. Because of the remoteness and invisibility of the things of which it treats.

3. Because of the untriedness of the state it describes.

4. Because of the inscrutable nature of many of the subjects of which it treats.

5. Because of the manner in which it is revealed.

6. Because of the character and capacities of man.—Stewart.

The Mystery of Godliness.

I. The gospel a great mystery.—

1. Because it could not have been known had it not been revealed.

2. Being revealed, it cannot be perfectly comprehended.

(1) Reason not to be the measure of faith.

(2) Disquisition of truth to be within the bounds of sobriety.

(3) Offence not to be taken at the difference of opinions among Christians.

II. Christianity a mystery of godliness.—

1. In regard of its general scope.

2. Of the special parts of it.

3. In the means of conserving it. The best and surest means to preserve Christianity in its proper integrity and power is to season it well with grace, and be sure to keep the conscience upright.—R. Sanderson.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

VIII

Weightiness of the preceding admonition for the Church

1Ti_3:14-16

14These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how7 thou oughtest [one ought] to behave thyself [one’s self] in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: [,] God [Who] was8 manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

1Ti_3:14. These things write I unto thee. The Apostle does not mean here the whole Epistle, but only the admonitions which he has given in chaps. 2 and 3. Probably, before he parted from Timothy, he had left behind for him a general direction, but not special rules for each individual case. He now does this, hoping, &c. Ἐλπίζων does not mean the cause of his writing, but is to be taken sensu adversativo, although I hope; see Winer, p. 214.—To come shortly; properly, sooner;τάχιον, in comparative; i. e., sooner than is expected, or perhaps than I think of. The various readings, ἐν τάχει, ταχεῖον, or ταχέως, are only expository corrections, against which we hold, difficilior lectio præferenda; for which reason Tischendorf has justly retained the Recepta. Besides, the comparative τάχιον, Joh_13:27, is used in almost the same sense with ταχύ.

1Ti_3:15. But if I tarry long, &c. It might happen that the expectation of Paul to return soon would be disappointed; and in order to prevent any embarrassment to Timothy, he writes him the necessary instructions. Βραδύνω, the same word used 2Pe_3:9 of the promise of Christ’s coming. That Paul will meet Timothy in Corinth, to go with him to Macedonia (Otto), is a conjecture, only forced on the text to favor a pet hypothesis.—How thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God. The expression has a general sense, although it apparently refers to Timothy in particular. The explanatory σε has this degree of weight (Luther, too, reads, how thou shouldst behave); but critically the evidence is too weak to admit it into the text. See Tischendorf on this passage.—Ἀναστρέφεσθαι means not Christian life in general, but here the life of the Christian officer, which belonged to Timothy and his fellow-episcopi. The scene of this ἀναστροφή is the house of God, the Christian community not exclusively in Ephesus, but in general.—House of God, οἶκος Θεοῦ. It is well known how frequently this scriptural expression occurs in the other letters of Paul; most strikingly 1Co_3:9—17. If the temple at Jerusalem, as well as Israel itself, the Old Testament people, bore this name (Mat_21:13; Heb_3:2; Heb_3:5), it might certainly be used with greater truth of the Church of the New Testament. It is the house whose owner is God, since He built it, inhabits it, and will complete it in His own way and time (comp. Lisco, “Parables of Jesus,” 4th ed., p. 505). The conception of inward unity, as well as of indestructible steadfastness, is obviously expressed in this word. These attributes are possessed by the Christian church, because it is the house of the living God. Bengel’s remark is deeply spiritual: “Ecclesia Dei viventis opponitur fano Dianæ Ephesiorum. Vita Dei fundamentum spei nostræ,” cap. i1Tim 1Ti_3:10, et fons veritatis, h. l.—Pillar and ground of the truth. We have thus reached by degrees one of the most difficult passages in these Epistles. The words which are chiefly to be discussed offer nothing doubtful in a literal sense. Στύλος is the support on which the roof of a house rests, its upholding pillar (comp. Rev_3:12; Gal_2:9). Wahl says very truly: “Omne id, cui ut primario et præ ceteris insigni innititur aliquid.” Ἑδραίωμα means the ground, the foundation (comp. θεμέλιος, 2Ti_2:19), which is as necessary for the stability of the whole house. Pillar and ground of the truth can only refer to the religious truth personally revealed and manifest in Christ. But now the question is, whether these words are in apposition to οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ ζῶντος just before, or belong to καὶ ὁμολογουμένως, κ.τ.λ., just following them. Both constructions have been often defended and attacked with alternate success by learned and devout men. In De Wette and Huther may be found the names of the various champions of either view. Here, where we do not aim at strict exegetical discussions, but rather to give the results of our own inquiries, we shall simply state why the latter view, as is seen in our translation, seems preferable to the former. The statement of Paul’s design in the preceding portion is already closed with 1Ti_3:15; and while the description of the church as the house of the living God has a good and valid sense, the following phrase, “a pillar and ground of the truth,” if it be considered as an addition to this figurative expression, is exceedingly dull and heavy. It is most improbable that the Apostle should in one breath describe the church, which he has called an οἶκος, as also a στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα. We cannot possibly expect such a violation of all æsthetic rule from a man like Paul. The conception of the church as such a pillar and ground of the truth, is indeed quite explicable in a sound sense, yet it is in itself far from clear and as far from Pauline (comp. 1Co_3:11). But if the new proposition (1Ti_3:16) begins with the words καί δμολ. μέγα, then the copulative καί is entirely without a purpose, and a singular commencement, too, of a proposition. We need not here recall the misuse made by Romish interpreters of the idea: “The church a pillar of the truth” (comp. Calvin on this passage). A striking view of this conception of the church, as columna veritatis, in the Protestant light, is given by Melanchthon on this sentence.—For all these reasons, we believe that we are right in beginning, with στῦλος, a new proposition, which continues to the end of the chapter. It must be granted that the construction remains singular and hard: στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας καί ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον; especially the article τὸ had best be removed, if, according to our view, στῦλος … ἀληθ. is the predicate of τῆς εὐσεβ. μυστ. Yet we do not find this objection so overwhelming, as Grotius and others do, against our construction. The evolution of thought is rapid; the Apostle speaks so forcibly, that he does not painfully weigh and arrange his words. The representation of the ὅς ἐφαν., κ.τ.λ., in 1Ti_3:16, directly after, as not only a μυστήριον τῆς εὐσεβείας, but as likewise a στύλος κ. ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας, the denial and opposition to which is fully noticed 1Ti_4:1, is entirely in the Apostle’s spirit; who, as we know already in earlier letters, gives a special importance to the essentials of the gospel. If a new chapter had been begun with the words, “a pillar and ground of the truth,” the whole connection would perhaps have been viewed in another light. The interpretation of στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθ. as referring solely to Timothy, deserves scarcely any notice save as an exegetical oddity. To exhort a pillar to behave itself (ἀναστρέφεσθαι), sounds a little hyperbolical. Only three of the foremost Apostles are called στύλοι, Gal_2:9; but never their associates.

1Ti_3:16. And without controversy great, &c., Καὶ ὁμολογ. μέγα, κ.τ.λ. This must, as στύλος καὶ ἑδρ., be regarded as the introduction of the summary statement ὅς ἐφανερ., κ.τ.λ. Μυστήριον is the Pauline expression for that truth, before hidden, now brought to light (see Eph_3:3-5); μυστ. τῆς ευʼσεβείας, that which is the object of εὐσεβ., like μυστ. τ. πίστ. (1Ti_3:9); whence it appears that the translation, a godly mystery (Luther), is somewhat arbitrary. This mystery is great, not wholly unfathomable (comp. Mat_13:12), deep in meaning, weighty (comp. 1Co_9:11), confessedly great, ὁμολογουμένως; not strictly, made known (Luther), but rather in the sense of indubitable, secundum id quod in confesso est apud omnes. Summa; a mystery now revealed, whose weight and worth no Christian can doubt. What, now, is this mystery? The very thing called στύλος κ. ἑδραίωμα τ. ἁλ. The phrase lacks, indeed, in a degree, the climax which we might here expect; but this difficulty vanishes when we balance against it the fact that the Apostle has expressed his meaning first in a tropic, then in a literal mode; whilst the following clauses show now in their order what the subject is which was called improprie a pillar and ground, proprie a mystery of godliness. The remark of Wiesinger, following Schleiermacher, that the third adjective of definition, ὁμολογ. μέγα, cannot grammatically be connected with two predicates like στύλος and ἑδραίωμα, seems to us at least without any proof. [The reference of the “pillar and ground” to the church, is more strongly sustained by exegetical argument, both by writers of older and later times, than this view of our author. Huther, Schleiermacher, and Wiesinger, among many, hold the grammatical construction to point to ἐκκλησία. Alford has perhaps summed the evidence as concisely as any of our English expositors; and in his view the structure of the whole passage demands this application. His answer to the chief objection offered by our commentator, on the score of good taste, seems sufficient, viz., that the οἶκος contains in itself pillar and basement. Conybeare is one of the few who apply the phrase to Timothy; but this sense seems frigid, and unworthy of this great passage. There is a striking suggestion of Arnold, which may well be added: “If the words are to be applied to the church, they do not describe what it is de facto, but what it ought to be. Take care that no error through thy fault creep into that church, which was designed by God to be nothing but a pillar and basis of truth;” “Life and Letters,” p. 31, 1Ti_5:2, Amer. ed.—W.]—God was manifest in the flesh [Who was manifest in the flesh, in the German version]. The translation given above expresses already our probable judgment on this well-known crux criticorum. We can with a good critical conscience wholly agree with the steadily increasing number who regard neither θεός nor ὅ, but ὅς, as the original reading. See Tischendorf, N. T., ed. 7, on this passage; and compare the very valuable Excursus ad 1Ti_3:16 in his edition of the Codex Ephr Syri rescriptus, 1843. The Codex Sinaiticus has also confirmed the reading ὅς as the only true one. Paul might, indeed, from his Christological standpoint, have very justly written θεός; but it does not at all follow that he has done so. It is hardly credible that the original reading θεός should have been changed to θεὅς; but very explicable that the original ὅς should have been changed to θεός. Were θεός the true reading (Matthäi, Scholz, Rinck), it would be passing strange that such decisive proof-texts should never have been used by the orthodox church fathers in the Arian and other controversies; and, again, Cyril, in his reply to the Emperor Julian, who denied that Paul had ever called Christ θεός, has not appealed in a word to this passage, as he would almost surely have done had he known the Lectio Recepta. Besides, we find in the following clauses several expressions (e.g., ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις and ἀνελήφθη ἐν δόξῃ) which could hardly be used of God absolutely, but only of the θεός φανερωθείς. For all these reasons, the reading ὅς is not only critically but exegetically proved to be best; and the view often expressed, that it is an heretical corruption of the text, is quite exploded. To the question, whether we should supply an οὗτος after ὅς before ἐδικαιώθη, or whether all the clauses following this refer to a subject not further named in 1Ti_3:16, we must answer by the latter opinion. The designation of the μυστ. τ. εὐσεβ. has the character of a proposition, to which the apodosis is wanting; and this fragmentary style of the whole expression confirms yet more the conjecture, based on the metrical sequence of the words, and already affirmed by many, that we have here a part of an ancient Christian hymn. The unnamed subject of the proposition in 1Ti_3:16 can be only Christ; and although the reading θεός, in our view, is not critically justified, the passage still contains, by the reading ὅς ἐφανερώθη, a proof indirect but unquestionable of the Divine-human nature and dignity of the Lord. Manifest in the flesh can only be said of Him who, before His incarnation, was personally with the Father. Nay, more; it is possible to keep the reading ὅς, with Tischendorf, yet avoid all the difficulties which might possibly come from a surrender of the Recepta, if we consider the clause, Στύλος κ. ἑδρ. … μυστήριον, as a long parenthesis, and thus read the text, 1Ti_3:15-16 : “ἵνα εἰδῆ̣ς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία θεοῦ ζῶντος (στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον !) ὅς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκὶ, κ.τ.λ.” This conjecture appears to us the simplest and most natural in the treatment of a passage so often interpreted and misinterpreted. If it be true, then the reading θεός is critically untenable; yet it is a right exposition of the Apostle’s meaning, since ὅς reverts directly to θεοῦ ζῶντος. That the Apostle often uses long parentheses, appears, among several instances, from Rom_2:13-15. That he does it here, will seem less extraordinary when we consider the fulness and rapid succession of thoughts in this part of his letter. We readily grant, moreover, that objections may be raised against this view by those especially who regard στύλος κ. ἑδραίωμα as in apposition with ἐκκλησία τ. θεοῦ ζῶντος. But this last view seems to us unsustained; and thus the only question is, in the choice of the many expositions, which has the fewest difficulties? We have from our point of view the double advantage, that we need neither violate our critical conscience, nor surrender a dictum probans for the divinity of Christ.—Manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit. Six connected clauses, which, in the original especially, have a very euphonic and metrical character.—Manifest in the flesh. Man is flesh; the Son of God is manifest in the flesh, since He came forth from the Father, with whom He personally pre-existed (1Jn_1:2). The birth of the Lord is the starting-point of this manifestation; its scene His whole earthly life. Bengel: “Hæc manifestatio dicit totam occonomiam Christi, oculis quondam mortalium conspicui.” If the excellence of this Divine manifestation is misjudged and despised by many, yet God has confirmed it in the most undoubted way. Ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι; He is proved to be the very Person He truly was (for this sense of justified, comp. Luk_7:35). He is by His divine glory known ἐν πνεύματι, not as Spirit (Baur), but in the Spirit, whereby this His δικαίωδις is effected. The Spirit who dwells and works in Him, not by measure (Joh_3:34), and raised Him at last from the dead (Rom_1:3-4), reveals Him in His high nature and dignity. We have here, without any arbitrary severance of the connection, a reference to all by which His divine origin is made known (comp. Joh_1:14). In what way has this wondrous announcement of this wondrous manifestation been given? Paul answers in the two following clauses.—Seen of angels, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις; not the Apostles, which would not be the common use of the word, but the angels of heaven, who often ministered to Him in the days of His humiliation (Mat_4:11; Luk_22:43), and to whom, after His resurrection, He revealed Himself in His godlike glory. The power of Christ over these heavenly beings is not here meant (Mack), but the vision of His glory by those who wonder at the brightness which they have never before seen, or at least not in such perfection. Comp. 1Pe_1:12; Eph_3:10; Heb_1:6. Chrysostom: “Ὥστε καὶ ἄγγελοι μεθ̓ ἡμῶν εἶδον τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, πρότερον οὐχ ὁρῶντες.” “He alludes probably to a heavenly scene, the contrast of the descent into hell;” De Wette. If we take θεός as the subject of this clause, we may perhaps find expressed here the thought, that God, through His manifestation in Christ, has been revealed in a higher light before the angels. Whatever the truth of this, He who has thus revealed Himself in heaven, has not been forgotten on earth.—Preached unto the Gentiles.Ἐθνη., in a general sense, implying that the nations have received, through the preaching of the gospel, the same truth which the angels received by vision—the glory of Christ, the Lord. Wiesinger justly says: “It is a new commandment to both; and the mystery lies in this union of heaven and earth around His person, in this wonderful blending of such entire opposites.” It is not the contrast between Jew and heathen, but between human and superhuman beings, which the Apostle directly regards.—The third couplet denotes, finally, the results of this whole manifestation, and its announcement. It had not been in vain. It was believed on in the world, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ. This last word must be here taken in an ethical sense, quite like 1Jn_2:15; 1Jn_5:19. Amidst the multitude of those who reject Him, the Son of God has found faith with many where He has been preached (comp. 2Th_1:10); and is finally received up into glory, ἀνελήφθη ἐν δόξῃ. It is the most natural view to refer this to the ascension of the Lord (comp. Luk_24:40; Luk_24:51); nor is it any insuperable difficulty that the foregoing clauses in part allude to a period after His ascension, since the Apostle does not design to give a chronological view of the events in the life of Jesus. Meanwhile, we need not refer this last clause (ἀνελήφθη ἐν δόξῃ) to the ascension exclusively, any more than the first (ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί) to the nativity of Christ. We may embrace in the conception His whole heavenly life in glory, taking the expression per attractionem;ἀνελήφθη εἰς δόξαν, καὶ ἐστὶν ἐν δόξῃ. Calvin: “Ergo sicuti in mundo quoad fidei obedientiam ita et in Christo personâ mira fuit conversio, dum ex tam abjectâ servi conditione erectus est ad dexteram Patris, ut illi flectatur omne genu.” The three couplets thus bring before our vision the advancing glory of this Divine manifestation in Christ in a series of acts, whose beginning is the earth, whose closing is in heaven. It may appear, perhaps, an incidental feature, that the whole consists of two chief divisions, of which earth has two subdivisions; the first two embracing the events on earth, the third those of heaven (Huther). In any case, Paul has not arranged this division in such an order by any arbitrary rule of art. We probably, therefore, have, as already suggested by Winer, Wiesinger, De Wette, Huther, and others, in this whole passage the fragment of an ancient church hymn (as Eph_5:14), or a symbol of faith, which, when the praise τοῦ θεοῦ ζῶντος was sung, perhaps in some strophe. no longer known to us, may have been as follows

Ὅς—μέγα τὸ μυστήριον—

ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκὶ,

ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι,

ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι,

ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις,

Ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν,

ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ,

ἀνελήφθη ἐν δόξῃ.

All this is, in the Apostle’s view, the great mystery of godliness—the pillar and ground of the truth, on which the house of God (1Ti_3:14) rests unshaken; and it is an apostasy from this in the bosom of the same church to which he looks forward (1Ti_4:1). Compare Rambach, “Anthology of Christian Hymns in all Ages of the Church,” i. p. 33, et seq.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The tone in which the Apostle here speaks to his friend and scholar Timothy, and the deference which he expects in the performance of his instructions, give us a fresh proof of his apostolic authority.

2. The tabernacle and temple of the old covenant, in which it is said that God dwelt in a special manner, were a type of the Christian Church with all its blessings; and Israel, the people of the elder revelation, a pattern of the kingly and priestly race of the new covenant.

3. It is the essential character of Christianity, that it does not rest on abstract conceptions, and inferences of reason, but on undeniable and changeless facts (1Jn_1:1-3). The whole sum of the Christian revelation is in the person and history of its Founder, which the Apostle here condenses in a few words. Each new proposition which he offers opens a new world of Divine wisdom and love. The creed here recorded is not the confession of particular churches, but of the one holy, catholic Church of Christ in all centuries; the oldest formula concordiæ—the standard of the true Church against the unbelieving world, on which a higher hand has written, in hoc signo vinces.

4. The preceding words are most important, as clearly explaining to us the meaning of the μυστήριον. The older theology considered mysteries as dogmas, which lie wholly beyond and above the sphere of men, which are to all eternity unsearchable to the finite understanding, and therefore best veiled in a holy obscurity. Paul does not acknowledge many mysteries; he knows one only great mystery, whose chief truth is here revealed; and this is its specific characteristic, that it was before hid, but is now manifest. Yet there is no ground in such a view for the position of modern rationalism, that this mystery, now revealed, may be completely apprehended by man. Even a revealed mystery has its dark, hidden side. The sun, which has been long veiled by the clouds, and suddenly breaks forth in its full light, blinds the eyes as truly as the darkness. “Mysteria quantumvis revelata, vel sic tamen obscura manent” (comp. 1Co_13:11-12). When Paul presents the mystery as the object of the εὐσέβεια, he indirectly reproves their arrogance, who think with their bounded understanding to search the deep things of God, instead of keeping them in the sanctuary of a holy heart.

5. This confession of faith is only the fuller exposition of the testimony which the Lord (Joh_16:28) gave of Himself. The last words should not be overlooked, in which the question is answered, whether Paul taught or no the bodily ascension of the Lord Jesus.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Paul a pattern of tireless apostolic activity in speech and writing.—Timothy, however rich in spiritual gifts, yet in his church duties directed by the authority of Paul.—The minister of the gospel must above all know how to behave himself in the house of God.—The Church of Christ a house of the living God: (1) Builded of God; (2) inhabited by God; (3) consecrated by God; (4) completed through God.—The greatest blessings of the old covenant are not lost in the new, but lavished in fuller measure.—The manifest mystery of the grace of God in Christ the essential fact we have in Christianity.—The personal, historic, living Christ the ground of His Church.—God’s glory in Christ: (1) Manifest; (2) declared; (3) crowned with the desired success.—The Divine manifestation: (1) A mystery; (2) a mystery which passeth knowledge; (3) a mystery which the godly alone can understand and prize, and which alone can lead to godliness.—The marvellous facts of the gospel history a chain, in which not a link is wanting.—From these facts the preaching of the gospel must proceed, and to it constantly return.—The minister of the gospel is not called to declare to the church the religious ideas of his time, but God’s eternal truths of redemption and salvation.

Starke: Anton: A Christian minister must not sit always in his study, but must go hither and thither.—Hedinger: The Church may fail, but not fall.—Anton: Behold the Church directly in your sight What it is in God’s eyes, let it be in yours.—Μυστήριον. This mystery is great: (1) In its origin, for it comes from the inconceivably and inexpressibly great love of the heavenly Father; (2) in its own character, for who can think or know how it is possible for One greater than all angels, yea, equal to the Father in power and glory, to have been manifest in the flesh; (3) in its purpose, which is the salvation of lost men, lying in the utmost ruin.—The same: The gospel is full of mystery; it must be judged not by the reason, but by God’s revelation (2Co_10:5).—Preachers, who carry into the pulpit an empty babble, which leads not to godliness, are not gospel teachers (1Ti_1:4; 1Ti_4:7).—The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, received in faith and shown in godliness, leads to eternal glory (1Ti_4:10; Act_16:30-31).—Heubner: Each Christian community must be a community of the living God.—All Christians must agree in the essential truth of the Christian faith.—Christianity is the holiest and worthiest revelation of God.—The spread of the gospel is an outward enlargement of the glory of Jesus; the greater the number of His worshippers, the greater His kingdom.

Lisco: The inmost kernel of the Christian doctrine of salvation.—The confessedly great and blessed mystery of the Incarnation: (1) A mystery; (2) the godly power which renews our life.

[Bishop Hall, “Mystery of Godliness:” He that should have seen Thee, O Saviour, working in Joseph’s shop, or walking in the fields of Nazareth, would have looked upon Thee as mere man; neither thy garb nor countenance betrayed any difference in Thee from ordinary men. It was Thine all-working and co-essential Spirit, by whose mighty operations Thy divinity was made known to the world.

Bishop Andrewes, Resp. ad Bellarminum, 1Tim 14: We reject not the voice of the Church; nay, we all do venerate it. But the Church to us meaneth not the Pontiff, or the Roman curia; nor, unless you have so prejudged it in your mind, will this title of the Church much advantage you. It is the pillar of the truth, yea, verily; not that the truth is sustained by it, but itself by the truth. This pillar truly hangeth not in the air; it hath a basis: but where, save in the word of God?—W.]

Footnotes:

[8]1Ti_3:16.—See the exegetical explanations. [There are difficulties here both in the proper reading and in the translation. ΟΣ is easily convertible into ΘΣ. In the Oriental Church the powerful Christological interest might easily have overlooked an alteration in the text, which was the result either of inadvertence, or of a design to give greater emphasis to the doctrine of the Incarnation here enunciated. We find that the reading in the Lectionaries, in Chrysostom, Theodoret, John of Damasc., æcumenius, Theophylact, and others, was Θεός; but this was not the reading of the great uncial MSS. Bishop Pearson has an elaborate note upon this text (“Creed,” Am. ed., p. 194), in which he assumes, however, that the “Greek copies” all read Θεὸς, which is an error. It is not denied that many of the Greek fathers read Θεὸς; the question is, what is the evidence that it is the true reading? The reader is referred to the author’s critical remarks.—Nor is the translation easy. Our author is ingenious here, hut not convincing. He brackets the following words: (“Ein Pfeiler und Grundfeste der Wahrheit, und anerkannt gross ist das Geheimniss der Gottseligkeit”) = “a pillar and ground of the truth, and confessedly great is the mystery of godliness.” He thus connects the clause, “great is the mystery of godliness,” with what precedes. It has, indeed, a connection with the foregoing, but not in the way of grammatical structure. We can, with the modern critical editors, place a full period at the end of the 15th verse. Then we can find the logical connection thus: the mystery of godliness is the truth just referred to; the especial substance of that “truth” is then expressed in the words that follow: “Who was manifest,” &c. Yet ὁε creates the greatest difficulty in the way of structure. But it may (so Huther) be regarded as referring to a subject not yet named expressly, but which, of course, must be Christ. Then, if we regard the passage as taken from a current Christian hymn, the difficulty disappears in a measure.—E. H.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chapter 12

THE RELATION OF HUMAN CONDUCT TO THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. - 1Ti_3:14-16

ST. PAUL here makes a pause in the Epistle. He has brought to a close some of the principal directions which he has to give respecting the preservation of pure doctrine, the conduct of public worship, and the qualifications for the ministry: and before proceeding to other topics he halts in order to insist upon the importance of these things, by pointing out what is really involved in them. Their importance is one main reason for his writing at all. Although he hopes to be with Timothy again even sooner than might be expected, he nevertheless will not allow matters of this gravity to wait for his return to Ephesus. For, after all, this hope may be frustrated, and it may be a long time before the two friends meet again face to face. The way in which Christians ought to behave themselves in the house of God is not a matter which can wait indefinitely, seeing that this house of God is no lifeless shrine of a lifeless image, which knows nothing and cares nothing about what goes on in its temple; but a congregation of immortal souls and of bodies that are temples of the living God, Who will destroy him who destroys His temple. {1Co_3:17} Gods house must have regulations to preserve it from unseeming disorder. The congregation which belongs to the living God must have a constitution to preserve it from faction and anarchy. All the more so, seeing that to it has been assigned a post of great responsibility. Truth in itself is self-evident and self-sustained: it needs no external support or foundation. But truth as it is manifested to the world needs the best support and the firmest basis that can be found for it. And it is the duty and privilege of the Church to supply these. Gods household is not only a community which in a solemn and special way belongs to the living God: it is also the "pillar and ground of the truth." These considerations show how vital is the question, In what way ought one to behave oneself in this community?

For the truth, to the support and establishment of which every Christian by his behavior in the Church is bound to contribute, is indisputably something great and profound. "By the admission of all, the mystery of the Christian faith is a deep and weighty one; and the responsibility of helping or hindering its establishment is proportionately deep and weighty. Other things may be matter of dispute, but this not. Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness."

Why does St. Paul speak of the truth as "the mystery of Godliness?" In order to express both the Divine and the human aspects of the Christian faith. On the Divine side the Gospel is a mystery, a disclosed secret. It is a body of truth originally hidden from mans knowledge, to which man by his own unaided reason and abilities would never be able to find the way. In one word it is a revelation: a communication by God to men of Truth which they could not have discovered for themselves. "Mystery" is one of those words which Christianity has borrowed from paganism, but has consecrated to new uses by gloriously transfiguring its meaning. The heathen mystery was something always kept hidden from the bulk of mankind; a secret to which only a privileged few were admitted. It encouraged, in the very center of religion itself, selfishness and exclusiveness. The Christian mystery, on the other hand, is something once hidden, but now made known, not to a select few, but to all. The term, therefore, involves a splendid paradox: it is a secret revealed to every one. In St. Pauls own words to the Romans, {Rom_16:25} "the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations." He rarely uses the word mystery without combining with it some other word signifying to reveal, manifest, or make known.

But the Christian faith is not only a mystery, but a "mystery of godliness." It not only tells of the bounty of Almighty God in revealing His eternal counsels to man, but it also tells of mans obligations in consequence of being initiated. It is a mystery, not "of lawlessness," {2Th_2:7} but "of godliness." Those who accept it "profess godliness"; profess reverence to the God who has made it known to them. It teaches plainly on what principle we are to regulate "how men ought to behave themselves in the household of God." The Gospel is a mystery of piety, a mystery of reverence and of religious life. Holy itself, and proceeding from the Holy One, it bids its recipients be holy, even as He is Holy Who gives it.

"Who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, received up in glory."

After the text about the three Heavenly Witnesses in the First Epistle of St. John, no disputed reading in the New Testament has given rise to more controversy than the passage before us. Let us hope that the day is not far distant when there will be no more disputing about either text. The truth, though still doubted, especially in reference to the passage before us, is not really doubtful. In both cases the reading of the A.V. is indefensible. It is certain that St. John never wrote the words about the "three that bear witness in heaven": and it is certain that St. Paul did not write, "God was manifest in the flesh," but "Who was manifested in the flesh." The reading "God was manifested in the flesh" appears in no Christian writer until late in the fourth century, and in no translation of the Scriptures earlier than the seventh or eighth century. And it is not found in any of the five great primary MSS., except as a correction made by a later scribe, who knew of the reading "God was manifested," and either preferred it to the other, or at least wished to preserve it as an alternative reading, or as an interpretation. Even so cautious and conservative a commentator as the late Bishop Wordsworth of Lincoln declares that "the preponderance of testimony is over whelming" against the reading "God was manifested in the flesh." In an old Greek MS., it would require only two small strokes to turn "Who" into "God"; and this alteration would be a tempting one, seeing that the masculine "Who" after the neuter "mystery," looks harsh and unnatural.

But here we come upon a highly interesting consideration. The words that follow look like a quotation from some primitive Christian hymn or confession. The rhythmical movement and the parallelism of the six balanced clauses, of which each triplet forms a climax, points to some such fact as this. It is possible that we have here a fragment of one of the very hymns which, as Pliny the Younger tells the Emperor Trajan, the Christians were accustomed to sing antiphonally at daybreak to Christ as a God. Such a passage as this might well be sung from side to side, line by line, or triplet by triplet, as choirs still chant the Psalms in our Churches.

"Who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory."

Let us assume that this very reasonable and attractive conjecture is correct, and that St. Paul is here quoting from some well-known form of words. Then the "Who" with which the quotation begins will refer to something in the preceding lines which are not quoted. How natural, then, that St. Paul should leave the "Who" unchanged, although it does not fit on grammatically to his own sentence, But in any case there is no doubt as to the antecedent of the "Who." "The Mystery of godliness" has for its center and basis the life of a Divine Person; and the great crisis in the long process by which the mystery was revealed was reached when this Divine Person "was manifested in the flesh." That in making this statement or quotation the Apostle has in his mind the Gnostics who "teach a different doctrine" (1Ti_1:3), is quite possible, but it is by no means certain. The "manifestation" of Christ in the flesh is a favorite topic with him, as with St. John, and is one of the points in which the two Apostles not only teach the same doctrine, but teach it in the same language. The fact that he had used the word "mystery" would be quite enough to make him speak of "manifestation," even if there had been no false teachers who denied or explained away the fact of the Incarnation of the Divine Son. The two words fit into one another exactly. "Mystery," in Christian theology, implies something which once was concealed, but has now been made known; "manifest" implies making known what had once been concealed. A historical appearance of One Who had previously existed, but had been kept from the knowledge of the world, is what is meant by, "Who was manifested in the flesh."

"Justified in the spirit." Spirit here cannot mean the Holy Spirit, as the A.V. would lead us to suppose. "In spirit" in this clause is in obvious contrast to "in flesh" in the previous clause. And if "flesh" means the material part of Christs nature, "spirit" means the immaterial part of His nature, and the higher portion of it. His flesh was the sphere of His manifestation: His spirit was the sphere of His justification. Thus much seems to be clear. But what are we to understand by His justification? And how did it take place in His Spirit? These are questions to which a great variety of answers have been given; and it would be rash to assert of any one of them that it is so satisfactory as to be conclusive.

Christs human nature consisted, as ours does, of three elements, body, soul, and spirit. The body is the flesh spoken of in the first clause. The soul (ψυχη), as distinct from the spirit (πνευμα), is the seat of the natural affections and desires. It was Christs soul that was troubled at the thought of impending suffering. "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." {Mat_26:38; Mar_14:34} "Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour". {Joh_12:27} The spirit is the seat of the religious emotions: it is the highest, innermost part of mans nature; the sanctuary of the temple. It was in His spirit that Christ was affected when the presence of moral evil distressed Him. He was moved with indignation in His spirit when He saw the hypocritical Jews mingling their sentimental lamentations with the heartfelt lamentations of Martha and Mary at the grave of Lazarus. {Joh_11:33} It was in His spirit also that He was troubled when, as Judas sat at table with Him and possibly next to Him, He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me". {Joh_13:21} This spiritual part of His nature, which was the sphere of His most intense suffering, was also the sphere of His most intense joy and satisfaction. As moral evil distressed His spirit, so moral innocence delighted it.

In a way that none of us can measure, Jesus Christ knew the joy of a good conscience. The challenge which he made to the Jews, "Which of you convicteth Me of sin?" was one which He could make to His own conscience. It had nothing against Him and could never accuse Him. He was justified when it spake, and clear when it judged. {Rom_3:4; Psa_51:4} Perfect Man though He was, and manifested in weak and suffering flesh, He was nevertheless "justified in the spirit."

"Seen of angels." It is impossible to determine the precise occasion to which this refers. Ever since the Incarnation Christ has been visible to the angels; but something more special than the fact of the Incarnation seems to be alluded to here. The wording in the Greek is exactly the same as in "He appeared to Cephas"; then to the twelve; then He appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then He appeared to James; then to all the Apostles; last of all, as to one born out of due time, He appeared to me. {1Co_15:5-8} Here, therefore, we might translate "appeared to angels." What appearance, or appearances, of the Incarnate Word to the angelic host can be intended?

The question cannot be answered with any certainty; but with some confidence we can venture to say what can not be intended. "Appeared to angels" can scarcely refer to the angelic appearances which are recorded in connection with the Nativity, Temptation, Agony, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. On those occasions angels appeared to Christ and to others, not He to angels. With still greater confidence we may reject the suggestion that "angels" here means either the Apostles, as the angels or messengers of Christ, or evil spirits, as the angels of Satan. It may be doubted whether anything at all parallel to either explanation can be found in Scripture. Moreover, "appeared to evil spirits" is an interpretation which makes the passage more difficult than it was before. The manifestation of Christ to the angelic host either at the Incarnation or at the return to glory is a far more reasonable meaning to assign to the words.

The first three clauses of this primitive hymn may thus be summed up. The mystery of godliness has been revealed to mankind, and revealed in a historical Person, Who, while manifested in human flesh, was in His inmost spirit declared free from all sin. And this manifestation of a perfectly righteous Man was not confined to the human race. The angels also witnessed it and can bear testimony to its reality.

The remaining triplet is more simple: the meaning of each one of its clauses is clear. The same Christ, who was seen of angels, was also preached among the nations of the earth and believed on in the world: yet He Himself was taken up from the earth and received once more in glory. The propagation of the faith in an ascended Christ is here plainly and even enthusiastically stated. To all the nations, to the whole world, this glorified Savior belongs. All this adds emphasis to the question "how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God" in which such truths are taught and upheld.

It is remarkable how many arrangements of these six clauses are possible, all making excellent sense. We may make them into two triplets of independent lines: or we may couple the two first lines of each triplet together and then make the third lines correspond to one another. In either case each group begins with earth and ends with heaven. Or again, we may make the six lines into three couplets. In the first couplet flesh and spirit are contrasted and combined; in the second, angels and men; in the third, earth and heaven.

Yes, beyond dispute the mystery of godliness is a great one. The revelation of the Eternal Son, which imposes upon those who accept it a holiness of which His sinlessness must be the model, is something awful and profound. But He, who along with every temptation which He allows "makes also the way of escape," does not impose a pattern for imitation without at the same time granting the grace necessary for struggling towards it. To reach it is impossible-at any rate in this life. But the consciousness that we cannot reach perfection is no excuse for aiming at imperfection. The sinlessness of Christ is immeasurably beyond us here; and it may be that even in eternity the loss caused by our sins in this life will never be entirely cancelled. But to those who have taken up their cross daily and followed their Master, and who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, will be granted hereafter to stand sinless "before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple." Having followed Christ on earth they will follow Him still more in heaven. Having shared His sufferings here, they will share His reward there. They, too, will be "seen of angels" and "received up in glory."

William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.

3:14–4:16 This section addresses how Timothy should occupy himself until Paul arrives (3:14-15; 4:13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Ti 3:14. Ταῦτα, these things) The whole epistle.—ἐλπίζων, hoping) Paul, however, did not put off necessary admonitions.—ἐλθεῖν, to come) ch. 1Ti 4:13.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti_3:14-15. The apostle has come here to a resting-point, since he has brought to an end his instructions regarding some of the chief points to be noticed in the affairs of the church; but, before passing to any new matter, he casts a glance back on the instructions he has given, and tells what was the occasion of his giving them.

ταῦτά σοι γράφω] Bengels explanation: ταῦτα, i.e. totam epistolam, in which Hofmann agrees,[136] is so far right, that ΤΑῦΤΑ refers rather to the instructions that precede (from 1Ti_2:1 onward).

ἘΛΠΊΖΩΝ ἘΛΘΕῖΝ ΠΡΌς ΣΕ ΤΆΧΙΟΝ] ἘΛΠΊΖΩΝ does not give the real (hoping, Matthies), but the adversative ground (Leo: Part. ἘΛΠΊΖΩΝ per ΚΑΊΠΕΡ seu similem particulam esse resolvendum, nexus orationis docet; so, too, Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt). The real ground is given by the following ἽΝΑ. Hofmann asserts, but does not prove, that this view does not accord with the following ΔΈ. Hofmann finds that ἘΛΠΊΖΩΝ only expresses an accompaniment of the act of writing, and that it was added lest Timothy should infer from the sending of an epistle that the apostle meant to leave him for some time in Ephesus; but in this he imports a motive of which the context furnishes no hint.

ΤΆΧΙΟΝ (comp. on this form, Winer, p. 67 [E. T. p. 81]; Buttmann, p. 24) is here taken by most expositors as a pure positive soon; the comparative sense (according to Winer, pp. 227 f. [E. T. p. 304]), though in the background, has not wholly disappeared: sooner (not than the arrival of this letter, or than thou wilt have need of these instructions, Winer) than is or was to be expected.

In spite of this hope, the apostles arrival might possibly be longer delayed, and this possibility had induced him to impart his instructions by writing, lest Timothy should be without them.

ἘᾺΝ ΔῈ ΒΡΑΔΎΝΩ (the verb only here and at 2Pe_3:9), ἽΝΑ ΕἸΔῇς Πῶς ΔΕῖ ἘΝ ΟἼΚῼ ΘΕΟῦ ἈΝΑΣΤΡΈΦΕΣΘΑΙ] Πῶς ΔΕῖ ἈΝΑΣΤΡΈΦΕΣΘΑΙ refers not so much to the Christian life in general, as to behaviour in church life, viz. in divine service and in church arrangements. This limitation is clearly indicated by the connection with what precedes, the ΤΑῦΤΑ referring us back (in opposition to Hofmann). Its subject is either Timothy, in which case ΣΈ is to be supplied (Luther: how thou shouldst walk; so, too, Wiesinger), or no definite subject should be supplied: how one should walk.[137] Both explanations are possible in language and in fact; but the second may be preferred, because Paul in the preceding part (to which ταῦτα refers) did not say what Timothy was to do, but what arrangements were to prevail in the church; Hofmann thinks differently, as he understands ταῦτα of the whole epistle. The expression οἶκος Θεοῦ denotes properly the temple at Jerusalem (Mat_21:13), then also the O. T. people as the church in which God had His dwelling (Heb_3:2; Heb_3:5); in Christian usage it is the N. T. people in whom the dwelling of God has been fully realized; Heb_3:6 (Heb_10:21); 1Pe_4:17; synonymous with it are the expressions: κατοικητήριον Θεοῦ, Eph_2:22; ναὸς Θεοῦ, 1Co_3:16; 2Co_6:16.

To elucidate the symbolic expression, Paul adds: ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος] The pronoun ἥτις (= seeing it) makes the explanatory sentence emphatic, by indicating why there should be such behaviour in the house of God as Paul had prescribed (which Hofmann denies); and the reason is not simply that it is an ἐκκλησία, i.e. a church, and as such has necessarily certain definite ordinances, but still more definitely because it is a church of God, of the living God, who as such esteems highly His ordinances in His church.

There follow in simple apposition the words: στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας] These words are in apposition to ἐκκλησία Θ. ζ., and as such are rightly explained by the older[138] and most of recent commentators (Luther, Melanchthon, Calvin, Beza, Mack, Matthies, de Wette, Wiesinger, Hofmann; now, too, by van Oosterzee, 3d ed.[139]). Some Protestant commentators, however, influenced by their polemic against the Catholic idea of the church, have taken these words as the beginning of the following sentence (first, in the edition of the N. T. at Basel, 1540, 1545; later, Bengel, Mosheim, Heydenreich, Matt; formerly also van Oosterzee). The reasons against this construction are(1) That the new thought would be taken up in a very abrupt and sudden manner, while by connecting it with the previous words, the train of thought is suitable and natural; (2) That grammatically the third defining term, simply adjectival, ὉΜΟΛ. ΜΈΛΑ, cannot well be placed in co-ordination with two predicates like ΣΤΎΛΟς and ἙΔΡΑΊΩΜΑ (Wiesinger, following Schleiermacher); and (3) That, whereas ΤῸ Τῆς ΕὐΣΕΒΕΊΑς ΜΥΣΤΉΡΙΟΝ is nothing else than the ἈΛΉΘΕΙΑ, this construction would make the former designate the latter as ΣΤΎΛΟς ΚΑῚ ἙΔΡ., which would clearly be unsuitable. There is manifestly nothing to be said for the opinion of some commentators,[140] that by στ. κ. ἑδρ. we are to understand Timothy.[141]

ΣΤΎΛΟς in the figurative sense occurs only here and at Gal_2:9; Rev_3:12. The ΟἾΚΟς ΘΕΟῦ is called ΣΤΎΛΟς Τῆς ἈΛΗΘΕΊΑς, inasmuch as the pillar supports and bears the roof resting on it (see Meyer on Gal_2:9), but not inasmuch as it serves to elevate something and make it manifest (Hofmann). The same idea is expressed by the second word: ἙΔΡΑΊΩΜΑ, the base, foundation (similarly ΘΕΜΈΛΙΟς, 2Ti_2:19), a word which is only used here in the N. T. The thought that the divine truth is supported and borne by the church, has nothing startling when we remember that the church, as the ΟἾΚΟς ΘΕΟῦ, has the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of truth; the Spirit of truth, therefore, is its indwelling, all-penetrating principle of life, by which it stands in closest communion with its head.[142] But if the church is set up to be the preserver of divine truth, it is all the more important that all should be well-ordered in it. These words stand, therefore, in close connection with what precedes; but, at the same time, they make the transition to what follows, where the apostle in a few brief characteristics gives the nature of the truth, that he may from this point return to his polemic against the heretics, and continue it further.

[136] Hofmanns assertion, that the reference of ταῦτα to what precedes is forbidden by the present γράφω (for which we should have had ἔγραφα), is contradicted by 1Co_4:14; 1Co_14:37; 2Co_13:10; Gal_1:20; also by 1Jn_2:1.

[137] The impersonal δεῖ is usually joined with the accusative and infinitive, the infinitive denoting the thing, the accusative the person who must do the action expressed by the verb. More frequently the person is not named, but is easily supplied from the context, as e.g. in Mat_23:23, where ὑμᾶς, in Luk_12:12, where again ὑμᾶς, and in Luk_15:32, where σέ is to be supplied. Hofmann is therefore wrong in asserting that there is no linguistic justification for supplying σέ here, where εἰδῇς precedes. Sometimes, however, δεῖ refers to no particular person; so Joh_4:20 : ὅπου προσκυνεῖν δεῖ; Act_5:29 : πειθαρχεῖν δεῖ Θεῷ; Act_15:5 : δεῖ περιτέμνειν αὐτούς; Tit_1:11 : οὓς δεῖ ἐπιστομέζειν; the δεῖ in that case corresponds to the English one must. It is arbitrary, with Hofmann, to supply τινά here, and understand by it one who has to govern a house of God.

[138] Theodore of M. rightly says: ἐκκλησίας οὐ τοὺς οἴκους λέγει τοὺς εὐκτηρίους κατὰ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν συνήθειαν, ἀλλὰ τῶν πιστῶν τὸν σύλλογον, ὅθεν καὶ στύλον αὐτὴν καὶ ἑδραίωμα τ. ἀλ. ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς ἂν ἐν αὐτῇ τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν σύστασιν ἐχούσης.

[139] Van Oosterzee is, however, inclined to conjecture that there is here a corruption of the text which cannot now be restored with certainty.

[140] Gregory of Nyssa (de Vita Mosis): οὐ μόνον Πέτρος καὶ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης στῦλοι τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰσι … ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος καὶ τὸν Τιμόθεον στύλον καλὸν ἐτεκτήνατο, ποιήσας αὐτὸν, καθὼς φησὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ φωνῇ, στύλον καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας.

[141] Though Chrysostom construes rightly, he yet inverts the meaning of the sentence: οὐχ ὡς ἐκεῖνος ὁ Ἰουδαικὸς οἶκος θ., τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ συνέχον τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα· ἡ γὰρ ἀλήθειά ἐστι τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα.

[142] Wiesinger rightly calls attention to the distinction which should be made between the truth as it is in itself, and the truth as it is acknowledged in the world, and then says: in the former respect it needs no support, but bears itself; in the latter, it needs the church as its support, as its bearer and preserver. If the Catholic Church has drawn wrong conclusions from the apostles words, it has itself to blame, and not the apostle.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti 3:14-16 . These general directions will serve you as a guide in the administration of the Church until you see me. Your charge is one of transcendent importance. The Church is no human institution: it is the household of God, and also the means whereby the power of the Incarnation is available for man’s use.

1Ti 3:14 . This verse makes it clear that Timothy’s position was a temporary one; he was acting as St. Paul’s representative at Ephesus to “put them in remembrance of his ways which be in Christ” (1Co 4:17 ).

ταῦτα has a primary reference to the preceding directions regarding public prayers and Church officers; but it naturally includes the following supplementary remarks. For this use of γράφω , in place of the epistolary aorist, see especially 2Co 13:10 , also 1Co 14:37 , 2Co 1:13 , Gal 1:20 .

ἐλπίζων … βραδύνω is parenthetical; and expresses at once an excuse for the brevity and incompleteness, from one point of view, of the directions, and also an expectation that they are sufficient to serve their temporary purpose.

ἐν τάχει : τάχιον , which is read by Tisch., is, according to Blass ( Grammar , pp. 33, 141, 142), an instance of the intensive or elative use of the comparative: cf. βέλτιον 2Ti 1:18 . This view is rejected by Winer-Moulton ( Grammar , p. 304) and Ellicott; but their explanations are far-fetched: “More quickly, sooner, than thou wilt need these instructions,” “sooner than I anticipate”. See also J. H. Moulton, Grammar , vol. i. pp. 78, 79, 236.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Paul purposing to add many peculiar things pertaining to the daily office of a Pastor, speaketh first a word or two concerning his coming to Timothy, that he would be so much the more careful, lest at his coming he might be reproved of negligence.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

He concludes the chapter with a particular direction to Timothy. He hoped shortly to come to him, to give him further directions and assistance in his work, and to see that Christianity was well planted, and took root well, at Ephesus; he therefore wrote the more briefly to him. But he wrote lest he should tarry long, that Timothy might know how to behave himself in the house of God, how to conduct himself as became an evangelist, and the apostle's substitute. Observe,

I. Those who are employed in the house of God must see to it that they behave themselves well, lest they bring reproach upon the house of God, and that worthy name by which they are called. Ministers ought to behave themselves well, and to look not only to their praying and preaching, but to their behaviour: their office binds them to their good behaviour, for any behaviour will not do in this case. Timothy must know how to behave himself, not only in the particular church where he was now appointed to reside for some time, but being an evangelist, and the apostle's substitute, he must learn how to behave himself in other churches, where he should in like manner be appointed to reside for some time; and therefore it is not the church of Ephesus, but the catholic church, which is here called the house of God, which is the church of the living God. Observe here, 1. God is the living God; he is the fountain of life, he is life in himself, and he gives life, breath, and all things to his creatures; in him we live, and move, and have our being, Act 17:25, Act 17:28. 2. The church is the house of God, he dwells there; the Lord has chosen Zion, to dwell there. "This is my rest, here will I dwell, for I have chosen it;" there may we see God's power and glory, Psa 63:2.

II. It is the great support of the church that it is the church of the living God, the true God in opposition to false gods, dumb and dead idols.

1. As the church of God, it is the pillar and ground of truth; that is, either, (1.) The church itself is the pillar and ground of truth. Not that the authority of the scriptures depends upon that of the church, as the papists pretend, for truth is the pillar and ground of the church; but the church holds forth the scripture and the doctrine of Christ, as the pillar to which a proclamation is affixed holds forth the proclamation. Even to the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, Eph 3:10. (2.) Others understand it of Timothy. He, not he himself only, but he as an evangelist, he and other faithful ministers, are the pillars and ground of truth; it is their business to maintain, hold up, and publish, the truths of Christ in the church. It is said of the apostles that they seemed to be pillars, Gal 2:9. [1.] Let us be diligent and impartial in our own enquiries after truth; let us buy the truth at any rate, and not think much of any pains to discover it. [2.] Let us be careful to keep and preserve it. "Buy the truth, and sell it not (Pro 23:23), do not part with it on any consideration." [3.] Let us take care to publish it, and to transmit it safe and uncorrupted unto posterity. [4.] When the church ceases to be the pillar and ground of truth, we may and ought to forsake her; for our regard to truth should be greater than our regard to the church; we are no longer obliged to continue in the church than she continues to be the pillar and ground of truth.

2. But what is the truth which the churches and ministers are the pillars and grounds of? He tells us (Ti1 3:16) that without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. The learned Camero joins this with what goes before, and then it runs thus: "The pillar and ground of the truth, and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness." He supposes this mystery to be the pillar, etc. Observe,

(1.) Christianity is a mystery, a mystery that could not have been found out by reason or the light of nature, and which cannot be comprehended by reason, because it is above reason, though not contrary thereto. It is a mystery, not of philosophy or speculation; but of godliness, designed to promote godliness; and herein it exceeds all the mysteries of the Gentiles. It is also a revealed mystery, not shut up and sealed; and it does not cease to be a mystery because now in part revealed. But,

(2.) What is the mystery of godliness? It is Christ; and here are six things concerning Christ, which make up the mystery of godliness. [1.] That he is God manifest in the flesh: God was manifest in the flesh. This proves that he is God, the eternal Word, that was made flesh and was manifest in the flesh. When God was to be manifested to man he was pleased to manifest himself in the incarnation of his own Son: The Word was made flesh, Joh 1:14. [2.] He is justified in the Spirit. Whereas he was reproached as a sinner, and put to death as a malefactor, he was raised again by the Spirit, and so was justified from all the calumnies with which he was loaded. He was made sin for us, and was delivered for our offences; but, being raised again, he was justified in the Spirit; that is, it was made to appear that his sacrifice was accepted, and so he rose again for our justification, as he was delivered for our offences, Rom 4:25. He was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, Pe1 3:18. [3.] He was seen of angels. They worshipped him (Heb 1:6); they attended his incarnation, his temptation, his agony, his death, his resurrection, his ascension; this is much to his honour, and shows what a mighty interest he had in the upper world, that angels ministered to him, for he is the Lord of angels. [4.] He is preached unto the Gentiles. This is a great part of the mystery of godliness, that Christ was offered to the Gentiles a Redeemer and Saviour; that whereas, before, salvation was of the Jews, the partition-wall was now taken down, and the Gentiles were taken in. I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, Act 13:47. [5.] That he was believed on in the world, so that he was not preached in vain. Many of the Gentiles welcomed the gospel which the Jews rejected. Who would have thought that the world, which lay in wickedness, would believe in the Son of God, would take him to be their Saviour who was himself crucified at Jerusalem? But, notwithstanding all the prejudices they laboured under, he was believed on, etc. [6.] He was received up into glory, in his ascension. This indeed was before he was believed on in the world; but it is put last, because it was the crown of his exaltation, and because it is not only his ascension that is meant, but his sitting at the right hand of God, where he ever lives, making intercession, and has all power, both in heaven and earth, and because, in the apostasy of which he treats in the following chapter, his remaining in heaven would be denied by those who pretend to bring him down on their altars in the consecrated wafers. Observe, First, He who was manifest in flesh was God, really and truly God, God by nature, and not only so by office, for this makes it to be a mystery. Secondly, God was manifest in flesh, real flesh. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, Heb 2:14. And, what is more amazing, he was manifest in the flesh after all flesh had corrupted his way, though he himself was holy from the womb. Thirdly, Godliness is a mystery in all its parts and branches, from the beginning to the end, from Christ's incarnation to his ascension. Fourthly, It being a great mystery, we should rather humbly adore it, and piously believe it, than curiously pry into it, or be too positive in our explications of it and determinations about it, further than the holy scriptures have revealed it to us.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

write I . . . hoping--that is, "though I hope to come unto thee shortly" (Ti1 4:13). As his hope was not very confident (Ti1 3:15), he provides for Timothy's lengthened superintendence by giving him the preceding rules to guide him. He now proceeds to give more general instructions to him as an evangelist, having a "gift" committed to him (Ti1 4:14).

shortly--Greek, "sooner," namely, than is presupposed in the preceding directions given to him. See my Introduction on this verse. This verse best suits the theory that this First Epistle was not written after Paul's visit and departure from Ephesus (Acts 19:1-20:38) when he had resolved to winter at Corinth after passing the summer in Macedonia (Co1 16:6), but after his first imprisonment at Rome (Act 28:17-31); probably at Corinth, where he might have some thoughts of going on to Epirus before returning to Ephesus [BIRKS].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. These things write I] That is: I write only these things; because I hope to come unto thee shortly.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14 These things I write to thee He holds out to Timothy the hope of his coming, partly in order to encourage him, and partly in order to repress the insolence of those who grew more haughty on account of his absence. And yet he does not make any feigned promise to Timothy, or terrify others through false presence; for he fully expected that he would come, as it is probable that he came, if he wrote this epistle at the time when he passed through Phrygia, as is related by Luke. (Acts 18:23.) Let us look on this as a proof how great was his anxiety for the churches, when he could not endure to delay for a short time a remedy for a present evil. Yet immediately afterwards he adds, that he wrote this epistle for the purpose of informing Timothy, if it should happen that he were delayed longer than he thought.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(14) These things write I unto thee.—“These things” probably referred only to the directions respecting the special qualification to be sought for in candidates for the office of the overseers (presbyters) and deacons.

Hoping to come unto thee shortly.—The participle here has a concessive form, “though I hope,” &c. “I write these special urgent directions to you, though my hope is that I shall be with you sooner than such detailed instructions presuppose.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14–16. The importance of these directions based on the character of the Church and its Head

14. to come unto thee shortly] The comparative adverb if retained will have the force given by Fairbairn ‘more speedily than I at one time thought or than would seem to call for more detailed communications,’ cf 2Ti_1:18, ‘very well,’ lit. ‘better than I need say.’ Westcott and Hort however with Lachmann follow mss. ACD in reading the substantive and preposition ‘with speed.’ As to the supposed inconsistency of this intention with Act_20:25; Act_20:38, St Paul certainly there bids the Elders of Ephesus farewell, saying that they will ‘see his face no more.’ But circumstances alter cases. The Spirit did not give him definite knowledge of what would befall him in every place; and it is sufficient to say that at the time he was expecting bonds and possible martyrdom and was impressed with the belief, a mistaken one, that he would not return.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

These things write I unto thee,.... Concerning the offices of bishops and deacons, their several qualifications, and the rules of judging of persons fit for such service:

hoping to come unto thee shortly; at Ephesus. He could not tell whether he could come or not, and therefore makes no promise, but hoped he should; and since it was uncertain, he thought fit to write the above things for his instruction and use.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

Ver. 14. Hoping to come unto thee] And to be an eyewitness of thy diligence, whereof I doubt not, joying in the mean while, "and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ," Col 2:5.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly - That is, he hoped to come there to give instructions personally, or to finish, himself, the work which he had commenced in Ephesus, and which had been interrupted by his being driven so unexpectedly away. This verse proves that the apostle Paul did not regard Timothy as the permanent diocesan bishop of Ephesus. Would any Episcopal bishop write this to another bishop? If Timothy were the permanent prelate of Ephesus, would Paul have intimated that he expected soon to come and take the work of completing the arrangements there into his own hands? In regard to his expectation of going soon to Ephesus, see the notes on 1Ti 1:3; compare the Introduction to the Epistle.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

I being now in Macedonia, or at Athens, or some parts thereabouts, have wrote to thee whom I left at Ephesus these precepts about the officers of churches, not being sure I shall, but hoping myself soon to come to Ephesus unto thee; which yet he did not, as we read, for he met Timothy at Troas, Act 20:5.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

To come unto thee; to Ephesus, where Timothy was. (1Ti_1:3)

Vers. 14, 15.

The importance of a due regulation of Church order.

The apostle expected to visit Ephesus shortly, but in case of his visit being delayed by necessary causes, he deemed it right to give Timothy these instructions in writing respecting the appointment of bishops and deacons, and other details of Church order. "These things I write to thee, hoping to come shortly; but if I should tarry, I write them that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in God"s house.

I THE NECESSITY OF A DUE ORDER IN THE CHURCH.

1. Darbyites suppose that it is wrong for man to make arrangements in Gods Church that it is the Holy Ghost who should regulate the order of worship and service, and that his presidency should be recognized in everything. In that case why should the apostle have been at such pains to regulate even the ministrations of prophets and speakers with tongues at Corinth? God is a God of peace, not of confusion. (1Co_14:33)

2. It was not enough for Timothy to stir up his own persona! gifts and do the work of an evangelist, but he must execute the special commission he had received from the apostle, to regulate the appointment of the office-bearers of the Church, and the details of Church worship. The Church was to be guided in choice of ministers by the considerations suggested by the apostle.

3. There was special reason for these instructions in the rise of heresies at Ephesus and elsewhere. (1Ti_4:1-3)

II THE DIGNITY AND OFFICE OF THE CHURCH. It is "God"s house, which indeed is the Church of the living God, the pillar and basement of the truth.

1. It is the Church of the living God.

(1) It is so, regarded either as the Christian congregation with a local reference, or as the whole Church of the redeemed, in communion with Christ and with each of its members.

(2) Its internal glory consists in the fact that it is no material temple of dead deities, like the proud temple of Diana which reared itself aloft over the roofs of Ephesus; but a spiritual community, realizing the living and personal presence of God in the midst of it.

2. It is the house of God.

(1) This term denoted primarily the temple at Jerusalem, and secondarily the covenant people (Num_12:7; Hos_8:1) who had God for a Sanctuary or Dwelling-place (Psa_90:1; Eze_11:16) There was a mutual indwelling they in him, and he in them.

(2) It now denotes the Church of God, represented variously as

(a) a spiritual building resting on Christ as chief Corner-stone; (Eph_2:20)

(b) as the true temple in which God dwells; (1Co_6:16)

(c) as the household or "house of God," over which is Christ as Son (Heb_3:6) house are we." Moses was servant in this house, Jesus a Son over it; it was, therefore, the same house in the two dispensations. A proof, in opposition to Darbyism, that the Church existed in Old Testament times, and did not first come into existence at Pentecost.

3. It is the pillar and basement of the truth.

(1) Negatively, Christ, and not the Church, is the only ground of truth. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus". (1Co_3:11) This passage implies that the Church rests upon the truth rather than that the truth rests on the Church. But a misapprehension arises from confounding the truth as it is in itself with the truth as apprehended by believers and acknowledged before the world. Further, the truth does not derive its authority from the Church, but from Christ.

(2) Positively, the passage sets forth

(a) the presentative manifestation of the truth; for "the Church is the pillar of the truth." The Church is to hold up the saving truths of the gospel before the eyes of men. It is a pillar inscribed all over with the truth. Without the Church "there would be no witness, no guardian of archives, no basis, nothing whereon acknowledged truth would rest." It is the Church which holds the deposit of truth, and perpetuates it from generation to generation.

(b) The passage sets forth the stability of the truth. "The Church is the basis of truth." The truth finds its true basis in the hearts of believing men, who hold forth the glories of redemption amidst all the fluctuations of the world. There is nothing in this exposition to sanction the assumptions of the Church of Rome, because she must first substantiate her claims to be a teacher of the truth before she can be regarded as "a pillar and ground of the truth. T.C.

Vers. 14-16.

Upholder of the truth, and grandeur of truth upheld.

I REASON FOR GIVING TIMOTHY WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS. "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." Paul hoped to come to Timothy at Ephesus shortly; there was a possibility, however, of his hope not being realized. In the event of his tarrying long, Timothy had written instructions for his conduct as an ecclesiastic. It would be held to be of great consequence that any one who officiated in the temple of Diana should be in a fit state of body and of mind, and should be conversant with the ceremonial. It was of far greater consequence that Timothy should know what was suitable behavior for the house of God. This was not the temple of a dead idol, but passing over from the material structure to what was typified by it the Church of the living God. It was "a living and spiritual community, a life-stream of believers in an ever-living God." It was fitting, then, that there should be those arrangements which are most conducive to the life of the community. This Church of the living God is declared to be the pillar and ground of the truth. There was a singular appropriateness in the language. The columns in the temple of Diana were one hundred and twenty-seven in number, sixty feet high, each the gift of a king. Massive in their form, substantial in their basement, they gave promise of the structure being upheld in its integrity down: through the centuries. And such it seemed to Paul was the Church a columnar structure, substantially based, by which the truth is to be upheld from age to age. It is a great honor which God has laid on such imperfect believers as we are; and we should see to it that we do not belie the representation, that we do nothing to take away from the strength of the structure, that we preserve the continuity of the Church"s life, that we witness faithfully to what God is and to what he has done.

II GRANDEUR OF THE TRUTH UPHELD BY THE CHURCH. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness." The truth is here called "the mystery of godliness." A mystery is that which, being concealed for a time is brought out of concealment by a revelation. It is also something above our comprehension. And that meaning is not excluded here. For it is the mystery of godliness or piety. It is the mystery by which the Divine life is nourished in the soul. As religious beings, we need something that stretches away into infinitude. We can only breathe freely in an element of mystery. All religions that have ever been have sought to provide for the appetite for the wonderful. And where there has not been found real mystery, there have been dark inventions. But composedly great is the mystery, which the Christian religion provides for our nourishment. It is pronounced great by all who are capable of judging. And even those who reject it do so not infrequently on the ground of its being incredible, or too great to be true. The subject of the mystery is Christ. As set forth in the language which follows it is entirely Christ, or the facts about Christ. And the teaching is that it is by meditating upon these facts that we become pious or religious. Of the facts themselves we can take tangible hold; it is when we try to explain them to ourselves that we rise into the region where our religious feelings are excited and receive their nourishment. The rhythmic way in which the facts are presented has led some to suppose that they are taken from a Christian hymn in existence at the time when Paul wrote. We can believe them to have been written by Paul. In either case they have the stamp of the Holy Ghost. They are to be divided into threes, the first two in each division pointing to earthly relations, the third to heavenly. Of the earthly relations, the first in each division is external, the second internal. Facts particularized. "He who was manifested in the flesh." There is good reason for the change from "God" to "He who." We are not dependent on the old reading for the proof of our Lord"s divinity. The manifestation of Christ implies previous concealment. And the language is more suggestive of the concealment of pre-existence than of the concealment of non-existence. The beginning of the mystery is Christ coming out of that concealment. "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us." The Creator descended into the conditions, circumstances, of a creature. He was made of the substance of a woman. The almighty Builder of the universe was a helpless infant on a mother"s knee. The eternal Son was the infant of days. He descended so low that he had to proceed from weakness to strength, from ignorance to knowledge. That, however, is only part of the mystery. It is said here that he was manifested in the flesh, and that means, not our nature as it came from the hand of God, but our nature as it has suffered from the fall. He descended into our weak, passable, mortal nature, to which the unfallen Adam was a stranger. He was in a state of utter bodily exhaustion from want of food when he was tempted in the wilderness. He sat down wearied with his journey at Jacob"s well. He was often worn out with the arduous nature of his work. His compassion brought sorrow to his heart, which found vent in tears and sighs and groans. At last his flesh succumbed, could not bear any longer the burden laid on it; and his lifeless body was laid in the tomb. But still, as we consider, the mystery deepens. He died, not as paying the common debt of nature, but under the stroke of the Divine vengeance. "Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, against the Man that is mine equal, saith the Lord of hosts." This is not so much for the understanding as for the inner sanctuary of the heart. It is not so much to be fixed in words as to be pondered and admired and felt. "Justified in the spirit." In the flesh he did not appear to be the pre-existent Son of God, and the Sent of God to be the Savior of the world; but he was this in his spirit or higher nature, and was vindicated as such both in the Divine marks which were put upon him, and in the principle which pervaded his life. There was a mark put upon him at the very first in his being separated from the taint of our nature through the power of the Holy Ghost. The glimpse we have of him in his youth shows him right in spirit both toward his Father and that Father"s earthly representatives. At his baptism he received not the Spirit by measure, and there was the attestation of the voice from the excellent glory, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." At the outset of his public career, under extreme temptation, he showed that he was not to be turned aside from his mission. His starry pathway of miracles witnessed to the truth of his claims. And not less did his opening of the mind of God, and application of the truth to human need, witness to the singleness and loftiness of his spirit. There was a reiterated attestation from heaven to his Divine nature and mission at his transfiguration. But especially was he justified in the manner in which he died. He resisted unto blood, striving against sin. As we with some degree of resignation may bear a light trial, so he with perfect resignation bore the unmitigated weight of the Divine vengeance. As we with some degree of self-forgetfulness may labor for those who are near to us, so he with perfect self-forgetfulness and magnanimity sacrificed himself for sinners. That death in all its terribleness, reaching far beyond our conception, was what pre-eminently made proof of him, and it showed his spirit to be in perfect accord with the will of God in salvation. Last of all, he was justified by his resurrection. It is said, in, Rom_1:4, that by this he was declared with power to be the Son of God. It was God setting his seal upon his whole career. Because he was pleased with the manner in which he had acted all along, saw the ends of justice and mercy carried out successfully in human salvation, therefore it was that he raised him from the dead. "Seen of angels." He was an object of interest to the heavenly world. We find angels jubilantly ushering him into this world, within sight and hearing of men. They appear at the commencement of his ministry, strengthening him after his temptation. And again they appear at the close, strengthening him after his agony, and also watching over his tomb. But were they not always there behind the veil? Unseen by us, they go about our world ministering to the heirs of salvation. Would they not minister, more than was seen, to the Author of salvation? They came forward upon the scene at critical times. It was enough; we can imagine the rest. But the language seems also to point to the fact that, in becoming incarnate, Christ made himself to be seen by angels. In the human form assumed by him he held them in rapt gaze. They could not turn away from beholding and wondering. They saw the Son of God in a form that was level to them, that was even below them; for he was made a little lower than the angels. What cause for wonder in the change from that ineffable, unapproachable glory to this frail flesh; from that God most high, to this infant lying in a manger! And as the mystery was developed, how would their wonder increase! He was degraded until he could to no lower depth be degraded. Well might they be overwhelmed with wonder as they looked on at Calvary. Having a desire to look into these things, as we are told, they would be lost in trying to account for them. Even when knowing the object contemplated, they would be amazed to think that, for the accomplishment of it, the Divine Son should descend into such a condition of mortal woe. "Preached among the nations." This is quite a new interest. Angels merely saw, admired from a distance. They were spectators contemplating that in which they were not directly involved. It was different with men. He was the subject of an evangel to them. He was proclaimed as their personal Savior, without whom they were lost, in whom alone they had standing before God and everlasting blessedness. But stress is laid upon the universal reference of the preaching. He was preached, not to one nation, but among the nations (Jews included) without distinction. This was being realized as historical fact. He was being proclaimed without respect to national distinction, without respect to social condition, without respect to culture, with respect simply to the fact that all were sinners and in need of salvation. Following upon his having taken the common nature, and his having wrought out the common salvation, the message of salvation was being conveyed with the utmost impartiality. This was part of the mystery which was then being disclosed, and which the unprejudiced agreed in calling great. It was impressive to the early Church to witness the proclamation of a world-wide salvation. "Believed on in the world." God does not force us to believe. There must be a sufficient cause for our faith, sufficient to move our hearts and gain us over. Our faith must be caused in a rational way, in a way consistent with the nature of God and our own nature. The cause must be homogeneous with respect to the effect; spiritual as faith is a spiritual effect. How, then, is Christ to be believed on in the world, i.e. in that which is naturally unbelieving, which contains no germ of faith which can be cultivated? How can light be brought out of darkness, how can faith be brought out of unbelief? And yet what have we here? There is such a potency in the fact of God incarnate as to work a moral miracle, to evoke faith from that which is naturally incapable of faith. And wherein does the potency lie? It is in the love which the fact manifests. "The Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me ." He did not spare himself all the humiliation of the death of the cross. That is a fact which requires to be contemplated; but, as it is contemplated, it asserts its power over hearts, so as to make the insensate feel, the unbelieving believe. Now, the apostle regards it as glorious testimony to the greatness of the mystery that Christ should actually be believed on in the world, that there should be some trophies of the power of his love over unbelief, that there should be some to offer him a home in their hearts. "Received up in glory." In the biographies of great men we are told of one achievement gained after another, of one honor conferred after another. But however long and glorious the scroll which can be shown, it has to end with their bidding a long farewell to all their greatness. And, though monuments are raised to their memory, it cannot take away the essential ingloriousness of the termination to their career. With Christ it is at the earthly termination that to outward appearance he becomes great. He had indeed, like others and more than others, to undergo the ingloriousness of dying, and of being laid in the tomb. But that ingloriousness was completely reversed by his resurrection. He lingered long enough on earth for history to attest the fact that he was indeed risen. And then he made his triumphal entry into heaven. "Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive." He was received up into glory into glorious exaltation in our nature at the right hand of God and in glory he forever remains. This is conclusive evidence to the greatness of the mystery. The godly delight to dwell upon and to feed their life, not only with the humiliation, but, beyond that, with the exaltation. R.F.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 14. These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee shortly: τάχιον, literally, more quickly—sooner, that is, than I at one time thought, or than would seem to call for more detailed communications.

Patrick Fairbairn — An Exposition of Ezekiel (1851), Jonah (1849), and The Pastoral Epistles (1874) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Purpose of Paul’s letter and a Doxology.

v. 14. These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly;

v. 15. but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

v. 16. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

The apostle here, as in 1Co 4:14, interrupts his discussions with a remark which concerns the entire letter in its purpose, and, as usual, adds a doxology in praise of God’s salvation: This I am writing you, hoping to come to you soon; but in case I am detained that you may see how men should conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, pillar and foundation of the truth. The apostle at the time of writing evidently had the object and the definite hope of visiting his beloved pupil soon. But in any event he wanted to write at least this much, send him at least this communication. Should the apostle then be detained, should unforeseen events cause him to postpone his journey, the instructions contained in this letter would at least enable Timothy to know how he was to conduct himself with all other believers in the house of God, which, as St. Paul joyfully calls out, is the Church of the living God. The office of pastor and overseer, which includes both teaching and pastoral care, is exercised in the house of God, in the Christian Church. Every minister’s work is among the members of the household of God, among the living stones that are being built up into a holy temple in the Lord. His work is done in the living God, the one and only Source of all true life, from whom all Christians continually receive strength and life. But the Church is not only the house and the temple of God, but also the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Just as the roof of a large building, the part which completes its exterior, is borne by the foundation as the bulwark of its stability and by the pillars which rest upon the foundation, so it is with the divine truth in the Church. The Church is bearer and home of the divine truth of the Gospel, which she has received as a precious gift. This truth she must guard and uphold against all tempests and against all the onslaughts of her enemies; and this she can do because her foundation is Jesus Christ, the Rock against whom the portals of hell cannot prevail.

As usual, the thought of the glory of the gifts which have been given to the believers by Christ causes the thoughts of the apostle to rise in a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the great Lord of the Church: And admittedly great is the mystery of godliness: Who was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, appeared to angels, was preached among the Gentiles, was believed on in the world, was received up in glory. The mystery of the Gospel-truth not only works regeneration, but also sanctification; its purpose is to work true godliness, the proper reverence and worship of God. The apostle now characterizes this mystery in a hymn which he either composed at this writing or which he quoted from the liturgy of the Church as then in use, a wonderful hymn in praise of the exalted Christ.

It was the second person of the Godhead, true God from eternity, who, in the fullness of time, was manifested in the flesh. He had not been visible to men before, they had not seen Him face to face. But He now appeared in the flesh, in the form and likeness of our sinful flesh, Rom 8:3; Joh 1:14; He became a true man like us, but without sin. As the representative of mankind, however, He was justified in the spirit, in the divine nature which was communicated to His flesh. According to both natures Christ carried out the work of redemption, bearing our sins, suffering and dying according to His human nature, reconciling the wrath of God and conquering death and hell according to His divine nature. God has accepted the redemption of Christ; the Redeemer has been declared justified before God and the whole world, 1Pe 3:18.

In the next verse of his inspired hymn, the apostle declares that Christ appeared to angels. Just as the good angels often served the Lord in the days of His humiliation, Mat 4:11: Luk 22:43, as they were present at His birth, after His temptation, at His resurrection, so He now permitted them to view the fullness of His glorification when He was making His triumphal entry into the halls of heaven. See Psa 47:1-9; Psa 24:7-10; Isa 63:1-19. The ascension of Christ incidentally marked the beginning of a new era in Gospel proclamation. Before that the Gospel had been preached to Gentiles only in individual cases, the chief work of Christ and the apostles having been confined to the lost sheep out of the house of Israel. But the ascension of Christ, with Pentecost, changed all this very decidedly. Now His servants went out into all the world and preached the Gospel to every creature, placed Christ before the face of all men as the Savior of the world. This work of preaching Christ to the Gentiles must continue till the full number of the elect has heard the glad message and the last day dawns.

That the preaching of the Gospel does not return void, the apostle proclaims in the last verse of his hymn: He was believed on in the world. Christ, the content of all Gospel preaching, is also the object of faith. Wherever the message of redemption is proclaimed, there faith is wrought. True, indeed, the great mass, the majority of men, reject Christ and His salvation; He is not believed on by the world. But in the world, in the midst of the sinners that have come short of the glory of God, there are always some hearts that are won for the Gospel of Christ, that believe in Christ as their Savior. And this faith of the Christians does not rely upon a mere man, still living in lowliness and humility in their midst, but upon Him who was received up into glory and in glory. Christ, according to His human nature, has now entered into the full use of the divine majesty, which was communicated to Him as man, in the state of humiliation. He is over all, God blessed forever! Amen.

Summary.The apostle discusses the qualifications and duties of the offices of bishops and deacons and concludes with a reference to the purpose of his letter and a splendid doxology addressed to the exalted Christ.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As if the apostle had said, "I do hope to come to thee very shortly; but if I tarry long, or be prevented at last, as I am uncertain, I write these things to thee, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to converse in the house of God, in the church of the living God, in which thou art a pillar and firm buttress of the truth."

Some, by the pillar here, will understand the church, as being the foundation on which the truth is built, and giving it authority; but she is therefore the church of Christ, because she holds the truth, and it is essential to her being to maintain and teach all necessary truths; she holds it forth, and publishes it to the world, sustaining it, and supporting it as a pillar doth the king’s proclamation. The truth receives not its authority from the church, but the church receives authority from adhering to the truth.

Others, by the pillar, understand Timothy; and that St. Paul is here exhorting, that according to his office Timothy should be a pillar and buttress of truth in the church.

Hence, Gal 2:9 James, Cephas, and John are said to be pillars there, as is Timothy here; a pillar in the church, signifies a man that is well rooted and grounded, and strong in the faith; this he exhorts Timothy to be.

Observe here, 1. The church’s surpassing dignity: she is called the house of God, in which he dwells. God is present in all places, even in hell itself, by the immensity of his being; but the church is his palace, the place of his peculiar residence.

Observe, 2. The ministers of the church’s important duty, namely, as pillars to support, maintain, and uphold, the divine truth against all those that seek to corrupt and suppress the same. Be thou, O Timothy in the church of God as the pillar and ground of truth.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14–16. These things I write, … hoping to come unto thee shortly. It is not certain that he was ever able to visit Ephesus again, though it is thought that he did on his way to Crete.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

Paul tells Timothy the reason he wrote to him and then describes Christ's godliness.

But if I delay

"But in case I cannot go there soon" or "But if something prevents me for being there soon"

so that you may know how to behave in the household of God

Paul speaks of the group of believers as if they were a family. Possible meanings are 1) Paul is referring only to Timothy's behavior in the church. AT: "so that you may know how to conduct yourself as a member of God's family" or 2) Paul is referring to the believers' in general. AT: "so that you all may know how to conduct yourselves as members of God's family" (See: Metaphor)

household of God, which is the church of the living God

This phrase gives us information about "the household of God" rather than making a distinction between a household of God which is the church and one that is not the church. This can be stated as a new sentence. AT: "house hold of God. Those who belong to the family of God are the community of believers in the living God" (See: Distinguishing versus Informing or Reminding)

which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth

Paul speaks of the believers bearing witness to the truth about Christ as if they were a pillar and a base supporting a building. This can be stated as a new sentence. AT: "which is the church of the living God. And, by keeping and teaching God's truth, these members of the church support the truth just as a pillar and base support a building" (See: Metaphor)

the living God

Here this expression may be speaking of God as the one who gives life to all, as in the UDB.

translationWords

house of God

church

God

column

true

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

14, 15. THE AIM OF ALL THE FOREGOING INSTRUCTIONS

14. πρὸς σὲ. These words omitted by G (but represented in f g) and the Armenian version are placed by Westcott and Hort in square brackets.

τάχιον. This, the reading of rec. text, is supported by אD2cGKL and most cursives; Westcott and Hort and the Revisers read ἐν τάχει with ACD2*P.

14. ταῦτα, i.e. the foregoing instructions about public worship, and about the officers of the Church, contained in chaps. 2 and 3; cp. ταύτην τὴν παραγγελίαν at the close of ch. 1.

γράφω. The present is used rather than the epistolary aorist; cp. 1Co 4:14; Gal 1:20 &c.

πρὸς σέ. These words are enclosed in square brackets by Westcott and Hort; but they are well attested (see crit. note) and are quite in Paul’s manner. Cp. Rom 1:10; Rom 1:13; 2Co 1:15.

τάχιον, more speedily, sc. than you might suppose from the fact that I am writing to you. The force of the comparative should not be overlooked; cp. Heb 13:23. The reading ἐν τάχει (see crit. note) is probably an explanatory gloss.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14-16.] Close of the above directions by a solemn statement of their object and its glorious import. These things (the foregoing precepts, most naturally: hardly, as Bengel, ‘totam epistolam’) I write (expressed in the epistolary aorist, Phm 1:19, Phm 1:21: but in the present, 1Co 14:37: 2Co 1:13; 2Co 13:10: Gal 1:20. (1Jn 1:4: 2:1, &c.)) to thee, hoping (‘though I hope:’ “part. ἐλπίζων per καίπερ seu similem particulam esse resolvendum, nexus orationis docet.” Leo, cited by Huther) to come to thee sooner (than may seem) (on the comparative,—which must not be broken down into a positive, as it is by almost all the Commentators,—see Joh 13:27 note, and Winer, edn. 6, § 35. 4. Also Act 17:21; Act 25:10; Act 27:13: Heb 13:19, Heb 13:23, which last is exactly parallel with this. Some supply it,—before this Epistle come to thee: or, before thou shalt have need to put these precepts into practice: but the above seems simpler, and suits better the usage elsewhere): but if I should delay (coming) (from ἐλπίζων to βραδύνω may be regarded as parenthetical, the ἵνα belonging immediately to γράφω), that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself (reff. Huther would take πῶς δεῖ ἀναστρέφεσθαι generally,—‘how men ought to behave themselves;’ alleging, that in the preceding, there is no direct prescription how Timotheus is himself to act, and that if we supply σε (as D1 in digest), we confine the reference of οἶκος θεοῦ to the Ephesian church. The latter objection need not detain us long. If the church in general is the house of God, then any portion of it may clearly partake of the title and the dignity. To the former, we may reply, that in fact, the whole of what has preceded does regard Timotheus’s own behaviour. He was to see to all these things—to take care that all these precepts were observed) in the house of God (see reff. also Heb 3:2, Heb 3:5, Heb 3:6, and notes: 1Co 3:16: 2Co 6:16: Eph 2:22:—that congregation among whom God dwells, by His Spirit);—for such (the house of God: the ἥτις brings out into prominence the appository explanation, and specially applies it to the antecedent) is the congregation (ἐκκλησίας οὐ τοὺς οἴκους λέγει τοὺς εὐκτηρίους, κατὰ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν συνήθειαν, ἀλλὰ τῶν πιστῶν τὸν σύλλογον. Theod.-mops.) of the living God (thus designated for solemnity, and to shew his personal and active presence among them), the pillar (see below) and basement (= θεμέλιος, 2Ti 2:19: ‘firmamentum.’ It is a climax, not as Bengel, “instar unius vocubuli solidissimum quiddam exprimentis:” the στύλος is the intermediate, the ἑδραίωμα the final support of the building: as Wahl,—“omne id, cui ut primario et præ ceteris insigni innititur aliquid”) of the truth (these latter words are variously referred: being (1) by Camero, ErSchmid., Limborch, Le Clerc, Schöttg., Beng., Mosh., Rosenm., Heinr., Wegsch., Heydenr., Flatt, al. (see in Wolf. Not Chillingworth, as stated in Bloomf.: see below), joined with the following sentence, putting a period at ζῶντος, and proceeding στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ μυστ. κ.τ.λ. To this I can only say, that if any one imagines St. Paul, or any other person capable of writing this Epistle, able to have indited such a sentence, I fear there is but little chance in arguing with him on the point in question. To say nothing of its abruptness and harshness, beyond all example even in these Epistles, how palpably does it betray the botching of modern conjectural arrangement in the wretched anti-climax—στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα (rising in solemnity) τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ (what grander idea, after the basement of the whole building, does the reader suppose about to follow?) ὁμολογουμένως μέγα! These two last words, which have (see below) their appropriate majesty and grandeur in their literal use at the emphatic opening of such a sentence as the next, are thus robbed of it all, and sink into the very lowest bathos; the metaphor being dropped, and the lofty imagery ending with a vague generality. If a sentence like this occurred in the Epistle, I should feel it a weightier argument against its genuineness than any which its opponents have yet adduced.

(2) by Gregory of Nyssa (de vita Mosis: vol. i. p. 385, οὐ μόνον πέτρος καὶ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης στύλοι τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰσὶ … ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος … καὶ τὸν Τιμόθεον στύλον καλὸν ἐτεκτήνατο, ποιήσας αὐτόν, καθὼς φησὶ τῇ ἰδιίᾳ φωνῇ, στύλον καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας), Chillingworth (Religion of Protestants, &c., ch. iii. 76: but he allows as possible, the reference to the Church: “if you will needs have St. Paul refer this not to Timothy, but to the Church, I will not contend about it any further, than to say, Possibly it may be otherwise”),—by others mentioned in Wolf, and in our own days by Conybeare, it is taken as referring to Timotheus:—“that thou mayest know how to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is &c.… as a pillar and basement of the truth.” In the very elaborate discussion of this passage by Suicer (s. v. στύλος), he cites those fathers who seem more or less to have favoured this idea. Of these we must manifestly not claim for it those who have merely used the word στύλος or columna of an Apostle or teacher, or individual Christian,—as that is justified, independently of our passage, by Gal 2:9: Rev 3:12:—but Greg. Naz. applies the very words to Eusebius of Samosata (Ep. xliv. 1, vol. iii. (Migne) p. 39), and to Basil (Orat. xviii. 1, vol. i. p. 330): and Basil in the Catena says, εἰσὶ καὶ στύλοι τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας: and in the Epistle of the churches of Lyons and Vienne, Euseb. v. 1, it is said of Attalus, στύλον καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῶν ἐνταῦθα ἀεὶ γεγουνότα. Other cognate expressions, such as τὸ στερέωμα τῆς πίστεως (Chrys., of St. Peter, Hom. xxxii. vol. v. p. 199; and Basil, of Eusebius, as above), πίστεως ἔρεισμα (Greg. Naz., of Basil, Or. xviii. as above), τὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας στήριγμα (Thl. on Luk_22, of St. Peter), θρησκείας στηρίγματα (of Pastors, Nicephorus Hist. vii. 2), are adduced by Suicer. The principal modern reasons for adopting this view have been (a) polemical—as against Roman Catholic infallibility of the Church, or (b) for uniformity of symbolism, seeing that in Gal 2:9, Rev 3:12, men are compared to pillars (see this very copiously illustrated in Suicer). On both of these I shall treat expressly below.

To the grammatical construction of the sentence thus understood, there is no objection. The nominative στύλος after δεῖ would be not only allowable, but necessary, if it expressed, not a previous predicate of the understood σε, but the character which by the ἀναστρέφεσθαι he was to become or shew forth: cf. Plato and Demost. in Kühner, § 646, 2 anm., who however has not apprehended the right reason of the idiom.

But to the sentence itself thus arranged and understood, there are weighty, and I conceive fatal objections: to wit, (c) if στύλος κ.τ.λ. had been meant to apply to Timotheus, it would hardly have been possible that σε should be omitted. He would thus be the prominent object in the whole passage, not as now the least prominent, lurking behind ἀναστρέφεσθαι to make way for greater things. (d) I can hardly think, that, in this case, στύλος would have been anarthrous. Though ‘a pillar’ might be the virtual meaning, σε, τὸν στύλον, or σε ἀναστρέφεσθαι, … ὁ στύλος, would certainly be the Greek expression. (e) In this case also, the καὶ ὁμολογουμένως which follows would most naturally refer, not to the great deposit of faith in Christ which is entrusted to the church to keep,—but to the very strong and unusual expression which had just been used of a young minister in the church,—‘and confessedly great is the dignity of the least of the ministers of Christ: for,’ &c. (3) The reference to the Church is upheld by Chrys. (οὐχ ὡς ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἰουδαικὸς οἶκος θεοῦ. τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ συνέχον τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα· ἡ γὰρ ἀλήθειά ἐστι τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ στύλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα. This inversion of the sentence may have arisen from taking τῆς ἀληθείας as a genitive of apposition), Thdrt. (οἶκον θεοῦ καὶ ἐκκλησίαν τῶν πεπιστευκότων τὸν σύλλογον προσηγόρευσε. τούτους ἔφη στύλον καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας. ἐπὶ γὰρ τῆς πέτρας ἐρηρεισμένοι καὶ ἀκλόνητοι διαμένουσι, καὶ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων κηρύττοντες τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ἀλήθειαν), Theodor.-mops. (as cited above, on ἐκκλησία, as far as σύλλογον, then he proceeds, ὅθεν καὶ στύλον αὐτὴν καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς ἂν ἐν αὐτῇ τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν σύστασιν ἐχούσης), Thl., Œc., Ambr., Pel., the Roman Commentators, Luth., Calv. (“nonne Ecclesia mater est piorum omnium, quæ ipsos regenerat Dei verbo, quæ educat alitque tota vita, quæ confirmat, quæ ad solidam perfectionem usque perducit? eadem quoque ratione columna veritatis prædicatur: quia doctrinæ administrandæ munus, quod Deus penes eam deposuit, unicum est instrumentum retinendæ veritatis, ne ex hominum memoria pereat”), Beza, Grot. (“veritatem sustentat atque attollit ecclesia, efficit ne labatur ex animis, efficit ut longe lateque conspiciatur”), Calov., Wolf, &c. De Wette, Huther, Wiesinger, al. And this interpretation agrees with 2Ti 2:19: see note there. But there is brought against it the objection, that there is thus introduced confusion of metaphor. The ἐκκλησία, which was the οἶκος above, now becomes στύλος, a part of the οἶκος. This is not difficult to answer. The house contains in itself both στύλος and ἑδραίωμα—the pillar and the basement both belong to the house. Why may not the στύλος be taken collectively? the very word ἐκκλησία, occurring since, has pluralized the idea—the building consists of the κλητοί, who are so many στύλοι—why should it not in the aggregate be described as the στύλος? This seems to me far better than, with some in Suicer, to suppose a monumental pillar, or base of an image, to be meant. The way in which the congregation of the faithful is the pillar and basement of the truth is admirably given by Thdrt. and Calvin above: viz. in that it is the element in which and medium by which the truth is conserved and upheld).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14-16. The Secret of True Christian Character

Paraphrase. I hope to come to you soon and strengthen your hands by my presence; but in case I should be delayed, I write at once that you may know what is the true Christian life, the true relation of one with another in God’s own family, for it is a Church belonging to God Himself, the living source of all life; and its task is to hold up the truth for the whole world to see and to give it a firm support in the lives of its members. And confessedly the secret of a true religious life is very important; for it centres in a personal relation to a Living Person: to one of whom we sing in our hymns that He was—

“In flesh unveiled to mortals’ sight,

Kept righteous by the Spirit’s might,

While angels watched him from the sky:

His heralds sped from shore to shore,

And men believed, the wide world o’er,

When he in glory passed on high.”

This section primarily gives the reason for the regulations in the preceding chapters, especially Son_2 and 3; but it also leads on to the warning against false teaching and the advice about Timothy’s teaching which follows. It thus becomes the very heart of the Epistle; it should be compared with similar doctrinal conclusions in 1:5, 2:3-5, 6:13-16, Tit 2:12-14, Tit 3:5-7. But this goes deeper than all in its picture of the Incarnate and Glorified Christ as the centre of the true life of the whole world, cf. 2Ti 2:8. It is the poetic expression of Gal 2:20 ζῇ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός.

14. ταῦτα] i.e. mainly Son_2 and 3 (with their constant stress on true character, on the knowledge of truth (2:4, 7, 3:9, 13), and on God’s family); but it may include the whole letter.

ἐλπίζων ἐλθεῖν] Not “although I hope,” but “hoping.” I write and hope to come and strengthen your hands by my personal authority (σοι … πρός σε); cf 1Co 4:17-19, Php 2:19-24.

ἐν τάχει] The variant τάχιον will mean much the same, as its comparative sense was dying out; cf. Joh 13:27, Heb 13:23; cf. βέλτιον, II 1:18; σπουδαιότερον, v.l., II 1:17.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shortly [εν ταχει] . The adverbial phrase once in Paul, Rom 16:20 : only here in Pastorals. Several times in Luke and Acts, and twice in Revelation. 105

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.