The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Timothy — Section 133

HOMILETTCS. Vere. 1, 2.-The rloc~ of Gorl. Slaves, led doubtless by the mlaerle1 of their oondition to seek the ennobling, comforting privileges of the gospel, formed a con- siderable portion of the first congregations of disciples (see the names in Rom. xvi.; 1 Cor. i. 27, 28; Eph. vi. 6-8; Col. iii. 22-25; Titus ii. 9; Philem.10, 16; 1 Pet. ii. 18, etc.). Hence so many exhortations addressed specially to them. In nothing, perhaps, does the Divine excellency of the gospel show itself more strikingly than in the adaptation of its precepts to such different classes of society, and in the wise modera- tion with which it met the social evils of life. The subjects of a Nero are bid to honour the king, the slave is told to count his master worthy of all honour; and the motive for this self-denying moderation is the paramount desire not to bring any reproach upon the gospel of Christ. The world shall not be able to say that Christianity is a breeder of confusion, or that the peaceable order of society is endangered by the fanaticism of the servants of Christ. And yet the manly self-respect of the slave is wonderfully increased by being reminded that he is the servant of Christ; or, a.gain, by the thought of his spiritual freedom as a child of God; or, a.,,aain, by his brotherhood with his master and partnership with him in the faith and love of the gospel of Uhrist. He has before him a career as noble and as dignified as his master, though that master were Cesar himself. And while he patiently submits to the peculiar trials of his bodily condition, he is tran~ported into a region where bodily distinctions are of no account-where the petty differences of rich and poor, bond and free, are swallowed up, and melt awa.y, before the common glory of the children of God a.nd the common privileges of Christian fellowship. And yet all the while he maintains the respect a.nd obedience of the slave to the master. Truly the doctrine of God is a. wise, an excellent, and a worthy doctrine, and carries with it its own credentials, that it is from God. Vera. 3--5.-Heterodo::ey. It is II great mistake to limit the notion of heterodoxy to the holding of wrong opinions in dogmatic theology. Heterodoxy is teaching anything otherwise than as the Word of God teaches it. Here they are declared to be heterodox who depart from the wholesome teaching of Christ concerning the duties of slaves to their masters, and use language in speaking to slaves which is provocative of strife and envy, of railings and suspicions. Such men, instead of being guided by a disinterested love of truth, are actuated by selfish motives. They seek to curry favour with those whose cause they espouse, and receive in money the reward of their patronage of the cause. And so we may generally discern between the orthodox and the heterodox by the methods they pursue, and the results they attain. The one seekl to promote peace and contentment by gentle words and by counsela of love and patience, and has hie reward in the happiness of those whom he advises. The other flatters, and inflames the passions of those whom he pretends to befriend; plays upon the bad parts of human nature; raises questions which tend to loosen the joints which bind society together; declaims and fumes and agitates, and receives in money or other selfish advantages the price of his mischievous patronage. Disinterested love is the characteristic of orthodox teaching, ~elfish gain that of the heterodox. Peace and contentment are the fruit of the one, IJtrife and suspicion are the fruit of the other. Vere. 6-21.-The contrast. There is no more effectual way of bringing out the eeculiar beauties and excellences of any system or character than by contrasting with it the opposite. system or character. Let us do this in regard to the two characters which are here brought before us, and the uses of money by them respectively. I. THE lll0NEY-LOVEB. The love of money sits at the helm of his inner man. It is the spring of all his thoughts, desires, and actions. Observe wha.t is his ruling motive, what takes the lead in his plans and schemes of life, and you will find that it is the desire to be rich. To be rich ranks in his estimation before being good or doing good; and personal goodness and benevolence towards others, if they have existed before the entering into the heart of the love of money, gradually fade and die ~way un~er its wit.hering influence. As the thistles and rushes, the docks and the plantams, prevail, the good herbage disappears. A hard selfish character, indiirerent to the feelings and wants  126 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [c,R, TI. 1-21.