119 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Not given to wine,.... One that does not sit at it, or is continually drinking it, and is intemperate in the use of it; otherwise it is lawful for persons in such an office to drink wine, and sometimes absolutely necessary; see 1 Timothy 5:23 it signifies one that is not given to much wine, as in 1 Timothy 3:8 is not addicted to it, or a follower...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
One that ruleth well his own house,.... His family, wife, children, and servants; and is not to be understood of his body, and of keeping of that under, and of preserving it chaste and temperate, as appears from what follows: having his children in subjection with all gravity; keeping a good decorum in his family; obliging his children to observe...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For if a man know not how to rule his own house,.... Which is an affair of less importance, and more easy to be done; not requiring so much resolution, prudence, care, and thought: how shall he take care of the church of God? preside over it, rule in it, provide for it, and see that everything is in its proper place, and done according to the will...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Not a novice,.... Or one newly planted, the Arabic version adds, "in the faith"; meaning not a young man, for so was Timothy himself; but a young professor and church member; one that is lately come to the knowledge of the truth, and has just embraced and professed it, and become a member of a church, a new plant there: so the Hebrew word נטע, "a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without, c,] That is, "without the church", as the Arabic version reads for wicked men, though they dislike the principles and profession of godly ministers, and despise their office, yet cannot but speak well of their becoming life and conversation. And this part of their character is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Likewise must the deacons be grave,.... The apostle proceeds to give the qualifications, and so the rules for choosing another sort of officers in the church, deacons; whose work and business is, not to preach the Gospel, and administer ordinances; but to take care of the secular affairs of the church, and particularly to serve tables; to provide...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Holding the mystery of the faith,.... The doctrine of the Gospel, called the "faith", because it contains things to be believed; proposes Christ the object of faith; is the means by which faith comes, and is unprofitable without it: it is called "the mystery", because it is of divine revelation, and could have never been discovered by human...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And let these also first be proved,.... Not that they should be tried in any part of the deacon's office, to see how capable they are of performing it; but their internal and external characters are to be looked into and examined, and if they appear, to be right, then they are to be approved of, chosen and called unto, and invested with the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Even so must their wives be grave,.... Some instead of "wives" read "women", and understand them of deaconesses, such as were in the primitive churches; whose business it was to visit the poor and sick sisters of the church, and take care of things belonging to them; but it is better to interpret the words of the wives of the deacons, who must be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife,.... [See comments on 1 Timothy 3:2] ruling their children and their own houses well. These qualifications are the same with those of the bishop or elder; [See comments on 1 Timothy 3:4].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For they that have used the office of a deacon well,.... With diligence and faithfulness, with simplicity and cheerfulness; taking good care of the minister and poor, and of the discipline of God's house: purchase to themselves a good degree; not an higher office, as that of presbytery or episcopacy, which is a sense calculated to serve a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
These things write I unto thee,.... Concerning the offices of bishops and deacons, their several qualifications, and the rules of judging of persons fit for such service: hoping to come unto thee shortly; at Ephesus. He could not tell whether he could come or not, and therefore makes no promise, but hoped he should; and since it was uncertain, he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But if I tarry long,.... Or should long delay coming, defer it longer than may be expected; let it be observed that these things are written, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God; that is, the church of God, as it is afterwards explained; called a house, in allusion either to an edifice, it being a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness,.... What follows is so, the incarnation of Christ, his birth of a virgin, the union of the two natures, divine and human, in his person; this is a mystery, which though revealed, and so to be believed, is not to be discerned nor accounted for, nor the modus of it to be comprehended by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 4 In this chapter the apostle foretells a dreadful apostasy which should happen in the last times, the particulars of which he gives; and on occasion of one branch of it, discourses of Christian liberty in eating all sorts of food fit for use; and delivers out exhortations to Timothy to various duties relating to himself,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,.... The prophecy hereafter mentioned was not an human conjecture, but, as all true prophecy, it came from the Spirit of God, who spoke or delivered it; either in the prophets of the Old Testament, who, as they spoke of the Gospel dispensation, so of the defection that should be in it; and particularly of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Speaking lies in hypocrisy,.... Or "through the hypocrisy of those that speak lies"; for the apostle is still speaking of the means by which the apostasy should rise, and get ground; and it should be by the means of persons that should deliver lying or false doctrine under the colour of truth, and make great pretensions to religion and holiness,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Forbidding to marry,.... Which points out not the Encratites, Montanists, and Manichees, who spoke against marriage; but the Papists, who forbid it to their priests under a pretence of purity and holiness, and at the same time allow them to live in all manner of debauchery and uncleanness; for these are the persons that forbid marriage in an...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For every creature of God is good,.... For food; and should be taken and used for that purpose, at all times, without distinction; even every creature which is made for food, and which is easy to be discerned by men: and nothing to be refused; or rejected as common and unclean, or to be abstained from at certain times: if it be received with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For it is sanctified,.... Or set apart for use, and may be lawfully used at all times: by the word of God; which declares that there is nothing in itself common, or unclean, or unfit for use, and that nothing that goes into a man defiles him; so that by virtue of this word of God, every creature may be made use of, that is fit for food: or else...