1 Timóteo 4
William Hendriksen · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Timóteo 4
Hendriksen says: Though the church be ever so glorious, reflecting the radiance of its precious Lord and Savior (1 Tim. 3:15, 16), apostasy is just around the corner, for not all who belong outwardly to the church belong to it inwardly. The present chapter deals with this apostasy. (BORROW Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles)
1 Timóteo 4
Hendriksen says: Principles bear fruit. The false teachers who are here described probably accept as one of their starting principles the thesis "anything physical or sensuous is contaminating." It is not difficult to see how such a principle would in course of time cause the errorist to frown on marriage. Foods too would be condemned, though, of course, not absolutely. Fasting would be praised. (BORROW Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles) Guthrie says: To insist on the reception of God's gifts with thanksgiving is a typically pauline theme. Such a note must never be absent from the believer's attitude, either to material or spiritual realities. As Scott rightly remarks, "The question at stake is that of our whole conception of God. Are we to think of Him as grudging us our earthly life? Or are we to find in it a continual proof of His presence and goodness?" (Pastoral Epistles)
1 Timóteo 4
Hendriksen commented, “A minister should strive to effect a proper balance [among] the reading of Scripture, exhorting, and teaching. Some never exhort. Others never teach. And the reading of Scripture is prone to be regarded merely as a necessary preface to what the preacher himself is going to say!” (BORROW Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles) Steve Lawson reminds us that "Public reading of Scripture in the corporate gathering of the church’s worship, a practice dating back to the time of Ezra when he read the Scriptures in the revival at the Water Gate in Jerusalem (Neh. 8:1–8). This practice was eventually incorporated in the worship service of the ancient Jewish synagogue (Luke 4:16–17; 2 Cor. 3:14). With the birth of the church, this Old Testament practice of publicly reading the Scriptures was adopted by the early believers in their New Testament worship". (Famine in the Land) Until I come give attention (devote yourself, focus on, give priority) to the reading - This is not an afterthought, an option or a suggestion but a command in the present imperative calling for this to be Timothy's continual duty. The phrase until I come would have given Timothy a sense of "help is on the way!" Or the "calvary is coming to the rescue!" There are 3 aspects of ministry that demand Timothy's continual attention. And as an aside recall that almost all of the imperatives in the NT are a call (or should be a call) not to seek to fulfill the command in one's own natural strength but to jettison self-reliance and rely wholly on the Holy Spirit's enabling power. See discussion of the Need for the Holy Spirit to obey NT commands (or "How to Keep All 1642 Commandments in the New Testament!") NET Note comments that "The public reading of scripture refers to reading the scripture out loud in the church services. In a context where many were illiterate and few could afford private copies of scripture, such public reading was especially important. " Steve Lawson says "Timothy was “to apply himself” or “devote himself” with undivided allegiance to this foundational ministry of biblical preaching and teaching....He was to preach when it was convenient as well as when it was inconvenient (“in season and out of season”)....Before he gave attention to anything, he must devote himself to preaching. This same vigil is absolutely necessary for all ministers today. Men of God are to give themselves fully to their preaching. Nothing less will suffice." (Famine in the Land) Gardiner Spring stated, “The great object of every minister of the Gospel ought to be to give the services of the pulpit the pre-eminence over every other department of ministerial labor Warren