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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadWilliam Burkitt Notes and Observations - 1 Timothy 4:6 - 4:6
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Our apostle proceeds from this verse to the end of the chapter, to lay several directions before Timothy with reference to his ministerial office.
The first of which is that he suggest unto, or put the brethern in remembrance of, those things which the apostle had taught him, in order to their preservation from the peril and poison of these imposters; thus doing, he would approve himself a good minister of Jesus Christ, and one nourished up with the sincere doctrine of the gospel.
Here note, That the ministers of the gospel are in the first place ministers or servants of Jesus Christ; secondarily, and in subserviency, they are ministers of the church; as a nobleman's servant employed by him to distribute wages, or appoint work to the inferior servants, is secondarily a minister to the servants, but primarily a servant to the lord.
The second duty that Timothy is exhorted to, is the avoiding and rejecting the doctrines of abstinence from meats and marriage, and to regard them no more than an old woman's tale and to exercise himself unto real godliness.
Note here, Something that Timothy must forbear, and something that he must follow after: he must forbear and refuse profane old wives' fables; if thou wilt not swim down the tide of these apostatizing times, take heed of steering thy course by profane, though ancient, customs, refuse them with scorn, and reject them with anger; one way to prevent apostasy, is to refuse ungrounded antiquity; that which Timothy is exhorted to follow after, is real godliness; this is his duty, both as a minister, and as a member of Jesus Christ: real godliness ought to be minded as every man's especially every minister's, chief and principal business; religion must be our chief occupation.