“If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.” (1 Timothy 4:6 (ESV)
What does God promise for believers in Christ who seek to glorify Him by using all things God created for His glory? What results when followers of Christ reject their own self erected altar, which is being the master of their own self-importance?
The Apostle Paul shared encouraging words to Timothy. These self-same words are also for our encouragement. They are explicitly formed and fashioned into three precious promises but they all include an implicit warning.
The apostle began with the phrase “If you put these things before the brothers.” If you put…before (ὑποτιθέμενος; hypotithemenos) means to presently and personally make known or give instructions. These things (Ταῦταl tauta) refer to an entire previous discourse (I Timothy 4:1-5). The brothers (ἀδελφοῖς; adelphos) are fellow believers in Christ.
This future promise for doing so is the individual in question will be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Good (καλὸς; kalos) means to be praiseworthy and fine in God’s sight. Servant (διάκονος; diakonos) refers to a servant minister who helps believers. The English word deacon originates from this Greek noun. The phrase of Christ Jesus (Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ; Christou Jesou) refers to the servant belonging solely to the only Savior and Anointed One for the believer’s salvation; Jesus Christ.
As a good servant minister brings biblical truth to their fellow believers, they themselves are being trained in the words of the faith. The phrase being trained (ἐντρεφόμενος; entrepphomenos) refers training of a skill in practical knowledge God provides the servant minister. It is an instruction God gives the servant minister.
Pastors and lay persons who preach and teach God’s Word often learn more than their students. Their preparation to bring God’s truth to the church, Bible college and seminary students, small groups, or any gathering for biblical instruction results in the preacher and teacher growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord as much, or even more, than those they teach.
What God is training the servant minister in are the words of the faith. Words (λόγοις; logois) refers to a message, a statement or treatise. These words are solely of the faith (πίστεως; pisteos). The words, message, and treatise solely originate and are solely centered on God’s trustworthy, dependable and worshipful revelation of His person and work of creation and salvation.
Paul also referred to these words of the faith as “the good doctrine that you have followed.” Good (καλῆς; kales) means praiseworthy and morally fine. Doctrine (διδασκαλίας; didaskalias) refers to biblical instruction and teaching. Timothy followed this good doctrine and the words of the faith. The word followed (παρηκολούθηκας; parekolouthekas) is a perfect, active verb. This means a past completed action with continuing results. To follow means to faithfully conform to sound, biblical doctrine. Timothy did this and so should we.
“The words” are the ones which embody “the faith” and “the excellent teaching” of the church, true Christian doctrine. The apostle may be thinking of certain summaries of doctrine which (perhaps in the form of current “reliable sayings” and other fixed formulations of truths) could be considered good spiritual nourishment. Timothy had been and is still following this excellent doctrine or teaching. If he is to remain a highly qualified minister of Jesus Christ, he must be constantly nourished by (or “on”) this kind of food. A minister who neglects to study his Bible and the doctrine based upon it atrophies his powers by disuse.[1]
“The good servant must be continually nourished by true doctrine in order to nourish others in the same truth,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
For those of us who teach God’s Word, in whatever setting it may be, are we nourishing ourselves by the biblical truth by which we nourish others? Are we ourselves growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)? The preacher and the teacher must never stop being a student.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 149–150.
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