Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - 1 Timothy 4:1 - 4:5
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Ti_4:1-5
1But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
1Ti_4:1 "But the Spirit explicitly says" This may refer to
1. OT prophecy
2. Paul as the recipient of direct inspiration from the Spirit (cf. Act_20:33)
3. inspired messages from other gifted, contemporary leaders (cf. Act_21:11)
NASB, NRSV,
TEV "later times"
NKJV "latter times"
NJB "last times"
Paul, like the prophets of the OT, was speaking of his own time, but relating it to the last days before the Second Coming. Paul teaches a delayed Parousia in 2 Thessalonians 2. Therefore, this characterization of rebellion and false teaching describes his own day (cf. 2Ti_3:1) as well as the time between the first coming of Christ and the second (cf. 2Pe_3:3; Jud_1:18).
The NT often characterizes these later days or end-times much like the OT prophets who took a crisis of their day and projected it into an eschatological setting (cf. Mat_24:10-12; Act_20:29-30; 2Th_2:3-12; 2Ti_3:1-9; 2Ti_4:3-4; 1Jn_2:18-19; 1Jn_4:1-3).
hyperlink
NASB "fall away"
NKJV "depart from"
NRSV "renounce"
TEV "abandon"
NJB "desert"
This is a compound of apo (from) and istçmi (stand). It is used in the sense of defection here, in Luk_8:13, and Heb_3:12. In 2Ti_2:19 it means "abstain from." In form it is a future middle indicative. One evidence of a true salvation is that one remains in the church (cf. 1Jn_2:18). See hyperlink at 1Ti_4:16.
hyperlink
▣ "the faith" This term (usually with the article) is used in the Pastoral Letters for the body of revealed Christian truth (cf. 1Ti_3:9; 1Ti_4:6; 1Ti_5:8; 1Ti_6:10; 1Ti_6:12; 1Ti_6:21; 2Ti_2:18; 2Ti_3:8; 2Ti_3:10; 2Ti_4:7; Tit_1:5; Tit_1:13; Tit_2:2). Here it is not necessarily referring to their salvation as much as to the false teachers.
▣ "paying attention to" This is a present active participle which emphasizes continual action. These apostates continue to believe and give credence to demonic teaching.
1Ti_4:2
NASB "by means of the hypocrisy of liars"
NKJV "speaking lies in hypocrisy"
NRSV "through the hypocrisy of liars"
TEV "spread by deceitful liars"
NJB "seduced by the hypocrisy of liars"
These claim to be "teachers of the Law" (cf. 1Ti_1:7). There was obviously an element of Judaism involved. They are vividly described in 1Ti_1:3-7; 1Ti_4:2-3; 1Ti_4:7; 1Ti_6:3-10; 1Ti_6:20-21.
1. they teach strange doctrines (1Ti_1:3; 1Ti_6:3)
2. they pay attention to myths and genealogies (1Ti_1:4)
3. they have turned aside to fruitless discussion (1Ti_1:6)
4. they make confident assertions about what they do not understand (1Ti_1:7; 1Ti_6:4)
5. they are hypocritical liars (1Ti_4:2)
6. they have seared consciences (1Ti_4:2)
7. they forbid marriage (1Ti_4:3)
8. they advocate abstaining from foods (1Ti_4:3)
9. they put forth fables (1Ti_4:7)
10. they are conceited (1Ti_6:4)
11. they have a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words (1Ti_6:4)
12. they cause constant friction (1Ti_6:5)
13. they have false knowledge (1Ti_6:20-21)
14. they have gone astray from the faith (1Ti_4:1; 1Ti_6:21)
NASB "deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons"
NKJV "deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons"
NRSV "deceitful spirits and teachings of demons"
TEV "lying spirits. . .teachings of demons"
NJB "deceitful spirits and doctrines that come from devils"
Paul's view of these false teachers is very negative. He attributes their teaching to the work of Satan (see Special Topic: Satan at 1Ti_3:6, cf. 1Ti_2:14; 1Ti_3:6-7) and to the demonic. In many ways Paul's view of these heretics parallels the OT view of Canaanites' fertility worship. God told the Israelites to totally destroy these people because they would corrupt the faith. These same warnings are found here (cf. 2Th_2:9-10; Jas_3:15; 1Jn_2:18-19).
hyperlink
NASB "seared in their conscience"
NKJV "having their own conscience seared with a branding iron"
NRSV "consciences seared with a hot iron"
TEV "consciences are dead, as if burnt with a hot iron"
NJB "consciences are branded as though with a red-hot iron"
This refers to one of two things.
1. The false teachers were beyond the place of repentance (cf. Eph_4:19; Tit_1:15). We get the English word "cauterize" from this Greek term.
2. This phrase refers to Satan's brand showing his ownership (e.g., Rev_13:16-17; Rev_14:11; Rev_16:2; Rev_19:20; Rev_20:4).
Because these men refused to see truth, they are now incapable of seeing truth (cf. 2Co_4:4). This is the unpardonable sin of the Gospels and the sin unto death of 1 John 5.
See notes on "conscience" at 1Ti_1:5.
hyperlink
1Ti_4:3 "who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods" Here are two of the ascetic teachings of the false teachers. The first, forbidding marriage, is related to the Greek background (Gnostic) or possibly the Jewish Essene (Dead Sea Scroll Community) influence. Marriage is a gift from God (cf. Gen_2:24) and the will of God (cf. Gen_1:28; Gen_9:1; Gen_9:7). Marriage is the norm; celibacy is a special call and gift (cf. Mat_19:11-12; 1 Corinthians 7).
The second, abstinence from certain foods, seems to be related to the Jewish background (cf. Leviticus 11), but could refer to Gnostic prohibitions. Both concepts are dealt with theologically in Gen_1:28-31. There has always been a tendency among religious people to depreciate the material world, to think of celibacy as a more spiritual state and to view abstinence from both food and drink and asceticism in general as a superior spiritual condition (cf. Mat_15:11; Mar_7:17-23; Rom_14:1 to Rom_15:13; 1Co_8:8; 1Co_10:23-33; Col_2:8-23). The list of qualifications of leadership in chapter 3 is probably related to these false teachings. Notice both marriage and wine are permitted (cf. 1Ti_3:2; 1Ti_3:12; 1Ti_5:9; 1Ti_3:3; 1Ti_3:8; 1Ti_5:23).
▣ "those who believe and know the truth" This is an unusual grammatical construction (i.e., an adjective and a participle, cf. Michael Magill, NT TransLine, p. 785). This same form appears in Tit_1:15. These believers are described as
1. believers – pronominal, dative, plural, masculine, adjective
2. ones who have known – perfect, active, plural masculine participle
The truth here (see Special Topic at 1Ti_2:4) is that all creation is from God and He should be thanked for it. Asceticism violates this truth.
1Ti_4:4 "For everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected" For this tremendous truth on the goodness of all things see Gen_1:31; Rom_14:14; Rom_14:20; 1Co_6:12; 1Co_10:26; Tit_1:15. However, we must balance this with the fact that though all things may be good and clean to those who know their origin is in God, not all things edify the church (cf. 1Co_6:12; 1Co_10:23). Therefore, we as Christians limit our freedoms for the sake of others out of respect for Christ (cf. Rom_14:1 to Rom_15:13; 1 Corinthians 8-10).
The word "rejected" is literally "to throw away." Moffatt translates it "tabooed." Be careful about cultural and/or denominational traditions (cf. Isa_29:13; Col_2:8-23).
1Ti_4:5 God's spoken word brought about creation (cf. Gen_1:3; Gen_1:6-7; Gen_1:14; Gen_1:20; Gen_1:24) and affirms the original goodness of all things (cf. Gen_1:31). The believer thanks God (cf. 1Ti_4:4 b) for His creation and provision (cf. Rom_14:6; 1Co_10:30-31).
▣ "prayer" This term (enteuxis) is only used twice in the NT, both times in 1 Timothy (cf. 1Ti_2:1; 1Ti_4:5). It denotes meeting with someone for the purpose of visiting with them. It is often translated "intercession" (cf. 1Ti_2:1); in this context, "thanksgiving" seems more appropriate. Remember that context, not dictionaries, determines the meaning of words!