The life and work of St. Paul

THE FIBST KPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 655
The true doctrine again recalls him to the subject of the falsa teachers.
Beyond the present peril lies the prophecy of future apostasies, in which some
shall give heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils, by means of the
hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences have been seared. This apostasy, partly
present, partly future, is marked by dualistio tendencies. It hinders mar-
that thankfulness
riage, 1 2
and commands abstinence from meats, forgetting
and prayer sanctify everything. Another feature of the nascent heresy is a
fondness for profane and anile myths. A third is mere bodily asceticism.
This training may indeed have a partial advantage ; but better is the gymnasium
which trains for godliness, since godliness is profitable both for this life
and the next (" faithful is the saying ") : for with a view to this because we
have hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all, specially of the faith-
ful 3 w are enabled to endure both toil and struggle.* These truths Timothy
is to teach, showing himself an example to the faithful in speech, conversa-
tion, love, spirituality, faith, purity, so that none may despise his youth.* Till
St. Paul arrives he is bidden to occupy himself in reading, 8 exhortation, teach-
ing; securing progress by diligence, and not neglecting which possibly
Timothy, in his retiring character, was tempted to
solemnly bestowed on him at his ordination.7
do the grace which was
Then he is advised how to behave towards various orders in his Church.
He is not to use severe language to an elder, but to exhort them as fathers ;
the younger men as brothers ; the elder women as mothers, the younger as
1
sisters, in all purity. Special directions are given about widows.' Those are
true widows who rightly train their children or grandchildren, who do their
duty to their parents, who devote themselves to constant prayer. But in a
widow, a prurient, frivolous character is a living death ; for, in a Christian,
neglect of domestic duties and relations is worse than heathenism. No widow
is therefore to be put on the list before sixty years of age, after one honour-
able marriage, 10 and after having acquired a character for motherliness, hospi-
"
fiod in the Spirit means that Christ was manifested to be the Son of God (Root. i. by
the workings of His higher spiritual life " "
; seen of angels refers to the various ar^elia
witnesses of scenes of His earthly life.
"
Not yet forbids," but somewhat " discourages," Of. JOB. B. J. II. 8, 2, and 13.
Cf. Rom. adv. 1 4 : 1 Cor. 8 ; x. 20.
yiii.
The universalism of expression is here even more remarkable than in ii. 4.
Leg. iy