10 for, for this we labour and suffer reproach, because we hope in a living God, who is preserver of all men, specially of those that believe.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) *I* above measure [so]; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft. From the Jews five times have I received forty [stripes], save one. Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep: in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from [my own] race, in perils from [the] nations, in perils in [the] city, in perils in [the] desert, in perils on [the] sea, in perils among false brethren; in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
that every one who believes on him may [not perish, but] have life eternal. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal. For God has not sent his Son into the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him.
Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses, And he led them forth by a right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men; For he hath satisfied the longing soul and filled the hungry soul with good. Such as inhabit darkness and the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron, Because they had rebelled against the words of ùGod, and had despised the counsel of the Most High; ... And he bowed down their heart with labour; they stumbled, and there was none to help: Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he saved them out of their distresses; He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in sunder. Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men; For he hath broken the gates of bronze, and cut asunder the bars of iron. Fools, because of their way of transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted; Their soul abhorreth all manner of food, and they draw near unto the gates of death: Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he saveth them out of their distresses; He sendeth his word, and healeth them, and delivereth them from their destructions. Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men, And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works in joyful song. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, These see the works of Jehovah, and his wonders in the deep. For he speaketh, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof: They mount up to the heavens, they go down to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble; They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and they are at their wits' end: Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses; He maketh the storm a calm, and the waves thereof are still: And they rejoice because they are quiet; and he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men; Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the session of the elders. He maketh rivers into a wilderness, and water-springs into dry ground; A fruitful land into a plain of salt, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He maketh the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into water-springs; And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, and they establish a city of habitation; And sow fields, and plant vineyards, which yield fruits of increase; And he blesseth them, so that they are multiplied greatly; and he suffereth not their cattle to decrease. And they are diminished and brought low, through oppression, adversity, and sorrow: He poureth contempt upon nobles, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste; But he secureth the needy one on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like flocks. The upright shall see it, and rejoice; and all unrighteousness shall stop its mouth. Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, and let them understand the loving-kindnesses of Jehovah.
Declare and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath caused this to be heard from ancient time? [who] hath declared it long ago? Is it not I, Jehovah? And there is no God else beside me; a just ùGod and a Saviour, there is none besides me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] ùGod, and there is none else.
And again, Esaias says, There shall be the root of Jesse, and one that arises, to rule over [the] nations: in him shall [the] nations hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that ye should abound in hope by [the] power of [the] Holy Spirit.
every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up; persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body;
in which I suffer even unto bonds as an evil-doer: but the word of God is not bound. For this cause I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that *they* also may obtain the salvation which [is] in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
If ye are reproached in [the] name of Christ, blessed [are ye]; for the [Spirit] of glory and the Spirit of God rests upon you: [on their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.] Let none of you suffer indeed as murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or as overseer of other people's matters;
He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself; he that does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness which God has witnessed concerning his Son. And this is the witness, that God has given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life: he that has not the Son of God has not life. These things have I written to you that ye may know that ye have eternal life who believe on the name of the Son of God.
For I think that God has set us the apostles for the last, as appointed to death. For we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men. *We* [are] fools for Christ's sake, but *ye* prudent in Christ: *we* weak, but *ye* strong: *ye* glorious, but *we* in dishonour. To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are in nakedness, and buffeted, and wander without a home, and labour, working with our own hands. Railed at, we bless; persecuted, we suffer [it]; insulted, we entreat: we are become as [the] offscouring of the world, [the] refuse of all, until now.
giving no manner of offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves as God's ministers, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in straits, in stripes, in prisons, in riots, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in [the] Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in [the] word of truth, in [the] power of God; through the arms of righteousness on the right hand and left, through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, and true; as unknown, and well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as disciplined, and not put to death; as grieved, but always rejoicing; as poor, but enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.
But *thou* hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings: what [sufferings] happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what persecutions I endured; and the Lord delivered me out of all. And all indeed who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Timothy 4
Commentary on 1 Timothy 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
Paul here foretels,
1Ti 4:1-5
We have here a prophecy of the apostasy of the latter times, which he had spoken of as a thing expected and taken for granted among Christians, 2 Th. 2.
1Ti 4:6-16
The apostle would have Timothy to instil into the minds of Christians such sentiments as might prevent their being seduced by the judaizing teachers. Observe, Those are good ministers of Jesus Christ who are diligent in their work; not that study to advance new notions, but that put the brethren in remembrance of those things which they have received and heard. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you knew them, 2 Pt. 1:12. And elsewhere, I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, 2 Pt. 3:1. And, says the apostle Jude, I will therefore put you in remembrance, Jude 5. You see that the apostles and apostolical men reckoned it a main part of their work to put their hearers in remembrance; for we are apt to forget, and slow to learn and remember, the things of God.-Nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. Observe,