1 Timothy 5:21

5:17-25 Care must be taken that ministers are maintained. And those who are laborious in this work are worthy of double honour and esteem. It is their just due, as much as the reward of the labourer. The apostle charges Timothy solemnly to guard against partiality. We have great need to watch at all times, that we do not partake of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure, not only from doing the like thyself, but from countenancing it, or any way helping to it in others. The apostle also charges Timothy to take care of his health. As we are not to make our bodies masters, so neither slaves; but to use them so that they may be most helpful to us in the service of God. There are secret, and there are open sins: some men's sins are open before-hand, and going before unto judgment; some they follow after. God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make known the counsels of all hearts. Looking forward to the judgment-day, let us all attend to our proper offices, whether in higher or lower stations, studying that the name and doctrine of God may never be blasphemed on our account.

{17} I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. (17) The fourth rule: let sincerity be used without any prejudice or respect of persons in ecclesiastical proceedings (especially against the elders), because God himself is present there, and the Lord Jesus Christ with a multitude of angels.

1 Timothy 5:21 . I charge thee before God, &c. — He refers to the last judgment, in which we shall stand before God, and Christ, and his elect — That is, holy, angels — Who are the witnesses of our conversation. The apostle looks through his own labours, and even through time itself, and seems to stand as one already in eternity; that thou observe these things without preferring, &c. — Προκριματος , prejudging. The word signifies a judgment formed before the matter judged hath been duly examined; doing nothing by partiality — For or against any one; Greek, κατα προσκλισιν , literally, a leaning to one side, through favour arising from private friendship or affection.

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things: by these things may be understood the whole of what went before, or what followeth. I judge it most proper to refer it to all the precepts foregoing in this Epistle, which evidenceth them to be things which he had received from the Lord, not what he directed without any express notice of the will of God as to them. This is evident by his grave and severe charge to Timothy to observe them, for he chargeth him to observe them as in the presence of God and Christ, and calleth the good angels to be witnesses, both of his faithfidness, in giving him this charge, and of Timothy’s faithfulness or unfaithfulness, according as he should observe or neglect the things given him in charge: he calls the angels elect, unquestionably in opposition to the evil and reprobate angels. Without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality: he requires the doing of them without respect to any persons, rich or poor, friends or foes; partiality no way becoming a judge in any cause, who ought to hold the balance even, not inclining it any way, but judging things and not persons.

Some of the things before mentioned may seem of too minute a consideration for the apostle to lay such a stress upon, or God to give him particular direction in; but the things are not so much to be considered as the end of the precepts, which was the upholding the true honour and reputation of the church, which is a very great thing; and supposing the things given in charge to have any tendency of that nature, they must not be judged small.

I charge (διαμαρτύρομαι) In Paul 1 Thessalonians 4:6 only. See on testifying, 1 Thessalonians 2:12. For this sense, adjure, see Luke 16:28; Acts 2:40; 2 Timothy 2:14. Elect angels (ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων) The phrase N.T.o. The triad, God, Christ, the angels, only Luke 9:26. It is not necessary to suppose that a class of angels distinguished from the rest is meant. It may refer to all angels, as special objects of divine complacency. Comp. Tob. 8:15; Acts 10:22; Revelation 14:10. Observe (φυλάξῃς) Lit. guard. In the Pauline sense of keeping the law, Romans 2:26; Galatians 6:13. Without preferring one before another (χερὶς προκρίματος) A unique expression. Πρόκριμα prejudgment. N.T.o. olxx, oClass. Rend. without prejudice. By partiality (κατὰ πρόσκλισιν) N.T.o. olxx. According to its etymology, inclining toward. In later Greek of joining one party in preference to another. In Clement (ad 1 Corinthians 41. xlvii., l.) in the sense of factious preferences.

1 Timothy 5:21 . Ἐνώπιον , before ) Paul presents vividly to Timothy the last judgment, in which God will be revealed, and Christ will be seen face to face with His angels; comp. 2 Timothy 4:1 . And yet the words, face to face , do not shut out reference to the present time, 1 Timothy 5:4 ( ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ); 2 Corinthians 8:21 . See ch. 1 Timothy 6:13 , etc.— καὶ Κυρίου , and the Lord ) The article is not added, though it is immediately added with respect to the angels. Therefore the appellations, God and Lord , refer to one subject [before Him who is at once God and Lord, Jesus Christ];[43] comp., however, 2 Timothy 4:1 .[44] The old reading has not Κυρίου .[45]— ἘΚΛΕΚΤῶΝ ) An epithet, which sharpens the reverence of Timothy; ἘΚΛΕΚΤῸς , choice , 1 Peter 2:6 .— χωρὶς προκρίματος ) ΧΩΠῚς ΤΟῦ ΠΡΟΠΕΤῶς ΚΑῚ ΔΊΧΑ ΚΕΚΡΙΜΈΝΗς ΒΟΥΛῆς ΠΡᾶΞΑΊ ΣΕ ΤΊ .[46] Glos. ap. Pricæum.— ΠΡΟΚΡΊΜΑ , prejudice ( prejudging ), is the failing of him who determines, before the matter fully opens itself out; 1 Timothy 5:22 , note.

There ought to be judgment , not prejudice ( prejudging ); 1 Timothy 5:24 .— κατὰ πρὁσκλισιν ) The glosses by the same writer are, ΚΑΤᾺ ΠΡΌΣΚΛΙΣΙΝ , ΚΑΤᾺ ΧΆΡΙΝ , ΠΡΟΣΠΆΘΕΙΑΝ , Ἢ ἘΤΕΡΟΜΈΡΕΙΑΝ , In short, prejudice through hatred, partiality through favour. [ Often a man is hurried headlong by some impulse, and treats this or that person either well or ill accordingly; but we should act considerately, and think, what is suitable to the Divine will .—V. g.] [43] This is a principle laid down by Bishop Middleton, that where the one article precedes two appellatives , they must refer to one and the same person; a most important canon against Socinians. See Titus 2:13 .—ED. [44] ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ , καὶ Χοιστοῦ Ἰησοῦ . But Middleton’s canon does not apply there; for Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ are used as proper names, not appellatives . So here, too, if the Κυρίου be not read. Therefore Θεοῦ is God the Father .—ED. [45] Wherefore it is omitted in the Germ. Vers., which follows the margin of both ED.—E. B. [46] i.e. Without thy doing aught precipitately and apart from decided deliberation or counsel . AD( Δ ) corrected, G fg Vulg., Hilar. 328, Lucif. omit Κυρίου . Rec. Text has no good authority for it.—ED.

21. I charge thee—rather as Greek, "I adjure thee"; so it ought to be translated (2Ti 4:1). before—"in the presence of God." Lord—omitted in the oldest manuscripts God the Father, and Christ the Son, will testify against thee, if thou disregardest my injunction. He vividly sets before Timothy the last judgment, in which God shall be revealed, and Christ seen face to face with His angels elect angels—an epithet of reverence. The objects of divine electing love (1Pe 2:6). Not only "elect" (according to the everlasting purpose of God) in contradistinction to the reprobate angels (2Pe 2:4), but also to mark the excellence of the angels in general (as God's chosen ministers, "holy angels," "angels of light"), and so to give more solemnity to their testimony [Calvin] as witnesses to Paul's adjuration. Angels take part by action and sympathy in the affairs of the earth (Lu 15:10; 1Co 4:9). these things—the injunctions, 1Ti 5:19, 20. without preferring one before another—rather as Greek, "prejudice"; "judging before" hearing all the facts of a case. There ought to be judgment, but not prejudging. Compare "suddenly," 1Ti 5:22, also 1Ti 5:24. partiality—in favor of a man, as "prejudice" is bias against a man. Some of the oldest manuscripts read, "in the way of summoning (brethren) before a (heathen) judge." But Vulgate and other good authorities favor the more probable reading in English Version.

Verse 21. - In the sight of for before , A.V.; Christ Jesus for the Lord Jesus Christ , A.V. and T.R.; prejudice for preferring one before another , A.V. I charge thee , etc. It has been well remarked that the solemnity of this charge indicates the temptation which there might be to Timothy to shrink front reproving men of weight and influence" rulers" in the congregation, and "elders" both in age and by office, young as he himself was ( 1 Timothy 4:12 ). Perhaps he had in view some particular case in the Ephesian Church. Charge ( διαμαρτύρομαι ; not παραγγέλλω , as 1 Timothy 6:13 ); rather, I adjure thee . The strict sense of διαμαρτύρομαι is "I call heaven and earth to witness the truth of what I am saying;" and then, by a very slight metonymy, "I declare a thing," or "I ask a thing," "as in the presence of those witnesses who are either named or understood." Here the witnesses are named: God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels. In 2 Timothy 2:14 it is "the Lord;" in 2 Timothy 4:1 God and Jesus Christ, as also in 1 Timothy 6:13 . In the passages where the word has the force of "testifying" ( Luke 16:18 ; Acts 2:40 ; Acts 10:42 ; Acts 18:5 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:6 , etc.), no witnesses are named, but great solemnity and earnestness are implied. The elect angels. This is the only passage where it is predicated of the angels that they are elect .

But as there is repeated mention in Holy Scripture of the fallen angels ( Matthew 25:41 ; 1 Corinthians 6:3 ; 2 Peter 2:4 ; Jude 1:6 ; Revelation 12:7, 9 ), the obvious interpretation is that St. Paul, in this solemn adjuration, added the epithet to indicate more distinctly the " holy angels ," as they are frequently described ( Matthew 25:31 ; Luke 9:26 , etc.), or "the angels of God" or " of heaven" ( Matthew 22:30 ; Matthew 24:36 ; Luke 12:8, 9 ; John 1:51 ). Possibly the mention of Satan in ver. 15, or some of the rising Gnostic opinions about angels ( Colossians 2:18 ), may have suggested the epithet. The reason for the unusual addition of "the angels" is more difficult to adduce with certainty. But perhaps 2 Timothy 4:1 gives us the clue, where the apostle shows that in appealing to Jesus Christ he has a special eye to the great and final judgment. Now, in the descriptions of the lust judgment, the angels are constantly spoken of as accompanying our Lord ( Matthew 16:27 ; Matthew 25:31 ; Mark 8 :48; Luke 9:26 ; Luke 12:8, 9 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 , etc.). If St. Paul, therefore, had in his mind the great judgment-day when he thus invoked the names of God and of Christ, he would very naturally also make mention of the elect angels. And so Bishop Bull, quoted in the 'Speaker's Commentary.' Without prejudice ( χωρὶς προκρίματος ); here only in the New Testament, and not found in the LXX. or classical Greek, though the verb προκρίνω occurs in both.