4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men, and women, as part of God’s family.] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
4:1–5 Doctrinal deviations from the true Christian message
within the church have been prophesied, though the origin of the prophecy is
not specified (1 Tm 4:1–2); cf. Acts 20:29–30. The letter warns against a false
asceticism that prohibits marriage and regards certain foods as forbidden,
though they are part of God’s good creation (1 Tm 4:3).
4:5 The invocation of God in prayer: literally, “the word of
God and petition.” The use of “word of God” without an article in Greek
suggests that it refers to the name of God being invoked in blessing rather
than to the “word of God” proclaimed to the community.
4:6–10 Timothy is urged to be faithful, both in his teaching
and in his own life, as he looks only to God for salvation.
4:10 Struggle: other manuscripts and patristic witnesses
read “suffer reproach.”
4:11–16 Timothy is urged to preach and teach with
confidence, relying on the gifts and the mission that God has bestowed on him.
4:12 Youth: some commentators find this reference a sign of
pseudepigraphy. Timothy had joined Paul as a missionary already in A.D. 49,
some fifteen years before the earliest supposed date of composition.
4:13 Reading: the Greek word refers to private or public
reading. Here, it probably designates the public reading of scripture in the
Christian assembly.
4:14 Prophetic word: this may mean the utterance of a Christian prophet designating the candidate or a prayer of blessing accompanying the rite.
The imposition of hands: this gesture was used in the Old Testament to signify the transmission of authority from Moses to Joshua (Nm 27:18–23; Dt 34:9). The early Christian community used it as a symbol of installation into an office: the Seven (Acts 6:6) and Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:3).
Of the presbyterate: this would mean that each member of the college of presbyters imposed hands and appears to contradict 2 Tm 1:6, in which Paul says that he imposed hands on Timothy.
This latter text, however, does not exclude participation by others in the rite. Some prefer to translate “for the presbyterate,” and thus understand it to designate the office into which Timothy was installed rather than the agents who installed him.
BACK TO:
Copyright © 2020 by Ekklesia Katholes (Acts 9:31)
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher.
No comments:
Post a Comment