1 Timothy 1:4

1:1-4 Jesus Christ is a Christian's hope; all our hopes of eternal life are built upon him; and Christ is in us the hope of glory. The apostle seems to have been the means of Timothy's conversion; who served with him in his ministry, as a dutiful son with a loving father. That which raises questions, is not for edifying; that which gives occasion for doubtful disputes, pulls down the church rather than builds it up. Godliness of heart and life can only be kept up and increased, by the exercise of faith in the truths and promises of God, through Jesus Christ.

{3} Neither give heed to fables and endless {b} genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (3) The doctrine is corrupted not only by false opinions, but also by vain and curious speculations: the declaration and utterance of which can help our faith in no way. (b) He makes note of one type of vain question.

Neither give heed to fables: by fables he probably meaneth the Jewish fables, and commandments of men, mentioned Titus 1:14 ; or more generally, all vain and idol speculations. And endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying; whatsoever tendeth not to build men up in godliness, which is the end of preaching. The Jews had many unwritten fables, about what God did before he made the world, &c., and many unwritten endless genealogies, which were as so many labyrinths, intricate, without an issue out of them: and it is probable that some of them (converted to the Christian faith) still busied their heads about them, according to their education and the practice of the Jewish doctors, and made the subject of their sermons and discourses to the assemblies of Christians; which is the thing the apostle here declareth a corruption of the ordinances of preaching, and inveigheth against, 1 Timothy 6:4 2 Timothy 2:23 Titus 1:14 3:9 ; and willeth preachers to avoid, and people to give no heed to them, as nothing tending to the building Christians up in holiness, which he here calleth oikodomian yeou, the building up of God, either so objectively, or efficiently, or by his command, because it is in God, viz. in the knowledge of God, and an increase in the love of God, and other spiritual habits; or from God, being wrought by him, and serving for his honour and glory, or according to his will.

Which is in faith: he tells us this edifying can be no otherwise than in faith, preaching the doctrine of the gospel, and embracing that which is the doctrine of faith, a doctrine of Divine revelation, to which men must give their assent, because of the authority of God revealing it. So as no discourses which are not founded in a Divine revelation, and to be proved from thence, can possibly tend to any bnilding of God, which cannot stand in the wisdom of men, but must stand in the power of God. From this text we may observe the vanity and proneness of some persons, even from the infancy of the church, to make up what they call sermons of discourses about fables, idle questions, and speculations, and genealogies of which there is no end; the teachers being able to bring the minds of hearers to no rest about them, nor they tending to any good and saving use, but merely to show men’s wit and parts; and we may also learn, that this is no religious preaching or hearing, it being impossible men should be under any religious obligations to hear any but prophets, that is, such as reveal the Divine will. For other discourses, men in their seasons may hear them, or let them alone, and credit or not credit them as they see reason.

Give heed (προσέχειν) oP. Frequent in lxx and Class. Lit. To hold to. Often with τὸν νοῦν the mind, which must be supplied here. It means here not merely to give attention to, but to give assent to. So Acts 8:6; Acts 16:14; Hebrews 2:1; 2 Peter 1:19. Fables (μύθοις) Μῦθος, in its widest sense, means word, speech, conversation or its subject. Hence the talk of men, rumour, report, a saying, a story, true or false; later, a fiction as distinguished from λόγος a historic tale. In Attic prose, commonly a legend of prehistoric Greek times. Thus Plato, Repub. 330 D, οἱ λεγόμενοι μῦθοι περὶ τῶν ἐν Ἅΐδου what are called myths concerning those in Hades. Only once in lxx, Sir. 20:19, in the sense of a saying or story. In N.T. Only in Pastorals, and 2 Peter 1:16. As to its exact reference here, it is impossible to speak with certainty. Expositors are hopelessly disagreed, some referring it to Jewish, others to Gnostic fancies. It is explained as meaning traditional supplements to the law, allegorical interpretations, Jewish stories of miracles, Rabbinical fabrications, whether in history or doctrine, false doctrines generally, etc. It is to be observed that μῦθοι are called Jewish in Titus 1:14. In 1 Timothy 4:7, they are described as profane and characteristic of old wives. In 2 Timothy 4:4, the word is used absolutely, as here. Endless genealogies (γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις) Both words Pasto. For γενεαλογία (olxx) comp.

Titus 3:9. Γενεαλογεῖσθαι to trace ancestry, only Hebrews 7:6; comp. 1 Chronicles 5:1, the only instance in lxx. Ἁπέραντος endless, N.T.o. Twice in lxx. By some the genealogies are referred to the Gnostic aeons or series of emanations from the divine unity; by others to the O.T. Genealogies as interpreted allegorically by Philo, and made the basis of a psychological system, or O.T. Genealogies adorned with fables: by others again to genealogical registers proper, used to foster the religious and national pride of the Jews against Gentiles, or to ascertain the descent of the Messiah. Ἁπέραντος from ἀ not, and πέρας limit or terminus. Πέρας may be taken in the sense of object or aim, so that the adjective here may mean without object, useless. (So Chrysostom, Holtzmann, and von Soden.) Others take it in a popular sense, as describing the tedious length of the genealogies (Alford); and others that these matters furnish an inexhaustible subject of study (Weiss). "Fables and endless genealogies" form a single conception, the καὶ and being explanatory, that is to say, and the "endless genealogies" indicating in what the peculiarity of the fables consists. Which (αἵτινες) Rather the which: inasmuch as they. Minister (παρέχουσιν) Afford, furnish, give occasion for. Only twice in Paul. Elsewhere mainly in Luke and Acts. Questions (ἐκζητήσεις) Better, questionings. N.T.o. olxx. oClass. The simple ζητήσεις in Pastorals, John and Acts.

1 Timothy 1:4 . Μηδὲ προσέχειν , nor give heed ) in teaching.— μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις , to fables and genealogies ) A Hendiadys. Comp. on fables, ch. 1 Timothy 4:7 ; 2 Timothy 4:4 ; Titus 1:14 ; on genealogies, ib. ch. 1 Timothy 3:9 . And because these two things are joined together, and because those who taught such doctrines boasted of the law, it is evident that the apostle is not speaking of the genealogies of the Jewish families, but of the genealogies of the œons , against which Irenaeus and Tertullian quote this very passage. Nay, even Paul opposes to them the true consideration of the œons , 1 Timothy 1:17 [ τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων — δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων , “to the King of the æons (ages)—be glory, throughout the æons of æons”]. But if there be any doubt, whether those who taught another doctrine used the word œons already at that time, the wisdom of God [“the only wise God,” 1 Timothy 1:17 ] should be the more admired, which confutes (by anticipation) words not yet framed; comp. note to Matthew 26:27 . γενεά and αἰὼν are kindred words. The more inquisitive Jews had at that time very much mixed themselves up with the Gentiles. Paul casts no reproach on civil genealogies: he puts fables before this word; a fact quite inconsistent with his meaning the genealogies of families, which were evidently not fabulous . At least Paul would not have cared whether they were true or false.

There was on the part of those men a certain degree of boasting, that they can search more deeply than others into the mysteries contained in the law—a circumstance which greatly impeded the power of the Gospel, especially around Ephesus.— ζητήσεις , questions ) Questions to be terminated by no decision, nothing at all desirable; pure truth is profitable. Comp. on these, and on “strifes about words,” ch. 1 Timothy 6:4 ; 2 Timothy 2:14 ; 2 Timothy 2:23-24 ; and presently after, 1 Timothy 1:6-7 ; Titus 3:9 .— οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ ) [ godly edifying ]. Οἰκονομία , in this passage, implies the act, not the state; moreover, the constant act [‘edifying’]. Where time is wasted in useless questions , there the necessary and salutary functions in the house [2] of God are neglected. [2] In allusion to the derivation of οἰκονομία from οἶκος and νέμω . So ædificatio, edification , from ædes facere.—ED.

4. fables—legends about the origin and propagation of angels, such as the false teachers taught at Colosse (Col 2:18-23). "Jewish fables" (Tit 1:14). "Profane, and old wives' fables" (1Ti 4:7; 2Ti 4:4). genealogies—not merely such civil genealogies as were common among the Jews, whereby they traced their descent from the patriarchs, to which Paul would not object, and which he would not as here class with "fables," but Gnostic genealogies of spirits and aeons, as they called them, "Lists of Gnostic emanations" [Alford]. So Tertullian [Against Valentinian, c. 3], and Irenæus [Preface]. The Judaizers here alluded to, while maintaining the perpetual obligation of the Mosaic law, joined with it a theosophic ascetic tendency, pretending to see in it mysteries deeper than others could see. The seeds, not the full-grown Gnosticism of the post-apostolic age, then existed. This formed the transition stage between Judaism and Gnosticism. "Endless" refers to the tedious unprofitableness of their lengthy genealogies (compare Tit 3:9).

Paul opposes to their "aeons," the "King of the aeons (so the Greek, 1Ti 1:17), whom be glory throughout the aeons of aeons." The word "aeons" was probably not used in the technical sense of the latter Gnostics as yet; but "the only wise God" (1Ti 1:17), by anticipation, confutes the subsequently adopted notions in the Gnostics' own phraseology. questions—of mere speculation (Ac 25:20), not practical; generating merely curious discussions. "Questions and strifes of words" (1Ti 6:4): "to no profit" (2Ti 2:14); "gendering strifes" (2Ti 2:23). "Vain jangling" (1Ti 1:6, 7) of would-be "teachers of the law." godly edifying—The oldest manuscripts read, "the dispensation of God," the Gospel dispensation of God towards man (1Co 9:17), "which is (has its element) in faith." Conybeare translates, "The exercising of the stewardship of God" (1Co 9:17). He infers that the false teachers in Ephesus were presbyters, which accords with the prophecy, Ac 20:30. However, the oldest Latin versions, and Irenæus and Hilary, support English Version reading. Compare 1Ti 1:5, "faith unfeigned."

Verse 4. - To give for give , A.V.; the which for which , A.V.; questionings for questions , A.V.; a dispensation of God for godly edifying , A.V. and T.R. ( οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ for οἰκοδομίαν Θεοῦ ); so do I now for so do , A.V. Fables (see 1 Timothy 4:7 ). If the spirit which gave birth to the fables of the Talmud was already at work among the Jews, we have a ready explanation of the phrase. And that they were Jewish fables (not later Gnostic delusions) is proved by the parallel passage in Titus 1:14 , "Not giving heed to Jewish fables." The prevalence of sorcery among the Jews at this time is a further instance of their inclination to fable (see Acts 8:9 ; Acts 13:6 ; Acts 19:13 ). Endless genealogies. What was the particular abuse of genealogies which St. Paul here condemns we have not sufficient historical knowledge to enable us to decide. But that they were Jewish forms of "vain talking," and not Gnostic, and related to human pedigrees, not to "emanations of eons," may be concluded from the connection in which they are mentioned in Titus 3:9 , and from the invariable meaning of the word γενεαλογία itself. It is true that Irenaeus ('Contr. Haer.,' lib. 1.) applies this passage to the Valentinians and their succession of eons (Bythus, Nous, Logos, Anthropus, etc. - in all thirty, male and female); and so does Tertullian, who speaks of the seeds of the Gnostic heresies as already budding in St.