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Psalm 144 Trusting God in Conflict, Yearning for God’s Blessing in Peace

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Matteo Rosselli, 1620, The Triumphant David, Galleria Palatina, Florence.

Psalm 144

Of David. 

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
  who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,
 2 my rock and my fortress,
  my stronghold and my deliverer,
 my shield, in whom I take refuge,
  who subdues the peoples under me.

3 O LORD, what are humans that you regard them,
  or mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;
  their days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down;
  touch the mountains so that they smoke.
6 Make the lightning flash and scatter them;
  send out your arrows and rout them.
7 Stretch out your hand from on high;
  set me free and rescue me from the mighty waters,
  from the hand of foreigners,
 8 whose mouths speak lies
  and whose right hands are false.

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God;
  upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
 10 the one who gives victory to kings,
  who rescues his servant David.
11 Rescue me from the cruel sword,
  and deliver me from the hand of aliens,
 whose mouths speak lies,
  and whose right hands are false.

12 May our sons in their youth
  be like plants full grown,
 our daughters like corner pillars,
  cut for the building of a palace.
13 May our barns be filled
  with produce of every kind;
 may our sheep increase by thousands,
  by tens of thousands in our fields,
  14 and may our cattle be heavy with young.
 May there be no breach in the walls, no exile,
  and no cry of distress in our streets.

15 Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall;
  happy are the people whose God is the LORD.

Bolded words have comments on translation below.

My first memory of Psalm 144 was reading it be used as a prayer by Robert E. Lee in Michael Shaara’s The Killer Angels and later in the movie adaptation of the book Gettysburg. After reading these words I suspected they were a psalm and so I pulled out my bible and searched for the words and went on to read the entire psalm. This was many years before I was called to ministry and I found the opening words of the psalm a comforting phrase during my time as an officer in the U. S. Army. Many years later I would utilize this psalm during the funeral of my grandfather, Walter Clarkson, who had retired from the Army. Yet this psalm is never utilized in the Sunday readings in the Revised Common Lectionary which is why it took its quotation in a work of historical fiction for me to initially discover it.

My educated guess as to the reason this psalm is omitted from the lectionary is its opening line where the LORD prepares the speaker, David in the attribution, for combat. A reader in the United States in the twenty first century may be able to view conflict as a distant thing, but in the world of King David and throughout the story of Israel, military conflict was a frequent reality. As N.T. Wright comments in The New Testament and the People of God:

The land of Israel is a small country…But it has an importance out of all proportion to its size. Empires have fought over it. Every forty-four years out of the last four thousand, on average, an army has marched through it, whether to conquer it, to rescue it from someone else, to use it as a neutral battleground on which to fight a different enemy, or to take advantage of its natural route for getting somewhere else to fight there instead. (Wright, 1992, p. 3)

Israel was never an empire with a massive army. The Deuteronomy 17:16 prohibits the king from going down to Egypt to acquire the horses and chariots that which many armies in the region utilized. The leaders and soldiers of Israel were expected to depend on the LORD rather than either the newest technology or the size of their army. David was a warrior king, and these initial verses make sense within the story of his life shaped by frequent moments of combat.

Psalm 144 echoes the language of several other psalms. Nancy deClaissé-Walford has a helpful summary of the echoes:

It contains echoes of a number of other psalms in the Psalter, including Pss. 8:4 in 144:3; 39: 5-6 in v. 4; 33:2 and 3 in v. 9; and 33:12 in v. 15. But most prevalent in Psalm 144 are connections to Psalm 18, another royal psalm: 18:1, 2, 34, 46, 47 to 144: 1, 2; 18:9 to v.5; 18:14 to v. 6; 18:16, 44, 45 to vv. 7, 11; and Psalm 18’s superscription to v. 10. (Nancy deClaisse-Walford, 2014, p. 984)

Many commentaries treat Psalm 144 as a collection of sayings taken from other psalms and stitched together to create a psalm for a new situation. Although it is possible that Psalm 144 was composed in this way I find it likely that the commonalities in language are reflective of the language used in worship, giving vocabulary and structure to their prayers. Both Psalm 18 and 144 are attributed to David and the commonalities may also be due to a common authorship.

Because of the similarities between Psalm 144 and Psalm 18 the NRSVue harmonizes verse two, unnecessarily in my opinion, with 18:2. This obscures the Hebrew of 144:2 which states “my hesed (steadfast love) and my fortress.” The hesed of God is a critical idea in Hebrew and although the LORD is called the rock in the previous verse, the introduction of steadfast love here makes sense within the context. God’s steadfast love and deliverance are placed alongside God’s functioning as a safe space (tower/fortress, shield, refuge) for the psalmist.

Verse three transitions to a place of wondering about God’s regard for the psalmist. The language echoes the wonder of Psalm 8:4, but the words for humans (Hebrew ‘adam) and mortals (Hebrew ben ‘enos) are both singular. “What is a man (person) that you care for them, a son of man (human) that you think of them?” They are hebel[1] (NRSVue ‘breath). Hebel is one of the favorite words of Ecclesiastes meaning breath, wind, vapor, mist. It is an evanescent word translated ‘vanity’ in Ecclesiastes. The individual human may be as temporary as the wind or mist or may pass like a shadow. Yet, God still takes notice of them and prepares them for the conflicts they must face.

Many of the themes in verses five to eight are similar to the language in Psalm 18, but here the psalmist is asking for the LORD to act where in Psalm 18 they are recounting how God acted. As the individual prepares for an upcoming conflict, they ask for God to act in powerful ways: making the mountains smoke and lightning flash (like God’s appearance at Sinai). They ask their God who is their rock, stronghold, and fortress to deliver them from a perilous situation described metaphorically as a rising flood. Yet, the threat in the moment of this psalm’s composition appears to be an external enemy, foreigners/aliens (Hebrew bene-nakar in verses 7 and 11), who are unreliable. Perhaps a treaty has been violated, or some other deceptions have placed the psalmist in a situation where they must fight this foe. If the psalm comes from King David, his reign was full of conflicts.

In response to the LORD’s anticipated action on behalf of the leader and the people the psalmist promises a new song to God. God’s deliverance of the king will be the inspiration of this new song of praise. The “evil sword” (NRSVue ‘cruel sword’) is an expression only found in this psalm. The sword has been used as a figure of speech for the words of the wicked in other psalms.[2] (Mays, 1994, p. 436) Yet, the language of this psalm seems to fit with the preparation for real and not metaphorical conflict. The impact of armed conflict on an individual, an army, and a people can be devastating and I read this psalm as asking for deliverance from the harm that the enemy’s weapons can inflict.

The psalm turns from the concerns of war to the longing for the prosperity of peace. The psalmist’s immediate concern may be God preparing them for the upcoming fight but they long to think about sons and daughters, the harvest of the field and the produce of the flocks. Verse fourteen likely speaks of the delivery of livestock without complications rather than a breech in the walls of the city (Nancy deClaisse-Walford, 2014, p. 988) but the overall sense of the verse is clear. A time when children can grow in peace, harvests are plentiful, animals are productive, and no one cries in distress. They prepare for war as they long for times of peace.

The psalm began with one word for blessing (Hebrew baruk) and the final verse now ends with another word for blessed (NRSVue ‘happy, Hebrew ‘asre). (Bellinger, 2014, p. 599) The Hebrew ‘asre[3] is frequently used in the psalms and wisdom literature and here the psalm ends with two statements beginning with ‘asre. Happy/blessed/content are the people on whom such blessings fall is linked with happy/blessed/content are the people whose God is the LORD. The psalmist proclaims that those who trust the LORD in the times of conflict will experience the blessing of the LORD in times of peace. Ultimately the psalm is one of trust that the LORD will both deliver and provide: be the rock, fortress, stronghold, and deliverer for the psalmist in their time of need and the one who gives the blessing of children, harvests, and flocks. They bless the LORD and they anticipate they will also experience blessing/happiness/contentment because they have trusted the LORD as their God.

[1] Sometimes written as hevel. In Hebrew the ‘b’ and ‘v’ sound are the same consonant. For more on this term see my comments on Ecclesiastes 1.

[2] Psalm 57:4; 64:3.

[3] The Hebrew ‘asre is translated as markarios in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. This is the same Greek term used at the beginning of the Sermon of the Mount for ‘blessed’ in Matthew 5: 1-12.

Psalm 143 Seeking a Gracious God to Deliver

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St. Paul Writing His Epistles probably by Valentin de Boulogne (1618-1620)

Psalm 143

A Psalm of David

1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
 give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
 answer me in your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with your servant,
 for no one living is righteous before you.

3 For the enemy has pursued me,
 crushing my life to the ground,
 making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
 my heart within me is appalled.

5 I remember the days of old;
 I think about all your deeds;
 I meditate on the works of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
 my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.  Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O LORD;
 my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
 or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
8 Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
 for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
 for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Save me, O LORD, from my enemies;
 I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
 for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me
 on a level path.

11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life.
 In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.
12 In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
 and destroy all my adversaries,
 for I am your servant.

The paradox of this psalm is that the speaker comes from a stance of submissiveness in need of God’s gracious deliverance while having enough trust in the relationship with their God to address God in a demanding way. The psalmist asks for God to: Hear, give ear, answer (1) do not enter into judgment (2), do not hide your face, let me hear, teach (7-8), save (9), teach, let your spirit lead (10), preserve, bring me out (11) cut off, and destroy (12). Yet the tone of the psalm for all these petitions comes from the position of one not asking for God’s action based on their worthiness or merit, but instead as one seeking a gracious God who will act decisively on behalf of God’s servant.

The psalm begins with an appeal to two of God’s characteristics: faithfulness (‘emet) and righteousness (tzedakah) and ends with an appeal to God’s righteousness and steadfast love (hesed). Righteousness is key to the movement of the psalm as the psalmist appeals twice to God’s righteousness but declares their own inability to be righteous before God. The idea that no person is righteous before God echo some of the declarations of Job and Ecclesiastes.[1] Job and his dialogue partners who seek a reason for Job’s suffering circle around this idea of the inability of a person to stand before God and the book ends with Job in humility answering God that he cannot stand before God. Ecclesiastes seeks meaning in the emptiness the teacher feels at his accomplishments and realizes that his actions eventually bring them into judgment before God. Now this servant of God in their unworthiness asks for God to forgo judgment based on worthiness and respond to their desperate need in grace.

The servant’s position is one of weakness. As in the previous psalm they are hunted, but in this psalm they have been captured and oppressed. The language is that of being near death: life crushed into the ground, sitting in darkness like the dead, a fainting spirit and an appalled heart at their inability to resist their persecutors actions. In this vulnerable state they remember[2] times past when God acted and they thirst for God like a parched land for rain. If in this moment of metaphors of being near death or being parched like the desert if God hides God’s face the speaker will be like the dead who descend to the Pit. Their spirit/breath[3] is failing and the long to hear of God’s steadfast love (hesed) in the morning that can bring their deliverance. They lift up their whole being (NRSV soul, Hebrew nephesh) to God requiring God’s instruction that they may walk in God’s way.

The servant asks for God’s deliverance for the sake of God’s name and reputation and not for their own worthiness. It is God’s righteousness that can bring them out of trouble, God’s steadfast love that will cut off their enemies and destroy their adversaries. The title of servant/slave (Hebrew abad) ties the speaker to the household of God and although this is a title of servitude it also implies responsibility of the master of the house defending and protecting the entire household. Yet, this servant of God is completely dependent upon God for delivering them from the threshold of death and saving them from their oppressors. In their own weakness they can only hope and remember the gracious nature of their God.

The servant of God’s dependence upon receiving a gracious deliverance without being able to stand before God in righteousness provided a scriptural building block for the Apostle Paul’s concept of justification by faith. As Paul can state in Romans 3:20,” For no human will be justified before him by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.” Paul, like the psalmist, would lean into the relationship of the individual to their God relying on grace instead of justice. Like the psalmist, Paul spoke from a position of unworthiness desperate for God’s gracious deliverance of God’s servant.

[1] Job 9:2, 32; 14:3; 15:14; 22: 2-4; 25:4; Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12: 14. See also Psalm 14:3 and 130:3.

[2] Remember (zakar) is a powerful concept in Hebrew utilized over two hundred times in the Old Testament. (Nancy deClaisse-Walford, 2014, p. 982) The thing remembered becomes the central thing to the person remembering, often the one thing they are holding onto.

[3] Hebrew ruach means breath, spirit, or wind.

Psalm 142 A Cry to God for Deliverance in a Desperate Time

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David Shows Saul How He Spared His Life (1Sam. 24:2-20) By Gustave Doré – Doré’s English Bible, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10732139

Psalm 142

A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A Prayer. 

1 With my voice I cry to the Lord;
  with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.
 2 I pour out my complaint before him;
  I tell my trouble before him.
 3 When my spirit is faint,
  you know my way.

 In the path where I walk,
  they have hidden a trap for me.
 4 Look on my right hand and see:
  there is no one who takes notice of me;
 no refuge remains to me;
  no one cares for me.

 5 I cry to you, O Lord;
  I say, “You are my refuge,
  my portion in the land of the living.”
 6 Listen to my cry,
  for I am brought very low.

 Save me from my persecutors,
  for they are too strong for me.
 7 Bring me out of prison,
  so that I may give thanks to your name.
 The righteous will surround me,
  for you will deal bountifully with me.

The superscription of this psalm has two possible moments in the life of David. The first is in 1 Samuel 22 when David is in the cave at Adullam. David in this portion of his story has just departed from King Achish of Gath after pretending to be mad.[1] David arrives at Adullam alone, but later is met by family and other followers there. The alternative is when he is in the wilderness of En-gedi, fleeing from Saul’s army. This is the cave where David has the opportunity to kill Saul but only cuts off a portion of his cloak because he will not strike the LORD’s anointed one (1 Samuel 23-24). This psalm in which the speaker feels oppressed and abandoned by the community of faith could fit either situation or many other situations that people of faith have encountered.

The psalmist cries to the LORD from a moment where they feel alone, overwhelmed, and trapped. The verb for “cry to” is different from “call upon” at the beginning of Psalm 141. Here the word is the Hebrew za’aq, “which conveys the idea of crying out in acute distress and seeking deliverance.” (Nancy deClaisse-Walford, 2014, p. 978) The word occurs twice in this psalm (vs. 1,5) and only three other times in the psalms (22:5; 107: 13,19). Yet, as J. Clinton McCann, Jr. notes

Hebrew za’aq…it recalls the exodus (see Exodus 2:23); it is a crucial part of the pattern in the book of Judges (see Judges 3:9, 15; 6: 6-7); indeed, it became understood as a typical element in God’s dealing with God’s people. (NIB IV: 1247)

Within the story of Israel, when they groaned and cried out (za’aq) to God, God heard and remembered them. Now the psalmist taps into this belief and cries out to God that they may be heard and remembered. They speak their complaint and trouble from this hiding place in the wilderness where their spirit is faint, they trust that God knows the way to their refuge.

Much of the imagery of the poem is related to hunting with the psalmist as the prey being pursued. The pursuit of their enemies has left them vulnerable and alone. Enemies can lay traps but there is no one at the right hand to come to the aid of the psalmist. In the language of the poem there is no where left for them to flee, no refuge to seek, they are imprisoned by the pursuing enemy. They are brought low and do not have the power to deliver themselves. Their only hope is that God will be their refuge, bring them out of their imprisonment, and deliver them from their pursuers. They desire to be in a place where they can be in the company of the righteous again, rather than being isolated and surrounded by their oppressors. Yet, even in their distress they trust that their God will deliver, deal bountifully with them, release them from prison, and return them to their place among God’s faithful people.

[1] Achish was aware of David as an opponent when he served under Saul and was suspicious of David’s loyalties, so David pretended to be mad but ultimately departs for Adullam when he is not welcome in Achish’s house.

Psalm 141 Keep My Words and My Heart from Evil

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Burning incense stick and its smoke by Atan0 shared under CC-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Incense_stick.JPG#/media/File:Incense_stick.JPG

Psalm 141

A Psalm of David

1 I call upon you, O LORD come quickly to me;

  give ear to my voice when I call to you.

2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you

  and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;

  keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Do not turn my heart to any evil,

  to busy myself with wicked deeds

 in company with those who work iniquity;

  do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 Let the righteous strike me;

  let the faithful correct me.

 Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,

  for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds. 

6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,

  then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.

7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,

  so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.

8 But my eyes are turned toward you, O GOD, my Lord;

  in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.

9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me

  and from the snares of evildoers.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

  while I alone escape.

The rich poetic imagery of the prayers of the worshipper ascending to God like the fragrant smoke of burning incense has always been a memorable aspect of this psalm. In my own practice this psalm is frequently used in evening prayer within the setting of Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer where verse two of the psalm becomes the refrain for the psalmody. Yet within the psalm there is a contrast between this slow imagery of prayers ascending like incense at the evening sacrifice and the urgent call of the psalmist for God to hear and come quickly. There are numerous verbal links with Psalm 140[1] but they are used to a different end. Psalm 140 cries out for God to deliver the psalmist from the poisonous words of violent men, but Psalm 141 calls on God to prevent the petitioner from their own heart and mouth being used for wickedness.

The psalm is linked poetically to the actions of worship: burning incense and offering a sacrifice. These words may originate during worship, or the author may view these words as a sacrifice and pleasant odor they can present before God. I appreciate the multisensory image which involves both scent and a visual image combined with the audible speaking of these words before God. If the prayer is offered at the evening sacrifice the petitioner may be hoping to partake in the holy portion of the evening sacrifice rather than the delicacies of those who work iniquity.

The psalmist called for God’s immediate action and that action is turned towards delivering them from the words and practices of the wicked. The language of the psalm is echoed in the warnings about appropriate companions scattered throughout Proverbs and many readers of this psalm believe the author has become associated with companions whose words and actions are evil. They ask God to guard their mouth and watch the door of their lips to prevent their tongue from becoming like the tongues sharp and snakes and lips with the venom of vipers in the previous psalm. Similarly, they ask God to keep their heart from evil and wicked deeds in the company of those who work iniquity. It is plausible that those the author speaks of are royalty and he may be echoing Proverbs 23:2, “Do not desire an official’s delicacies, for they are deceptive food.”

Any translation of verses five to seven of the psalm have had to smooth out the Hebrew text.[2] The NRSVue does a good job of creating a stanza that makes sense and I will follow their translation in continuing to discuss the psalm. The psalmist asks for the righteous to correct them, even striking them to discipline them. The language of anointing may indicate that the ones the psalmist speaks about are royalty and their anointing of the psalmist would be recognizing him as included in their group. Perhaps the psalmist is a prophet who has been speaking words that the princes and nobles did not want to hear, but they have attempted to entice him to join with them. Ultimately the psalmist agrees with the belief that God will not allow the wicked to prosper forever and eventually their bones will be scattered like a rock that shatters when it is cast against the ground.

They know that they are in danger of being ensnared by these wicked ones. Whether they have willingly been seduced into this position or these evil ones are attempting to trap them in words or actions, they understand that their deliverance will come from God. God can guard their mouth from words that can be used against them, turn their heart away from the acts which are contrary to God’s wisdom, or to be tempted by the delicacies that these workers of iniquity have set before them. Instead, the psalmist asks that these evil ones would fall into their own traps, ensnared in their own plots and actions. Just as Christians regularly pray “lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil” this psalmist knows the dangers of the temptations and the lure of the evil snares set for them.

The appeal of the psalm for God to guard our lips, our hearts, and ultimately our actions in an environment of temptation is a prayer that resonates for followers of every time. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent annually on advertising that asks us to taste the delicacies set before us. The digital world and the real world are full of traps to ensnare us in actions that we know are foolish but find enticing. The life of faith involves sending up prayers to God for words and actions that are faithful instead of wicked. We all need to be delivered from temptation. I certainly have had times where I needed divine help to restrain my tongue or to give me the strength to live according to my convictions. I have needed the correction of faithful brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. For me the psalm is a reminder that we rely on God and God’s people as we attempt to live a faithful life amid a world of temptations.

[1] Nancy deClaissé-Walford lists nine verbal connections: ““Wicked” (rasa) occurs in Pss. 140:8 and 141:4, 10; “righteousness” (sadiq) in 140:3 and 141:5; “guard, keep” (samar) in 140:4 and 141: 3, 9; “lip” (sapa) in 140:3,9 and 141:3; “malicious” (ra’) in 140: 1,2, 11 and 141:4; “LORD my Lord (YHWH’adonay) in 140:7 and 141:8; “trap” (pah) in 140:5 and 141:9; “snare” (moqes) in 140:5 and 141:9; and “lend an ear” (‘azan) in 140:6 and 141:1.” (Nancy deClaisse-Walford, 2014, p. 972)

[2] Nancy deClaissé-Walford attempts to give a closer translation to the Hebrew:

5 Let the righteous strike me with hesed and reprove me;

                let my head not refuse such oil

                Indeed continually my prayer is against their maliciousness.

6 Let their judges be hurled down into the hands of the rock,

                And then they will hear my sayings, for they are pleasant.

7 Like the furrowing and breaking up of the earth,

                our bones are scattered to the mouth of Sheol. (Nancy deClaisse-Walford, 2014, p. 973)

1 Timothy

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Icon of Saint Timothy from an Orthodox Church in the United States By Moralmonke – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122679217

1 Timothy

Introduction to the Pastoral Letters: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus

Brief Introduction to 1 Timothy

1 Timothy 1 Paul Encourages Timothy in Ephesus

1 Timothy 2 Prayers for All and the Actions of Men and Women

1 Timothy 3 Expectations of Leaders in the Community and the Mystery of Faith

1 Timothy 4 Encouraging Timothy and Correcting False Teachings

1 Timothy 5 Helping Timothy Manage the Elders and Widows in Ephesus

1 Timothy 6 Slavery, Wealth, False Teaching and a Final Encouragement

Reflections after Studying 1 Timothy

Reflections after Studying 1 Timothy

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Icon of Saint Timothy from an Orthodox Church in the United States By Moralmonke – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122679217

The process of reading, reflecting and writing on scripture has been formative to my faith and growth over the past fourteen years. I’m always amazed at the discoveries in each book I’ve studied and the way previously underutilized texts have shared their world and wisdom with me. Attempting to translate scripture is more than the translation of the Greek or Hebrew into English, but it also involves translating the texts from a very different world and time to our modern ears. 1 Timothy is an excellent example of this. Sexuality, the role of women in the church and society, the expectations of the household, and the existence of slavery are just a couple of the realities that require translation between the first century and the twenty-first century. Yet I find this letter’s attempts to help Timothy address the conflicts over doctrine and practice in communities of faith in Ephesus providing a window into the life of the early church and some practical guidance for those attempting to manage the continuing reality of church conflict two millennia later.

1 Timothy gives us a window on Paul attempting to help the congregation in Ephesus receive the gospel of God’s salvation while navigating the expectations of the Roman empire and the Hellenistic world. He has to balance the church (ekklesia) with the household (oikos) especially since most churches likely met in the households of members. These early Christ followers come from very different economic backgrounds and likely have varying familiarity with the stories of Jesus and the Scriptures of the church (the Old Testament at this time). Timothy is given the challenging task of being Paul’s young emissary to these Ephesian churches where he has to provide a clear witness and exemplary example to the elders, young men, widows, young women, slaves, and masters among these households and churches. Church leadership both then and now can seem a daunting and impossible task at the same time it is viewed as a noble one.

This short letter provides numerous opportunities for reflection on the difference between the world of the early Christians and our own. For those willing to approach this text with curiosity it should provide an opportunity to refine what one believes and why one believes it. I am like many pastors who have rarely utilized the Pastoral Letters in my preaching and teaching, and I found this close examination of this letter very helpful. One of the things it challenged me to rethink was praying for those in leadership in government even when I may disagree with their beliefs or policies. The conviction that God desires to save all and the Christ was given as a ransom for all allows Paul to understand that kings, leaders, and even Caesar were in need of prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings.

1 Timothy 6 Slavery, Wealth, False Teaching, and Final Encouragement

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St. Paul Writing His Epistles probably by Valentin de Boulogne (1618-1620)

1 Timothy 6: 1-2a

Bolded text has notes on translation below.

 1 Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are brothers and sisters; rather, they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved.

The Ephesus that Paul writes to in 1 Timothy is a very different world than our modern minds are used to. The views on sexuality, the place of women in worship, expectations of leaders, expectations of families in relation to their parents, and now slavery are all challenging topics that should invite discussion. It is also important to acknowledge that these texts have been used to impose the worldview of the ancient world or to resist the movements for change for women, enslaved people, and other groups throughout history. I do believe that as 2 Timothy states:

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16

Engaging in the places where scripture is challenging should allow us to refine our values and why we hold them so that we may be trained to embody righteousness in our own time.

Slavery in the ancient world, particularly in the Roman empire of Paul’s time, was a part of the way that the world was ordered. Paul did not defend slavery, but he also did not condemn it. In Philemon Paul speaks on behalf of the runaway slave Onesimus and encourages him to be received back as “more than a slave, a beloved brother” (16) but acknowledges Philemon’s role as Onesimus’s master and his ability to make decisions about his slave’s future. Ephesians 6:5-8 and Colossians 3:22-24 include master/slave relations as a part of the household codes with expectations for both masters and slaves, but not challenging the reality of slavery in the Roman world. Paul is not alone in this. 1 Peter 2: 18-25, the Didache 4:10, and several other early Christian documents operate with the understanding that slavery was a part of the ordering of the Roman world. Thomas Long makes a helpful analogy when he states:

The Pastor could no more envision a society this side of heaven in which there was no slavery than those of us raised in the 1950s and 1960s could imagine the digital world we now inhabit. (Long, 2016, p. 166)

Slavery in Rome was not based on any racial dynamic. Many slaves were captured in the wars the Roman empire fought which brought slaves from Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Many scholars once believed that most slavery in the Roman world was for a fixed number of years and that it allowed opportunities for advancement, but that is now highly debated. Some slaves could operate with immense power on behalf of their master, and that is the world envisioned in many of Jesus’s parables, but slavery was a massive portion of the economy in Roman society.

Before I comment directly on the text, I want to briefly talk about slavery as it is understood in the history of the United States. The reality of chattel slavery in the United States was very different from the ancient world. Instead of being predominantly urban it was predominantly rural. It underwrote the economy in the southern United States, particularly the farming of cotton. One dynamic was that the slaves in the United States, brought forcibly from Africa, was that they were viewed as less human than their white masters. Willie James Jennings in his book The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race discusses a deformed Christian imagination which allowed generations of missionaries, priests, bishops, as well as everyday Christians to be unable to see the common humanity of the people indigenous to Africa, Asia and the New World. Throughout the era of colonization, the colonizers practiced an inverted hospitality where they assumed that the land, the resources, and even the people were there in service to them. Yet, the same scripture read by the colonizers would eventually be read in a new light by abolitionist, slaves, and the colonized. One critical difference for Paul is that both the slaves and the masters were brothers and sisters sharing both a common humanity and a common calling in Christ.

Paul only addresses the slaves and not the masters in 1 Timothy, and it is plausible that once again Paul is addressing a problem that has emerged as both slaves and masters hear the language of being brothers and sisters in Christ while living as master/slave in the household. Those under the yoke of slavery are commanded to regard their masters as worthy of honor (tima, the same term in the previous chapter for true widows and worthy elders are entitled to). Many of the slaves in the community may not have served believing masters and actions of disrespect towards their masters may be bringing suspicion to the communities in the eyes of the surrounding community. For those whose masters were believers they may be asserting their equality in the household or refusing to serve. There is no evidence in Paul’s letters of rebellion, but the view of the masters was likely diminished in the eyes of their slaves. As Luke Timothy Johnson states:

In the ancient world, such attitudinal derogation was almost worse than open rebellion, for it more effectively subverted the social order. (Johnson, 2001, p. 288)

Yet, Paul’s language is not as one sided as the English renders it. The word translated “serve them” (euergesia) is a word of benefaction, something normally reserved for those in power. Paul’s language indicates that the slave serving the master is done from a position of power. Paul will call the believing masters believers and beloved suggesting that the slave and master share a bond that remains distinctive to their shared commitment to Jesus. I’m not willing to go quite as far as Luke Timothy Johnson to state that Paul’s language here may be more liberating than his diplomacy with Philemon (Johnson, 2001, p. 290) but Paul throughout his letters has attempted to find a way to manage the realities of being brothers and sisters in the church (ekklesia) with the realities of men and women, slave and master, rich and poor in the Roman household (oikos). Paul, like Christians of all times, live in the hope of the new creation but must continue to function in the environment and expectations of their time.

1 Timothy 6: 2b-19

  Teach and urge these duties. 3 Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness 4 is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, 5 and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it, 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

  11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
  17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but rather on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

Paul encourages Timothy to continue to teach and urge the congregation to maintain their responsibilities in the church and the home. Those teaching otherwise (heterodidaskalia– literally another or other teaching) are in contrast with the healthy (hugianousin where our modern word hygiene comes from) words received from Jesus and the teaching in accordance with godliness (eusebia one of Paul’s favorite words throughout this letter, as mentioned before it has elements of religion, piety, godliness and it involves the entire practice of faith). In contrast to the healthy words of Jesus are the sick (nouson NRSVue morbid) words which crave controversy and are deluded[1] disputing about words. From these other teachings, which have wandered away from the healthy words received from Jesus, spring a list of vices which end with the idea of eusebia (religion/piety) being utilized for gain.

The idea of religion/piety being utilized for personal gain is a theme that emerges throughout history. Jesus criticized religious leaders in his time who:

As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” Mark 12: 38-40

Paul makes it clear that elders who teach well are worthy of honor (tima) which includes financial compensation, but it is plausible that some leaders have emerged who have utilized their position in the community to benefit their honor and financial status. It is also highly likely that the financial troubles of some of the widows in the community may be related to these teachers who in Paul’s view have misled these women.

It is also important to acknowledge that reading 1 Timothy, along with the other New Testament letters, undermines the sociological assumption that I was taught in seminary: that the early Christians all came from among the poor. Summarizing several themes from the letter Luke Timothy Johnson points out:

We have already seen that some believers were slave owners (6:1-2). Some women were able at worship to make a display of their extravagant clothing, hairdos, and jewelry (2:9). Some families were in the position to support the poor widows of their households (5:4, 8, 16). I have already suggested that the presence of such visible wealth presented temptations to leaders. …Paul takes pain to ensure that supervisors and helpers not be lovers of money (3:3) or do anything for a profit (3:8). (Johnson, 2001, pp. 302-303)

Paul points to a godliness (eusebia) combined with contentment (autarkeia) in contrast with the use of godliness for gain. Autarkeia is an important virtue for Stoics and Cynics, but Paul is not opposed to using an idea from the surrounding culture to communicate how the life of faith is practiced. Paul uses the same term in Philippians 4:11, ”Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content (autarkeia) with whatever I have.” In contrast those who are not content and desire to be rich are faced with many destructive temptations.

The most famous verse in 1 Timothy is verse ten, and the NRSVue correctly identifies that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Most earlier translations added the exclusive “the” which is not present in the Greek. The exclusive translations seem to indicate in this proverb that the love of money is the only root of evil, but the Greek indicates that this desire is one among the many roots. Yet, it is a critical root and Paul will return one additional time to how followers of Jesus with wealth are to act to prevent them from wandering away from the faith and being pierced by many pains.

Paul turns again to Timothy encouraging him to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness instead of wealth. Fight the good fight here is the language of sports, unlike 1:18 where the Greek is the language of military conflict, where Timothy is encourage to strive towards the life of the new age (NRSVue eternal life) which Timothy has confessed. This is one of only three times where Pilate is given the title Pontius in the bible[2] and Jesus’s confession before Pilate likely refers to a narrative similar to the passion narrative of either the synoptic gospels or the gospel of John. This may also indicate an early confession emerging among the church where Pilate’s title is linked to his person as occurs in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. Paul and Timothy await the manifestation of Jesus which will be brought about in God’s time (kairos).[3] The language of verse fifteen and sixteen may have been a confession of faith utilized in the Ephesian communities. The statement that no one has ever seen God likely originates in God’s words to Moses in Exodus 33:20 and echoes in the conclusion of the prologue of John’s gospel:” No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” (John 1:18)

Paul returns to how those with wealth are to live as believers. One of the dangers throughout the bible related to wealth is that the wealthy one believes they are self-reliant and they fail to acknowledge the gifts they have received from God. The love of money may be a root of all kinds of evil, but Paul does not view wealth as inherently evil. If they have been given wealth, they are to use that wealth to be generous, do good, and share. Paul echoes the language of the gospels of storing up treasures (Matthew 6: 19-20; 19:21; Luke 12:21, 33-34). Engaging wealth as a gift to be generous with rather than something to be loved and sought after enables the faithful one to take hold of the life that really is life.

1 Timothy 6: 20-21

  20 Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; 21 by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith.
  Grace be with you.

Paul closes with a final reminder to Timothy to protect the gospel he learned from Paul in the face of competing messages. This other teaching is falsely named (Greek pseudonumoo- pseudonym) knowledge. Other in Ephesus, and likely elsewhere, have focused on the wrong thing and missed the mark. Timothy is to hold fast and guard the precious gift of faith he has received and Paul closes the letter wishing for grace to rest upon his young delegate trying restore order and unity in faith to this community which has been fractured by bad teaching and harmful practices.

[1] Jouette Bassler notes that deluded is a better translation of tetyphotai than the NRSVue’s conceited. (Bassler, 1996, p. 109)

[2] See also Luke 3:1, Acts 4:27.

[3] Kairos time as opposed to chronos (chronological) time is appointed time or special time. Within the world of the New Testament is was time appointed by God for a specific purpose.

Review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (1961)

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Time Magazine Top 100 Novels

Book 75: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

This is a series of reflections reading through Time Magazine’s top 100 novels as selected by Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo published since 1923 (when Time magazine was founded). For me this is an attempt to broaden my exposure to authors I may not encounter otherwise, especially as a person who was not a liberal arts major in college. Time’s list is alphabetical, so I decided to read through in a random order, and I plan to write a short reflection on each novel.

Muriel Spark’s book The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is set in 1930s Edinburgh where Jean Brodie is an influential teacher to six girls (Sandy, Rose, Mary, Jenny, Monica, and Eunice) which become known throughout their school years as the Brodie set. Jean Brodie continually challenges both the educational and social norms of the school where she teaches and the headmistress, Miss Mackay, is continually trying to find a justification to force Jean Brodie to retire. Miss Jean Brodie considers herself to be in the prime of her life and believes that the Brodie set are the beneficiaries of her enlightened ideas.

I struggled with this short book. Partially it was Jean Brodie’s enthusiastic reception of both Mussolini and Hitler, knowing how history would play out. Partially it was the emotionally formal atmosphere of English/Scottish society in the first half of the twentieth century, a formality which Jean Brodie actively rebels against, but it forms the world of the story. Mainly it was her desire to set up one of her students to have an affair with a teacher who she loves but refuses because the teacher is married. I found the character of Jean Brodie shallow and uninteresting and her desire to utilize one of her students to vicariously experience this sexual relationship crossed an ethical line for me. I know this is a well-loved book by many people, but it was not for me.

1 Timothy 5 Helping Timothy Manage the Elders and Widows in Ephesus

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An Old Woman Reading, Probably the Prophetess Hannah by Rembrandt (1631)

1 Timothy 5

Highlighted words have notes on translation below.

1 Do not speak harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers, 2 to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.
  3 Honor widows who are really widows. 4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents, for this is pleasing in God’s sight. 5 The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give these commands as well, so that they may be above reproach. 8 And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
  9 Let a widow be put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once; 10 she must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. 11 But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when their sensual desires alienate them from Christ, they want to marry, 12 and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idle, gadding about from house to house, and they are not merely idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not say. 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their households, so as to give the adversary no occasion to revile us. 15 For some have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her assist them; let the church not be burdened, so that it can assist those who are real widows.
  17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching, 18 for the scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” and “The laborer deserves to be paid.” 19 Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality. 22 Do not ordain anyone hastily, and do not participate in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
  23 No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
  24 The sins of some people are conspicuous and precede them to judgment, while the sins of others follow them there. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden.

Throughout this chapter the duties of the household (Greek oikos) and the duties of the church (Greek ekklesia) are brought together to address two specific groups in the church in Ephesus. The bulk of the discussion is focused on widows (Greek chera) but is bracketed by the discussion of relating to and disciplining elders/older men (Greek presbyteros). Although the two initial verses open with four groups: older men/elders, younger men, older women, and younger women; younger men do not enter into the discussion of the chapter but the proper role of older and younger women does heavily enter the discussion of the obligation of the household and the church in relation to widows.

Modern readers who come from a society with much greater opportunities for women may feel that Paul is attempting to unfairly suppress the role of women throughout 1 Timothy. Addressing issues related to women occupy a large portion of the letter, and as Luke Timothy Johnson highlights:

Certainly, there is some sort of unrest among the women in the Ephesian church. They are wearing expensive clothing and extravagant hairdos in the assembly (2: 9-10) and are asserting the right to teach there (2: 11-15). In this chapter, we see some of them charged with self-indulgence (5:6) and with being gossipers as they move from house to house, saying things they should not (5:13). Neither is there any doubt that Paul proposes that women generally should be in subordination (2:11) and that younger women should remain in domestic roles (2:15; 5:14). (Johnson, 2001, p. 271)

We know that one of the false teachings that Paul is confronting in this letter is teachers forbidding marriage (4:3) which may be creating a group of women who are reliant on the church, and perhaps these false teachers for support. The word translated widow (chera) refers at its most fundamental level to a woman living without a husband. The most common meaning is a woman whose husband has died, but it is not the only meaning. (Bassler, 1996, p. 93) One educated guess at the situation Paul is addressing is that the false teachers have created a group of younger women, claiming the title of widows, who are creating a financial strain on the church and without having a household to manage are moving from home to home in the community creating issues. More on this possibility below, but prior to dealing with this potential group of women Paul deals with the responsibilities of every member of the community of faith (ekklesia) for their household.

Honoring widows who are truly widows is not merely paying respect. Underlying this discussion is the commandment to ‘honor one’s father and mother.” The expectation of the commandment on honoring parents is that children would support and care for their parents in their old age. Children and grandchildren of a widow cannot abandon the responsibilities of the household by expecting the church to care for their mothers/grandmothers who cannot care for themselves. As mentioned in chapter two, there are very few opportunities for women in the ancient world to support themselves and widows without a family to support them are one of the primary vulnerable populations, along with orphans and foreigners, highlighted throughout the scriptures. Children and grandchildren in scriptures, as well as the expectation of the ancient world, has a duty to care for their parents. Paul in verse four brings together the word for household (oikos) and the word for religion/piety/religious responsibility (eusebias) to link the expectation both within the church and the family that children/grandchildren/relatives care for their vulnerable women family members. Failure to provide for a family members is a denial of the faith and they are unfaithful (apistia-literally without faith) and bad/evil (kakos). Before the community of faith assumes the responsibility of caring for the widows the expectation is that the household would care for its own allowing the church to care for the widows who have no one to rely upon except God and God’s people.

It is plausible that there were widows who were cared for by their families and still expected additional support from the church and these may have been some of the women dressing in fine clothing and jewelry that Paul criticized in chapter two. Paul attempts to limit the widows cared for by the church by wanting them to be sixty years old or older, an age beyond the expectation to remarry. To be the wife of one man has a similar range of interpretive options highlighted in the discussion of overseers and deacons in chapter two. To be honored and financially compensated there also is the expectation of a life well lived according to the values of the culture: doing good deeds, raising children, showing hospitality, washing feet, and helping the afflicted. I disagree with James D. G. Dunn’s evaluation that washing feet showed the lower status of widows and wives. (NIB XI: 819) Instead, foot washing was a mark of communal service expected of disciples (John 13) and was likely a practice of the early churches.  For these widows, who were given not only respect but also financial support by the congregation, they were expected to live a life that modeled the expectations of both the household in the ancient world (oikos) and the church (ekklesia).

The instructions given for younger widows are likely to come from the struggles Timothy is attempting to deal with in Ephesus. I do find it plausible that some of the teachers who had been forbidding marriage had created a group of women who were straining the economic resources of the church and perhaps creating dissension as they moved among households without the responsibilities of their own household to manage. When we bring our modern expectations of relationships into this passage, we misunderstand the world Paul is addressing. Relationships in the ancient world were primarily an economic arrangement with romantic implications instead of romantic relationships with economic implications. Most marriages in the ancient world were arranged marriages. We may view things very differently in our time, but being married, bearing children, and managing a household were the inherited expectations of women. This is why being a widow or being barren is such an existential threat in the ancient world for women. The term utilized for managing a household (oikodespot– house ‘despot’/lord) is used frequently in Matthew’s gospel in Jesus’ parables to describe the master of a household.[1] Although women and men exercised different roles in the household, women had significant responsibilities in managing a household in the ancient world often freeing men to participate in a more public way in the society. Women without this role in the ancient world, especially if they were separated from their parental home, would be economically vulnerable and likely relied both on the church and individual households.

I want to avoid speculating too much on the young ‘widows’ and the elders and any real or perceived sexual impropriety occurring in these Ephesian congregations, but it is worth noting that Paul three times calls for Timothy to be pure (4:12; 5:2, 22) and in this chapter he is to be pure with ‘younger women’ and ‘not participate in the sins of others.’ These young ‘widows’ who may have pledged themselves to Christ likely find themselves envying the security and relationships of other women in the community. These young ‘widows’ are accused by Paul of spreading gossip[2] and being busybodies who are creating problems for the community and possibly in households as well. Their actions have given external adversaries reasons to view the community with suspicion and have perhaps pulled some away from the faith through following these false teachers or by discrediting the congregation by its inability to manage these women.

The chapter begins by telling Timothy not to speak harshly/sharply rebuke[3] an elder/older man (Greek presbyter). Now in verse seventeen the discussion returns to elders (presbyters) and the contrast between an elder who ‘rules well’ and one in need of correction before God and the community. A good elder is worthy of double honor (tima the same term used for ‘real widows’ being honored) and it is possible that this indicates a worthy elder is to be compensated twice what a widow is, but although the Paul’s quotations indicate that elders are paid, the double amount may be too literal of a reading. The elders who toil in preaching (literally the word) and teaching are highlighted here. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 and a saying of Jesus that will be included in Matthew 10:10 and Luke 10:7. Although the gospels were probably not written[4] the early communities did likely have a collection of stories and sayings of Jesus that they shared and echo in the Pauline and other early letters. The requirement of multiple witnesses to accept an accusation against an elder follows the expectations of Deuteronomy 19: 15 which requires multiple witness to convict any person. Yet those who are accused and continue in their sin are to be brought before God, Christ, and the elect angels[5] presumably within the assembled congregation. Timothy is charged not to quickly lay hands on a person, presumably referring to the laying on of hands by the elders in which Timothy was appointed to his leadership role in the church[6], to not share in the sins of others, and to remain pure. Timothy is cautioned not to quickly grant authority before the individual has demonstrated they are worthy of the trust bestowed on them.

The note to no longer drink only water can be read in two ways. A water only regimen in the ancient world may not reflect a dietary choice but may be a statement of an ascetic lifestyle and may be reflecting some of the actions of the false teachers. (Long, 2016, p. 158) It is possible that Timothy, in attempting to bring back some of these false teachers and their followers, is adopting some of their practices to attempt to reach these members and Paul is counseling him not to do so. Yet the mention of the stomach and frequent ailments presents another possibility. Water in the ancient world was a frequent source of bacteria and infections. There was no water purification and ancient sanitary practices, especially in a large city, could easily impact water quality. Wine was often viewed as a safer and more sanitary option than water. With Timothy’s responsibilities it is possible to imagine him in the way James D.G. Dunn does:

But in context we can perhaps imagine an unduly serious young man whose heavy responsibilities caused him considerable stress, manifested in stomach cramps and other ailments. (NIB XI: 823)

Perhaps Paul is merely giving some guidance for a young leader who struggles to care for himself as he ministers to these challenging communities in Ephesus.

Throughout the letter Paul has encouraged good works, and like the letter of James there is the expectation of a way of life that is reflective of the faith. Some of the actions of the church will conform to the expectations of society and the household while others will in positive ways be a light among the community. Sometimes their good work is seen immediately, other times it becomes apparent gradually among the community. Timothy has been given a heavy task in correcting the elders and women in the community and restoring them to a life that is faithful both to the household and to the community of faith. Timothy is called to help these early followers of Christ balance their religious responsibilities (eusebias) with their household responsibilities (oikos).

[1] Matthew 10:25; 13: 52; 20:1.

[2] The Greek phylaros refers to gossip of “a serious and slanderous sort.” (Johnson, 2001, p. 267)

[3] The Greek epiplessein is a harsh word which is a sharp rebuke and even can connote physical striking. (Johnson, 2001, p. 260)

[4] Assuming an early date for 1 Timothy when Paul is the author. Some scholars place 1 Timothy as a later document which may post-date Matthew and Luke.

[5] The Greek angelos can mean angels or messengers. Most translations assume a group of elect angels here, but the reading of human messenger is possible.

[6] The NRSVue’s translation of this as ‘ordain’ assumes a more complete understanding of ministry than likely existed in the early church. The laying on of hands was a sign of granting authority but it does not necessarily grant an existing title with responsibilities like it does as church authority becomes more formal.

1 Timothy 4 Encouraging Timothy and Correcting False Teachings

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Saint Timothy Orthodox Icon

1 Timothy 4 

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3 They forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.

  6 If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with profane and foolish tales. Train yourself in godliness, 8 for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
  11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The apostle Paul’s ministry involved him seeding and supporting churches throughout modern day Turkey, Greece, and beyond. These churches, likely meeting in the homes of individual members, received some formation during the duration of Paul’s presence with them but as Paul’s attention is spread across a larger number of cities and churches the need for instruction becomes apparent. Thankfully for later generations, Paul did a lot of this instruction and correction through letters attempting to continue to guide and shape this young but rapidly growing and evolving church. Paul now writes to Timothy as he attempts to counter the false teachings and practices which are dividing the church in Ephesus both to encourage his younger counterpart and to support his work in correcting these beliefs which are infiltrating the life of the community.

The early Christian community did expect God to speak through the Spirit in prophecy, proclamation, and in acts of healing and power. In Corinth Paul had to counsel that congregation on how to utilize these gifts of the Spirit, but the assumption throughout Paul’s letter is that the Spirit is active and communicating with this young community of faith. Now Paul’s instructions are framed within the statement of the Spirit, presumably through prophecy, that in later times some will renounce (Greek apostesontai, where we get the English word apostate) the faith and that behind these deviant teaching are deceitful spirits and demons. Modern readers may be uncomfortable that Paul is ‘demonizing’ these false teachers, but for Paul this is a matter of critical importance to the life of the church and the individuals. The actions of these teachers is causing strife within the church, leading some down paths which are contrary to the faith, and likely leading others to walk away from these communities in conflict. Paul feels that the gospel is at stake and this is a matter of life and death. The hypocrisy of liars (Greek hupokrisei pseudologon, where our word hypocrisy comes from and ‘false words’) has cauterized the consciences of these teachers. As Jouette M. Bassler can state about the Greek word behind cauterized/seared with a hot iron:

Burning with a hot iron (Gk. Kausteriazein) was done to numb or cauterize a wound, to punish, or to identify ownership (NEB, cf 2 Tim 2:26). Any of these meanings could apply here; the essential point is one of contrast between those whose consciences are good (1:5, 19) or pure (3:9; 2 Tim 1:3) and those whose consciences are rejected. (Bassler, 1996, p. 80)

The two false teachings and practices highlighted in the letter are forbidding marriage and abstaining from certain foods. The forbidding of marriage may have led to some of the instructions on widows in chapter five, but it also fundamentally undermines the social structure of the ancient world. In the ancient world there were few opportunities for women to be self-supporting (outside of prostitution or being a courtesan among the upper class). It is possible that these teachers are anticipating the advent of Christ’s kingdom in a short period of time and view the current time as unworthy of investing in, but Paul may view their actions as turning away from God’s intent for relationships in creation. The actions of these teachers may also be causing these young churches to be viewed with suspicion by their neighbors and placing a stumbling block before those who need to hear the gospel. Paul wrestled with controversies around eating throughout his ministry, both within a Jewish context attempting to maintain the distinctive eating practices of the Jewish people and imposing dietary and other expectation on early Christians but also within the Greco-Roman world where meat was often associated with communal sacrifices to other gods. Paul explicitly wraps both marriage and eating of food under the things God created for humanity to be received with thanksgiving (Greek euchapistias, the word where our English eucharist comes from). These eucharistic gifts are made holy/sanctified (Greek hagiazetai) by God’s word and prayer. This language reminds me of Luther’s discussion of the sacraments where he connects the receiving of the physical element (water, bread, wine) with the Word and command of God.

 Paul expects Timothy to place the contents of the letters before the Ephesian congregations, and in doing so Timothy is a good servant (literally deacon) of Christ Jesus. As mentioned in the previous chapter, the title of deacon and the act of serving are used interchangeably in the early church and the roles are not rigidly defined. Timothy can be a representative of Paul charged with overseeing the congregations in Ephesus, and yet always remains a servant. Timothy has received faithful teaching in contrast to the false words of the troublesome teachers operating in Ephesus. Yet, even Timothy is charged to stay away from profane teaching and ‘foolish tales’ (literally old women myths). I can understand the NRSVue’s discomfort, feeling that ‘old wives tales’ is a translation pejorative to women, but through most of history there have been ‘old wives’ tales’ that were a place where stories, beliefs, and practices, some which may have contradicted the teaching of the church and other authorities, were handed down. Critical to 1 Timothy is the Greek eusebias which means piety, religion, or as the NRSVue renders it godliness. I prefer religion here although it is also an imperfect translation since many think of this either in terms of religious belief or practice within a church. In modern American thought godliness is next to cleanliness and this term’s connection with religious practice has been lost. Piety is an important idea in the Greco-Roman world, but it’s reception in English is often limited to actions that happen in the context of worship and prayer rather than the more wholistic idea the eusebias points to. Eusebias for Paul is something that’s value far exceeds physical training, which Paul uses in several metaphors in his letters, but this term for Paul seems to encompass faith and practice, including but not limited to worship and prayer. Just as the athlete endures physical toil and suffering, so the person training in religion/godliness will endure toil and suffering from the surrounding world as it resists these practices and beliefs as well as the demonic/false teachings of those causing divisions among the community of faith. As James D. G. Dunn articulates:

The writer makes clear that such growth and development depend on training and the discipline involved (vv. 7-8); they involve hard work and sweat-inducing exertion (v. 15). Here again a choice once made has to be repeatedly reaffirmed and lived out. (NIB XI: 816)

The saying is sure (the Greek is literally faith(ful) the word pistis ho logos) and worthy of all acceptance appears for the second time highlighting the statement of faith that the faithful suffer and toil over. Previously in 1 Timothy 1: 15 the faithful saying was that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Now, their hope is in the living God who is the Savior of all people. It is a common biblical belief that the God of the bible (as well as of Israel and the people of God) is a living and active God who is actively engaged in the world. Savior, as mentioned in the first chapter, is a common Old Testament title for God and was likely utilized in the communities in Ephesus. That God is the Savior of all people may point to the idea of a universal salvation or it may be intended to expand the horizon of God’s salvation beyond Israel. The idea of God saving all being indicative of a universalistic hope is congruent with the follow on phrase which declares especially those who believe. Some readers view this phrase as correcting the previous one, but I read this as highlighting those who believe within the larger set of those who God intends to save. Although the method of argumentation is different, since the question is likely different in Ephesus, it has a similar logic to Paul’s rationale for God utilizing the faithlessness of Israel to include the Gentiles and then the grafting of the Gentiles onto the holy tree to point to God regrafting on the branches of Israel that have fallen off so that along with the Gentiles all Israel will be saved (Romans 11).

The instructions to Timothy starting in verse eleven encourage him to not only command and teach but set an example in speech and conduct. Although authenticity is a word of our time, the expectation of congruity between one’s proclamation and one’s actions was very important in rhetorical expectations of the Greco-Roman world. As Luke Timothy Johnson states:

We are reminded of how seriously ancient philosophers regarded the responsibility of teachers to live in accord with what they professed…Since philosophy in the Hellenistic period was considered to be essentially a matter of integrity of life, and since virtue was thought to be learned first and best by the imitation of living models, the teacher has no greater duty than to live in a manner consonant with the principles he enunciated. (Johnson, 2001, p. 255)

The speech, conduct, love, faith and purity which Timothy exhibits will be as crucial in his work to bring healing and wholeness to the community as the commands and teaching he does. Timothy may be young among the elders of the Ephesian church, but his example should demonstrate his worth along with the calling he has received through prophecy[1] and laying on of hands. Paul and the council of elders (presbyteriou where the term Presbyter comes from and the Presbyterian church gets its name). It is not clear whether the prophecy came at the moment of the laying on of hands by the council of elders or before, and whether this council of elders was in Jerusalem, in Ephesus, or in some other place in the Pauline mission area, but Timothy has been set aside for his ministry representing Paul, but more essentially representing Christ. Timothy is called to live a public life which bears witness to the teaching entrusted to him in word and in action which forms a powerful example for his hearers.

The formation of the overseers and deacons in the previous chapters and the expectations of Timothy in our current chapter point to the public life of those set aside for roles of leadership in the church. The life of a leader in the church expects that their faith and practice will be an example of the faith and practices they are attempting to cultivate in their communities. Yet, we live in a time where postmodernity and other forces have made talking about standards both for the church and its leaders difficult. Luke Timothy Johnson continues his statement from earlier stating:

The widespread unwillingness in contemporary Western culture to provide direct and unambiguous moral instruction or to assume responsibility for acting in a manner that can be exemplary for others would have been unintelligible in antiquity. (Johnson, 2001, p. 255)

The damage done both to the community’s reputation and the trust within the community when leaders and members do not act in a way that reflects the faith they proclaim is profound. The church has always had divisions, but only a leader who embodies the faith for the community can begin to rebuild trust and authentically proclaim the gospel. Timothy, and faith leaders who follow him into broken communities, brings light into the darkness of division, clarity into the confusion and clashes over practices and beliefs, and healing so that the gospel can be heard both in the church and in the surrounding world. Failure to attend to a life that embodies the gospel places unnecessary stumbling blocks before the entirety of the world that the living God of the gospel desires to save.

[1] Paul also mentioned the prophecy over Timothy in 1:18.