The qualifications]

THIS

CHAP. III.

HIS is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A Bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condem nation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest

[of Bishops and Deacons.

he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Likewise must the Deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a Deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well,

13 For they that have used the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

indeed, to attract the notice of the other sex, and therefore inconsistent with Christan modesty. From the same principle, he forbids the rendering themselves conspi cuous in the assemblies for public worship, by exercising their gifts before the

men.

But we have freely expressed our opinion on this point, on the latter part of chap. xiv. of Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians. The reasons which the apostle gives for female subjection are two :

1. That Adam was first formed, and then Eve, to be his help-meet and compaaion.

2. That it was through her being deceived hat Adam fell, and, by falling, brought on

his posterity death and all its painful ac companiments of woe.

The last verse of this chapter is peculiarly difficult. Some of our best commentators, considering that our salvation is wholly dependant on " the Seed of wo man," think that the expression here used has a reference to the incarnation, as if Paul had said, Woman, having been the instrument of our salvation, shall also be herself saved through that event;' and though woman must suffer much in consequence of that divine sentence, "In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children;" yet even in that perilous hour shall she be saved, if she continue to act worthy her Christian profession.

CHAP. III. Ver. 2. The husband of one wifee. of one only no polygamist- -Of good bekaiour-Marg. modest."Apt-Doddr. "fit"o teach.

Ver. 3. Not given to wine, &c.-Marg. "Not eady to quarrel and offer wrong, as one in wine." Not greedy of filthy lucre-or sordid gain.Not a brawler-i. e. not contentious.

Ver. 6. Not a novice-Mackn. "Not a new con. ert; or, as Margin, "One newly come to the ith."The condemnation of the devil-that is,

ride.

Ver. 8. Not double-tongued-That is, says Mr. D.
Turner, "not deceitful, saying and unsaying."
Ver. 10. Then let them use, &c.-Doddr." If they

be found blameless, let them use the office of a deacon."

Ver. 11. Even so must their wives be grave.-So the passage is generally understood; Macknight, however, renders it after the vulgate-" The woMEN in like manner must be grave "-referring it to the deaconesses, or female presbyters, who were employed in visiting and instructing their own sex: and so he tells us it was understood by Chrysostom and other Greek, as well as Latin fathers; and it is certain the same Greek word is used indifferently for both wives" and "women."

Ver. 13. They that have used — Ma nistered."

The pillar and]

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great

[ground of the truth.

is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (C)

CHAP. III.

(C) 1-16. How bishops, deacons, and their wives, should be qualified—the ground of these directions.-We purposely avoid inquiry into the particular nature and think of these officers in the Christian church; but however their rank and office may be considered-whether bishops be understood as prelates, presidents, or pastors, most certainly moral character is to either, and to all, of the first importance. Their office is not a sinecure-it is a work, a good work, and requires a blameless character. One qualification is remarkable-he must be "the husband of one wife;" that is, of one wife only: "Neither guilty of polygamy, nor of divorce, or the taking of a second wife before the death of the first; evils too common in those days, both with Jews and Gentiles; and, however borne with before the establishment of Christianity, they were nevertheless sins against the divine institution of marriage; and therefore eminently culpable and scaudalous, in a person who claimed so sacred and exemplary a character as that of a Bishop, or President of a Christian church." (Rev. Dr. Turner's Social Relig. p. 63, Note.)

Among other qualifications of a Bishop, it is particularly enjoined that he should not be a novice-that is, a new convert; but a man of some standing and experience in the Christian church, so as not likely to be elated with his situation, or to "fall into the condemnation of the devil,"

which appears to have been spiritual, or rather intellectual, pride.

The like purity of character is required in deacons as in pastors; and in performing well their office, they are said to "pur chase to themselves a good degree"namely, of respectability in the Christian church; and, as Dr. Hammond expresses it, may be assumed into holy orders;" or, as Dr. Doddridge explains it," they who have discharged the office of a deacos well, procure to themselves not only a fair report in the general, but very often a good degree of farther advancement in a higher office"-namely, as pastors of teachers. And not only ministers and deacons, but their wives also ought to be persons of grave, sober, and prudent conduct. Much of the respectability and usefulness, either of a parish minister, or a dissenting pastor, depends upon the Christian character and conduct of his wife.

In the close of this chapter, we are introduced to the temple of truth, which is the Christian church, in which the apos tles and evangelists (of which last Timethy was one) are to be considered as pillars, and Christ as the foundation. So Dr. Lightfoot tells us, that the members of the great Sanhedrim were called pillars of the truth; and St. Paul himself applies the term pillars to James, Cephas, and John, as pillars of the Christian church (Gal. ii. 9) but in Revel. iii. 12, every Christian conqueror is promised to be made a pillar

:

Ver. 15, 16. Pillar and ground-Marg. "stay "-of the truth. The passage is difficult, and has been variously rendered. We shall give two or three, which appear to us the most probable, interpretations. 1. As by our translators, and many others. 2. Dr. Henderson would render the passage-" The pillar and establishment of the truth, and incontrovertibly great is the mystery of godliness: God manifested himself in the flesh," &c.; and this, he says, has the sanction of the principal dignitaries of the Greek church in Russia. (Travels in Russia, p. 123.) 3. A third interpretation is that of Dr. Pye Smith (partly borrowed from Dr. Cramer, of Kiel), "These precepts I write unto thee (hoping to come to thee very soon, but if I should be longer than I expect), that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God (the pillar and foundation of the truth, and confessedly great is this mystery

of religion!) who was manifested in hum nature," &c. (See Dr. Smith's Ans. to Taylor's Manifesto, p. 59.)

Ver. 16. And without controversy God was manifest (Marg, manifested) in the flesh, &c.-There is confessedly a doubt as to the original reading, whether it should be, "GOD was manifested in the flesh;" or, "WHO (or which) was manifested;"the difference being small in the original, and unimportant, since the title GoD (or Theos) (though in This text omitted by Griesbach), is in various other passages applied to Christ, as John i. 1, &c. The Uri tarian version reads, "He who was manifested in the flesh;" and without a masculine pronoan it seems difficult to make any sense of the passage; a mystery might be "manifested," but the term weed by no means answer to the other particulars-it could not be "received up into glory."

The grand apostacy]

CHAP. IV.

NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3 Forbidding to marry, und commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

[of the latter times.

4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6 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 attained.

7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all

in the temple above. The apostle's design may then be, to admonish Timothy of the importance of his being steadfast in the doctrines and duties of Christianity, since he was himself to be a pillar in the church of God, which church itself was to be the great support of truth, since without a visible church, it could not be maintained

on earth.

The concluding verse gives an abstract of the principal points which compose the great mystery of Christianity, so called in opposition to, and in distinction from, the mysteries of Paganism, which were neither sublime in themselves, nor pious in their practical tendency and effect. This mystery comprehends, 1. The incarnation of Christ-God manifested in the flesh.2. The resurrection of Christ, which we consider to be the import of the expression, justified in the Spirit; for he was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness (or Holy Spirit), by his resurrection from the dead." (Rom. i. 4.) This was a complete justification of his character and pretensions, as the Son of

God; and, at the same time, as his resurrection implies his previous death, it includes, the doctrine of his atonement.3. He was seen of angels-seems to refer to his intercourse with spirits, both evil and good; with the former of whom he had mysterious conflicts, in the various scenes of his temptation, passion, and resurrection; and by the latter of whom he was assisted and consoled.-4. Preached unto the Gentiles-the mystery which St. Paul speaks of as "hidden in God from the beginning of the world." (Ephes.iii. 9.) 5. Believed on in the world-yea, in almost all parts of the then known world. (Rom. x. 18.) 6th and lastly, Received up into glory, and exalted to the right hand of God. (Acts ii. 24, 30, 33.) These events compose a great part (though not the whole) of the mysteries of Christianity. That they are not regularly arranged, is not to be wondered at in St. Paul, whose rapid pen records events, not always according to the order of their occurrence, but in the order in which they presented themselves to his vivid imagination.

CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly-Mackn. Or" saith, in so many words."That in the latter times.-Doddr. " the last times." Mackn. "in aftertimes." Doddr. thinks, that under this term may be included the whole of the gospel dispensation, or any part of it, as in Heb. i. 1,2; 1 Peter i. 20. Mr. Mede explains this expression, of the last times of the Roman Empire, Daniel's fourth Monarchy.

Ibid. Depart from the faith.-Doddr. and Mackn. "Apostatize." Comp. 2 'Thess. ii. 3.

Ibid. Doctrines of devils (or demons)." Not (says Mr. Mede) that demons were the authors of them (though that be true), but doctrines concerning demons," meaning, that the Gentile idolatrous

theology of worshipping demons should be revived in the adoration of saints and angels, as thus stated in the Creed of Pope Pius IV. I believe, that the saints who reign with Christ are to be worshipped and prayed to." Macknight adopts this explanation; but Mr. Granville Sharp contends in favour of the common version; to which Doddridge also adheres. See Sharp on the case of Saul.

Ver. 3. Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats.-" In the original of this passage (says Macknight) is the boldest ellipsis found in the New Testament. Doddr. renders it, "Requiring abstinence from marriage, and from (various kinds of) meat."

Ver. 8. Profiteth little.-Marg. " for a little time."

The living God]

things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all. men, specially of those that believe.

11 These things command and teach.

12 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.

[the Saviour of all men.

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (D)

CHAP. IV.

(D) Ver. 1-16. The great apostacy foretold. Apostolical advice to Timothy." By calling the Christian church, in the end of the preceding chapter, the pillar and support of the truth (says Dr. Macknight), the apostle teaches us, that one of the important purposes for which that great spiritual building was reared, was to preserve the knowledge and practice of true religion in the world. Nevertheless, knowing that in aftertimes great corruptions, both in doctrine and practice, would take place in the church itself; and that the general reception of these corruptions by professed Christians, would be urged as a proof of their being the truths and precepts of God, on pretence that the church is the pillar and support of the truth, the apostle judged it necessary, in this 4th chapter, to foretel the introduction of these corruptions, under the idea of an apostacy from the faith.

This passage is considered as speaking of the same apostacy that is predicted in the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians (chap. ii. 3, 4). This apostacy, which followed the days of apostolic purity, spread beyond the reach of the Roman church, and Antichrist appeared in a variety of forms: or, as St. John says, there were " many Antichrists (1 John ii. 18): so that this great defection must not be confined to Popery, but may be fairly construed as comprehending other heresies, which at the same time sprung up and flourished; many of which, on the one hand, possessed the same secular character; or, on the other, affected

the like austerities, "forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats," on which the gospel dispensation lays no restraints. "This false morality (says Dr. Macknight) was very early introduced into the church, being taught first by the Eucratites and Marcionites, and afterwards by the Manicheans, who said Marriage was the invention of the evil god, and consi dered it as sinful. .... In process of time, the mouks embraced celibacy, and repre sented it as the highest pitch of sanctity. At length, celibacy was recommended by the priests, and by the orthodox them. selves; more especially by the Bishops of Rome, the great patrous of the worship of angels and saints. Thus the worship of demons, and the prohibition of marriage, though naturally unconnected, have goue hand in hand in the church, as the Spirit here foretold."

Bp. Newton also remarks, that "there is no necessary connexion between the worship of the dead.... and commanding to abstain from meats; and yet it is cer taiu, that the great advocates of this wor ship have, by their pretended purity and mortification, procured the greater reve rence to their persons, and the readier reception to their doctrines. But this idle, popish, monkish abstinence, is as unwor thy of a Christian, as it is unnatural to a man. It is perverting the purpose of nature, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by believers, and by them who know the truth.' The apostle, therefore, approves and sanctifies

Ver. 12. In spirit.-This word is wanting in several ancient manuscripts and versions. Mackn. Ver 14. The hands of the presbytery-who ap.

pear to have laid on their hands with Paul; 2 Tim. 1. 6. Comp. Acts viii. 17, 18.

Ver. 15. Appear Lo all.-Marg, “in all things.”

=Directions respecting]

CHAP. V.

REBUKE not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;

2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. 3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew

[elders and widows.

piety at home, and to requite their parents for that is good and acceptable before God.

5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

8 But if any provide not for his own,

the religious custom of blessing God at our meals; as our Saviour, when he was to distribute the loaves and fishes (Matt. xiv. 19; xv. 36), 'looked up to heaven, and brake: and what then can be said of those who have their tables spread with the most plentiful gifts of God, and yet constantly sit down and rise up again, without suffering so much as one thought of the Giver to intrude upon them? can they be reputed either to believe or know the truth? Man is free to partake of all the good creatures of God, but thanksgiving is the necessary condition." (Dissert. 23.)

In enjoining these things upon Timothy, St. Paul assures him, that if he would prove himself a good minister of Jesus Christ, it must be by attention to sound and scriptural doctrines, and not by listening to Rabbinical traditions, or heathen fancies, both which may be included under the denomination of "profane, and old wives' fables." "Bodily exercise," also, by which he seems to refer to the voluntary mortifications he had just reproved, Paul considers of but little value; but he exhorts his son Timothy to exercise himself in those duties of practical religion, which are profitable for our present advancement in religion and happiness, and have attached to them, when performed in a proper spirit, the promise of eternal life. Upon this passage, Mr. Robert Hall remarks, that, "The happiness which religion confers in the present life, consists

Some difference has arisen among commentators as to the sense in which God"The living God, is the Saviour of all men, "God specially of them that believe." (says Dr. Macknight) preserves both man and beast by the care of his providence; but saves believers from eternal death." (See Job vii. 20; Ps. xxxvi. 6.) Drs. Doddridge and Gill explain to the same effect.

When the apostle adds, "Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine," &c. we infer two things-1. That even divine inspiration did not supersede the necessity of human means. They are enthusiasts only who pretend to any divine influences, which may set aside the use of learning; for Timothy, though an evangelist, was to give attendance to reading, and (ver. 15) to meditate on what he read, for this purpose especially, that his profiting might "appear to all."-2. That both the private studies and public labours

of ministers should be directed to the same end; "for in doing this (says the apostle), thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." The salvation of his own soul, is to every man the first and most important object; but the circle of duty enlarges with our connexions. A family brings upon us a multiplied responsibility; but oh the awful account that ministers of large congregations will have to render, for those who perish through their neglect !

CHAP. V. Ver. 1. Rebuke not-Doddr. and Mackn. "Rebuke not severely,' elder.-This is often used as a term of office; but nor sharply--An here, as opposed to younger men, it must be taken literally, with respect to age.

Ver.4. Widows indeed-That is, says Macknight, "desolate "unable to maintain themselves, and having no relations to maintain them.

Ibid. Nephews.-Doddr. and Mackn. "Grandchildren."-Let them (the children) learn first to

shew piety.-Marg. " kindness."

Ver. 5. Night and day-i. e. continually. See Luke ii. 37.

Ver. 6. Liveth in pleasure.-Marg. " delicately." Doddr. "luxuriously." Whitby says, the original term has a particular reference to the drinking of strong and costly liquors.

Ver. 8. His own house.-Marg. "kindred;" particularly those who resided with him.