Commentary - 1 Timothy 4:6-16

Bird's-eye view

In this crucial passage, the Apostle Paul moves from warning Timothy about the coming apostasy to providing the positive, practical antidote. The charge to Timothy is intensely personal and ministerial. A good minister of Christ Jesus is not defined by his charisma or his administrative acumen, but by his diet and his discipline. He must be one who is constantly "nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine," and at the same time, one who is rigorously training himself for the purpose of godliness. This is ministerial boot camp. Paul contrasts the ephemeral value of bodily exercise with the eternal value of spiritual discipline, which holds promise for this life and the next. This godliness is not a vague piety, but a robust hope fixed on the living God, the Savior. The passage then pivots to Timothy's public ministry, urging him to command and teach with authority, to be an exemplary model for the flock in every respect despite his youth, and to dedicate himself to the public means of grace: the reading of Scripture, exhortation, and teaching. He is to stir up his spiritual gift, be totally absorbed in his calling, and pay meticulous attention to both his personal life and his public doctrine. The stakes could not be higher, for in doing this, he will secure the salvation of both himself and his hearers.

This section is a foundational text on the nature of pastoral ministry. It is a call to doctrinal substance over spiritual faddishness, to personal piety over public pretense, and to diligent labor in the ordinary means of grace. The health of the church is inextricably tied to the health of her ministers, and that health is a matter of diet and discipline. What a minister consumes doctrinally and how he disciplines himself personally will determine the course of his ministry and the fate of his flock.

Outline

Context In 1 Timothy

This passage follows directly on the heels of Paul's prophecy concerning the "doctrines of demons" that will arise in the latter times (1 Tim 4:1-5). Those false teachers were characterized by asceticism, forbidding marriage and demanding abstinence from certain foods. Paul refuted this by affirming the goodness of God's creation. Now, in our text, he provides the positive counterpart. The way to combat false teaching is not simply to refute it, but to be so thoroughly grounded in and shaped by sound doctrine that the counterfeit is immediately apparent. This section serves as a personal charge to Timothy, detailing the character and priorities of a faithful minister who must guard the "household of God" (1 Tim 3:15). It lays the groundwork for the more specific instructions regarding different groups within the church that will follow in chapter 5. In essence, chapter 4 is the bridge between the doctrinal foundation of the first three chapters and the practical applications of the last two.

Key Issues

Diet and Discipline

Paul uses two powerful metaphors to describe the minister's life: nutrition and athletics. First, a good servant is one who is "nourished on the words of the faith." Doctrine is not an abstract set of propositions; it is food. It is what builds the man up, gives him strength, and makes him healthy. A minister trying to serve without a steady diet of sound doctrine is like a man trying to run a marathon on a diet of cotton candy. He will be weak, anemic, and useless. The second metaphor is that of an athlete in training. "Train yourself for the purpose of godliness." The word for train here is gymnazō, from which we get our word gymnasium. It speaks of rigorous, strenuous, disciplined, and purposeful effort. Godliness is not a passive state; it is an athletic pursuit. It requires sweat. This combination is crucial. The minister is not a theologian in an ivory tower, nor is he a mere activist. He is a doctrinal athlete, a man whose deep thinking fuels his disciplined living, and whose disciplined living adorns his deep thinking.

Verse by Verse Commentary

6 In pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

The first mark of a good minister, a diakonos, a servant, is that he faithfully teaches what he has been taught. "These things" refers back to the warning against apostasy and the affirmation of creation's goodness. His job is to lay these truths before the brethren. But he cannot give what he does not have. The foundation of his ministry is his own spiritual health, which comes from being "nourished." The verb is in the present tense, indicating a continual feeding. He is to be marinating in the words of the faith and the sound, healthy doctrine he has been tracking with. A minister's public ministry is always the overflow of his private nourishment. If he is starving himself on the Word, his people will get nothing but empty calories from his sermons.

7 But refuse godless myths fit only for old women. On the other hand, train yourself for the purpose of godliness,

Here is the negative and positive side of the ministerial regimen. He is to "refuse" or reject a certain kind of teaching. Paul dismisses it as "godless myths" and, with a bit of rhetorical punch, "old wives' tales." This is not a knock on elderly women, but rather a dismissal of the kind of superstitious, speculative, and silly stories that have no basis in divine revelation. It is spiritual junk food. Instead of wasting time on such things, Timothy is to positively train himself. The verb is an imperative; this is a command. The goal of the training is eusebeia, or godliness. This is a central theme in the Pastoral Epistles. It means a practical awareness of God in every aspect of life, a life lived with reverence and piety before Him. This is the muscle he is to be building.

8 for bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Paul, living in a Hellenistic culture that prized physical fitness, does not dismiss bodily training. He says it is of "little profit" or, better, "profitable for a little while." Its benefits are real but temporary. They end at the grave. Godliness, by contrast, is an investment with infinite returns. It is profitable for "all things." It pays dividends in "the present life", peace, joy, stability, fruitfulness, and in "the life to come", eternal reward and glory. This is the ultimate cost/benefit analysis. Why spend all your energy on that which is fleeting when you can invest in that which is eternal? The godly man gets the best of both worlds.

9 It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance.

Paul affixes this tag to the previous statement about the supreme value of godliness. This is one of several "trustworthy sayings" in these letters. It is a way of underscoring a foundational truth that ought to be memorized, cherished, and believed without reservation by the entire church. The profitability of godliness is not a matter for debate; it is an axiom of the Christian faith.

10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

The "this" refers back to the goal of godliness. This is the reason Paul and Timothy work to the point of exhaustion (labor) and compete as in an athletic contest (strive). The fuel for this strenuous effort is a fixed hope. Their hope is not in their own efforts, but "on the living God." He is not a dead idol or a philosophical abstraction. He is alive and active. Paul then describes this God as the "Savior of all men, especially of believers." This is a verse that has caused some confusion. It certainly does not teach universalism. The "especially" makes a crucial distinction. God is the Savior of all men in a general sense; He is their Preserver. He provides common grace, sunlight, rain, and breath to all His creatures. He preserves the fabric of society and holds back the full expression of sin. In that sense, He saves all men from immediate destruction. But He is the Savior of believers in a special, effectual, redemptive sense. He has saved them from their sins and granted them eternal life. This living God, who is a generous Preserver and a particular Redeemer, is the one in whom our hope is fixed, and for whom we ought to strive for godliness.

11 Command and teach these things.

Timothy's task is twofold: command and teach. This is not a timid suggestion. As an apostolic delegate, he is to speak with authority. He is to command the church to pursue godliness and reject myths. And he is to teach them the doctrinal basis for these commands. Ministry is not about sharing your feelings; it is about declaring the authoritative Word of God.

12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but show yourself as a model to those who believe in word, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

Timothy was a young man, and in a culture that revered age, this could have been a liability. Paul's instruction is not that Timothy should assert his authority belligerently. Rather, he is to nullify any objection to his youth by the sheer weight of his character. He is to become a tupos, a pattern or model, for the believers to imitate. This exemplary life is to be seen in five areas that cover the whole of his life: his speech ("word"), his actions ("conduct"), his disposition toward others ("love"), his reliance on God ("faith"), and his moral integrity ("purity"). A godly example is the ultimate answer to the charge of inexperience.

13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.

While waiting for Paul's return, Timothy's focus is to be on the central elements of corporate worship. First, the public reading of Scripture. The Word of God is to be read aloud, clearly and reverently. This is the foundation. Second, exhortation. This is the passionate appeal to the congregation to obey the Word that was just read. It is the "so what?" of the sermon. Third, teaching. This is the careful explanation of the meaning of the text. These three things, reading, urging, and explaining the Bible, are the heart of a faithful church service. They are not to be neglected for gimmicks or entertainment.

14 Do not neglect the gift within you, which was given to you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.

Timothy had been ordained to the ministry in a formal service. At that time, a spiritual gift (charisma) for ministry was conferred upon him. This was accompanied by prophetic words confirming his calling and by the laying on of hands of the presbytery, the council of elders, signifying their approval and commissioning. Paul warns him not to let this gift lie dormant. It must be actively used and developed. Ordination is not a graduation; it is the beginning of a lifelong stewardship.

15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

Ministry is hard work. "Take pains" could be translated "meditate on" or "practice" these things. It carries the idea of diligent, careful cultivation. He is to be "absorbed in them," wholly given over to his calling. This is not a part-time hobby. The result of such dedication will be that his "progress", his growth in godliness and ministerial skill, will be plain for all to see. A minister who is growing is a great encouragement to his flock.

16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

This is the great summary of the minister's duty. He has two focal points for his attention: his life ("yourself") and his doctrine ("your teaching"). He must watch both with equal diligence. A man with sound doctrine but a corrupt life is a hypocrite. A man with a seemingly good life but false doctrine is a heretic. Both are deadly. He must "persevere" in this twofold watchfulness. The stakes are ultimate. In doing this, he will "save" himself and his hearers. This does not mean he is the ultimate savior; Christ is. But God uses the faithful life and teaching of a minister as the instrument through which He brings salvation and preserves His people. The pastor is a link in the chain of salvation, and if that link breaks through personal or doctrinal failure, the consequences for the flock are catastrophic.

Application

This passage is a bracing tonic for the modern church, which is often tempted by the "godless myths" of our own day, pragmatism, therapeutic moralism, and political messianism. Paul's charge to Timothy is a charge to every pastor and, by extension, to every believer. Our spiritual lives are not a matter of coasting; they are a matter of diet and discipline.

First, what are you eating? Are you nourishing your soul on the rich food of Scripture and sound doctrine, or are you snacking on the junk food of pop-theology and sentimental fluff? You cannot grow into a robust Christian maturity without a diet of robust Christian truth.

Second, are you training? Are you actively, strenuously, and purposefully exercising yourself in godliness? This means putting sin to death and putting on righteousness. It means disciplining yourself to pray when you do not feel like it, to love when it is hard, to speak truth when it is costly. Godliness is not an accident; it is the result of grace-fueled effort.

And for those in any kind of leadership, the charge is doubly sharp. Your life is a model, whether you want it to be or not. People are watching. Is your progress in the faith evident? Are you paying close attention to your own heart and to the truth you profess? The integrity of our lives and the fidelity of our doctrine are not small things. They are matters of eternal life and death, for ourselves and for those who look to us. Let us therefore labor and strive, fixing our hope on the living God, and give ourselves wholly to this great task.