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1Ti_1:11. Κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον κ . τ . λ .] may be joined with ἀντίκειται , so far as the grammar goes; but the thought is against this, since the ὑγιαίν . διδασκ . is simply the doctrine of the gospel, and the whole of the added clause would be very slipshod. There is as little ground for joining it with διδασκαλία , as was done by Theophylact ( τῇ ὑγ . διδ ., τῇ οὔσῃ κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγ .), and approved by many later expositors. The only right construction is to refer this addition to the whole of the preceding thought (Wiesinger, Plitt, van Oosterzee, Hofmann), so as to bring the thought to a concluding point. Similarly in Rom_2:16, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγ . is joined with what precedes. The apostle asserts thereby that his doctrine regarding the law is not founded on his own private opinion, but on the gospel entrusted to him. In order to make its authority plainer as a rule of life, he describes it as τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ μακαρίου Θεοῦ (de “Wette, Matthies).
The genitive τῆς δόξης is not to be interpreted by the adjective ἔνδοξος , and then joined with τὸ εὐαγγ . (= τὸ εὐαγγ . ἔνδοξον ; Luther: “according to the glorious gospel”), or even with Θεοῦ (Heinrichs: = τοῦ μακαρίου καὶ ἐνδόξου Θεοῦ ); the genitive should rather be allowed to retain its special meaning. Ἡ δόξα τοῦ Θεοῦ may be the glory of the Christians, which is given them by God (comp. Rom_5:2. Wegscheider: “according to the gladdening doctrine of the salvation which the blessed God imparts to us;” Theodoret: εὐαγγ . δόξης τὸ κήρυγμα κέκληκεν , ἐπειδὰν τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἐπαγγέλλεται τοῖς πιστεύουσι , and Theophylact). It is more natural, however, to understand the expression here, as in 2Co_4:4; 2Co_4:6, Rom_9:23, etc., of the glory dwelling in God, peculiar to Him, “revealed to the world in Jesus Christ” (Wiesinger). The relation of the genitive τῆς δόξης to τὸ εὐαγγέλιον is not to be taken to mean that the δόξα was declared to be the ground of the gospel (the gospel proceeding from the glory of God); the δόξα is rather contained in the gospel (Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt), so that it is thereby revealed and communicated to men.
God’s nature is here described more precisely by the adjective μακαρίου , by which still greater emphasis is laid on God’s δόξα , manifesting itself in the gospel in its peculiar power. Though the word is not foreign to the N. T., it is used only here and in 1Ti_6:15 as an attribute of God. It is not improbable that the apostle uses it with some reference to the heretics. If, in 1Ti_1:4, we are to understand by the genealogies, series of aeons emanating from God, he might readily use μακάριος of God in order to mark the divine unity, for holiness excludes all division of nature. Theodore of Mopsuestia thinks that God is here called μακάριος , not only because He has τὸ μακάριον in His nature διὰ τῆς ἀτρεπτότητος , but also because out of His grace He imparts it to us.[59] The words that follow declare that the gospel was entrusted to the apostle: ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ (Tit_1:3). Regarding the construction of these words, cf. Buttmann, Gr. Gram. § 121. 7; Winer, p. 244 [E. T. p. 287]. The same construction is found in Rom_3:2; Gal_2:7; 1Th_2:4; 1Co_9:17. It is to be observed that this construction of the verb πιστεύεσθαι , apart from the Pastoral Epistles, occurs only in the epistles of Paul, and only where he speaks of the gospel, or the office given him to hold.[60]
[59] Otto takes the reference otherwise. He refers the word to the heretics, inasmuch as they taught the eternal continuance of the law: “The eternal continuance of the law presupposes a godlessness that cannot be amended. And these νομοδιδάσκαλοι teach a blessed God? God is not blessed if He is for ever afflicted with those opposed to Himself, with the ἀνόμοις κ . τ . λ . I teach that God got rid of this opposition by reconciling the world to Himself, and that we have indeed a blessed God.” Hofmann refers μακαρίου to this, that the heretics “make the law the subject of their instruction in the place where there should only be preached the things by which God has glorified His blessedness.” In any case, Paul chose the attribute, because the heresy stood in contradiction to God’s blessedness.
[60] We need not be surprised that here, and somewhat frequently in the Pastoral Epistles, Paul directs attention to himself and his office, if only we reflect that the apostle was fully conscious of his position towards the development of God’s kingdom, and that he was bound, therefore, to vindicate fully the principle of the Christian life which he had enounced.