Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Timothy 6:20

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane [and] vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

20, 21. A last Appeal. The keeping of the Deposit

20. See the summary above at 1Ti 6:3. This brief rsum, at the close, of the main anxiety of the whole Epistle is like the corresponding rsum, 1Ti 6:16, of the rule for widows, and v. 24 of the visitation of presbyters.

O Timothy ] Previously, and in 2 Tim., when the address is less intense and solemn, ‘my child,’ ‘my child Timothy.’

keep ] The stronger word guard. Compare 1Jn 5:21, ‘Little children, guard yourselves from idols.’

that which is committed to thy trust ] The mss. favour the simpler noun, compounded with only one preposition, here and in the only other places where the word occurs in N. T., 2Ti 1:12; 2Ti 1:14, the latter place being exactly parallel. What is this ‘deposit?’ it has been thought to be (1) grace for his own spiritual life, ‘the commandment’ above 1Ti 6:14, (2) grace for the office of superintending the Church at Ephesus, ‘the charge’ above 1Ti 6:17 and elsewhere; and these are the two subjects pressed most closely upon Timothy, next to the great, the recurring and now all absorbing anxiety, that he may have (3) grace to maintain sound doctrine; the ‘charge’ of 1Ti 1:3; 1Ti 1:18 , 1Ti 4:6; 1Ti 4:16 , 1Ti 6:3; 2Ti 1:13-14; 2Ti 2:2; 2Ti 2:16. The words which follow are alone sufficient to make (3) the certain reference. In effect, to use the words quoted from St Vincent of the island-school of Lerins (the author of the famous canon of Christian doctrine ‘quod semper quod ubique quod ab omnibus’), St Paul says to Timothy ‘Depositum custodi: catholicae fidei talentum inviolatum illibatumque conserva.’

avoiding profane and vain babblings ] Lit. turning away from the profane babblings; the article with ‘babblings’ and not with ‘oppositions ‘shews that both go together, with ‘knowledge.’ ‘Babblings is another of the ‘Pastoral’ compounds recurring in 2Ti 2:16. The word is literally ‘empty voicings,’ vox et praeterea nihil, windbag; speculations and errors which are the complete opposite of the solid Church truth on its firm foundation and rock, ‘Thou art the Christ.’ For the accus. after this verb, cf. Winer, 38, 2, 6.

oppositions of science falsely so called ] Rather, as R.V. the knowledge which is falsely so called. ‘The knowledge falsely so called’ is in the Greek the well-known Gnosis, only used here in N. T. with direct reference to the heretical teaching, though the allusions, both with substantive and verb, imply that assumptions of superior knowledge were among the claims of the new theology. The ‘oppositions’ meant are probably the dualistic oppositions between the good and evil principle, see introduction, pp. 45, 46; though some explain them as the dialectical niceties and subtle rhetorical antitheses of the teachers. See Dr Hort’s interpretation, Appendix B. This peculiar ‘Pastoral’ word goes to make the Apostle’s biting ‘aculeus in fine.’

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Keep that which is committed to thy trust – All that is entrusted to you, and to which reference has been particularly made in this Epistle. The honor of the gospel, and the interests of religion, had been specially committed to him; and he was sacredly to guard this holy trust, and not suffer it to be wrested from him.

Avoiding profane and vain babblings – Greek, Profane, empty words. The reference is to such controversies and doctrines as tended only to produce strife, and were not adapted to promote the edification of the church; see the notes on 1Ti 1:4; 1Ti 4:7.

And oppositions of science falsely so called – Religion has nothing to fear from true science, and the minister of the gospel is not exhorted to dread that. Real science, in all its advances, contributes to the support of religion; and just in proportion as that is promoted will it be found to sustain the Bible, and to confirm the claims of religion to the faith of mankind. See this illustrated at length in Wisemans Lectures on the connection between science and religion. It is only false or pretended science that religion has to dread, and which the friend of Christianity is to avoid. The meaning here is, that Timothy was to avoid everything which falsely laid claim to being knowledge or science. There was much of this in the world at the time the apostle wrote; and this, more perhaps than anything else, has tended to corrupt true religion since.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

1Ti 6:20-21

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.

Peril and preservation

I. The peril against which the apostle warns Timothy was the intellectual pride and subtle speculation which, afterwards, in the second and third centuries, became formulated into a sort of philosophical system. It was then known as Gnosticism, because it exalted gnosis–knowledge–above faith, and was of a decidedly presumptuous and pragmatical tendency. The effect of such knowledge has ever been to cause men to err concerning the faith; to lose simplicity and devoutness; to wander into the pleasant meadows of Doubting Castle, till they are seized and imprisoned by Giant Despair; and unless they there learn to pray, and bethink them of the key of promise, they are left at last to fumble and stumble among the tombs. He who wandereth out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the dead.

II. Preservation from such peril is to be found in Gods answer to the prayer which Paul breathed over Timothy–Grace be with thee. We cannot by searching find out God. Intellectual acuteness has never yet succeeded in discovering Him. (A. Rowland, LL. B.)

The guarding of the deposit

What the deposit was, we may not doubt. It was the Christian faith, in its entirety and purity; and the contexts, in which the apostles repeated warning occurs, present to us the occasions which even then rendered it necessary. Profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called, were, even then, undermining the faith of their authors and of those who listened to them; and it was requisite that even one who had received from the lips of St. Paul himself the form of sound words, should be exhorted to hold it fast. But to us, at this far later stage of the Churchs history, the admonition comes fraught with many a lesson, to be drawn from the experience of the past, and also from the peculiar circumstances in which we find ourselves placed, by the providence of God, as members of the Church of England. The deposit of the faith may be regarded under a more simple or a more complex form. Any Christian man who can recite the Apostles Creed may be said to have the deposit of the faith stored in his memory; but how much more, pertaining to life and godliness, does he not require, both for the enlightening of his understanding, and for the guidance of his life? Brethren, do we consider as we ought the precious form in which the Christian faith has been delivered to us in our Book of Common Prayer? It has been recently affirmed by a distinguished Presbyterian, that the Church, if she would fulfil her mission, must avail herself of the riches which her children during all these ages have been gathering for her. Here is, indeed, the deposit of the faith, elucidated and interpreted in all its fulness. Learned and unlearned, the wayfaring man and little child, are here instructed, in respect of their manifold necessities and obligations, in respect of their diversified relations both to God and to man, what it is to believe the gospel of Christ. Again, there is a most important feature of our Church, in respect of which we must surely feel how urgent is the duty faithfully to guard the deposit which has been committed to our trust. We cannot but regard as a most signal instance of Gods wondrous working for us, the circumstance that He accorded to us the power, which many others did not possess, of retaining in its integrity the constitution of the Church as it has existed from apostolic times. Surely a thoughtful man must ask, with all reverence, why God thus dealt with us; nor will he permit himself to hold the gift in less esteem, because it was not vouchsafed to others. If it be indeed our duty to regard our ecclesiastical polity as a blessing which has been secured to us by the grace and favour of God–if, in this regard, we have indeed cause to say, The lines are fallen to us in pleasant places; yea, we have a goodly heritage–then let us be very careful never ourselves to speak or to act, never to lead others to speak or to act, in the spirit of those of whom we read, that they thought scorn of that pleasant land which God had given them. Again, if our Book of Common Prayer be indeed a precious treasure house in which is stored for our use the deposit of the Christian faith, must we not be very careful to guard it from neglect, to secure to it its due honour? Are we, then, as careful as we should be here? We cannot be guarding the deposit if we give, or teach others to give, a non-natural sense to the language of the Baptismal Office, of the Catechism, of the Office for the Administration of the Holy Communion, or of the Ordinal: we are not handing on, as faithful stewards, that which has been committed to our trust, except we give their full significance to the teaching of the Prayer Book, as well as to that of the Articles. Suffer me to mention another point, which is essential to the guarding of the deposit. A complaint is not unfrequently made of those who preach not Christ, but the Church. I do not deny that the want of a right understanding of Christian truth, and of a due feeling of its sacred character, may possibly lead to this monstrous result; but I would venture to remind you, that if we would guard the deposit faithfully, we must preach both Christ and His Church. It is, indeed, a fatal error not to hold the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and being knit together, increaseth with the increase of God; but it is also a most grievous error, so to hold the Head as to ignore the divinely appointed organization, through which, as the apostle assures us, the nourishment of the body is dispensed, and its unity and strength secured. We cannot speak faithfully of Christ the Vine, of Christ the Head, of Christ the chief Corner-Stone, without speaking also of that wondrous, spiritual structure, His gracious relation to which is marked by the many names of love and power which are assigned to Him in Holy Scripture. Some persons may be tempted not to guard the deposit in certain points, by the hope of conciliating those who are unhappily separated from us. They may desire to withdraw what others regard as unauthorized pretensions, and so to occupy a common ground with them. What, then, must be the necessary effect of their doing so, while the deposit, as enshrined in the formularies of our Church, remains what it is? They must deprive themselves of all excuse, before God and man, for using or assenting to those formularies. And, more than this, so far as their action is concerned, the Church becomes degraded into the most presumptuous and arrogant of sects, presuming, as she does from their point of view, to utter before God words of most awful and solemn import, to which her heart does not respond, and before men to make pretences and speak great swelling words of vanity, while she yet repudiates her title to any real distinction from other Christian bodies which put forward no such claims. If we will not guard the deposit which has been committed to our trust as a Church, we have no alternative but to renounce it openly and honestly, having first put to ourselves with all seriousness the momentous inquiry, Did that deposit come to us from the hand of God, or no? But whither will men turn, if they should unhappily resolve to forsake the historic Church of the past, which we are taught to believe and to confess, as retaining to the end of the world her imperishable continuity, marvellously as she may be taught to adapt herself to the needs of successive generations, and to the various characteristics of the nation of them that are saved, that shall walk in her light? Once more, let me present to you that which appears to many a further and most cogent reason for unflinching steadfastness and faithfulness to our high trust. I refer to the remarkable position in which the Church of England has stood ever since the Reformation, in respect of all other Christian bodies throughout the world; and more than ever at this day stands, by virtue of her own wide extension and of her intercommunion with other branches of the Church Catholic, holding the same faith and observing the same order with herself. If there be, says Bishop Lightfoot, any guiding hand in the progress of history, if there be any Supreme Providence in the control of events, if there be any Divine Presence and any Divine call–then the position of England, as the mother of so many colonies and dependencies, the heart and centre of the worlds commerce and manufacture, and the position of the English Church, standing midway between extremes in theological teaching and ecclesiastical order, point to the Church of this nation, with the very finger of God Himself, as called by Him to the lofty task of reconciling a distracted kingdom and healing the wounds of the nations. For the sake, then, of this inspiring hope, under the sense of this overwhelming responsibility, let us as members of that vast communion, whose worship ascends to God from well-nigh every portion of our globe, resolve by His help to guard the deposit which He has committed to our trust, and to stand still in the safe paths of duty and obedience, if haply our eyes or our childrens eyes may be blessed by seeing this great salvation of God. (G. Whittaker, M. A.)

Oppositions of science falsely so called.—

Science and theology

There is no more vital and anxious thought in the religious life of to-day than the supposed conflict between science and religion. In certain quarters it has come to be taken for granted, that reason is necessarily opposed to faith; that nature and her teachings, so far as they can be understood and interpreted, are in conflict with the teachings of revelation; and that scientific men and theologians are therefore arranged in two hostile armies, having nothing in common, and engaged in a struggle which must ultimately end in the destruction of the one or the other. The result is, that scientific men and investigations are denounced as sceptical enemies of religious truth; and the compliment is abundantly returned by insinuations of bigotry and intolerance, as essential characteristics of religious teachers. And, in the popular mind, there is a vague and uncertain dread that the faith is to be overthrown, and the verities to which it clings, and upon which it is founded, are to be evaporated into myths and superstitions, which must take their place amid the exploded falsehoods of a too credulous past. A calmer and more comprehensive view of the contest will, however, justify us in saying, that the fear of the Christian is unfounded, and the sneer of the sceptic undeserved; that the apparent conflict is only an apparent one; and that the antagonism finds its field in the want of harmony, not so much between the verities of science and religion, as between scientific hypotheses and religious opinions; and that between nature and revelation, when properly understood, there must be a substantial harmony, since God is the author of them both. The misunderstanding is not between the things themselves, but between the guesses of men who seek to be their priests and interpreters. For science is simply our knowledge of nature, its facts, and its laws; and religion is simply our knowledge of God, and of our relations to Him. And, as the facts of nature reveal themselves slowly and almost reluctantly in response to patient research and careful study, it is but natural that the investigations and conclusions of one age should differ from those of another; that the latest deductions of science to-day should contradict the theories of a century ago, and that, in turn, they should expect to be contradicted by the theories of a century hence. Meanwhile, what is true remains; and this process of investigation and refutation carried on by scientific men from age to age, is but the method by which the truth concerning nature is separated from the fancies of men; and its result is, not the survival of the fittest, but the survival of the true. And yet the truthfulness of the true does not depend upon its having been discovered and known by men. No line or word on the vast page of the universe is altered by the most careful scrutiny; it is only that these mysterious words are spelled out, and read with fewer errors than other scholars made who had gone before. So, also, in religion there are certain facts which constitute its basis, and which are proposed to our faith, not as theories or opinions, but as facts. And along with these, there are systems of opinion, the deductions of human reason from the Divine premises, but which, as human deductions, are liable to be erroneous and false. And yet these human systems are but the honest efforts of men to understand the accepted facts of revelation, and to apply them to the circumstances and needs of human life. Devout men of science will never be wanting to refute the flippant sneer which, in the name of science, invades a domain beyond its proper grasp; and earnest men of theology will ever be ready to expose and correct the errors of other theological systems. And so, in science and in religion, each has, within its own adherents and disciples, its mutual check and safeguard, by which the truth is preserved, and the fancies of men, when inconsistent with it, are exploded. But the trouble begins when scientific men attempt to teach theology, or theologians assume to teach science. For as there is nothing in the study of science which necessarily makes a man a theologian, the theological views of the scientist may not be worth so much as those of an unlettered but earnest Christian; for that value is determined, not by intellectual acquisition, but by a devout habit of mind and heart. And there is nothing in the study of theology which necessarily acquaints a man with what is known as scientific truth; and therefore the scientific views of a theologian are of small value, since they are not in the line of study or thought to which he naturally devotes himself. And so long as scientists attempt to teach theology, and theologians insist upon refuting what they choose to dignify by the name of science, so long there will be a terrible warfare of words; but it will not touch nor jeopardize for a moment the indestructible harmony between true science and true religion, between a right reason and a devout faith, between the broad page of nature, written by His own finger through the long processes of His own law, and the page of inspiration, written by the human amanuensis of His own Spirit. There is one point, however, in the universe, in which nature and revelation meet; one point in which the visible creation comes in contact with the invisible and supernatural forces which pervade the universe. That solitary point is the incarnation of the Son of God. In it nature and revelation mysteriously meet and harmonize; as by it this human nature of ours–the very crown and glory of the visible creation–is taken into union with God. Here the ultimate mystery of science and religion meet and harmonize and are at one; as by the incarnation the nature of man is allied to the throne of God in a union which can never be divorced, and which waits for its final epiphany for the manifestation of the sons of God. (W. A. Snively, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 20. O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust] This is another repetition of the apostolic charge. (See 1Ti 1:5; 1Ti 1:18-19; 1Ti 4:6-7; 1Ti 4:14-16; 1Ti 5:21; 1Ti 6:13.) Carefully preserve that doctrine which I have delivered to thee. Nothing can be more solemn and affectionate than this charge.

Avoiding profane and vain babblings] See note on 1Ti 1:4, and “1Ti 4:7“.

And oppositions of science falsely so called] And oppositions of knowledge falsely so named. Dr. Macknight’s note here is worthy of much attention: “In the enumeration of the different kinds of inspiration bestowed on the first preachers of the Gospel, 1Co 12:8, we find the word of knowledge mentioned; by which is meant that kind of inspiration which gave to the apostles and superior Christian prophets the knowledge of the true meaning of the Jewish Scriptures. This inspiration the false teachers pretending to possess, dignified their misinterpretations of the ancient Scriptures with the name of knowledge, that is, inspired knowledge; for so the word signifies, 1Co 14:6. And as by these interpretations they endeavoured to establish the efficacy of the Levitical atonements, the apostle very properly termed these interpretations oppositions of knowledge, because they were framed to establish doctrines opposite to, and subversive of, the Gospel. To destroy the credit of these teachers, he affirmed that the knowledge from which they proceeded was falsely called inspired knowledge; for they were not inspired with the knowledge of the meaning of the Scriptures, but only pretended to it.” Others think that the apostle has the Gnostics in view. But it is not clear that these heretics, or whatever they were, had any proper existence at this time. On the whole, Dr. Macknight’s interpretation seems to be the best.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust; either the doctrine of the gospel, which ministers ought to keep pure, and without mixture, or the ministerial office; be true and faithful in the discharge of it, preaching Christ and the doctrine of Christ.

Avoiding profane and vain babblings; avoid all impertinent discoursings under the notion of preaching, which in thy discharge of that work are the best of them but profane babblings.

And oppositions of science falsely so called; avoid also all idle speculations, and disputations, no way serving to the end of preaching, and falsely called science.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

20, 21. Recapitulatoryconclusion: the main aim of the whole Epistle being here summarilystated.

O Timothya personalappeal, marking at once his affection for Timothy, and his prescienceof the coming heresies.

keepfrom spiritualthieves, and from enemies who will, while men sleep, sow tares amidstthe good seed sown by the Son of man.

that which is committed tothy trustGreek, “the deposit” (1Ti 1:18;2Ti 1:12; 2Ti 1:14;2Ti 2:2). “The true“or “sound doctrine” to be taught, as opposed to “thescience falsely so called,” which leads to “errorconcerning the faith” (1Ti6:21). “It is not thine: it is another’s property with whichthou hast been entrusted: Diminish it not at all” [CHRYSOSTOM].”That which was entrusted to thee, not found by thee; which thouhast received, not invented; a matter not of genius, but of teaching;not of private usurpation, but of public tradition; a matter broughtto thee, not put forth by thee, in which thou oughtest to be not anenlarger, but a guardian; not an originator, but a disciple; notleading, but following. ‘Keep,’ saith he, ‘the deposit,’; preserveintact and inviolate the talent of the catholic faith. What has beenentrusted to thee, let that same remain with thee; let that same behanded down by thee. Gold thou hast received, gold return. I shouldbe sorry thou shouldest substitute aught else. I should be sorry thatfor gold thou shouldest substitute lead impudently, or brassfraudulently. I do not want the mere appearance of gold, but itsactual reality. Not that there is to be no progress in religion inChrist’s Church. Let there be so by all means, and the greatestprogress; but then let it be real progress, not a change of thefaith. Let the intelligence of the whole Church and its individualmembers increase exceedingly, provided it be only in its own kind,the doctrine being still the same. Let the religion of the soulresemble the growth of the body,which, though it develops its severalparts in the progress of years, yet remains the same as it wasessentially” [VINCENTIUSLIRINENSIS, A.D.434].

avoiding“turningaway from” (compare 2Ti 3:4).Even as they have “turned away from the truth” (1Ti 1:6;1Ti 5:15; 2Ti 4:4).

profane (1Ti 4:7;2Ti 2:16).

vainGreek,“empty”: mere “strifes of words,” 1Ti6:4, producing no moral fruit.

oppositionsdialecticantithesis of the false teachers [ALFORD].WIESINGER, not soprobably, “oppositions to the sound doctrine.” I think itlikely germs existed already of the heresy of dualistic oppositions,namely, between the good and evil principle, afterwards fullydeveloped in Gnosticism. Contrast Paul’s just antithesis (1Ti 3:16;1Ti 6:5; 1Ti 6:6;2Ti 2:15-23).

science falsely socalledwhere there is not faith, there is not knowledge[CHRYSOSTOM]. There wastrue “knowledge,” a special gift of the Spirit, which wasabused by some (1Co 8:1; 1Co 12:8;1Co 14:6). This gift was sooncounterfeited by false teachers arrogating to themselvespre-eminently the gift (Col 2:8;Col 2:18; Col 2:23).Hence arose the creeds of the Church, called symbols, that is,in Greek, “watchwords,” or a test whereby theorthodox might distinguish one another in opposition to theheretical. Perhaps here, 1Ti 6:20;2Ti 1:13; 2Ti 1:14,imply the existence of some such brief formula of doctrine thenexisting in the Church; if so, we see a good reason for its not beingwritten in Scripture, which is designed not to give dogmaticformularies, but to be the fountain whence all such formularies areto be drawn according to the exigencies of the several churches andages. Probably thus a portion of the so-called apostle’s creed mayhave had their sanction, and been preserved solely by tradition onthis account. “The creed, handed down from the apostles, is notwritten on paper and with ink, but on fleshy tables of the heart”JEROME [Against John ofJerusalem, 9]. Thus, in the creed, contrary to the “oppositions”(the germs of which probably existed in the Church in Paul’s latterdays) whereby the aeons were set off in pairs, God is statedto be “the Father Almighty,” or all-governing “makerof heaven and earth” [BISHOPHINDS].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Keep that which is committed to thy trust,…. That is, the Gospel, see 1Ti 1:11 which is a rich treasure put into earthen vessels, and ought to be kept pure and uncorrupt, and faithfully dispensed, and diligently preserved, that so it may be continued genuine and sincere, and not be either adulterated and depraved, or be taken away by false teachers. And it may also include his gifts for the ministration of it, which were to be kept in use, and stirred up, and not neglected, but cultivated and improved to the advantage of the church, and of the interest of Christ:

avoiding profane and vain babblings; about the law, and circumcision, and other things, which the false teachers insisted much on, and amused their hearers with; and which were vain, empty, useless, and unprofitable talk. Some copies, and so the Vulgate Latin version, read, “profane newnesses of words”; or new words, which ought not to be introduced, for they often bring in new doctrines: the form of sound words, the wholesome words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, should be held fast; and especially all new words should be avoided, which are contrary to them, or in the least weaken them, or detract from them.

And oppositions of science falsely so called; the false teachers boasted of their science and knowledge, but it was not true, solid, spiritual, and saving; it was not an experimental knowledge of the Gospel; it was not the excellent knowledge of Christ, which has eternal life connected with it; it was merely notional and speculative; it was idle, empty, and useless, mere Pagan philosophy, and vain deceit, upon which they formed antitheses, or oppositions and objections to the truths of the Gospel; and even opposed themselves, and the word of God, as well as the faithful ministers of it.

(Knowledge is not determined by a “show of hands”. Even though the majority of people believe something, that does not make it true. The majority today do not believe in Noah’s flood, 2Pe 3:4. It was so in Noah’s day also, but the unbelievers all drowned! Many fervently believe in evolution and try to compromise the scriptures with it. This verse stands as a stark warning to those who do not try everything through God’s Word. Isa 8:20 Editor.)

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Guard that which is committed unto thee ( ). “Keep (aorist of urgency) the deposit.” (from , to place beside as a deposit, 2Ti 2:2), a banking figure, common in the papyri in this sense for the Attic (Textus Receptus here, 2Tim 1:12; 2Tim 1:14). See substantive also in 2Tim 1:12; 2Tim 1:14.

Turning away from (). Present middle participle of , for which see 1Tim 1:6; 1Tim 5:15.

Babblings (). From , uttering emptiness. Late and rare compound, in N.T. only here and 2Ti 2:16.

Oppositions (). Old word (, ), antithesis, only here in N.T.

Of the knowledge which is falsely so called ( ). “Of the falsely named knowledge.” Old word (, ). Our “pseudonymous.” Only here in N.T.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

That which is committed to thy trust [ ] . Only in Pastorals. Comp. 2Ti 1:12, 14. From para beside or with, and tiqenai to Place. It may mean either something put beside another as an addition or appendix (so Mr 6:41; Act 16:34), or something put with or in the keeping of another as a trust or deposit. In the latter sense always in LXX See Lev 6:2, 4; Tob. 10 13; II Macc. 3 10, 15. Hdt 6 73, of giving hostages; 9 45, of confidential words intrusted to the hearer’s honor. The verb is a favorite with Luke. The meaning here is that teaching which Timothy had received from Paul; the “sound words” which he was to guard as a sacred trust, and communicate to others.

Vain babblings [] . Only in Pastorals. o LXX, o Class. From kenov empty and fwnh voice.

Oppositions of science falsely so called [ ] Better, oppositions of the falsely – named knowledge. Antiqesiv, N. T. o. o LXX Used here, in its simple sense, of the arguments and teachings of those who opposed the true Christian doctrine as intrusted to Timothy. Gnwsiv knowledge was the characteristic word of the Gnostic school, the most formidable enemy of the church of the second century. The Gnostics claimed a superior knowledge peculiar to an intellectual caste. According to them, it was by this philosopllic insight, as opposed to faith, that humanity was to be regenerated. faith was suited only to the rude masses, the animal – men. The intellectual questions which occupied these teachers were two : to explain the work of creation, and to account for the existence of evil. Theil ethical problem was how to develop the higher nature in the environment of matter which was essentially evil. In morals they ran to two opposite extremes – asceticism and licentiousness. The principal representatives of the school were Basilides, Valentinus, and Marcion. Although Gnosticism as a distinct system did not reach its full development until about the middle of the second century, foreshadowings of it appear in the heresy at which Paul ‘s Colossian letter was aimed. It is not strange if we find in the Pastoral Epistles allusions pointing to Cxnostic errors; but, as already remarked, it is impossible to refer these allusions to any one definite system of error. The word gnwsiv cannot therefore be interpreted to mean the Gnostic system; while it may properly be understood as referring to that conceit of knowledge which opposed itself to the Christian faith. Yeudwnumov falsely – named, N. T. o. o LXX It characterises the gnwsiv as claiming that name without warrant, and as being mere vain babbling. Comp. Col 2:8.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “O Timothy” (ho Timothee) “O Timothy,” an apostrophe of grammatical nature, addressing an absent person as if he were present, an intense personal appeal, as in 1Ti 1:18.

2) “Keep that which is committed to thy trust” (ten paratheken phulakson) “Keep or guard that which is deposited with thee.” Guard the deposit of sound doctrine you are to teach. It is practically identical with his charge, 1Ti 1:5; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 1:12-14; Col 4:17.

3) “Avoiding profane and vain babblings” (ektrepomenos tas bebelous kenophonias) “Turning aside from profane (and) empty utterances,” or turning away from puerile and profitless intellectual quibbling and subtleties, waste of time and moral powers, Tit 1:14.

4) “And oppositions of science falsely so called” (kai antitheseis tes pseudonumou gnoseos) “And opposing or standing against falsely named knowledge,” or “science so-called,” pseudo-science. 2Ti 2:14; Tit 1:9; 1Pe 3:15.

SCIENCE

The science which is most necessary for us to learn is how to preserve ourselves from the contagion of bad example.

-Xenophon

HEAD AND HEART KNOWLEDGE

Head knowledge is our own, and one can polish only the outside; heart knowledge is the Spirit’s work, and makes all glorious within.

–Adam

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

20 O Timothy, guard that which is committed, to thee Though interpreters differ in expounding παραθήκην, a thing committed, yet, for my part, I think that it denotes that grace which had been communicated to Timothy for the discharge of his office. It is called “a thing committed,” for the same reason that it is called (Mat 25:15,) “a talent;” for all the gifts which God bestows on us are committed to us on this condition, that we shall one day give an account of them, if the advantage which they ought to have yielded be not lost through our negligence. The Apostle therefore exhorts him to keep diligently what had been given to him, or rather, what had been committed to him in trust; that he may not suffer it to be corrupted or adulterated, or may not deprive or rob himself of it through his own fault. It frequently happens that our ingratitude or abuse of the gifts of God causes them to be taken from us; and therefore Paul exhorts Timothy to endeavor to preserve, by a good conscience and by proper use, that which had been “committed” to him.

Avoiding profane vanities of noises The object of the admonition is, that he may be diligent in imparting solid instruction; and this cannot be, unless he detest ostentation; for, where an ambitious desire to please prevails, there is no longer any strong desire of edification. For this reason, when he spoke of “guarding the thing committed,” he very appropriately added this caution about avoiding profane talkativeness. As to the rendering which the Vulgate gives to κενοφωςίας, “ vanities of voices,” I do not so much object to it, except on the ground of an ambiguity which has led to a wrong exposition; for “ Voces “ is commonly supposed to have the same meaning here as “ Vocabula,” “Words,” such as Fate or Fortune.

But, for my part, I think that he describes the high-sounding and verbose and bombastic style of those who, not content with the simplicity of the gospel, turn it into profane philosophy.

The κενοφωβίαι (134) consist, not in single words, but in that swelling language which is so constantly and so disgustingly poured out by ambitious men, who aim at applause rather than the profit of the Church. And most accurately has Paul described it; for, while there is a strange sound of something lofty, there is nothing underneath but “empty” jingle, which he likewise calls “profane;” for the power of the Spirit is extinguished as soon as the Doctors blow their flutes in this manner, to display their eloquence.

In the face of a prohibition so clear and distinct, which the Holy Spirit has given, this plague has nevertheless broken out; and, indeed, it showed itself at the very beginning, but, at length, has grown to such a height in Popery, that the counterfeit mark of theology which prevails there — is a lively mirror of that “profane” and “empty noise” of which Paul speaks. I say nothing about the innumerable errors and follies and blasphemies with which their books and their noisy disputes abound. But even although they taught nothing that was contrary to godliness, yet, because their whole doctrine contains nothing else than big words and bombast, because it is inconsistent with the majesty of Scripture, the efficacy of the Spirit, the gravity of the prophets, and the sincerity of the apostles, it is, on that account, an absolute profanation of real theology.

What, I ask, do they teach about faith, or repentance, or calling on God; about the weakness of men, or the assistance of the Holy Spirit, or the forgiveness of sins by free grace, or about the office of Christ, that can be of any avail for the solid edification of godliness? But on this subject we shall have occasion to speak again in expounding the Second Epistle. Undoubtedly, any person who possesses a moderate share of understanding and of candor; will acknowledge that all the high-sounding terms of Popish Theology, and all the authoritative decisions that make so much noise in their schools, are nothing else than “profane κενοφωνίαι, ” (empty words,) and that it is impossible to find more accurate terms for describing them than those which the Apostle has employed. And certainly it is a most righteous punishment of human arrogance, that they who swerve from the purity of Scripture become profane. The doctors of the Church, therefore, cannot be too earnestly attentive to guard against such corruptions, and to defend the youth from them.

The old translation, adopting the reading of καινοφωνίας instead of κενοφωνίας, rendered it novelties of words; and it is evident from the commentaries of the ancients, that this rendering, which is even now found in some Greek copies, was at one time extensively approved; but the former, which I have followed, is far better.

And contradictions of science falsely so called This also is highly exact and elegant; for so swollen are the subtleties on which men desirous of glory plume themselves, that they overwhelm the real doctrine of the gospel, which is simple and unpretending. That pomp, therefore, which courts display, and which is received with applause by the world, is called by the Apostle “contradictions.” Ambition, indeed, is always contentious, and is the mother of disputes; and hence it arises that they who are desirous to display themselves are always ready to enter into the arena of debate on any subject. But Paul had this principally in view, that the empty doctrine of the sophists, rising aloft into airy speculations and subtleties, not only obscures by its pretensions the simplicity of true doctrine, but also oppresses and renders it contemptible, as the world is usually carried away by outward show.

Paul does not mean that Timothy should be moved by emulation to attempt something of the same kind, but, because those things which have an appearance of subtlety, or are adapted to ostentation, are more agreeable to human curiosity, Paul, on the contrary, pronounces that “science” which exalts itself above the plain and humble doctrine of godliness — to be falsely called and thought a science. This ought to be carefully observed, that we may learn boldly to laugh at and despise all that hypocritical wisdom which strikes the world with admiration and amazement, although there is no edification in it; for, according to Paul, no science is truly and justly so called but that which instruct us in the confidence and fear of God; that is, in godliness.

(134) Κενοφωνίαι, derived from κενός, “empty,” and φωνὴ, “a voice,” literally signifies “empty voices” or “words.” — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

1Ti. 6:20. Keep that which is committed to thy trust.Lit. guard the deposit. As St. Paul was entrusted with the care of all the Churches, so is Timothy with this particular one. Avoiding profane and vain babblings.Full of sound signifying nothing. Science falsely so called.Knowledge that deserved the name was no object of the apostles contempt or indifference, but this pseudonymous gnosis excites his scorn.

1Ti. 6:21. Have erred.The same word as in 1Ti. 1:6. There it is translated swerved. Grace be with thee.The most contracted form of the apostolic formula of benediction.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.1Ti. 6:20-21

The Gospel a Sacred Trust

I. To be preserved and handed on inviolate.O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust (1Ti. 6:20). The apostle returns again, and for the last time before concluding his epistle, to the subject uppermost in his mind, and reiterates the solemn charge to fidelity. He makes a touching and impressive personal appeal, indicating his affection for Timothy, and his fears of approaching corruptions. O Timothy, keep the truth; guard it from spiritual thieves, and from the subtle infusion of errors which its enemies are industriously generating. It is not thine but anothers property with which thou hast been entrusted: diminish it not at all.

II. Not to be degraded by profitless and ignorant controversies.Avoid profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called (1Ti. 6:20). The gospel is a Divine revelation, not to be criticised, but believed. To attempt to improve it is to spoil it. It is not the child of reason, but the guide and regulator of reason; it is not contrary to reason, though it is above it. If the gospel rested on human philosophy and a false science, it would be utterly unreliable, and its preaching a tissue of vain babblings. The true science is the evolution of Christian faith; all else is counterfeit. The knowledge of the gospel, communicated by the Spirit, is superior to all human science and philosophy. The germ of the Gnostic heresy of the dual principles of good and evil was beginning to sprout, and soon after developed into oppositions of science falsely so called.

III. To mix human errors with the gospel is to mistake its spirit and drift.Which some professing have erred concerning the faith (1Ti. 6:21). Vincentius Lirinensis, in the first half of the fifth century, thus comments on these verses: That which was entrusted to thee, not found by theewhich thou hast received, not invented; a matter not of genius but of teaching, not of private usurpation but of public tradition; a matter brought to thee, not put forth by thee, in which thou oughtest to be not an enlarger but a guardian, not an originator but a disciple, not leading but following. Keep the deposit; preserve intact and inviolate the talent of the catholic faith. What has been entrusted to thee, let that same remain with thee; let that same be handed down by thee. Gold thou hast received; gold return. I should be sorry thou shouldest substitute ought else. I do not want the mere appearance of gold, but its actual reality. Not that there is to be no progress in religion in Christs Church. Let there be so by all means, and the greatest progress; but then let it be real progress, not a change of the faith. Let the intelligence of the whole Church and its individual members increase exceedingly, provided it be only in its own kind, the doctrine being still the same. Let the religion of the soul resemble the growth of the body, which, though it develops its several parts in the progress of years, yet remains the same as it was essentially.

IV. The grace of God the best preservative from error.Grace be with thee. Amen (1Ti. 6:21). The grace of God reveals the truth, communicates the truth, suffuses every power and faculty of the soul which embraces the truth, and is the influence that keeps the truth pure and vitally operative in the Christian life. The grace that bestows the truth can alone keep it. The grace of God makes us what we are, and must make us what we ought to be.

Lessons.

1. The gospel that saves us can save others.

2. We receive the gospel not only for ourselves, but in trust for others.

3. To depend on human reason for salvation is to be lost.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

1Ti. 6:20-21. Science in its Relation to the Christian Faith.

I. Scientific study may be abused to mischievous results.

II. Has a tendency to bring the mind into collision with a number of religious difficulties.

III. May possibly tempt the mind to regard God as the law of the universe rather than as the one Divine Person from whom all law proceeds.

IV. The tone of mind fostered by such a study is a preservative against religious instability.

V. The true tendency of such a study is to lead men to Christ.

VI. Christ is the answer to questions which science cannot answer.Harvey Goodwin.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

(20) O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.More literally and better rendered, O Timothy, keep the trust committed to thee. It is a beautiful thought which sees in these few earnest closing words the very handwriting of the worn and aged Apostle St. Paul. The Epistle, no doubt dictated by the old man, was in the handwriting of some friend of St. Paul and the Church, who acted as his scribe; but, as seems to have been sometimes his habit (see especially the closing words of the Galatian Letter), the last pleading reminder was added by the hand of the Apostle himself. O Timothyhe writes now no longer addressing church or pastor, but his own favourite friend and pupil, the loved heir of his God-inspired traditions and maxims, which so faithfully represented the doctrine and teaching of Jesus of NazarethO Timothy, keep the sacred trust committed to thy charge.

This sacred trust, so solemnly committed as the parting charge to Timothy, was the doctrine delivered by St. Paul to him to preach, the central point of which, we know from the Apostles other writings, was the teaching respecting the atonement and the precious blood of Christ. There is a beautiful, though somewhat lengthened, paraphrase of the Trust in the Commonitorium of Vincentius Lirinensis, composed about A.D. 430. What is meant, he asks, by keep the trust? The disciple of St. Paul must keep the sound doctrine of his master safe from robbers and foes. . . . What is meant by the trust? Something intrusted to you to keepnot a possession you have discovered for yourself; something you have received from anothernot what you have thought out for yourself . . . of this trust, remember, you are nothing but the guardian. . . . What, then, is the meaning of keep the trust? It is surely nothing else than guard the treasure of the Catholic faith. . . . Gold have you received; see that you hand gold on to others.

Is there, then, asks this same wise writer to be no progress, no development in religious teaching? Yes, he answers; there should be a real progress, a marked development, but it must partake of the nature of a progress, not of a change. . . . Let religion in the soul follow the example of the growth of the various members which compose the body, and which, as years roll on, become ever stronger and more perfect, but which, notwithstanding their growth and developed beauty, always remain the same.

Avoiding profane and vain babblings.The Apostle has before in this Epistle warned Timothy against these useless, profitless discussions. Anything like theological controversy and discussion seems to. have been distasteful to St. Paul, as tending to augment dissension and hatred, and to exalt into an undue prominence mere words and phrases.

Oppositions of science falsely so called.Rather, of knowledge falsely so called. These oppositions have been supposed by some to be a special allusion to some of the Gnostic theories of the opposition between the Law and the Gospel, of which peculiar school, later, Marcion was the great teacher. It is hardly likely that any definite Gnostic teaching had as yet been heard in Ephesus, but there is little doubt that the seeds of much of the Gnosticism of the next century werewhen St. Paul wrote to Timothybeing then sown in some of the Jewish schools of Ephesus and the neighbouring cities. (Comp. the allusions to these Jewish and cabalistic schools in St. Pauls letter to the Colossian Church.) The oppositions here may be understood as referring generally to the theories of the false teachers, who were undermining the doctrine of St. Paul as taught by Timothy.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

20. O Timothy The final, most personal, most earnest address of all.

That which is committed to thy trust In Greek, a single word, the deposit, the intrusted thing. The duties in this epistle commended to him; his care of his own salvation and that of his hearers; his rebuke of errorists and firm maintenance of Christ’s gospel, through the apostle intrusted to him.

Vain babblings Rather, the profane empty-talkings. See note on 1Ti 1:6.

Oppositions of science A remarkable phrase. Literally, antitheses of gnosis. And gnosis (identical with the English word knowledge) is the word from which subsequently the Gnostics derived their proud title. Note, Act 11:19. The word gnosis was for a while in good repute in the Church, (used Luk 1:77; Rom 2:20; Rom 11:13; and elsewhere,) embracing the settled truths of the gospel. But as used by the Corinthians, 1Co 8:1, (where see notes,) it is apparently treated sarcastically by St. Paul, as it is here reprehendingly. As the Corinthian gnosis was a little pretentious, so this gnosis, being further advanced, is absolutely fictitious, being falsely so called. It had already begun to indicate that arrogance, based upon purely imaginary superiority, by which the Gnostics of the next century were distinguished. Note on 2Th 2:7. What the oppositions, antitheses, were, is not clear. They may have been the points opposed to the gospel. More probably they were counter propositions, balances of phrases, within the gnosis itself. One is reminded of the antinomies in the Kant philosophy; consisting of a series of coupled prepositions seen by the mind to contradict each other, yet both sides of the contradiction seeming, and claimed by the philosophy, to be true.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘O Timothy, guard what is committed to you, turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called,’

‘O Timothy.’ Note the heartfelt cry. He wants Timothy to recognise the depths of his concern. The name Timothy means ‘honourer of God’, and that is what Timothy has to do.

‘Guard what is committed to you (‘has been deposited with you’).’ The Gospel was seen as a ‘deposit’ (the true riches), and as committed to God’s people as something that had faithfully to be handed down. Compare where Paul says, ‘For  I delivered to you what I first of all received, how Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, (compare ‘before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession’ (1Ti 6:13), ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ (1Ti 1:15)) and that He was buried, and that He was raised again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.’ Thus it is stressed that it is ‘according to the Scriptures’. That is how it was originally handed down. And His death for our sins, genuine burial, and resurrection are the central planks of the truth that God became man and died and rose again so that He might be the Mediator between man and God (1Ti 2:5-6). This truth had been handed down in the Scriptures, and by the Apostles, and it was to be faithfully guarded (compare 1Ti 5:21 ‘I charge you — guard these things’, where the same word is used). This is the true Apostolic Succession. It is the truth passed on in the New Testament, the new Scriptures.

‘Turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions (antitheses – counter-affirmations as men vied with each other, or contradictory elements in the world) of the knowledge which is falsely so called.’ Man’s wisdom screams at the world from every angle but is full of contradictions. And when it comes to talking about God it is ‘vain babbling’, it is an opposition which claims to have ‘knowledge’ (all cults claim special knowledge and add to the Scriptures) but is not true knowledge. For the true knowledge see 1Ti 2:4-6, for in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

But Above All Timothy Must Guard The Truth That Has Been Committed To Him, Turning Away From All The Philosophical Babblings Of Men ( 1Ti 6:20-21 ).

Having commenced the letter with the need to deal with the false teachers, Paul now ends it in the same way. What is of more importance than anything else is the preservation of the truth, and it is that which has been committed to Timothy. He must guard it with his whole being. And in order to do that he must turn away from all men’s babbling, and all that men see as ‘knowledge’ (gnosis), things which have caused other to go astray.

Analysis.

O Timothy, guard what is committed to you (1Ti 6:20 a).

Turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called (1Ti 6:20 b).

Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you (plural) (1Ti 6:21).

Note that Timothy is to guard what has been committed to him so that he might not err from God’s ways, and in the parallel he speaks of others who have erred from God’s ways because they have not guarded the truth. Thus centrally he must avoid their babblings and claims to knowledge which are not really so.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Closing Charge 1Ti 6:20-21 contains Paul’s conclusion to his letter to Timothy by giving him a closing charge to be faithful to everything that he has been entrusted with. Paul’s opening charge for Timothy was to teach sound doctrine (1Ti 1:3-20) that establishes the pure faith within the lives of the congregation, and failure to do this causes many to err from the true faith of the Christian life (1Ti 6:20-21).

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

1Ti 6:21  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

1Ti 6:21 “Grace be with thee” – In 1Ti 6:21 Paul basically commends them into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, in much the same way that he did in the book of Acts. We find this statement at the end of all of Paul’s epistles.

Act 14:23, “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

Act 20:32, “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

In a similar way that the early apostles were instructed by Jesus to let their peace come upon the home of their host (Mat 10:13), so did Paul the apostle open every one of his thirteen New Testament epistles with a blessing of God’s peace and grace upon his readers. Mat 10:13 shows that you can bless a house by speaking God’s peace upon it.

Mat 10:13, “And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.”

This practice of speaking blessings upon God’s children may have its roots in the Priestly blessing of Num 6:22-27, where God instructed Moses to have the priests speak a blessing upon the children of Israel. Now Paul closes his first epistle Timothy by restating the blessing that he opened his epistle with in 1Ti 1:2.

1Ti 6:21 “Amen” Comments – In the Textus Receptus the word “Amen” is attached to the end of all thirteen of Paul’s epistles, as well as to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and to the General Epistles of Hebrews , 1, 2 Peter , 1, 2 John, and to the book of Revelation. However, because “Amen” is not supported in more ancient manuscripts many scholars believe that this word is a later liturgical addition. For example, these Pauline benedictions could have been used by the early churches with the added “Amen.”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

1Ti 6:20-21 . Final exhortation and benediction to Timothy. The apostle begins fervently and impressively with: (Matthies).

] comp. 2Ti 1:12 ; 2Ti 1:14 ; is a “possession entrusted;” Paul does not say what kind of possession. Even in these parallel passages a more precise definition is not given, except that at 1Ti 6:12 he denotes by that it is entrusted to him, and in 1Ti 6:14 adds the adjective . In any case there is meant by it here a gift entrusted to Timothy by God, which gift he is to preserve ( ) from every hurt. As the apostle puts its preservation ( ) in close connection with the of the heretics, we may understand by it either Timothy’s (de Wette, Otto), or the gospel, “sound doctrine” (Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Hofmann).

As the chief purpose of the epistle is to instruct Timothy regarding his conduct in the ministry committed to him, it seems right to understand by a possession entrusted, not to all Christians, but to Timothy in particular. Thus in spite of the absence of the first view deserves the preference, all the more that in the other passages quoted this meaning of the word is the most suitable. The next word, , shows that Timothy would injure his office by entering upon the . Plitt arbitrarily takes as equivalent to “eternal life.”

] , properly: “turn away from anything;” then with the accusative (as in 2Ti 3:5 : ): “ avoid ,” synonymous with .

] synonymous with , 1Ti 1:6 ; comp. 2Ti 2:16 : “ empty talk without anything in it .”

This talk is still more precisely defined by the next words: ] It is to be observed that is closely connected with the previous , the article belonging to both words and the genitive . referring to both alike. Hence must here express some thought corresponding with . It is not therefore advisable to understand by it in general terms “the statutes of the heretics against the gospel” (Matthies, Wiesinger), or “the controversial theses of the heretics directed against the gospel” (so before in this commentary [210] ); it is much more correct to understand it of the theses which the heretics sought to maintain against one another (Hofmann). Thus understood, the word corresponds to in 1Ti 6:4 . It is possible that these had the character of dialectic proofs (Conybeare and Howson, quoted in van Oosterzee), but the word itself does not show this. Baur’s assertion is purely arbitrary, that the contrariae oppositiones are here meant which Marcion exerted himself to establish between the law and the gospel.

] The expression is easily explained by the fact that the heretics boasted of possessing a knowledge, a (Col 2:8 ), in which there was a more perfect science of divine things than that presented by the gospel.

Paul was also acquainted with a , which, however, was rooted in faith, and was effected by the . But the of the heretics did not deserve this name, and hence Paul called it (occurring only here in the N. T.); on which Chrysostom aptly remarks: , . Baur, without just ground, seeks to draw from the use of this word a proof for his hypothesis that the epistle was composed at the date of the heresy of Marcion. 1Ti 6:21 . ] stands here in the same sense as in 1Ti 2:10 ; Luther inexactly: “which some allege.”

] The same construction in 2Ti 2:18 ; with the genitive, 1Ti 1:6 . The . . includes (comp. 1Ti 1:6 ) the . , “erring in regard to the faith.” This Wiesinger wrongly denies, with the remark that “the apostle did not consider the mere occupation with such things to be apostasy, but only a possible occasion for apostasy. [211] . manifestly denotes more than merely being occupied with a thing. By here, as in 1Ti 1:3 ; 1Ti 1:6 (1Ti 6:3 ), we must understand the heretics.

[210] Against these explanations there is also the relative clause . . . attached to , since, of course, the followers of a containing anti-evangelic doctrines had departed from the faith.

[211] Hofmann, coinciding with Wiesinger’s view, says: “The occupation with that which claimed, but did not deserve, the name of science, brought them unawares on the wrong track;” but the “unawares” is purely imported into the verse.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

Ver. 20. That which is, &c. ] viz. The treasure of true doctrine, esteeming every particle of it precious, as the filings of gold.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

20, 21 .] CONCLUDING EXHORTATION TO TIMOTHEUS. O Timotheus (this personal address comes with great weight and solemnity: ‘appellat familiariter ut filium, cum gravitate et amore,’ Beng.), keep the deposit (entrusted to thee: reff. 2 Tim. ( , Chrys. I cannot forbear transcribing from Mack and Wiesinger the very beautiful comment of Vincentius Lirinensis in his Commonitorium (A.D. 434), 22 f. p. 667 f.: “O Timothee, inquit, depositum custodi, devitans profanas vocum novitates (reading see var. readd.). ‘O!’ exclamatio ista et prscienti est pariter et caritatis. Prvidebat enim futuros, quos etiam prdolebat, errores. Quid est ‘depositum custodi?’ Custodi, inquit, propter fures, propter inimicos, ne dormientibus hominibus superseminent zizania super illud tritici bonum semen quod seminaverat filius hominis in agro suo. ‘Depositum,’ inquit, ‘custodi.’ Quid est ‘depositum?’ id est quod tibi creditum est, non quod a te inventum: quod accepisti, non quod excogitasti: rem non ingenii sed doctrin, non usurpationis privat sed public traditionis: rem ad te perductam, non a te prolatam, in qua non auctor debes esse sed custos, non institutor sed sectator, non ducens sed sequens. ‘Depositum,’ inquit, ‘custodi:’ catholic fidei talentum inviolatum illibatumque conserva. Quod tibi creditum est, hoc penes te maneat, hoc a te tradatur. Aurum accepisti, aurum redde. Nolo mihi pro aliis alia subjicias, nolo pro auro aut impudenter plumbum, aut fraudulenter ramenta supponas: nolo auri speciem, sed naturam plane Sed forsitan dicit aliquis: nullusne ergo in ecclesia Christi profectus habebitur religionis? Habeatur plane, et maximus sed ita tamen, ut vere profectus sit ille fidei, non permutatio. Siquidem ad profectionem pertinet, ut in semetipsa unaquque res amplificetur, ad permutationem vero, ut aliquid ex alio in aliud transvertatur. Crescat igitur oportet et multum vehementerque proficiat tam singulorum quam omnium, tam unius hominis quam totius ecclesi tatum et seculorum gradibus, intelligentia, scientia, sapientia: sed in suo duntaxat genere, in eodem scilicet dogmate, eodem sensu, eademque sententia. Imitetur animarum religio rationem corporum, qu licet annorum processu numeros suos evolvant et explicent, eadem tamen qu erant permanent ”), viz., the sound doctrine which thou art to teach in thy ministry in the Lord, cf. Col 4:17 . This is the most probable explanation. Some regard it as the above, 1Ti 6:14 ; some as meaning the grace given to him for his office, or for his own spiritual life: but ch. 1Ti 1:18 , compared with 2Ti 2:2 , seems to fix the meaning as above. Herodotus has a very similar use of the word, ix. 45, , . And with this the following agrees: for it is against false doctrine that the Apostle cautions him), turning away from (cf. , 2Ti 3:5 ) the profane babblings (empty discourses: so also 2Ti 2:16 ) and oppositions (apparently, dialectic antitheses and niceties of the false teachers. The interpretations have been very various: Chrys. says, ; , , . , ; understanding by ., sayings of theirs opposed to this teaching. But this can hardly be. Grot., ‘nam ipsi inter se pugnabant:’ but this is as unlikely. Pelag., Luth., al., understand ‘disputations:’ Mosheim, the dualistic oppositions in the heretical systems: Mack, the contradictions which the heretics try to establish between the various doctrines of orthodoxy: Baur, the oppositions between the Gospel and the law maintained by Marcion. On this latter hypothesis, see Prolegomena. There would be no objection philologically to understanding ‘propositions opposed to thee;’ and , cf. 2Ti 2:25 , would seem to bear out such meaning: but seeing that it is coupled with , it is much more probably something entirely subjective to the ) of that which is falsely-named ( , . Chrys.) knowledge (the true , being one of the greatest gifts of the Spirit to the Church, was soon counterfeited by various systems of hybrid theology, calling themselves by this honoured name. In the Apostle’s time, the misnomer was already current: but we are not therefore justified in assuming that it had received so definite an application, as afterwards it did to the various forms of Gnostic heresy. All that we can hence gather is, that the true spiritual of the Christian was already being counterfeited by persons bearing the characteristics noticed in this Epistle. Whether these were the Gnostics themselves, or their precursors, we have examined in the Prolegomena to the Pastoral Epistles),

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

1Ti 6:20 . As Ell. points out, this concluding apostrophe, like the last paragraph in 2 Cor. (2Co 13:11 sqq ,), is a summary of the whole epistle.

On the intensity of the appeal in the use of the personal name see on 1Ti 1:18 .

: depositum . The term occurs in a similar connexion with , 2Ti 1:14 , and also in 2Ti 1:12 , where see note. Here, and in 2Ti 1:14 . it means, as Chrys. explains, , ; so Vincent of Lerins, from whose Commonitorium (c. 22) Alf. quotes. “Quid est depositum ? id est. quod tibi creditum est, non quod a te inventum; quod accepisti, non quod excogitasti; rem non ingenii, sed doctrinae; non usurpationis privatae, sed publicae traditionis catholicae fidei talentum inviolatum illibatumque conserva. Aurum accepisti, aurum redde: nolo mihi pro aliis alia subjicias: nolo pro auro aut impudenter plumbum, aut fraudulenter aeramenta supponas.” That the “deposit” is practically identical with the “charge,” ch. 1Ti 1:5 ; 1Ti 1:18 , “the sound doctrine,” 1Ti 1:10 , “the commandment,” 1Ti 6:14 , is indicated by the use of the cognate verb in 1Ti 1:18 , 2Ti 2:2 , and the correlative , Col 4:17 , and even more by the contrast here between it and “the knowledge falsely so called”.

: turning away from, devitans .

: In 2Ti 2:16 the Vulg. has vaniloquia . The rendering vocum novitates found here in Vulg. and O.L. represents the variant . The term does not differ much from , 1Ti 1:6 , which is also rendered vaniloquium .

: In face of the general anarthrous character of the Greek of these epistles it is not certain that the absence of an article before . proves that it is qualified by . The meaning of . is partly fixed by , to which it is in some sort an explanatory appendix; but it must finally depend upon the signification we attach to . The epithet . is sufficient to prove that was specially claimed by the heretics whom St. Paul has in his mind. That it should be so is in harmony with the other notices which we find in these epistles suggestive of a puerile and profitless intellectual subtlety, as opposed to the practical moral character of Christianity. We are reminded of the contrast in 1Co 8:1 , “Knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up”. Hort ( Judaistic Christianity , p. 139 sqq .) proves that here and elsewhere in N.T. (Luk 11:52 ; Rom 2:20 sq .) refers to the special lore of those who interpreted mystically the O.T., especially the Law. Knowledge which is merely theoretical, the knowledge of God professed by those who “by their works deny Him” (Tit 1:16 ), is not real knowledge. The then of this spurious knowledge would be the dialectical distinctions and niceties of the false teachers. Perhaps inconsistencies is what is meant. For an example of in this sense, see Moulton and Milligan, Expositor , vii., 6:275. Something more definite than ( a ) oppositions, i.e., objections of opponents (so Chrys. Theoph. and von Soden, who compares , 2Ti 2:25 ) is implied; but certainly not ( b ) the formal categorical oppositions between the Law and the Gospel alleged by Marcion.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Ti 6:20-21

20O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” 21which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.

1Ti 6:20-21 These closing verses (also possibly 1Ti 6:17-19) may have been hand written by Paul himself to authenticate the letter (cf. 2Th 3:17-18).

1Ti 6:20 “guard what has been entrusted to you” The verb is an aorist active imperative. The term “entrusted” is related to the banking term for “deposit,” which is used three times in the Pastoral Letters for “the gospel” (cf. 1Ti 1:11, see full note at 1Ti 1:18) or the body of Christian truth (cf. Act 6:7; Act 13:8; Act 14:22; Gal 1:23; Gal 3:23; Gal 6:10; Php 1:27; Jud 1:3; Jud 1:20). Believers are stewards of the gospel (cf. 1Co 4:1-2; 2Ti 1:12; 2Ti 1:14).

“avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called knowledge” “Avoiding” is a present middle participle used as an imperative. 1 Timothy is a letter primarily about heresy, not church organization. The guidelines in the book are directly related to the problems caused by the false teachers, not necessarily universal guidelines for all churches of all times in all places.

“knowledge” The false teachers in the Pastoral Letters are a combination of “Jewish legalists” and Greek Gnostics (much like those in Colossians and Ephesians). “Knowledge,” usually secret or specially revealed knowledge, was the claim of these teachers. These false teachers separated truth from life, justification from sanctification, and turned salvation into a secret, special knowledge divorced from godliness.

1Ti 6:21

NASB”which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith”

NKJV”by professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith”

NRSV”by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith”

TEV”for some have claimed to possess it, and as a result they have lost the way of faith”

NJB”by adopting this, some have missed the goal of faith”

This same word is used in 1Ti 1:6 to describe the false teachers; also notice 1Ti 1:19; 1Ti 4:1-2; 1Ti 5:15; 1Ti 6:10. There are so many strong warnings in this book!

Remember Christianity is (1) a person to be welcomed; (2) doctrine to be believed; and (3) a corresponding life to be lived! If any one of these is de-emphasized or left out, then tremendous problems occur (cf. Mat 7:21-27).

“Grace be with you” The “you” is plural (MS D). This shows that the letter, although addressed to an individual (singular “you” in MSS , A, F, G), was to be read publicly. Notice Paul prays for them God’s grace and true knowledge (cf. 1Ti 6:20)! This same plural ending is in all the Pastoral Letters (cf. 2Ti 4:22; Tit 3:15).

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

keep = guard, as in 1Ti 5:21 (observe). Compare 2Ti 1:12, 2Ti 1:14.

that . . . trust. Greek. parakalatheke. Only here and 2Ti 1:14. But the texts read paratheke in both places, thus agreeing with 2Ti 1:14. Both words mean “deposit”. The deposit entrusted to Timothy was the teaching regarding the Mystery (1Ti 3:16).

avoiding = turning aside from. See 1Ti 1:5; 1Ti 1:10.

profane. Greek. bebelos. See 1Ti 1:9.

and. Omit.

vain babblings. Greek. kenophdnirs. Only here and 2Ti 2:16.

oppositions. Greek. antithesis. Only here.

science. App-132.

falsely so called. Greek. pseudonumos. Only here. There is much science (knowledge) which does not deserve the name, being only speculation.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

20, 21.] CONCLUDING EXHORTATION TO TIMOTHEUS. O Timotheus (this personal address comes with great weight and solemnity: appellat familiariter ut filium, cum gravitate et amore, Beng.), keep the deposit (entrusted to thee: reff. 2 Tim. ( , Chrys. I cannot forbear transcribing from Mack and Wiesinger the very beautiful comment of Vincentius Lirinensis in his Commonitorium (A.D. 434), 22 f. p. 667 f.: O Timothee, inquit, depositum custodi, devitans profanas vocum novitates (reading -see var. readd.). O! exclamatio ista et prscienti est pariter et caritatis. Prvidebat enim futuros, quos etiam prdolebat, errores. Quid est depositum custodi? Custodi, inquit, propter fures, propter inimicos, ne dormientibus hominibus superseminent zizania super illud tritici bonum semen quod seminaverat filius hominis in agro suo. Depositum, inquit, custodi. Quid est depositum? id est quod tibi creditum est, non quod a te inventum: quod accepisti, non quod excogitasti: rem non ingenii sed doctrin, non usurpationis privat sed public traditionis: rem ad te perductam, non a te prolatam, in qua non auctor debes esse sed custos, non institutor sed sectator, non ducens sed sequens. Depositum, inquit, custodi: catholic fidei talentum inviolatum illibatumque conserva. Quod tibi creditum est, hoc penes te maneat, hoc a te tradatur. Aurum accepisti, aurum redde. Nolo mihi pro aliis alia subjicias, nolo pro auro aut impudenter plumbum, aut fraudulenter ramenta supponas: nolo auri speciem, sed naturam plane Sed forsitan dicit aliquis: nullusne ergo in ecclesia Christi profectus habebitur religionis? Habeatur plane, et maximus sed ita tamen, ut vere profectus sit ille fidei, non permutatio. Siquidem ad profectionem pertinet, ut in semetipsa unaquque res amplificetur,-ad permutationem vero, ut aliquid ex alio in aliud transvertatur. Crescat igitur oportet et multum vehementerque proficiat tam singulorum quam omnium, tam unius hominis quam totius ecclesi tatum et seculorum gradibus, intelligentia, scientia, sapientia: sed in suo duntaxat genere, in eodem scilicet dogmate, eodem sensu, eademque sententia. Imitetur animarum religio rationem corporum, qu licet annorum processu numeros suos evolvant et explicent, eadem tamen qu erant permanent ), viz., the sound doctrine which thou art to teach in thy ministry in the Lord, cf. Col 4:17. This is the most probable explanation. Some regard it as the above, 1Ti 6:14; some as meaning the grace given to him for his office, or for his own spiritual life: but ch. 1Ti 1:18, compared with 2Ti 2:2, seems to fix the meaning as above. Herodotus has a very similar use of the word, ix. 45, , . And with this the following agrees: for it is against false doctrine that the Apostle cautions him), turning away from (cf. , 2Ti 3:5) the profane babblings (empty discourses: so also 2Ti 2:16) and oppositions (apparently, dialectic antitheses and niceties of the false teachers. The interpretations have been very various: Chrys. says, ; , , . , ;-understanding by ., sayings of theirs opposed to this teaching. But this can hardly be. Grot., nam ipsi inter se pugnabant: but this is as unlikely. Pelag., Luth., al., understand disputations: Mosheim, the dualistic oppositions in the heretical systems: Mack, the contradictions which the heretics try to establish between the various doctrines of orthodoxy: Baur, the oppositions between the Gospel and the law maintained by Marcion. On this latter hypothesis, see Prolegomena. There would be no objection philologically to understanding propositions opposed to thee; and , cf. 2Ti 2:25, would seem to bear out such meaning: but seeing that it is coupled with , it is much more probably something entirely subjective to the ) of that which is falsely-named ( , . Chrys.) knowledge (the true , being one of the greatest gifts of the Spirit to the Church, was soon counterfeited by various systems of hybrid theology, calling themselves by this honoured name. In the Apostles time, the misnomer was already current: but we are not therefore justified in assuming that it had received so definite an application, as afterwards it did to the various forms of Gnostic heresy. All that we can hence gather is, that the true spiritual of the Christian was already being counterfeited by persons bearing the characteristics noticed in this Epistle. Whether these were the Gnostics themselves, or their precursors, we have examined in the Prolegomena to the Pastoral Epistles),

Fuente: The Greek Testament

1Ti 6:20. , O Timothy) He calls him familiarly his son, ch. 1Ti 1:18, with gravity and affection. What comes last in 1Ti 6:20-21, corresponds to the beginning of the epistle, and is to be explained from it.- , what is committed) 1Ti 1:18. So the commandment, 1Ti 6:14; 2Ti 1:14, note. The opposite in this passage is vain babblings, emptiness of words.- , profane and vain babblings) LXX., for , Isa 8:19. Barbarous words were formerly used by the Magi, which are said to have a secret power, though they have in reality none, and are altogether vain. Paul seems to have had respect to this circumstance, as he has substituted the more significant term; for , a voice, an utterance, expresses vehemence; comp. 2Ti 2:15-16, note, [where is opposed to ; the , implying vehemence of voice, being opposed to temperate speech or word, ]. Moreover, the word agrees with the Hebrew , a wizard, in the passage quoted above, which the Greeks, in the books of Samuel and Kings at least, have interpreted [as we use the term, a wise man, of a dealer in magic, a wizard]. And in this way, Paul calls the false teachers by the terms signifying magi and magic, to show how much he held them in abomination: comp. , 2Ti 3:13. Clemens Al., l. 2, Strom. f. 280, puts under these words of Paul the following: , , the heretics being reproved by this word (voice), reject the Epistles to Timothy.- , and oppositions) A false , knowledge, curiously set forth (puffed off) various oppositions taken from philosophy, pretending that there are two Gods opposed to each other as rivals (), the one good and the other bad; and in both, that there are wonderful , corresponding oppositions. Paul notices these oppositions, and at the same time severely ridicules them by a play on the words; because their teachers oppose themselves to the truth, and their , positions [taken out of , oppositions], are contrary to the foundation already laid. See the conjugates, and , 2Ti 2:25; 2Ti 2:19. On the other hand, Paul himself, in his epistles, especially to Timothy, handles most wise oppositions or : for example, 1Ti 1:7-8; 1Ti 3:16; 1Ti 4:1; 1Ti 4:6-7; 1Ti 6:2-3; 1Ti 6:5-6; 1Ti 6:10-11, where we have expressly, But thou [marking an antithesis]. Moreo1Tim 1 Timothy 6 :2Ti 2:15-23, in which again the phrase, But thou, is frequent; ch. 1Ti 3:10; 1Ti 3:14, 1Ti 4:5.- , of science falsely so called) which in 1Ti 6:21 is to be referred to science, by separating it from its epithet. The Gnostics, who are here denoted by a Metonymy of the abstract for the concrete, boasted of and applied the name science to their teaching; but Paul says that it was so named falsely; they are without understanding, ch. 1Ti 1:7.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

1Ti 6:20

O Timothy, guard that which is committed unto thee,-This is an affectionate and earnest appeal to Timothy to guard the work committed to him. Do not alter, add too, or take from it. Be faithful in keeping and teaching it. That is the only thing that could help him or his hearers.

turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called;-Turn away from these useless talks and subjects that bring no profit. Too much attention given to errors may, and often does, lead into errors. As a rule, men who become hobby riders are not benefited by discussion, and frequently others are injured by such. When a man exalts one truth above another truth of the Bible, and teaches that to the neglect of other truths, he does evil and not good. But, as a rule, the best treatment is not to yield to him, not to argue with him, but press forward the work of God.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

O Timothy: 1Ti 6:11, 2Ti 2:1

keep: 1Ti 6:14, 1Ti 1:11, Rom 3:2, 2Th 1:4, 2Th 2:15, 2Ti 1:13, 2Ti 1:14, 2Ti 3:14, Tit 1:9, Rev 3:3

avoiding: 1Ti 6:4, 1Ti 6:5, 1Ti 1:4, 1Ti 1:6, 1Ti 4:7, 2Ti 3:14-16, Tit 1:4, Tit 1:14, Tit 3:9

oppositions: Act 17:18, Act 17:21, Rom 1:22, 1Co 1:19-23, 1Co 2:6, 1Co 3:19, Col 2:8, Col 2:18

Reciprocal: Lev 8:35 – keep Num 18:5 – And ye Eze 40:45 – the keepers Luk 12:48 – For Rom 16:21 – Timotheus Col 4:17 – Take 1Th 2:4 – to be 1Ti 1:18 – charge 2Ti 1:12 – keep 2Ti 2:16 – shun 2Ti 4:7 – I have kept Heb 13:9 – carried

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

HOLD FAST!

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.

1Ti 6:20

St. Pauls time had nearly run its course, but he could depart in peace if he could be quite sure that according to the Lords will the precious deposit could be handed on; it was meant for the future as well as for the present; it had in it the gift of power and life for all generations; it was meant for Spain, which he had hoped to reach; it was the secret of happiness for barbarous Britain; but it could not reach them unless by faithful hands, as careful as his own; it was received and guarded in all its entirety and handed on undimmed and undiminished and unaltered, to be the living spring and force of the generations which were yet to come.

I want to look at four or five truths in this sacred treasure, denied, and still worse, misrepresented, to-day, which I am certain St. Paul would tell us to hold fast to with all our force of faith and hope and love.

I. And the first isthe gospel of the love of God.Owing to local causes in our branch of the Church, men are apt to-day, when they hear of Catholic truth, to think of some point of ceremonial or ritual; but we do well to remind ourselves that, important as all those things are in their way, St. Paul would have meant by the Catholic Faith something which would go back far beyond any ceremonial, to what was or was not taking place in the heart of God.

II. And that brings me to the second truth: How are we in effect to be sure of this?It is impossible to take one truth and leave out another of the Catholic Faith; it is the one fatal thing to do. You can defend that faith as a whole; I defy you to defend it in fragments; and the second great truth of the Catholic Faith which fits into the first, and makes it possible to believe the first, is that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, or, as St. Paul in his four undisputed Epistles says: God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, and that this Son, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that He was declared to be the Son of God with power, and that through Him were all things. Now you will understand why I lay stress on these passages and quote them again to you, familiar as they are: it is because we have to uphold that faith to-day in opposition to a counterfeit of it, proclaimed by earnest and good men, but which is indeed a different gospel. Jesus is God; so are weis the modern counterfeit. I have reason to know that its similarity to the old Gospel is deceiving not a few. Is it a true description of the Gospel of St. Paul or St. John to say Jesus is God; so are we? Is it not our faith that Jesus Christ was in an absolutely unique way the revelation of the Father, that it would be nothing but the most terrible blasphemy for one of us to say, He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father?

III. And that brings me, in the third place, to the nature of evil.Is the devil only a vacuum? as asserted by some of the prophets of the so-called New Theology to-day. You will make the most awful mistake of your lives if you are persuaded into thinking that he is. The Catholic Church is committed to very few details of eschatology, and has never laid down that any one person is irretrievably lost; but what the Church is committed to, while it holds the Bible in its hands, is that evil is not an undeveloped form of good, but the contrary of good; that when God looked down upon His fair Creation, and saw the tares among the wheat, He said, An enemy hath done this; and that instead of some rose-water gospel by which good is going to blossom out of evil, in the trenchant words of Browning:

Theres a battle to fight

Eer the guerdon be gained,

The reward of it all!

IV. But that brings us right into the heart of the fourth great truth of the Catholic faiththe Gospel of the forgiveness of sins. It is not enough to look upon the Atonement as an At-one-ment with God, worked by the melting of the human heart by the self-sacrifice of Calvary; and yet that is, so far as it is possible to put it into words, the vague Gospel of the Atonement as put before us in some quarters to-day. God forbid that we should deny the extreme difficulty of every theory of the Atonement which has been put forward, but we are not saved by any theory of the Atonement, but by the fact of it, and the fact of it must be preached by us in a way to satisfy the language of the New Testament. The Son of Man is come to give His life a ransom for many. Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

V. The last great truth on which I shall speak is The Gospel of the Empty Tomb.We are face to face every day with dying people; they look up into our faces with their dying eyes and ask: Is death the end? May I believe that I am going anywhere? Are you sure that there is a heaven? And I know not what to answer unless Jesus really died and rose again. It is not enough to believe in some vague apparition, if the sacred body lay dead in the tomb, and con his grave the Syrian stars look down. The Apostles believed that the tomb was empty, that He really rose from the dead, that His Easter cry was, I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death. And it is this faith, oh Timothy of to-day, that I would have you hold fast for the comfort of the world.

Bishop A. F. Winnington-Ingram.

(SECOND OUTLINE)

TIMOTHYS LIFE AND MISSION

The text comes to us in one of the Epistles written by St. Paul to his tried friend and companion Timothy, and what do we know about that apostolic man?

I. His infancy.He was the son, like the great St. Augustine, of a religious mother. It is a very familiar and a very charming picture, that of Timothy at his mothers knee learning his first lessons in the Book of Life. But we ought not to think only of the grace and the tenderness of this little vignette of an old-world family party. See rather what it has to teach us.

(a) It is the right and the duty of parents to instil into their children that fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom.

(b) The ancient Hebrew Scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

II. His ordination.Timothy became the friend and the companion of St. Paul, and finally he was selected to be one of the great officers of the Church, or, as we say, he was ordained. It is important to recall the text which tells us about that fact to your memory. Neglect, the Apostle says, neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery; and in another notable passage which we may couple with thiswhether it refers to the same incident or to that later time when he was specially set in charge of the Church of EphesusSt. Paul says, Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. Well, there you have first of all the prophet, the inspired layman, the representative of the Church whose voice was the voice of God, and through whom the Holy Ghost spoke, saying, Separate unto Me this man or that for the work of My ministry. Prophecy, in the narrower sense of the word at any rate, has ceased, but in the place of the prophets stand all good Christian people. It has always been their part, and should be more emphatically and confessedly their part to bear their testimony. And then we have the solemn imposition of hands by those who were already priests and by the Apostle himself, and they also were witnesses and judges, expert judges, we might say, because they had been themselves leaders, and therefore knew the qualities which a good leader ought to possess, and, by the laying on of their hands, they ratified and confirmed the voice of the laity, using the authority committed to them for that purpose. That has been the method followed by the Church from that day to this. But those priests and that Apostle who ordained St. Timothy were something more than witnesses; they bestowed also a gift, which, like all Gods gifts, is not a blessing only, but a high and sacred responsibility. He who receives it must not let it sleep. He must stir it up, use it to the utmost, extract from it every drop of the rich possibilities with which it is stored.

III. His work.What is it that divides the Church and therefore weakens it when it ought to be marching along as one body, conquering and to conquer, against all the evils that afflict the world? There are vice, drink, and lust and hatred and covetousness, those four sworn enemies of the human race which stand between man and his God, between man and his chance of earthly happiness. That ought to unite us all in a great holy war. The reason why Timothy was sent to Ephesus was that the Church there was torn by idle and profane questions. Timothy was despatched to that scene of contention not to plunge joyously into the fray, but to preach that there is one God and one Mediator between God and man. In that simple Gospel St. Paul knew that there was grace and mercy and peace.

Rev. Canon Bigg.

(THIRD OUTLINE)

THE SACRED TRUST

We, who by our presence here proclaim our adherence to those Christian truths which we believe to be the expression of the teaching of our Church, are possessors of a glorious inheritancean inheritance which may well call upon us to realise our responsibility, lest we should fail in keeping that which has been committed to our trust.

I. Great fundamental doctrines.It may be doubted whether even those who call themselves Christians are always mindful of the great fundamental doctrines. A careful examination will show that they embraced the following important truths:

(a) The supremacy and sufficiency of the Word of God as the guide in matters of faith.

(b) The total and absolute depravity of human nature.

(c) The Incarnation and the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ as the sole means of our redemption.

(d) Justification by faith only. Good works are the result and not the means of salvation.

(e) Conversion, or the personal and definite appropriation of the work of Christ, involving the turning away from sin, and the clear and conscious acceptance of Christs service.

(f) Sanctification, or the growth in holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit.

II. It cannot be said that these are new truths.They have been written plainly in the formularies of our Church, but they have been allowed to become forgotten, or buried almost out of sight. But now they are proclaimed with a new earnestness and enthusiasm. The absolute necessity of a personal as opposed to a formal and mechanical religion is preached with an irresistible force and power.

III. We must maintain these principles.From these we dare not swerve or shrink. To do so would be fatal. Here is that which is committed to our trust. Let us strive to keep it. Steadfast in the faith, definite in doctrine, active in service, who is there amongst us who believes that we can fail? God grant that in these perilous times we may have grace given us to hold fast and to persevere, so that we may in these days kindle again the fervour and ardour of olden times, and by the vitality of the principles which are so precious to us, as well as by the self-sacrifice and self-devotion of our service, show that we are determined to keep that which is committed to our trust!

Rev. Prebendary Kitto.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

1Ti 6:20. Timothy had been entrusted with the Gospel, and he is exhorted to keep (guard) it by avoiding profane and vain (empty and useless) babblings. Science is from the same word as “knowledge,” hence there is no such thing as false science, but error is often falsely called science.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

1Ti 6:20. O Timothy. The letter is coming to its close, and the feelings of the writer grow more intense.

That which is committed to thy trust. The Greek has one word with the sense of deposit. Taken by itself, it is general in its meaning, and may refer either (1) to the faith committed to him, (2) to the Church entrusted to his charge, or (3) to the spiritual gifts bestowed on him. Looking to the antithesis with profane babblings here, to the use of the cognate verb in 1Ti 1:18 and 2Ti 2:2, to its connexion with the form of sound words in 2Ti 1:12-13, there can be little hesitation in accepting (1) as the most probable.

Vain babblings. A various reading, differing only in two vowels, gives new phrases, but the text is preferable.

Oppositions of science falsely so called. There is not much difficulty as to the science thus spoken of. Knowledge, the familiar rendering in other passages, as 1Co 8:1; 1Co 12:8; 1Co 13:2, would be far better here also. The dreamy fantastic gnosis of the Apostolic Age was as remote as possible in its character and tendencies from the science of modern culture. We know from the passages referred to that there were some in St. Pauls time at Corinth who boasted of a gnosis which he did not recognise as worthy of the name. In the second century, what was then seen in germ had developed into a swarm of fantastic heresies, each claiming gnosis as their special glory. The Pastoral Epistles represent an intermediate stage. What precise meaning is to be attached to the oppositions of science, it is not so easy to say. Those who deny St. Pauls authorship refer it to the antitheses or contrasts which Marcion drew out between the theology of the Old and New Covenants. It is possible that such contrasts may have been familiar at a much earlier date, and 1Co 8:1 seems to indicate that the claim to gnosis was allied with an anti-Jewish tendency, with the claim of a right to eat things sacrificed to idols or to indulge in sensual lusts. Teaching of this type, in which such words as knowledge, power, freedom, were set up against faith, love, obedience, might well be said, without assuming a full-blown Marcionite heresy, to be fruitful in the antitheses of a falsely-called knowledge.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Our apostles concludes this his epistle to Timothy with a very passionate and pathetic exhortation to him; that he would maintain the purity of the doctrine of the gospel, and preach that to his hearers, avoiding all idle speculations and philosophical niceties, which the heathen philosophers admire, despising, in the mean time, the plainness and simplicity of the gospel: and he tells him farther, that some Christians, being taken with this sort of learning, have corrupted christianity, turned heretics, erring concerning the faith; to prevent which, he begs for Timothy the grace of God, to preserve, sanctify, and save him.

Learn hence, That in the first beginnings of Christianity, the philosphers, by pretences of great learning, were the greatest despisers and the bitterest enemies of Christianity.

Secondly, That the generality of them were taken up with mere useless notions, instead of necessary and useful knowledge.

Thirdly, That Timothy, and every minister of Christ with him, ought to preach the gospel without any such human mixtures, in the purity and plainness of it; and the people receive it with a simplicity of mind, to be guided and directed by it.

Lastly, That the sanctifying and establishing grace of God is necessary, and indispensably needful, to preserve both ministers and people steadfast in the faith of the gospel, and to persevere in their obedience to it.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Closing Thoughts

Paul closed his letter with the appeal of a father to his son. He asked him to protect the truth entrusted to his care. He especially asked him to refuse the so-called knowledge of the false teachers, which was in reality just a bunch of empty talk. Others who had joined the false teachers in their error had turned aside from the revealed will of God. Paul’s closing prayer for Timothy was that the grace of God would be with him ( 1Ti 6:20-21 ).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

1Ti 6:20-21. To conclude all: O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust The original expression, , is, literally, guard the deposite; namely, the purity of gospel doctrine, with the dispensation of which thou art intrusted; avoiding profane and vain babblings See 1Ti 1:4; 1Ti 4:7; and oppositions of science falsely so called Such philosophical disquisitions and debates, as both contradict one another, and were contrary to the truth, though reckoned high points of knowledge. Though it is not certain that the name of Gnostics, or the knowing men, was used in the church so early to denominate a distinct sect, yet it is highly probable that they who opposed the apostle made extraordinary pretences to knowledge, and this text seems sufficient to prove it. Indeed, most of the ancient heretics were great pretenders to knowledge. Which knowledge, some teachers professing to have attained, (1Ti 1:6-7,) have erred concerning the faith Have departed from the true Christian doctrine, some entirely forsaking it, and others corrupting it with gross adulterations. Grace be with thee To guide, in all things, thy judgment and thy conduct. This epistle being chiefly designed for Timothys own use, no salutations were sent to any of the brethren at Ephesus.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Verse 20

Oppositions, &c.; oppositions to the truth by false philosophy.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

CHAPTER 32

THE SEQUENTIAL LIFE

When the Lord started leading us into Bible college, one of the men that He used in a mighty way was a man that was the business manager of the first College I attended.

He was a great encouragement to me on a personal level, and was very kind and encouraging to us as a couple. He was also a member of our church so we fellowshipped together many times.

The Lord used his financial expertise to expand the college campus and to bring in many buildings for remodeling and use.

He later resigned and took a position with a large Bible camp in the Midwest where the Lord used him to assist many people in setting up their finances and wills to the best benefit. He was also instrumental in expanding the ministry of the camp in a mighty way.

This man lived this passage. He took those material things that God entrusted him with and set aside all else to the betterment of the Lord and His ministries.

He kept the charge given him – minister – in the area of finance.

1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane [and] vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace [be] with thee. Amen.

We will look at KEEP in verse twenty a, AVOID WILL HELP KEEP in verse twenty b and twenty-one a, and GRACE WILL HELP AVOID in verse twenty one b.

I. KEEP

Verse 20 a: O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust

The verse speaks to teaching, but within the books context it relates to position of ministry as well in my mind.

A final charge to Timothy from Paul to keep what has been committed to him to do in his ministry. A final encouragement to avoid babblings and disputes. The science that is mentioned is the term normally translated knowledge thus “so called knowledgeable, or I suspect arguments against truth. The message is clear – beware of false knowledge as it leads you away from truth.

“O Timothy” – in 1Ti 6:11 Paul uses the phrase “O man of God” and here O Timothy. The phrase to me speaks of great emotion in Paul’s mind. He is concerned with the man Timothy and his walk with God. How great it must have been for Timothy to know of Paul’s concern for him.

Paul pleads with Timothy to keep those things that God has committed to him to do. In Timothy’s case it was the church or group of believers at Ephesus and a good knowledge of doctrine to commit to them.

The thought of “keep” is interesting. It is a banking term or a term to depict setting something aside in safety – as in an attic. Might this relate to Paul’s earlier thoughts of investing in things heavenly?

I assume that Paul was speaking of Timothy’s spiritual knowledge and gifts. 2Ti 2:2 reinforces the thought of this text. Paul is encouraging Timothy to do the job with the preparation that he has been given.

2Ti 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” This passage is really the crux of Paul’s life, and it ought to be the crux of our own lives – teaching others that they might teach others – discipleship!

That is what the Great commission is all about!

What has God committed to you? How are you doing with the trust that He has placed in you?

Each has spiritual gifts for use in the local assembly. Are you using yours? Each has spiritual knowledge to share with others. Are you using yours?

II. AVOID WILL HELP KEEP

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson

6:20 {13} O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane [and] vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

(13) He repeats the most important of all the former exhortations, which ought to be deeply imprinted in the minds of all ministers of the word, that is, that they avoid all vain babblings of false wisdom, and continue in the simplicity of sincere doctrine.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

VI. CONCLUDING CHARGE AND BENEDICTION 6:20-21

Paul closed his letter with a final exhortation to urge Timothy once more to avoid going astray in his ministry (cf. 1Ti 1:3-5; 1Ti 1:18-20). Paul again mentioned two of the primary themes in the Pastoral Epistles: the importance of personal perseverance (cf. 1Ti 1:18; 1Ti 4:1-16; 1Ti 6:11-16) and the error of the opponents.

"What is most remarkable about this conclusion is the lack of any final greetings. All the Pauline letters, including this one, sign off with a final grace, or benediction. But only 1 Timothy and Galatians have no greetings from Paul and friends to the recipient and friends (cf. 2Ti 4:19-21; Tit 3:15). To the very end this letter is characteristically ’all business,’ and except for some new language, this final charge merely summarizes that business." [Note: Fee, 1 and 2 Timothy . . ., p. 160.]

"O Timothy" gives a personal emotional touch to Paul’s charge. He loved his son in the faith and wanted to spare him pain and failure.

Timothy should guard all that had been committed to his charge, including this epistle, the gospel, and his ministry (cf. 1Ti 4:12-14; 1Ti 6:2; 2Ti 2:2). This also included his responsibility to oppose the false teachers and to keep his own life pure (cf. 1Ti 4:11-13; 1Ti 5:22-23; 1Ti 6:11-12). Specifically he should avoid the controversies and false teaching that Paul referred to previously that characterize the world system and are valueless, as well as the opposition of those who claimed superior knowledge. This last warning is apparently a reference to Gnostic influence that was increasing in Ephesus. Gnostics taught that there was a higher knowledge available only to the initiates of their cult. Paul had already set forth his full rebuttal to their contention in his epistle to the Colossians. The appeal of these false teachers had seduced some in Ephesus who had wandered from the path of truth.

In closing, Paul wished God’s grace for Timothy and the other saints in Ephesus. The "you" is plural in the Greek text (cf. Col 4:18; 2Ti 4:22; Tit 3:15).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)