1 Timothy 6
– Slaves and Masters
6:1 Those who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as worthy of full respect, so that the name of God and the teaching will not be brought into disrepute.
2 And those who have believing masters are not to show them less respect on the ground that they are brothers; on the contrary, they should serve all the more diligently, since those benefiting from their service are believers whom they love.
Teach and exhort people about these things.
This advice was important because a religion that the Romans thought might incite slave discontent would immediately be labeled subversive and subjected to outright persecution; Paul wants the slaves who are Christian, as well as free Christians, to engage in a culturally relevant and intelligent witness. When Paul says that masters “benefit” from their slaves (v. 2), he employs a term especially used of wealthy benefactors who bestowed gifts on social inferiors. Thus Paul, like the philosopher Seneca, possibly portrays the slaves as persons free in God’s sight who can choose to bestow a gift on their masters by serving them freely.
– Sound Teaching
3 If anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound precepts of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and to the doctrine that is in keeping with godliness,
4 he is swollen with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has a morbid desire for controversies and word-battles, out of which come jealousy, dissension, insults, evil suspicions,
5 and constant wrangling among people whose minds no longer function properly and who have been deprived of the truth, so that they imagine that religion is a road to riches.
6:3. “Sound” means “healthy”; Greek and Roman writers often used medical imagery to describe the spiritual state of people’s souls or beliefs. Perhaps Paul refers here to Jesus’ teachings (cf. Mt 6:19–34).
1 Timothy 1:3-8
3 As I counseled you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus, so that you may order certain people who are teaching a different doctrine to stop.
4 Have them stop devoting their attention to myths and never-ending genealogies; these divert people to speculating instead of doing God’s work, which requires trust.
5 The purpose of this order is to promote love from a clean heart, from a good conscience and from sincere trust.
6 Some, by aiming amiss, have wandered off into fruitless discussion.
7 They want to be teachers of Torah, but they understand neither their own words nor the matters about which they make such emphatic pronouncements.
8 We know that the Torah is good, provided one uses it in the way the Torah itself intends.
and constant wrangling among people whose minds no longer function properly and who have been deprived of the truth, so that they imagine that religion is a road to riches.
6 Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have.
For how many people is religion discredited because those who profess it demonstrate by their lives that they consider it a road to riches! The sad thing is that by their greed they have been deprived of the truth, of the riches of true religion
1 Timothy 5:17-18
The leaders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially those working hard at communicating the Word and at teaching.
18 For the Tanakh says, “You are not to muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain,” in other words, “The worker deserves his wages.”
– True Riches
6 Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have.
6 Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have.
7 For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it;
8 so if we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these.
Job 1:21
“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will return there naked: Adonai gave, Adonai has taken away; blessed be the name of Adonai” (Job 1:21).
Philippians 4:11
Not that I am saying this to call attention to any need of mine; since, as far as I am concerned, I have learned to be content regardless of circumstances.
– The Love of Money
Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all the evils; because of this craving, some people have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves to the heart with many pains.
Luke 8:14
14 As for what fell in the midst of thorns these are the ones who hear; but as they go along, worries and wealth and life’s gratifications crowd in and choke them, so that their fruit never matures.
Acts 5:1-11
5:1 But there was a man named Hananyah who, with his wife Shappirah, sold some property
2 and, with his wife’s knowledge, withheld some of the proceeds for himself; although he did bring the rest to the emissaries.
3 Then Kefa said, “Why has the Adversary so filled your heart that you lie to the Ruach HaKodesh and keep back some of the money you received for the land?
4 Before you sold it, the property was yours; and after you sold it, the money was yours to use as you pleased. So what made you decide to do such a thing? You have lied not to human beings but to God!”
5 On hearing these words, Hananyah fell down dead; and everyone who heard about it was terrified.
6 The young men got up, wrapped his body in a shroud, carried him out and buried him.
7 Some three hours later, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened.
8 Kefa challenged her: “Tell me, is it true that you sold the land for such-and-such a price?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is what we were paid for it.”
9 But Kefa came back at her, “Then why did you people plot to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The men who buried your husband are at the door. They will carry you out too!”
10 Instantly she collapsed at his feet and died. The young men entered, found her there dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 As a result of this, great fear came over the whole Messianic community, and indeed over everyone who heard about it.
Or: “Loving money leads to all kinds of evils.
– The Right Way to Live
11 But you, as a man of God, flee from these things; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses.
13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before the Messiah Yeshua, who in his witness to Pontius Pilate gave the same good testimony,
14 to obey your commission spotlessly and irreproachably until our Lord Yeshua the Messiah appears.
6:11. Moralists often exhorted readers to “flee” from vices. Ancient Hittites used the expression “man of God” to describe religious figures, and the Old Testament used it for men commissioned by God to function as his spokespersons. Its rare occurrences in subsequent Jewish literature are probably dependent on the Old Testament usage, as is Paul’s use here.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.
6:12. Greco-Roman moralists often described moral struggles in terms of warfare, as did Jewish texts influenced by them (e.g., 4 Maccabees, where it refers to martyrdom). The image in the Greek here is not that of a war, however, but of another image the moralists equally exploited in a figurative manner: the wrestling match or athletic contest.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses.
6:12. Greco-Roman moralists often described moral struggles in terms of warfare, as did Jewish texts influenced by them (e.g., 4 Maccabees, where it refers to martyrdom). The image in the Greek here is not that of a war, however, but of another image the moralists equally exploited in a figurative manner: the wrestling match or athletic contest.
12 Fight the good fight of faith. Sha’ul did (2 Ti 4:6–8). The fight of faith is against sin, not against people (2C 10:3–5, Ep 6:10–13).
6 For as for me, I am already being poured out on the altar; yes, the time for my departure has arrived.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 All that awaits me now is the crown of righteousness which the Lord, “the Righteous Judge,” will award to me on that Day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for him to appear.
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10 Finally, grow powerful in union with the Lord, in union with his mighty strength!
11 Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary.
12 For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.
13 So take up every piece of war equipment God provides; so that when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist; and when the battle is won, you will still be standing.
– The Return of Messiah
15 His appearing will be brought about in its own time by the blessed and sole Sovereign, who is King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone is immortal, who dwells in unapproachable light that no human being has ever seen or can see—to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
9 Therefore God raised him to the highest place
and gave him the name above every name;
10 that in honor of the name given Yeshua,
every knee will bow—
in heaven, on earth and under the earth—
11 and every tongue will acknowledge
that Yeshua the Messiah is ADONAI—
to the glory of God the Father.
- Using Wealth Rightly
17 As for those who do have riches in this present world, charge them not to be proud and not to let their hopes rest on the uncertainties of riches but to rest their hopes on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.
18 Charge them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share.
19 In this way they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may lay hold of the real life.
22 Here is what ADONAI says:
“The wise man should not boast of his wisdom,
the powerful should not boast of his power,
the wealthy should not boast of his wealth;
23 instead, let the boaster boast about this:
that he understands and knows me—
that I am ADONAI, practicing grace,
justice and righteousness in the land;
for in these things I take pleasure,” says ADONAI.
Psalm 62:11
11 Don’t put your trust in extortion,
don’t put false hopes in robbery;
even if wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
– Final Words
20 Oh, Timothy! Keep safe what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from the ungodly babblings and the argumentative opposition of what is falsely called “knowledge.”
21 For many who promise this “knowledge” have missed the mark, as far as the faith is concerned. Grace be with you.
“Entrusted” is the language of keeping a deposit; those with whom money was deposited were under sacred obligation to keep it secure or increase it, and this principle applied also to teaching (to which the image was extended by other ancient writers as well). Some scholars have seen the “false knowledge” here as a reference to Gnosticism (which could indicate a date for the Pastoral Epistles later than Paul), but this interpretation is unnecessary; many philosophers made claims to “knowledge,” which other philosophers considered false.