Chapter One
1 Tim. 1:1. Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior.
Since he intends to write regulations to Timothy, he proclaims himself an apostle, so as to make his word worthy of unquestioning acceptance. I shall not be uttering my own words, he says, but those of Him who sent me; see to it, then, that you are obedient. But since the title of apostle was great, lest it should seem that he was boasting, he added:
1 Tim. 1:1. By the commandment of God.
Not of myself, he says, did I seize this, but I have an urgent debt and am fulfilling a command of the Master. The expression "by commandment" is stronger than the expression "called." Although nowhere did the Father give him a commandment, but Christ: "I will send you," it says, "far away to the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21), and again: "you must stand before Caesar" (Acts 27:24), and: "The Holy Spirit said: Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul" (Acts 13:2); but what belongs to the Son and the Spirit belongs, he says, also to the Father. Listen to what follows next.
1 Tim. 1:1. And of our Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.
Do you see, the commandment is common to all. Pay attention also to how David speaks of the Father: "the hope of all the ends of the earth" (Ps. 64:6). And the apostle Paul himself says elsewhere: "we hope in the living God" (1 Tim. 4:10). But now the Son is called our hope. Thus, the Father and the Son have all things in common. The apostle fittingly employed these synonyms: "Savior" and "hope." Since a teacher struggles with many difficulties, for all enmity is directed against him, so that when he falls, those under his care may fall all the sooner, as it is said: "strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zech. 13:7), one must not, he says, lose heart, for we have as Savior not a man, but God Himself and the Father, Who will swiftly deliver us from dangers. Therefore we endure misfortunes, comforting ourselves with these two thoughts — either that we shall soon be delivered from them, or that we nourish within ourselves better hopes,
1 Tim. 1:2. To Timothy, a true son in the faith.
That is, begotten by me through faith. The preposition "in" – εν – means "through," as the apostle also says elsewhere: "I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). And praising him, he calls him not only a son, but also a "true" one – true, because Timothy more than others preserves a likeness to him in faith, and because the apostle Paul sincerely loved him. Very wisely he added: "in faith," so as to encourage Timothy all the more toward it. For if from the beginning he showed such faith that he was deemed worthy to be called a son of Paul, and a true son, then all the more must he now clothe himself in it as in full armor, so as not to be troubled or lose heart. To show courageous boldness is a matter of faith.
1 Tim. 1:2. Grace, mercy, peace.
Nowhere in other epistles did the apostle include the word "mercy," but only here. This is because out of great love he asks for more for his son, as if fearing and trembling for him; he gave him instructions even regarding the stomach. Also because teachers have need of especial mercy.
1 Tim. 1:2. From God, our Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Here again is consolation. For if God is our Father, then He cares for us as for children. Consequently, He will both have mercy and give grace, so that we may all be benefited and have peace with our enemies.
1 Tim. 1:3. When I was departing for Macedonia, I asked you to remain in Ephesus.
Pay attention to what a meek speech this is, how he spoke to him in the voice not of a teacher, but of a servant. He did not say: I commanded, but: "I asked." So should we treat our own disciples, but with the corrupt and not fully devoted — differently. The Apostle implores him to remain in Ephesus. For the epistle that he sent to the Ephesians was not sufficient: people do not pay as much attention to epistles. However, perhaps this was even before the epistle. It is supposed that it was then that Paul appointed Timothy as bishop. This is probable, for he says the following further on.
1 Tim. 1:3. And to exhort some that they teach no other doctrine.
He did not say: to entreat, but: "to exhort," which is more authoritative and strict. He did not name them by name, so that through exposure he would not make them more shameless. "To teach otherwise" means to introduce other teachings. For among the Jews there were many false apostles, who out of love for glory and from the desire to be called teachers were inclining the faithful to the law of Moses.
1 Tim. 1:4. And not occupy themselves with fables.
Fables he calls not the law itself, but the observances and false dogmas.
1 Tim. 1:4. And endless genealogies.
They used to enumerate grandfathers and great-grandfathers, hoping thereby to claim for themselves a certain historical glory. He called them "endless" either because they go back to remote times, or because they have no good purpose, or because they lack clarity, are hard to grasp, and are tangled. It is likely that the apostle here also hints at the Greeks, for they have myths and genealogies in which they enumerate their gods.
1 Tim. 1:4. Which produce more disputes (ἐκζητήσεις) than God's edification in faith.
That is, God established such a dispensation so that everything in it would be received by faith, but they introduce inquiries and upset this dispensation of God. Or that God willed to grant us something great and manifested toward us an ineffable dispensation. It is faith that brings about this dispensation of His goodness, and by no means origin. Meanwhile, they were introducing inquiries. How can this be? How shall we believe concerning the future? Inquiry drives out faith. However, why did the Lord say: "Seek, and you shall find" (Matt. 7:7)? And again: "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39)? The first expression — "seek" — speaks of petition, of intense desire; the second — "search" — means: study the true meaning of the Scriptures, learn them, and cease all further investigation.
1 Tim. 1:5. But the end of the commandment is love from a pure heart.
If you, he says, will admonish them not to teach otherwise, you will achieve this, namely love. If you instill love in them, then every corrupt doctrine will find no place among them. Before, when there was no love, there was envy; from envy came love of power; from love of power the desire to teach; and from this, heresies. But now it is not so. He demands sincere love, love not in words, but "from the heart," and a heart that is "pure" and not darkened by hypocrisy — love that is formed from the disposition of the soul and compassion.