Commentary on 1 Timothy

Theodoret of Cyrus (393–458)

It is not nature but faith that has made Timothy a son.

Believers of Jewish background, taking pride in their knowledge of the Old Testament, laid certain questions before Gentile believers. They did this in order to take advantage of their ignorance of these same divine words, and in the attempt to persuade them to embrace the law as a way of life. They rehearsed with them the human genealogy of the Lord as descended from Abraham and David. Therefore, Paul instructs Timothy to block these people and to prevent them from corrupting the teaching. The others he orders not to listen. He calls their ideas "myth" because they involve the Jewish, Mishna-like exposition of the Scripture, which focuses on superfluous and useless questions, rather than the essential divine economy of salvation.

To use the law appropriately is to keep its purpose, that is, to lead one to Christ the Lord. Those who refrain from the sins that Paul mentions are living in conformity with the law.

With the name of "son," Paul gives his blessing to Timothy.

See also

• More works by Theodoret of Cyrus

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