1 Timothy 5:25

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.

In like manner some men’s holy life and conversation hath been so evident, that there needs little judgment concerning them; and for others, under a due government they cannot be long concealed, but by thy due management of and vigilance in thy office they will soon be discovered, by their publishing their erroneous principles, and the breaking out of their lusts into enormous acts, so as they will soon fall under thy censure. Or else thus: The good works of some whose life hath not been so exemplary, but yet such as in charity thou mayst judge them to have the root of the matter in them, (if thou be not mistaken), cannot be long hid, so as thou shalt soon see what they are, and accordingly know how to behave thyself to them. Thus I should choose rather to interpret this text than concerning the judgment of God, who sometimes rewards good works presently, and always rewards them certainly, either in this life or that which is come.

1 Timothy 5:25 . Τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα , the works that are otherwise ) Those which are not beforehand manifest . The saying, which is found at Ecclesiastes 8:14 , is remarkable, and should in the present day be especially attended to.— κρυβῆναι be hid ) long.— οὐ δύναται , cannot ) although they who do them may often wish to keep them concealed. —————

Otherwise (ἅλλως) N.T.o. Not, otherwise than good, but otherwise than manifest. Be hid (κρυβῆναι) In Paul only Colossians 3:3. The good works, although not conspicuous (πρόδηλα), cannot be entirely concealed. Comp. Matthew 5:14-16. It has been suggested that these words may have been intended to comfort Timothy in his possible discouragement from his "often infirmities." von Soden thinks they were meant to encourage him against the suspicion awakened by his use of wine. By persevering in his temperate habits (οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ) it will become manifest that he is no wine-bibber.

24. Two kinds of sins are specified: those palpably manifest (so the Greek for "open beforehand" ought to be translated; so in Heb 7:14, it is translated "evident"; literally, "before" the eyes, that is, notorious), further explained as "going before to judgment"; and those which follow after the men ("some men they, that is, their sins, follow after"), namely, not going beforehand, loudly accusing, but hidden till they come to the judgment: so 1Ti 5:25, the good works are of two classes: those palpably manifest (translate so, instead of "manifest beforehand") and "those that are otherwise," that is, not palpably manifest. Both alike "cannot be hid"; the former class in the case of bad and good are manifest already; the latter class in the case of both are not manifest now, but shall be so at the final judgment. going before to judgment—as heralds; crying sins which accuse their perpetrator.

The connection seems to me this: He had enjoined Timothy, 1Ti 5:20, "Rebuke them that sin before all": and in 1Ti 5:22, "Neither be partaker of other men's sins," by ordaining ungodly men; having then by a digression at the clause, "keep thyself pure," guarded against an ascetical error of Timothy in fancying purity consisted in asceticism, and having exhorted him to use wine for strengthening him in his work, he returns to the subject of his being vigorous as an overseer in rebuking sin, whether in presbyters or people, and in avoiding participation in men's sins by ordaining ungodly candidates. He says, therefore, there are two classes of sins, as there are two classes of good works: those palpably manifest, and those not so; the former are those on which thou shouldest act decidedly at once when called on, whether to rebuke in general, or to ordain ministers in particular; as to the latter, the final judgment alone can decide; however hidden now they "cannot be hid" then. This could only be said of the final judgment (1Co 4:5; therefore, Alford's reference of this verse to Timothy's judgment in choosing elders must be wrong); all judgments before then are fallible.

Verse 25. - In like maturer for likewise , A.V.; there are good works that are evident for the good works of some are manifest beforehand , A.V.; such as for they that , A.V. There are good works , etc. It is much best to understand πινῶν , as the A.V. does, and render the good works of some , answering to τινῶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι of ver. 24. Such as are otherwise - i.e. , not manifest beforehand - cannot be hid. "They will be seen and recognized some time or other" (Ellicott). Alford seems to catch the true spirit of the passage when he says, " The tendency of this verse is to warn Timothy against hasty condemnation, as the former had done against hasty approval. Sometimes thou wilt find a man's good character go before him.... but where this is not so.... be not rash to condemn: thou mayest on examination discover it there be any good deeds accompanying him: for they... cannot be hidden." 1 Timothy 5:25

25 . Likewise also the good works of some] R.V. excellently, drawing out the double article with substantive and adjective which has the best authority of mss., in like manner also there are good works that are evident . See the interpretation on the previous verse, according to which the more obvious departments in ‘the ruling well,’ the ‘labouring devotedly in speech and teaching,’ are here meant. they that are otherwise ] The such as are otherwise of R.V. renders the generalness of the phrase and makes it clear that ‘works’ not ‘men are meant; such part—often the best part—of the pastor’s work of ‘ruling well,’ and of ‘labouring devotedly in speech and teaching,’ as does not come before the world.

1 Timothy 5:25 . ὡσαύτως here, as in chap. 1 Timothy 2:9 , naturally introduces an antithesis to what has gone before; and this determines the meaning of τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα ; not as ἔργα which are not καλά , but as ἔργα καλά which are not πρόδηλα ; and justifies the R.V. rendering, There are good works that are evident . The next clause is parallel to the corresponding part of 1 Timothy 5:24 : Sins and good works alike cannot be successfully and indefinitely concealed; they follow—are disclosed some time or other in justification of—the κρίσις of men. The literal rendering in R.V. [289]., The works that are good are evident , could only be defended by laying emphasis on καλά , “good in appearance as well as in reality”; but καλὰ ἔργα is of frequent occurrence in these epistles without any such special signification; see on 1 Timothy 3:1 ; and this rendering deprives ὡσαύτως of any force. Von Soden thinks that we have here a reference to the sayings in Matthew 5:14-16 . [289] Speculum

(25) Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. —In his difficult post Timothy might fear lest, especially in his selection of men for the Lord’s service, true nobility of character might not unfrequently escape his notice and be overlooked, and that thus the best and truest might never be enrolled on the register of church officers. St. Paul bids him take courage in the thought that in many a case self-sacrifice, generosity, stern principle, will be sufficiently manifest to guide him in his choice of fit persons for the holy calling; and in those rarer cases where the higher and sweeter virtues are hidden, he may be sure that in God’s good season these too will become known to him, in ample time for him to call them also into his Master’s service. EXCURSUS ON NOTES TO I. TIMOTHY. ON A SUGGESTED INTERPRETATION OF CHAPTER 5:25. IT has been suggested, with considerable ingenuity, that 1Timothy 5:25 belongs to, and is an introduction of, a new division of the Epistle, where the Apostle gives Timothy instructions respecting certain teachings to be addressed to different ranks in the Christian society of Ephesus. The connection with 1Timothy 5:24 then would be—as it is in the case of sins, so, too, it is in the case of good works. These latter are not always on the surface distinguishable.