Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Fables - incipient Gnostic legends about the origin and propagation of angels, as at Colosse (Colossians 2:18-23). Rather, "Jewish fables" (Titus 1:14). "Profane and old wives' fables" (1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:4).
Genealogies. Not merely genealogies common among the Jews, tracing their descent from the patriarchs, which Paul would not class with "fables," but Gnostic genealogies of spirits and aeons, or emanations (Alford). So Tertullian, 'Adversus Valentinianos,' ch. 3:, and Irenaeus, 'Praef.' The Judaizers here, while maintaining the obligation of the Mosaic law, joined with it a theosophic ascetic tendency, pretending to see in it mysteries deeper than others. The seeds, not the full-grown Gnosticism of the post apostolic age, then existed. This formed the transition between Judaism and Gnosticism. "Endless" implies their tedious unprofitableness (cf. Titus 3:9). Scripture opposes to their 'aeons' the 'King of the aeons (so Greek, 1 Timothy 1:17), to whom be glory throughout the aeons of aeons.' The word 'aeons' was possibly not used in the technical Gnostic sense as yet; but "the only wise God" (1 Timothy 1:17), by anticipation, confutes subsequent notions in the Gnostics' own phraseology.
Questions - of speculation (Acts 25:20), not practical; generating merely curious discussions.
Which, х haitines (G3748)] - 'inasmuch as they' (1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:14; 2 Timothy 2:23). "Vain jangling" (1 Timothy 1:6-7) of would-be "teachers of the law."
Godly edifying. So Delta f g, Vulgate. But A G 'Aleph (') read 'the dispensation х oikonomian (G3622) for oikodomeen (G3618)] of God,' the Gospel dispensation originating from God toward man (1 Corinthians 9:17), which is (has its element) in faith; not 'questioning' (1 Timothy 1:5, end). Conybeare, the stewardship of God,' He infers that the false teachers in Ephesus were presbyters,which accords with the prophecy, Acts 20:30; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2.