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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T T I M O T H Y.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. IV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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Paul here foretels,
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I. A dreadful apostasy,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. He treats of Christian liberty,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:4,5">ver. 4, 5</A>.
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III. He gives Timothy divers directions with respect to himself, his
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doctrine, and the people under his care,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:6-16">ver. 6, to the end</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Apostasy Foretold; Christian Liberty.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 64.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times
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some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
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spirits, and doctrines of devils;
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2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared
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with a hot iron;
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3 Forbidding to marry, <I>and commanding</I> to abstain from meats,
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which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them
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which believe and know the truth.
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4 For every creature of God <I>is</I> good, and nothing to be
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refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
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5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here a prophecy of the apostasy of the latter times, which he
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had spoken of as a thing expected and taken for granted among
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Christians,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Th+2:1-17">2 Thess. ii</A>.</P>
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<P>
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I. In the close of the foregoing chapter, we had the mystery of
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godliness summed up; and therefore very fitly, in the beginning of this
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chapter, we have the mystery of iniquity summed up: <I>The Spirit
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speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the
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faith;</I> whether he means the Spirit in the Old Testament, or the
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Spirit in the prophets of the New Testament, or both. The prophecies
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concerning antichrist, as well as the prophecies concerning Christ,
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came from the Spirit. The Spirit in both spoke expressly of a general
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apostasy from the faith of Christ and the pure worship of God. This
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should come in the <I>latter times,</I> during the Christian
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dispensation, for these are called the latter days; in the following
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ages of the church, for the mystery of iniquity now began to work.
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<I>Some shall depart from the faith,</I> or there shall be an apostasy
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from the faith. Some, not all; for in the worst of times God will have
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a remnant, according to the election of grace. <I>They shall depart
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from the faith,</I> the faith delivered to the saints
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jude+1:3">Jude 3</A>),
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which was delivered at once, the sound doctrine of the gospel.
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<I>Giving heed to seducing spirits,</I> men who pretended to the
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Spirit, but were not really guided by the Spirit,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Jo+4:1">1 John iv. 1</A>.
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<I>Beloved, believe not every spirit,</I> every one who pretends to the
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Spirit. Now here observe,</P>
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<P>
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1. One of the great instances of the apostasy, namely, giving heed to
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doctrines of demons, or concerning demons; that is, those doctrines
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which teach the worship of saints and angels, as a middle sort of
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deities, between the immortal God and mortal men, such as the heathen
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called demons, and worshipped under that notion. Now this plainly
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agrees to the church of Rome, and it was one of the first steps towards
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that great apostasy, the enshrining of the relics of martyrs, paying
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divine honours to them, erecting altars, burning incense, consecrating
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images and temples, and making prayers and praises to the honour of
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saints departed. This demon-worship is paganism revived, the image of
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the first beast.</P>
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<P>
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2. The instruments of promoting and propagating this apostasy and
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delusion.
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(1.) It will be done by hypocrisy of those that speak lies, the agents
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and emissaries of Satan, who promote these delusions by lies and
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forgeries and pretended miracles,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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It is done by their hypocrisy, professing honour to Christ, and yet at
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the same time fighting against all his anointed offices, and corrupting
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or profaning all his ordinances. This respects also the hypocrisy of
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those who have <I>their consciences seared with a red-hot iron,</I> who
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are perfectly lost to the very first principles of virtue and moral
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honesty. If men had not their consciences seared as with a hot iron,
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they could never maintain a power to dispense with oaths for the good
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of the catholic cause, could never maintain that no faith is to be kept
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with heretics, could never divest themselves of all remains of humanity
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and compassion, and clothe themselves with the most barbarous cruelty,
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under pretence of promoting the interest of the church.
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(2.) Another part of their character is that they forbid to marry,
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forbid their clergy to marry, and speak very reproachfully of marriage,
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though an ordinance of God; and that they command <I>to abstain from
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meats,</I> and place religion in such abstinence at certain times and
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seasons, only to exercise a tyranny over the consciences of men.</P>
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<P>
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3. On the whole observe,
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(1.) The apostasy of the latter times should not surprise us, because
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it was expressly foretold by the Spirit.
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(2.) The Spirit is God, otherwise he could not certainly foresee such
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distant events, which as to us are uncertain and contingent, depending
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on the tempers, humours, and lusts of men.
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(3.) The difference between the predictions of the Spirit and the
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oracles of the heathen is remarkable; the Spirit speaks expressly, but
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the oracles of the heathen were always doubtful and uncertain.
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(4.) It is comfortable to think that in such general apostasies all are
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not carried away, but only some.
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(5.) It is common for seducers and deceivers to pretend to the Spirit,
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which is a strong presumption that all are convinced that this is the
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most likely to work in us an approbation of what pretends to come from
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the Spirit.
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(6.) Men must be hardened, and their consciences seared, before they
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can depart from the faith, and draw in others to side with them.
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(7.) It is a sign that men have departed from the faith when they will
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command what God has forbidden, such as saint and angel or
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demon-worship; and forbid what God has allowed or commanded, such as
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marriage and meats.</P>
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<P>
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II. Having mentioned their hypocritical fastings, the apostle takes
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occasion to lay down the doctrine of the Christian liberty, which we
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enjoy under the gospel, of using God's good creatures,--that, whereas
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under the law there was a distinction of meats between clean and
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unclean (such sorts of flesh they might eat, and such they might not
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eat), all this is now taken away; and we are to call nothing common or
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unclean,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+10:15">Acts x. 15</A>.
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Here observe,
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1. We are to look upon our food as that which God has created; we have
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it from him, and therefore must use it for him.
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2. God, in making those things, had a special regard to <I>those who
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believe and know the truth,</I> to good Christians, who have a covenant
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right to the creatures, whereas others have only a common right.
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3. What God has created is to be <I>received with thanksgiving.</I> We
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must not refuse the gifts of God's bounty, nor be scrupulous in making
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differences where God has made none; but receive them, and be thankful,
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acknowledging the power of God the Maker of them, and the bounty of God
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the giver of them: <I>Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be
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refused,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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This plainly sets us at liberty from all the distinctions of meats
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appointed by the ceremonial law, as particularly that of swine's flesh,
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which the Jews were forbidden to eat, but which is allowed to us
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Christians, by this rule, <I>Every creature of God is good,</I> &c.
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Observe, God's good creatures are then good, and doubly sweet to us,
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when they are received with thanksgiving.--<I>For it is sanctified by
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the word of God and prayer,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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It is a desirable thing to have a sanctified use of our
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creature-comforts. Now they are sanctified to us,
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(1.) By the word of God; not only his permission, allowing us the
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liberty of the use of these things, but his promise to feed us with
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food convenient for us. This gives us a sanctified use of our
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creature-comforts.
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(2.) By prayer, which blesses our meat to us. The word of God and
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prayer must be brought to our common actions and affairs, and then we
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do all in faith. Here observe,
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[1.] Every creature is God's, for he made all. <I>Every beast in the
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forest is mine</I> (says God), <I>and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
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I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field
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are mine,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+50:10,11">Ps. l. 10, 11</A>.
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[2.] Every creature of God is good: when the blessed God took a survey
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of all his works, God saw all that was made, and, behold, it was very
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good,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+1:31">Gen. i. 31</A>.
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[3.] The blessing of God makes every creature nourishing to us; man
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lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the
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mouth of God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+4:4">Matt. iv. 4</A>),
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and therefore nothing ought to be refused.
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[4.] We ought therefore to ask his blessing by prayer, and so to
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sanctify the creatures we receive by prayer.</P>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ti4_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Exhortation to Godliness; Exhortation to Ministerial Duties.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 64.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou
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shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the
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words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast
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attained.
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7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise
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thyself <I>rather</I> unto godliness.
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8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is
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profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now
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is, and of that which is to come.
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9 This <I>is</I> a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
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10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we
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trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially
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of those that believe.
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11 These things command and teach.
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12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the
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believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in
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faith, in purity.
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13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to
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doctrine.
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14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee
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by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
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15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them;
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that thy profiting may appear to all.
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16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in
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them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them
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that hear thee.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The apostle would have Timothy to instil into the minds of Christians
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such sentiments as might prevent their being seduced by the judaizing
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teachers. Observe, Those are good ministers of Jesus Christ who are
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diligent in their work; not that study to advance new notions, but that
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<I>put the brethren in remembrance of those things which they have
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received and heard. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always
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in remembrance of these things, though you knew them,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+1:12">2 Pet. i. 12</A>.
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And elsewhere, <I>I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+3:1">2 Pet. iii. 1</A>.
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And, says the apostle Jude, <I>I will therefore put you in
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remembrance,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jude+1:5">Jude 5</A>.
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You see that the apostles and apostolical men reckoned it a main part
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of their work to put their hearers in remembrance; for we are apt to
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forget, and slow to learn and remember, the things of God.--<I>Nourished
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up in the words of faith and good doctrine, whereunto thou hast
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attained.</I> Observe,
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1. Even ministers themselves have need to be growing and increasing in
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the knowledge of Christ and his doctrine: they must be nourished up in
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the words of faith.
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2. The best way for ministers to grow in knowledge and faith is to put
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the brethren in remembrance; while we teach others, we teach ourselves.
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3. Those whom ministers teach are brethren, and are to be treated like
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brethren; for ministers are not lords of God's heritage.</P>
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<P>
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I. Godliness is here pressed upon him and others: <I>Refuse profane and
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old wives' sayings,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:7,8"><I>v.</I> 7, 8</A>,
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The Jewish traditions, which some people fill their heads with, have
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nothing to do with them. <I>But exercise thyself rather unto
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godliness;</I> that is, mind practical religion. Those who would be
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godly must exercise themselves unto godliness; it requires a constant
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exercise. The reason is taken from the fain of godliness; <I>bodily
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exercise profits little,</I> or for a little time. Abstinence from
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meats and marriage, and the like, though they pass for acts of
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mortification and self-denial, yet profit little, they turn to little
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account. What will it avail us to mortify the body if we do not mortify
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sin? Observe,
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1. There is a great deal to be got by godliness; it will be of use to
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us in the whole of our life, for it has <I>the promise of the life that
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now is, and of that which is to come.</I>
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2. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise: and the promises
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made to godly people relate to the life that now is, but especially
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they relate to the life that is to come. Under the Old Testament the
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promises were mostly of temporal blessings, but under the New Testament
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of spiritual and eternal blessings. If godly people have but little of
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the good things of the life that now is, yet it shall be made up to
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them in the good things of the life that is to come.
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3. There were profane and old wives' fables in the days of the
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apostles; and Timothy, though an excellent man, was not above such a
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word of advice, <I>Refuse profane,</I> &c.
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4. It is not enough that we refuse profane and old wives' fables, but
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we must exercise ourselves to godliness; we must not only cease to do
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evil, but we must learn to do well
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+1:16,17">Isa. i. 16, 17</A>),
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and we must make a practice of exercising ourselves to godliness. And,
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5. Those who are truly godly shall not be losers at last, whatever
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becomes of those who content themselves with bodily exercise, for
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godliness has the promise, &c.</P>
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<P>
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II. The encouragement which we have to proceed in the ways of
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godliness, and to exercise ourselves to it, notwithstanding the
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difficulties and discouragements that we meet with in it. He had said
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>)
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that it <I>is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life
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which now is.</I> But the question is, Will the profit balance the
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loss? For, if it will not, it is not profit. Yes, we are sure it will.
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Here is another of Paul's faithful sayings, worthy of all
|
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acceptation--that all our labours and losses in the service of God and
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the work of religion will be abundantly recompensed, so that though we
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lose for Christ we shall not lose by him. <I>Therefore we labour and
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suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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Observe,</P>
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<P>
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1. Godly people must labour and expect reproach; they must do well, and
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yet expect at the same time to suffer ill: toil and trouble are to be
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expected by us in this world, not only as men, but as saints.</P>
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<P>
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2. Those who labour and suffer reproach in the service of God and the
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work of religion may depend upon the living God that they shall not
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lose by it. Let this encourage them, <I>We trust in the living God.</I>
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The consideration of this, that the God who has undertaken to be our
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pay-master is the living God, who does himself live for ever and is the
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fountain of life to all who serve him, should encourage us in all our
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services and in all our sufferings for him, especially considering that
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he is <I>the Saviour of all men.</I>
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(1.) By his providences he protects the persons, and prolongs the
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lives, of the children of men.
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(2.) He has a general good-will to the eternal salvation of all men
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thus far that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all
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should come to repentance. He desires not the death of sinners; he is
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thus far the Saviour of all men that none are left in the same
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desperate condition that fallen angels are in. Now, if he be thus the
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Saviour of all men, we may hence infer that much more he will be the
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rewarder of those who seek and serve him; if he has such a good-will
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for all his creatures, much more will he provide well for those who are
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new creatures, who are born again. He is the Saviour of all men, but
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<I>especially of those that believe;</I> and the salvation he has in
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store for those that believe is sufficient to recompense them for all
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their services and sufferings. Here we see,
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[1.] The life of a Christian is a life of labour and suffering: <I>We
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labour and suffer.</I>
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[2.] The best we can expect to suffer in the present life is reproach
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for our well-doing, for our work of faith and labour of love.
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[3.] True Christians trust in the living God; for cursed is the man
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that trusts in man, or in any but the living God; and those that trust
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in him shall never be ashamed. <I>Trust in him at all times.</I>
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[4.] God is the general Saviour of all men, as he has put them into a
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salvable state; but he is in a particular manner the Saviour of true
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believers; there is then a general and a special redemption.</P>
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<P>
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III. He concludes the chapter with an exhortation to Timothy,</P>
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<P>
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1. To <I>command and teach these things</I> that he had now been
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teaching him. "Command them to exercise themselves unto godliness,
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teach them the profit of it, and that if they serve God they serve one
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who will be sure to bear them out."</P>
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<P>
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2. To conduct himself with that gravity and prudence which might gain
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him respect, notwithstanding his youth: "<I>Let no man despise thy
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youth;</I> that is, give no man an occasion to despise thy youth."
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Men's youth will not be despised if they do not by youthful vanities
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and follies make themselves despicable; and this men may do who are
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old, who may therefore thank themselves if they be despised.</P>
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<P>
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3. To confirm his doctrine by a good example: <I>Be thou an example of
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the believers,</I> &c. Observe, Those who teach by their doctrine must
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teach by their live, else they pull down with one hand what they build
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up with the other: they must be examples both <I>in word and
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conversation.</I> Their discourse must be edifying, and this will be a
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good example: their conversation must be strict, and this will be a
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good example: they must be examples <I>in charity,</I> or love to God
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and all good men, examples <I>in spirit,</I> that is, in
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spiritual-mindedness, in spiritual worship,--<I>in faith,</I> that is,
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in the profession of Christian faith,--and <I>in purity</I> or
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chastity.</P>
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<P>
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4. He charges him to study hard: <I>Till I come, give attendance to
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reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, to meditation upon these
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things,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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Though Timothy had extraordinary gifts, yet he must use ordinary means.
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Or it may be meant of the public reading of the scriptures; he must
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<I>read and exhort,</I> that is, read and expound, read and press what
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he read upon them; he must expound it both by way of exhortation and by
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way of doctrine; he must teach them both what to do and what to
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believe. Observe,
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(1.) Ministers must teach and command the things that they are
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themselves taught and commanded to do; they must teach people to
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observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+28:20">Matt. xxviii. 20</A>.
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(2.) The best way for ministers to avoid being despised is to teach and
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practise the things that are given them in charge. No wonder if
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ministers are despised who do not teach these things, or who, instead
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of being examples of good to believers, act directly contrary to the
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doctrines they preach; for ministers are to be ensamples of their
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flock.
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(3.) Those ministers that are the best accomplished for their work must
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yet mind their studies, that they may be improving in knowledge; and
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they must mind also their work; they are to give attendance to reading,
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to exhortation, to doctrine.</P>
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<P>
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5. He charges him to beware of negligence: <I>Neglect not the gift that
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is in thee,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
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The gifts of God will wither if they be neglected. It may be understood
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|
either of the office to which he was advanced, or of his qualifications
|
|
for that office; if of the former, it was ordination in an ordinary
|
|
way; if of the latter, it was extraordinary. It seems to be the former,
|
|
for it was by <I>laying on of hands,</I> &c. Here see the scripture-way
|
|
of ordination: it was by the laying on of hands, and the laying on of
|
|
the hands of the presbytery. Observe, Timothy was ordained by men in
|
|
office. It was an extraordinary gift that we read of elsewhere as being
|
|
conferred on him by the laying on of Paul's hands, but he was invested
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|
in the office of the ministry by the laying on of the hands of the
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|
presbytery.
|
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(1.) We may note, The office of the ministry is a gift, it is the gift
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|
of Christ; when he ascended on high, he received gifts for men, and he
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gave some apostles, and some pastors and teachers
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eph+4:8,11">Eph. iv. 8, 11</A>),
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and this was a very kind gift to his church.
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(2.) Ministers ought not to neglect the gift bestowed upon them,
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|
whether by gift we are here to understand the office of the ministry or
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|
the qualifications for the office; neither the one nor the other must
|
|
be neglected.
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(3.) Though there was a prophecy in the case of Timothy (the gift was
|
|
given by prophecy), yet this was accompanied by the laying on of the
|
|
hands of the presbytery, that is, a number of presbyters; the office
|
|
was conveyed to him this way; and I should think here is a sufficient
|
|
warrant for ordination by presbyters, since it does not appear that
|
|
Paul was concerned in Timothy's ordination. It is true, extraordinary
|
|
gifts were conferred on him by the laying on of the apostle's hands
|
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ti+1:6">2 Tim. i. 6</A>),
|
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but, if he was concerned in his ordination, the presbytery was not
|
|
excluded, for that is particularly mentioned, whence it seems pretty
|
|
evident that the presbytery have the inherent power of ordination.</P>
|
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|
<P>
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6. Having this work committed to him, he must <I>give himself
|
|
wholly</I> to it: "Be wholly in those things, <I>that thy profiting may
|
|
appear.</I>" He was a wise knowing man, and yet must still be
|
|
profiting, and make it appear that he improved in knowledge. Observe,
|
|
|
|
(1.) Ministers are to be much in meditation. They are to consider
|
|
beforehand how and what they must speak. They are to meditate on the
|
|
great trust committed to them, on the worth and value of immortal
|
|
souls, and on the account they must give at the last.
|
|
|
|
(2.) Ministers must be wholly in these things, they must mind these
|
|
things as their principal work and business: <I>Give thyself wholly to
|
|
them.</I>
|
|
|
|
(3.) By this means their profiting will appear in all things, as well a
|
|
to all persons; this is the way for them to profit in knowledge and
|
|
grace, and also to profit others.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
7. He presses it upon him to be very cautious: "<I>Take heed to thyself
|
|
and to the doctrine,</I> consider what thou preachest; <I>continue in
|
|
them,</I> in the truths that thou hast received; and this will be the
|
|
way to <I>save thyself, and those that hear thee.</I>" Observe,
|
|
|
|
(1.) Ministers are engaged in saving work, which makes it a good work.
|
|
|
|
(2.) The care of ministers should be in the first place to save
|
|
themselves: "Save thyself in the first place, so shalt thou be
|
|
instrumental to save those that hear thee."
|
|
|
|
(3.) Ministers in preaching should aim at the salvation of those that
|
|
hear them, next to the salvation of their own souls.
|
|
|
|
(4.) The best way to answer both these ends is to take heed to
|
|
ourselves, &c.</P>
|
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