1 Timothy 1.17-Paul Bursts Into A Doxology Of Praise To The Father
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday March 1, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 1:17-Paul Bursts Into A Doxology Of Praise To The Father
Lesson # 29
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 1:12.
Next, we will study 1 Timothy 1:17, which concludes the paragraph that began in verse 12.
In this passage, Paul bursts into a doxology of praise to the Father.
The term “doxology” is from the Greek doxologia and is derived from the Greek noun doxa, “praise, glory, honor” and denotes a brief ascription of praise to members of the Trinity.
It is fitting for Paul to burst into a doxology of praise to the Father after relating to his readers how the Lord Jesus Christ treated him according to His grace policy even though he was the worst enemy of our Lord among men.
1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NASU)
“Now” is the “transitional” use of the post-positive conjunction de (δέ) (theh), which is correctly translated and marks a transition from the previous paragraph in verses 12-16 to the concluding doxology here in verse 17.
“To the King eternal, immortal, invisible” is composed of the articular dative masculine singular form of the noun basileus (βασιλεύς) (vah-see-lefts), “to the king” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun aion (αἰών) (aye-own), “eternal” and the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aphthartos (ἄφθαρτος) (ahf-thar-toce), “immortal” and the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aoratos (ἀόρατος) (ah-ore-dah-toce), “invisible.”
The noun basileus means “king” and is used with reference to the Father.
Paul bursts into a doxology of praise to the Father because he is connecting the salvation that Jesus Christ provided with His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and resurrection as originating from the Father.
The apostle wants to make clear that the Lord Jesus Christ did not provide salvation for sinners independently from the Father but in full compliance with the Father’s plan from eternity past.
Since the noun aion is in the plural and not in the singular, the word does not mean “eternal” referring to an attribute of the Father but rather it is saying that the Father is king over all the ages of time.
The word refers to the dispensations of history, past, present, future and eternal state.
The noun aion is used with basileus as a genitive of time and indicates that the Father is King “throughout the ages” meaning that He is King over the dispensations of history, past, present, future and the eternal state.
“Immortal” is the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aphthartos (ἄφθαρτος) (ahf-thar-toce), which is correctly translated and pertains “to being not subject to decay and death” (Louw and Nida, 23.128).
In 1 Timothy 1:17, the adjective aphthartos ascribes immorality which is intrinsic to the nature of the Father.
“Invisible” is the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aoratos (ἀόρατος) (ah-ore-dah-toce), which is composed of a word related to the verb horao, “to see” and a negating alpha, thus the word literally means “not seen” or “invisible.”
In 1 Timothy 1:17, the adjective is used to describe the Father as “invisible.”
Though the Father cannot be seen by His creatures, the Son has revealed Him (John 1:18).
1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (ESV)
“The only God” is composed of the dative masculine singular form of the adverb monos (μόνος) (moe-noce), “only” and the dative masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός) (thay-oce), “the God.”
The adverb monos is used with reference to the Father and denotes He is in a class by Himself or unique meaning that He is the “one and only” God.
The word functions as an attributive adjective modifying the noun theos, which refers to the Father.
Commenting on this expression Towner writes that it “represents a fundamental affirmation of belief that goes back to the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4 (‘Hear, O Israel…the Lord is one’) and became standard theology in the early church. The original affirmation contested pagan polytheism, which in Deuteronomy was symbolized in Egyptian idolatry; it was later developed and used widely in the running debate with paganism. In a purely worship setting, the epithet would draw attention to the supremacy of God.” Towner, Philip H., The Letters to Timothy and Titus; page 153; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, MI, 2006)
Mounce writes, “The Shema was repeated every day at the synagogue and is still part of the daily prayer life of the pious Jew. It was perhaps this confession more than any other that made the Judeo-Christian outlook unique in the ancient world.” (Mounce, William D., The Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles, page 61; Thomas Nelson, 2000)
“Honor” is the nominative feminine singular form of the noun time (τιμή) (tee-mee), which refers to the recognition that the Father will receive from those sinners declared justified through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
It refers to their public acknowledgement of the Father for saving them based upon the merits of the object of their faith Jesus Christ.
“The glory” is the nominative feminine singular form of the noun doxa (δόξα) (thoex-ah), which refers to the adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving that will be directed towards the Father by both elect angels and regenerate human beings.
Therefore, elect angels and regenerate human beings will be in eternity future giving the Father glory as expressed through adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving because He is the source, sustainer and ultimate goal of all things and is their redeemer and Savior.
“Forever and ever” is composed of the preposition eis (εἰς) (eece) and the articular accusative masculine plural form of the noun aion (αἰών) (aye-own), “forever” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun aion (αἰών) (aye-own), “forever.”
The noun aion means “ages” or “eternity” and is used with the preposition eis to express the concept of eternity and literally means “throughout eternity.”
In 1 Timothy 1:17, we have Paul repeating the articular noun aion, which literally means “the ages.”
The preposition eis is coupled with the accusative form of aion and literally they mean “throughout the ages” since it denotes the extent of time in which the Father will receive honor and glory from those sinners He has justified through faith in His Son.
The articular genitive form of the word means “during the ages” since it is a genitive of time.
The twofold use of aion emphasizes the concept of eternity (cf. Heb. 1:8; Ps. 45:6 [44:6]).
“Amen” is the interjection amen (ἀμήν) (ah-meen), which emphasizes the certainty that God the Father will throughout eternity future receive from regenerate men and elect angels honor and glory.
William Mounce writes, “In coming ages the songs of the redeemed will ring throughout the court of heaven. Redemption will be complete. The eternal purposes of God will reach their fulfillment. God will be forever praised. Amen.” (Mounce, Robert, The New American Commentary, volume 27, pages 283; Romans, Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1995)