CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
1 Timothy 1:18. Prophecies which went before on thee.—The prophecies went forward, as it were the heralds and avant-couriers of the actions which they foretold (Ellicott). See 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:16. Thou by them mightest war a good warfare.—A frequent metaphor of St. Paul’s. He would have his young friend to be as loyal
“unto his Captain Christ,
Under whose colours he had fought so long,”
as he had been himself.
1 Timothy 1:19. Holding faith, and a good conscience.—The shield of faith is to cover a pure heart.
“He is but naked, though locked up in steel,
Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.”
Which some having put away.—The apostle means that they have found the protests of conscience so irritating that they have, so to say, taken it up with violence and flung it far out of doors.
1 Timothy 1:20. I have delivered unto Satan.—A form of Christian excommunication declaring the person to be reduced to the state of a heathen, accompanied with the authoritative infliction of bodily disease or death (Ellicott, after Waterland). That they may learn.—R.V. “may be taught,” i.e. by punishment.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— 1 Timothy 1:18-20
Moral Fitness for Special Work—
I. Recognised by previous indications of character.—“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee” (1 Timothy 1:18). There were features and tendencies of character in the youthful Timothy, evident from the time of his conversion, that indicated his suitability for the ministerial office. Paul and those who knew Timothy best detected these; and the apostle saw that God had called him to the sacred work. “The prophecies which went before” were no doubt certain sacred utterances that Paul and others were inspired to make on the ordination of Timothy, and which indicated a Divine commission and Divine approbation publicly expressed respecting his choice of the ministry. These prophecies were a means of blessing to the young minister, and would often animate and sustain him in the difficulties and discouragements of his mission. “The gradual cessation or discredit of the function of the Christian prophet is thoroughly intelligible. Possibly the spiritual gift which rendered it possible was withdrawn from the Church. In any case the extravagances of enthusiasts who deluded themselves into the belief that they possessed the gift, or of impostors who deliberately assumed it, would bring the office into suspicion and disrepute. Such things were possible even in apostolic times, for St. Paul and St. John give cautions about it, and directions for dealing with the abuse and the false assumption of prophecy. There will always be those who crave for something more definite and personal than the Scriptures, who long for and perhaps create for themselves and believe in some living authority to whom they can perpetually appeal. If a man will not hear Christ and His apostles, neither will he be persuaded though a prophet was granted to him. If we believe not their writings, how shall we believe his words?” (Plummer).
II. Shown by the fortitude and fidelity maintained in the midst of conflict.—“That thou by them shouldest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:18-19). The Christian life is a conflict, and ministers are standard-bearers and leaders, and must not only believe and preach the truth but defend it. Armed with faith and a good conscience, the gospel champion must maintain the fight with bravery and fidelity to the end of the campaign. Whoever falls or withdraws, he must press forward, though he should stand alone. The true spirit of the pioneers of the gospel should be like that of Edward III., amid the fiery sands of Syria, where his small force of soldiers fainted, died, deserted, and seemed to melt away. But his prowess made light of it, and he said, “I will go on, if I go on with no other follower than my groom.”
III. Conspicuous by the failure and fate of the unworthy.—“Which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenæus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:19-20). “If one’s religion better not his morals,” says Archbishop Whately, “his moral deficiencies will corrupt his religion. The rain which falls pure from heaven will not continue pure if it be received in an unclean vessel.” Hymenæus and Alexander had lost both their faith and their good conscience, and had so far retrograded as to blaspheme the name of God and Christ by doings and teachings unworthy of their Christian profession. The personality of Satan was not a question of hesitation and doubt with the apostle. Satan was to him, as he is in the emphatic teaching of the Bible, a real, active, and living embodiment of evil; and for their punishment and reformation he hands over the two delinquents to the great power of darkness. “In the apostolic sentence upon the two blasphemers we have to notice four points.
1. It is almost certainly not identical with excommunication by the congregation, although it very probably was accompanied by this other penalty.
2. It is of a very extraordinary character, being a handing over into the power of the evil one.
3. Its object is the reformation of the offenders, while at the same time—
4. It serves as a warning to others, lest they by similar offences should suffer so awful a punishment. To all alike it brought home the serious nature of such sins. Even at the cost of cutting off the right hand, or plucking out the right eye, the Christian community must be kept pure in doctrine as in life. Satan inflicts suffering from love of inflicting it, and leads into sin from love of sin; but God knows how to bring good out of evil by making the evil one frustrate his own wiles. It is for us to take care that in our case the chastisements which inevitably follow upon sin do not drive us further and further into it, but teach us to sin no more” (Plummer, passim). When we lose our faith in God and truth, we lose our better selves and rush upon defeat and disgrace. What power had the last Brutus at the moment when he abandoned his faith? From the time of his melancholy vision, produced by a diminution of that faith, it might have been predicted that his own destiny and that of the republic were finished. He felt it himself: it was with a presentiment of defeat that he fought at Philippi; and such a presentiment always realises itself.
IV. Commands the confidence of the good.—“This charge I commit unto thee” (1 Timothy 1:18). Paul had many proofs of the eagerness and fidelity of Timothy in prosecuting the work of the ministry; and it is with ingenuous confidence that he commits to him the charge of the truth, as a sacred deposit, to keep and to defend, and to keep and defend it by diligently spreading it. “The remembrance of the hopes of a former teacher is a great stimulus, an earnest call to be and do what others have expected of us” (Heubner).
Lessons.—
1. The good in us is found by others.
2. Difficulties test and develop our virtues.
3. The defection of others should stimulate our zeal and fidelity.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
1 Timothy 1:18. A Good Warfare.
I. The Christian warfare.—
1. Is a struggle of Christ against Satan, holiness against sin.
2. The Christian is a soldier in Christ’s army.
3. The warfare implies numerous foes.
II. The excellency of this warfare.—
1. It is good because its object is to destroy that which is evil and promote that which is good.
2. It is under a good Commander.
3. It will issue in complete triumph.
III. Claims of this warfare upon the Christian.—
1. He must be sensible of his own incompetence.
2. Must understand the character of his enemies.
3. Have confidence in the skill and power of his General.
4. Must do battle with His foes whenever they oppose him—(Helps).
1 Timothy 1:19. Faith and a Good Conscience.
I. Some try to hold faith without the good conscience.—That soon becomes a hollow and hypocritical thing.
II. Some try the good conscience without faith.—That becomes a superficial, unspiritual, and barren thing.
III. The union of the two.—Faith is the spring and quickener of conscience—conscience gives truthfulness and reality to faith.—Dr. J. Ker.