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1Ti_1:5. Τὸ δὲ τέλος τῆς παραγγελίας ἐστὶν κ . τ . λ .] It cannot be denied that in παραγγελίας we have an echo of παραγγείλῃς in 1Ti_1:3; but it does not follow that we are to understand by it the command which the apostle gave to Timothy not to teach falsely (so Bengel: praecepti quod Ephesi urgere debes). It rather stands here in contrast with the ἑτεροδιδασκαλία just mentioned, and denotes the command which is serviceable to the οἰκονομία Θεοῦ (1Ti_1:4). It is equivalent to the ἐντολή in 1Ti_6:14, the evangelic law which forms the external rule for the conduct of Christians (Hofmann). The apostle alludes to this because he is about to pass to the doctrine of the heretics regarding the law.
It is wrong to understand by παραγγελία the Mosaic law (Calvin, Beza, and others), from which there would arise a thought foreign to the context; and it is unsatisfactory to take it in a general sense as “practical exhortation” (de Wette, Wiesinger, Plitt, Oosterzee), for in that case the imperative should have been used instead of ἐστιν . It is a peculiarity of the N. T. usage to take expressions which of themselves have a more general signification, and to mark them off with the definite article as ideas specifically Christian; thus τὸ εὐαγγέλιον , ἡ ὅδος (often in Acts), τὸ κήρυγμα , and others.
τέλος ] is neither “fulfilment” nor “chief sum” (Luther, Erasmus: quod universam legis mosaicae vim compendio complectitur ac praestat est caritas), but “goal, scopus ad quem tendit παραγγελία ” (Koppe, Wegscheider, de Wette, Wiesinger, and others[50]).
While the ἑτεροδιδασκαλία only causes ζητήσεις , which serve to engender divisions ( γεννῶσι μάχας , 2Ti_2:23), the aim of the command of the gospel is love.
ἀγάπη ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας κ . τ . λ .] The gospel proclaims to the believer one divine act, the reconciliation through Christ grounded in God’s love, and it demands also one human act, viz. love, for πλήρωμα νόμου ἡ ἀγάπη (Rom_13:10). Leo and Matthies wrongly explain ἀγάπη here of love to God and to one’s neighbour. Here and elsewhere in the N. T., where no other genitive of the object is added, we should understand by it love to one’s neighbour. The words following declare of what nature this love should be.
ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας ] καρδία denotes the inward centre of human life, especially as the seat of emotions and desires. Hence in regard to love it is often remarked that it must come from the καρδία (comp. Mat_12:37), and from a heart that is pure, i.e. free from all self-seeking; 1Pe_1:22 : ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας ἀλλήλους ἀλαπήσατε ἐκτενῶς ; comp. 1Co_13:5 : ἡ ἀγάπη … οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς .
The two additions that follow: καὶ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς καὶ πίστεως ἀνυποκρίτου (as is clear from 1Ti_1:19; 1Ti_3:9; 1Ti_4:2), are added with special reference to the heretics, who are reproached with having both an evil conscience and a pretended faith.
συνείδησις ἀγαθή (1Ti_1:19; 1Pe_3:16; καλή , Heb_13:18; καθαρά , 1Ti_3:9; 2Ti_1:3) is not “the conscience pure from the guilt of sin” (de Wette), nor “the conscience reconciled with God” (van Oosterzee, Plitt), nor “the consciousness of peace with God” (Hofmann). Although “a conscience not reconciled with God and one’s neighbours cannot love purely,” there is no hint here of the element of reconciliation. It is simply the consciousness of cherishing no impure, wicked purposes.[51]
πίστις ] is not confidence towards one’s neighbour, as it might be here when placed in connection with the idea of love; but, in accordance with the contents of the epistle, is “faith,” which in Gal_5:6 also is denoted as the ground of love.
ἀνυπόκριτος (also in Rom_12:9; 2Co_6:6; 1Pe_1:22, connected with the idea of love) denotes truth and uprightness in opposition to all flattery. It is used here not without allusion to the heretics who conducted themselves as believers in order to gain a more easy admission for their heresies.
[50] Arriani dissertt. Epict. Book I. chap. 20: τέλος ἐστὶ τὸ ἕπεσθαι θεοῖς .
[51] Otto on 2Ti_1:3 (pp. 302 f.) explains the expression καθαρὰ συνείδησις rightly (following Matthies) as “the self-consciousness of pure thoughts and endeavours;” but, on the other hand, he is wrong in regard to 1Ti_1:19, where he interprets ἀγαθὴ συνείδ . as “the conscience innocent and expectant of all salvation,” “the consciousness of divine grace supporting itself by daily putting to death the old nature.”