1 Timothy 6:14-Paul Commands Timothy To Conscientiously Fulfill His Commission With Integrity Of Character, In Other Words, With Irreproachable Character Until The Rapture
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday October 13, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 6:14-Paul Commands Timothy To Conscientiously Fulfill His Commission With Integrity Of Character, In Other Words, With Irreproachable Character Until The Rapture
Lesson # 136
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6:13.
In 1 Timothy 6:14, the apostle Paul completes the thought he began in verse 13 by indirectly commanding Timothy to conscientiously fulfill his commission in Ephesus with integrity of character, in other words, with irreproachable character until the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 6:13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NASB95)
“That you keep the commandment” is composed of the aorist active infinitive form of the verb tereo (τηρέω) (tear-ehowe), “that…keep” and this is followed by the second person accusative singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) (see), “you” and then we have the articular accusative feminine singular form of the noun entole (ἐντολή) (en-doe-lee), “the commandment.”
The verb tereo means “to conscientiously fulfill” and is used in relation to the noun entole, “the commandment,” which refers to Timothy’s commission in Ephesus and his duties in Ephesus which are presented in this epistle.
Therefore, Paul is indirectly commanding Timothy to “conscientiously fulfill” his commission in Ephesus, i.e. the duties presented throughout this epistle.
To be conscientious means to be “careful, thoughtful, heedful, attentive, meticulous,” thus, Paul wants Timothy to be careful, thoughtful, heedful, attentive, meticulous in conforming his actions in compliance with the commands and prohibitions in this epistle, which constitute the duties of his commission.
The noun entole means “commission” and refers to Timothy’s duties, which are directly related to his ministry in Ephesus.
These duties have been presented throughout this epistle.
That this expression τὴν ἐντολὴν, “your commission” refers to Timothy’s commission or duties in Ephesus is indicated by the following factors:
(1) There is no specific command given by Paul in the immediate preceding context, which τὴν ἐντολὴν would refer to.
The expression does not refer to Paul’s commands in 1 Timothy 6:11-12 since as he did in 1 Timothy 5:21 he would have used the accusative plural form of the demonstrative pronoun houtos, “these things” to do this.
(2) Paul is closing the letter, which suggests that the expression τὴν ἐντολὴν summarizes all that Paul has written for Timothy to carry out in Ephesus.
Further indicating Paul is closing is that in 1 Timothy 6:12, he uses a track and field analogy to exhort Timothy to fulfill his commission in Ephesus resulting in rewards and a crown just as a runner would make every effort to win a race to receive a crown and rewards.
(3) Paul in 1 Timothy 6:13 is being very solemn and has called the Father and the Son to bear witness to his command in 1 Timothy 6:14, which indicates how important he views this τὴν ἐντολὴν.
Therefore, this expression must describe something that is extremely important to Paul.
The situation in Ephesus was extremely serious and important to Paul because of the apostasy of pastors in Ephesus.
First Timothy presents Timothy’s responsibilities with regards to this situation (cf. 1 Timothy 1:3-20).
This strongly suggests that τὴν ἐντολὴν is a designation that refers to everything Paul has written in this epistle.
(4) Further suggesting that τὴν ἐντολὴν refers to Timothy’s commission in Ephesus is that the expression is modified by the phrase ἄσπιλον ἀνεπίλημπτον, “without stain or reproach” which describes the manner in which Timothy was to carry out τὴν ἐντολὴν and describes proper Christian conduct in general terms.
It summarizes the manner in which Timothy is to fulfill that which is meant by the expression τὴν ἐντολὴν.
Thus, the fact τὴν ἐντολὴν is a general or summary expression and the phrase ἄσπιλον ἀνεπίλημπτον, “without stain or reproach” is a general expression along with the previous three reasons given, suggest quite strongly that τὴν ἐντολὴν refers to Timothy’s commission in Ephesus, i.e. his duties there.
The expression τὴν ἐντολὴν does not refer to the commandment given at his baptism since there would be no commandments given at one’s baptism.
It certainly would not be in reference to a commandment pertaining to fulfilling the duties of a pastor since he wouldn’t have known his spiritual gift at his conversion.
This would be revealed over time to himself and the rest of the Christian community in Lystra.
This expression would not have to do with a commandment at his ordination since no commandments were given at a pastor’s ordination.
The expression τὴν ἐντολὴν would not refer to a commandment for Timothy to persevere in his ministry and faith since he did this already in 1 Timothy 4:14-16.
It would not refer to the gospel as a rule of life since τὴν ἐντολὴν is never used as a synonym for the gospel by Paul.
Therefore, in 1 Timothy 6:14, the noun entole means “commission” and refers to Timothy’s duties, which are directly related to his ministry in Ephesus.
These duties have been presented throughout this epistle. Paul is indirectly commanding Timothy to conscientiously fulfill his commission in Ephesus.
A “commission” in our context is an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner.
Therefore, Timothy’s commission is an authorization from the apostle Paul to act in a prescribed manner with regards to certain groups and individuals in the Ephesian Christian community.
These groups and individuals would be apostate pastors (1:3-18; 6:3-10), men in general (2:1-8), women in general (2:9-15), those who aspire to the office of overseer (3:1-7), those who aspire to hold the office of deacon (3:8-13), the Judaizers and the apostate pastors (4:1-5), Timothy (4:6-16), older and younger men and women (5:1-2), widows (5:3-16), elders (5:17-25) and slaves (6:1-2).
1 Timothy 6:13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NASB95)
“Without stain or reproach” is composed of the accusative feminine singular form of the adjective aspilos (ἄσπιλος) (ahspee-loce), “without stain” and this is followed by the accusative feminine singular form of the adjective anepilemptos (ἀνεπίλημπτος) (ahna-peelee-toce), “above reproach.”
The adjective aspilos means “integrity of character” and denotes Timothy’s firm adherence to the standards of proper conduct as Paul’s delegate.
The word functions as an adverbial accusative of manner meaning that the manner in which Timothy is to conscientiously fulfill his commission is “with” integrity of character.
The adjective anepilemptos describes a person who “affords nothing that an adversary could use as the basis for an accusation, one against whom it is impossible to bring any charge of wrong doing such as could stand impartial examination.”
Thus, here in 1 Timothy 6:14 Paul wants Timothy to conscientiously fulfill his commission in Ephesus with “irreproachable character.”
1 Timothy 6:13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NASB95)
“Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” refers to the rapture of the church when Jesus Christ will appear visibly to the church and will give resurrection bodies to His bride.
It is indicating that Timothy was to conscientiously fulfill his commission in Ephesus in light of the imminent return of Christ at the rapture.
It indicates that Paul and Timothy and the first century church were firmly expecting Christ to come back at any moment.