4:1 Now 1 the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the a faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
(1) He contrasts that true doctrine, with false opinions, which
he foretells that certain ones who shall fall away from God
and his religion, will bring in by the suggestion of Satan,
and so that a great number will give ear to them.
(a) From the true doctrine of God.
4:22 Speaking lies in b hypocrisy; having their c
conscience seared with a hot iron;
(2) Even though heretics pretend holiness ever so much, yet
they have no conscience.
(b) For they will as it were practise the art of disguised
persons and players, so that we may not think they will
lie lurking in some one corner or keep any resemblance
of being shameful.
(c) Whose conscience became so hard, that there grew a
callous over it, and so became to have a canker in
it, and now at length required by very necessity to be
burned with a hot iron.
4:33 Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from
meats, 4 which God hath created 5 to be received 6
with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
(3) He sets down two types of this false doctrine, that is, the
law of single life, and the difference of meats.
(4) He proves that he justly called such doctrines devilish,
first, because the teachers of them make laws of things
which are not their own: for have they created the meats?
(5) Secondly, because they overthrow with their decrees the
reason why they were created by God, that is, that we
should use them.
(6) Thirdly, because by this means they rob God of his glory,
who will be honoured in the use of them. And here with
this, the apostle declares that we must use the liberality
of God solemnly, and with a good conscience.
4:47 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be
refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
(7) He sets an apostolic rule for taking away the difference of
meats, against that false doctrine.
4:58 For it is d sanctified by the e word of God and
prayer.
(8) He properly uses God's benefits who acknowledges the giver
of them by his word, and calls upon him.
(d) It is so made pure and holy in respect of us, so that
we may use it with a good conscience, as received from
the Lord's hands.
(e) We confess and acknowledge that God is the maker and
giver of those creatures which we use. Secondly, that
we are of the number of those, who through Christ's
benefit, have recovered that right over all creatures,
which Adam lost by his fall. Thirdly, by our prayers
we crave of the Lord that we may use those meats with
a good conscience, which we receive from his hands.
Fourthly, we make an end of our eating and drinking,
with thanksgiving and prayer: and so are our meats
sanctified to us.
4:69 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things,
thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up
in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou
hast f attained.
(9) The conclusion with an exhortation to Timothy, to propound
these things diligently to the churches, which he had
gotten from the apostle even as though he were being fed.
(f) Never departing from it in the least.
4:710 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, 11 and
exercise thyself [rather] unto g godliness.
(10) He contrasts again true doctrine not only with the false and
apostate doctrine, but also with all vain and curious wiles.
(11) It is not only necessary that the minister of the word be
sound in doctrine, but also that his life is godly and
religious.
(g) In the true serving of God.
4:812 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is
profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that
now is, and of that which is to come.
(12) Godliness consists in spiritual exercise, and not in
outward strictness of life, which though it is something
to be esteemed, if it is used correctly, yet it is in no
way comparable with godliness. For it profits not in and
of itself, but through the benefit of another; but
godliness has the promise both of the present life, and of
that which is to come.
4:913 This [is] a faithful saying and worthy of all
acceptation.
(13) He goes a little from his matter, and shows that those who
give themselves to godliness, even though they are
afflicted and reproached, are nonetheless not to be
considered miserable as other men are, because they are
not afflicted for that reason that other men are, and the
end of them both is far different one from the other. For
how can God forsake his own, who is bountiful even towards
his enemies? And he wishes that this doctrine is well
learned by them.
4:1214 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example
of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in
spirit, in faith, in purity.
(14) Now he returns to that exhortation, showing what are the
true virtues of a pastor, by which he may come to be
reverenced even though he is young, that is, such speech
and life as are witnesses of charity, zeal, faith, and
purity. But here there is no mention made of the hooked
staff, ring, cloak, and such other foolish and childish
toys.
4:1315 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine.
(15) The private exercise of pastors, is the continual reading
of the scriptures, from which they may draw water out of
wholesome doctrine and exhortation, both for themselves
and for others.
4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in
them: for in doing this thou shalt both h save thyself,
and them that hear thee.
(h) Faith is by hearing, and hearing by preaching: and
therefore the ministers of the word are so said to save
themselves and others, because in them the Lord has put
the word of reconciliation.
