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1 Timothy Chapter 4

1 Timothy Chapter 4

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
Apostasy in later times
  1. But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to misleading spirits and doctrines of demons,
  2. through the hypocrisy of liars, *searing their own conscience so they can’t feel it.fn“*searing…  …so they can’t feel it” is one word in Greek.  It means to sear something with branding iron, which results in the flesh being rendered unfeeling/insensate,
  3. forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from foods which God created for reception with thanksgiving by the faithful men who also *know the truth.
  4. For every creature of God is good, and nothing received with thanksgiving should be rejected,
  5. for it’s made holy through the word of God and prayer.
Godly Behavior
  1. In laying these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Jesus the Anointed, being nourished by the words of the faith, and of the good teaching that you have closely followed.
  2. But avoid profane fables and old wives’ tales,fn“old wives’ tales” is two words in Greek.  The first is an adjective meaning “of, or relating to old women” and the second means a tale, myth, or fable.” but rather, strenuously trainfn“strenuously train” is one word in Greek.  It literally means to train naked or in a loincloth, and was used of athletes who trained themselves for the Olympic games, which were conducted clad thus.  Figuratively – as it’s used here – it means to constantly train with rigorous effort and practice. yourself in godliness.
  3. For the exercise of bodily denial for spiritual growthfn“exercise of… …denial for spiritual growth” Is one word in Greek.  It properly refers to denying the body for the purpose of attaining “enlightenment” or spiritual growth.  This was a core tenet of Asceticism, which grew out of Gnosticism.  From this letter, both seemed to be a problem in the early church.  Notably, fasting does not fit into this category because its purpose is an appeal to God with prayer, not the attainment of special knowledge. is of little benefit, but godliness is beneficial for all things, holding a promise of life in the present and in the time about to come.
  4. The saying is trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance.
  5. For we toil and strive for this, because we *hope in the living God, who is the savior of all men, especially of believers.
  6. Command and teach these things.
  7. Let no one disdain your youth,fn“youth” This Greek word could be used of men up until they were forty years old.  1 Timothy was written 14 years after Timothy started traveling with Paul in Acts 16:1.  Even if Timothy was only 16 in Acts 16:1, he would’ve been 30 when this letter was written.  If Timothy was a bit older – which is likely – he would’ve been in his mid or late 30s when this letter was written. but become a pattern for the believers in speech, in conduct, in ^love, in faith, and in purity.
  8. Until I come, pay attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
  9. Don’t neglect the gift in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the body of elders.
  10. Diligently ponder these things; be absorbed in them so your progress might be apparent to all.
  11. Pay attention to yourself and to the teaching, remain in them.  For in doing this, you will save both yourself and the men hearing you.

 

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