The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Timothy — Section 143

at the b11sis of Lhinga, they are the representatives of Oivine 11uthority. As snch-11nd who arc wholly entitled to be called worthy representatives ?-let them be counted worthy of all proper honour. Let them be treated th11s, that the Narne of God, and, the doctrine be not blr.uphemed,, There was involved in their conduct the Name of God, i.e. of the irue Gorl, as distinguished from the f11\se gorls which their masters worshipped. There w11s also involved the teaching, i.e. what Christianity taught 11bout things. If they were insubordinate, both would be evil spoken of. The heathen masters would think of Christianity as upturning the fundamental relations of things. We are apt to forget how much the Divine honour is involved in our conduct. We should give such a living representation of our religion as will give none occasion to blaspheme. 2. Toward, believing maste,·s. "And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they a.re brethren; but let them serve them the rather, because they that partake of the benefit are believing and beloved." Men might be despotic masters, holders of slaves, and yet be Christians, their conscience not being educated upon that point. It was not said to them that they were to go and liberate their slaves. It was better that they should receive the essence of Christianity without their pre- judices being raised on that point; correction on it, from the working of Christia11 influences, was sure to follow, with e. slowness, however, that might leave many unen- lightened of that generation of them. It seems to be implied that, though unenlightene, i, they gave their slaves Christian treatment, i.e. treated them as not under the yoke, i, the avoidance of harshness and unreasonable exactions often associated with the yoke This was rightly to be interpreted as a homage rendered to brotherhood in Christ. But let not slaves be led into e. mistaken interpretation of brotherhood. It did no1 mean that respect was no longer due to their masters. The earthly relation, though no1 so deep as the new relation in Christ, still stood, as giving form to duty. Let them not despise them, i.e. refuse the respect due to superiors. And, instead of giving them less service, let it be the other way. Give more service, because they that get Lhe benefit of it are of the same faith, and beloved as masters that have learned from Christ the law of kindness. Emphasizing what has been said,, "These things teach and exhort.n There was to be both direction and enforcement. II. HERETICS. I. Standard in relation to which they are heretics. "If any man teacheth a different doctrine, and consenteth not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness." The other doctrine is that which departs from the standard. This is contained in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the·Truth, and has the right to rule all minds. There is a healthy vigour in his words, not the sickliness that there was in the words of the heretical teachers. 'l'he doctrine contained in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ is that which is according to godliness. There is grounded in our nature, apart from all teachings, a certain religiosity. That i~, we are made to have certain states of our soul toward God, such as reverence. As we cherish these states we are pious, godly. What our Lord taught was in accordance with the norm of godliness in our original constitution, and was fitted to effect godliness as a result. The condemnation of the heretics was, that in not consenting to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ they were going away to doctrines which were not fitted to promote piety. 2. Moral characteriza- tion. (I) From the inflatedness of ignorance. "He is puffed up, knowing nothing." It is only in Christ that we have the right point of view. If, therefore, we are not taught by him, we know nothing aright. '!'hose who have true knowledge a.re humbled under e. sense of what they do not know. The heretics who had not even a smatterin>! of true knowledge were puffed up with conceit of the multitude of things which the_r knew. (2) From lhe morbidness of sophistry. "But doting a.bout questionings 111111 disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, wrangli«gs ,.J men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth." Not consenting to sound words, the_, have diseased action. That in which they show themselves diseased is in busyillc themselves, not, like Christian inquirers, around reslities, but, like the sophists wit, whom Socrates had to do, around questionings which become disputes of wonls. TL1, disease of hair-splitting is attended with various evil consequences: envy toward those who evince superior skill, strife with those who will Dot admit the value of the distinc- tions, railings where there is not reason, evil surmisings where there is not charity, and frequent and more bitter collisions where the truth, not honestly dealt with, ill forcibly 186 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [ GIL 't1o 1-11,