1 Timothy 2:7

2:1-7 The disciples of Christ must be praying people; all, without distinction of nation, sect, rank, or party. Our duty as Christians, is summed up in two words; godliness, that is, the right worshipping of God; and honesty, that is, good conduct toward all men. These must go together: we are not truly honest, if we are not godly, and do not render to God his due; and we are not truly godly, if not honest. What is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, we should abound in. There is one Mediator, and that Mediator gave himself a ransom for all. And this appointment has been made for the benefit of the Jews and the Gentiles of every nation; that all who are willing may come in this way, to the mercy-seat of a pardoning God, to seek reconciliation with him. Sin had made a quarrel between us and God; Jesus Christ is the Mediator who makes peace. He is a ransom that was to be known in due time. In the Old Testament times, his sufferings, and the glory that should follow, were spoken of as things to be revealed in the last times. Those who are saved must come to the knowledge of the truth, for that is God's appointed way to save sinners: if we do not know the truth, we cannot be ruled by it.

Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in {c} faith and verity. (c) Faithfully and sincerely: and by faith he means wholesome and sound doctrine, and by truth, an upright and sincere handling of it.

Whereunto I am ordained a preacher; for the publishing and making known of which testimony of the Divine goodness and truth I am set, or appointed, 2 Timothy 1:11 , eteyhn, a preacher, or a public officer to proclaim and make it known. And an apostle; and am immediately called by Christ, and sent out upon that employment. I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not; I call Christ to witness that I speak nothing but what I know to be true. It is a phrase which hath, if not the form, yet the force of an oath; and was necessary in this case, for it was not easy to persuade the Jews that God had sent any to reveal the way of salvation to the Gentiles. A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity; and my special province was to teach the Gentiles, Acts 9:15 26:17 Galatians 2:7-9 ; and to instruct them in the doctrine of faith and truth: or, I was set faithfully and truly to instruct the Gentiles.

I am ordained (ἐτέθην ἐγω) Better, I was appointed. See on John 15:16. A preacher (κῆρυξ) Lit. a herald. See on 2 Peter 2:5. Paul does not use the noun, but the kindred verb κηρύσσειν to proclaim or preach is very common in his writings. See Romans 10:8; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 1:15, etc. I speak the truth in Christ and lie not Omit in Christ. A strange asseveration to an intimate and trusted friend. Apparently an imitation of Romans 9:1. A teacher of the Gentiles (διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν) Paul does not use this phrase. He expressly distinguishes between teacher and apostle. See 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11. He calls himself ἐθνῶν ἀπόστολος apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13); λειτουργός Χριστοῦ Ἱησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles (Romans 15:16); and δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἱησοῦ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1). In faith and verity (ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ) Or faith and truth. The combination only here. Paul has sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8), and sanctification of the Spirit and faith of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). The phrase must not be explained in true faith, nor faithfully and truly. It means that faith and truth are the element or sphere in which the apostolic function is discharged: that he preaches with a sincere faith in the gospel, and with a truthful representation of the gospel which he believes.

1 Timothy 2:7 . Κήρυξ ) [Eng. Vers. preacher ] a herald solemnly appointed, sent by God. A word of large import, as 2 Corinthians 5:20 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:6 , at the end.— ἀπόστολος , an apostle ) of Christ.— ἀλήθειαν λέγω , I speak the truth , οὐ ψεύδομαι , I lie not ) This affirmation belongs to the preceding clause; for there are added to the subsequent clause the parallel words, ἐν πίστει χαὶ ἀληθείᾳ , in faith and truth; [ i.e. parallel to ἀληθ . λέγω , and οὐ ψευδ .]

7. Whereunto—For the giving of which testimony. I am ordained—literally, "I was set": the same Greek, as "putting me," &c. (1Ti 1:12). preacher—literally, "herald" (1Co 1:21; 9:27; 15:11; 2Ti 1:11; Tit 1:3). He recurs to himself, as in 1Ti 1:16, in himself a living pattern or announcement of the Gospel, so here "a herald and teacher of (it to) the Gentiles" (Ga 2:9; Eph 3:1-12; Col 1:23). The universality of his commission is an appropriate assertion here, where he is arguing to prove that prayers are to be made "for all men" (1Ti 2:1). I speak the truth … and lie not—a strong asseveration of his universal commission, characteristic of the ardor of the apostle, exposed to frequent conflict (Ro 11:1; 2Co 11:13). in faith and verity—rather, "in the faith and the truth." The sphere in which his ministry was appointed to be exercised was the faith and the truth (1Ti 2:4): the Gospel truth, the subject matter of the faith [Wiesinger].

Verse 7. - Was appointed for am ordained , A.V.; truth for truth in Christ , A.V. and T.R.; I lie for and lie , A.V.; truth for verity , A.V. I was appointed, etc. It is quite in St. Paul's manner thus to refer to his own apostolic mission (see Romans 1:5 ; Romans 11:13 ; Romans 15:16 ; 1 Corinthians 1:1, 17 ; 1 Corinthians 3:10 ; 2 Corinthians 5:18 ; Galatians 1:1 , etc.; Ephesians 3:2, 8 ; and many other places). A preacher ( κήρυξ ; as in 2 Timothy 1:11 ). So Mark 16:15 , " Preach the gospel" is Κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ; and in ver. 20, "They... preached everywhere" is ' Ακήρυξαν πανταχοῦ ; and 2 Timothy 4:2 , "Preach the word" is Κήρυξον τὸν λόγον ; and generally it is the word rendered "preach." It combines the idea of authority in the preacher who is the authorized herald ( Romans 10:15 ), and publicity for his message ( Matthew 10:27 ; Luke 12:3 ). I speak the truth , etc. The reason for this strong asseveration of his office as the apostle of the Gentiles is not at first sight apparent. But it was probably made in view of the antagonism of the Judaizing teachers referred to in 1 Timothy 1:3, 19, 20 (comp. Romans 11:13 ; Romans 15:15, 16 ). 1 Timothy 2:7

7 . Whereunto ] For the ministry of which, the True Testimony. I am ordained ] There is in the Greek an emphasis on ‘I,’ Whereunto I — remember — was appointed . St Paul is always filled with his special mission to proclaim the universality of the Gospel, and appropriately recals his commission as teacher of the Gentiles . Cf. Galatians 2:9 . I speak the truth in Christ ] Here the words ‘in Christ’ have no sufficient authority, and have been introduced from Romans 9:1 . in faith and verity ] Better, in faith and truth ; see note on 1 Timothy 1:1 ; a teacher, not in politics or art, but in religion, its morals and doctrine; its spiritual life , that the soul may go out to God in faith that worketh by love and a good conscience; and its spiritual knowledge , that the historic facts revealed may be fully grasped, and the haze of false doctrine be dispelled.

1 Timothy 2:7 . εἰς ὃ : scil. τὸ μαρτύριον , or τὸ εὐαγγέλιον , as in the parallel passage, 2 Timothy 1:11 . The phrase εἰς ὃ ἐτέθην ἐγὼ κῆρυξ κ . ἀπόστολος [ καὶ ] διδάσκαλος is repeated in 2 Timothy 1:11 , as ἀλήθειαν … ψεύδομαι occurs again Romans 9:1 ; but there we have the significant addition [ λέγω ] ἐν Χριστῷ . For similar asseverations of the writer’s truthfulness see Romans 1:9 , 2 Corinthians 11:10 ; 2 Corinthians 12:19 , Galatians 1:20 . There is nothing derogatory from the apostle in supposing that the personal struggle in which he had been for years engaged with those who opposed his gospel made him always feel on the defensive, and that his self-vindication came to be expressed in stereotyped phrases which rose to his mind whenever the subject came before him, even in a letter to a loyal disciple. κῆρυξ is used in the N.T. of a preacher here, and twice elsewhere; see reff. But κήρυγμα and κηρύσσω are constantly used of Christian preaching. Cf. esp. Romans 10:15 , πῶς δὲ κηρύξωσιν ἐὰν μὴ ἀποσταλῶσιν ; Bengel takes it in the sense of ambassador; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20 . διδάσκαλος : διδάσκαλοι , in the technical Christian sense, are mentioned in Acts 13:1 , 1 Corinthians 12:28-29 , Ephesians 4:11 . Here and in 2 Timothy 1:11 the term is used in a general signification. St.

Paul does use διδάσκειν of his own ministerial functions: 1 Corinthians 4:17 , Colossians 1:28 , 2 Thessalonians 2:15 . ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ : It is best to take both these words in connexion with διδάσκαλος , and objectively, in the faith and the truth (see on ch. 1 Timothy 1:2 ). It is no objection to this view that the article is not expressed; the anarthrousness of common Christian terms is a feature of these epistles. Others, with Chrys., take both terms subjectively, faithfully and truly . Ellicott “refers πίστις to the subjective faith of the apostle, ἀλήθ . to the objective truth of the doctrine he delivered”. This does not yield a natural sense. Harnack notes that the collocation of ἀπόστολος , διδάσκαλος is peculiar to the Pastorals and Hermas ( Sim . ix. 15, 16, 25; Vis . iii. 5, “The apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons”). Harnack opines that “Hermas passed over the prophets because he reckoned himself one of them”. But the opinion of Lietzmann, which he quotes, seems sounder: Hermas “conceives this προφητεύειν as a private activity which God’s equipment renders possible, but which lacks any official character” ( Mission and Expansion of Christianity , trans. vol. i. p. 340).

(7) Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle . . . —Whereunto, or “for which witness.” To announce which witness—the witness being the suffering and the death of Christ—St. Paul was ordained an Apostle—the reference being entirely to what preceded. I speak the truth . . . and lie not.—The warmth with which St. Paul here asserted his divinely conferred commission as preacher and Apostle, was not called out by any desire on his part to seize an occasion of asserting in the presence of his enemies, the false heretical teachers of Ephesus, his especial rank and prerogatives as an Apostle chosen and commissioned by the Most High. These fiery and earnest words had no private reference to him, St. Paul, or to his especial claims to be heard, but were uttered solely in view of the surpassing magnitude of the message with which he was charged—solely to bear a weighty and imposing testimony to the truth of his assertion, which so many were ready and eager to dispute—the assertion that the gospel of Jesus Christ was a message of glad tidings, was an offer of salvation, not to a people, but to a world. A teacher of the Gentiles.—This specifies more clearly the especial duties of his apostleship, not perhaps without some reference to the peculiar fitness which marked him out as the declarer of the divine will in respect to this gracious offer of redemption to the isles of the scattered countless Gentiles. In faith and verity.—Better rendered, in faith and truth.

These words specify the sphere in which the Apostle performed his great mission. The first, “in faith,” refers to St. Paul’s own personal faith in Jesus—the grand motive power of his life and work; the second, “in truth,” refers to the truth of Christianity—to the well-known facts of the gospel story. Or, in other words, St. Paul carried on his ceaseless labours, within gathering fresh and ever fresh strength from the exhaustless spring of his own loving, mighty faith in Jesus, and without appealing to the generally well-known incidents of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the truth of which all might test. In those days there were even many eye-witnesses of the Passion still living.