1 Timothy 4.12-Paul Commands Timothy To Exemplify Godliness So As To Remove Any Barriers That Would Prevent Others From Obeying Him
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday June 23, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 4:12-Paul Commands Timothy To Exemplify Godliness So As To Remove Any Barriers That Would Prevent Others From Obeying Him
Lesson # 87
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 4:11.
This evening we will note 1 Timothy 4:12, which contains a prohibition followed by a command.
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. (NASU)
“Let no one look down on your youthfulness” is composed of the nominative masculine singular form of the adjective medeis (μηδείς) (mee-theese), “no one” which is followed by the genitive second person singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) (see), “your” and the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun neotes (νεότης) (nay-owe-teese), “youthfulness” and the third person singular present active imperative form of the verb kataphroneo (καταφρονέω) (kah-tah-froe-neh-owe), “look down on.”
The emphatic negative adjective medeis emphatically prohibits anyone in the Ephesian Christian community looking down upon Timothy’s youthfulness.
Paul mentions Timothy’s age here in 1 Timothy 4:12 because he doesn’t want those older than him to not listen and obey him since he is his delegate who is to communicate to the Ephesian church how he wants them to conduct themselves.
Thus, the apostle felt the need to warn those in the Ephesian church who were older than Timothy to not look down upon him because of his young age since he was Paul’s delegate to the Ephesians.
What was at sake, were the commands and prohibitions and teaching that Paul wrote in this epistle.
If Timothy’s young age is an issue with some of the older members of the congregation, then, they would not listen to him and obey him consequently not listen to Paul and obey him.
The verb kataphroneo expresses the idea of the Ephesian Christian community “looking down upon” Timothy with contempt and not considering him worthy of consideration because of his youth when he communicated Paul’s commands, prohibitions and instructions to them.
Now, this prohibition seems ludicrous in light of the fact that Paul and Timothy and not even the Holy Spirit could control the attitudes of members of the Ephesian Christian community.
However, the adversative clause that follows instructs Timothy as to how he was to not let the older members of the congregation disrespect him because of his youth.
His godly conduct was to gain their respect.
The present imperative form of the verb is a “customary present imperative” whose force is for Timothy to simply continue demonstrating himself as an example for the Ephesian Christian community to imitate with regards to Christian conduct.
“But rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” is composed of the conjunction alla (ἀλλά) (ah-lah), “but rather” and the nominative masculine singular form of the noun tupos (τύπος) (tee-poce), “an example” and the second person singular present middle imperative form of the verb ginomai (γίνομαι) (yee-no-meh), “show yourself” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the adjective pistos (πιστός) (pee-stoce), “of those who believe” and the preposition en (ἐν), “in” and its object is the dative masculine form of the noun logos (λόγος) (loe-goce), “word” and the preposition en (ἐν) and its object is the dative feminine singular form of the noun anastrophe (ἀναστροφή) (ahnah-stroe-fee), “conduct” and the preposition en (ἐν) and its object is the dative feminine singular form of the noun agape (ἀγάπη) (ah-gah-pee), “love” and the preposition en (ἐν) and its object is the dative feminine singular form of the noun hagneia (ἁγνεία) (ahg-nee-ah), “purity.”
The strong adversative conjunction alla introduces a command that presents an emphatic contrast with the previous prohibition for Timothy to not allow anyone to look down upon him because of his youth.
The verb ginomai means “to cause oneself to possess a certain characteristic” which is identified by the context.
The middle voice is a causative middle which emphasizes that Paul wants Timothy to “cause himself” to be an example for other Christians in Ephesus to imitate with regards to Christian conduct.
The present imperative form of the verb ginomai is a “customary present imperative” whose force is for Timothy to simply continue demonstrating himself as an example for the Ephesian Christian community to imitate with regards to Christian conduct.
The noun tupos means “example” of Christian conduct or behavior that is to be imitated by others and speaks of Timothy as a model of behavior as an example to be imitated by the Ephesian Christian community.
It refers to Timothy exemplifying godliness, the way of godliness or in other words, the Christian way of life so that he becomes someone to imitate.
The noun logos means “speech” and refers to the content of the conversations that Timothy has with the people in the Ephesian Christian community.
The word denotes the manner in which he speaks to them and is related to the fact that with respect to the Ephesian believers, he does not sin with his words (Ephesians 4:25, 26, 29, 31; 5:4; Colossians 3:8-9).
It also is related to the fact that he speaks in a manner that expresses the love of God by the power of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:25, 29, 32; 5:4, 19, 20; Colossians 3:12, 13, 16, 17).
Thus, it refers to the fact that Paul wants Timothy’s speech to be godly, which would reflect the holy standards or godly standards of the gospel.
This word is related to Timothy’s public ministry in that it is referring to that which is observable by others in his life.
Logos is the object of the preposition en, which is a marker of means indicating that Timothy’s speech is to be the means by which he causes himself to be an example for the Ephesian Christian community to imitate with respect to godliness.
The noun anastrophe means “conduct” referring to conduct, or lifestyle, which Paul wants to be godly in order that it would gain the respect of those who are older in the Ephesian congregation.
This word is related to Paul’s public ministry in that it is referring to that which is observable by others in Timothy’s life.
It is the object of the preposition en, which functions as a marker of means indicating that Timothy is to be an example for the Ephesian Christian community “by means of” his conduct and specifically, his godly conduct.
The noun agape means “divine-love” and refers to Timothy obeying the Lord Jesus’ command to love one another as He loves, which is the direct result of exercising faith in the Word of God (John 13:34).
This word is related to logos, “speech” and anastrophe, “conduct” in that it explicitly makes plain that Timothy is to operate according to the love of God in his life with respect to the Ephesian Christians so as to gain their respect.
It explains how Timothy is to be an example of godliness for other Christians to imitate in the sense that it defines that he is to operate according to the love of God when dealing with people.
Therefore, it is referring to Timothy’s public ministry and denotes that divine-love should be observable in his life among the Ephesian Christian community.
It functions as the object of the preposition en, which is again a marker of means indicating that Timothy is to be an example for believers “by means of” divine-love.
In 1 Timothy 4:12, the noun pistis is used of an attribute of Timothy and means “trustworthy, faithful” since in context Paul is describing outward manifestations of spiritual maturity and godliness that would gain the respect of those older than Timothy in the Ephesian congregation.
It refers to Timothy being faithful in administrating the household of God in Ephesus by fulfilling his four responsibilities that are the means by which he tends and shepherds the flock of God: (1) Study (2 Tim. 2:15) (2) Teach (1 Tim. 4:13) (3) Pray (Acts 6:1-4) (4) Set an Example (Phlp. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:7, 9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7; 1 Pet. 5:3).
Like logos, “speech,” anastrophe, “conduct,” and agape, “divine-love,” pistis, “faithfulness” is related to Timothy’s public ministry.
Like agape, “divine-love,” it explicitly makes plain that Timothy is to be faithful in fulfilling his responsibilities with respect to the Ephesian Christian community so as to gain their respect.
It explains how Timothy is to be an example of godliness for other Christians to imitate in the sense that it defines that he is to be faithful in fulfilling his responsibilities to shepherd and tend the flock of God in Ephesus.
It functions as the object of the preposition en, which is also a marker of means indicating that Timothy is to be an example for believers “by means of” faithfulness.
The noun hagneia refers to Timothy conforming his behavior to the holy standards of gospel with regards to women in the Ephesian Christian community.
The term speaks of Timothy experiencing sanctification or in other words experiencing that which is true of him positionally, namely that he is crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ.
It explains how Timothy is to be an example of godliness for other Christians to imitate in the sense that it defines that he is to be sexually pure.
Therefore, like agape and pistis, hagneia is referring to Timothy’s public ministry and denotes that sexual purity should be observable in his life among the Ephesian Christian community.
It functions as the object of the preposition en, which is also a marker of means indicating that Timothy is to be an example for believers “by means of” purity.