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1 Timothy 1:1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by command of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope. "Paul, an ambassador of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope." The apostle lets the disciple know that he did not admire the apostolic title, but received a command from God to offer saving preaching to everyone. Together with God, he also named the Lord Christ, showing their equality, and called God salvation, and Christ hope, without dividing these names and not appropriating one for one, and another for another, but meaning both of them about each; because blessed David attributed both to one Person: “Hear us, O God, our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth” (Ps. 64:6). 1 Timothy 1:2. To Timothy, a true son in the faith: grace, mercy, peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. “To Timothy, ever child in the faith: grace, mercy, peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The apostle very opportunely combined the word “faith” with a name expressing favor, because it was not nature, but faith that made Timothy a son; Having believed in the Divine preaching, he was worthy to call the divine Apostle father. 1 Timothy 1:3. When I departed for Macedonia, I asked you to remain in Ephesus and warn some that they should not teach otherwise. 1 Timothy 1:4. And they did not engage in fables and endless genealogies, which produce more controversy than God’s edification in faith. “As I begged you to remain in Ephesus, going to Macedonia, so that you commanded no one else to teach, but to pay heed to fables and endless genealogies, which they create more than God’s building, which is in faith.” Those who believed from the Jews, thinking highly of their knowledge of the Old Testament, asked the believers from the pagans some questions, trying to convict them of ignorance of the words of God and trying to convince them to observe the lawful way of life. Thus, they analyzed the genealogies of Abraham and David, entering into research into whether the Lord was really born from them in the flesh. Therefore, the divine Apostle commands the wonderful Timothy to stop the mouths of such people and not to allow them, who distort the rule of teaching, to do so, and to punish others so that they do not listen to their idle talk. The Apostle called “fables” not the teaching of the law itself, but the Jewish interpretation of it, which they call deuterologue 1, and teaches that unnecessary questions are unreasonable, but faith enlightens the mind and reveals the Divine economy. 1 Timothy 1:5. The purpose of exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith. “The end of the will is love from a pure heart and good conscience and unfeigned faith.” Having shown the uselessness of fables, the Apostle speaks of the benefits of his own teaching. You, he tells Timothy, must teach them to sincerely love the benefactor God and have pure faith, supported by the testimony of their conscience. After this, starting again, he continues his accusatory speech. 1 Timothy 1:6. From which, some retreated into idle talk. 1 Timothy 1:7. desiring to be teachers of the law, but not understanding either what they are talking about or what they are affirming. “There are no sins in which, having deviated into vain talk, wanting to be a teacher of the law, not understanding what they say or affirm about them.” The Apostle made it clear that he was not saying this about obvious opponents, but about those who claim that they have believed in the Lord, but distort the gospel teaching, suggesting that their foolish reasoning is wiser than the words of God. And that they were from the Jews, this is made clear by what was said: “desiring to be teachers of the law.” Since the Apostle used strong expressions against them, so that no one would think that he was blaming the law, he of necessity added: 1 Timothy 1:8. And we know that the law is good if someone uses it lawfully. “We know that there is a good law, even if someone does it illegally.” I do not blame the law, but the bad teachers of the law. For I know that the law is beneficial to those who are determined to keep the purpose of the law. This is what the words mean: “if anyone does it lawfully,” that is, if someone follows his goal. The purpose of the law is to lead us to the Lord Christ, and after His coming the law no longer has force. The Apostle also said this in his Epistle to the Galatians: “For I died by the law, that I might live by God” (Gal. 2:19). For, although I obey the law, says the Apostle, I do not keep the law. But in another way he shows the excess of the law for those who by nature do not do good. 1 Timothy 1:9. Knowing that the law is not made for the righteous, but for the lawless and disobedient, the wicked and sinners, the depraved and defiled, for those who insult father and mother, for murderers. 1 Timothy 1:10. For fornicators, homosexuals, predators, (slanderers, bestialists), liars, perjurers, and for everything that is contrary to sound doctrine. 1 Timothy 1:11. according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which has been entrusted to me. “He who knows this, that the law does not lie with the righteous, but with the wicked and the disobedient, with the wicked and the sinner, with the unrighteous and abominable, with the father and mother, the murderer of husbands, the fornicator, the sodomite, the deceitful, the perjurer,” that is, the law forbids doing all this, and the one who abstains from this has no need for the prescription of the law. We, the preachers of the New Testament, also forbid this. This is clear from the subsequent words of the Apostle. “And if anything is contrary to sound teaching, according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, I am confidently fast.” The apostle showed that what is necessary in the law is consistent and similar to the Gospel; and what is necessary in the law are the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal,” and all the like, and what is superfluous—decrees about sacrifices, about days, about the dead, about lepers, and about everything that is similar to this, the fulfillment of which the law connected with a place consecrated for this purpose, so that its destruction would indicate the abolition of what had been decreed. The Apostle called preaching “the good news” of “glory,” because it promises future glory to the believers. Having said that the divine Apostle had been entrusted with the gospel, he brought into memory what he had dared to do against the Church, and in hymns he repaid the Benefactor, crying out: 1 Timothy 1:12. I thank the one who gave me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, that He recognized me as faithful and appointed me to serve. 1 Timothy 1:13. Me, who was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an offender, but was shown mercy because I acted this way out of ignorance, in unbelief. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who strengthens me, because Nepshcheva was faithful to me, putting me in service, who was sometimes a blasphemer and a persecutor and a troublemaker.” Not acting by my own power, I offer this teaching to people, but confirmed and strengthened by Him who saved me, Who made the one who dared to rage against Him a faithful servant of the Gospel. It also shows the very image of the change that happened to him. “But he would have been pardoned.” What is the reason for pardon? “As the unknown have created in unbelief.” I was blind, I did not see the light, not driven by hatred, I raised up a fight, but striving for the law. But what did you do after that? 1 Timothy 1:14. The grace of our Lord (Jesus Christ) was revealed to me abundantly with faith and love in Christ Jesus. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may abound with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” The apostle showed that he added from himself to what he received. For, having received grace from above, he brought faith and love; He believed sincerely, loved with all ardor and did not cease to burn with this love. Thus, having discovered what happened to himself, he proves that this grace is offered to everyone. 1 Timothy 1:15. This is a true saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. “The word is true,” that is, not false and true, “and worthy of all acceptance,” that is, amazing and worthy of all praise, “for Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.” That for the sake of sinners the Only Begotten became man, He Himself taught this in the Holy Gospel, for He says: “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). The Apostle calls himself the first of all sinners and extends himself beyond the very limits of humility. But for what was said after this, something else, even greater, is in store. However, it is necessary to first present the sayings themselves, and then add their interpretation. 1 Timothy 1:16. But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first would show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life. “But for this reason I had mercy, so that Jesus Christ may show in me all the long-suffering, for the example of those who want to believe in Him for eternal life.” Just as a doctor, says the Apostle, when in one house at the same time there are many sick people and everyone despairs of recovery, taking one of the most difficult sick people and giving him healing medicines, and bringing him to perfect health, thereby instills trust in himself and in all the sick, so the Lord Christ, the doctor of souls, having become human for the sake of our salvation, having brought into the midst of me all the most lawless, not only delivered from the former defilements, but also showered with the greatest gifts, through me showing all people immeasurable long-suffering, so that none of the greatest wicked people, looking at me, despair of salvation. But the divine Apostle said this, having a modest way of thinking about himself. It is necessary to know that he did not recognize his life as lawless; and was this possible for the one who, writing to the Philippians, said: “According to the law’s righteousness, he was blameless” (Phil. 3:6)? On the contrary, remembering his attempts on the Church, he said this in his Epistle to the Corinthians: “Whoever is not worthy to be called an Apostle has persecuted the Church of God” (1 Cor. 15:9). Therefore, having thus remembered the blessings of God, he again turns his tongue to hymns. 1 Timothy 1:17. To the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. “To the King of the ages, the incorruptible, the invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen.” Since the Apostle showed that the Lord Christ is the giver of these blessings, then, intending to teach that this was done by the good will of God and the Father and with the assistance of God’s Spirit, he moved from the one Person to the common nature and offered up hymns to the Trinity, and, keeping silent about the Persons, hymned God’s nature. For it is not difficult to find out that what has been said belongs not only to God the Father, but also to the Son and the Holy Spirit. For the King of the ages is not the Father alone, but also the Only Begotten Son, because He is the Creator of the ages, and also the All-Holy Spirit, because the divine Apostle called Him eternal, saying: “Who is the eternal Spirit” 2 (Heb. 9:14). Likewise, incorruptibility and invisibility are characteristic of both the Son and the Spirit. And since this is thus made clear, then the name of God, in truth, is the name of the one Trinity. For besides Her, there is no other God by nature. So the Apostle, remembering among other things what happened to him, and concluding the chant, again returned to his previous speech. 1 Timothy 1:18. I teach you, my son Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were about you, such a testament so that you fight in accordance with them, like a good warrior. “I commit this testament to you, child Timothy, according to the previous prophecies that came to you.” By the name “child” the Apostle reveals paternal commitment, and by reminding him of the prophecy he ignites love for the Benefactor. You were not vouchsafed a human calling, says the Apostle, but by Divine Revelation you received ordination. It is likely that Timothy was not only appointed as a teacher by Revelation, but at the beginning he was honored with a calling in some similar way; Therefore, the Apostle did not say: “according to prophecy,” but: “according to prophecy.” “May you fight among them as a good army.” For you must prove yourself worthy of election, fulfill the prophecies and courageously enter into the fight against the adversaries demons, because a teacher must first of all be a teacher of himself and a military leader must be a good warrior. 1 Timothy 1:19. Having faith and a good conscience, which some rejected, suffered shipwreck in faith. “Having faith and a good conscience.” For faith must be combined with a commendable life. The Apostle calls a “good conscience” a life adorned with chastity and truth. The weakness of faith devoid of this is shown in the following words: “I will cast off all my sins”, that is, a good conscience, “I have fallen away from the faith.” For a depraved life is often the basis of wickedness. Others, unable to bear the accusations of conscience, rejected them and attributed the Providence of God, which extends to everything, and attributed what happens to fate and fate. The Apostle also names those who suffered this wreck. 1 Timothy 1:20. Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme. “From them there are Hymenaeus and Alexander.” Then he announces the verdict pronounced on them. “I gave them over to Satan, so that they would not be punished for blasphemy.” But he did not declare the blasphemy itself, because he wrote to someone who knew the matter. He handed them over to the devil, not as a teacher of good, but as a cruel executioner. Therefore, the Apostle did not say: “Let him teach them not to blaspheme,” but: “Let them be punished not to blaspheme.” For, having been excommunicated from the body of the Church and deprived of the grace of God, they were subjected to cruel blows from the enemy, falling into difficult illnesses, suffering, losses and other disasters. Satan is pleased to impose this on people, since he, according to the Prophet, is both an “enemy and a local” (Ps. 8:3). And the students, having seen the harm caused by blasphemy, naturally changed their way of thinking. After this, the Apostle sets out definitions about church rites. In glory, the translation reads: to the saints You might be interested in: