“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.” (1 Timothy 1:3–4 (ESV)
“The message of false teachers may be attractive and even seem orthodox. The only way to know for sure is to allow time to see their fruits (I Tim. 1:6-20). Some of the false prophetic fruits are mentioned in the New Testament (NT) controversies (I Tim. 1:3), divisions (I Tim. 6:3-4), greed (6:5-10), destruction of faith (2 Tim. 2:18), and self-destruction by heresy (2 Peter 2:1),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
Paul urged Timothy to remain as pastor in Ephesus. He did not want him to leave this pastoral post. This was because the apostle wanted Timothy to charge (παραγγείλῃς; parangeiles) or command certain individuals within the church to not teach any different doctrine (ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν; heterodidaskaein) from what was previously, and accurately, taught. In other words, to teach error in the church was forbidden. This would be anything, by anyone, deviating from the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. In other words, the biblical Gospel.
The danger within the church is not only the existence of false teachers, but also their false teachings. Centuries after the death of heretics, the impact of their heresies remains within the contemporary culture and the contemporary church. An injury may heal, but often a scar remains. The conspicuous scars of once great Christian denominations, and their churches and seminaries, may be seen in many a city’s landscape. The buildings may remain, unless torn down, but the biblical truth taught by godly theologians within those structures has long since disappeared.
The Apostle Paul sought to proactively warn his protégé Timothy to be on guard against false teachers. He also called for his young child in the faith to be equally on guard against false teachings. What false teachings did Paul have in mind?
First, he mentioned the false teacher’s present, active and endless devotion to myths. Myths (μύθοις; mythois) refers to legends, fanciful stories, fables and fairy tales.
Commentator Craig Keener states, “Plato and most other philosophers rejected or reinterpreted the “myths” that they believed misrepresented the gods, although some believed that myths could be used to illustrate truths. Philo, Josephus and other Jews argued that their Scriptures contained no myths; but extrabiblical elaborations of biblical accounts were common, and Paul probably has them in view here (cf. Tit 1:14).” [1]
Second coupled with myths is the phrase endless genealogies (γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντοις; genealogiais aperantois). It means limitless human and family lineages.
“The expression “myths and genealogies” is one. It must not be divided, as if Paul were thinking, on the one hand, of myths, and on the other, of genealogies. The apostle refers undoubtedly to man-made supplements to the law of God (see verse 7), mere myths or fables (2 Tim. 4:4), old wives’ tales (1 Tim. 4:7) that were definitely Jewish in character (Titus 1:14). Measured by the standard of truth, what these errorists taught deserved the name myths. As to material contents these myths concern genealogical narratives that were largely fictitious,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.[2]
“We feel at once that here we have been introduced into the realm of typically Jewish lore. It is a known fact that from early times the rabbis would “spin their yarns”—and endless yarns they were! —on the basis of what they considered some “hint” supplied by the Old Testament. They would take a name from a list of pedigrees (for example, From Genesis, I Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah), and expand it into a nice story. Such interminable embroideries on the inspired record were part of the regular bill of fare in the synagogue, and were subsequently deposited in written form in that portion of The Talmud which is known as Haggadah.”[3]
“Now there is, indeed, a legitimate place for the exercise of the gift of the imagination. There is room for dramatization, yes even for fables and fairy-tales. Grown-ups as well as children can enjoy Hans Andersen’s “Fir Tree” and can take its lesson to heart. But one who begins to mix sacred history with fiction and this for the purpose of theatrical effect, gross enjoyment, intoxicating thrill, or the satisfaction of vain curiosity, tampers with the very essence and purpose of the inspired record.”[4]
Paul warned such a fixation on fanciful stories leads to that “which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.” Recent bestselling books, aimed at a Christian market, touts survivors of hell, visitors to heaven and an individual’s personal encounters with God the Father. The popular book The Shack comes to mind.
Regarding the phrase “the stewardship from God that is by faith” Dr. Sproul writes, “Ministers of the Gospel, like the slave who is steward of his master’s estate, are accountable to the Lord for their conduct in leadership and preservation of the message of Christ (1:11; 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:13-14; 2:1-2). Above all, the steward must be faithful (I Cor. 4:1-2).”
May we each take seriously this counsel from this godly mentor to his godly protégé. We dare not do anything less. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 1 Ti 1:4.
[2] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 58.
[3] Ibid. 58–59.
[4] Ibid. 59–60.
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