1 Timothy 4:1-16 Comments by Stephen Ricker
Bible Study Home Page

A Good Minister of Christ Jesus
Comments for Study 3

Pick to read this Bible passage in a separate window.

Memory Verse: 8
Questions
Outline

SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS BOOK HAS NOT BEEN FINISHED.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.

I. In Later Times (4:1-5)

>1. When is "later times"? (Daniel 12:4, 9-10; Matt. 24:3; 1 John 2:18-19)

* 1 Timothy 4:1 "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."

* "in later times"

* Daniel 12:4 "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

* Daniel 12:9-10 "He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand."

* Matthew 24:3 "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

* 1 John 2:18-19 "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."

>What does "abandon the faith" tell us about the start of these believers? (Matt. 13:5-6, 20-21)

* "some will abandon the faith"

* Matthew 13:5-6 "Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root."

* Matthew 13:20-21 "The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away."

*

*

>What teachings do they end up believing and teaching?

* "follow deceiving spirits"

* "things taught by demons"

*

*

*

>Why does the Spirit so clearly warn us of this?

* "The Spirit clearly says"

*

*

*

*

>2. What kind of a person is a hypocritical liar? (2)

* 1 Timothy 4:2 "Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron."

* "Such teachings come through"

* "hypocritical liars"

*

*

*

>What is our conscience?

* "whose consciences"

*

*

*

*

>How can it be "seared as with a hot iron"?

* "have been seared as with a hot iron"

*

*

*

*

>What do they force onto other believers? (3a)

* 1 Timothy 4:3a "They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods"

*

*

*

*

*

>why is this wrong? (3b)

* 1 Timothy 4:3b "which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth."

*

*

*

*

>3. Consider the foods that God created. How do some confuse what man made from what God created from what God created?

* 1 Timothy 4:4 "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving"

* "For everything God created is good,"

* "and nothing is to be rejected"

* "if"

*

>How are we to receive the foods God created?

* "it is received with thanksgiving"

*

*

*

*

>Why?

* 1 Timothy 4:5 "because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."

*

*

*

*

II. Godliness (4:6-10)

>4. What is a minister?

* 1 Timothy 4:6 "If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed."

* "you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus"

*

*

*

>What does verse 4 teach about the qualities of a good minister?

* ""If you point these things out to the brothers"

* "brought up in the truths of the faith"

* " and of the good teaching that you have followed"

*

*

>Can there be bad ministers? (Luke 12:45-46)

* Luke 12:45-46 "But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers."

*

*

*

*

>5. According to verse 7 what are some of the differences between good ministers and bad ministers?

* 1 Timothy 4:7 "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly."

*

*

*

*

>Why might a poor minister propagate godless myths and old wives' tales?

*

*

*

*

*

>6. Does godliness come naturally? (8; Gal. 5:16-17)

* 1 Timothy 4:8 "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

* Galatians 5:16-17 "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."

*

*

*

>Who do the godly put their hope in?

* 1 Timothy 4:9-10 "This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe."

* "This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance"

* "and for this we labor and strive"

* "that we have put our hope in the living God"

*

>Who is God a savior of?

* "the living God, who is the Savior of all men"

*

*

*

*

>What does it mean "especially of those who believe"?

* "especially of those who believe"

*

*

*

*

III. Be Diligent in These Matters (4:11-16)

>7. What's the difference between commands and teachings? (11)

* 1 Timothy 4:11 "Command and teach these things."

*

*

*

*

>When would be the proper time to use one and not the other?

*

*

*

*

>8. What reason might some in the congregation not listen to Timothy? (12)

* 1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

*

*

*

*

>How was he to deal with that problem?

* "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity"

*

*

*

*

>How does this shed light on the relationships between ministers and the congregation?

*

*

*

*

>9. What else is a minister to do? (13)

* 1 Timothy 4:13 "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching."

*

*

*

*

>10. How was Timothy commissioned as a minister?

* 1 Timothy 4:14 "Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you."

*

*

*

*

>How serious was Timothy to take his ministry? (15)

* 1 Timothy 4:15 "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."

*

*

*

>Was he to be lazed? (16)

* 1 Timothy 4:16 "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

*

*

*

*

>What should be the outcome of his ministry?

* "you will save both yourself and your hearers"

*

*

*

*