ACC ~ 1 Timothy 3 v14 - 16

OVERVIEW:

Wishing to forestall any dejection on Timothy’s part at his continued delay, Paul encourages him with directions on how to preach the faith as the mystery of the incarnation and thereby nurture and maintain the community of believers (CHRYSOSTOM). Paul lays out for Timothy the central teaching of a dogmatically correct statement of the teaching about the incarnation, so that the church may be faithfully instructed (CHRYSOSTOM, AUGUSTINE, THEODORE). Paul indicates that while he does not know much of what will happen in the future, he is sure that the faithful teaching of the incarnation will sustain the church (THEODORET). The mystery of the Word become flesh (GREGORY OF NYSSA, AUGUSTINE) was so powerful even in its prefigurations that those who believed it when promised attained to it no less than those who received it when actually given (AUGUSTINE, LEO). We are together in the household of God even when apart (AUGUSTINE). In this house we learn to study the Testaments old and new (ORIGEN). There is one church which is spread throughout the whole world, though many in particular expressions (FULGENTIUS).

3:15a | The Household of God

A ROYAL HOUSE. ORIGEN: The spiritual interpretation, however, is not so difficult and hard to come by. For the bride of the Word, the soul who abides in his royal house—that is, in the church—is taught by the Word of God, who is her Bridegroom, whatever things are stored and hidden within the royal court and in the king’s chamber. In this house, which is the church of the living God, she becomes acquainted also with the cellar of that wine which is extracted from the holy wine presses, the wine that is not only new, but also old and sweet—that is, the teaching of the Law and the Prophets. COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS 3.14.

THE HOUSE IS ONE. AUGUSTINE: Therefore, beloved, with assured mind and steadfast heart, let us continue to live under so lofty a Head in so glorious a body, in which we are mutually members. Thus, even if my absence were as far as the most distant lands, we should be together in him, and we should never withdraw from the unity of his body. If we lived in one house, we should certainly be said to be together; how much more are we together when we are together in one body! LETTERS 142.1.1.

3:15b | The Pillar and Bulwark of the Truth

THE CORE GOSPEL. IRENAEUS: Such, then, are the first principles of the gospel. There is one God, the Maker of this universe; he who was also announced by the prophets and who by Moses set forth the dispensation of the law—principles which proclaim the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and ignore any other God or Father except him. So firm is the ground upon which these Gospels rest that the very heretics themselves bear witness to them, and, starting from these documents, each one of them endeavors to establish his own peculiar doctrine. … It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the church is scattered throughout all the world, and the “pillar and ground” of the church is the gospel and the spirit of life. Therefore, it is fitting that it should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side and vivifying all humanity afresh. AGAINST HERESIES 3.11.7-8.

THE CHURCH, A MIXTURE OF TYPES. BASIL THE GREAT: Every one of us, indeed, who is instructed in the Holy Scripture is the administrator of some one of those gifts which, according to the gospel, have been apportioned to us. In this great household of the church not only are there vessels of every kind—gold, silver, wooden and earthen—but also a great variety of vocational pursuits. The house of God, which is the church of the living God, has hunters, travelers, architects, builders, farmers, shepherds, athletes, soldiers. HOMILY ON THE WORDS: “GIVE HEED TO THYSELF.”

THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: “For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations.” It is of this holy Catholic church that Paul writes to Timothy. … He calls the church “the pillar and mainstay of the truth.” CATECHETICAL LECTURES 18.25.

THE CHURCH. AMBROSE: Accordingly, as Scripture says, Jacob became rich by such means and reared a very good flock for Christ. He improved it with the title of faith and a diversity of virtues, the marks of a glorious name. And so he did not consider himself poor, for he was rich with the wealth of faith. … And it is no wonder that Jacob possessed peace, for he had set up a pillar and anointed it to God, and that pillar is the church. Paul calls that pillar “the bulwark of the truth.” That man anoints it who pours the ointment of faith upon Christ and of compassion upon the poor. JACOB AND THE HAPPY LIFE 2.5.20.

THE CHURCH, A MIXED BODY. AUGUSTINE: Honor the holy church as your mother. Love her, proclaim her the Jerusalem which is above, the holy city of God. She it is who, in this faith which you have heard, bears fruit and grows in the whole world, the church of the living God, the pillar and buttress of the truth. She tolerates the wicked in the communion of the sacraments, knowing that they are due to be separated from her at the end and withdrawing from them meanwhile in the dissimilarity of their morals. SERMONS 214.11.

MANY CHURCHES, BUT ONE CHURCH. FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE: We know through the grace of God that the holy church is called a virgin, as the apostle says, “I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ,” but in that one virgin herself, virgins in the plural are also named. For we read, “Virgins will be brought to the king after her.” Nor is there any doubt that there is one church which is spread throughout the whole world which is called by the apostle “the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” Still this is one church in such a way that in it many are called churches. LETTERS 14.7.

3:16a | The Mystery of Our Religion

THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION. CHRYSOSTOM: Here he speaks of the economy of salvation given to us. Tell me not of the bells, nor of the holy of holies, nor of the high priest. The church is the pillar of the world. Consider this mystery, and you may be struck with awe. For it is indeed a “great mystery,” and a “mystery of godliness,” and that is “without controversy” or question, for it is beyond all doubt. HOMILIES ON 1 TIMOTHY 11.

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The “mystery” is the scriptural teaching concerning Christ. COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY.

FOREORDAINED. THEODORET OF CYR: The “mystery” is the sacred object of reverence, namely, that what was foreordained from the beginning and afterward became manifest. INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

FROM ALL ETERNITY. LEO THE GREAT: No, indeed, it is not that God has just recently come up with a plan for attending to human affairs, nor that it has taken him this long to show compassion. Rather, he laid down from the very “foundation of the world” one and the same “cause of salvation” for all. For, the grace of God—by which the entire assembly of saints has always been justified—was not initiated at the time that Christ was born but augmented. This “mystery of great compassion,” with which the whole world has now been filled, was so powerful even in its prefigurations that those who believed it when promised attained to it no less than those who received it when actually given. SERMONS 23.4.

3:16b | Manifested in the Flesh, Vindicated in the Spirit

WONDERFUL IS THE MYSTERY. GREGORY OF NYSSA: We hold it necessary to honor, even as the Father is honored, the God who was manifested by the cross. They [the Eunomians] find the passion a hindrance to glorifying the Only-Begotten God equally with the Father that begat him. … Eunomius makes the suffering of the cross to be a sign of divergence in essence, in the sense of inferiority, considering, I know not how, the surpassing act of power, by which he was able to perform this, to be an evidence of weakness. He fails to perceive the fact that, while nothing which moves according to its own nature is looked upon as surprisingly wonderful, all things that overpass the limitations of their own nature become especially the objects of admiration. Indeed, to them every ear is turned, every mind is attentive, in wonder at the marvel. And hence it is that all who preach the word point out the wonderful character of the mystery in this respect—that “God was manifested in the flesh,” that “the light shined in the darkness,” “the Life tasted death”—and all such declarations which the heralds of the faith are prone to make. By these is increased the marvelous character of him who manifested the superabundance of his power by means external to his own nature. AGAINST EUNOMIUS 5.3.

THE WORD BECOME FLESH. AUGUSTINE: But when the fullness of time came, Wisdom was sent in the flesh, not to fill angels nor to be an angel, except insofar as she announced the Father’s plan which was also her own. She was sent not to be with men and in men, for this too had been done before, both in the Fathers and in the prophets, but that the Word itself might become flesh, that is, that it might become a man. This future mystery, when revealed, would likewise be the salvation of those wise and saintly men, who had been born of women before he himself was born of a virgin, and ever since it has been accomplished and preached, it is the salvation of all who believe, hope and love. ON THE TRINITY 4.20.27.

3:16c | Seen by Angels

TO THE ANGELS ALSO. ORIGEN: Behold the Savior’s greatness. It extends to all the world. … Go up to the heavens. See how he fills the celestial regions, “He appeared to the angels.” Go down in your mind to the nether world. See that he went down there, too. … Ponder the Lord’s power, how it has filled the world—that is, the heavens, the earth and the nether regions. HOMILIES ON LUKE, 6.9-10.

SEEN AS ANGELS SEE. CHRYSOSTOM: “If you knew my essence and dignity, you would also know that of the Father. And henceforth you will know him, and you have seen him” (the former in future, the latter at present), that is, “through me.” Moreover by “sight” he meant knowledge by means of the understanding. For we can both see and fail to know persons whom we actually see, but we cannot both know and fail to know at the same time persons whom we know. That is why he declared, “And you have seen him,” just as Scripture says, “as he has been seen by angels also.” Even though his very essence was not, of course, seen, it said that he “has been seen,” clearly meaning “seen” in such a way as it was possible for the angels to see. HOMILIES ON JOHN 73.2.

FALSE TEACHING 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-5

OVERVIEW: The Spirit gives authoritative guidance to the church (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, NICETAS). The exact span of time to the end is not for us to know (AUGUSTINE). Meanwhile false prophets and heresies with perverse intentions abound in history (JUSTIN MARTYR, TERTULLIAN, ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA, AMBROSE, ATHANASIUS, AUGUSTINE). One living with a divided, seared, dead conscience is not ready for the coming of the Lord (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORE, THEODORET, AMBROSIASTER).

It is the Gnostic heretics who reject marriage and foods and other things that belong to God’s creation. These things are meant to be good and available to humankind, as long as we cleanse our hearts first (CHRYSOSTOM). Heretical denial of the incarnation leads to false asceticism of the type practiced by the Marcionites, Manichaeans and Valentinians (THEODORE). Not only do they reject things that God has created, but also by compelling ascetic practice, which may in itself be good, they rob such discipline of the freedom of choice that is its real value (THEODORET). We are not to despise marriage (GREGORY OF NYSSA) or wholesome foods (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM). Food laws may run contrary to sound doctrine (AUGUSTINE). While all things are of God, continency will reasonably seek out plainer foods and those necessary to sustain life, avoiding foods lacking nutritional value, whose sole purpose is to give delight (BASIL). Christian ethics does not block access to pleasure in God’s creation, but allows it in a chaste way so that the will is not subject to countless misgivings (TERTULLIAN, JEROME, CHRYSOSTOM). What God creates is good as created (BASIL). Nothing is unclean by nature, but it becomes so through willful disobedience (CHRYSOSTOM, AUGUSTINE, LEO). The intelligible and the sensible are blended in all creation. Nothing that exists is altogether deprived of some share in the divine fellowship (GREGORY OF NYSSA).