Interpretation of the letter of the Apostle Paul to Timothy. Interpretation of the Second Epistle to Timothy by St. Paul the Apostle

. Paul, Apostle Jesus Christ according to the command of God our Savior.

Since he intends to write laws to Timothy, he proclaims himself an apostle in order to make his word worthy of unquestioning acceptance. It is not mine, he says, that I will speak, but Him who sent me; look, be obedient. But since the title of the apostle was great, so that it would not seem that he was proud, he added:

by command of God.

Not myself, he says, I admired this, but I have an urgent duty and am fulfilling the Master’s command. The expression “by command” is stronger than the expression “called.” Although nowhere did the Father give him a command, but Christ: “I will send,” it is said, “ you are far away among the pagans"(), and further: "You must appear before Caesar"(), And: “The Holy Spirit said: Separate for Me Barnabas and Saul.”(); but what belongs to the Son and the Spirit belongs, he says, also to the Father. Listen to what follows.

And the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.

You see, this command is general. Pay attention also to how David speaks about the Father: "the hope of all the ends of the earth"() And the Apostle Paul himself says in another place: "we trust in the living God"(). And now the Son is called our hope (hope). Thus, the Father and the Son have everything in common. The apostle wisely used these synonyms: “Savior” and “hope.” For the teacher struggles with many difficulties, for all enmity is directed towards him, so that when he falls, those under his supervision will also fall quickly, as it is said:“Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered”

. (), then we should not, he says, lose heart, for we have as a Savior not man, but God and the Father Himself, Who will soon deliver us from dangers. Therefore, we endure misfortunes, consoling ourselves with these two thoughts - either that we will soon get rid of them, or that we cherish the best hopes,

Timothy, a true son in the faith. That is, born by me through faith. The preposition “in” - εν - means “through,” as elsewhere the apostle says:(). Praising him, he calls him not only a son, but also “true” - true, because Timothy, more than others, retains similarities with him in faith, and because the Apostle Paul sincerely loved him. He very wisely added: “in faith,” in order to further encourage Timothy to it. For if from the beginning he showed such faith that he was worthy to be called the son of Paul, and a true son, then much more should he now put on it, as if he were fully armored, so as not to be embarrassed and not to lose heart. Showing courageous boldness is a matter of faith.

Grace, mercy, peace.

Nowhere in other epistles did the apostle put the word “mercy”, but only here. This is because, out of great love, he asks for more for his son, as if fearing and trembling for him; He even gave him instructions regarding the stomach. Also because teachers need extreme mercy.

From God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here again is consolation. For if He is our Father, then He takes care of us as if we were children. Consequently, He will have mercy and give grace, so that we all may benefit and have peace with our enemies.

. When I left for Macedonia, I asked you to stay in Ephesus.

Notice how meek his speech was, how he spoke to him in the voice not of a teacher, but of a servant. He did not say: I commanded, but: “I asked.”

This is how we should treat our students, but differently with those who are spoiled and not entirely devoted. The Apostle begs him to stay in Ephesus. For the message that he sent to the Ephesians was not enough: pay attention to the messages. However, maybe this was before the message. It is believed that it was then that Paul appointed Timothy as bishop. This is probable, for he further says the following.

And admonish some not to teach otherwise.

. He did not say: beg, but: “exhort,” which is more authoritative and strict. He did not call them by name, so as not to make them more shameless through reproof.

“Teaching differently” means introducing different teachings. For among the Jews there were many false apostles, who, out of love for glory and out of a desire to be called teachers, persuaded the faithful to the law of Moses.

And they didn’t indulge in fables.

They usually listed grandfathers and great-grandfathers, dreaming of assigning them some historical glory.

He called them “endless” either because they go back to distant times, or because they do not have any good purpose, or because they do not have clarity, are difficult to grasp and confused. It is likely that the apostle here also alludes to the Hellenes, for they have myths and genealogies in which they list their gods. (ἐκζητήσεις ) Which produce more spores

. than God's edification in faith.

It is true and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Having said above that He had mercy on me, the persecutor, he continues: do not be surprised and do not doubt the greatness of the gift. For this is why He came into the world, to save all sinners. So the word is true and worthy of acceptance. Because it is impossible not to trust what is given; on the contrary, since the goodness of the Giver is infinite, it deserves trust and acceptance. This is also directed against the Jews who are devoted to the law, to show them that without faith it is impossible to be saved.

Of which I am the first. Why did he say in another place:“according to lawful truth – blameless” (), now puts himself first among sinners? Because before the righteousness in Christ there is righteousness according to the law now, since its time has already passed. While it had its time, it was true, just as at night the moon and a candle are light. But when Christ appeared like the sun, he eclipsed it. So, the one who uses the candle of legal truth, when the sun of Christ’s truth has risen, sins and acts unreasonably. And in another place the apostle speaks of this: ().

. “what is glorified does not even turn out to be glorious”

But for this reason I received mercy, so that in me first he might show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life. Pay attention to his humility. For this purpose, he says, I received mercy, so that none of those who have sinned would no longer despair, but would be in full hope of forgiveness, since the greatest of all sinners, Paul, receives salvation. By this the apostle shows that he himself did not deserve forgiveness, but for the sake of the salvation of others he was granted this love of God. He didn’t just say: to show long-suffering in me, but"all longsuffering"

. as if to say: having sinned endlessly, I needed “all” mercy, “all” His love for mankind, and not partly, like those who sinned partly.

Since the apostle said very great things about the Son, namely, that He saves the desperate, so that no one would think that the Father is deprived of His glory, he gives Him glory too. All this is common to the Son. For He is also the King of the ages. If He is the Creator of the ages, then how is He not a king, incorruptible, invisible in Divinity, and the only wise one? He Himself is the wisdom of the Father. The same must be said about the Spirit. "To the only wise one" He did not say this to contrast the Father with the Son and the Spirit; no, but in order to show that although both angels and people have wisdom, only one is truly wise, as the source of wisdom, yet other creatures that have wisdom become partakers of it. “Honor and glory” not only in words, but also in deeds. Glory and honor given in words only makes us grateful, but given in deeds makes us imitators of Him - which is much more. God requires us to glorify Him and in words, so that we love Him, listen to and obey Him, and through this we ourselves benefit; just as he who marvels at the glory sunlight

. benefits himself by enjoying the light and using it in his affairs, and he who does not use it causes damage and deprivation to himself.

I am teaching you, [my] son ​​Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you, such a testament. Since he used the word “testament,” and a will is something imperative, he added:“my son Timofey.” For I am not telling you this as a command, but as a son. He also said: “I teach” to explain the strictness of storage, because what we have is not ours, but God’s. Therefore, what He has given must be preserved.“According to the prophecies that were made about you.” The title of teacher and priest, being great, needs God’s direction in order for a worthy person to accept this title. Therefore, in ancient times, priests were chosen by prophecy, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for prophecy consists in expressing what exists at the present time. So Timothy was chosen to the priesthood. But since he speaks of many prophecies, meaning, perhaps, when he first accepted him as a disciple, and then when he circumcised him, and then when he ordained him, all this was accomplished with prophecy. Therefore he says:“I am teaching you... a testament... in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you,”

that is, turning your attention to these prophecies, and as if being taught by them what you should do, I convince you that you should walk worthy of them and not disgrace them.

What do I command you? so that you fight against them, that is, so that you do not circumvent their laws, but how they chose you and what they chose you for, "like a good warrior." For there is also an evil service of a warrior, when someone uses his oud as an instrument for sin and uncleanness. The apostle remembered the army because he wanted to show that a strong war had been raised against everyone, and especially against the teacher. Therefore, one must stay awake and not show the slightest weakness on one’s part.

. Having faith and a good conscience.

Do not think, he says, to be content only with the fact that according to the prophecies you have been appointed to the priesthood, but you must have faith so that you have the right to proclaim the word of truth, and a good conscience, or a life that is not shameful, from which a good conscience is based, so that you can preside over others beneficially. For just as a general must first be a good warrior, so the teacher himself must have what he demands from his students. Therefore, despite the fact that we are teachers, let us learn not to neglect the advice and instructions of those who are greater than us.

Which some rejected and were shipwrecked in their faith.

The word “which” obviously means a good conscience. And fair enough. Because if life is unclean, then the evil ones continue from there. In order not to be tormented by the fear of the future, those who live wickedly convince themselves that everything about us is false. But he who strays from faith and thinks about everything suffers shipwreck, despite the closeness of faith. For faith is a quiet haven, it keeps the mind calm, and research is the waves that, here and there, like during a shipwreck, quickly capture the mind and hit it against the rocks, or even drown it.

. Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander.

Do you see that in those days there were people who taught incorrectly, who deviated from the faith, who indulged in research and speculation? Therefore, do not be discouraged now when you see such people, but resist them.

Which I gave over to Satan so that they might learn (ῐνα παιδευθῶσιν ) don't blaspheme.

While teaching others, how can Satan not teach himself? However, the apostle did not say that he should teach them not to blaspheme, but: "so that they learn" (ῐνα παιδευθῶσιν ). He does not do this, but this happens as a result of his actions. For just as executioners, being themselves notorious criminals, admonish others, so does the devil. But why didn’t Paul himself punish them, as he punished Barijesus and as Peter punished Ananias? In order to combine greater dishonor with the severity of punishment, to show that he commands Satan to be more terrible through this. Or better yet, the apostles themselves punished unbelievers so that they would know that they could not hide. For Ananias was also an unbeliever and also a testing one. Meanwhile, those who already knew this and then apostatized from the faith, they betrayed to Satan, showing them that they were protected not by their own strength, but by the care of them - the apostles. Or also the fact that those whom they wanted to correct were not punished themselves, but those who were incorrigible were punished themselves. How was the guilty person handed over to Satan? He was thrown out of general meeting, were separated from the herd and handed over naked to the wolf. For just as in ancient times the cloud surrounded the tabernacle, so the Holy Spirit surrounded Christ. Consequently, whoever is outside the Church is also outside the Spirit and is therefore pitiful and easy to catch. This is the punishment of excommunication. And He Himself, giving sinners over to illness and disaster, teaches through this. “Having been judged,- speaks, - we are punished by the Lord"(). You see, to explore divine things through speculation is to blaspheme. It is an insult to divine things when anyone thinks that they are comprehensible to human understanding.

After the introduction (Articles 1, 2) follows:

I. The command given to Timothy, v. 3, 4.

II. For an explanation of the true purpose of the law, see 5-11.

III. Paul's recollection of his own calling to the apostolic office, and his expression of gratitude for it, v. 12-16.

IV. His doxology, Art. 17.

V. Repeating the command to Timothy, v. 18. About Hymenaeus and Alexander, art. 19, 20.

Verses 1-4. I. The title of the message, which indicates from whom it was sent: Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the command of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ... The apostle's credentials were undeniable. He had not only an appointment, but also a command, not only from God our Savior, but also from Jesus Christ: he was a preacher of the Gospel of Christ and a minister of the Kingdom of Christ. Note: God is our Savior. Jesus Christ, our hope. Jesus Christ is the hope of Christians, all our hope for eternal life based on Him. Christ in us is the hope of glory, Col. 1:27. He calls Timothy his son because he was the instrument of his conversion and because Timothy served him like a son, serving him in the gospel, Phil. 2:22. Timothy faithfully fulfilled his filial duty towards Paul, and Paul was an impeccably caring and tender father to him.

II. Blessing: ...grace, mercy, peace from God our Father. Some have observed that while in all the epistles addressed to the churches the apostolic benediction includes only grace and peace, in the two epistles to Timothy and in the epistle to Titus it contains grace, mercy and peace, as if ministers were more in need of God's mercy than others. Ministers need God's grace more than others to perform their duties faithfully, and they need His mercy more than others to forgive the mistakes they make. If Timothy, such an outstanding minister, needed the mercy of God, its growth and preservation, then how much more do we, modern ministers, who so lack his excellent spirit, need it.

III. Paul tells Timothy for what purpose he was appointed to this ministry: ... I asked you to remain in Ephesus ... Timothy intended to go with Paul, not wanting to lose his protection, but Paul insisted on his own, since it was necessary for service. “I asked you,” he says. Although he had the right to command him, he preferred, for the sake of love, to ask him. Timothy's task was to take care of the confirmation of both the ministers and the members of the church: ...to exhort some, so that they do not teach anything other than what they have received, so that they do not add anything to the teaching of Christ under the pretense of improving it or correcting it, and do not change it. nothing, but they kept it in the form in which it was handed over to them. Please note:

1. Ministers are obligated not only to preach the true gospel doctrine, but also not to preach any other doctrine: Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach to you any gospel other than what we preached to you, let him be accursed, Gal. 1:8.

2. Already in the time of the apostles, attempts were made to distort Christian teaching (We do not corrupt the word of God, like many... 2 Cor 2:17), otherwise the commission given to Timothy would have been unnecessary.

3. He had to take care not only not to preach any other doctrine himself, but also to demand from others not to add anything of himself to the teaching of the Gospel and not to take anything away from it, but to preach the pure and uncorrupted teaching of Christ. He must try to turn them away from engaging in fables and endless genealogies, as well as word disputes. This is repeated frequently in both Timothy (4:7; 6:4; 2 Tim 2:23) and Titus. Just as there were some among the Jews who tried to introduce something from Judaism into Christianity, so among the former pagans there were those who sought to add something from paganism. “Beware of them,” says the apostle, “be on guard, otherwise they will pervert and destroy your faith, for they produce more controversy than God’s edification in faith.” That which produces controversy cannot edify; which gives rise to dubious disputes of words, rather contributes to the destruction of the church than to its creation. I believe, for the same reason, that everything that produces more controversy than God's edification should be rejected by us, such as questions about the uninterrupted succession of ministers from the apostolic to the present day, about the absolute necessity of the episcopal title and about the importance of the minister in the message effectiveness of the holy sacraments that are performed by his hands. All of them are as worthless as the Jewish fables and endless genealogies, for they lead us into hopeless difficulties and threaten to shake the foundations of the Christian's hope, filling his mind with doubts and fears. In all their conversations, ministers should set as their goal the edification of God, so that Christians may grow in godliness, in likeness to the blessed God. Note also, God's edification must be in faith; The gospel is the foundation upon which we build; we come to God at the very beginning by the way of faith (Heb. 11:6) and by the same way, according to the same principles of faith, we must be edified. Ministers should avoid, as far as possible, everything that produces controversy, and insist on important practical truths that cannot cause it. For disputes, even about great and necessary truths, distract minds from the main goal of Christianity and destroy the essence of piety, which consists both in faith and in practical walk and obedience, so that we do not suppress the truth by untruth, but keep the sacrament of faith in a clear conscience.

Verses 5-11. Here the apostle instructs Timothy how to stand guard against the Judaizers and other teachers who mix fables and endless genealogies into the Gospel. He also shows what is the usefulness of the law and the glory of the gospel.

I. The apostle shows what the purpose of the law is, and how it is to be used: it is intended to promote love, for love is the fulfilling of the law, Rom. 13:10.

1. The purpose of exhortation (English commandments - Translator's note) is love, Rom. 13:8. The main purpose and purpose of God's law is to oblige us to love God and each other. Anything that tends to weaken our love for the Lord or for one another defeats the purpose of the law, and certainly the Gospel, which obliges us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us, is not intended to abolish or supplant the commandments that have love as their purpose. It is so far from this that, on the contrary, it asserts: if we have all the virtues, and do not have love, then we are a ringing brass and a sounding cymbal, 1 Cor. 13:1. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one another, John 13:35. Therefore, those who boasted of their knowledge of the law, but used it only as a cover in order to turn the preaching of the Gospel into disputes (under the guise of zeal for the law, they created divisions in the church), destroyed the very essence of the law, which is love, love from pure heart, purified by faith, purified from carnal passions. To keep our hearts in holy love, we must free ourselves from all sinful love, our love must be from a good conscience. Whoever tries to maintain a good conscience and sincere trust in the truth of the word of God, here called unfeigned faith, meets the purposes of the law. So we are presented here with three qualities that accompany the excellent gift of love:

(1) A pure heart, where it must take root and from where it must originate.

(2.) A good conscience, which we must exercise daily, that we may not only obtain it, but also keep it, Acts 24:16.

(3) It must also be accompanied by unfeigned faith, for love must be unfeigned, and faith acting through love must be of the same quality - true and sincere. Some, posing as teachers of the law, deviate from the very purpose of the law: they begin to reason, but their reasoning turns into idle talk; they pretend to be teachers, but they undertake to teach others what they themselves do not understand. If the church is corrupted by such teachers, then this should not be surprising, for, as we see, it has been so from the beginning. Please note:

When people, especially ministers, deviate from the great law of love, they turn to idle talk; When a person loses sight of his goal, it is not surprising that with every step he moves away from the right path.

Disputes, and especially religious ones, are idle talk; they are useless, do not lead to anything good and are extremely harmful and destructive; and yet in the religion of many people there is almost nothing but idle talk.

Those who talk a lot love to teach others and are eager to be teachers.

It is common for people to pretend to serve, while they are completely ignorant of what they talk so much about: they understand neither what they talk about, nor what they claim; and with such educated ignorance they, of course, edify their listeners a lot!

2. Use of the law (v. 8): ... the law is good if anyone uses it lawfully... The Jews used it illegally, as a means to divide the church, as a cover for their evil opposition to the Gospel of Christ; they advanced it as a ground of justification and thus used it unlawfully. It follows from this that we must not completely reject the law, but must use it lawfully to limit and curb sin. That the law has been abused by some does not mean that it is useless, but calls us, when its divine purpose is perverted, to restore it. correct application and eliminating abuses; for the law itself remains very useful as a rule of life; although we are not under the law, that is, not under the covenant of works, nevertheless it teaches us good things: what sin is and what our duty is. It is not made for the righteous, that is, not for those who keep the law; for if we could keep the law, righteousness would come from the law, Gal. 3:21. But it is placed for lawless people, to limit and control them, to curb vice and wickedness. Only the grace of God changes a man's heart, but by the threats of the law their hands can be tied and their tongues bridled. The righteous do not need the restrictions that are necessary for the wicked. In any case, the law is not made primarily and mainly for the righteous, but for sinners of all classes, to a greater or lesser extent, v. 9, 10. In the black list of sinners, the apostle lists crimes against the commandments of the second table concerning our duties to our neighbors. Against the fifth and sixth commandments: offenders of father and mother, murderers. Against the seventh: fornicators, homosexuals. Against the eighth: human predators. Against the ninth: liars and perjurers. And in conclusion he says: ...and for everything that is contrary to common sense. Some understand this to be the establishment of the power of civil rulers to make laws against such wicked sinners as the above-mentioned, and to carry those laws into execution.

II. Paul describes the glory and grace of the gospel. The epithets used by the apostle are unusually expressive and full of meaning, and often each of them is a teaching, as here (v. 11): He proclaims the glorious gospel of the blessed God... We must learn from this:

1. Call God blessed. He is infinitely blissful in Himself and in His own perfections.

2. Call the gospel glorious, for this is what it is in essence: God has shown much of His glory in the works of creation, as well as in the works of His providence, but He has shown it much more in the gospel, where it shines in the face of Jesus Christ. Pavel believed great honor for himself and by the great favor shown to him that this glorious gospel was entrusted to him, that is, entrusted to preach it, for not every person or company of people can be entrusted with this work. The establishment of the conditions of salvation in the Gospel of Christ is the work of God himself, but the proclamation of them to the world is entrusted to the apostles and ministers. Note here:

(1.) This ministry is a commission, for the gospel was entrusted to the apostle Paul; it is associated with responsibility as well as with power, and even more with responsibility than with power; for this reason ministers are called stewards (according to English - managers - Translator's note), 1 Cor 4:1.

(2.) This is a glorious commission, for the gospel entrusted to them is a glorious gospel; This is an assignment of very great importance. God's glory has a lot to do with it. Lord, what a great commission You have entrusted to us! How much grace we need to be faithful to him!

Verses 12-17. Here is the apostle:

I. Gives thanks to Jesus Christ for having appointed him to serve. Please note:

1. To put a man into service is the work of Christ, Acts 26:16,17. God condemned the false prophets in Israel with the following words: I did not send these prophets, but they themselves fled; I did not tell them, but they prophesied, Jeremiah 23:21. Ministers cannot, strictly speaking, make themselves ministers, for this is the work of Christ as King and Head, Prophet and Teacher of the church.

2. Those whom Christ places in service, He prepares for it; those whom He calls, He endows with abilities. Those ministers who are found unfit for their work, having no ability for it, have not been appointed by Christ to the ministry, although there are various talents, both in respect of gifts and in respect of grace.

3. To those whom Christ places in service, He gives not only ability, but also fidelity: ... He has declared me faithful... No one can be recognized as faithful except those whom Christ recognizes as such. Christ's ministers are faithful servants, and they must be so, for so great a commission has been entrusted to them.

4. The call to ministry is a great favor of God, for which those called to it should give thanks to Jesus Christ: I thank... Christ Jesus our Lord, that He recognized me as faithful, appointing me to ministry.

II. In order to further magnify the grace of Christ, who appointed him to the ministry, the apostle describes his conversion.

1. Who was he before his conversion: ... a blasphemer and a persecutor and an offender... Saul breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1), devastated the church, Acts 8:3. He was a blasphemer of God, a persecutor of the saints, an offender of both God and the saints. Many of those destined by God for great and glorious service, before their conversion, were left to themselves and indulged in great iniquities: that the mercy of God might be the more glorified in their forgiveness, and His grace in their regeneration. Major sins are not an obstacle to our reconciliation with God, no, and even to being used by Him for service, if only we sincerely repent of them. Notice here:

(1) Blasphemy, persecution and insults are incredibly great and terrible sins, and the one who is guilty of them is extremely sinful before God.

(2) Sincerely repentant sinners do not refuse to acknowledge their former state in which they were before their conversion to God; the apostle Paul often spoke of his former life, Acts 22:4; 26:10,11.

2. The great favor of God towards him: ... but he was pardoned... It was truly a blessed but, the greatest favor: such a great rebel received the pardon of his King.

(1.) If Paul had deliberately persecuted Christians, knowing that they were the children of God, he would, I am sure, have been guilty of the unpardonable sin. But since he did everything out of ignorance, in unbelief, he gained mercy. Please note:

What we do out of ignorance is less criminal than what we do consciously, although the sin of ignorance is also a sin, for a servant who did not know the will of his master and did something worthy of punishment will be beaten, although less, Luke 12:4

8. Ignorance in some cases mitigates guilt, but does not completely remove it.

The basis of the actions committed by sinners out of ignorance is their unbelief: they did not believe the warnings of God, otherwise they would not have done what they did.

Paul received mercy because of ignorance and unbelief: ... but received mercy because he did so out of ignorance, in unbelief.

It was a pardon for a detractor, a persecutor and an offender: “But I, a detractor, a persecutor and an offender, was pardoned.”

(2.) The apostle notes the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, v. 14. The conversion and salvation of great sinners is due to the grace of Christ, His abounding grace, the same as was revealed in His glorious gospel (v. 15): The word is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, etc. These words - Christ Jesus came into the world - contain the essence of the entire Gospel. The Son of God took upon Himself our nature, became flesh and dwelt among us, John 1:14. He came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Mat. 9:13. His purpose in the world was to seek, find, and save the lost, Luke 19:10. This is confirmed by the words: The word is true and worthy of all acceptance... This good news is worthy of all acceptance, and no matter how good it is, nevertheless it is true, for this word is true. At the conclusion of the verse, Paul applies it to himself: ...of whom I am the first. Paul was a sinner of the first rank, he himself admitted it, for he breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. Persecutors are the worst of sinners, and Paul was a persecutor. By admitting himself to be the first of sinners, Paul expressed his great humility. In another letter he calls himself the least of all saints (Eph 3:8), but here he is the first of sinners. Please note:

Christ came into the world, and thus the prophecies about His coming were fulfilled.

He came to save sinners, He came to save those who could not save themselves or help themselves.

Slayers and persecutors are the chief sinners.

The first of sinners can become the first of saints. Such was the apostle Paul, for he had no fault against the superior apostles, 2 Corinthians 9:5.

This is a great truth, a true word that we can trust.

It deserves to be accepted, to be believed by us all, for our comfort and encouragement.

(3) Paul speaks of the mercy he received from God in spite of the great crimes he had committed before his conversion:

He does this in order to motivate others to repentance and faith (v. 16): But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first might show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life. It was a manifestation of the long-suffering of Christ that He endured the man who irritated Him so much. And this should have become an example for all others, so that the greatest sinners would not despair of God’s mercy. Note here:

First, our apostle was one of the greatest sinners ever converted to Christianity.

Secondly, he was converted and pardoned for the sake of others, as well as for his own sake, he was an example to others.

thirdly, the Lord Jesus Christ shows His great patience in the conversion of great sinners.

fourthly, those who receive mercy believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for without faith it is impossible to please God.

fifthly, those who believe in Christ believe in Him unto eternal life, they believe unto the salvation of the soul, Heb. 10:39.

Paul remembers this to glorify God. He could not continue his message without expressing gratitude to God for His goodness to him: To the King of the ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Note, First, That grace which gives us comfort must bring glory to God. He who recognizes himself as indebted to the mercy and grace of God must be filled with praise to God. In this text, God is glorified as the King of the ages. Secondly, having come to know God’s kindness, we must not forget to glorify Him; His good thoughts about us should not weaken, but arouse in us sublime thoughts about Him. God showed special concern for Paul, worthy of his fellowship with Himself, and yet Paul called Him the King of the ages, incorruptible. God's gracious attitude should fill us with admiration for His glorious attributes. He is the eternal God, without the beginning of days and without the end of them and without the shadow of change. He is the Ancient of Days, Dan 7:9. He is immortal and is the source of immortality, the only one who has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16), for He cannot die. He is invisible, for He cannot be seen with mortal eyes, He dwells in unapproachable light, no man has seen Him or can see Him, 1 Timothy 6:16. He is the only wise God (Jude 25), He is the only infinitely wise and is the source of all wisdom. “To Him be glory forever and ever,” or, “May I forever bring honor and glory to Him, as thousands of thousands do,” Rev. 5:12,13.

Verses 18-20. Here the apostle makes a charge to Timothy that he should continue his work courageously, v. 18. Observe the following: The Gospel is a testament given to its ministers; it is entrusted to them that they may properly handle it, according to its purposes and meaning, and in accordance with the intentions of its great Author. Probably, prophecies were once made regarding Timothy that he would be put into ministry and that he would prove himself an outstanding minister; This is what prompted Paul to make this will to him. Please note:

1. Ministry is war, good war, against sin and Satan, under the banner of the Lord Jesus, the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10), for His cause, against His enemies, and ministers are especially engaged in this war.

2. Ministers must fight this war like good warriors, diligently and courageously, notwithstanding opposition and disappointment.

3. The prophecies that were made about Timothy are here mentioned as a reason to encourage him to courageous and diligent performance of his duty; so the good hopes others have for us should motivate us to fulfill our duty: ... so that you fight according to them, like a good warrior.

4. We must hold on to faith and a good conscience: Having faith and a good conscience... v. 19. He who rejects a good conscience will soon suffer shipwreck in faith. Let us live according to the dictates of our renewed, enlightened conscience, and keep it blameless (Acts 24:16), undefiled by any vice or sin, and this will help us to keep ourselves in a sound faith; we must watch both the one and the other, for the mystery of faith must be kept in a clear conscience, 3:9. As for those who were shipwrecked in the faith, Paul gives the names of two, Hymenaeus and Alexander, who once professed Christianity, but then left it. Paul handed them over to Satan (declared them to belong to his kingdom), that is, as some understand, he gave Satan his supernatural power to frighten and torment them so that they would learn not to blaspheme - not to contradict the teachings of Christ and not to rebel against the ways of the Lord. Please note: main goal The highest punishment in the early Christian church was the prevention of further sin and the correction of the sinner. In this case it was for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 5:5. Please note:

(1.) Those who love the service of Satan and the works of Satan are justly delivered over to his power: ...whom I have delivered to Satan...

(2) God can, if He pleases, act contrary to logic: Hymenaeus and Alexander were betrayed to Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme, although it would seem that from Satan they could learn to blaspheme even more.

(3) Those who have rejected a good conscience and are shipwrecked in faith stop at nothing, even blasphemy.

(4) Therefore we must keep faith and a good conscience if we want to avoid blasphemy, for if we lose them, we don’t know where we will stop.

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope,
An apostle, as we remember, is a person sent directly by Jesus Christ to testify about the significance for humanity of faith in the Messiah of God. It was the will of God and His risen Christ that Paul (formerly Saul) should become an evangelist.

God our Savior - the salvation of humanity from sin and death through the atonement of Christ and the acceptance of atonement in the New Testament is the plan of God, the Father of Jesus Christ. That is why Paul called God the savior and Jesus Christ the hope: and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope. Every Christian could always hope for the support of Christ, in the fact that Jesus - the intercessor before God for salvation - personally for him (1 John 2:1,2) as the mediator of the New Testament (1 Tim. 2:5)

1:2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: grace, mercy, peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul loved Timothy as his son in the faith: apparently, this young man absorbed all the instructions of the apostle - just as loving sons absorb the instructions of their father, with great desire and applying them in life. This strengthened Timothy to cooperate with Paul in God's word. Timothy is called a true son, real, the way a Christian should be, dedicating his life to serving God and His Christ. Paul wishes Timothy every spiritual blessing that God and Christ from above are able to give to His servants.

1:3 When I departed for Macedonia, I asked you to remain in Ephesus and warn some that they should not teach otherwise.
Paul left Timothy in Ephesus in his place in order not to give the opportunity to various kinds of free “evangelists” to teach believers something different from what Paul taught. Timothy had to “identify” everyone who hindered the development and strengthening of the true teaching about God and His Christ in the hearts and minds of fellow believers - in order to stop them in time through admonition and exhortation.

1:4 and did not engage in fables and endless genealogies, which produce more controversy than God’s edification in faith.
If any of the evangelists intend to exhort the congregations on behalf of Christ, then they must understand that arguing about unimportant details of the basic teaching about God and His intentions makes no sense and does not bring any benefit. Well, what could change the foundations of religion by clarifying the question, for example, about the details of the genealogy of each of Christ's progenitors - despite what is already reliably known about the Messiahship of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead?

Absolutely nothing.
Therefore, figuring out little things is always, not only in the 1st century, an empty and even harmful activity for Christians: they do not represent any spiritual value, they do not bring creation in the foundations of religion, they waste time, diverting attention from the foundations of Christian activity and fulfillment the will of God.

1:5 Such discussions only create the illusion of discussing God's word; any such empty demagoguery with polemics destroys the foundations of the spirituality of the entire congregation.
The purpose of exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith,

1:6 Timothy must learn to stop such aimless and useless pastime of “evangelists” in Christian meetings, explaining that the purpose of exhortation (if “evangelists” want to exhort) is to explain to the congregations the meaning of the sincere love of Christians - for God and for each other, which encourages good and doing the right thing, maintaining a clear conscience and strengthening the foundations of faith, in the main thing, without further ado than what is written in the word of God.
from which some retreated into idle talk,

1:7 At the time of Paul’s departure, such figures were already found in the congregations, whose philosophizing beyond what is written (idle talk, teaching not based on the word of God) interfered with the creation of faith, diverting attention from the main goal of the gospel, revealing to people the love of God and His Christ for humanity
desiring to be teachers of the law, but not understanding either what they are talking about or what they are affirming.

Note that the apostle wrote about this to Timothy in the confidence that this young brother would be able to recognize all the idle talkers by comparing what they teach with what he himself was taught from Paul. Paul does not describe the details of the fight against this phenomenon of legalism to Timothy; he himself had to navigate the situation in each situation, acting in such a way as to stop the activities of all would-be preachers and expose their inconsistency with the help of the gift of persuasion in the word of God.

1:8 And we know that the law is good if someone uses it lawfully,
Paul is not saying that the law of Moses is wrong: the law of God always brings only benefit - provided that it is correctly understood and applied ( legal to use ). After all, Paul himself, in fact, very often referred to the Mosaic Law, explaining the meaning of the coming, death and resurrection of the Messiah - according to the law and the prophets (1 Cor. 15: 3,4).
However, some admirers of the Mosaic Law, as we see, misinterpreted it and encouraged Christians to fulfill it even after the death and atonement of Christ.

1:9 knowing that the law is not made for the righteous, but for the wicked and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the depraved and defiled, for those who insult father and mother, for murderers,
10 for fornicators, homosexuals, predators of men, (slanderers, bestialists,) liars, perjurers, and for everything that is contrary to sound doctrine,
Paul explains the purpose of the law of prohibitions and punishments: it is necessary in God's society for sinners. When Israel was sinful, like everyone else, in order to become the Society of God's people, it needed the law of prohibitions and punishments in the form of the Mosaic Law: everything that was it is forbidden
to do by a servant of God - the law called it sin, in this way denoting sin. Thanks to the law of prohibitions and punishments for sins, Israel is like a child through punishments from loving Father

- learned to obey and had to grow up, growing spiritually. Ultimately, this “schoolmaster” would lead Israel to accept Christ (Gal. 3:24)
Why does Paul speak about the law of Moses to Timothy?
Then, to give him arguments to help convince and instruct him in the true religion: since the worshipers of God have now turned to Christ, it means that they have grown out of the law of prohibitions. And since the Mosaic Law has already brought the entire “kindergarten” to Christ (Gal. 3:24), now it is no longer needed. Gal.3:24-27)
This is not healthy, just as the teaching of false teachers is not sound, calling Christians to return to fulfilling the Law of Moses.

Christians learn to do without it by teaching your inner perception distinguishing between good and evil: for the mature fruit of the holy spirit, which every Christian can become, there is no need for the law of prohibitions (the Mosaic law), they themselves will want to do the right thing - always and in all situations, even if they are not understood and accepted in this world, and even if they suffer because of this (Gal. 5:22, 23)

1:11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which has been entrusted to me.
The Apostle Paul conveyed this knowledge about the meaning of the Mosaic Law for sinners (which included the Israelites) according to the command of God, who entrusted Paul with the ministry of an evangelist.
Paul then proceeds to express gratitude to God for calling Paul to this ministry and shares his personal experience in accepting God's grace:

1:12 I thank him who gave me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, for he recognized me as faithful and appointed me to serve,
Paul admits that if God had not helped, Paul would not have had the strength to carry out the ministry entrusted to him as an evangelist. Paul is incredibly grateful to God that He considered Paul fit for this mission: many who knew Paul as the Pharisee Saul might be surprised that God recognized him as faithful - at a time when he was actively opposing the spread of Christianity:

1:13 me, who was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an offender, but was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance, in unbelief;
Paul explained why God did this: He saw in Saul great potential as His faithful servant, who did wrong not because he resisted God. But because Saul was sure that he was doing the right thing and serving God precisely by exterminating Christians. Paul did not understand even then that Christ is God’s Messiah; he sincerely and faithfully served his God according to the faith of his fathers, defending the ministry of the Old Testament (Acts 22:4-5, 19-20; 26:9-11)

1:14 But the grace of our Lord (Jesus Christ) was revealed [in me] abundantly with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
God, seeing that it was impossible to stop and convince the zealous Paul except by intervention from above, ordered Jesus Christ to intervene, and Jesus from heaven helped Paul take the right path of serving God (Acts 9; Gal. 1:15). Thanks to help from above, Paul was able to fully taste the abundance of grace poured out on him from heaven, believing in Christ, accepting him and loving him with all his heart.

1:15 It is true and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.
That is why Paul testifies with such confidence to the truth of the fulfillment of God’s intentions for the salvation of sinners through Jesus Christ: he turned out to be the first blasphemer and persecutor of Christ, on whom the mercy of God was revealed to the world. Although, due to the persecution of Christians, Paul did not deserve such a merciful attitude toward himself, nevertheless, God forgave him and called him to salvation through the acceptance of Jesus Christ.

1:16 But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first would show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life.
In fact, using the example of Paul's pardon, Jesus Christ showed the world how great God's patience is - so that people would accept his sacrifice for their salvation: if God had enough love, mercy and long-suffering towards Paul (the first, one might say, scoundrel and the enemy of God in fact), and if God waited for the time when Paul was finally able to accept Christ for his salvation, then God will have enough of them - and for any other person. God will wait for many to accept Christ Jesus, and thanks to this, they will all be able to achieve salvation and eternal life.
And if the greatest of sinners became a saint, and one of God’s worst enemies became one of His most faithful servants, then in the wide range between these two extremes there is a place for all other sinners.

1:17 To the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Here we are not talking about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, but about the Father of Christ, about the Most High God.
Paul, by the mercy from above, having embraced all the love and long-suffering of God, as well as the meaning of His plan to save mankind from sin and death through the atonement of Christ, cannot help but express gratitude to the Almighty for this undeserved kindness and grace. He calls the Almighty the king of times, incorruptible and invisible: and in fact, God the Creator is the ruler of time, the King in His endless universe and the only invisible spiritual wise Ruler who developed a plan to save the descendants of Adam from death and controls the implementation of His plan. . It is He who is worthy to receive honor and glory from all His rational creation (Rev. 4:11)

1:18 I teach you, [my] son ​​Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you, such a testament,
The apostle writes a testament to his spiritual son, born thanks to the grace of the gospel:

so that you fight according to them, like a good warrior, Timothy must, after the departure of Paul, make war in the word of God, being in agreement with them - with God and His Christ ( agree with them). A good warrior will never contradict his military leader, but will always willingly give his life if it is required to fulfill the will of the military leader.
Likewise, Timothy must be a good warrior for God and His Christ - according to the impressions and forecasts about him that the apostles formed regarding Timothy’s call to serve and his full suitability for this. ( in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you ) Everyone who encountered Timothy in the ministry prophesied for him, by the grace of the Lord, great success in the spiritual field, and Timothy, according to Paul, should have justified these expectations of his brothers with his faithful and zealous service to God and His Christ.

1:19 having faith and a good conscience, which some rejected and suffered shipwreck in faith;
The reason for the breaking of the faith of many Christians was hidden in their moral and spiritual decline: any unrighteous actions made their conscience hard and unresponsive to the true word of God, so they began to get carried away with presenting their own versions of the gospel in the meetings, with which Timothy had to fight ( Paul returned to 1:3-7)
Paul commanded Timothy to maintain a clear conscience and have a strong faith: these two components of a Christian will protect him from shipwreck in faith, which some unscrupulous people suffer.

1:20 such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme.
Hymenaeus is later mentioned again by Paul as one of those who "deviated from the truth" and distorted it with their creeds (2 Tim. 2:17,18)
As for Alexander, it is difficult to say who he is or whether there is any connection between the Alexander mentioned in this verse and the Alexander mentioned in Acts. 19:33.34 and 2 Tim. 4:14.15.

Either way, these two are named by Paul as a sad spiritual practice in Ephesus. Since the Apostle Paul decided to hand them over to Satan, it follows that their offense went beyond minor oversights and accidental offenses (see 1 Cor. 5:1-5)

Their excommunication (exclusion from the Christian community) doomed them to dwell in that spiritual realm that is controlled and supported by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). The measure applied by Paul to these two apostates was aimed at their correction: having lost the protection of the Lord outside the congregation, these two had the opportunity to taste the fruit of their apostasy and suffer the damage that might cause them to repent and return to the Lord (see 1 Cor. .5:5). In punishing these apostates, Paul was guided not so much by the desire to punish as to heal those “sick” with the sin of opposing the truth of God.
On the other hand, Paul's warning that these two are dangerous to the spirituality of Christian meetings is an example of the protection of believers from spiritual opponents: if they came to the meetings as teachers, they would no longer be greeted as teachers of God's word.

Interpretation of the First Epistle to Timothy by St. Paul the Apostle Preface Timothy was one of Paul's disciples, and as a result was respected, and was so devoted to Paul himself that for the sake of housebuilding, for the success of his preaching, he agreed to accept circumcision from him, and this was when Paul forbade circumcision to others and when, on this occasion, he even rebelled against Peter himself . Moreover, Paul himself testifies in many places to the great virtue of this man. He now writes to him about many necessary things [ 1 ]. If anyone asks why the apostle does not write to Silas, Clement, Luke, or another of the many who were with him, but only to Timothy and Titus, then it can be said that they were still accompanying him, and with this he had already entrusted the church . Therefore it was necessary to warn them through the scriptures and explain what they had to do. And if you ask: why didn’t he previously perfect them in all divine wisdom and then would have entrusted them to the work of teaching, but he writes to them and brings them to perfection after he entrusted them with teaching? Know first of all that no one is perfect, even if he was a teacher; on the contrary, such a person also needs a lot of guidance from more perfect ones; It was especially difficult for the bishop himself to arrange everything with his word in the newly emerging church. Then pay attention to the fact that throughout the epistle Timothy is given not the same instruction as the disciples, but what is appropriate for a teacher. CHAPTER FIRST Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by command of God our Savior. Since he intends to write laws to Timothy, he proclaims himself an apostle in order to make his word worthy of unquestioning acceptance. It is not mine, he says, that I will speak, but Him who sent me; look, be obedient. But since the title of the apostle was great, so that it would not seem that he was proud, he added:by command of God . Not myself, he says, I admired this, but I have an urgent duty and am fulfilling the Master’s command. Expressionby order stronger expressioncalled . Although nowhere did the Father give him a command, but Christ:I will send, it is said, you are far from the pagans (Acts 22:21), and again: you must appear before Caesar (Acts 27:24), and: The Holy Spirit said: Separate for Me Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:2); but what belongs to the Son and the Spirit belongs, he says, also to the Father. Listen to what follows. And the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope. You see, this command is general. Pay attention also to how David speaks about the Father:the hope of all the ends of the earth (Ps. 64:6) And the Apostle Paul himself says in another place:we trust in the living God (1 Timothy 4:10). And now the Son is called our hope (hope). Thus, the Father and the Son have everything in common. The apostle used these synonyms opportunely:Savior and hope . For the teacher struggles with many difficulties, for all enmity is directed towards him, so that when he falls, those under his supervision will also fall quickly, as it is said:smite the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered (Zech. 13:7), then, he says, we should not lose heart, for we have as a Savior not man, but God and the Father Himself, who will soon deliver us from dangers. Therefore, we endure misfortunes, consoling ourselves with these two thoughts - either that we will soon get rid of them, or that we cherish the best hopes, Timothy, a true son in the faith. That is, born by me through faith. The preposition "in" - ?? --means "through," as elsewhere the apostle says:I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). Praising him, he calls him not only son, but alsotrue, true , because Timothy, more than others, retains similarities with him in faith, and because the Apostle Paul sincerely loved him. He added very wisely:in faith , in order to further encourage Timothy to join her. For if from the beginning he showed such faith that he was worthy to be called the son of Paul, and a true son, then much more should he now put on it, as if he were fully armored, so as not to be embarrassed and not to lose heart. Showing courageous boldness is a matter of faith. Grace, mercy, peace. Nowhere in other epistles did the apostle put the wordsmercy , but only here. This is because, out of great love, forgive more for your son, as if fearing and trembling for him; He even gave him instructions regarding the stomach. Also because teachers need extreme mercy. From God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Here again is consolation. For if God is our Father, then He takes care of us as if we were children. Consequently, He will have mercy and give grace, so that we all may benefit and have peace with our enemies. When I left for Macedonia, I asked you to stay in Ephesus. Notice how meek his speech was, how he spoke to him in the voice not of a teacher, but of a servant. He did not say: I commanded, but:asked . This is how we should treat our students, but differently with those who are spoiled and not entirely devoted. The Apostle begs him to stay in Ephesus. For the message that he sent to the Ephesians was not enough: pay attention to the messages. However, maybe this was before the message. It is believed that it was then that Paul appointed Timothy as bishop. This is probable, for he further says the following. And admonish some not to teach otherwise. Didn't say: beg, but:exhort , which is more authoritative and strict. He did not call them by name, so as not to make them more shameless through reproof.Teach differently - means introducing other teachings. For among the Jews there were many false apostles, who, out of love for glory and out of a desire to be called teachers, persuaded the faithful to the law of Moses. And they didn’t indulge in fables. He calls fables not the law itself, but observations and false dogmas. And endless genealogies. They usually listed grandfathers and great-grandfathers, dreaming of assigning them some historical glory.Endless named either because they go back to distant times, or because they do not have any good purpose, or because they do not have clarity, are difficult to grasp and confused. It is likely that the apostle here also alludes to the Hellenes, for they have myths and genealogies in which they list their gods. Which produce more controversy (???""????) than God's edification in faith. That is, God introduced such an economy so that everything in it would be accepted by faith, but they introduce research and upset this economy of God. Or that God wanted to give us great things and revealed an ineffable economy for us. This dispensation of His goodness is introduced by faith, and not by origin. Meanwhile, they carried out research. How can it be? How will we believe about the future? Research drives out faith. However, why did the Lord say:seek and you will find (Matt. 7:7)? and further: search the scriptures (John 5:39)? The first expression islook for - speaks of a request, a strong desire; second --explore - means: study the true meaning of the Scriptures, know them and stop all research. The purpose of exhortation is love from a pure heart. If you, he says, exhort not to teach otherwise, you will achieve this, namely love. If you introduce love into them, then every corrupt dogma will not find a place among them. Before, when there was no love, there was envy; from envy, lust for power; from the lust for power the desire to teach; hence heresies. But now it's not like that. He demands sincere love, love not in words, butfrom the heart, and hearts pure and not darkened by hypocrisy - love, which is formed from spiritual disposition and compassion. And a good conscience and unfeigned faith. When robbers love robbers, it does not come from a good conscience, but from an evil one, and not from an unfeigned faith. He who sincerely believes in God will not allow himself to ever depart from true love, for she embraces everyone. And the robber kills those passing by. From this you can conclude that whoever does not have love does not have faith. From which, having retreated (?????""??????), some have deviated into idle talk. Word???????? used about those who shoot poorly. Therefore, here too, he says, art is needed in order to throw straight, and not past the target. But some have retreated from love and faith, and as a result have deviated into idle talk. And as this happens, he adds the following. Desiring to be teachers of the law. That is, suffering from lust for power and passion for glory. They would not be like this if they had love and faith. But not understanding either what they are talking about or what they are asserting. Here he accuses them of not knowing either the purpose of the law or the time until which it was destined to reign. But maybe they sinned out of ignorance, and therefore do not deserve condemnation? No! their ignorance came from the love of power and from the fact that they did not have love. For, he says, wanting to be legislators and teachers of the law, they do not pay attention to the truth, so that they themselves are guilty of their ignorance. What are they claiming? Perhaps about purifications and various other bodily actions observed according to the law. And we know that the law is good if someone uses it lawfully. That is, if someone not only explains it in words, but also fulfills it in practice. For whoever studies the provisions of the law and does not fulfill them makes use of the law lawlessly. Or, in other words, he who is brought to Christ by it uses the law lawfully. The law, not having the power to guide or justify, conveys the seeker of righteousness to Christ - and this is its goal: so that he who prefers Christ to the law uses the law lawfully, that is, as the law itself commands. Knowing that the law is not made for the righteous. Because he doesn't wait for the law to teach him what needs to be done. He knows this and is not afraid of punishment. By righteous here we mean one who has achieved perfection in virtue: who, not out of fear of the law, but for the sake of goodness itself, hates evil, who becomes all virtue and does more than the law requires, considering it unworthy to be guided by what threatens him with punishment; but living courageously by virtue, he becomes above everything characteristic of children; just as a doctor is useful to one who has wounds and who is sick, and not to one who is healthy, or a bit is necessary for a restless horse, and not for a quiet one. But for the lawless and disobedient, the wicked and sinners, the depraved and defiled, for those who insult father and mother, for murderers, for fornicators, homosexuals, predators (slanderers, bestiality), liars, perjurers. The apostle lists sins by type in order to make the guilty ashamed of their exclusive adherence to the law. And that’s exactly what the Jews were. They constantly bowed to idols, sacrificed children to the gods, attempted to stone Moses, their hands were stained with blood - weren’t they wicked and murderers? You will find all the other vices in them if you trace their history. That is why the law was given to them to restrain these vices. He says about this and elsewhere: the lawgiven after due to crimes (Gal. 3:19). But the righteous, since they are no longer prone to crime, do not need the law. And for everything that is contrary to sound doctrine. Although what was said was enough, however, for the sake of completeness, the apostle said in general:and for everything . From this it becomes clear that such passions gain access from distorted dogmas, for all of them are contrary to sound teaching. According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. So put this place in connection with the words:contrary to sound doctrine which happens on evangelism . And he calls it the gospel of glory for the sake of those who are ashamed of persecution and the sufferings of Christ, showing that both the sufferings of Christ and persecution constitute the glory of Christ, or else because the apostle calls the Gospel the gospel of glory, which hints at future glory. For if, he says, our present state is full of shame, but the future is glorious. And the Gospel proclaims this glory to us; for all the gospel relates to the future, and not to the present time. Or else the apostle speaks here about serving God, which the Gospel teaches us. which was entrusted to me. To me, and not to the false apostles: their gospel is the gospel of dishonor, not glory. I thank him who gave me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord. As he said: which was entrusted to me , then, so that it does not seem that he is vainglorious, he refers everything to God, and says: I must thank the One who gave me the strength so that I would be able to take on such a burden. Indeed, it was not human strength to stand against daily dangers that threatened death. This is true humility: our humility is in words, and not in the depths of our souls. That He recognized me as faithful, appointing me to serve. Lest any of the infidels say: if everything belongs to God, and nothing is brought in from us, then why did He make Paul this way, but not Judas? - the apostle, eliminating this objection, says: God strengthened me not just like that, and not without discretion, but because I turned out to be faithful. I didn’t even say that, but:He declared me faithful , again hiding his merits. He does not claim, he says, that I was faithful, but that He recognized me as such. Where can you see this? Because He put me in ministry. For how would He place me if He did not see the ability in me? This is similar to how in houses, managers give thanks to their masters for the management entrusted to them, which they use as a sign that their masters consider them more worthy of trust than others. And God says about him:he is My chosen vessel to proclaim My name (Acts 9:15). Thus, he was only fit for preaching, but in order to accomplish in deed what he was found fit for, he received power from God for this. For whoever intends to preach the name of Christ, the great name, in order to imprint it in the souls of believers through preaching, needs considerable strength. This is done by the one who in everything is worthy of it and thinks, and speaks, and does: whoever is not like that does not do it. For how can one preach Christ who does not have Christ entirely within himself? Thus, Paul was faithful in everything, and took credit for nothing that belonged to the Lord; on the contrary, he called his own God’s.I worked hard , he says, more than anyone, not me, however, but the grace of God (1 Cor. 15:10), and much like that. Me, who was formerly a detractor and a persecutor and an offender. Look how, describing his former life, he extols the mercy of God. Even when he talks about the Jews, worthy of all contempt, he does not attribute anything like that to them, but about himself he tells the following: not only, he says, I myself was a blasphemer and not only strengthened evil in myself, but also persecuted those who wanted to live piously, and not only did it, but with special bitterness. But he was pardoned because he acted this way out of ignorance, in unbelief. He shows himself worthy of punishment, although God’s mercy also applies to such people. Why were other Jews not pardoned? Because they sinned not out of ignorance, but quite consciously. Formany, speaks, believed in Him, but for the sake of the Pharisees they did not confess, for they loved the glory of man more than the glory of God (John 12:42-43). And Christ says:how can you believe when you receive glory from one another? (John 5:44). And the Jews themselves said among themselves:Do you see that you don’t have time to do anything? the whole world follows Him (John 12:19). They were always driven by the passion of ambition. And again, they themselves said:who can forgive sins except God alone? (Luke 5:21). Then Jesus immediately did what they considered a sign of the power of God. So why didn't they believe? Is it really out of ignorance? But maybe someone will say: where was Paul then? - At the feet of Gamaliel, who had nothing to do with the rebellious crowd: he was busy with his own affairs. How then did Paul imprison after this? He saw that the preaching was spreading, and, finally, he was prompted to this by zeal for the law, and the Jews did everything out of lust for power. But how did Paul, being so knowledgeable in the law, not know Christ through the Scriptures? This is why he condemns himself because he suffered from ignorance, which stemmed from unbelief, for which, he says, he was pardoned. The grace of our Lord (Jesus Christ) was revealed to me abundantly with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Having said much and great things about Christ’s love for mankind, that He had mercy on him, worthy of the most terrible punishment, he now says that He not only granted this, but also honored him with adoption, made him a brother, son, friend and co-heir: so richly revealed the grace of His love for mankind. But lest anyone say: since grace is everywhere, therefore there is no free will, the apostle adds:with faith and love . For, he says, I brought faith, believing that He could save me; and I also acquired love myselfin Christ Jesus : because the author of my love for God is Christ, and not the law. This shows that love must be combined with faith. For the fulfillment of the commandments depends on love, as the Lord said:if you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15). It is true and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Having said above that He had mercy on me, the persecutor, he continues: do not be surprised and do not doubt the greatness of the gift. For this is why He came into the world, to save all sinners. So the word is true and worthy of acceptance. Because it is impossible not to trust what is given; on the contrary, since the goodness of the Giver is infinite, it deserves trust and acceptance. This is also directed against the Jews who are devoted to the law, to show them that without faith it is impossible to be saved. Of which I am the first. Why did he say in another place:in truth, lawful, blameless (Phil. 3:6), now puts himself first among sinners? Because before the righteousness in Christ, righteousness according to the law is now sin, since its time has already passed. While it had its time, it was true, just as at night the moon and a candle are light. But when Christ appeared like the sun, he eclipsed it. So, the one who uses the candle of legal truth, when the sun of Christ’s truth has risen, sins and acts unreasonably. And in another place the apostle speaks of this:the glorified does not even turn out to be glorious (2 Cor. 3:10). But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first would show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life. Pay attention to his humility. For this purpose, he says, I have received mercy, so that none of those who have sinned will no longer despair, but will be in full hope of forgiveness, since the greatest of all sinners, Paul, receives salvation. By this the apostle shows that he himself did not deserve forgiveness, but for the sake of the salvation of others he was granted this love of God. He didn’t just say: to show long-suffering in me, butall longsuffering , as if to say: having sinned endlessly, I neededall mercy, in everyone His love for mankind, and not in part, like those who have sinned in part.As an example , says, that is, for example, for consolation and for forgiveness of all who want to believe. To the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Since the apostle said very great things about the Son, namely, that He saves the desperate, so that no one would think that the Father is deprived of His glory, he gives Him glory too. All this is common to the Son. For He too is the king of ages. If He is the Creator of the ages, then how is He not a king, incorruptible, invisible in Divinity, and the only wise one? He Himself is the wisdom of the Father. The same must be said about the Spirit.To the only wise one He did not say this to contrast the Father with the Son and the Spirit; no, but in order to show that although both angels and people have wisdom, God alone is truly wise, as the source of wisdom, and yet other creatures that have wisdom become partakers of it.Honor and glory not only in words, but also in deeds. Glory and honor bestowed in words only show us to be grateful, but glory and honor bestowed in deeds makes us imitators of Him - which is much more. God requires us to glorify Him and in words, so that we love Him, listen to and obey Him, and through this we ourselves benefit; just as someone who marvels at the glory of sunlight benefits himself by enjoying the light and using it in his affairs, and someone who does not use it causes damage and deprivation to himself. I am teaching you, my son Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you, such a testament. Since he used the wordwill , a will is something imperative, so he added:my son Timofey . For I am not telling you this as a command, but as a son. Also said:I teach , to explain the strictness of storage, because what we have is not ours, but God’s. Therefore, what He has given must be preserved.In accordance with the prophecies that were made about you. The title of teacher and priest, being great, needs God’s direction in order for a worthy person to accept this title. Therefore, in ancient times, priests were chosen by prophecy, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for prophecy consists in expressing what exists at the present time. So Timothy was chosen to the priesthood. But since he speaks of many prophecies, meaning, perhaps, when he first accepted him as a disciple, and then when he circumcised him, and then when he ordained him - all this was accomplished with prophecy. Therefore he says:I give you a testament in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you , that is, turning your attention to these prophecies, and as if taught by them what you should do, I convince you that you walk worthy of them and do not disgrace them. So that you fight in accordance with them, like a good warrior. What do I command you? so that you fight against them, that is, so that you do not circumvent their laws, but how they chose you and what they chose you for,like a good warrior . For there is also an evil service of a warrior, when someone uses his oud as an instrument for sin and uncleanness. The apostle remembered the army because he wanted to show that a strong war had been raised against everyone, and especially against the teacher. Therefore, one must stay awake and not show the slightest weakness on one’s part. Having faith and a good conscience. Do not think, he says, to be content only with the fact that according to the prophecies you have been appointed to the priesthood, but you must have faith so that you have the right to proclaim the word of truth, and a good conscience, or a life that is not shameful, from which a good conscience is based, so that you can preside over others beneficially. For just as a general must first be a good warrior, so the teacher himself must have what he demands from his students. Therefore, despite the fact that we are teachers, let us learn not to neglect the advice and instructions of those who are greater than us. Which some rejected and were shipwrecked in their faith. Under the word which , obviously, of course, a good conscience. And fair enough. Because if life is unclean, then perverse dogmas continue from there. In order not to be tormented by the fear of the future, those who live wickedly convince themselves that everything about us is false. But he who strays from faith and thinks about everything suffers shipwreck, despite the closeness of faith. For faith is a quiet haven, it keeps the mind calm, and research is the waves that, here and there, like during a shipwreck, quickly capture the mind and hit it against the rocks, or even drown it. Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander. Do you see that in those days there were people who taught incorrectly, who deviated from the faith, who indulged in research and speculation? Therefore, do not be discouraged now when you see such people, but resist them. whom I delivered to Satan, that they might learn (??? ???????????) not to blaspheme. While teaching others, how can Satan not teach himself? However, the apostle did not say that he should teach them not to blaspheme, but:so they can learn (??? ???????????). He does not do this, but this happens as a result of his actions. For just as executioners, being themselves notorious criminals, admonish others, so does the devil. But why didn’t Paul himself punish them, as he punished Barijesus and as Peter punished Ananias? In order to combine greater dishonor with the severity of punishment, to show that he commands Satan to be more terrible through this. Or better yet, the apostles themselves punished the unbelievers so that they would know that they could not hide. For Ananias was also an unbeliever and also a testing one. Meanwhile, those who already knew this and then apostatized from the faith, they betrayed to Satan, showing them that they were protected not by their own strength, but by the care of them - the apostles. Or also the fact that those whom they wanted to correct were not punished themselves, but those who were incorrigible were punished themselves. How was the guilty person handed over to Satan? He was cast out from the general assembly, separated from the herd and handed over naked to the wolf. For just as in ancient times a cloud surrounded the tabernacle, so the Church of Christ is surrounded by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, whoever is outside the Church is also outside the Spirit and is therefore pitiful and easy to catch. This is the punishment of excommunication. And God Himself, giving sinners over to illness and disaster, teaches through this.Having been judged , speaks, we are punished by the Lord (1 Cor. 11:32). You see, to explore divine things through speculation means blasphemy. It is an insult to divine things when anyone thinks that they are comprehensible to human understanding. CHAPTER TWO So, first of all, I ask you to make prayers, petitions, supplications, thanksgivings for all people, for kings and for all those in authority. First of all , that is, during daily worship. The priest, as the common father of the whole universe, cares for everyone, just as God, to whose service he is dedicated, cares for everyone. Notice the wide-spread grace. Jewish prayers are not like that. Didn't say right away:for kings , so as not to seem like a flatterer, but first he says:for all people , and then adds:for kings , even if the kings were unfaithful: one must pray for them because then they were all like that. From the fact that we pray for everyone, a double benefit results: on the one hand, through this the hatred that we have for some people is destroyed, because no one can harbor hostile feelings towards the one for whom he is praying; on the other hand, they also become better, because with the assistance of prayer they stop their anger and bitterness against us. For it is of great significance to those who persecuted and killed when they hear that those who are tormented by them are praying for them.Prayers, petitions, supplications , as unambiguous words, were collected by the apostle to excite prayerful energy and to express, by insisting through these sayings on one thing - the requirement to urgently act as he commands. However, some were curious to find the difference in these sayings, arguing thatprayer means a request for deliverance from the sorrowful;prayer means asking for benefits;petition - a cry of complaint against the wicked, the offenders and the incorrigible. See how we are prompted to give thanks for those benefits that are sent to others, for example, because HeHe commands His sun to rise on the evil and the good (Matthew 5:45) and gives His blessings to everyone in abundance, both to the infidels and to the blasphemers. Through this we are most closely united in brotherly love. For whoever thanks God for the blessings of his neighbor is obliged to love him. Moreover, therefore, we must give thanks for the blessings bestowed upon us. So that we can lead a quiet and serene life. Since it was probable that the soul of a Christian was troubled by the fact that during the celebration of the sacraments it was commanded to pray for unfaithful kings, the apostle also offers an advantage in order to at least in this way persuade him to accept the exhortation. Their salvation, he says, brings us peace: they wage war so that we are safe. So, will it be reasonable if, because of our safety, they are exposed to danger, and we do not want to open our lips to pray for them? In all piety and purity. The apostle added these words because for many, a peaceful life, not disturbed by battles, serves as a reason for only pleasures and mutual displeasure, from which wrong dogmas are born.To lead our lives , he says, not in pleasures and mutual insults, butin all godliness : in every , not only in the purest faith, free from all heresies, but also in life by faith; for there is wickedness that is manifested by life, of which it is said:they say they know God, but deny by deeds (Titus 1:16). Equallyto lead life in all purity means: to live not only in abstinence from works of carnal lust, but also in all virtue. So, when we enjoy the outer world, we must have peace in our souls, living in piety and purity: for in this case we will live a truly peaceful and serene life. There are three kinds of wars that disturb the world: from the barbarians, from the slanderers living in the same place with us, and from the passions rebelling against us within. The barbaric warfare is stopped by the vigor and courage of kings, which we must also pacify, that which comes from those who hate us - by meek compliance and prayers, as the prophet David set an example, saying:I was at peace with those who hated the world , And: they are hostile to me, and I pray (Ps. 109:4) - and the one who rises up within ourselves - with all the weapons of righteousness. For this is good and pleasing to God our Savior. What does the word indicate:This ? That we should pray for everyone, both infidels and heretics. This is by natureFine , because we are all of the same nature, and to Godwhatever . Who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. If He wants all people to be saved, you too desire and imitate God; and if you desire this, then pray. But if He Himself wants, then what, you ask, is the need for prayer on my part? This brings them a lot of benefit, because it disposes them to love, prevents you from becoming bitter, and they are very likely to be attracted to faith again. Know that salvation comes from faith.And reached the knowledge of the truth , that is, faith in Him; for this is the only truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Having said: God wants everyone to be saved, he confirms, saying that it was for this purpose that He sent His Son as a mediator, so that He could reconcile Him with people. So why isn't everyone saved? Because they don't want to. Having said:one God , he says this to contrast not with the Son, but with idols. That the Son is God is clear from the fact that He is a mediator: since the mediator must communicate to both parties in relation to whom He is the mediator. So, since the Son is a mediator between God and people, He belongs to both sides, there is God and man - one in two natures, not only God, because those for whom He should be a mediator would not accept Him , And not only man, because He had to talk with God. He did not speak openly about the Divinity of Christ because polytheism reigned then, so that they would not think that he, too, was introducing many gods; even when it says:one And one , one should not connect these words and say: two, but: one and one: such is the prudence in Scripture. Therefore, he did not even mention the Spirit, so as not to seem like a polytheist. Who gave himself as a ransom for all. And for the pagans. Truly He died for everyone, won’t you agree to pray for them? Pay attention to the expression:self-betrayed . This is against the Arians, who said that He was betrayed against his will. What meansredemption ? The creation had to perish, but He gave Himself for it. This was the testimony at the time. That is, through testimony the Son became redemption. Or, explaining this, the apostle now says: I call testimony, that is, His suffering, redemption. For He came to bear witness to the truth even unto death. He revealed the Father, the true teaching, and He Himself led a truly angelic life. For whom I am appointed preacher and apostle. I have been assigned to this testimony as a preacher to preach about it, that is, about the cross and death of Christ. And he was appointed not just as a preacher to preach in one place, but also as an apostle to go around preaching everywhere. Truly, the title of an apostle is great, that’s why he calls himself that I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie, a teacher of the Gentiles. The apostle convinces of the authenticity of his words. Since the other apostles did not show zeal for this, partly because they were afraid of the pagans, partly because they despised them, then, he says, I was truly chosen to be a teacher of the pagans. If, therefore, the Son of God died for the pagans, and I am their teacher, then you cannot refuse to pray for them. In faith and truth. in faith Look again.... Not in syllogisms, he says, or logical proofs, but in faith. Then, so that you would not think that this was a deception, he added: . For what is taught and taught in faith is not a lie; on the contrary, it is taught in truth. So I wish that men would say prayers in every place. How does Christ forbid prayer in every place? So He advises not to do this in the squares, but commands you to enter a room for prayer (Matthew 6:6). No, Christ does not prohibit praying in every place, but teaches us not to do it out of vanity, for show. He only recalled the room, just as in the sayinglet left hand yours doesn't know what the right one is doing (Matt. 6:3). He is not talking about hands, but he points out the extreme importance of giving alms without vanity. Therefore, Paul also wants men to pray in every place, since Christ did not prohibit this. He said this to contrast the Jewish prayer. For their prayer was performed in one place, that is, in the Temple of Jerusalem. But with us it is not like that: grace is limitless, and just as a Christian prays for everyone, so it is in every place. Raising clean hands. It is not about the place of prayer that we should discuss with all care, but about its image. For he demands hands clean from covetousness, theft, murder, plagues - hands full of alms. Without anger and doubt. That is, without rancor and agitation against his brother. The Apostle teaches that the one who prays should pray without doubt or hesitation in his thoughts whether he will receive or not receive what he asks for. How does this happen? He answers: if you do not ask for anything contrary to His will, nothing unworthy of the Tsar, but ask for everything spiritual, with clean hands and without anger. So that the wives too. I wish, he says, that women, without anger and reflection, would raise clean hands, not defiled by robbery and greed. For when a wife forces her husband to provide her with precious stones and gold jewelry, and he steals what belongs to others, then she, of course, steals. They adorned themselves in decent attire, with modesty and chastity. The apostle demands something more from women, namely: to dress themselves decently, and not elegantly; because the latter is considered unseemly. An adornment is a dress that dresses and covers from all sides, and does not shamelessly expose. For he adds:with modesty and chastity . Not with braided hair, not with gold, not with pearls, not with costly clothing, but good deeds, as befits wives who devote themselves to piety. After all, you are going to pray, not to dance. Why are you inventing braiding your hair on your head, curling the locks, hanging some precious stones, surrounding yourself with others on all sides, and attaching others to your shoes - what is this if not an extreme shame? And is it not through the tears of the poor, widows and orphans? You deprive a widow of her poor, simple clothing so that she can trample pearls under her feet! Isn’t God’s long-suffering still great? You went with the intention of asking for absolution, but you decorate yourself as if you were going on stage! It is indeed wonderful to have heartfelt contrition and God, without a doubt, will hear you as you shed the tears of the poor. If Paul forbids that which serves only as a sign of wealth, then even more so that which relates to excessive vanity, such as rubbing the cheeks, tinting the eyes, an effeminate voice, a moist look, etc. Let the wife study in silence, with all submission. A woman must maintain decency not only in appearance and clothes, but also in the voice. According to him, she should not even talk about spiritual things, but should only study. It would be better for her if she remained silent. But I do not allow a wife to teach, nor to rule over her husband, but to be in silence. The apostle takes away from a woman any reason for conversation in church. For after he commanded them to be silent, so that they would not speak under the plausible pretext of teaching, he said: Let them not teach; because it would give them power and primacy over their husband. Meanwhile, the wife is commanded to be submissive.To your husband , it is said, your attraction (Gen. 3:16). So it is proper for her to remain silent. Through silence she will best show her submission. Know, however, that the apostle does not generally prohibit women from teaching, but only in church; and outside the church this is not forbidden to her. Thus Priscilla proclaimed the sound teaching of Apollos; Thus, a faithful wife is not prohibited from denouncing her unfaithful husband. For Adam was created first, and then Eve. Since, he says, in the very creation the male race was given primacy, and Eve was created second, then after this all wives should have secondary places after their husbands and obey them. For the power of what was then done to Adam and Eve extends to the entire race, male and female. And it was not Adam who was deceived; but the wife, deceived, fell into crime. Why does the apostle say that Adam was not deceived? Because Scripture does not say this; on the contrary, the wife said:the serpent deceived me (Gen. 3:13), and Adam does not say: the woman deceived me, but:she gave it to me (Gen. 3:12). It is not the same thing to be deceived by a beast - a slave and a subordinate. Therefore, the latter is actually seduction. So, in comparison with the woman, the apostle says about Adam that he was not deceived. Adam didn't even seethat the tree is good for food (Gen. 3:6), but the wife saw it and was deceived, and then she gave it to her husband. Thus, she was carried away by passion, and he submitted to his wife. So, the apostle says: a woman once taught, and overthrew everything; Therefore, let this generation not teach: it is easy, easily receptive, easily deceived. Look, the apostle did not say: Eve was deceived, but:wife , meaning by this name the feminine nature. Just as through Adam all nature became mortal, so through Eve frivolity passed on to all women; Because of this frivolity, the crime took place first in Eve herself. However, he will be saved through childbearing. Who? Eve? No, but a woman, that is, the female gender. Do not be discouraged, he says, women: God has given you a means of salvation - childbearing, that is, the good upbringing of those born; for it is not only necessary to give birth, but also to educate. And this is real childbirth, otherwise it is not childbirth, but child molestation. So what about virgins? What about widows? Are they completely dead? No, the apostle is not saying that they will not be saved by their own virtue, but that raising children contributes to the salvation of wives. A virtuous wife will raise her children in virtue. The virtue inherent in it passes on to children through education. Consequently, a virtuous maiden will undoubtedly be saved. It seems to me that the apostle, having previously forbidden wives to teach in church, now, as a consolation, gives them whom to teach. If you really want to teach, teach your children. Some, however, unknown why, understood childbirth as a birth that was from Holy Mother of God. She, they say, having given birth to the Savior, saved the wives. But the understanding is also inconsistent with the speech that follows. Because listen. If he continues in faith [ 2 ]. That is, children, if they maintain the holy faith and dogmas. And love. That is, they will remain in the right life. For faith is not enough: the beginning and source of right life is love. And in holiness with chastity. Under holiness The apostle means purity of the body. But since not all are virgins, he added:with chastity . For chastity is not denied to those who live in legal marriage. Or simply calls purity chastity. What if a vicious mother raises her children well? Although this is incredible, if it happens, she will receive a reward for them. What if a good mother raises her children poorly? If she did not care and indulged them, Elijah will suffer the fate. If, despite all the worries and suffering, she could not make them better, which rarely happens, she will still receive a reward for her labors, since the Son of God, despite all His works and teachings, however, had few believers . CHAPTER THREE The word is true. Since it was doubtful whether mothers could reap the fruits of the virtue of their children, the apostle says:the word is true , that is, not falsely said and let no one doubt. If anyone desires the episcopate, he desires a good deed. The instruction prescribed to Timothy concerning the bishop applies to the bishops of the whole universe. If anyone, he says, is looking for a bishopric, I do not interfere; for he desires a good deed. Let him seek more than just leadership and power, for Moses also desired action, not authority: he defended the unjustly offended and punished the offender. The bishopric is so called because it has supervision over everyone. But the bishop must be blameless. That is, to be adorned with all virtues, so that neither himself nor others blame him. Therefore, if anyone is aware of his sins, let him not seek such a title from which he has removed himself by his actions. For a leader must be a lamp, so that everyone, looking at him, will be enlightened and guided by his life. One wife's husband. If a person bound by marriage cares about worldly affairs, and a bishop should not care about worldly things, then how does the apostle say:one wife's husband ? Some believe that he pointed to the bishop's celibacy. And if this is not what is meant here, then it is that he, having a wife, can live as if he did not have her, that is, without submitting to her desires. In saying this, the apostle does not lay down the law that a bishop must necessarily be married. For how could he who spoke command this:I wish all people were like me (1 Cor. 7:7)? But if, according to the time of that time, he says, this had happened, then let him be the husband of one wife. This was also said for the sake of the Jews, who allowed polygamy. Some, without any reason, believed that the apostle was saying this in relation to the church - namely, they were saying that the bishop should not move from church to church: because this is fornication. Sober. That is, to be careful, always vigilant, attentively observant, so as to see everything and always be ready for any necessary task. Chaste. That is, to act prudently in everything. Decent, honest (??????) [ 3 ]. That is, beautifully honest. Strange-loving. For if he is friendly, hospitable and merciful towards local residents only, then he is partial. But he should be even more generous to strangers; for this more clearly testifies to his brotherly love. Instructive. The qualities mentioned above are also required from subordinates, but most of all they must belong to the bishop. Not a drunkard. The apostle is not talking here about someone who gets drunk on wine, but about someone who is abusive and arrogant. Not a killer. Here we're talking about not about those who strike with their hands, but about those who untimely outrage the conscience of the brethren. Not grumpy, not selfish, but quiet, peace-loving, not money-loving. Teaches how you can be not a drunkard and not a murderer. He who is meek will not be quarrelsome. Since I said above that he should bestrange-loving , then now adds:not a lover of money , showing that he will be a lover of hobbies if he is not a lover of money, and at the same time teaching that under the pretext of being a lover of hobbies he should not collect treasures. He is a good steward of his house. External writers also speak about this, that a good housekeeper can soon become a good ruler of the state. Keeping children in obedience with all honesty. In his own home, he must set an example, for who would believe that someone who did not know how to keep his own son in dependence would conquer a stranger? How can he make strangers honest when he allows his own blood to live dishonestly?With all honesty that means - in word, and in deed, and in clothing - and, moreover, in front of everyone and at all times. For who does not know how to manage own home, will he care about the Church of God? The house is nothing more than a small church. Therefore, if he cannot be a good ruler of what is not great, and easily definable, and easily known, then where can he manage the morals and unthinkable thoughts of so many souls? The question worthy of attention is why the apostle, making such demands on the laity:put to death your members on earth (Col. 3:5), and also: those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh (Gal. 5:24), now demands less from the bishop, which does not correspond to such a high rank, namely: to be not a drunkard, not a murderer, and so on. And Christ, commanding him to take up his cross, says:the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11). Therefore, Paul should have demanded from the bishop that he lead an almost angelic life, alien to passions, befitting the height of his life. Listen, with such strictness in their lifestyle, few people could be found, while many bishops were needed to preside in every city. Therefore, the apostle demanded moderate virtue, which could be found in many. But now, alas! Where have we - bishops - fallen, so that not even a shadow of such moderate virtue is found in us! Have mercy on us, Lord! Must not be a convert. The apostle is not talking here about someone who was young in age, as Timothy was young, which we learn from the words of Paul:Let no one despise your youth (1 Tim. 4:12), but about a new convert. Because, he says,I planted (1 Cor. 3:6). Since many of the pagans were converted and baptized, do not immediately, he says, elevate the newly baptized to such power. So that you do not become proud and fall into condemnation with the devil. If someone, before being a good student, becomes a teacher, he, he says, will become proud and be subject to the same condemnation and punishment; what the devil is subjected to for his pride. He must also have a good testimony from outsiders. That is, from the pagans, so that they would not blame him for anything, but, on the contrary, would respect him. But what if he seems good to them, but in reality he is not? This will present a great difficulty. For enemies reproach righteous people. However, the apostle does not show this alone, but together with other virtues, saying:he must also have a good testimony . What if they needlessly speak ill of him in order to slander him? This cannot be: because a person has an impeccable life and they respect him. They condemn his teaching, and not his life, just as they did not call the apostles fornicators and wicked, but deceivers, which applied only to the sermon. If such a case occurs that a person is falsely slandered, still he should not be made a bishop. For it must not happen that no one’s souls are not illuminated by their lamp.Let them shine, speaks, your deeds for people to see (Matt. 5:16) [ 4 ]. If he must have a testimony from his enemies, then much more from his friends. So as not to fall into criticism. This refers to reproach from the pagans, which can stop the beneficial effect of the sermon. And the devil's snare (??? ??????????). Either that they will soon kill him, or that he will fall into the same sins as they did. And to be a temptation for many is also the snare of the devil. Deacons too. Why did the apostle omit the elders? Because everything he said about bishops also applies to elders. Indeed, they also received the right to teach and preside in the Church, and are inferior to bishops only in the right to perform ordination. So, he says, the deacons too, that is, they must have the same things, namely: to be hospitable, meek, not quarrelsome, and so on. Must be honest. They must, he says, in addition to what has been said, have honesty. Not bilingual. That is, they are not crafty, not cunning, not keeping one thing in mind, but saying another - one thing to one person, and another to another. Not partial to wine, not greedy. He didn’t say: not drunkards, because that’s already extremely low, but:not partial to wine . For some people, although they do not get drunk, still drink a lot and weaken the mood of the soul. The ancients, entering the sanctuary, completely abandoned the use of wine.Selfish - one who does not refuse any benefit, no matter where it comes from. Accept herenot selfish for the incorruptible and not money-loving. Keeping the sacrament of faith in a clear conscience. That is, with the preservation of the right dogma, and having an immaculate life. For a clear conscience comes from an immaculate life. And such people must first be tested, then, if they are blameless, they must be allowed to serve. Just as, he says, regarding the bishop, I demanded that he should not be newly baptized, so I demand that these too should not be admitted to service without being tested, but after being sufficiently tested, they will be found to be blameless: just like a newly purchased slave no one will be entrusted with any administrative position before he proves himself fit for it in time. Likewise, their wives should be honest. The apostle is not talking about any random women, but about deaconesses. For this service is very necessary and useful for the Church. If he were not talking about them, then what is the need to talk about women among the speech about male deacons? No, slanderers. That is, not slanderers who, as old women usually do, go from house to house and whisper to one about another. Sober. That is, to stay awake. Since this generation is easy and easy to deceive, he says, they should not slumber, but be alert and vigilant. Faithful in everything. That is, they are persistent both in word and in deeds. A deacon must be the husband of one wife. You see that the apostle demands from deacons the same virtue that he demanded from bishops. For they must equally be pure and blameless. He is a good steward of his children and his home. Everywhere he talks about managing children so that others have no reason to be tempted. For those who have served well prepare for themselves highest degree and great boldness in faith in Christ Jesus. Degree , that is, success. For those who have shown themselves to be sober in lower positions will soon reach higher ones, so that they can have great boldness in the faith; that is, to be more glorious, not in worldly virtues, not in wealth, but in faith, that is, in all words and deeds of faith. Thus, those who performed the duties of a deacon well were later renowned in the degrees of presbytery and bishopric. I am writing this to you, hoping to come to you soon, so that if I delay, you will know how you should act in the House of God. So that, through the instruction he gives regarding such subjects, the disciple would not be plunged into sorrow, as if Paul would no longer see him, he says: I am not writing this because I will not come again; on the contrary, I will come. However, if it happens that I slow down, you must have an example of how you should live. Well the apostle said:hoping . Since, seen by the Spirit, he did not know where he should go, he rightly doubts his coming to Timothy. Which is the Church of the living God. Don’t say that people gathered the Church. She is the work of God, a living and terrible God, and not a dead and weak one, like the gods of the Hellenes. The pillar and ground of truth. The Apostle here compares the Church with the Jewish temple and says that it truly was an image and a shadow, such as bells, expensive jewelry and a high priest with sacrifices. And the Church is a statement of truth. For everything that happens in it is true, and not figurative, which is what is in the church under the law: instead of bells, there is a brilliant sermon; instead of expensive jewelry, sacred clothes - a glorious life, rich in internal fruits; The High Priest in it is the Son of God; the great sacrifice is His Divine Body. And unquestioningly is a great mystery of piety. The economy of our salvation is a mystery. This is the secretgreat, mystery piety : for she is beyond all doubt. What is this secret that everyone knows? Quite a lot, but not all. If everyone knows, then now, but not everyone knew before. Moreover, everyone knows that God became incarnate, but how he became incarnate is hidden, and therefore a mystery. Pay attention to what kind of love God has for us, if He has fully revealed His secret to us. God appeared in the flesh. Since Paul, when giving instructions about priests, did not say anything that is found in the book of Leviticus, then, he says, let no one be surprised if I do not talk about such unimportant things. The great is ours, and there is nothing like that there. Here God appeared. How? Itself; For by Divinity He is invisible. Justified Himself in the Spirit. Or he says that having done everything for the salvation of people, although He did not convince some of the adamant, He justified Himself as having completed His work; or - that He did not create sin,and there was no flattery in His mouth (Isa. 53:9). And the righteous according to the law were in bondage in spirit. For the law contained threats and punishments, but did not have the spirit of adoption. The Lord fulfilled all righteousness in the Holy Spirit, being of one essence with Him and having Him in Himself by nature, and through Himself giving us the opportunity to be justified through Him. For the righteous according to the Gospel, being spiritual, far exceed those who were once justified by the law. Showed Himself to the Angels. O sacrament! With us, the angels also saw the Son of God, having not seen Him before. For the Gospel says:and the angels came and ministered to Him (Matt. 4:11). And not only here, but from birth to ascension they served Him. At the time of birth, the angels sing a song to Him and preach the good news about Him to the shepherds; and during the ascension they serve Him. Preached to the nations, accepted by faith in the world. Preached to the nations who were in despair and seduction, and not onlypreached, but also accepted by faith in the world , which serves as a great sign of the power of the Preached One and the truth of the sermon. Ascended in glory. That is, on the clouds, when angels also served Him. Of course, he ascended into heaven not like Elijah, but as if into heaven, not to say that the ascension itself is glory. CHAPTER FOUR The Spirit speaks clearly. That is, it is obvious, clear and not hidden, like the law and the prophets. What in last times some will depart from the faith. Since the apostle said above that some were shipwrecked in the faith, do not be surprised when he says that some now adhere to Jewish errors. There will be a time when those who consider themselves Christians will do even worse things. This the apostle speaks not of the Jews, for they were in ancient times, as in that time, but of the Marcionites, Encratites, Manichaeans, and all their assemblies of this kind. Listening to seducing spirits and demonic teachings. For, listening to this, they condemned certain foods and marriage. However, the apostle also means all other heresies; for they are all from the deception of the spirits of lies and the teachings of demons. It is clear that he does not mention all heresies here, so as not to sow them in the souls of people: he points to the heresy that has already begun, namely regarding food and marriage. Through the hypocrisy of false speakers. That is, what they speak falsely about, they do not speak falsely out of ignorance, but knowing that it is false, they pretend to teach it as true. Burnt in their conscience, forbidding marriage. That is, since they knew a lot of unclean things behind them, their conscience had burnt signs of their unclean life in them, and therefore condemned the marriage. Since, if their life were truly pure, then their conscience would be pure and would not condemn what God blessed. Just as a suffering stomach condemns food, while within itself there are bad juices for digestion. So what? Don't we forbid marriage? No way. But we direct those who do not want to marry to preserve their virginity, instilling in them that it is the most honest; but it does not follow from this that marriage is already dishonest, just as from the fact that gold is more honest, it does not follow that it is more honest than honest, and the best is better than good and not bad. So let him who is able take hold of the gold of virginity; and whoever cannot do this, let him accept the silver of marriage. And to eat what God created, so that those who are faithful and know the truth may eat with thanksgiving [ 5 ]. What? Didn’t God create brushen for the unbelievers? Yes, but they refrain. So what? Is pleasure not forbidden? And very much, but not eating food. For eating requires moderation, but pleasure knows no measure. However, the enjoyment of food is not in itself unclean, but because it weakens the soul of those who indulge in it.And those who know the truth . Everything Jewish was an image, but now truth reigns. The Jews were forbidden many things (Lev. 11:2 et seq.), not as unclean, but in order to eradicate pleasure - so that they, being brought into a constrained position by many prohibitions, - began to bury oxen and sheep and thus know what gods did the Egyptians invent for themselves? So, by truth we mean either faith in Christ, or simply the truth that will be discussed immediately. For every creation of God is good. For All, it is said, very good (Gen. 1:31). Saying: creation of God , the apostle designated everything that could be eaten, and thus already overthrew the error of those who introduce uncreated matter and say that everything came from it. And nothing is reprehensible if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If something is sanctified, does this not mean that it is unclean? No, the apostle makes a limitation. First, he essentially says that there is nothing unclean, then with a limitation: let’s say he says that there is something unclean, but you have a cure: autumn sign of the cross, give thanks, give glory to God, and the uncleanness will disappear. For thanksgiving purifies everything; and the ungrateful is himself unclean and filthy. Is it really possible to cleanse something sacrificed to idols in this way? Yes, if we do not know that it was sacrificed to idols; but because we violated the law commanding us not to partake in the table of demons. Consequently, your will is defiled by disobedience, and food by nature is not unclean. Instilling this in the brothers,

Interpretation of the First Epistle to Timothy by St. Paul the Apostle

First Epistle to Timothy of the Holy Apostle Paul Chapter 1 1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope, 2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, peace from God our Father, and Christ Jesus, Lord