1 Timothy 4:11

4:11-16 Men's youth will not be despised, if they keep from vanities and follies. Those who teach by their doctrine, must teach by their life. Their discourse must be edifying; their conversation must be holy; they must be examples of love to God and all good men, examples of spiritual-mindedness. Ministers must mind these things as their principal work and business. By this means their profiting will appear in all things, as well as to all persons; this is the way to profit in knowledge and grace, and also to profit others. The doctrine of a minister of Christ must be scriptural, clear, evangelical, and practical; well stated, explained, defended, and applied. But these duties leave no leisure for wordly pleasures, trifling visits, or idle conversation, and but little for what is mere amusement, and only ornamental. May every believer be enabled to let his profiting appear unto all men; seeking to experience the power of the gospel in his own soul, and to bring forth its fruits in his life.

These things command and teach. What are to be commanded, command, and what are to be taught, teach; command to refuse and reject all profane and fabulous doctrines, and exhort to the exercise of true godliness, and teach the profitableness of that, and declare the promises made unto it, and assert the truth and acceptableness of them; command, order, and encourage believers to labour and suffer reproach for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel, in hope of enjoying the said promises, and teach them to trust in the God of their lives, and the Saviour of all men; and whereas to this authoritative way of teaching, Timothy's youth might be objected by himself, and others; it follows,

Verse 11. - Command ( παράγγελλε ; see 1 Timothy 1:3 , note; 1 Timothy 5:7; 6:13, 17). It is used very frequently in the Gospels of our Lord's commands to the apostles and others, and by St. Paul of his own apostolic directions to the Churches ( 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:4, 6 , etc.). 1 Timothy 4:11

1 Timothy 4:11-16 . Silent example or mild suggestion will not do in every case. There are many occasions when it will be necessary for you to speak out, with the authority given to you at your ordination. At the same time, do not forget that the charismatic gift will die if it be neglected. Give yourself wholly to the cultivation of your character; so will you save yourself and those committed to your charge.

(11) These things command and teach. —“These things”— i.e., the real meaning of “godliness,” that practical everyday piety which, in contradistinction to the severe and strained asceticism of a limited and narrow section of society, should enter into all homes and influence all lives without distinction of class or race, age or sex. “These things” in the Church of Ephesus must form a part of the public commands and charges to the congregations, must likewise enter into private Christian teaching.

These things command and teach - As important doctrines, and as embracing the sum of the Christian system. It follows from this, that a minister of the gospel is solemnly bound to teach that there is a sense in which God is the Saviour of all people. He is just as much bound to teach this, as he is that only those will be saved who believe. It is a glorious truth - and it is a thing for which a man should unceasingly give thanks to God that he may go and proclaim that He has provided salvation for all, and is willing that all should come and live.

1 Timothy 4:11 . Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε ] Timothy is to proclaim to the community that which Paul has enjoined to him. Ταῦτα refers not only to what is in 1 Timothy 4:10 (according to Hofmann: “to God’s living power and willingness to help”), but to everything that has been said previously in regard to εὐσέβεια . The two verbs παραγγέλλειν and διδάσκειν tell how he is to proclaim these things. They are not distinguished from each other as referring, the one to private, the other to public instruction, nor as expressing, the one, generally public proclamation, the other, more especially exact instruction, explanation, information (Matthies); but παραγγέλλειν , which in the N. T. has constantly the sense of “command,” indicates that Timothy is to hold up these things ( ταῦτα ) to the community as the standard of their conduct.