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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - 1 Timothy 6:11 - 6:16
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Ti_6:11-16
11But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which He will bring about at the proper time‒ who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
1Ti_6:11 "But flee from these things" Timothy is commanded (present active imperative, cf. 2Ti_2:22) to flee from the things discussed in 1Ti_6:3-10 (i.e., endless controversies and/or love of money). This is in contrast to the things he was to preach and teach (cf. 1Ti_6:2 b), which are listed in 1Ti_5:1 to 1Ti_6:2 a. Christianity involves initial and continuing choices!
NASB, NRSV
TEV "you man of God"
NKJV "O man of God"
NJB "as someone dedicated to God"
This was an honorific title from the OT which was used of Moses (i.e., Deu_33:1; Jos_14:6), Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, David, and unnamed prophets (i.e., 1Sa_2:27; 1Ki_12:22; 1Ki_13:1). In 2Ti_3:16-17 it is used for all believers equipped by the word of God. The false teachers are not men of God nor are they equipped by the Word of God.
▣ "pursue" This is another present active imperative, an ongoing command. The first ("flee") is negative, the second imperative ("pursue") positive. Both are crucial for sound teaching and personal righteousness.
▣ "righteousness" This must refer to holy living (cf. Jas_3:13-18), not to imputed (forensic) righteousness as in Romans 4. Romans 1-8 (a doctrinal summary) speaks of our position in Christ (i.e., justification). The Pastoral Letters (letters against false teaching) speak of our possessing our possession (i.e., sanctification, see Special Topic at 2Ti_2:21).
For "righteousness" see hyperlink at Tit_2:12.
This list of Christlike qualities is exactly opposite of the lifestyles of the false teachers. By their fruits you shall know them (cf. Matthew 7).
▣ "godliness" This is a recurring theme (cf. 1Ti_3:10; 1Ti_4:7-8; 1Ti_6:3; 1Ti_6:5-6; 2Ti_3:5, see Special Topic at 1Ti_4:7). Eternal (see Special Topic at 1Ti_4:7) life has observable characteristics. To know God is to be (desire to be) like God (cf. Mat_5:48).
NASB, NJB "perseverance"
NKJV "patience"
NRSV, TEV "endurance"
The Greek word hupomonç has several possible English translations. In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, and Danker say that this word refers to the enduring of toil and suffering (p. 846). Timothy was to face (1) the problems; (2) those who caused the problems; and (3) those affected by the problems with a steadfast endurance. See Special Topic at 1Ti_4:16.
▣ "gentleness" Not only was Timothy to endure and persevere, but he was to do so with a faithful, loving, gentle spirit (cf. 1Ti_3:3; 2Ti_2:25; Tit_3:3; Gal_6:1; Jas_1:21; Jas_3:13; Jas_3:17; 1Pe_2:18; 1Pe_3:4).
1Ti_6:12 "fight the good fight of faith" This is a present middle (deponent) imperative. The cognate verb and noun are used here to intensify the athletic (cf. 1Ti_1:18; Heb_12:1-3) or military (cf. Eph_6:10-18) metaphor (Paul also "fought the good fight," cf. 2Ti_4:7). We get the English word "agony" from this metaphor.
▣ "take hold of the eternal life" This is an aorist middle imperative (cf. 1Ti_6:19). This is metaphorical of the winning athlete receiving the trophy or crown. This shows mankind's need to initially respond (cf. 1Ti_6:12 b) and continue to respond in faith. The next phrase shows God's keeping power (cf. 1Ti_6:12 c). These are both true and valid covenantal aspects of salvation; they are paradoxical, but true! Eternal life is a way of referring to the consummation of the gospel hope (i.e. glorification, cf. Rom_8:30).
▣ "to which you were called" This emphasis on God's electing and keeping power (cf. 1Co_1:9) must be combined with our daily faith cooperation. Predestination and perseverance must be held together as two sides of one coin.
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▣ "and you made the good confession" This is the Greek word homologeô, which speaks of a public profession or confession (cf. 1Jn_1:9). This seems to refer to Timothy's baptism as his public profession of faith. Early believers repeated the formula "Jesus is Lord" (cf. Rom_10:9-13) as their personal and public profession of faith in Jesus. This brief phrase implied His humanity, deity, atonement, and exaltation (cf. Php_2:6-11).
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▣ "in the presence of many witnesses" This may refer to
1. Timothy's ordination (cf. 1Ti_5:14; 2Ti_1:6)
2. his public profession before the local church (cf. Act_16:1-2)
3. more probably, his baptism.
1Ti_6:13 "I charge you in the presence of God" 1Ti_6:13-16 are one sentence in Greek. As Timothy confessed Jesus publicly (cf. Mat_10:32-33), now Paul charges him also in God's presence (cf. 1Ti_5:21; 2Ti_4:1).
Paul "charges" or commands Timothy often in the Pastoral Letters. Sometimes these refer to things that Timothy should do (cf. 1Ti_1:3; 1Ti_1:18; 1Ti_4:11; 1Ti_5:21; 1Ti_6:13; 2Ti_4:1) and sometimes to what he should tell others (cf. 1Ti_5:7; 1Ti_5:21; 1Ti_6:17; 2Ti_2:14).
The pronoun "you" is in the infinitive "to keep" of 1Ti_6:14. Some MSS inserted it after the verb "I charge" in 1Ti_6:13 (MSS à cf8 i2, A, D, H). It is omitted in MSS à *, F, G. UBS4 cannot decide which is original. Obviously, like so many Greek variants, it does not affect the meaning of the long sentence from 1Ti_6:13 to 1Ti_6:16.
▣ "who gives life to all things" God is the origin and source of all life (cf. 1Ti_6:16; 1Ti_1:17; 2Ti_1:10). There is no life apart from Him. The OT title YHWH, from the Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Exo_3:14), is a word play on this very concept. God is the only one who can give and sustain physical and eternal life.
This term has connotations of both (1) giving life (cf. 1Sa_2:6; 1Ti_6:13) and (2) preserving life (cf. Jdg_8:19; 1Sa_27:9; 1Sa_27:11; 1 Kgs. 21:31; Luk_17:33; Act_7:19). YHWH does both through Christ.
▣ "and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate" Jesus is called the "Faithful witness" (cf. Rev_1:5; Rev_3:14). The term "before" (enôpion) can mean (1) "front of" or (2) "in the time of." Therefore, this could refer to Jesus' entire life of witness or specifically His trials (cf. Mat_27:2; Joh_18:33-37).
1Ti_6:14 "that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach" This may refer to 1Ti_6:11-12. Timothy was to live in obedience and purity, unlike the false teachers. See Special Topic at 1Ti_3:2.
▣ "until the appearing of" In 2Ti_1:10 and Tit_2:11 this term (epiphaneia) is used of Jesus' first coming, but here and in 2Th_2:8; 2Ti_4:1; 2Ti_4:8; Tit_2:13 it is used of His Second Coming. The Second Coming has always been a strong incentive to live the Christian life. See Special Topic at Tit_2:13.
1Ti_6:15 "which He will bring about at the proper time" This same phrase is used in 1Ti_2:6 and Tit_1:3 of Jesus' first coming. The "He" describes God the Father's knowledge and control over the first and second comings of the Messiah (cf. Mat_24:36; Act_1:7). The Jerome Biblical Commentary (p. 357) suggests that 1Ti_6:15-16 are a quote from a Christian hymn (cf. 1Ti_1:17; 1Ti_3:16; 2Ti_2:11-13).
▣ "He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords" This prayer is similar to 1Ti_1:17. These descriptive phrases initially and contextually refer to God the Father:
1. "blessed" (1Ti_1:1)
2. "only Sovereign" (1Ti_1:17; cf. Sir_46:5)
3. "Lord of lords" (Deu_10:17; Psa_136:3)
The title "King of kings" is parallel to "Lord of lords" and is used of Jesus in Rev_17:14; Rev_19:16. It originally referred to the kings of Mesopotamia, but was used by the Jews during the interbiblical period to refer to YHWH.
1Ti_6:16 "who alone possesses immortality" This is the term "death" with the alpha privative (cf. 1Co_15:53-54). This seems to be the basic meaning of the OT title "YHWH," the ever-living, only-living One (cf. Exo_3:14-16). Notice the inference of monotheism (see Special Topic at 1Ti_2:5), "who alone possesses"! YHWH is the origin and source of life and there is no other!
▣ "and dwells in unapproachable light" The rabbis called the "cloud of glory" the Shekinah, which is from the Hebrew term "to dwell" (with the implication "to dwell with permanently," cf. Exo_24:17; Exo_23:20).
▣ "whom no man has seen or can see" In the OT God's holiness was so awesome that no sinful human could see God and live (cf. Gen_16:13; Gen_32:30; Exo_20:19; Exo_33:18-20; Jdg_6:22-23; Jdg_13:22; Isa_6:5; Joh_6:46; 1Jn_4:12). In the NT believers have seen Him truly revealed in Jesus (cf. 1 John 1:18; 1 John 6:46) and will see Him personally one day (cf. Mat_5:8; Heb_12:14; Rev. 22:40).
▣ "to Him be honor and eternal dominion" Paul often breaks into a doxology of praise to God the Father (cf. 1Ti_1:17). The Son is the Father's instrument of creation, revelation, redemption, and judgment. However, the eternal kingdom belongs to the Father through the Son (cf. Dan_7:13; 1Co_15:25-28).
▣ "Amen" This is a Hebrew idiom of affirmation.
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