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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
6:1, 2. The relation of slaves to their masters.
Paraphrase. This duty of proper respect holds good also of the relation of slaves to their masters. Some slaves will have heathen masters who make their life a burden to them; yet teach them to show all respect to such, lest the name of God and our teaching should be brought into disrepute. Others will have Christian masters: let such not fail in due respect, on the pretext that Christianity treats them and their masters as brothers; nay, let them serve them all the better on the very ground that those who share the good service are Christians and so dear to themselves.
Cf. 1Co_7:21, Eph_6:5, Col_3:22, Phm_1:10-17, Tit_2:9, Tit_2:10, Tit_2:1 P 2:18-25 (perhaps known to our author). Didache, 4, 11; Ign. ad Polyc. 4 (apparently based on this—ἀλ μδ ατὶφσοσωα, ἀλ εςδξνθο πένδυεέωα). Eg. C.O. p. 148; Hipp. Canon 63; Can. Apost. 81; Apost. Const. iv. 12, viii. 31.
The treatment here points to an early date. No question is raised about using Church funds for emancipation (as in Ignatius), or of the relation of a slave who was to be baptized (Eg. C.O.; Hipp. Can.; Ap. Const.) or to be ordained (Can. Apost.) to his master. The writer has only to deal with the danger of Christian liberty and brotherhood being abused; cf. 2:2 note, Gal_3:28, 1Co_11:2-16, and especially 1 P 2:11-18 (with Hort’s notes). He meets it by laying stress on the respect due to all social positions (cf. 5:3, 17, 1 P 2:17 πνα τμστ), and on the higher law of love which binds Christians; cf. Gal_5:13 δὰτςἀάη δυεεεἀλλι. The treatment falls in with the growth in the best heathen thought of the duty of a better treatment of slaves by their masters; Seneca, Ep. 47, “unus omnium parens mundus est” (= ὅιἀεφίεσ). Epict. i. 13, οχἀέῃτῦἀεφῦτῦσυο ὃ ἔε τνΔαπόοο: cf. Dill. Roman Society from Nero, p. 117; Harnack, Expansion of Christianity, 1. pp. 208-11 (Eng. tr.): and of the power of slaves to confer not only service and duty, but freewill benefits upon their masters, Seneca, De Benefic. iii. 18-22.
1. ὑὸζγν] perhaps not applied here to all slaves, but only to such as being under heathen masters feel their slavery as a yoke:cf. 1 P 2:18; Apost. Const. iv. 12; Hippol. Can. 63, “si est heri idololatræservus.”
ἵαμ τ ὄοακτλ] from Isa_52:5 (of the heathen), quoted by St. Paul, Rom_2:24. Notice the higher effect of such conduct in Tit_2:10 ἵατνδδσαίνκσῶι.
2. ὅιἀ. εσ: the reason for κτφοετσν not for μ κτφ cf. Pro_23:22 μ κτφόε ὅιγγρκνσυἡμτρ
ὅι. . . ἀτλμαόεο] The punctuation of these words and the exact reference of each word are uncertain, but the balance of the sentence seems to show that ὅιπσο εσ takes up πσοςand is parallel to ὅιἀεφίεσ, and therefore must refer to the masters; and this probably carries with it the rest of the sentence, “because the masters who receive the benefit of their better service are believers and beloved.” But W.-H. (mg.) punctuate ἀλ μλο δυεέωα, ὅιπσο εσ κὶἀαηο, ο τςεεγσα ἀτλ (“but let the slaves, who take part in the benefit, serve all the better because the masters are believers and beloved”), and Wohlenberg punctuates ἀλ μλο δυεέωα ὅιπσο εσ, κὶἀαηο ο τςἐεγσα ἀτλμαόεο (“let those who have believing masters not despise them because they themselves are in Christ brothers to their masters; but let them serve all the better because their masters are believers, and those who take part in conferring kindness (as they would do by serving better) are always beloved”); but this destroys the parallelism between ὅιἀεφίεσ and ὅιπσο εσ.
ἀτλμαόεο] taking part in. It might either be “taking part in conferring” or “taking part in receiving” (cf. Mart. Polyc. 15, εωίςἀτλβμθ), and this suits the context best.
τςεεγσα] possibly “the divine εεγσα ” “the unspeakable gift” of 2Co_9:15 “those who share the blessing of redemption.” Cf. Clem. Alex. Protrept. 111. 1, ἄριτνθίνεεγσα: 112. 1, ὁδδσαο ὁπηώα τ πνα. . . δμορί, στρᾳ εεγσᾳ νμθσᾳ Liturg. Jacobi ap. Brightman, L. E. and W., p. 41, Ἰσῦ Χιτνστρ κὶλτώη κὶεεγτν Compare the frequent application of it in the Papyri to the εεγσαof an Emperor to his people (M.M. s.v.); and for the ground of the appeal 1 P 3:7 ἀοέοτςτμνὡ κὶσγλρνμιχρτςζῆ.
Perhaps more probably “the human kindness,” not of the masters (Chrys. Thdt. Pelagius, von Soden, Dibelius)—as this is scarcely implied in the context—but of the slaves as shown by their better service (Hofmann, Wohlenberg, Field, etc.). Seneca, in a noble passage, de Beneficiis, iii. 18-21, discusses the question whether a slave can confer a beneficium on a master, and decides that he can: “quidquid est quod servilis officii formulam excedit, quod non ex imperio sed ex voluntate præ beneficium est.” The Christian writer assumes it without discussion. Yet even if this is the central meaning, the thought of the divine εεγσαmay lie in the background: cf. Ep. Diogn. x. 6, ὅτς. . . ἐ ᾧκεσω ἐτνἕεο τνἐατυέω εεγτῖ ἐέε, . . . θὸ γντιτνλμαότν οτςμμτςἐτ Θο.
ἀαηο] they share their faith and have become beloved—no longer feared—by themselves: perhaps also with the suggestion “beloved of God.”
3-21. Conclusion. Final warning and exhortation, returning to the thought and often to the very words of 1:3-20; but there the stress was on the character of the teaching, here on the character of the teachers. Two contrasts underlie the whole: (a) The faithful and unfaithful teacher: the latter loving novelty and controversy, with his eye set on material gain; the former pursuing spiritual aims, loyal to the teaching he has received, with his eye set on the coming of the Lord and on the life eternal. (b) The true and false attitude to riches: the desire for wealth, the source of all evil and the ruin of teachers; the true use of wealth leading to a wealth of good deeds here and eternal life hereafter.
The “words of the Lord Jesus Christ”3 form the standard for the teaching, and His words about contentment and the danger of the desire of riches (Mat_6:24-34, Mar_10:23-25, Luk_12:15-21, Luk_16:19-31) may lie at the back of the second contrast, though there is not sufficient verbal similarity to prove a literary dependence.
3-10. Paraphrase. I go back to the warning with which I began. If any teacher sets himself up to teach novel doctrines and does not loyally adhere to sound words—I mean words that come from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself—and to the teaching which is true to real religion, such an one’s head has been turned: he has no real knowledge: he is like a delirious patient feverishly excited over this small point and that, fighting with words as his only weapons; and the result is envy, strife, abuse of other teachers, ill-natured suspicions, incessant friction between men whose minds have been confused and who have been deprived of the truth they once knew; they have come to think of religion wholly as a source of gain. Aye, and religion is a source of true gain, if combined with a contented spirit: and we ought to be contented, for we can carry nothing with us when we leave the world, and that is why we brought nothing with us when we came into it. Nay, if we have food for our lifetime and a shelter and clothing, that will be enough for us. Whereas those who set their heart on becoming rich fall into temptations, into dangerous positions, into many desires which are foolish and worse than foolish, fatal, for they lead men to shipwreck and plunge them into death and destruction. For the love of money is proverbially the root from which the whole host of evils springs: and already some teachers through their craving for money have wandered from the safe path of the faith and have fallen pierced through with many a pang and many a sorrow.
3. ἐεοι.] 1:3 note. ποέχτι applies himself to; cf. Epict. iv. 11. 24, ποεθῖ φλσφᾳ(Dibelius); but the present tense implies constant application and approach to the words of a living and speaking master, and for one already a teacher some word denoting “abiding in” would be more natural. Hence Bentley conj. ποέε from 1:4, and Tischendorf reads ποέεα; cf. Introd. p. xxxvii. Was the original reading ποέε τῖ?
τῖ τῦκρο] possibly the teaching about the Lord, cf. II 1:8, but more probably “the teaching of the Lord.” There is possibly an allusion to some collection of His sayings, cf. 5:18 note, Act_20:35.
ττφτι] 3:6 note. νσνsuggested by ὑιί. λγι he is not yet dead (5:6) but is in a dangerous state, on the way to death 9; cf. Plut. de Laud. propr. p. 546 f. τῖ πρ δξννσῦι Chrys. de Sacerd. iv. 3, ὅα πρ δγαανσ ἡψχ τ νθ. ζτσι, cf. 1:4 note. λγμχα (cf. II 2:14) hair-splitting—fights in which words are the weapons and perhaps also the object; there is no reality behind them.
ἐ ὧ γντι] for the singular cf. 1:20, II 2:18; Moulton, Gr. i. p. 58. For a similar formula cf. Didache, c. 3, § 2, 3, 4, 5, ἐ γρτύω ἁάτνγνῶτιφνι. . . μιεα . . . ἑωοαρα. . . κοα . . . βαφμα, which suggests that we should here read γνᾶα or γνῶτιwith D d g m62.
βαφμα] not here of God, but of their rival teachers. ὑό. πνρί cf. Ecclus 3:24 ὑόοαπνρ ὠίθσ δάοα ατν
5. δαααρβί] (“conflictationes,” Vulg.) persistent collisions; cf. Polyb. ii. p. 172, τ μνονκτ Κρηοίυ κὶΡωαοςἐ ὑοίι ἦ πὸ ἀλλυ κίπρτιας
δεθ τννῦ] cf. II 3:8, Tit_1:15; πρσό, cf. 5:17, 18, II 2:6, Tit_1:11, and (Wetstein) Seneca, Ep. 108, “qui philosophiam velut aliquod artificium venale didicerunt.” All the following truths can be illustrated almost verbally from classical writers (cf. Wetstein throughout), and they suggest a conscious modelling on the best Greek teaching.
6. ατρεα] “sufficientia,” Vulg.; “quod sufficit,” Aug.; but the meaning is probably not, “if he has sufficient” (which is stated in 8), but “if combined with contentment”; cf. Php_4:11, Pro_13:11, ὁσνγνἑυῷμτ εσβιςπηυθστι Ps. Sol v 18-20, Pirke Aboth iv. 3. “Who is rich? He that is contented with his lot.”
“The training of a Jewish Rabbi might be even more exacting. This is the path of the Torah. A morsel with salt shalt thou eat, thou shalt drink also water by measure, and shall sleep upon the ground and live a life of trouble while thou toilest in the Torah. If thou doest this, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee: happy shalt thou be in this world and it shall be well with thee in the world to come.” Pirke Aboth iv. 4 (Abrahams, Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels, c. xiv.).
πρσὸ μγς] cf. 4:8: not only because it makes him happy with the little that he has; cf.
“Contentment is a constant feast,
He’s richest who requires the least” (Barnes),
but because he is able to enjoy all God’s gifts as gifts to himself; cf. Pro_17:6a, τῦπσο ὅο ὁκσο τνχηάω: Tob 4:21, 1Co_3:23 πναὑῶ. OGIS. 38314 ο μννκῆι ββιττνἀλ κὶἀόασνἡίτνἀθώοςἐοίατνεσβιν The best comment on the verse will be found in T. Traherne’s Meditations, Century 1.
7. Perhaps based on Job_1:21 Ατςγμὸ ἐῆθνἐ κιίςμτό μυ γμὸ κὶἀεεσμιἐε: cf. Philo, de off. Vict., p. 256. 12, τνμδνεςκσο ἀλ μδ σατνεσννχτ·γμὸ μνγρἦθς γμὸ πλνἄεςbut it had become almost proverbial; cf. also Ecclus 5:14; Seneca, Ep. 102, “non licet plus efferre quam intuleris”; Ovid, Trist. v. 14. 12, “Nil feret ad manes divitis umbra suos” (Wetstein). ἐεεκῖ Suggests “carrying out in burial,” Act_5:6.
ὅι (if genuine, but cf. W.-H App. where H. suggests that it is an accidental repetition of “ο” in κσο), perhaps introducing the quotation “for the proverb says,” or implying the Divine ordering of birth as a preparation for the life of a stranger and sojourner on this earth who has to pass through death to his abiding city. Hillard treats ὅιas neuter of ὅτςand translates “wherefore,” comparing Eur. Hec. 13, ὃκίμ γςὑεέπμε: cf. ατ τῦο 2Co_2:3, Gal_2:10. Parry, more probably, conjectures οδ ὅι “not to speak of being able to carry anything out;” cf. Introd. p. xxxvii.
8. δαρφς] perhaps “throughout life” (δά σεάμτ (“quibus tegamur,” Vulg.), clothing (cf. Gen_28:20 ἐνὁκρο . . . δ μιἄτνφγῖ κὶἱάινπρβλσα: Diog. Laert. vi. 105 of the Cynics, ατρειχώεο στοςκὶτίωι (Dibelius): perhaps also “shelter,” “homes”; cf. Ecclus 29:21 ʼρὴζῆ ὕω κὶἄτςκὶἱάιν κὶὀκςκλπω ἀχμσνν and Philo, de Vita Cont., p. 477. 16, σέη δτὸ εδςτ μνἐθςτιδ οκα(Wetstein); Epict. Enchir. 33, τ πρ τ σμ μχιτςψλςχεα πρλμαε οο τοά, πμ, ἀπχνν οκα, οκτα, Marcus Aur. v. 6. 30, quoted on p. xvi.
9. βθζυι] for the metaphor, cf. 1:19, and de Aleatoribus, §1, “aleatores se in lacum mortis immergunt”; §6, “aleætabula est diaboli venabulum et delicti vulnus insanabile.” The whole treatise is a comment on this verse.
εςὄ. κὶἀω.] cf. 1Co_5:5, 2Th_1:9, 1Th_5:3. The combination (found here only) is emphatic, “loss for time and eternity.”
10. ῥζ] not “a root,” which would suggest that the writer was thinking of other possible roots (which no doubt there are, e.g. jealousy, St. Cyprian, de zelo ac livore, 6; pride, Aug. in Joh. xxv. 16), but “the root” (cf. Field, Ot. Norvic. ad loc.).
ῥζ …φλρυί] again proverbial, cf. Test. XII. Patr., Judah, c. 19, and the Greek saying attributed sometimes to Bion, sometimes to Democritus, τνφλρυίνενιμτόοι πνω τνκκν Diog. Laert. vi. 50; Seneca, de Clem. 2. 1, “alieni cupiditate, ex qua omne animi malum oritur.” Ps.-Phocyl. 42, ἡφλχηούημτρκκττςἁάη (Wetstein and Dibelius). So Philo, De Judice, c. 3, warns a judge against being φλχήαο ὅε ἐτνὁμτρο τνμγσω πρνμμτν The combination of this with v. 7 in Polyc. ad Phil. c. 4 suggests literary dependence on the epistle.
ὀύας] both actual evils and the pangs of remorse. For the metaphor, cf. Pro_7:23-27. For illustrations, Mar_10:22 ἀῆθ λπύεο·ἦ γρἔω κήααπλά Act_5:1-10. For a similar condemnation of “wealthy Ephesus,” cf. Pseudo-Heracl. Ep. 8. It is in his address to elders of Ephesus that St. Paul insists that he had coveted no man’s silver or gold or apparel, Act_20:33.
11-16. Paraphrase. But you, who are God’s own prophet with a message from Him, turn your back on all such desires and empty discussions: nay, press forward to gain true righteousness, true piety, loyalty, love, endurance, and a patient forbearing temper. Persevere in the noblest of all contests, that of the faith; lay hold once and for all on that eternal life to which you were called—ay, and there were many who witnessed the noble profession of faith that you then made. So then I charge you as in the sight of that God who is the source and sustainer of life to all that lives, and in the sight of Christ Jesus who Himself when at the bar of the Roman Governor made His noble profession, that you carefully keep the command He gave us free from all stain and all reproach, until the day of the appearing of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which at the right moment He will unveil to the world, who is the blessed, nay, the One only Sovereign, the King over all who rule kingdoms, the Lord of all who hold lordship over their fellows, He who alone hath in Himself immortality, who dwelleth in light to which none can approach, whom no eye of man ever looked upon, no nor can look upon—to whom be all honour and sovereignty for ever. Amen.
Note the stress on life throughout the section. τςαωίυζῆ . . . τῦζοοονο . . . ἀααίν. . . κάο αώιν drawing the contrast with the doom of the false teachers ὄερνκὶἀώεα 9.
11. ἄθωεθο] here and II 3:17 only in N.T. In the O.T. applied to Moses (Psa_90:1, Deu_33:1) and to prophets (1 S 2:27), cf. 2 P 1:21 ο ἅιιθο ἄθωο (v.l.). Here the thought is either that of the prophet with a command to carry out, cf. 14, a message to deliver (cf. 20), or more widely (cf. II 3:17 note) of one who is God’s soldier, “The King’s Champion” (Pilgrim’s Progress, of one Great-Grace), one whose whole life is lifted above worldly aims and devoted to God’s service, “non divitiarum homo sed Dei” (Pelagius); cf. Clem. Alex. Quis Dives, c. 41, where the rich man is advised to submit to the guidance of some “man of God”; and Philo, de gigant. 61, θο δ ἄθωο ἱρῖ κὶποῆα, οτνςοκἠίσνπλτίςτςπρ τ κσῳτχῖ . . . τ δ ασηὸ πνὑεκψνε εςτννηὸ κσο μτνσηα κκῖιᾢηα (Dibelius). The phrase is found in Pagan magical formulæ(Nä, p. 49).
φῦε …δωε] cf. II 2:22. The virtues chosen are the central Christian virtues, first towards God, then towards men (δκ. . . ἀάη), and those specially needed for enduring trial (ὑο.) the opposition of false teachers (παπθ cf. II 2:25, and contrast 4, 5 supra).
παπθιν] here only in N.T. but found in Philo, de Abr. §37; Ign. Trall. 8, τνπαπθινἀααότς the inner spirit of which πατςis the outcome (“mansuetudinem,” Vulg.; “tranquillitatem animi,” Ambros.). Ambrosiaster draws out the incompatibility of the love of money with each of these virtues (“quomodo autem fieri potest ut avarus fidelis sit, qui operibus negat quod verbis fateri videtur? unde autem amator fraternitatis, cujus manus sunt avidæ quomodo vero patiens qui semper ad aliena se tendit? aut quatenus quietem animi possit habere, qui die nocteque aviditate cupiditatis incenditur?”); Liddon, the way in which these would destroy that love.
12. ἀωίο] cf. 4:10, II 4:7 note.
ὡοόηα] The time is almost certainly the same as that of ἐλθς i.e. baptism. That would have been his public confession (cf. Rom_10:9) of faith in Christ. The phrase ἡκ ὁοο. is applied to the confession of a martyr at his death in Martyr. Ign. Antiochene Acts, c. 4.
13. Cf. 5:21. Here the appeal is to God and Christ as those in whom he had professed faith at Baptism, who are strong enough to support him in all persecution, and who will judge him at the final judgment.
There may be a semi-quotation of some Baptismal form—faith in God, maker of all things, and in Jesus Christ, as King who is to come again.
ζοοονο] used in LXX = (i) to give life (1 S 2:6 ὁκρο θντῖκὶζοοε, Symm. Gen_3:23 ζοόο, Symm. = Eve. mother of all living, Encyc. Bibl. i. p. 61); (ii) to save alive, Exo_1:17-22, Jdg_8:19 etc. Hence the thought here may include (1) God who is the source of all life (cf. Neh_9:6 σ ζοοεςτ πνα with a reminiscence of 4:4. In this meaning it will be parallel to the credal expansions of the Baptismal formula; cf. Justin M. Apol. i. 61, ἐʼὀόαο τῦπτὸ τνὅω: Iren. c. Hœ. i. 10, τνππικτ τνορννκὶτνγνκὶπνατ ἐ ατῖ: Tert. de Proescr. 36, “unum Deum novit, creatorem universitatis.” In Pap. Lond. 121529 it is used of the Sun, ὁτ ὅασνχνκὶζοοῶ (M. M. s.v.). (ii) God who can protect you in all danger and persecution; cf. 12 and 16; τςἀατσω ὑόνσς Chrys.
ἐὶΠ Π] not “in the time of,” though that is supported by Ign. Trall. 9, Smyrn. 1, and expanded in Magn. 11 into ἐ κιῷτςἡεοίςII. II.: but there stress is laid on the historical reality of the facts, which is not in question here; here it is part of an appeal for courage, and corresponds to ἐώινπλῶ μρύω of Timothy’s own confession, hence “in the presence of,” “at the bar of.”
τνκ ὁοοίν] The noble profession of His Messiahship and the nature of His Kingdom. τνκ μρυίνwould have been more natural, but he wishes “to mark the essential identity of the confession which Timothy might soon have to maintain with the Lord’s own confession” (Hort on Rev_1:2) and with that which he had already made 12.
14. τνἐτλν] “The charge given thee at baptism,” cf. 2 Clem. 8, τρστ τνσραἁννκὶτνσργδ ἂπλν perhaps also more widely “the whole Christian commands”; cf. 1:4 τςπργείς 1:18. St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Cat. v. 13) paraphrases it τνπρδδμννπσι.
ἂπλν] possibly agreeing with σ (cf. Jam_1:27, Jam_1:2 P 3:14), but probably with ἐτλν cf. Job_15:16 (Symm.) of the heavens, Eph_5:27 of the Church. The commands must be kept clear, not explained away, and yet presented with such tact as not to cause offence.
ἐιαεα] cf. Tit_2:11 note. The thought of the dawning of light which will test the minister’s work and character is prominent here; cf. δίε 15, 1Co_4:5.
15. κιοςἰίι] cf. Tit_1:3 note. This description of God is full of O.T. reminiscences and is perhaps based on some doxology in use in the synagogue. The stress is laid on the supremacy of God over earthly rulers (ἵαμ δδίῃτῦ ἐτῦαβσλῖ, Chrys.): on His sole possession of life 12, 13, and on His superhuman Majesty. These qualities were brought out in the O.T. in contrast to the heathen gods, here also in contrast to earthly kings, especially to the growing cult of the Roman Emperors. Dibelius quotes the Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs, “jura per genium domini nostri imperatoris,” “Cognosco dominum meum, regem regum et imperatorem omnium gentium.” The Greek metaphysical conception of God may also influence the description (cf. 1:11 note).
μκρο] cf. 1:11; μνςδνση, cf. 1:17, 2 Mac 1:24 ὁμνςβσλύ: 2 Mac 12:15 τνμγντῦκσο δνση, Ecclus 46:5 τνὕιτνδνση.
ὁβ τνβ κτλ] Deu_10:17, Dan_4:34, Rev_17:14, Rev_19:16, Enoch 9:4; Cf. sup. 1:17 note. There is perhaps an implied contrast with Pontius Pilate, the temporary, the unjust, delegate; cf. Martyr. Polyc. 21 of Polycarp’s martyrdom, ἀθπτύνο ΣαίυΚδάτν βσλύνο δ εςτὺ αῶα ἸσῦΧιτῦ
16. ὁμνςἔω ἀααίν] cf. 1:17; Philo, de sacrif. Abelis, c. 30, πρ θο τῦἀεήο κὶἀθρο κὶἀρπο κὶἁίυκὶμνυμκρο (Bernard); cf. Wisd 15:3 εδνισυτ κάο ῥζ ἀααίς Deissmann, B.S., p. 293.
φςοκν] based on Exo_33:17-23. ἀρστν used by Philo of Mount Sinai, ὄο . . . ὅε ἀρστνκὶἄαο ἦ, de vita Mosis, iii. 2.
ὅ εδν] cf. Exo_33:20, Joh_1:18.
ᾧ …ἀή] cf. 1:17. The thought of the First and of the Second Advent alike suggests a doxology to his mind.
17-19. Advice to the rich.
Paraphrase. I have warned teachers against the desire for riches; but there are other members in your church rich in this world’s good, and they will need your guidance. Bid them not to be purse-proud or conceited, not to set their hopes for hereafter on so uncertain a reed as riches, but on God; and Him they should try to imitate; for He has all the riches of the whole world, and He gives them out liberally to us men that we may enjoy them thoroughly; so they should do good like Him; they should have for their riches a store of good deeds: they should be quick to give to others, ready to share with their friends: in this way they store up true treasures for themselves which form a firm foundation on which they can build for the future; such use of wealth will help them to lay hold of the only life that is worthy of the name.
The paragraph is awkwardly placed here, breaking the connexion between 16 and 20; von Soden suggests that it has been accidentally misplaced, and should come after 2; but it is natural advice to a church in a rich city like Ephesus (cf. Act_19:25, which shows that St. Paul’s teaching had been attacked there, as endangering the wealth of the trade); the thought may have been suggested by 9, 10; and it is more appropriate after these verses than they would be after it. There may be also consciously a link with 11-16 in the thought of eternal life (cf. note there). That thought suggests to the writer’s mind the special danger in which the rich are of losing eternal life 19.
The thought and language may be based on Our Lord’s words, cf. Mat_6:19, Luk_12:16-21, Luk_16:9. But the thoughts of the uncertainty of riches, of the treasure laid up in heaven by good use of wealth here, even that of the imitation of God in the use of wealth are thoroughly Jewish (cf. Philo, de Josepho, c. 43, and Abrahams, Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels, c. xiv.), and found in pagan thought; cf. the epitaph in Or. Henz. 6042, bene fac, hoc tecum feres. So Dill, Roman Society from Nero, p. 190, “Seneca enforces the duty of universal kindness and helpfulness by the example of God, who is bounteous and merciful even to the evil-doer” (de Benef. iv. 5, iv. 26, iv. 28), and p. 232, “Herodes used to say that the true use of money was to succour the needs of others; riches which were guarded with a niggard hand were only dead wealth.” Clement of Alexandria’s Quis Dives Salvetur is an interesting commentary on the section (especially c. 16), but shows no knowledge of it.
17. μ ὑηορνῖ] cf. Jer_9:23, Rom_11:20, Rom_12:16, Jam_1:9-11, Jam_2:1-5 Clem. Alex. Quis Dives, 1, τςπροσα κθ ατνἱαῆ οσςχυῶα τςψχςτνκκηέω. As τπιορνῖ was among the Greeks a term of reproach but in the Bible a virtue, so ὑηορνῖ was a term of praise and becomes a reproach (Wohlenberg from Hofmann).
ἠπκνι] cf. 1Co_15:19 ἠπκτςἐμν Job_31:24 ε λθ πλτλῖἐεόηα The perfect tense either looks back to the beginning of the rich man’s hopes, or possibly anticipates his feelings at the πρυί: “Alas, alas, I have placed my hopes on that which has failed me!” cf. II 4:8 ἠαηόι
ἀηόηι] Cf. Jam_1:10, Anthol. Gr. i. 80, 19:
ὅα λγσοςκτμθ τ πάμτ
κὶτςἀαρυ τῦβο μτσρφς
κὶῥῦʼἄιτντςἀωάο τχς
πςτὺ πντςποσοςἐγζτι
κὶτῦ ἔοτςχηατνἀοτρῖ
ττ κτ ἐατντ πάῃσοομνς
μσ τ πνατςἀηίςχρν (Wetstein.)
εςἀόασν] stronger than εςμτλψν 4:3. There is a true “apolaustic” life, but it comes from realizing that the simple blessings of nature (τνἀρ, τ φς τ ὕω, τ ἄλ πνα Chrys.) are gifts to each from God; cf. Traherne’s Meditations, and Didache 10. τοή τ κὶπτνἒ͂κςτῖ ἀθώοςεςἀόασν
18. ἀαορεν] like God Himself, Act_14:17 ἀαορῶ . . . ὑτὺ δδὺ κὶκιοςκροόος
εμτδτυ, κιωιος] The distinction is not clear; either, quick to give away to others in charity (singulatim, Bengel), cf. Rom_12:8, Eph_4:28, 1Co_13:3, and ready to share with one’s friends that which is one’s own (cum multis, Bengel), e.g. at the ἀάη cf. Gal_6:6, Heb_13:16; or, εμτδ of action, “open-handed,” cf. εμ εςτνἀεφττ, Apost. K.O. §19; κιωιος of demeanour and temper, “gracious,” with true sense of human fellowship, the antithesis of ὑηορνῖ, cf. Rom_12:16; so Chrys. ποηεςThdt. τὺ ἄυο ἦο ἔοτς and so frequently in Plutarch, who couples it with πλτκςand φλνρπς For the Church’s use of money, cf. Harnack, Expansion of Christianity, Eng. tr. 1. ii. c. 3.
19. ἀοηαρ.] cf. Mar_10:21, Mat_6:20. The thoughts of the true treasure and the true foundation lie close together in the Sermon on the Mount; cf. Apost. K.O.. §21, κὶγρτῦαπῶαΚρο (? leg. πρ τ κρῳ θσυίμτ εσνἀαά Tob 4:9 μ φβῦπιῖ ἐεμσνν θμ γρἀαὸ θσυιεςσατ εςἡέα ἀάκς suggests the emendation θμ λα (conj. Bos.) for θμλο, or simply θμ (Hitchcock, Expositor, Oct. 1919); cf. Ign. ad Pol. 2, τ θμ ἀθρί κὶζὴαώις
ἵαἐιά.] cf.12. This true life would be laid hold of here and now, as they enter into the true life of love, cf. Joh_17:3. τςὄτςζῆ, cf. 5:3; Clem. Alex. Quis Dives, 7, θο τῦὄτςὄτς 8, τ ζσμν τνὄτςζή: Philo, de Decal. 2, τνὄτ ὄτςἀήηθό.
An interesting Rabbinic illustration is found in Bab. Bath. 11a. It happened to Monobaz that he dispersed his wealth and the wealth of his fathers on alms in time of famine. His brethren gathered round him and said, “Thy fathers laid up treasure and added to their fathers’ store, and dost thou waste it all?” He answered, ‘My fathers laid up treasure below; I have laid it up above. …My fathers laid up treasure of Mammon; I have laid up treasure of souls. …My fathers laid up treasure for this world; I have laid up treasure for the world to come.”
20, 21. Conclusion. Very probably added by St. Paul with his own hand, 2Th_3:17, summing up the thoughts of 1:3-11, 4:1-10, 6:3-10.
Paraphrase. O Timothy, it is to you that I must look. Remember the truth is a sacred trust which Christ has left with us, and He will come to ask it back. Keep it then jealously; avoid all empty argumentations, all balancing of casuistical problems: they have nothing to do with religion, they add nothing to it, they spoil its simplicity, though some who falsely claim to special knowledge lay stress on them. These teachers, though they assert their proficiency in knowledge, have wholly missed the central truths.
May God’s grace be with you all.
20. ὦΤμ.] cf. 11, 1:18 notes. τνπρθκν cf. II 1:12 note; and for this application, Didache 4. 13, φλξι ἃπρλβς Dem. c. Meid. p. 572, τῦογρἐθ ὃφλτενὑᾶ δῖ τὺ νμυ, τνὅκν τῦʼἒεʼὑεςο δκζνε ὡπρὶπρκτθκνἣ ἅαι . . . σνὑάχι δῖ Philo, de ebriet. §52, πρκτθκνβωεεττνδγάω φλξιμ δνμν (Wohlenberg). An exact exegesis of each word in this verse will be found in Vincent. Lerin. Commonitorium, 22.
ἐτεόεο] 1:6, 5:15, II 4:4; cf. II 2:16 τςβ κ πρίτσ. This last passage makes it probable that the meaning is not “turning your back on those who so talk,” but “refusing to adopt their methods.”
ββ.] cf. 4:7; κνφ II 2:16 only; cf. μτιλγα, 1:6; λγμχα, 6:4 note; τῦ κνλγῦτς Isa_8:19.
ἀτφσι] parallel to κνφνα, and under the construction of τςββλυ; hence not (i) oppositions, controversies, “turn aside from opponents and do not argue with them”; cf. II 2:25 τὺ ἀτδαεέος supra, 1:10 ε τ ἀτκῖα: 5:14 τ ἀτκιέῳ Job_32:3 οκἠυήηα ἀορθνιἀτθτ Ἰβ(so Chrys., Holtzmann, von Soden); but (ii) rival theses (= θσνἀτ θσω), sets of antitheses (cf. Lucian, Mort. D. x. 373, ἀοο τνῥμτντντσύη ἀεατλγα κὶἀτθσι κὶπρσσι . . . κὶτ ἄλ βρ τνλγν(Harrison, P.E. p. 165)); either the Gnostic contrasts between the O.T. and the New, which found their fullest expression in Marcion’s “Antitheses,” cf. Tert. adv. M. i. 19, iv. 1, “opus ex contrarietatum oppositionibus Antitheses cognominatum et ad separationem legis et evangelii coactum”; but this is not consistent with the stress on the Jewish law implied in 1:6-10: or, more probably, “the endless contrasts of decisions, founded on endless distinctions, which played so large a part in the casuistry of the scribes as interpreters of the law” (Hort, Judaistic Christianity, p. 140). It is identical with “the tradition of the elders” which the Lord denounced, and of which St. Paul had been zealous before his conversion (Mar_7:3, Gal_1:14), afterwards embodied in the Halacha; cf. 4:7, II 3:8 note.
τςψ γώες (contrast γῶι ἀεδ, Wisd 7:17). The opponents must have claimed a special knowledge, but this might apply to the early stages of Gnosticism; cf. 1Co_8:2, 1Co_8:3 ε τςδκῖενκα τ, οπ ἔν κθςδῖγῶα: or to the Rabbinical pride in knowledge, Luk_11:52, Rom_2:20.
21. ἐαγλόεο] cf. 2:10: ἠτχσν 1:6.
ἡχρςμθ ὑῶ] as in II and Tit the blessing is for the whole Church; but there is considerable MSS support for μτ σῦ cf. Introd. p. xxxvii.
W.-H The New Testament in Greek, with Introduction and Appendix, by Westcott and Hort, Cambridge, 1881.
OGIS. Orientis Grœ Inscriptiones Selectœ, ed. W. Dittenberger, 1903-1905.
Nä Das Wortschatz des Apostel’s Paulus, von T. Nä 1905.
Apost. K.O. Apostolische Kirchen-Ordnung, in Texte und Untersuchungen, ii. 5.