1 Timothy 4.9-The Third And Final Trustworthy Statement-Godliness Includes The Promise Of Experiencing Eternal Life During One's Lifetime And Throughout Eternity
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday June 16, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 4:9-The Third And Final Trustworthy Statement: Godliness Includes The Promise Of Experiencing Eternal Life During One’s Lifetime And Throughout Eternity
Lesson # 83
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 4:6.
The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4:9 presents the third and final trustworthy statement that appears in this epistle.
This statement describes his statement in 1 Timothy 4:8, which teaches that godliness includes the promise of experiencing eternal life during one’s lifetime and throughout eternity.
1 Timothy 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. (NASU)
Some like Mounce argue that the trustworthy statement is not a reference to 1 Timothy 4:8 but rather 1 Timothy 4:10 and specifically the statement that the Christian has placed his confidence upon the living God who is the Savior of all people especially of those who are believers.
1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. (ESV)
Verse 10b is a theological statement and proverbial in nature, which supports the idea that this is the trustworthy statement.
However, the grammar of the passage is a strong argument against this interpretation.
First of all, the trustworthy statement is grammatically independent from verse 10b since the intervening comment “for to this end we toil and strive” separates the statement “we have our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” from the trustworthy statement in verse 9.
On the other hand, Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 4:8 is not separated from the trustworthy statement.
In fact, the trustworthy statement in verse 8 appears at the end of the verse.
It is not the causal clause that physical exercise is beneficial for a short period of time.
Rather, it is the adversative clause that follows it that is the trustworthy statement, namely, that godliness is beneficial throughout the ages because it does include the promise, which is experiencing life during this present lifetime and as a certainty during the future.
That this adversative clause is proverbial in nature is indicated by two gnomic presents in each of the verbs that appear in this verse (present tense of eimi; present tense of echo).
Also, as Fee points out, verse 10 is not an independent saying but a further reflection on verse 8b. (Fee, page 105).
Fee also points out that “verse 8b has the epigrammatic nature of a saying and that alone is what verse 10 will go on to elaborate.” (Ibid.)
Therefore, based upon these reasons, we can conclude that the trustworthy statement is regarding the eternal benefits of godliness, i.e. living the Christian way of life which results in Christ-like character.
In 1 Timothy 4:8, the apostle teaches Timothy that godliness is superior to physical exercise because it is beneficial to the Christian throughout the ages, i.e. eternity in contrast to physical exercise which benefits the Christian only during his lifetime.
He also teaches that godliness is beneficial throughout the ages, i.e. eternity because it includes the promise of experiencing eternal life now during one’s lifetime as well as experiencing eternal life in a resurrection body throughout eternity.
1 Timothy 4:8 For you see physical exercise is, as an eternal spiritual truth beneficial for a short period of time. However, godliness is, as an eternal spiritual truth beneficial throughout all the ages because it does, as an eternal spiritual truth include the promise, which is experiencing life during this present lifetime and in addition as a certainty during the future. (My translation)
1 Timothy 4:9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. (NASU)
“It is a trustworthy statement” is composed of the nominative masculine singular form of the adjective pistos (πιστός) (pee-stoce), “a trustworthy” and the articular nominative masculine singular form of the noun logos (λόγος) (loe-goce), “statement.”
In 1 Timothy 4:9, the trustworthy statement refers to 1 Timothy 4:8b, which serves as reinforcement to Timothy and the church at Ephesus emphasizing the need for them to affirm as true in their own lives by their attitude and conduct the importance of godliness.
The adjective pistos means “faithful, trustworthy” and is modifying the noun logos, which means “statement.”
It refers to 1 Timothy 4:8b, which teaches that godliness is beneficial throughout the ages because it includes the promise, which is experiencing eternal life during one’s lifetime and throughout eternity.
The adjective expresses the idea that this statement is an accurate and faithful affirmation of the value and importance of godliness.
The term pertains to the fact that this statement is worthy of trust or belief and is dependable and implies that it originates from God and is inspired by Him.
It is ascribed to this statement as an expression of Paul’s apostolic authority and designed to rebuke and refute those pastors in Ephesus who sought to be teachers of the Law and taught false doctrine and whose conduct was ungodly as a result.
It also refutes the Judaizers whose teaching influenced these pastors to abandon the gospel, which led to their ungodly conduct.
The noun logos means “statement” or “saying” and denotes a declaration or an assertion, which appears in 1 Timothy 4:8b, ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης, “godliness is, as an eternal spiritual truth beneficial throughout all the ages because it does, as an eternal spiritual truth include the promise, which is experiencing life during this present lifetime and in addition as a certainty during the future.”
1 Timothy 4:9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. (NASU)
Not translated is the emphatic use of the conjunction kai (καί) (keh), which is emphasizing that the preceding adversative clause in 1 Timothy 4:8 is worthy of full acceptance by the Christian community.
“Deserving full acceptance” is composed of the genitive feminine singular form of the adjective pas (πᾶς), “full” and the genitive feminine singular form of the noun apodoche (ἀποδοχή) (ah-poe-thoe-hee), “acceptance” and the nominative masculine singular form of the adjective axios (ἄξιος) (ax-ee-oce), “deserving.”
The adjective axios pertains to having a relatively high degree of comparable worth or value (BDAG, page 93).
It pertains “to having a relatively high degree of comparable merit or worth” (Louw and Nida, 65.17).
In 1 Timothy 4:9, the word is used of the adversative clause in 1 Timothy 4:8 that godliness is beneficial throughout all the ages because it does, include the promise, which is experiencing life during this present lifetime and in addition as a certainty during the future.
It describes it as having a relatively high degree of comparable worth or value or merit to the Christian community.
The noun apodoche means “acceptance” referring to appropriating by faith the proverbial statement in verse 8b.
The adjective expresses the degree of acceptance of which this saying is worthy, namely it requires a “full” acceptance by faith.