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1 TIMOTHY 6
6:1-2
What was a slave?
[6:1]
A “slave”(δοῦλος/g1401) was a person owned by another person. The slave worked for the owner. A slave was not paid for the work they did. However, a “slave” was taken care of by his owner. The owner gave them food to eat, clothes to wear, and a place to live.
See: Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 3:22-25;
What did it mean to be “under the yoke”?
[6:1]
A yoke (ζυγός/g2218) was a piece of wood that was placed around the necks of two large animals to join them together. This allowed them to pull heavy loads. To be “under the yoke” was a metaphor. That is, it was used to talk about how slaves were owned by a master and made to do work.
See: Metaphor
Why did Paul write, “worthy of all honor”?
[6:1]
Paul wanted Christian slaves to respect their master by obeying him.
How might the “name of God” be blasphemed?
[6:1]
The word “blaspheme” was used to say that someone said something bad about God or another person in some way. Some scholars think Paul wrote about God being spoken against when he wrote Christians not to do things to blaspheme. That is, If slaves were disobedient, it gave reason for non-Christians to speak bad things about God and the things Christians taught.
See: Romans 2:24; Titus 2:9-10
6:3-10
What was teaching that did “not agree” with Paul’s message?
[6:3]
Throughout the book of 1st Timothy, Paul wrote Timothy about how the church was to work together. Paul wanted Timothy to know that anything someone taught that did “not agree”(ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω/g2085) with the things Paul wrote in this letter was false teaching.
See: Galatians 1:6-9
See: Church
What were “controversies and arguments about words”?
[6:4]
Paul wrote again what he had already written about false teachers. They taught about things that did not matter much. They also taught wrong things about the Old Testament (see: 1:4, 6-7; 4:7). These things caused arguments about things which were not things about which they needed to worry. Paul warned Timothy that false teachers harmed the church.
See: Proverbs 20:3; Titus 3:9
See: Church
What was a “depraved” person?
[6:5]
Some scholars think a “depraved” person was someone who did not know the truth or they no longer believed the things that were true. Other scholars think a “depraved” person does not know the difference between right and wrong.
Why did Paul write the word “contentment”?
[6:6]
“Contentment” was used to talk about a person who had enough of the things he needed to live. He had no need for help from other people. Also, it was used to talk about a person who did not want anything more in their life. In Paul’s letters, Christians were content because they knew God provided their needs.
See: Matthew 6:25-26; Philippians 4:11-13
See: Greed (Covet)
How were godliness and contentment “great gain”?
[6:6]
Paul wrote that godliness and contentment were “great gain” because doing the things that honored God were good for a person both now and forever.
See: Godly (Godliness)
Why did Paul write “the world”?
[6:7]
In the same way that newborn babies have nothing in this world, people cannot take anything from this world with them when they die.
See: Job 1:21; Matthew 6:33-34
See: World
What was “the love of money”?
A person with “love of money” only wanted to have much money and things they could buy with it.
How was the love of money “a root of all kinds of evil”?
[6:10]
Paul used the metaphor of a “root.” That is, the love of money causes much evil in the same way a root causes a plant to grow.
See: Ecclesiastes 5:10; Luke 16:13-15
See: Metaphor
How did people who loved money “pierce themselves with much grief”?
[6:10]
When a person pierced or stabbed themselves with a knife or other sharp thing, it caused pain. Paul used that idea to say that people who have a love for money often times cause themselves to have pain, such as the loss of friendships.
6:11-21
What was a “man of God”?
[6:11]
Some scholars think Paul wrote about Timothy as a man of God because Timothy was a Christian. Also, Timothy wanted to do the things that honored God. Other scholars think Paul wrote “man of God” to write that Timothy was similar to a prophet. In the Old Testament, the words “man of God” were often used to write about Moses, Samuel and Elijah.
See: 2 Timothy 3:17; Deuteronomy 33:1; 1 Kings 17:18
See: Prophet
Why did Paul write Timothy to “flee these things”?
[6:11]
Paul told Timothy to “flee” certain things. He wrote this to tell Timothy not do the things that trap people who do these things because they love money. However, Paul wrote Timothy to “pursue” other things. He told him to do the things that make him to live in a way that honors God.
See: 2 Timothy 2:22
What was the “good fight of faith”?
[6:12]
Paul wanted Timothy to know that a Christian will be persecuted by people who do not believe in Jesus.
What was the “good confession” made by Timothy?
[6:12, 6:13]
Some scholars think the “good confession” about which Paul wrote was when Timothy told others that he believed in Jesus. Other scholars think Timothy made the “good confession” when he began preaching the gospel (see: 2 Timothy 1:14).
See: Romans 10:9-10
See: Confess (Confession); Preach (Preacher); Gospel
Why did Paul write Timothy to “keep the commandment without spot or blame”?
[6:14]
Paul wrote Timothy to obey God’s commandment “without spot.” That is, he needed to obey God perfectly. To be “without blame” meant Timothy was to do things in such a way that no one could accuse him of doing the wrong things.
See: 4:11-16; 2 Peter 3:14
Why did Paul write “reveal Christ’s appearing”?
[6:14]
Paul wrote “reveal Christ’s appearing” to write that God decided when Christ will return. God will cause it to happen (see: Acts 1:6-7). “Appearing”(ἐπιφάνεια/g2015) was one of the words used to talk about when Jesus came to earth the first time (see: 2 Timothy 1:10). The same Greek word for “appearing” is also used for the second time Jesus will come in the future (see: 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13).
See: Matthew 16:27; 24:30; Colossians 3:4
See: Reveal (Revelation); Jesus' Return to Earth; Glory (Glorify)
What was “immortality”?
[6:16]
God has “immortality.” That is, only God has always lived and will live forever and never dies (see: 1:17). God promised Christians that they will live forever with God also (1 Corinthians 15:53-54).
What was “unapproachable light”?
[6:16]
God’s presence is so bright that people cannot be physically close to him. This was the light of God’s glory at Mount Sinai (see: Exodus 24:16-17).
See: Psalm 104:1-2
See: Light and Darkness (Metaphor); Presence of God; Glory (Glorify))
See Map: Mount Sinai
How was someone “rich in good works”?
[6:18]
When Paul wrote to Timothy about people being “rich in good works,” he wanted people to do many good things.
See: Acts 9:36; Titus 3:8;
What was a “good foundation”?
[6:19]
Paul wrote about a “good foundation.” This was a metaphor. In the same way cement and large rocks made a foundation to build a solid house, so the things taught in the Bible is the foundation for a Christian to live.
See: Matthew 6:19-21
See: Metaphor
Why did Paul write to Timothy to“protect” what was given to him?
[6:20]
Paul told Timothy the truth, and Timothy needed to “protect”(φυλάσσω/g5442) it. Also, Timothy needed to teach Christians the truth in the same way that Paul taught Timothy. Some scholars think that this was all the things Christians taught. Other scholars think that it was only the things Paul wrote Timothy in this letter.
See: 1:11, 18; 2 Timothy 1:14
Why did Paul write some men “missed the faith”?
[6:21]
Some scholars think Paul wrote the words “miss”(ἀστοχέω/g0795) the faith to write about people who did not fully understand the message about believing in Jesus. Therefore, they began to teach false things about what was faith. Fewer scholars think Paul used the words to “miss” the faith to write about people who no longer believed the message of faith.
See: 1:6, 19; 2 Timothy 2:18