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The Greeting
1:1-2. I Paul, writing with all the authority of an Apostle of Christ Jesus, and in obedience to the direct commandment of God who has saved us from our sins, and of Jesus Christ, who is the object of our hope, send this letter to you Timothy, with all the confidence which a father feels in a true son in the faith; and I ask God, the Father of us all, and Christ Jesus our Lord, to give you grace for your work, to aid you in your difficulties, and give you peace at heart.
The greeting is formal and elaborate; it is partly personal to Timothy (γηί τκῳ. . . ἔες but also official (ἀότλς κτ ἐιαή), perhaps because the letter is meant to be read to others (cf. μθ ὑῶ, 6:20), and to be treated as an authoritative guidance for the Church or Churches to which Timothy has to communicate its regulations; it is to strengthen Timothy’s hands against false teachers; cf. 1:11, 2:7.
1. ἀότλς εθω τῦἀραο τνδάοα εςτνἀοτίατ πρπμε (Chrys.).
χιτῦἸσῦ In the other Epistles (Jas., Pet., Jude, Jn.) the order is Ἰς Χ., perhaps because to their writers the memory of the earthly life had been the first thing; in St. Paul the order is generally Χ. Ἰς perhaps because the knowledge of the Heavenly Messiah came before that of the earthly life; but there is no uniformity in him, though when he refers to facts of the earthly life the order is often Ἰς Χ. 6:3, II 2:8, 1Co_2:2, 1Co_2:3:11, 1Co_2:15:57, 2Co_8:9.
For a full examination of the usage, cf. I.C.C., Galatians, pp. 392 ff.
κτ ἐιαή] ἐιαή Paul only in N.T. (1Co_7:6, 1Co_7:25, 2Co_8:8, Tit_2:15); κτ ἐιαή (Tit_1:3, Rom_16:26). It suggests a royal command which must be obeyed, cf. Est_1:8, and was used of divine commands (cf. M.M. s.v.). Ramsay quotes κτ ἐιαὴ τῦΚρο Τρνο Δό (Inscr. Le Bas Waddington, No. 667). Here it refers primarily to the choice of Paul as an Apostle (2:7, Act_22:14), though it may include the wider command of the King of all the ages (cf. 1:17, 6:15), revealing the message of salvation (Rom_16:26) and calling for obedience, cf. εςὑαονπσές(Rom_1:5). It gives the commission in virtue of which he acts, and the rule and standard of his work. Paul writes because necessity is laid upon him (1Co_9:16-18); he is anxious to be able to report to his Lord, when He returns, κρε γγννὃἐέαα (Luk_14:22).
θο στρςἡῶ] Possibly with an allusion to the heathen use of the title as applied to Zeus, Apollo, or Æ (Tit_2:13 note) cf. Harnack, Exp. of Christianity, i. 2. 2;, but the phrase is Jewish, Deu_32:15, Psa_24:5, Luk_1:47, Jud_1:25. By St. Paul it is applied to the Father in 1 Ti., to Christ only in 2 Ti. (1:10), to the Father and to Christ in Tit.: in the earlier Epistles only to Christ, Eph_5:23, Php_3:20, but cf. 1Co_1:21. Here it anticipates the thoughts of 1:15, 2:3, 4, 15, 4:10, 16.
τςἔπδςἡῶ] On whom we place our hopes, whom we hope to see and to be like; cf. Col_1:27 Χιτςἐ ὑῖ, ἡἔπςτςδξς and 1Jn_3:2, 1Jn_3:3. Cf. Psa_64:6 ἐάοσνἡῶ ὁθὸ ὁστρἡῶ, ἡἔπςπνω τνπρτντςγς Wisd 14:6 ἡἔπςτῦκσο, of Noah (Wohlenberg). Liv. xxviii. 39: “spem omnem salutemque nostram,” of Scipio (Wetstein). Similarly κρε ὑοοὴἸρή, Jer_17:13. Here the phrase has almost become a fixed title, as it has become by the time of Ignatius (Trall. Inscr. and 2, Magn. 11, Ph. 5 and 11, Eph. 21. Cf. ἡτλί πσι, ad Polyc. 10): and Polycarp, Phil. 8.
2. Τμθῳ Cf. Introd., p. xxvi.
γηί τκῳ(dilecto, Vg.; germano, Ambros.; viscerali, itg.) perhaps combines the thought of 1Co_4:17 “my true son whom I have begotten and to whom I have a right to appeal,” with that of Php_2:20-22 (ἰόυο . . . γηίς. . . ὡ πτὶτκο σνἐο ἐολυε), “my son whom I know that I can trust,” perhaps with implied contrast to others who had failed him, inf. 3-11, 6:3-10. Dibelius compares the use of father and son for teacher and pupil in the Mysteries, quoting Poimandres 13:3, p. 340 (Reitzenstein), μ φόε μι πτρ γήιςυὸ εμ δάρσνμιπλγεείςτντόο.
ἐ πσε] Cf. ἐ Χιτ, 1Co_4:15; ἐ κρῳ ib. 17. There the stress is on the spiritual sphere, here on spiritual character, faith in and loyalty to Christ; cf. 4. 5 and Tit_1:4 κτ κιὴ πσι.
χρςἔες ερν] For χρςand ερν, cf. S.-H., Rom_1:5-7: ἔεςis found in prayers combined with ερν (Gal_6:16, Tob 7:11 (א with ερν and ἀάηin Jud_1:2, with χρςand ερν, as here, only in 2Ti_1:2, 2Jn_1:3. The addition in 1 and 2 Ti. (not in Titus) may have reference to Timothy’s difficulties at Ephesus. τῦοἀὸπλῆ φλσογα·πεοαγρἐεχτιτσ πιί δδιὼ ὔε ατῦκὶτέω, Chrys.; cf. ἠεθν14. 16 he invokes for his son the mercy which had aided himself.
ἀὸθο πτὸ κὶχ. Ἰ τῦκ ἡῶ] cf. S.-H., Rom_1:7; Frame, 1Th_1:1. πτό is here, perhaps, limited by ἡῶ (cf. 1), or quite unlimited “the Father,” ἐ ο πσ πτι ὀοάεα, Eph_3:15; the father invokes blessings on his spiritual son from the source of all fatherhood.
1:3-20. Appeal to Timothy. Warn the false teachers at Ephesus not to waste their time on myths and genealogies and teachings about the law to the neglect of the true spiritual aim of the gospel. They entirely misunderstand the true purpose of the law, as seen in the light of the gospel. Its purpose was to control sin, but the gospel saves from sin; yes, it saved me the chief of sinners, and I was allowed to be its preacher. Do you then, as my true child, hand on this charge, and be warned by the fate of Hymenæ and Alexander.
Note.—The key-words of the section are πσι with its cognates (cf. 1, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19 bis) and ἀάη(5. 14), which are contrasted with intellectual speculation: cf. the contrast between γῶι and ἀάηin 1Co_8, between speaking with tongues and prophesying in 1Co_14.
3-11. Paraphrase. I wrote to press on you the purpose with which I urged you to stay in Ephesus when I had to leave for Macedonia. It is that you should strictly charge certain teachers there—I need not mention their names—not to pride themselves on being teachers of novelties, or to waste their time on untrustworthy legends and questions of genealogies which are unending, for they only supply them with abstruse investigations, and do not help them to do their work as God’s stewards, whose one aim is to produce faith. The whole purpose of the charge which Christ has given us, His stewards, is to produce a true spirit of love, springing out of simplicity of aim, of a clear conscience, and a sincere faith. But some of these teachers have wholly failed in these qualities, and turned out of the narrow path into worthless discussions: they claim to be Christian rabbis, but they do not understand their own assertions, nor the meaning of the subjects on which they are so positive. But we know that the law is of high value, if a teacher enforces its right purpose, if he realizes that law is never enacted to control one who is already acting rightly, but it is to control the wilful and restless, those who violate their duty to God and their neighbour in any way that is inconsistent with the sound teaching of Christ. This is the position of the law in the light of the good news that the blessed God has now communicated His glory to men and enabled them to obey. It is this good news with which I was entrusted, I on whose behalf you have to speak.
Note.—With the whole section cf. Act_20:30, and inf. 6:3-10: here, the stress is laid on the character of the teaching; there, on the character of the teachers.
3. For the historical position, cf. p. xvii. On the duty of the Bishop to check his clergy from useless discussions, cf. Chrys., de Sacerd., § 409-412.
κθςπρκλσ] What is the apodosis? Probably (as Grotius suggested) ἵαπργελς “As I urged, so now see that you charge”; ἵαbeing elliptical, vid. note on Tit_3:13. If this is not so, then the sentence is an anacoluthon, cf. Rom_5:12; such anacolutha are common at the commencement of letters; cf. Ignatius, Rom_1, Eph_1, Son_1; Pap. Oxyr. x. 1299, quoted in MM S.V. κθς The reason is that the act of writing takes the place of an apodosis. “As I urged, so now I write.” So on the stage the apodosis has often to be supplied from some movement on the part of the actor; cf. Soph. O.T. 325. A similar movement explains Mat_26:50.
πρκλσ] Perhaps “encouraged,” implying hesitation on T.’s part (so Chrys., Theod.-Mops.), but more probably “urged.” Cf. 2:1, Phm_1:9.
πομῖα (cf. 5:5, not in the earlier Epistles, but cf. Act_13:43), slightly stronger than μνι, “stay on.”
τσ] They have not reached the point of shipwreck of faith, and have not had to be dealt with judicially like Hymenæ and Alexander (20); so he tactfully mentions no names; cf. 6-19, 5:15, 24, 6:10, 21, and compare 2Co_3:1, 2Co_10:2.
ἑεοιακλῖ, cf. 6:3, Ign. ad Polyc. 3 (Cf. κκδδσαεν Clem. R. ii. 10; ἑεοιάκλς Eus. H.E. iii. 32). The word was possibly coined by the writer, half-parodying νμδδσαο. They pride themselves on being “teachers of law”; they are really only teachers of novelties, of things alien to the true gospel, πρ τνδδχνἣ ὑεςἐάεε Rom_16:17; ἕεο εαγλο, Gal_1:6.
4. ποέεν(c. dat. 3:8, 4:1, 13, Tit_1:14: also Luke (2), Acts (6), Heb (2), not in the earlier letters; but cf. Act_20:28).
μθκὶγν ἀεάτι] ἀέατς used with a note of impatient scorn (cf. ἀεατλγα ἀεατλγῖ; Athenæ Strabo ap. Wetstein), is the emphatic word, and probably qualifies both μθ and γν Cf. the similar protest in Epict. iii. 24, σ δ Ὀήῳπναποέεςκὶτῖ μθι ατῦ(Dibelius).
μθ κὶγν to be taken closely together, μθιbeing defined by γναοίι legendary stories about genealogies; but γναοίιwas used widely of any mythologies connected with the history of early founders of states. Cf. Polyb. Hist. ix. 1, 4, where ὁγναοιὸ τόο of the historian is contrasted with the parts which deal with colonizations, foundations of cities, the policy of nations, and is said to be specially attractive to the inquisitive; and ib. 2. 1, τ πρ τςγναοίςκὶμθυ, is contrasted with these more historical parts. So Philo calls the history of the patriarchs in the Pentateuch τ γναοιὸ μρς(de V. Mosis, ii. 8).
There may be implied here a contrast with the short, clear historical life and teaching of the Lord, “the mystery of godliness” summed up in 3:16. Cf. 2 P 1:16 ο γρσσφσέοςμθι ἐαοοθσνε ἐνρσμνὑῖ τντῦΚ ἡῶ Ἰ Χ. δνμνκὶπρυίν
The exact reference of the words is uncertain.
(i) Probably they refer to something Jewish; and if so, to legends and stories centring round the pedigree of the patriarchs and O.T. history which were handed down in tradition, the Rabbinical Haggada, and which are prominent in Jewish Apocalypses (so cf. Hort, Judaistic Christianity, p. 135), and were used to support the institutions of the Jewish law. The Book of Jubilees, “an attempt to rewrite primitive history from the standpoint of the law,” based on τ γναοιό and introducing many legends about evil spirits, or “The Book (attributed to Philo) concerning Biblical Antiquities,” a legendary chronicle of O.T. history from Adam to Saul, dating from the 1st century a.d. (ed. M. R. James, S.P.C.K., 1917), would be the best illustrations of this. Cf. also Justin M. Dial. c. Tr. c. 112; Irenæ 1:30, for similar profitless discussions. This Jewish reference is made probable (i) by the fact that these teachers claimed to be νμδδσαο: (ii) by the clear reference in Tit_1:14 Ἰυακῖ μθι: 3:9 γναοίςκὶἔεςκὶμχςνμκς (iii) by Ign. ad Magn. c. 8 (possibly an allusion to this place), where μθύαι πλιῖ παᾶθιis a note of living κτ Ἰυασό. (iv) The allusion to Jannes and Jambres, 2Ti_3:8, is perhaps drawn from such legendary Haggada.
This reference is supported by Chrys., Pelagius, Thdt. τνἸυακνἑμνίντνὑʼατνκλυέη δυέωι: and Ambrosiaster, “de fabulis quas narrare consueti sunt Judæ de generatione suarum originum.” F. H. Colson (J. Th. St. xix. 265-271) thinks that the reference is not to a Pharisaic Judaism, but to a “somewhat conceited pseudo-Hellenic Judaism,” which treated the O.T. as the “grammatici” and “rhetores” treated Homer in literary circles; and he quotes a similar criticism of such points by Suetonius, Tiberius, c. 70, “Maxime curavit notitiam historiæfabularis, usque ad ineptias atque derisum,” quoted with other reff. by Mayor on Juv. 7. 234.
(ii) But, possibly, to the genealogies of the æ which in Gnostic teaching separated the supreme God from the material world, cf. 4:1-4. Irenæ directly applied these words to the teaching of Valentinus (adv. Hæ præ i.), and so did Tertullian (Præ 7 and 33); but neither states that our writer was referring to them, for Irenæ applies Mat_7:15 and Tertullian Col_2:8, Gal_4:3, Gal_5:2 to the same heretics; and Tert. (adv. Valent. 3) supposes St. Paul to anticipate these teachers, and to meet the germs of their teaching (“his jam nunc pullulantibus seminibus hæ damnare præ”); cf. Introd. p. xvii.
ἐζτσι] Here only in N.T., “out-of-the-way researches” (Cf. ἐζτῖ, Ecclus 39:1, 3 (of the Jewish Rabbi, σφα πνω ἀχίνἐζτσι. . . ἀόρφ πριινἐζτσι 1 P 1:10 and “eruere”). For the distinction from ζτμτ, cf. Act_15:2 γνμνς. . . ζτσω οκὀίη ἔαα . . . ἀαανι II. κὶB. πρ τῦζτμτςτύο.
οκνμα θο] “God’s stewardship,” i.e. they do not help them to carry out the stewardship entrusted to them by God; cf. Tit_1:7 ὡ θο οκνμν supra 1 κτ ἐιαή: 11 ἐιτύη. Ign. ad Eph_6, πναὃ πμε ὁοκδσόη εςἰίνοκνμα. The metaphor is a favourite one with St. Paul (cf. esp. 1Co_9:17) and St. Luke: elsewhere only in 1 P 4:10. This is ultimately “God’s own method,” His “scheme of salvation” (cf. Eph_1:10, Ign. Eph. 18, 20 (ubi v. Lightfoot), Clem. Alex. Strom. i. 24: οκνμακθ ἣ ἐαδύνοἙρῖι. . . εςμνντ πσεεντνθὸ ενι(quoted with other interesting illustrations in Tatiani, Or., ed. Schwarz, Texte und Unters. i. 4, 1, pp. 86-90); but the analogy of Tit_1:7 shows that this is not the primary thought here, and is almost conclusive against the reading of the Western text, οκδμν for which cf. 3:15, 1Co_3:9, and supra, p. xxxvi.
τνἐ πσε] which has faith as its central principle—faith in the steward (cf. 1) and faith in those whom he teaches (cf. 5); faith, not abstruse questionings (cf. 4); faith, not stress on law (7-11); cf. Col_2, Gal_3.
5. τ δ τλς τύετ τ σνλρμ, cf. Rom_10:4, Chrys.; but here the metaphor is of “the way” (cf. ἀτχσνε . . . ἐερπσνες “The goal,” “the true end to be reached”; cf. Ign. Eph. 14, ἀχ μνπσι, τλςδ ἀάη
τςπργείς i.e., primarily, the charge which Timothy has to give (πργελς 3; πργείν 18): but the last words, οκδ θο τνἐ πσε, have carried the mind on to the whole scheme of salvation, and perhaps extend the meaning more widely—the end of all Christian moral preaching, the whole moral charge which is given to God’s stewards; cf. ἡδδσαί, 6:1: ἡἐτλ, 6:14: τ κργα 1Co_1:21.
ἀάη Cf. Gal_5:6 πσι δʼἀάη ἐεγυέη inf. 1:14, 2:15, 4:12, 6:11.
ἐ κθρςκ Cf. 2Ti_2:22, 2Ti_2:1 P 1:22 (Si v.l.), Mat_5:8. It is an O.T. conception, Gen_20:5, Gen_20:6, Job_11:13, Job_33:3, Psa_23:4, Psa_50:12.
σνιήεςἀ.] 1:19, 1 P 3:16, 21; κλ, Heb_13:18; contrast σνι. πνπ, Heb_10:22. For the history of the word, which is of Greek philosophic origin, cf. S.-H. on Rom_2:15; Bonhoffer, Epiktet und das NT, p. 156.
ἀυορτυ 2Ti_1:5 “a word chiefly Christian” (but used in Wisd 5:19, 18:6), “as might be expected from Our Lord’s warnings against ὑόρσςand ὑορτί partly from the high standard of veracity set up by the Apostles; cf. Jam_3:17 (σφα Rom_12:9, 2Co_6:6 (ἀάη 1 P 1:22 (φλδλί)”; Hort ad Ja. l.c. The words are in an ascending scale, simplicity of aim, which is always ready to listen to truth (cf. Luk_8:15 ἐ κρί κλ κὶἀυῇ a constant desire to do right, and a faith which accepts Christ as its guide with sincerity and consistency (cf. Gal_2:13), resulting in love for God and man.
All these qualities can be re-created in the penitent sinner; cf. Psa_50:12, Heb_10:22, Heb_3:12.
6. ὧ] Failure in these moral qualities loses sight of the true goal; cf. 1:19.
ἀτχ 6:21, 2Ti_2:18 (only in N.T.), Ecclus 7:19, 8:9, and common in Polybius and Plutarch, “failing to strike,” or perhaps, rather more definitely, “taking no pains to aim at the right path”; cf. the description of their character in 6:3-5, Ecclus 8:9 μ ἀτχιδηήαο γρνω: and for the thought, Mat_7:14.
ἐερπ 5:15, 6:20, 2Ti_4:4, Heb_12:13 only in N.T. μτιλγαhere only in N.T.; cf. Tit_1:10, Rom_1:21.
7. νμδδσαο] Perhaps without reference to the Jewish law, half-ironical, “claiming to be professors of moral philosophy”; cf. Epict. ii. I, 25, πςονἔιὑῖ πσεσμν ὦφλαο νμθτι(Dibelius); but vv. 4, 8, 9, 10 make a reference to the Jewish law more probable.
τνν The interrogative is probably used for the relative for the sake of variety alone, as in late Greek they tended to become interchangeable; cf. Moulton, N.T. Greek, p. 93; Blass, P. 175.
δαεαονα] Tit_3:8 only in N.T., “on which they insist, lay so much stress.” Hort (W.H. App., pp. 167 and 171) suggests that the form is really subjunctive, Cf. ζλῦε Gal_4:17 φσοσε 1Co_4:6, “nor on what points they ought to insist”; cf. Rom_8:26 τ γρτ ποεξμθ κθ δῖοκοδμν but this would probably have been stated more clearly.
8. οδμν “We Christians,” with, perhaps, a conscious reference to Rom_7:12, Rom_7:14 οδμνγρὅιὁνμςπεμτκς
κλς(cf. note, p. 22) ὁνμς The Mosaic Law, but only as the instance used by these teachers of what is true of all law, νμς9.
ἐντς Any teacher (cf. τσ, 3; τνς 6): νμμς(here and II 2:5 only in N.T.), in accordance with its true spirit, “as a law,” not “as a Gospel.” “Si quis sciat quibus, quare, et quamdiu habenda sit data,” Pelag. Law with its penalties is needed to control sinners, but when once the true love of God is created in a man’s heart, there is no longer need to appeal to its sanctions; Love fulfils it: the true Christian is “non sub lege sed cum lege” (Aug. on Joh_1, Tr. 3), he is “amicus legis” (Ambrosiaster on Rom_2:12), and law is put on a firmer basis, not as a penalizing force, but as the guidance of a loving God; cf. Rom_3:31, Rom_7:14, Rom_8:4, Rom_13:8-10, Gal_5:23. “When at last love suffuses all the mind—love of God and His Laws, and love for our neighbour as made in His image and the chief mirror of His goodness, then indeed the yoke becomes easy and the burden light,” Inge, Personal Idealism, p. 16.
9. δκί νμςο κῖα: cf. Gal_5:22, Gal_5:23 κτ τντιύω οκἔτ νμς He appeals to an universal principle, acknowledged generally, and Cf. ὁμδνἀιῶ οδνςδῖα νμυ Antiphanes Fr. 288 (Koch), and Aristotle’s claim for philosophy; τ ἀειάτςπιῖ ἅιε δὰτντννμνφβνπιῦι, Diog. Laert. 5:20 (Wetstein). The heathen imagined a past golden age in which law was not needed (Tac. Ann. iii. 26; Ovid, M. i. 90), and the Christian Fathers attributed the same to the patriarchal period; cf. Ambrosiaster, ad loc., “Custodientes legem naturalem, quam si humanum genus ducem habuisset, lex in litteris per Moysem data non esset”; and Iren. iv. 16, 3, quoting this verse, “‘lex non posita est justis’: justi autem patres virtutem decalogi conscriptam habentes in cordibus et animabus suis …non fuit necesse admoneri eos correptoriis literis.” Ambrose, de Off. iii. 5.31, “Justus legem habet mentis suæet æ et justitiæsuænormam, ideoque non terrore pœærevocatur a culpa sed honestatis regula” (Wohlenberg).
ἀόοςκτλ The list follows the order of the Decalogue: ἀο. κὶἀυο., the general refusal to obey all law: ἀε. κὶἁ. (cf. 1 P 4:18, Jud_1:15) the general refusal to obey the law of God: ἀο. κὶββλ the more detailed opposition to the law of God: πτο. μτο. the 5th, ἀδο. the 6th Commandment, cf. Exo_20:15, πρ. ἀς the 7th, ἀδα. the 8th, ψύτ ἐιρ. the 9th. In each case extreme forms of the sin are chosen to emphasize the strength of the evil in the heathen world and the real need of law for those who have not heard of the gospel: cf. Rom_1:21-32. Plato, Phœ pp. 113, 114; Verg. Æ vi. 608 sqq.
10. ἀδαοίτι] Cf. Exo_21:16, Deu_24:7, and an interesting chapter in Philo, de Spec. Legg. iv. 4, which condemns ἀδαοίτιas ο τ πνω ἄιτνκῆα τνἐεθρα, ἀαρυέο τὺ ἔοτς Slavery is not condemned here, but slave trading is.
ε τ ἔεο …ἀτκια] Perhaps a semi-conscious reminiscence of Rom_13:9 ε τςἑέαἐτλ, and of Gal_5:17 τῦαγρἀλλι ἀτκια.
τ ὑιιοσ δδσαί] i.e. the moral teaching of the gospel; but as these sins have just been treated as sins controlled by the Mosaic Law, the gospel is thought of as absorbing in itself the Law of Moses and, we may add, the natural law written in the hearts of the heathen, which itself often, as embodied in legislation, condemned many of these vices; cf. 5:8, 1Co_5:1; so Pelag. “legem evangeliis concordare demonstrat,” and Ambrosiaster, quoted above.
ὑιιοσ]. Sanœ doctrinœ “sound” (cf. Luk_5:31, Luk_7:10, Luk_15:27), not “wholesome.” There may be an allusion to the diseases of the soul (cf. Plato, Rep. iv. 18; Philo, de Abr. 38, ἔιτνπθνκὶνσμτνπρυμρύτντὺ ὑιίοτςλγυ, 2Ti_2:17 ὁλγςατνὡ γγρια but it is doubtful whether the medical reference was at this time more conscious than in our word “sound”: cf. Prov 24:76 (= 31:8) κῖεπνα ὑις ib. 13:3 ὁφβύεο ἐτλνοτςὑιίε: Plut. Mor., p. 20 F, ὑιιοσιπρ θῶ δξικὶἀηες The metaphor is common in and confined to the Pastoral Epistles in N.T. 6:3, 2Ti_1:13, 2Ti_4:3, Tit_1:9, Tit_1:13, Tit_1:2:1, Tit_1:2, Tit_1:8: it is of a piece with the stress on an ordered regulated life, and is found in Stoic writers: ὑιςλγς Marc. Aur. viii. 30.
δδσαί] Used in N.T. only by St. Paul (except Mat_15:9, Mar_7:7 in quotation from Isa_29:13), 15 times in Past. Epp., 4 elsewhere. It varies elsewhere between the sense of “active teaching” (cf. 4:1, 13-16, 5:17, 2Ti_3:16, Tit_2:7, Rom_12:7, Rom_15:4, Col_2:22) and “the body of doctrine” (4:6, 6:1, 3, 2Ti_3:10 (?), 4:3, Tit_1:9, Tit_1:2:1, Tit_1:10, Eph_4:14): here the latter is probably right, as it implies a definite standard; but the contrast to ἐεοιακλῖ (3), νμδδσαο (7), suggests the former.
11. κτ τ εαγλο κτλ Constructed with the principal sentence οδε . . . χῆα: cf. Rom_2:16.
τςδξςτῦμκ θ Possibly a title for Christ. The gospel of Him who is the manifestation of the Divine Glory (cf. Hort on Jam_2:1 and Tit_2:13 note); but the context suggests rather the glory of God as manifested in man, of which all sinners fall short (Rom_3:23), but which gives liberty to the children of God (Rom_8:21), which is the note of a ministry of righteousness and of the Spirit, and into which we are gradually transformed, 2Co_3:7-18, 4:2Co_3:4-6, 2Co_3:1 P 4:14. It is thought of here as a present glory, though its complete realization will come with the Returning Christ, cf. 6:15, 16. κὶτ μλοτ αντεα, Chrys.
τῦμκρο θο] Here and 6:15. God as containing all happiness in Himself and bestowing it on men. “Beatus beat” (Bengel); cf. Isa_65:19 “I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people.” The exact title is not found elsewhere, but “the happy gods,” θο μκρς is frequent from Homer’s time; and the idea of God as independent of men, and containing all happiness in Himself, came through Epicurus (τ μκρο κὶἄθρο, ap. Plut., p. 1103 D) and Aristotle (εδίω ἐτ κὶμκρο . . . δʼατνατς de Rep. vii. 1) into Alexandrine Judaism, and is common in Philo (e.g. ὁθὸ . . . στρτ κὶεεγτς μκρόηο κὶπσςεδιοίςἀαλω, de Spec. Legg. i. 209) and Josephus (ὁθὸ ἔε τ πνα πνεὴ κὶμκρο, C. Ap. ii. 22). See other instances in Wetstein and Dibelius.
ὃἐιτύη (Cf. κτ ἐιαή, 1) ἐώ cf. Eph_3:7, Col_1:23, Col_1:25, Tit_1:3. I, your father, whom you have to represent; I, the founder of the church, who have authority to enforce against false teachers (cf. 1Co_4:15 ἐ γρΧ. Ἰς δὰτῦεαγ ἐὼἐένσ ὑᾶ); I, who know the power of the gospel to rescue from sin.
12-17. Paraphrase. Yes, it was entrusted to me; but when I say me, I must stop to thank Him who gave me strength for the task, Christ Jesus our Lord, for He deemed that He could trust me; for His own purpose He chose me for service,—me who before had blasphemed His truth and persecuted and harried His followers. But mercy was shown to me, because I did it in blindness while still unbelieving; but the grace of our Lord overflowed its channel and flooded my heart with faith and love, that perfect love which is known only in Christ Jesus. Faithful, indeed, is that saying, and worthy of whole-hearted acceptance:
“Christ Jesus stooped this world within
Sinners to rescue from their sin,”
sinners—of whom I am chief; yet for this very purpose was mercy shown to me, that in me first Jesus Christ might make clear that there are no limits to His long-suffering, and so make me the first sketch of all the myriads who are going to believe on Him and win life eternal. Now to Him who rules the ages, to the immortal, the invisible, the only God be honour and glory age after age. Amen.
This section is a personal digression, dominated by the emphatic ἐώ(11); but it is not a mere digression, it serves as an encouragement to Timothy (cf. ἔες 2; ἡεθν 13, 16); and it illustrates the main purpose of the gospel, to save sinners and to produce love and faith; cf. 2Ti_1:12-14.
12. χρνἔω 2Ti_1:3, not elsewhere in St. Paul, but it was a common phrase; cf. Luk_17:9 and Heb_12:28; Pap. Oxyr. i. 113, χρνἔωθοςπσν(Dibelius); perhaps a little stronger than εχρσῶ “I feel and show, I express, gratitude.”
τ ἐδνμσνι Perhaps a reminiscence of Php_4:13 πναἰχωἐ τ ἐδνμῦτ μ. Here the primary thought is “who gave me strength for my task as Apostle,” the time being that of ἐιτύη: Cf. ὅιπσό . . . δαοίν and 2Ti_1:7 πεμ δνμω: 2Co_3:5 ἡἱαόη ἡῶ ἐ τῦθο: Ign. Smyrn. 4, πναὑοέω ατῦμ ἐδνμῦτςτῦτλίυἀθώο: but there lies behind this “the strength to conquer sin and obey the law” (cf. Rom_5:6, Rom_8:3), and this thought emerges in 14-16, Cf. 10-11.
ὅιπσό μ ἡήαο “Fidelem si putaveris, facies,” Seneca, Ep. Mor. i. 3; Cf. 1Co_7:25 ἡεμνςὑὸκρο πσὸ ενι
θμνς Appointing for His own purposes: cf. ἔεο 1Co_12:18, 1Co_12:28, 1Th_5:9 οκἔεοἡᾶ εςὀγν and ἐέη, inf. 2:7, 2Ti_1:11, 2Ti_1:1 P 2:8 (ubi v. Hort). There is perhaps a reminiscence of Isa_49:6, quoted by St. Paul of himself, Act_13:47 τθιάσ εςφςἐνν and of Jer_1:5 ποήη εςἔν τθιάσ.
εςδαοίν Not only εςἀοτλν for service of any kind, cf. 1Co_16:15, 2Ti_4:11, Heb_1:14, Act_11:29 (when Paul was used for much humbler service), 20:24 in Paul’s address to the elders of Ephesus; but, above all, for the ministry of reconciliation, 2Co_5:18.
13. βάφμνκὶδώτνκὶὑρσή] A triad (as so often in St. Paul) with perhaps an ascending scale rising from words to acts of authorized persecution and of illegal violence; cf. Psa_1:1. Bengel would treat them as sins against God, against others, and against himself (insulting his own Saviour), all failures in love; but though βάφμνmay include blasphemy against God, the other distinction is fanciful; and the main thought of each word is of attacks on the Church; cf. Gal_1:13, Gal_1:23, Php_3:6, Act_22:4, Act_26:9-11.
ἠεθνκτλ Cf. Act_3:17, Luk_23:34, and more directly Rom_10:2 (ο κτ ἐίνσν ἀνονε γρ. . . οχὑεάηα), Test. XII. Patr., Jud_1:19, of which this may be a ren iniscence, ἀλ ὁθὸ τνπτρνμυἠέσ μ ὅιἐ ἀνσᾳτῦοἐοηα Ign. Rom_9, perhaps a reminiscence of this place, οδ γρἄιςεμ, ὢ ἔχτςατνκὶἔτωα ἀλ ἠέμίτςενι There is therefore no reason to assume the influence here of the Greek conception that sin is the result of ignorance.
14. ὑεελό&