Theodore of Mopsuestia

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 490 passages across 31 books

Commentary

21–40 of 490

And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

It says “The Lord is in his holy temple,” as if it had been appropriate to say “The Lord is his help.” For the Lord’s name alone is commonly inserted as an indication of assistance. But here the psalmist intends to indicate that there is one who lives in the temple and is used for defense and protection, in whom it is able to stand firm securely in hope against all treachery. But what it calls the temple is the tabernacle in which the ark of God was placed, for the temple had not yet been built. That the tabernacle may be called the temple, the testimony of Kings [Samuel] clearly instructs, since the construction of the temple had not begun at the time: “And Samuel was lying down in the temple of God, in which the ark of God was located.”

1 Thessalonians 1:5

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

For you know, he says, how you came to be chosen (that is, how you arrived at faith), for you did not believe solely by means of our words. Indeed, we not only spoke but also showed wonders, great and glorious and worked by the Spirit, by which you were strengthened with regard to the things we had spoken to you. Hold on tightly to what you have learned, and don’t be deflected from your course by the external things that happen to you.

1 Thessalonians 3:3

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

Paul says that Timothy is coming to strengthen the Thessalonians with his words, stabilizing the thinking of the Thessalonians by his presence with them, lest they collapse under the weight of their tribulations. Paul describes this collapsing as a “commotion,” being caught up in the passions of your persecutors.

1 Timothy 1:4

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Paul here discourses about the common theme of all of his letters written to those converted from the Gentiles. He does this to point out that often things said by converts from Judaism may undermine the genuine piety of Gentile converts. In the case of the Galatians, he found that they were observing things required by the law, including especially the rite of circumcision. He pointed out that the use of genealogies was a particularly bad practice, because it made it possible for Jews to argue that Christ was not the promised offspring of Abraham and David and thereby throw into confusion Gentiles who are not well grounded in the Scriptures. He calls these genealogies “endless” because they can be turned in a great variety of bewildering directions. They are called “myths” because they contain only narration and nothing really necessary to the understanding of salvation.

1 Timothy 1:8

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

The purpose of the law is to prohibit all iniquity and to set a minimum standard for those in need of it. For those who have been justified and freed from sin it is superfluous. These are the baptized, who need not to be instructed to refrain from sin, but rather to be taught to conform to the pattern in which they now stand.

1 Timothy 1:18

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

It was according to divine revelation that I, Paul, laid hands on you and entrust to you the work of teaching.

1 Timothy 1:20

Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

The sinner is handed over to Satan, that is, is separated from the church, so that penitence may follow.

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

This refers to the perfect humanity by which salvation is wrought. The fact that Jesus shares a common humanity with us is the whole key to salvation.

1 Timothy 2:11

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

While Paul forbids women teaching in church, he very much wants them to exercise their authority in the home as the teachers of virtue.

1 Timothy 2:15

Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

The claim that she will be saved by childbearing is said of all women, not just of Eve.

1 Timothy 3:2 · 2 passages

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

“Without reproach” can scarcely mean “without critics,” since Paul himself had such, but blameless as to living.

For they [i.e., various interpreters] say that Paul has spoken thus, so that any man who is brought forward to be a bishop and has taken a wife will live chastely with her, being content with her alone as the recipient of his natural desires. Likewise any man who lives on after the death of his first wife may legitimately take a second wife, as long as he lives in the same way with her as with the first, and ought not be prohibited from becoming a bishop. They say that Paul has laid down a canon here. I accept this view, though I am not persuaded that he lays down a specific rule with regard to the second matter, i.e., that of the eligibility of remarried men for episcopal office.

1 Timothy 3:3

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

Not striking without reasonable cause, for sometimes this is permitted, if for a good reason and not with undue fierceness.

1 Timothy 3:4-5

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

What is meant by good management, in the case of the children, is that the father is to guide them with wise counsel, such that, if they end up as nonbelievers, it is not his fault.

1 Timothy 3:7

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

This reason is foremost, and in no way weaker than the ones already mentioned, that it is not prudent to entrust the care of others to such a one and to offer such great power so quickly. Why? Because he has not yet given proof of his life and manners, and it is not yet certain as to whether anything is left of his former life, since the devil has many devices to use against him. These are such that he may fall back into old sins. Indeed, because it seems that he has moved away from his former and worse state, he cannot be corrected in the direction of better things, for he is now seen to have had the nurture of others entrusted to him instead.

1 Timothy 3:8

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Since the ministry of deacons is at least as much toward the women in the community as the men, their integrity is all the more important. They are to be honorable and sincere in performing the duties assigned to them by the presbyters.

1 Timothy 3:9

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

The mystery of faith referred to by the apostle here is the teaching about Christ, which he is about to expound in what follows.

1 Timothy 3:13

For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

A “good reward” refers to a future, heavenly good, since earthly promotion would have required the idea of “better reward.”

1 Timothy 4:2

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

“Having their consciences seared” means not having a whole conscience, for they live the opposite of what they teach.

1 Timothy 4:7

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Paul is here rejecting apocryphal books that profess to contain his teaching or that of other apostles but that are really misrepresentations of that teaching.

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Who was this?

Born in Antioch, he served as a presbyter before becoming the Bishop of Mopsuestia in 392. He is recognized as the most prominent representative of the middle Antioch School of hermeneutics. His theological and exegetical writings were produced during the late fourth and early fifth centuries.

Wikipedia

Works cited

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH 89
COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY 19
COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY 16
COMMENTARY ON PHILEMON 10
COMMENTARY ON TITUS 7
COMMENTARY ON JOHN 1.1.1 4
COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY 3
COMMENTARY ON 1 THESSALONIANS 2
COMMENTARY ON 2 THESSALONIANS 2
COMMENTARY ON HOSEA 4 2
COMMENTARY ON JOHN 1.1.14 2
COMMENTARY ON JOHN 1.1.33 2