1 Timothy 6:2

6:1-5 Christians were not to suppose that religious knowledge, or Christian privileges, gave them any right to despise heathen masters, or to disobey lawful commands, or to expose their faults to others. And such as enjoyed the privilege of living with believing masters, were not to withhold due respect and reverence, because they were equal in respect to religious privileges, but were to serve with double diligence and cheerfulness, because of their faith in Christ, and as partakers of his free salvation. We are not to consent to any words as wholesome, except the words of our Lord Jesus Christ; to these we must give unfeigned consent. Commonly those are most proud who know least; for they do not know themselves. Hence come envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings, disputes that are all subtlety, and of no solidity, between men of corrupt and carnal minds, ignorant of the truth and its sanctifying power, and seeking their worldly advantage.

{3} And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, {a} partakers of the benefit. {4} These things teach and exhort. (3) The second rule: let not servants that have come to the faith, and have also masters of the same profession and religion, abuse the name of brotherhood, but let them so much the rather obey them. (a) Let this be sufficient, that with regard to those things which pertain to everlasting life, they are partakers of the same good will and love of God, as their masters themselves are. (4) A general conclusion, that these things ought not only to be simply taught, but must with exhortations be diligently learned by them.

Some Christians were servants to Jews or pagans, who both came under the gospel notion of believers; as to these the apostle had given directions in 1 Timothy 6:1 . Others served masters and mistresses that were Christians. The apostle, not ignorant of Satan’s devices, foresaw that the former would be under a temptation to neglect and despise their masters or mistresses, because they were idolaters, or of a false religion, enemies to the gospel; and the latter under a temptation not to be so diligent and serviceable as they should be, because their governors in a spiritual sense were their equals, their brethren and sisters. The apostle here declares, that the rules of the gospel neither allow the one nor the other: as to the former he had spoken; nor, saith he, let those that have masters or mistresses that are Christians despise them, by which he means, not be equally obedient or serviceable to them, because there is a spiritual equality or relation between them. But rather do them service, looking upon this as a further obligation upon them. Because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit; because they are believers, such as love our common Lord, and are beloved of him, and such as all good Christians ought to love, being partakers of the gift of God, Christ Jesus, and the great benefit of redemption through his blood.

1 Timothy 6:2 . Ἀδελφοὶ , brethren ) and in that respect equal.— εἰσὶν , are ) viz. the masters . Servants (slaves) might seek a pretext for refusing obedience, whether they had believing or unbelieving masters. Both sins are met (counteracted).— δουλευέτωσαν , let them do service ) let them remain in the household.— πιστοί εἰσι καὶ ἀγαπητοὶ are faithful and beloved ) Supply, the masters, beloved , having experienced the Divine love, and then in consequence showing love to their servants (slaves).— οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι , [Eng. Vers. partakers of the benefit , but Bengel] subserving the [divine] beneficence ) Beneficence is the beneficence of God, as the word, the name, the Spirit, the wrath , stand for the word of God, the name of God , etc. Believing masters, as being benefactors [ εὐεργέται , taken out of εὐεργεσίας ], subserve this beneficence. Believers experience the heavenly beneficence towards men, and subserve it; for example, masters towards their household, and through their household towards others. This by implication teaches also believing masters their duty: 1 Timothy 6:17 also teaches it.

Partakers of the benefit (οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι) The verb means to take hold of; hence, to take hold for the purpose of helping; to take up for, as Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. oP. Ἑυεργεσία, benefit only here and Acts 4:9. Better, kindly service. Rend. they that busy themselves in the kindly service. The reference is to the kindly acts which the masters do to their slaves; not to the benefits received by the slaves. Comp. Galatians 5:13.

2. And—rather, "But." The opposition is between those Christian slaves under the yoke of heathen, and those that have believing masters (he does not use the phrase "under the yoke" in the latter case, for service under believers is not a yoke). Connect the following words thus, "Let them (the slaves) not, because they (the masters) are brethren (and so equals, masters and slaves alike being Christians), despise them (the masters)." but rather, &c.—"but all the more (so much the more: with the greater good will) do them service because they (the masters) are faithful (that is, believers) and beloved who receive (in the mutual interchange of relative duties between master and servant; so the Greek) the benefit" (English Version violates Greek grammar). This latter clause is parallel to, "because they are brethren"; which proves that "they" refers to the masters, not the servants, as Tittmann takes it, explaining the verb in the common sense (Lu 1:54; Ac 20:35), "who sedulously labor for their (masters') benefit." The very term "benefit" delicately implies service done with the right motive, Christian "good will" (Eph 6:7). If the common sense of the Greek verb be urged, the sense must be, "Because they (the masters) are faithful and beloved who are sedulously intent on the benefiting" of their servants.

But Porphyry [On Abstinence, 1.46] justifies the sense of the Greek verb given above, which also better accords with the context; for otherwise, the article "the," will have nothing in the preceding words to explain it, whereas in my explanation above "the benefit" will be that of the slaves' service. These things teach—(1Ti 4:11; Tit 2:15).

Verse 2. - Let them serve them the rather for rather do them service , A.V.; that partake of the benefit are believing and beloved for are faithful and beloved , partakers of the benefit , A.V. They that have believing masters. The direction in the preceding verse applied to all slaves, though chiefly to what, as Alford says, was far the commonest ease, that of those who had unbelieving masters. But now he adds a caution with regard to the Christian slave of a Christian master. There was a danger lest the feeling that slaves and masters are brothers in Christ should unduly interfere with the respect which he owed him as his master. And so St. Paul addresses a word of special advice to such. Let them not despise them. Let not their spiritual equality with their masters lead them to underrate the worldly difference that separates them; or to think slightly of the authority of a master relatively to his slaves (comp. 2 Peter 2:10 ). But let them serve them the rather, because they that partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. There is a good deal of obscurity in this sentence, but it may be observed first that the grammatical rendering of the R.V. is clearly right, and that of the A.V. clearly wrong. "They that partake of the benefit" is beyond all doubt the subject, and not the predicate.

Then the construction of the two sentences (this and the preceding one) makes it certain that the subject in this sentence ( οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι ) are the same persons as the δέσποται in the preceding sentence, because it is predicated of them both that they are πιστοί , and of both that they are, in convertible terms, ἀγαπητοί and ἀδελφοί . And this leads us, with nearly certainty, to the further conclusion that the εὐεργεσία , the beneficium , or "benefit," spoken of is that especial service - that service of love and good will running ahead of necessary duty, which the Christian slave gives to the Christian master; a sense which the very remarkable passage quoted by Alford from Seneca strikingly confirms. The only remaining difficulty, then, is the meaning "partake of" ascribed to ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι But this is scarcely a difficulty. It is true that in the only two other passages in the New Testament where this verb occurs, and in its frequent use in the LXX., it has the sense of "helping" ( Luke 1:54 ; Acts 20:35 ); but there is nothing strange in this. The verb in the middle voice means to "lay hold of," You may lay hold of for the purpose of helping, supporting, clinging to, laying claim to, holding in check, etc. (see Liddell and Scott). Here the masters lay hold of the benefit for the purpose of enjoying it. There is possibly an indication in the word that the masters actively and willingly accept it - they stretch out their hand to take it.

2 . rather do them service ] Better, serve them the rather , all the more zealously. partakers of the benefit ] The article with the participle is clearly subject; and the masters are certainly meant. But then divergence arises, Bp Wordsworth making both masters and slaves the benefactors: ‘they (i.e. the masters) who take part in the mutual good offices (between masters and slaves) are believing and beloved.’ He quotes from Thucyd. ii. 61 for this sense of the verb ‘to take hold of with a view to mutual assistance.’ Conybeare and Lewin make the slaves the benefactors, quoting from Arist. Ran . 777 for the verb ‘they who claim their slaves’ services.’ Grimm, following Chrysostom and Grotius, makes the masters the benefactors, quoting from LXX. Isaiah 26:3 for the verb ‘they who devote themselves to the kindly care of their slaves.’ So far as the usage of the verb in N. T. goes—‘to help’ ‘to succour,’ and also of the noun ‘the good deed’ (to the impotent man), Acts 4:9 and LXX., the help of the weaker by the stronger is suggested, and so the last view is borne out. Compare too the significant use of the connected noun ‘benefactor,’ in Luke 22:25 , ‘they that have authority over them are called benefactors.’ Is St Paul using a recognised synonym honoris causa for ‘lordship,’ and, with all the delicate grace natural to the writer of the Epistle to Philemon, lifting it to the height of Christian love? ‘Bid them serve their masters all the better. Masters did I say?