1 Timothy 1:16-17

1 Timothy 1:16-The Lord Treated Paul In Grace To Demonstrate His Perfect Patience As An Example For Those Who Were To Believe In Him For Eternal Life

Review of 1 Timothy 1:12-15

By way of review we noted that 1 Timothy 1:12-17 constitutes the third subsection of verses 3-20 and has three divisions: (1) Paul’s thankfulness for what the Lord Christ has done for him (verses 12-14). (2) God’s purpose in saving Paul (verses 15-16). (3) A doxology in praise of the Lord’s acts on his behalf (verse 17). The theme of this paragraph is the true nature of the gospel as seen through Paul’s conversion. It is based upon God the Father’s grace policy and mercy, which are expressions of His attribute of love and which policy was manifested through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Thus, God’s plan is not based upon occupation with myths and genealogies that are based on the Law, which serves to refute and rebuke these unidentified pastors. In fact, using his personal testimony, Paul contrasts unbelief and faith so as to refute those emphasizing the Law. Faith in Christ for eternal life saves the sinner and not adherence to the Law. This paragraph is also a reminder to these unidentified pastors that they too were saved on the same basis and not based upon observance of the Law. Thus, Paul is attempting to bring these pastors back to their senses. Another theme in this paragraph is that of encouragement for Timothy. By Paul presenting his personal testimony as how the Lord empowered him for service, he would do the same for Timothy who the Lord appointed to serve him as well (verse 18). Also, as Mounce insightfully points out “It may be possible that this theme has another nuance; if God’s graciousness can save even a person like Paul, then it can also extend to the opponents in .” (Mounce, William D., The Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles, page 47; Thomas Nelson, 2000) Also, this third subsection is Christological emphasizing the person of Christ as the Savior of sinners, thus rejecting those who emphasize observance of the Law. The expression “Christ Jesus” appears four times in the paragraph (12, 14, 15, 16). The Law did not save sinners, Christ Jesus, the Lord did. This rejects the emphasis upon the Law by those aspiring to be teachers of the Law. So in this paragraph Paul is presenting eyewitness testimony that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and in fact, saved him, the worst of all sinners.

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Towner writes, “In the critique of the opponents that has been launched, Paul’s testimony serves several purposes. First, to authenticate his position as an apostle he provides the personal history behind the claim just made about entrustment with the gospel. As he does this, he sets his ministry strategically into the salvation-historical drama of the outworking of God’s promises to the Gentiles. Second, he offers his experience of salvation as a proof of the gospel he preaches. Third, his story establishes the priority of faith in salvation (and implicitly reduces any function of the law to that discussed above).” (Towner, Philip H., The Letters to Timothy and Titus; page 135; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, MI, 2006) Therefore, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 is not a digression as some argue but rather necessary for addressing the problem in Ephesus with theses pastors who were sidetracked. In fact, as Mounce writes “it is the heart of the argument.” (page 46) This paragraph is the heart of the argument since it teaches the Ephesians and in particular these certain pastors in that city that the proclamation of the Law does not have the power to transform the sinner into an obedient child of God. Rather, only the gospel could do such a thing and Paul could testify to this fact. So he is in effect saying that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Only the gospel could transform a wicked sinner like Paul into an obedient child of God and compel him to proclaim it to both Jew and Gentile and even suffer for it. In verse 12, Paul shares with Timothy and the Ephesian church that he thanks the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens him because he considered Paul faithful by appointing him to serve. In this verse Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to emphasize this statement. This would encourage Timothy in that he too was considered faithful by the Lord in putting him into service and will empower him as well in dealing with this difficult problem in Ephesus. It also emphasizes that the Lord Jesus Christ saved him and not obedience to the Law. 1 Timothy 1:12 I continually possess gratitude to the One who empowered me, namely Christ, who is Jesus, our Lord because He considered me for Himself as faithful by appointing me for Himself for the purpose of service. (My translation) “I continually possess gratitude to the One who empowered me, namely Christ, who is Jesus, our Lord ” expresses Paul’s attitude of gratitude to the Lord for saving him and appointing him as an apostle. It indicates that Paul was always thinking about his salvation and the circumstances in which he was saved and the means by which he was saved. He was continually reminded of it because he was such a wicked sinner. The casual clause “ because He considered me for Himself as faithful ” presents the reason why Paul was grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ’s sovereign decision in eternity past to select Paul as an

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 apostle and which decision was based upon His omniscience. It refers to the fact that in eternity past the Lord knew from His omniscience that Paul would be a faithful servant in communicating the gospel. Thus, Paul’s faithfulness was a potential yet to be realized. Verse 12 teaches that in eternity past the Lord Jesus Christ selected Paul to be an apostle because He knew from His omniscience that Paul would be a faithful steward of the gospel. The fact that the Lord considered him faithful does not mean that Paul merited his salvation since he makes clear in verses 13-14 that he was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church and an arrogant man. Yet, he was treated with mercy by the Lord and grace. Therefore, this appointment was based upon the Lord’s grace policy, which is an expression of His attribute of love. So this does not mean that because the Lord knew that Paul was a trustworthy, He appointed him to ministry. After his conversion, the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit empowered Paul to serve as an apostle and thus to be a faithful steward of the gospel. Thus Paul possessed an attitude of gratitude to the Lord because He strengthened Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit to be faithful in exercising his spiritual gift of apostleship and communicating the gospel. So the emphasis is not that Christ foresaw that in spite of his sin Paul would prove himself faithful. Rather, the emphasis is that the Lord’s omnipotence transformed Paul’s life. Not only His grace and mercy but also His omnipotence transformed the life of the apostle Paul in that he went from a blasphemer and persecutor of the church and an arrogant person to a faithful servant of the gospel. This would refute those pastors in Ephesus who were emphasizing the Law. The Law did not have the power to save or transform the life of the sinner but could only condemn the sinner. Only the gospel had the power to save and to transform sinners (Romans 1:16-17). Paul’s was faithful because the Lord empowered him to be so. Through the power of the Spirit, which the Lord Jesus provided him, Paul was faithful to the ministry the Lord gave him. The indwelling Spirit and the spiritual gift of apostleship enabled him to be faithful. In 1 Timothy 1:12, Paul is referring to the stewardship of time, talent and truth. “By appointing me for Himself for the purpose of service ” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ appointing Paul to be an apostle and communicator of the gospel. It speaks of the manifestation in time at Paul’s conversion the Lord’s decision in eternity in considering him as faithful. It indicates that the Lord considered Paul faithful in eternity past by appointing him to serve as an apostle. It defines what Paul means when he says that the Lord considered him faithful. It answers the question as to “how” the Lord considered him faithful, namely, by appointing him to serve as an apostle.

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1 Timothy 1:13 is connected to the thought in verse 12 and testifies to the magnitude of God’s mercy and grace with respect to Paul. In this verse, Paul presents a three-fold description of himself prior to his conversion to . He describes himself as a blasphemer, a persecutor and an arrogant person. 1 Timothy 1:13a Even though I was characterized as being a slander as well as a persecutor and in addition, an insolent violent person. (My translation) Verse 13a is a concessive clause that is connected to Paul’s thought in verse 12, which records Paul stating that he continually possessed an attitude of gratitude to the one who empowered him, namely the Lord Jesus Christ. He states that this gratitude was because the Lord, in eternity past considered him as faithful which manifested itself in time when the Lord appointed him as an apostle for the purpose of serving Him. Now, in verse 13a, Paul employs a concessive participle to teach his readers in Ephesus that the Lord considered him faithful in eternity past “in spite of” the fact that prior to his conversion he slandered the Lord, persecuting His church and was an insolent violent person towards the church. The first describes Paul defaming Jesus Christ’s character and those who have faith in Him and are His disciples as a result of bitterness towards them. As a Pharisee, prior to his conversion to Christianity, Paul did not slander God knowingly as he says in the adversative clause of this verse he did so out of ignorance. However, nonetheless by slandering Jesus Christ unknowingly, He was slandering the Father and the Holy Spirit in the sense that the former was His Son and the latter was testifying that Jesus was the Son of God through His miracles and words. The second description of himself presents him as engaged in the act of persecuting the church prior to his salvation. The Lord tells Paul that his persecution of the church was in fact does against Him (Acts 9:4-5; 22:7-8; 26:14- 15). This persecution, like all persecution of God’s people in history, was inspired by Satan himself. The third and final description of Paul prior to his conversion indicates that he was a self-centered person who was violently cruel against the church. It says that he had no regard for others and specifically, no regard for the church or Jesus Christ. It implies that he possessed an attitude of superiority with regards to the church. This resulted in mistreatment of the church and violent acts against her as a result of his own revolt against the Lord Jesus Christ. This three fold description of himself in verse 13 serves a distinct purpose in that it magnifies God’s grace and mercy toward Paul. He is presenting testimony that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and in fact, saved him, the worst of all sinners. This would refute those pastors in Ephesus who were emphasizing

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4 the Law and it would rebuke them. It would also serve to remind them that like Paul they too were saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by obedience to the Law. Paul was transformed by faith in the gospel, which centered upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Law did not transform him into a faithful servant of Christ but the Lord’s grace and mercy. Thus, Paul in verse 13 is setting up his readers and in particular those pastors who sought to be teachers of the Law that the proclamation of the Law does not have the power to transform the sinner into an obedient child of God. Rather, only the gospel could do such a thing and Paul could testify to this fact. It transformed him, the worst of all sinners. So he is in effect saying that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Only the gospel could transform a wicked sinner like Paul into an obedient child of God and compel him to proclaim it to both Jew and Gentile and even suffer for it. Following this concessive clause in verse 13 Paul employs an adversative clause in which the apostle reveals that though he was a slanderer, a persecutor and an insolent person, God treated him with mercy because he acted ignorantly in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:13b But in direct contrast to this, I obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief. (My translation) “But in direct contrast to this, I obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief ” is a strong adversative clause that presents a strong contrast with the previous concessive clause “ even though I was characterized as being a slanderer as well as a persecutor and in addition, an insolent violent person .” The latter describes Paul’s pre-conversion sinful character and the former describes the Lord’s gracious character. Therefore, Paul is contrasting God’s gracious character with that of Paul’s sinful character before his conversion. The causal clause “ because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief ” presents the reason why Paul obtained grace from the Lord. Therefore, the clause is saying that Paul obtained grace from the Lord because being in a state of rejection, Paul acted due to unbelief. This unbelief is why he was a slanderer, a persecutor and a violent insolent person. He was in a state of rejecting the gospel and thus acted in unbelief prior to his conversion. He was in a state of rejecting the gospel resulting in unbelief because like the rest of unregenerate Israel Paul zealously pursued righteousness through obedience to the Law. His attempt to justify himself through obedience to the Law caused him to reject the gospel and as a result to not exercise faith in Jesus of Nazareth as Savior. He didn’t see his need for Jesus because he was looking to himself to get right with God. Paul loved God but not on God’s terms but on his own.

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This rejection and unbelief that led to his being a slanderer, persecutor and a violent insolent person qualified him to receive grace, which is for sinners with no merit whatsoever with a holy God. Grace is for the unworthy and undeserving who have no merit with God whatsoever. This is what Paul is saying in verse 13. Therefore, Paul’s statements in verse 13 magnify God’s grace policy. Thus, those pastors in Ephesus who sought to be teachers of the Law and did not understand the three-fold purpose of the Law would be rebuked since God’s grace saved a terrible sinner like Paul and transformed him into an obedient child of God and not his obedience to the Law. In fact, his attempt to get right with God by obedience to the Law blinded him to his need for Jesus Christ as Savior! The Law did not have the power to save the sinner but only to condemn him. However, the gospel which expressed God’s grace policy could since its message is about Jesus Christ and that His death and resurrection has delivered sinful humanity from sin, Satan and his cosmic system. Through faith in Him, which is based on God’s grace policy, the sinner like Paul can be transformed into an obedient child of God. Therefore, when Paul says that he obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, he acted due to unbelief he wants to emphasize the Lord’s grace policy towards him. Thus, he is not attempting with this statement to deny his unbelief was sinful since his sinful behavior was the direct result of his unbelief in the gospel. Rather, Paul’s statement in verse 13 demonstrates to his readers that the gospel has the power to save even a person like himself who was violently opposed to Jesus Christ and His disciples in contrast to the Law, which can’t. If you notice, Paul’s unbelief is the reason for his deplorable conduct. They go hand in hand thus, when he says that he obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, he acted due to unbelief he is in effect saying I obtained grace because of my sinful character since his sinful character was the direct result of his unbelief. Paul wants not only to magnify God’s grace but also His power, the power that is in the gospel message. Thus, those pastors in Ephesus who taught false doctrine and sought to be teachers of the Law were failing to appropriate the power of God by rejecting the gospel. They were also hurting their flocks since the gospel presents how they can be delivered from the power of the sin nature. No wonder the conduct of these pastors was appalling since only the power of the gospel could transform them and their congregations into obedient children of God in contrast to the Law, which can’t. Next, in verse 14, Paul emphasizes to his readers that the Lord’s grace was infinitely more than sufficient to deal with his sinful character and conduct as expressed by means of his faith in the gospel resulting in his obeying the command love one another. He tells his readers that this faith and love was because of his union and identification with Christ Jesus.

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1 Timothy 1:14 In fact, the grace originating from our Lord was infinitely more than sufficient as expressed by means of faith resulting in love, which are because of my union with Christ who is Jesus. (My translation) 1 Timothy 1:14 advances upon and intensifies the preceding adversative clause in 1 Timothy 1:13 that Paul obtained grace. This is indicated by the fact that in the adversative clause in verse 13 Paul writes that he obtained grace from the Lord and now in verse 14 he says that this grace overflowed to him. So here in verse 14 he is giving the reader more information about what he means that he obtained grace by clarifying his statement in the adversative clause of verse 13. He is advancing and intensifying his statement that he obtained grace from the Lord. The meaning of the verb huperpleonazo is used to describe God’s grace as being superabundant to Paul. This would indicate that the apostle seeks to be emphatic about the Lord’s grace and intensify the idea that he obtained grace. “The grace ” speaks of God’s grace policy towards sinners from the perspective that it is unmerited favor. It is used to describe the Lord’s grace policy in relation to Paul emphasizing that the Lord delivered him from his personal sins, the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law and eternal condemnation and blessed him from the perspective that it was all unmerited. Charis emphasizes that Paul did not earn or deserve this deliverance and blessing. “Originating from our Lord ” indicates that this grace originates from the Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the Father’s will. That this expression refers to Jesus Christ and not the Father is indicated by the fact that in verse 12, which begins the paragraph, kurios is applied to Jesus Christ. Also, Jesus Christ is mentioned in verse 15 and in verse 16 as well. Nowhere is the Father mentioned anywhere in the paragraph. Thus, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 emphasizes Jesus Christ throughout suggesting that the Father is not being referred to in verse 14 with the designation kurios , “ Lord ” but rather the Son. “Was infinitely more than sufficient ” translates the verb huperpleonazo , which is in the emphatic position in verse 14 emphasizing that the Lord’s grace policy was infinitely more than sufficient to meet his need, i.e. his pre-conversion problem with his sinful nature and conduct. This verb indicates that the Lord’s grace more than solved Paul’s pre-conversion problem with his sin nature and his sinful conduct that flowed from this sinful nature. It expresses the idea of infinity in the sense that the Lord’s grace policy towards him was “infinitely more than sufficient” to deal with his pre-conversion sinful conduct and nature. It refers to activity of the Lord Jesus Christ in imparting immeasurably great, indefinitely or exceedingly great, unbounded, unlimited, endless or immeasurable and inexhaustible spiritual benefits to Paul when he exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These blessings more than solved problem with Paul’s sinful pre- conversion character and conduct.

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“As expressed by means of faith resulting in love ” denotes that the Lord’s grace was expressed in the life of Paul by means of his exercising faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ resulting in his exercising the love of God towards his fellow Christian and all men. “Faith ” refers to Paul’s faith and not the faith of our Lord Jesus since the context is presenting an implied contrast between Paul’s pre-conversion sinful conduct with his post-conversion conduct. This contrast in turn is indicated by the fact that Paul is contrasting his pre-conversion character and conduct towards the Lord with the Lord’s gracious character and conduct towards him. “Love ” refers to Paul obeying the Lord Jesus’ command to love one another as He loves (John 13:34). The word does not refer to the Lord’s love toward Paul. Rather, it refers to Paul’s love toward the Lord and his fellow Christian and fellow human being since the context is presenting an implied contrast between Paul’s pre-conversion character and his post-conversion conduct. This contrast is indicated by the fact that Paul is contrasting his pre-conversion conduct towards the Lord with the Lord’s gracious character and conduct towards him. “Faith ” and “ love ” are directly related to each other in that love flows from faith. In other words, faith in the Word of God will result in the believer loving his fellow believer and all men as the Lord loves all men. Paul’s unbelief is the reason for his deplorable conduct. They go hand in hand thus, when he says that he obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, he acted due to unbelief he is in effect saying I obtained grace because of my sinful character since his sinful character was the direct result of his unbelief. Now, in verse 14, he says that the Lord’s grace was infinitely more than sufficient to meet his need, i.e. his problem with his sinful behavior with the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Faith and love parallel Paul’s pre-conversion unbelief and sinful conduct. The Lord’s grace was infinitely more than sufficient to meet his problem with sin in that faith in the Lord replaced unbelief in Him resulting in Paul loving his fellow Christian and all men in contrast to his pre- conversion slandering of the Lord and persecuting Him and being violent towards Him and His church. Thus, a grace oriented person is one who walks by faith in the Word of God and loves his fellow Christian since the latter flows or is the direct result of the former. Therefore, the conjunction kai is more than likely expressing a result meaning that love resulted from faith. The expression η “which are because of my union with Christ who is Jesus ” denotes that the Lord’s grace policy toward Paul expressed itself in his life by means of faith and love which are because of his union and identification with Christ. It denotes why he exercised faith and operated in love in contrast to his pre-conversion unbelief and sinful behavior towards the church.

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Paul exercised faith in the Word of Christ, i.e. the gospel of Jesus Christ and obeying the Lord’s command to love one another as Christ loves all men because he was in union with Christ and identified with Him in His crucifixion, His spiritual and physical deaths, burial, resurrection and session. His faith and love were the direct result of being in union with Christ and identified with Him. Then in verse 15, we noted the first of four trustworthy statements that appear in 1 Timothy. In this verse, Paul quotes an eternal spiritual truth or axiom concerning the purpose of the Son of God becoming a human being. He then appends a personal note that ties this principle back to his personal testimony. The apostle’s point is clear to the Ephesians and these unidentified pastors that they should not be emphasizing the Law and specifically the but rather the Lord’s commandment to love one another as He loves. 1 Timothy 1:15 This saying is, as an eternal spiritual truth, trustworthy, indeed, worthy of full acceptance, namely that Christ, who is Jesus entered the human race in order to save sinners among whom I myself am the foremost. (My translation) The faithful saying “ that Christ came into the world to save sinners ” is the heart of the gospel and is an articulation of the gospel as well as an expression of Paul’s apostolic authority. It is designed to rebuke and refute those pastors in Ephesus who sought to be teachers of the Law and taught false doctrine. It implicitly rejects the Law as the basis for eternal salvation and as the means of transforming the sinner into an obedient child and servant of God. This faithful saying in 1 Timothy 1:15 epitomizes what Paul has been saying in verses 12-14. It expresses perfectly the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles. This faithful statement also echoes the Lord Jesus’ teaching as recorded in the gospels (cf. Luke 19:10). “Trustworthy ” is making the assertion about the statement η ε ε αω α , “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ,” namely that it is trustworthy in the sense of being an accurate and faithful presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Indeed worthy of full acceptance ” is used of the statement that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and describes it as having a relatively high degree of comparable worth or value or merit to the human race. It is making the assertion that the saying “ Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ” is worthy or deserving of full acceptance by the entire human race. The expression refers to appropriating by faith the statement that Christ Jesus came into to the world to save sinners. The appositional clause “ namely that Christ, who is Jesus entered the human race ” is a reference to the incarnation of the Son of God. It thus speaks of

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9 the event when the Son of God became a human being in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. “In order to save sinners ” expresses the purpose of the incarnation. It is used of the act of the Lord Jesus Christ delivering the sinner from personal sin, the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law, spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation through His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross. This purpose clause indicates that Christ became a human being for the express purpose of saving sinners. The relative pronoun clause “ among whom I myself am the foremost ” emphasizes that Paul was the most “prominent” or “foremost” opponent of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It indicates that he was infamous in the church and in heaven. The word is reflecting the immensity of Paul’s sin against the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It underscores the grace of the Lord and the power of the gospel in which it can save and transform even those sinners like Paul who were foremost in stridently and violently opposing the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. So in verse 15, Paul is holding himself up as an example of the power of the gospel. He is an example of the power of Christ’s spiritual and physical deaths to deliver sinners from spiritual and physical death, personal sins, the sin nature, the Devil and his cosmic system and eternal condemnation. He is holding himself as an example of the power of the gospel to transform a sinner into the image of Christ. The Law is impotent to save and transform the sinner. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to save and transform sinners and Paul is the greatest example of this since he was the most strident and famous of the church’s enemies. Therefore, in verse 15, Paul is affirming the priority of the gospel with respect to the Law and the authority of this gospel. Next, we will note verse 16 and in this verse Paul teaches that the Lord treated him according to His grace policy in order to demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for all of those in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. In other words, if the Lord Jesus could save a terrible sinner like Saul of Tarsus who led the way in being violently opposed to Him and His church, then He can save anybody!

The Foremost of Sinners versus the Lord’s Grace Policy

1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that

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Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (NASU) “Yet for this reason I found mercy ” is composed of the strong adversative conjunction ( ) (ah-lah), “ yet ” and the preposition dia ( ) (thee-ah ), “for…reason ” and the accusative neuter singular form of the immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos ( ) (oo-toce), “ this ” and the first person singular aorist passive indicative form of the verb eleeo (ε ) (el-eh-eh-o), “ I found mercy .” The strong adversative conjunction alla is a marker of an emphatic contrast. It introduces a statement that stands in direct contrast with Paul’s description of himself prior to his conversion to Christianity. In verse 15, he describes himself as the foremost of sinners. This emphasizes that Paul was the most prominent or foremost opponent of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It indicates that he was infamous in the church and in heaven. The word is reflecting the immensity of Paul’s sin against the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. Now, in verse 16, Paul reveals that because he was in fact the prominent opponent of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord treated him according to His grace policy in order to demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners would trust in Him as Savior in the future. Therefore, by employing alla , the apostle is emphasizing the contrast between himself as the most prominent sinner and leading opponent of our Lord with that of the Lord’s grace policy. We will therefore, translate alla , “ but in fact .”

The Reason Why the Lord Treated Paul According to His Grace Policy

The preposition dia is a marker of cause denoting the basis or reason for the Lord treating Paul according to His grace policy. The immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos is “anaphoric” referring to the immediate preceding statement at the end of verse 15 that Paul was the foremost of sinners in that he was the leading opponent of Christianity. Therefore, this indicates because Paul was in fact the foremost opponent of our Lord and His church, the Lord treated him according to His grace policy. Because of Paul’s pre-conversion status as the most strident opponent among men of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church, his conversion through faith in Jesus Christ would mark Paul out as the greatest illustration of God’s grace in what it can do for the worst of sinners. So this prepositional phrase sets up the following hina purpose clause. Therefore, we will translate , “because of this .”

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Eleeo

As we noted in our study of 1 Timothy 1:13, the verb eleeo appears in this verse and does not mean “to be shown mercy” or “to receive mercy” but rather “to obtain grace.” This is based upon Paul’s usage of eleeo in Romans and the context since in the previous concessive clause Paul describes his pre-conversion sinful character and now he is contrasting it with God’s gracious character. So the verb does not speak of God’s mercy but rather it speaks of God’s grace from the perspective that it is a reflection of His character and nature. Therefore, Paul is contrasting God’s gracious character with that of Paul’s sinful character before his conversion. Therefore, here in 1 Timothy 1:16, the verb eleeo retains the same meaning referring to the function of the Lord’s grace policy towards Paul. The aorist tense of the verb is a “constative” aorist tense describing in summary fashion the moment Paul obtained grace from the Lord, which would be the moment the Lord Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus at his conversion experience. The passive voice of the verb means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. The subject here is of course Paul. Here the expressed agency is the Lord Jesus Christ as indicated in the purpose clause to follow. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion that the Lord treated Paul in grace even though Paul was his most strident opponent as an unqualified statement of fact of history. We will translate eleeo , “ I obtained grace .”

The Purpose for which the Lord Treated Paul According To His Grace Policy

1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (NASU) “So that in me as the foremost ” is composed of the conjunction hina (α ) (ee- nah), “ so that ” and the preposition en (), “in ” and the dative first person singular form of the personal pronoun ego ( ) (eh-go), “ me ” and the dative masculine singular form of the adjective protos ( ) (pro-toce), “as the foremost .” The conjunction hina is employed with the subjunctive mood of the verb endeiknumi , “ might demonstrate ” in order to form a purpose clause that emphasizes the “intention” of the action of the verb eleeo . This indicates that the conjunction hina is introducing a clause that presents the purpose for the Lord treating Paul who was His most strident and violent enemy among men, according to His grace policy. The Lord treated Paul according to His grace policy in order to demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners in the future who

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12 would trust in Him as Savior. If the Lord could save His worst and most violent opponent among men, he could save them! We will translate the conjunction “ in order that .” The personal pronoun ego refers of course to Paul and is the object of the preposition en , which is a marker of agent with the implication of the agent being used as an instrument. This indicates that Paul was the agency by which the Lord could demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. This prepositional phrase indicates that by means of Paul’s conversion experience, the Lord was demonstrating to sinful humanity that His grace policy can fundamentally change the most strident and violent of His opponents into arguably His greatest servant. Through Paul, the Lord wanted all of sinful humanity to know that His grace policy, which is an expression of His attribute of love, can change His worst enemy into His greatest servant. If the Lord was patient with Paul, He will be patient with anyone. Through Paul, the Lord is telling all of sinful humanity that there is no sin or sinner that can not be forgiven. If God can save His worst enemy, then He can save anyone! We will translate this prepositional phrase “ through me .” If you recall, the adjective protos appeared in verse 15 where it meant “foremost” and was used in a qualitative sense emphasizing that Paul was the most “prominent” or “foremost” opponent of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It indicates that he was infamous in the church and in heaven. This is how it is used in verse 16 as well. The word is reflecting the immensity of Paul’s sin against the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It underscores the grace of the Lord and the power of the gospel in which it can save and transform even those sinners like Paul who were foremost in stridently and violently opposing the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. This word emphasizes the power of the grace of God in that it can change the Lord’s worst enemy into His greatest servant. It emphasizes that the Lord’s grace can change the sinner who hates Him the most into the one who loves Him the most. Compare this with his statement in 1 Corinthians 15:9 and Ephesians 3:8. 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (NET) Ephesians 3:8 To me – less than the least of all the saints – this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan – a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things. (NET) In 1 Timothy 1:16, the adjective protos functions as a dative of simple apposition meaning that it stands adjacent to the dative form of the personal pronoun ego, which refers of course to Paul. Protos is defining this pronoun. It is

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13 reminding the reader who Paul was before his conversion as the worst of the Lord’s enemies in order to highlight the depths of God’s grace. We will translate the word “ the foremost .”

Christ Jesus Demonstrated His Perfect Patience Through Paul

1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (NASU) “Christ Jesus might demonstrate His perfect patience” is composed of the nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Christos ( ) (cree- stoce), “ Christ ” and the nominative masculine singular form of the proper noun Iesous (η) (yee-soose), “ Jesus ” and the third person singular aorist middle subjunctive form of the verb endeiknumi (ε ) (en-thik-theh-mee), “ might demonstrate ” and the articular accusative feminine singular form of the adjective hapas (α ) (ah-pahs), “ His perfect ” and the accusative feminine singular form of the noun makrothumia (αα ) (mak-roe-thee-me-ah), “ patience .” The proper name Christos emphasizes that Jesus of Nazareth, the incarnate Son of God delivered sinners from the sin nature, personal sins, the devil and his cosmic system, spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation through His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and resurrection. The word is a nominative subject indicating that it is performing the action of the verb endeiknumi , “ might demonstrate .” Thus, Christ performed the action of demonstrating His perfect patience through Paul’s life and conversion. We will translate this word “ Christ .” The proper name Iesous is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew word Jehoshua , “Jehovah saves,” and refers to the human nature of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth. The word functions as a “nominative of simple apposition” meaning that it stands in apposition to the nominative form of Christos , “ Christ ” and simply clarifies who is Christ here, namely Jesus of Nazareth since there were many in the first century who made the claim. Therefore, we will translate this word “who is Jesus .” Christos precedes Iesous in order to emphasize that the demonstration of our Lord’s patience through the life of Paul was accomplished by Him functioning in His role as the Savior of all men as denoted by the former.

Endeiknumi

The verb endeiknumi is composed of the preposition en , “in” and the verb deíknumi , “to show,” thus the world literally means, “to demonstrate or manifest

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14 something by arguments or acts, to give outward proof of something that is inherent.” The word means “to present as a demonstration” (Xenophon, Anabasis 6.1.19; Plato, Laws 966B). It was familiar to classical writers such as Homer, Sophocles, Plato and Euripides. It was used in a legal sense as confirmed by the papyri meaning “to inform against someone.” The verb endeiknumi appears 13 times in the and 11 times in the . It is used with both God and men as its subject. In the Septuagint, the verb was used of “showing” respect to someone as demonstrated by their actions (Genesis 50:15, 17). It occurs in Exodus 9:16, which Paul quotes in Romans 9:17 and is used of God demonstrating His power through Pharaoh’s stubbornness. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) to direct attention to or cause something to become known, show, demonstrate (2) to display conduct that affects another, show (Page 331). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following meanings: (1) as giving outward proof show, demonstrate (HE 6.10); (2) as perpetrating something openly against someone do to (2T 4.14) (Page 148) The verb appears in Romans 2:15 where it is used of the Gentiles “demonstrating” or “manifesting” that they possess inherently a moral code by their obedience to the principles that appear in written form in the Mosaic Law. Romans 2:14 Since, whenever Gentiles, who, as a fact of history, do not possess the Law, obey, at any time, instinctively the principles belonging to the Law, although, these, as a fact of history, do not possess the Law, they, as an eternal spiritual truth, manifest that they possess inherently, a law, which belongs to them. 15 Who, indeed by virtue of their obedient character, demonstrate, as an eternal spiritual truth and fact of history, the conduct produced by obedience to the Law as written on their hearts. During which time their conscience does confirm the testimony, namely, their thoughts alternately, at any time, making an accusation or else, at any time, making a defense. (My translation) In Romans 9:17, Paul used the verb endeiknumi of God causing Amenhotep II to ascend to power as the Pharaoh of Egypt in order to “demonstrate” or “manifest” His omnipotence through Pharaoh’s disobedience to His commands to release the nation of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. Romans 9:17 In fact, the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose, I raised you up in order that I myself may demonstrate My power through you and in addition that the reputation of the character and work of my Person may be proclaimed publicly everywhere throughout the entire earth.” (My translation)

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The verb endeiknumi appears in Romans 9:22 where Paul uses the word to express the spiritual principle that God does “demonstrate” or “manifest” His wrath, i.e. His righteous indignation towards those in the nation of Israel who reject Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. Romans 9:22 In fact, if-and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that because God the Father, as an eternal spiritual truth does choose to demonstrate His righteous indignation and in addition to make known publicly and explicitly His power, endured with much patience vessels destined for righteous indignation which are prepared for destruction. (My translation) In 2 Corinthians 8:22, Paul uses the word again with respect to the Corinthians demonstrating the proof of their love through giving to the poor saints in Jerusalem. It is used in Ephesians 2:7 by Paul of God demonstrating the immeasurable riches of His grace through saving sinners. The apostle uses the word in :14 of the coppersmith doing something against him openly. In Titus 2:10, the word is used of slaves “showing” their faith by being submissive to their masters. In :2, the verb is used of the Cretan believers demonstrating gentleness towards all men. The word occurs in Hebrews 6:10 of believer showing their love for the Lord by serving His body. In Hebrews 6:11, it is used of believers continuing to demonstrate this to the end. In 1 Timothy 1:16, the verb endeiknumi means “to demonstrate” and is used of the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrating His perfect patience through the life and conversion of Paul. The aorist tense of the verb is a “culminative” or “consummative” aorist tense, which is used to emphasize the cessation of an act or state. This type of aorist views an event in its entirety but regarding it from the viewpoint of its existing results. Therefore, the “culminative” aorist views the demonstration of the Lord’s grace through Paul but regards it from the standpoint of its existing results, which is that it serves as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in the Lord as Savior. The middle voice of the verb is “indirect” meaning that the subject, Christ Jesus, acts on behalf of Himself or in His own interests, which was to demonstrate His patience through the life and conversion of Paul as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. It emphasizes that the Lord Jesus Christ is acting on behalf of His own interests, and which interests were to demonstrate His patience through Paul as an example for those sinners in the future who would follow in Paul’s footsteps and trust in Him as Savior. It also can be interpreted as an intensive middle focusing attention upon the subject. The subjunctive mood is used with the conjunction hina to form a purpose clause. We will translate the verb endeiknumi , “ Himself could demonstrate for His own benefit .”

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Makrothumia

The noun makrothumia is formed from the adjective makros , “long” and the noun thumos , “temper,” or the verb thumoomai , “to be furious or burn with intense anger,” thus the word literally means, “long-tempered” as opposed to “short tempered.” The noun makrothumia means, “patience” in the sense of enduring provocation, annoyance, misfortune, pain without complaint, loss of temper, and will possess the ability and willingness to suppress restlessness and annoyance. A person who has a short temper, speaks and acts impulsively and lacks self- control however, makrothumia describes a person who is just the opposite and has a “long-fuse” having patience with people and has the ability to bear long in the face of disappointment and opposition. The noun makrothumia describes a state of self-control and emotional calm in the face of provocation, misfortune or unfavorable circumstances and is a word that expresses patience with people. Makrothumia is the capacity to be wronged and refuse to retaliate when provoked and is the ability to restrain or control one’s emotions when provoked or wronged and persecuted by others without retaliating and is not easily offended. It is an attitude, which bears insult and injury without bitterness and without complaint and can tolerate obnoxious people and adversity with graciousness and without getting irritable. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains defines the word, “a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation—‘patience’” (25.167) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) state of remaining tranquil while awaiting an outcome, patience, steadfastness, endurance (2) state of being able to bear up under provocation, forbearance, patience toward others (Page 612). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament “as a state of emotional quietness in the face of unfavorable circumstances patience, long-suffering; (1) as patience under trial endurance, steadfastness (HE 6.12); (2) as constraint exercised toward others forbearance, patience (2C 6.6); (3) as God’s constraint of his wrath long-suffering, forbearance (RO 2.4) (Page 252) In 1 Timothy 1:16, the noun makrothumia is used to describe God’s attitude towards sinful mankind (See also Romans 2:4; 9:22; 1 Peter 3:20). Therefore, the noun makrothumia refers to the “patience” of the Lord Jesus Christ in the sense that He who is holy endures sinners and their sinful ways that are totally opposed to His holy character. The fact that sinners are not sent to the lake of fire forever

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17 immediately after sinning does not mean that the Lord is powerless to do so but rather it demonstrates that He is patient. Every sinner would be in the lake of fire now, if God was not patient with them. The adjective hapas is modifying the noun makrothumia and is merely a synonym for pas . In classical Greek, hapas followed words ending with a consonant while pas followed terms ending with a vowel (Funk, A Greek Grammar, page 144). However, this rule breaks down in the New Testament (Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research; page 771). In 1 Timothy 1:16, the adjective hapas intensifies makrothumia and means “the full extent” indicating that by saving Paul, the Lord was demonstrating the “full extent” of His patience. Paul was the extreme demonstration of the Lord’s grace policy towards sinners since he led the rebellion and opposition to Him and His church. He was the Lord’s greatest enemy among men. The articular construction of hapas indicates that the word is receiving greater emphasis than makrothumia , “patience.” The article also functions as a possessive pronoun indicating that this patience “belongs to” the Lord. We will translate the expression αα αυα , “ the full extent of His patience .”

The Lord’s Gracious Treatment of Paul Would Serve As An Example

1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (NASU) “As An Example ” is composed of the preposition pros ( ) (proce), “ as ” and the accusative feminine singular form of the noun hupotuposis ( ) (ee- poe-tee-pah-seece), “ an example .” The noun hupotuposis means “an example, a model, prototype” (A Greek- English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition, page 1042). The term does not appear in the Septuagint and only twice in the New Testament (:13). In 1 Timothy 1:16, the word means “example” and is used of the Lord’s gracious treatment of Paul which would serve as “an example” to those sinners who in the future would trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. If the Lord could save His greatest enemy among men, He could save them. The word denotes that Paul would serve as the greatest “example” of His patience towards sinners since Paul was His greatest enemy among men. The word is the object of the preposition pros , which functions as a marker of purpose indicating that the Lord treated Paul according to His grace policy in order that He could demonstrate the full extent of His patience “for the purpose of”

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18 presenting an example to those sinners who would in the future trust in Him for eternal life. Therefore, we will translate this prepositional phrase “ for an example .”

Those Who Would Believe in Christ

1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (NASU) “For Those Who Would Believe In Him ” is composed of the articular genitive masculine plural present active participle form of the verb mello ( ) (meh-low), “ for those who would ” and the present active infinitive form of the verb pisteuo (ε ) (pea-stev-owe), “believe ” and the preposition epi (e)piv), “in ” and the dative masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (α ) (awf-toce), “ Him .”

Mello

In classical Greek and the Septuagint, the verb mello means, “to be destined” or “likely to” and indicates that something is about to be done with a strong probability in the present or the future. In the Greek New Testament, the verb is used in such a way that the degree of probability of something happening is so great that it can be spoken of as inevitable and it also can denote intended action. The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings: (1) things future, things to come (2) to be on the point of doing or suffering something; to intend, have in mind, think to; of those things which will come to pass (or which one will do or suffer) by fixed necessity or divine appointment; used also of those things which we infer from certain preceding events will of necessity follow; in general of what is sure to happen; to be always on the point of doing without ever doing, i.e. to delay” (pages 396-397). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following lists the following meanings for the word, “to be about to, be on the point of; it serves to express in general a settled futurity; to intend; future as distinguished from past and present; to be always, as it were, about to do, to delay, linger” (page 262). A Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition gives the following meanings for the verb mello : (1) to take place at a future point of time and so to be subsequent to another event, be about to, used with the infinitive following (2) to be inevitable, be destined,

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 19 inevitable (3) the participle is used absolutely in the meaning (in the) future, to come (4) Delay (Pages 627-628). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains lists the following: (1) to occur at a point of time in the future which is subsequent to another event and closely related to it – ‘to be about to’ (67.62). (2) to be inevitable, with respect to future developments – ‘must be, has to be’ (71.36). (3) to extend time unduly, with the implication of lack of decision – ‘to wait, to delay’ (67.121). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following meanings: (1) predominately with an infinitive following; (a) with the future infinitive ε εα will certainly take place, will come to pass (AC 11.28); (b) with the aorist infinitive be on the point of, be about to (RV 3.2); be destined to, be inevitable (GA 3.23); (c) with the present infinitive be about to, be going to, begin to (MK 13.4); as a future or as a periphrasis for settled futurity will, be going to (HE 10.27); denoting intended action have in mind to, intend to, want to (MT 2.13); denoting an action resulting from a divine decree be destined to, must, certainly will (AC 26.22); (2) the present participle used absolutely to denote what is coming future, to come, coming (HE 2.5); neuter participle as a substantive, for an unlimited extent of time to come the future (1T 6.19); (3) as extending time because of indecision ε ; Why do you delay? What are you waiting for? (AC 22.16) (Page 257) In 1 Timothy 1:16, the verb mello is in the articular participle form and is used as a substantive followed by the infinitive form of the verb pisteuo , “ believe ” and means “those who would come in the future.” It speaks of those sinners in the future who would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. The present tense is a “futuristic” present is used to describe a future event and typically adds the connotations of immediacy and certainty. It describes an event that is wholly subsequent to the time of speaking, although as if it were present (Wallace, page 536-537). In our passage, the present tense of mello emphasizes not only the immediacy of Paul serving as an example for those sinners subsequent to him who would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life but also it stresses the certainty of this taking place in the future or subsequent to Paul. The active voice is stative indicating that these sinners exist in the state of those sinners who in the future would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. The verb also functions as a substantive participle as indicated by its articular construction, which serves as a substantiver. The article should rendered with the relative pronoun phrase “those who.” The substantive participle mello also functions as a genitive of reference meaning that it indicates that in reference to which the noun hupotuposis to which it stands related is true.

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Therefore, we will translate mello , “ with respect to those who would in the future .”

Pisteuo

The verb pisteuo means to “to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance,” thus, “to trust, place complete or absolute confidence in” someone or something. In the New Testament, it is always used in relation to the Word of God, the Father, the Son and the Spirit. In the Septuagint, the verb pisteou generally translates the Hebrew verb ` aman in the hiphil stem. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following meanings for pisteuo : (1) as primarily an intellectual evaluation believe (a) with what one is convinced of added as an object believe (in), be convinced of (b) as an evaluative orienter, using hoti or the accusative and an infinitive believe that (c) as having confidence in what is spoken or written, using the dative, believe, give credence to, think to be true (d) as having confidence in a person, using the dative believe, give credence to someone (2) as primarily a religious commitment, especially with God or Christ as the object of faith believe (in), trust (a) with the object in the dative have faith in, believe (b) especially denoting in the dative have faith in, believe (b) especially denoting the exercise of saving faith, with the object expressed by using eis or epi and the accusative, believe in or on (c) as denoting relying upon God for help confidence, believe (3) as committing something to someone entrust, trust; passive as having something committed to someone be entrusted with (Page 314). Louw and Nida list the following usages: (1) to believe something to be true and, hence, worthy of being trusted—‘to believe, to think to be true, to regard as trustworthy’ (31.35). (2) to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance—‘to believe in, to have confidence in, to have faith in, to trust, faith, trust’ (31.85) (3) to believe in the good news about Jesus Christ and to become a follower—‘to be a believer, to be a Christian, Christian faith’ (31.102) (4) to entrust something to the care of someone—‘to entrust to, to put into the care of’ (35.50) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based upon Semantic Domains) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition lists the following meanings for pisteuo : (1) to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust, believe (2) to entrust oneself to an entity in complete confidence, believe (in), trust with the implication of total commitment to the one who is trusted (3) entrust (4) be confident about (5) think/consider (possible) (Pages 816-818).

Faith

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There are three forms of perception: (1) Empiricism: Trusting in one’s experiences in life to make decisions. (2) Rationalism: Trusting in one’s intellect to make decisions in life. (3) Faith: Trusting in the authority of another to make decisions in life. Faith is the only system of perception that God will accept because it is compatible with His grace policy. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (NASU) A sinner is saved and receives the forgiveness of his sins-past, present and future based upon the merits of the object of his faith, Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross. 1 John 2:12 I am providing information in writing at this particular time for the benefit of all of you, little children in view of the fact that for the benefit of all of you, your sins have been forgiven-past, present and future on the basis of His merit. (My translation) Therefore, in relation to the sinner’s justification, the noun pistis “faith ” refers to making the non-meritorious decision to trust or place one’s complete confidence in the Person of Jesus Christ for salvation. Faith demonstrates itself by obedience to the commands of God. The command that the unbeliever must obey in order to receive eternal salvation is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is illustrated by Paul when talking to the Philippian jailor. :27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!’ 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?: They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (NASU) “Believe ” is the verb pisteuo , which is in the imperative form meaning that it is a command and the word means to “trust, place complete confidence in” the Person of Christ in order to receive the gift of eternal life. The object of the Christian’s faith at the moment of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ and the object of his faith after conversion is the written Word of God. Faith for the Christian is trusting in the authority of the Word of God in order to govern one’s life. Faith is obedience to God’s commands and is the positive response to God’s commands and acting upon those directions. The Bible never separates faith from obedience.

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Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. (NASU) Unbelief on the other hand is disobedient and is the negative response to God’s commands and as a result the failure to act upon God’s commands. Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. (NASU) After salvation the believer is to walk by means of faith in the Word of God. 2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. (NASU) Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (NASU) Romans 1:16 For I am never ashamed of the gospel for it is as an eternal spiritual truth God’s power resulting in deliverance for the benefit of everyone who as an eternal spiritual truth believe, to the Jew first and then to the Greek. 17 For by means of it, the righteousness originating from God is as an eternal spiritual truth revealed from faith to faith. Just as it stands written for all of eternity, “But the righteous shall choose for himself to live by means of faith’” (My translation) Galatians 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (NASU) Hebrews 10:37 “FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. 38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.” (NASU) Just as the Christian received the Lord Jesus as his Savior by exercising faith in Him for eternal salvation, so after salvation he is to live by the same principle of faith (Compare Ephesians 2:8-9 with Colossians 2:5-7). The principle of faith operates quite simply: (1) God speaks and we hear His Word. (2) We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be. The circumstances may be impossible, and the consequences frightening and unknown but we obey God’s Word just the same and believe Him to do what is right and what is best. Hebrews 11:1-3 gives a definition of faith and also a description of the nature of faith or in other words, what faith does and how it works. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (NASU)

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Faith is the positive response and obedience to God’s commands and prohibitions and acting upon those directions whereas unbelief on the other hand is disobedient and is the negative response to God’s commands and as a result the failure to act upon God’s commands. A Christian’s faith is based upon trusting in the authority of the Scriptures in order to govern his life and is a non-meritorious system of perception. The object of the sinner’s faith for eternal salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ and the object of his faith after conversion is the written Word of God. In order for the Christian to please God and gain His approval he must trust in the authority of the Scriptures to govern his life (See Hebrews 11:6). Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (NASU) Fellowship with God is based upon a moment-by-moment walk of faith in the Lord. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the {life} which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (NASU) Faith in the Word of God is the way to victory over the enemy, Satan. 1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. (NASU) In fact, the believer is commanded to take up for himself the shield of faith. Ephesians 6:16 In addition to everything, I solemnly charge all of you to take up for yourselves your shield, which is your faith because that will enable all of you to extinguish all the flaming arrows originating from the evil one. (My translation) The believer acquires faith through hearing the communication of the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (NASU) Answered prayer requires faith and is thus an expression of confidence in God’s ability to meet one’s need (Matt. 8:10; Luke 7:9; Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48; Matt. 9:29; 17:20; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:29; Matt. 21:22; Mark 11:24; 1 John 3:21-22; James 1:5-8; 5:15). True faith regards what has been requested as one’s own possession even though the request has not been received. Faith is an attitude toward God, in which the believer considers God to be faithful who will perform all that which He is promised in His Word. This attitude is illustrated in Philippians 1:6. Philippians 1:6 I am confident of this very same thing, namely that, the One (God the Holy Spirit) who began in all of you a good work that is divine

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 24 in character, will completely finish it up to the day of Christ who is Jesus. (My translation) The great saints were men and women who lived by this principle of faith. Hebrews 11:1-3 gives a definition of faith and also a description of the nature of faith or in other words, what faith does and how it works. Hebrews 11 lists many individuals who express faith in God by being obedient to His Word, thus God bears witness to them in His Word…what an honor. They honored God by trusting in His promises, thus God honors them. These individuals are summarized in Hebrews 12:1 as the “ so great a cloud of witnesses .” Hebrews 11:4-40 is devoted to a summary of the lives and labors of great men and women of faith who lived in Old Testament dispensations, Abraham being one of them and his wife Sarah as well. In each instance, you will find the same elements of faith: (1) God spoke to them through His Word. (2) They responded to His Word and obeyed God. (3) God bore witness about them. The Lord will test the believer’s faith after conversion in order to produce endurance in them. James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance 3 vand let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (NASU) The Lord rewards the believer after his faith has been tested. James 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (NASU) This principle is illustrated in the life of Abraham who is called the father of the believer’s faith. Abraham was a man of faith. He was saved by faith and he walked with God by means of faith in Him (Romans 4). There were seven great crises in the life of Abraham, which tested his love for the Lord, his faith in the Lord and his obedience to the Lord: (1) God commanded Abraham to leave behind his parents as recorded in Genesis 12:1 and Hebrews 11:8. (2) God commanded Abraham to live among the Canaanites as an alien (see Genesis 12:1-8; Hebrews 11:9-10). (3) Abraham’s faith was tested in that he had to choose between living in the land of Canaan, trusting that the Lord would take care of him even though there was a famine in the land or leave the land of Canaan and go to Egypt. (4) Abraham had to separate from his nephew Lot as recorded in Genesis 13:5-18. (5) God commanded Abraham to send away Ishmael whom he loved dearly as recorded in Genesis 17:18-21 and 21:12-14. (6) Abraham’s faith was tested in that he had to wait twenty-five years for the birth of Isaac and had to trust that God could deliver on this promise even though he and Sarah were

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 25 biologically unable to have children together because of their advanced age (see Romans 4:18-22).

Pisteuo in 1 Timothy 1:16

In 1 Timothy 1:16, the verb means to “trust, place complete confidence in” the Person of Christ in order to receive the gift of eternal life. It refers to the non- meritorious system of perception of placing one’s “trust” or “confidence in” Jesus Christ as one’s Savior. The verb pisteuo refers to making the non-meritorious decision “to trust” or “place one’s absolute confidence in” the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross in order to receive the gift of eternal life. This verb concludes the theme begun in verse 12 and serves as a rebuke to those pastors in Ephesus who were obsessed by the Law since faith in Christ Jesus is what saves and transforms the sinner into an obedient child of God and not by obedience to the Law. The present tense is a “gnomic present,” which is used to describe something that is true “any” time and “does” take place. This indicates that Paul would serve as an example for all those in the future who would “at any time do” trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. The active voice of the verb indicates that these sinners perform the action of trusting in Jesus Christ for eternal life. The verb functions also as a complementary infinitive meaning it completes the thought of the verb mello . We will translate the verb, “ place their absolute confidence .”

The Object of the Sinner’s Absolute Confidence for Eternal Life

The intensive personal pronoun autos refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. It functions as the object of the preposition epi , which marks the Lord Jesus Christ as the object in which the sinner’s faith or absolute confidence must rest. The word indicates the sinner’s faith or absolute confidence must “rest upon” the Lord Jesus Christ. We will translate the prepositional phrase epi auto , “ upon Him .”

The Gift of Eternal Life through Faith in Christ

1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (NASU) “For eternal life ” is composed of the preposition eis (ε) (eece), “ for ” and the accusative feminine singular form of the noun zoe ( ) (zoe-ee), “ life ,” which is

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 26 followed by the accusative feminine singular form of the adjective aionios (α ) (ay-owe-knee-os), “ eternal .”

Classical Usage of Aionios

The meaning of the adjective aionios is “eternal, perpetual.” Among classical writers this especially refers to “endless time,” a period of time lasting “for an age.” Together with aion the adjective aionios acquired philosophical overtones, especially beginning in the writings of Plato who developed the term along lines of “super-time, an idea of time itself.” Later, individuals and groups adopted this concept and this opened the door for even further speculations about time. Despite the rather singular meaning of aionios in both Biblical and nonbiblical sources, a fundamental difference exists between the classical/philosophical Greek concept of “eternity” and the Biblical attitude. Whereas the Biblical concept of eternity is an eternity filled with time, “endless time,” the philosophical, Greek notion knows only a “timeless eternity.” In eternity there is no such thing as time and no such thing as past, present or future, only an eternal now. According to Plato everything in the created order belonged to the realm of time, while eternity was the exclusive territory of deity. Liddell and Scott list the following meanings for the adjective aionios (Greek- English Lexicon, New Edition, page 45): (1) Perpetual, eternal (2) Holding an office or title for life, perpetual (3) Adverb, eternally, perpetually.

Septuagint Usage Aionios

The adjective aionios appears 152 times in the Septuagint (LXX). Like its cognate noun aion , it is used primarily to translate the Hebrew ` olam (sl*w{u ), “everlasting, all future.” The adjective in the LXX means, “eternal.” The word is often used to describe a “lasting” or “perpetual ordinance” given for all generations (Ex. 30:21; Lev. 7:36 [LXX 7:26]; 10:9; cf. 16:29, 31, 34). Aionios describes the “eternal, everlasting” unconditional covenants that God has made with various individuals in the OT: (1) Adamic (Gn. 3:22). (2) Noahic (Gn. 9:16). (3) Abrahamic (Gn. 17:7-8, 13, 19). (4) Palestinian (Gn. 13:15). (5) Davidic (2 S. 23:5 [LXX 2 K. 23:5]; 1 Ch. 16:17). (6) New (Jer. 31:40). The Adamic and Noahic covenants are related to the theocentric dispensation of the Gentiles, which preceded the creation of the nation of Israel and its dispensation, which is subsequent to that to of the Gentiles. These are all unconditional covenants whose fulfillment is contingent upon the faithfulness of God.

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The Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New covenants are all unconditional covenants directly related to the nation of Israel and its future. The adjective aionios is used also in relation to the 6 of 7 feasts of Israel: (1) Passover (Ex. 12:14). (2) Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12:17). (3) First-Fruits (Lev. 23:14). (4) Pentecost (Lev. 23:15). (5) Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:31). (6) Tabernacles (Lev. 23:41). The word is not used in relation to the Feast of Trumpets. It is used of the eternal salvation of Israel (Is. 45:17). The adjective is used to describe God (Gen. 21:33). Daniel describes the Lord’s dominion and rule under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to be aionios , “eternal” (Dn. 7:14, 27). The LXX translators appeared to shy away from using the adjective aionios in the philosophical sense, even in the more Hellenistic writings. The noun aion appears over 450 times in the LXX. In the LXX aion is the primary equivalent of the Hebrew ` olam (sl*w{u ). The concepts behind this word greatly influence the definition of aion in the Greek New Testament. In reference time the word points to an existence beyond that which is material, an unlimited, undefined, and unknown period of time, either past or future. The term also contains the concept of being uninterrupted. Depending on the context it can be translated “formerly, always, eternal, all eternity.” It is ` olam and its cognates which the Old Testament most frequently relies upon to describe “eternal” concepts and “eternity.” The Old Testament often understands the expressions “eternal” and “eternity” as relative in meaning. The nature of the matter in question and the pertinent circumstances determine the interpretation (Job 20:4; Josh. 24:2; Jer. 28:8). The word ` olam retains its relative nature in expressions of future time such as in connection with the divine institutions in Israel (Ex. 12:14; 31:16; Dt. 15:17; 1 Ch. 16:11; 2 Ch. 7:16; Ps. 105:10). The word is used in relation to the Noahic covenant (Gen. 9:16). The terms “eternal” and “eternity” are also employed in the absolute sense. They are used in relation to the existence of God (Dt. 32:40). It is used in relation to the attributes of God and His superiority over His creatures (Ge. 21:33; Dt. 33:27; Is. 40:28). God is in the absolute sense eternal in His relationship with humanity. The eternal nature of God is used in relation to the following concepts in the OT: (1) Light for His people (Is. 60:19). (2) Eternal king (Ex. 15:18). (3) Eternal might (Dan. 4:34). (4) Love (Jer. 31:3). (5) Mercy (Ps. 106:1). (6) Faithfulness (Ps. 146:6). (7) Salvation (Is. 45:17). (8) Anger toward sin (Mal. 1:4). (9) Righteousness (Dan. 9:24). (10) New Covenant (Is. 55:3; 61:8). (11) Messiah (Is. 9:6). (12) Word of God (Is. 40:8). (13) Man has eternity in his heart (Ecc. 3:11).

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A figurative use of the eternity concept appears in the expression “from eternity to eternity” (Ps. 90:2 [LXX 89:2]; 103:17 [102:17] ). This denotes through a means of polarity, the extent of something immeasurable. Nowhere in the OT does “eternity” carry a philosophical meaning. Therefore, `olam can denote a prolonged period of time which extends beyond sight which is hidden and secret and which cannot be comprehended. Nevertheless as with the Greek aion , ` olam can refer to near and temporal things.

New Testament Usage of Aionios

The adjective aionios appears 71 times in the Greek New Testament. Throughout the Greek New Testament, aionios can be translated “eternal.” The noun aion is employed more than 100 times in the Greek New Testament. It primarily means “eternal,” but in other instances it carries the same definitions and nuances, which are found in classical Greek and in the LXX. The word is related to the following concepts in the Greek New Testament: (1) Totality of visible creation (Heb. 1:2). (2) Cosmic system of Satan (Eph. 2:2). (3) End of the Cosmic System of Satan (Mt. 28:20). (4) Future Millennial Reign of Christ (Mk. 10:30). (5) Eternal State (Eph. 2:7). (6) Eternity (John 9:32). (7) Eternal Life (Jn. 10:28). (10) Old Testament Dispensations (Col. 1:26). (11) Eternal Condemnation in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:3). (12) Eternal Nature of Christ (1 Ti. 1:17). (13) The Will of the Father in Eternity Past (Eph. 3:11). (14) Eternal Nature of the Word of God (1 Pet. 1:25). (15) Eternal Nature of Christ’s High Priesthood (Heb. 7:17). (16) Worship of Christ (Rev. 4:10). The word is used with the preposition eis to express the concept of eternity. It appears regularly in the doxologies and offerings of praise. The noun appears in the formula eis ton aiona tou aionos to emphasize the concept of eternity (Phlp. 4:20; Eph. 3:21). This repetition of the word is the figure of Polyptoton appearing in context of praise to both the Father and the Son. It is actually a Hebrew idiom. Each member of the Trinity is inherently eternal life (Father: John 1:1; 5:26; Son: John 1:1; 1 John 5:11; Spirit: Heb. 9:14). God is a Spirit (John 4:24); therefore, God is invisible. The Creator of the universe is immaterial or invisible. Because God is a Spirit, God is life (Jer. 10:10; John 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:19). God lives because He has life. Unregenerate humanity has soul life but not eternal life, which is received at the moment of salvation through regeneration. Eternal life has no beginning or end; therefore, God has always existed. God will always exist as He does now in the present. The life of the unbeliever is everlasting life, while the life of the believer is eternal life, which is received at the moment of personal faith in Jesus Christ. God

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 29 gives eternal life at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 18, 36; 10:10; 14:6; 20:31; 1 John 5:11-12). The Lord Jesus Christ is eternal life (John 14:6) and has therefore, always existed. The Lord Jesus Christ as the Creator is the Source of all life (Heb. 1:2). The Trinity is self-existent meaning they exist eternally (Ex. 3:14). The Trinity is unsustained or by any other source. God’s existence cannot be changed. All things exist because of God and He causes all things to exist. No one causes God to exist. Eternity is an attribute of God related to time. God has always existed and will always exist. He is the Cause and Origin of time; He is not subject to time like human beings (Deut. 32:40; Psa. 90:2; 102:27; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:4; 1 Tim. 1:17). God invented time for us and not Himself. Time is the way God manifests eternity to us. Angels and men must adjust to eternal God by receiving eternal life as a gift. Both angels and men think in terms of time and cannot live without time. God has always lived without needing time and will always-live not needing time. God is not time, but time is in God. Think of a big circle as representing eternity and time is like a dot inside the circle. Eternity is infinity in relation to time. This means that our concept of time is based upon eternity. Immensity is an attribute of God related to space. God is not subject to the laws of time, matter and space but in fact He invented time, matter and space for His creatures to exist. God created time, matter and space for angels and men. Time, matter and space are immense but insignificant in relation to God. God is outside of time, matter and space and does not need time, matter and space to function for there is no space to contain Him. Since, God is infinity and has no boundaries or limitations, it is impossible for God to need space for it is too small for Him. The adjective aionios is used to the Lake of Fire (Mt. 18:8; Jude 7). John uses the word for the life of God (Jn. 4:36; 6:54). The adjective is used quite a bit in conjunction with zoe , which refers to the life of God (Jn. 3:15-16; 4:36; 5:24; 5:39; 6:27; 6:40, 47; Rm. 5:21; 6:23). It is of course used quite often to describe salvation (Mt. 19:16; Lk. 10:25; 18:18; John 3:15-16; 4:14; 5:24; 6:47; Rm. 5:21; 6:23; He. 5:19). The doctrines of Christ are described as aionios in John 6:68. The adjective is used to describe rewards for the eternal state (2 Co. 4:17; Gal. 6:8; 1 Ti. 6:19; 2 Ti. 2:10; Heb. 9:15). It is used to describe the resurrection body of the believer in 2 Corinthians 5:1. Paul uses aionios in a doxology in Philippians 4:20. It is used to describe the condemnation of the unbeliever who rejects Christ as Savior (2 Th. 1:9). Paul uses it in :17 to describe the comfort that God gives the believer and he uses it in :12 in relation to the post-salvation spiritual life of the believer.

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The adjective aionios is used to describe the redemption of the believer (Heb. 9:12). It is used to describe the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 9:14. The word is used to describe the covenant of salvation in Hebrews 13:20. It is used to describe the millennial kingdom and reign of Christ (2 Pet. 1:11). Aionios is used to describe the incarnation and hypostatic union of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1 John 1:2, thus in this passage it describes the eternality of the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man. The word is used to describe the life of God that is in the Person of Christ (1 Jn. 5:11). In Revelation 14:6, the word is used to describe the Gospel. The adjective aionios is used to describe God in Romans 16:26. It is used of eternity past in Romans 16:25. The word is used to describe the life of God, which is received through faith alone in Christ alone and is a gift of salvation. The believer is commanded to experience this life after salvation, which this is command is faithfully executed will result in a more intimate and richer experience in a resurrection body. This life of God that the believer receives at conversion and can experience after conversion is described as aionios because it transcends time, matter and space. It has no beginning and end. The believer who experiences the eternal life of God after salvation will be able to transcend his experiences whether adversity or prosperity (cf. Phlp. 4:10-18). Remaining in fellowship with God and applying the Word of eternal life, which in turn permits the Spirit of eternal life to reproduce the eternal life of Christ in the believer, produces this post-salvation experience. The Lord Jesus Christ uses this word aionios in John 17:2-3 where He states to His disciples that knowing the Father and the Son experientially is eternal life. This post-salvation experience demands the exchange of the believer’s will for the Father’s will (Jn. 12:25). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament lists the following usages for the adjective: (1) It is used of God. As a predicate of God aionios contains not merely the concept of unlimited time without beginning or end, but also of the eternity, which transcends time. (2) It is also used of divine possessions and gifts. (3) A term for the object of eschatological expectation (volume 1, pages 208-209). Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “ Aionios ‘describes duration, either undefined but not endless, as in Rom 16:25; 2 Tim 1:9; :2; or undefined because endless as in Rom 16:26, and the other sixty-six places in the NT.’ The predominant meaning of aionios , that in which it is used everywhere in the NT, save the places noted above, may be seen in 2 Cor 4:18, where it is set in contrast with proskairos , lit., 'for a season,' and in Philem 15, where only in the NT it is used without a noun. Moreover it is used of persons and things which are in their nature endless, as, e. g., of God, Rom 16:26; of His power, 1 Tim 6:16, and of

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His glory, 1 Peter 5:10; of the Holy Spirit, Heb 9:14; of the redemption effected by Christ, Heb 9:12, and of the consequent salvation of men, 5:9, as well as of His future rule, 2 Peter 1:11, which is elsewhere declared to be without end, Luke 1:33; of the life received by those who believe in Christ, John 3:16, concerning whom He said, 'they shall never perish,' 10:28, and of the resurrection body, 2 Cor 5:1, elsewhere said to be 'immortal,' 1 Cor 15:53, in which that life will be finally realized, Matt 25:46; Titus 1:2. Aionios is also used of the sin that 'hath never forgiveness,' Mark 3:29, and of the judgment of God, from which there is no appeal, Heb 6:2, and of the fire, which is one of its instruments, Matt 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7, and which is elsewhere said to be 'unquenchable,' Mark 9:43. The use of aionios here shows that the punishment referred to in 2 Thess 1:9, is no temporary, but final, and, accordingly, the phraseology shows that its purpose is not remedial but retributive.” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) pertaining to a long period of time, long ago (2) pertaining to a period of time without beginning or end, eternal (3) pertaining to a period of unending duration, without end. The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon (pages 20): (1) Without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be (2) Without beginning (3) Without end, never to cease, everlasting. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, “indeterminate as to duration, eternal, everlasting” (page 11). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, “Pertaining to an unlimited duration of time – ‘eternal’ (volume 2, page 642). Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament lists the following NT usages of the adjective (volume 1, page 47): (1) The eternity of God and the divine realm. (2) The blessings of eschatological salvation. (3) Everlasting conditions which have no beginning or end.

Aionios in 1 Timothy 1:16

In 1 Timothy 1:16, the adjective aionios means, “eternal” and is modifying the noun zoe , “ life ” and describes the nature of the life ( zoe ) of God in the sense that it has no beginning and no end and is thus an ever present now. Eternal life is an attribute of God. The eternal life of God does not simply emphasize that it is a life that never ends but it is also a particular quality of life. It is a life in which the believer has knowledge of the Trinity in an experiential sense of personally encountering them through faith along in Christ alone and through the process of fellowship after conversion. In 1 Timothy 1:16, the describes the life of God as

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“eternal” in nature. This life is received by the sinner the moment they exercise faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Eternal Life

Since, each member of the Trinity is co-equal, co-infinite and co-eternal, each also is eternal life: (1) God the Father is eternal life (Jo. 5:26; 6:57; 1 Th. 1:9). (2) The Word of God is eternal life (Jn. 5:26, 6:35 Phlp. 2:16; 1 Jo. 1:1) (3) The Holy Spirit is eternal life (Jn. 6:63; Rm. 8:2). Eternal life is the very life of God has no beginning and no end and transcends time, matter and space. God is an “ever present now” because He is by nature, eternal life. Eternal life is received as a gift from God the moment you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His uniquely born Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (My translation) The Lord Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God and therefore He is also the incarnate eternal life of God and to reject that He is God is to reject eternal life. John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. (NASU) John 5:26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself.” (NASU) John 6:33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world. (NASU) John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (NASU) John 6:48 “I am the bread of life.” (NASU) John 6:54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (NASU) John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (NASU) John 6:68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” (NASU) John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (NASU) John 10:28 “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (NASU) John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” (NASU)

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John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (NASU) John 14:19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.” (NASU) John 17:1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, 2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (NASU) John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. (NASU) Acts 3:14 “But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.” (NASU) Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NASU) Colossians 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (NASU) 2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (NASU) Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. 15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. (NASU) The Lord Jesus Christ who is the incarnate eternal Word of life came into the world in order that He might give eternal life to men so that they could have fellowship with God.

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1 John 1:1-3 teaches that the apostle John teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ who is the incarnate eternal life of God came into the world in order that He might give eternal life to men and He did this so that men could enjoy and experience fellowship with God. 1 John 1:1 Who has always existed from eternity past, who we have heard, who we have witnessed with our eyes, who we observed, even our hands touched concerning the Word who is the life (of God). 2 That is, this One who is the life (of God) was revealed (by the Holy Spirit) and we have witnessed and we testify and we are proclaiming (from God) at this particular time for the benefit of all of you this One who is the eternal life (of God), who indeed by virtue of His divine nature has always existed face to face with the Father and was revealed (by the Holy Spirit) for the benefit of all of us. 3 Who, we have witnessed and we have heard, we also are proclaiming (from God) at this particular time for the benefit of all of you in order that all of you without exception might also continue to experience fellowship and this fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus who is the Christ. (My translation) 1 John 2:25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. (NASU) 1 John 5:11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. (NASU) 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. (NASU) At the moment of conversion, through regeneration, the Holy Spirit creates a human spirit for the imputation of eternal life by God the Father, which makes the believer a new spiritual species meaning he now possesses the divine nature. “Regeneration” is a ministry performed by the Holy Spirit on behalf of a person the moment they believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior where He creates a human spirit for the person so that they might receive the imputation of eternal life. Titus 3:5 He (God the Holy Spirit) saved us, not on the basis of deeds (human works) which we have done in (human power) righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. (NASU) This human spirit with eternal life imputed to it composes the believer’s new nature, i.e. the new self and this new nature is the nature of Christ. This act of regeneration makes the believer a new spiritual species, which is the nature of Christ that can never sin and that is described in Scripture by many phrases such as the “ new self, new man, newness of life, new creation .”

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Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were identified with Christ have clothed yourselves with the nature of Christ . (NASU) 1 Corinthians 15:45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit . (NASU) 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new spiritual species ; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (NASU) 2 Peter 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature , having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (NASU) 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God . (NASU) The human spirit is the receptacle for eternal life and together they give the believer the capacity to metabolize and apply spiritual phenomena communicated by the Holy Spirit through the teaching of the Word of God and to pray according to the will of God and to worship and serve God. Philippians 4:23 May the grace which originates from the Lord Jesus Christ be communicated to your human spirit. Amen. (My translation) The fact that all believers received a human spirit and eternal life at the moment of salvation through regeneration makes the believer “trichotomous” in the sense that he has a body, soul and human spirit. In His “bread of life” discourse recorded in John 6:22-69, our Lord taught that the eternal Word of God became a human being in order to give eternal life to those who would believe in Him. The “ bread of life ” discourse in John 6:22-69 teaches the importance of obeying the Word of God in order to enjoy and experience fellowship with God. Since the Word of God is food for the soul and sustains and prospers the soul. True life does not consist in an abundance of “things” but rather a relationship and fellowship with the Triune God. In His Great High Priestly Prayer recorded in John 17, the Lord states that eternal life is knowing the Father experientially. John 17:1 Jesus spoke these things ( John 13-16 ); and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You 2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 3 This is eternal life, that they may know ( ginosko , “to know experientially ”) You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (NASU) Eternal life is knowing the Father and the Son experientially in the sense of personally encountering them through the process of fellowship as They are revealed in the pages of Scripture and prayer by God the Holy Spirit. It also

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 36 involves being affected by this encounter with the Father and the Son resulting in the gaining of practical spiritual wisdom and more of the character of Christ. Eternal life gives the believer the capacity to experience fellowship with God after being delivered from eternal condemnation. Experiencing eternal life after salvation is described by Paul in Romans 6:4 as walking “ in newness of life .” Romans 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (NASU) It is appropriated after salvation by the believer who obeys the Spirit of life who reveals the will of the Father of life through the communication of the Word of life. The believer who exercises faith in the teaching of the Word of God that he has been crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ will experience eternal life in time. At the moment of salvation, through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit placed the believer in union with Christ, identifying him with Christ’s crucifixion (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20), His death (Romans 6:2, 7-8; Colossians 2:20; 3:3), His burial (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12), His resurrection (Romans 6:5; Ephesians 2:6; Philippians 3:10-11; Colossians 2:12; 3:1) and His session (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1). The believer can not only experience victory and deliverance over sin, Satan and his cosmic system by appropriating by faith the teaching of the Word of God that he has been crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ but he can also experience eternal life (Romans 6:11-23; 8:1-17; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:5-17). The will of the Father for the believer is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29; Ephesians 4:11-16). This is accomplished by the believer appropriating by faith the teaching that he has been crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ. By doing, the believer will experience eternal life in time. Therefore, the believer experiences eternal life in time and thus experiences fellowship with God in time by obeying the will of the Father of life, which is revealed to the believer by the Spirit of life through the communication of the Word of life. The believer who is obedient to the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit through the communication of the Word of God will live in eternal life and thus experience fellowship with God. In Romans 8:1-8, Paul teaches that those whose minds concentrate upon the things of the Spirit, which are heard through the Word of God, will experience eternal life and fellowship with God whereas those whose minds are set upon the lusts of the sin nature will not experience fellowship with God.

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Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (NASU) In Galatians 6:7-8, Paul describes setting the mind on the things of the flesh as “sowing to one’s flesh” and setting the mind of the things of the Spirit as “sowing to the Spirit.” Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (NASU) As we noted in Romans 6:22-23, Paul taught that the believer who obeys the flesh will result in temporal death meaning loss of fellowship whereas the one who obeys the spiritual will experience eternal life. As the believer appropriates the Lord Jesus, the Lord becomes the believer’s life. He can become life to the believer, because He is the “ living bread .” Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (NASU)

Classical Usage of Zoe

The verb zao is contracted to zo , and its corresponding noun zoe , are both found from Homer onwards. There are three primary uses in classical Greek for zoe : (1) “One’s means of existence, i.e., livelihood.” (2) “Life or existence itself.” (3) “Lifestyle.” Rudolph Bultmann commenting on the word’s classical usage, writes, “ zoe denotes in Greek the physical vitality of organic beings, animals, men and also plants. Life is understood, not as a thing, but as vitality, as the nature or manner, which characterizes all living creatures as such. Since zoe is the self-evident being of man in which he always finds himself, and not something which establishes or

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 38 encounters him or alternates, zoe is never hypostatised or deified. cf. phusis , thanatos , hugieia . In Greek there is no figurative representation of zoe” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 2, pages 832-833). Zoe is most commonly defined as movement in the broadest sense and not merely spatial movement. It is self-movement as distinct from mechanical movement and thus belongs to physics, and, in so far as this seeks causes, the cause of zoe is found in the psuche , “soul.” Thus in Plato the immortality of the soul is maintained in view of the fact that psuche and zoe belong essentially together (Phaedr. 105c; cf. Phaedr. 245c ff.; Soph. 248e ff.). Bultmann makes the following comment regarding the classical usage of zoe , he writes, “ Zoe can also be posited of the godhead to the extent that the gods, which are regarded as athanatoi both in philosophy and in popular superstition, are still classified as zoa having soma and psuche , the only point being that this sustasis is never dissolved. Thus Plato distinguishes between athanata and theta zoa (Phaedr. 246d ff.; Tim. 38c ff.). Of course, the gods which are accepted as athanatoi (the constellations) are not Supreme Being or supreme deity. Their immortality is simply unending duration in time, whereas non-temporal eternity is ascribed to supreme deity, so that zoe cannot properly be assigned to it. In Phaed. 106d Plato links together as immortal God and the eidos of zoe (ho de ge theos...kai auto to tes zoes eidos kai ei ti allo athanaton estin ). For him the cosmos is a zoon emphuchon , but it is the son of God and not supreme deity itself (Tim. 30b; 34b, 37c, 92b). On the other hand, in Soph. 248e kinesis , zoe , psuche and pronesis are ascribed to the pantelos on as well. For Aristotle the deity is incorporeal and unmoved as proton kinoun , but it is still a zoon , its zoe being eternal. Inasmuch as the deity is pantheistically understood as the total kosmos , the zoon emphuchon , we naturally find the scientific concept of zoe as the vitality of the whole taking individual shape in the specific phenomena of organic life as they rise and change and fall. Yet in Aristotle the deity stands outside the kosmos as pure nous . The energeia of nous is zoe , but the energeia of the divine nous is zoe ariste kai aidios (Metaph. XI, 7, p. 1072b, 26 ff.) (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume II, pages 833-834). H.G. Link commenting on the word writes the following, “For the Greeks life belongs to the category of natural science being characterized by the power of self- movement as distinct from mechanical movement (Plato, Leg. 10, 895c ff; Phaedr. 245c ff.; Aristotle An. 2, 2 pg. 412b, 16f. pg 413a, 22 ff.). The cause of life is considered to be the psuche , “soul,” Diogenes of Apollonia imagined as an etherial substance ( aer ), while Xenophanes thought of it as a fluttering breath ( pneuma ). Just as psuche and zoe belong very closely together in Greek thought, so do psuche and soma , “body” (Plato, Phaedr. 105c ff.; Aristotle, An. 2, 1 pg 412b, 7 ff.); natural life is made up of the components soul and body. Not only each single

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 39 individual but also the entire universe is thought of as a living organism ( zoon empsuchon , Plato, Tim. 30b) or as a world with a soul ( kosmos empsuchos ). Even the gods are imagined largely as living creatures (zoa ) having bipartite natures analogous to the human body and soul (Aristotle, Metaph. 11, 7 pg 1072b, 28 ff.). Thus Plato distinguishes between living creatures, which are thneta (mortal men), and athanata (immortal, i.e., gods) (Tim. 38c ff.). The Greeks considered a third component to be specific to human life, namely, the reason, mind, or understanding ( nous ). While the soma and to some extent the psuche go to make up natural life, the nous is a divine element which enters human life from outside, enhancing it beyond the natural life of animals and producing a type of existence capable of various alternatives ( bios ). Among the Stoics the slogan kata phusin zen , to live according to nature, assumed great importance. This phrase does not imply instinctive existence, but rather life which is virtuous or lived according to reason ( kata logon ), and which enables the man who is otherwise “dead” to fulfill the purpose of his existence (Epictectus, Dissertationes, 1, 9, 19; 2, 9, 7 f.; 25f. 4, 11, 3). The Greeks of the classical period saw their ideal as active involvement in the public affairs of the polis , in the Hellenistic period the Stoics idealized complete withdrawal from the outward bustle of the world, and the cultivation of one’s own inner life. The neo-Platonist differentiated between life in this world and life beyond this world. Gnosticism saw life as a descent. Zoe was associated with phos, “light,” by the Gnostic. Light was essentially divine, a tangible fluid in the divine world, definitely a physical entity, but at the same time something indestructible and possessed of lifegiving power; in word immortality ( athanasia ). In the human world this pure divine life is intermingled with matter, being imprisoned in the body. It is not present in its fullness but only in the form of tiny, scattered sparks of life. Hence, one must break free from the prison house of the body in order to enjoy, as least temporarily, the ecstatic vision ( gnosis , “knowledge”), to attain to the unity, which exists between the inner, sparks of life and the supernatural life in the divine world. This true life is attained on earth only in fleeting moments of ecstasy. Its full enjoyment must be reserved for the future, when all particles of life and light presently scattered within matter reunite in the divine world. There were 2 trends in Greek philosophy within this area of thought: True life is progressively divorced from concrete, everyday events and transferred to a supernatural, divine world. Life is increasingly seen as something tangible, “scientific”, so that true human life manifests itself not so much in the continuum of historical events as in discontinuous moments of ecstatic vision, totally divorced from history” (New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, volume 2, pages 476-477). The Complete Biblical Library states the following in its discussion of zoe , “For the ancient Greek natural life was shared by humanity, plants and animals. The

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 40 entire universe was regarded as a living entity. And yet human life was not viewed simply as the kind of natural existence enjoyed by animals. The primary distinction of life in Greek thought was between the rational life of mankind and the irrational life of animals. Thus for the Greeks the distinctive nature of human existence was the presence of “reason, the mind” ( nous , the presence of the divine within man). The precise goal of life was disputed among ancient philosophers. Classical thinkers regarded involvement in the affairs of the polis , “city,” as ideal. However, the Stoics of later Hellenism contended that withdrawal from the external (i.e., the polis) and retreat to the internal was essential for life. The ancient Greeks reasoned that true life was not in the material existence ( somata ) or the events of history. True existence ( zoe ) was to be understood as escape from the world of history to the supernatural world of nous -the distinctive nature of human existence which Gnosticism and neo-Platonism advocated. (Greek-English Dictionary Zeta-Kappa 2176-2947). For the Stoics zoe is physical life expressed in all organic creatures. The Neo- Platonist views zoe as belonging essentially to the psuche , “soul.” In Gnosticism, however, zoe without attribute denotes the divine life. Bultmann writes the following article regarding the word’s classical usage, he writes, “It thus appears that the term zoe implies a concept of true life hereafter which must have the character of individuality and which already has this to the degree that zoe includes a definite self-understanding and experience. But since man is severed from his historical particularity when the true man is loosed from the soma through which he first receives the concrete possibilities of historical life, freedom from death really means freedom from the specific possibilities of human existence (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament volume 2, page 842). Zoe and bios view life from different perspectives. Therefore the two are not synonymous terms to the Greek mind. Inevitably and regrettably, by using one word in the English language to translate both Greek words, we have concealed the important differences between these 2 words. Zoe is closely related to ao , aemi , “to breathe, the breath of life,” which is a necessary condition of living and to pneuma , “spirit,” and psuche , “soul.” Zoe refers to intensive life whereas bios refers to extensive life, the period or duration of life. Bios also refers to the means by which that life is sustained. In a tertiary sense, it refers to the manner in which that life is spent, that is, one’s profession or career. Bios has an ethical sense when it refers to a manner of life. According to Trench, “When bios is used to refer to a manner of life, it often has an ethical sense not found in the classical usage of zoe . Aristotle said that the slave is a ‘partner of zoes’ (he lives with the family) but not ‘a partner of biou’ (he does not share in the career of his master). According to Ammonius, Aristotle

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 41 defined bios as ‘a rational life,’ and Ammonius argued that bios was never, except incorrectly applied to the existence of plants or animals but only to the lives of men. Although that distinction is made too absolutely, it is a real one that is reflected in our words zoology and biography but not in biology, which as now used is a manifest misnomer. On the one hand, we speak of ‘zoology,’ for animals (zoa ) live equally with men and may be classified according to the differences of their natural lives. On the other hand, we speak of ‘biography’ for human beings, not merely because they live but because they lead lives and make moral choices. They not only have ‘years of existence ( zoes ),’ they also have ‘ways of living (biou )’ (Prov. 4:10)” (Synonyms of the New Testament, page 108). Trench goes on to say later in the same article, “Although bios , not zoe , is used in an ethical sense in classical Greek, in Scripture the opposite seems to be the case. In the New Testament zoe is the more noble word and expresses the highest and best that the saints possess in God” (Synonyms of the New Testament, page 109).

Septuagint Usage of Zoe

The Greeks fragmented view of life was totally foreign to the Old Testament viewpoint. Life for the Hebrew was not natural or scientific phenomena but rather primarily was a duration meaning that the days of man’s life are granted by God, the Lord of life and therefore, life itself is designed for His purpose. Ordinarily zoe translates chayyim (syyj ) in the LXX. There are 9 other Hebrews terms, which are served by zoe on an occasion. The relevant Hebrew vocabulary is as follows: (1) Chayyim (syyj ) (noun), “life.” (2) Chayah (hyj ) (verb), “to live”; Piel: “to keep alive (Judg. 21:14; “to give life, revive” (Neh. 9:6; Psa. 71:20 [70:20]); Hiphil: “to make alive” (2 King. 5:7). (3) Chay (yj ) (adjective), “recover, live” (2 King. 8:10, 14; Ezek. 3:21; 18:9, 13). In the OT, the Lord Jesus Christ ( Jehovah Elohim ) is the author of life. Human life originates with God (Gen. 2:7), and is a gift (Job 10:12; Psa. 21:4 [LXX 20:4]). The Lord gives human life and is the source of it (Psa. 36:9 [LXX 35:9]; Psa. 104:30 [103:30]). The Lord is the master of life meaning that He gives and takes it away as His sovereign will desires (Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6 [LXX 1 Kings 2:6f.]). It is the Lord Jesus Christ Who sustains life (Job 10:12; 14:5), and has given mankind days and not years to live (Gen. 25:7; 47:9; Deut. 4:9; 6:2; 32:39). Life itself is highly esteemed, and a long life is the reward of God (Deut. 5:16; 30:15, 19). The Lord Jesus Christ as the Creator, created the physical body of Adam and then breathed into his nostrils the “breath of lives” (Gen. 2:7).

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Genesis 2:7 Next, the Lord God constructed Adam from the dust of the ground and then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Consequently, Adam became a living soul. (My translation) “Constructed ” is the verb yatsar (rx^y*), “to construct something out of existing material,” which is used in reference to the physical body of Adam and indicates that the Lord designed the appearance and function of the human body. Psalm 139:14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (NASU) “From the ground ” indicates that the Lord constructed from the elements of the ground, Adam’s physical body. Psalm 103:14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. (NASU) The physical body of Adam was “not” created in the image of God but rather his soul since Genesis 1:26-27 states that Adam was created in the image of God and this is not said of his physical body. Genesis 1:26 Next, God decreed let Us model man in Our image, according to Our likeness. Consequently, they will rule over the fish in the various bodies of water and over the birds in the earth’s atmosphere and over the animal kingdom and over the entire earth and over each and every creeper- crawler, those which crawl upon the earth. 27 Consequently, God created out of nothing the essence of man in His own image. In the image of God, He created him out of nothing. Male and female, He created them out of nothing. (My translation) Furthermore, the Lord Jesus Christ taught in John 4:24 that God is spirit and thus invisible therefore, the human body could not be formed in the image of God but rather the soul of man, which is invisible. Genesis 2:7 Next, the Lord God constructed Adam from the dust of the ground and then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Consequently, Adam became a living soul. (My translation) “Breathed into ” is the verb naphach , which has as its subject, the Lord, thus teaching that He is responsible for human life and not man. Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made (` asah ) me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (NASU) “Breath of life ” means that God produces the human soul life. The human soul contains: (1) Volition: Enables us to make decisions (2) Self- consciousness: We are aware of who we are (3) Conscience: Where our norms and standards reside (4) Mentality: Where we do our thinking (5) Emotion: Where we respond to what is in the mentality of the soul. Genesis 2:7 teaches that Adam did “not” become a living soul until God imputed soul life to his biological life, thus, indicating that life does “not” begin

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 43 until God imputes soul life to the physical body. The Lord is the Creator of every human soul-past, present and future but Adam is the only human being to have his physical body personally formed by the Lord since the physical bodies of every human being since Adam have been produced by the sexual union between men and women. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only human being to be born with a human spirit, thus demonstrating further His uniqueness and everyone else in the human race receives a human spirit with eternal life imputed to it the moment they accept the Lord Jesus as their Savior. In Genesis 1:26, God “modeled” man after His image in the sense that He made man to reflect His invisible essence, thus man as to his essence is the shadow image of God who is invisible, thus the essence of man is invisible, i.e. the soul. When I say, “model” I mean that the soul of mankind is a “copy” of God and is “patterned” after God’s invisible essence. Like God, mankind would have personality and would be a moral rational being. Mankind would have a soul that would be composed of volition, self- consciousness, a mentality, emotion and a conscience. Therefore, like God, man could make choices and decisions because he would have a volition. Like God, mankind would have a mentality and would be able to form thoughts and concepts. Like God, mankind would be conscious of self and would have emotion in the sense that he would be able to respond to what is in the mentality of his soul. Like God, mankind would have a conscience where the norms and standards reside from which to co-exist with both God and other moral rational creatures. The essence of mankind is his soul, which would be invisible just as God who is spirit is invisible. Thus, the soul of man was created according to the invisible essence of God. Also, mankind is created and modeled in the image of God in the sense that God delegated authority to Adam, thus like God, Adam would rule over the earth and would be sovereign over the earth. The soul of man was created according to the image of God and not his physical body! The verb bara in Genesis 1:27 teaches us that the soul of Adam was “created out of nothing” whereas the verb ` asah in Genesis 1:26 indicates that the soul of Adam was “modeled” according the likeness and image of God Himself. The verb yatsa , “to produce out of existing material” in Genesis 2:7 refers to the physical body of Adam. Therefore, we have the “dichotomy” of Adam and the woman meaning that they were composed of body ( soma) and soul ( psuche ).

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Regenerate human beings meaning human beings who are saved are “trichotomous” meaning they are composed of body ( soma ), soul ( psuche ) and spirit ( pneuma ). 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NASU) We must remember that Adam and the woman were unique. When Adam and the woman were created, they were created perfect. Prior to the Fall, Adam and the woman had fellowship with God based upon the perfection of their soul life and not by utilizing eternal life since eternal life is received through regeneration, which is the Holy Spirit’s ministry on behalf of sinners who have exercised faith alone in Christ alone. Adam and the woman received eternal life “after” they had fallen and had exercised faith alone in Christ alone. Since the Fall of Adam, every person that is born into the world receives the imputation of Adam’s sin in the garden, which makes them physically alive but spiritually dead. Thus, every person born into the world is “dichotomous” meaning that they have a: (1) Body ( soma ) (2) Soul (psuche ). They don’t have a human spirit because they are spiritually dead and need to be regenerated. Adam and the woman were not spiritually dead because prior to the Fall because they did not have a human spirit since their perfection of soul life was the basis for their fellowship with God. At the moment of salvation, God the Holy Spirit created a human spirit for Adam and the woman so that the Father could impute eternal life to it. Thus, after the fall, Adam and the Woman’s relationship with God was restored by the Holy Spirit and the imputation of eternal life. This is process that they experienced is called in theology “regeneration.” Regeneration makes a person “trichotomous.” Regeneration takes place at the moment of salvation when the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit creates a human spirit in the believer in order that they may receive the imputation of eternal life thus giving the believer a new divine nature that is created in the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Regeneration is our spiritual birth and is a theological word for being born-again. Therefore, the original man and woman, Adam and Ishah were “dichotomous” (Gen. 2:7) and not “trichotomous” since eternal life is not imputed to a human spirit until the spiritual birth or regeneration. Prior to the Fall, Adam and the woman had fellowship with God based upon the perfection of their soul life and not by utilizing eternal life. In 1 Corinthians 15:45, Paul’s statement that the first Adam, “ became a living soul ” clearly indicates that God did not create Adam with a human spirit since if He did create him with a human spirit, the Scriptures would not have called him a

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“living soul .” But rather, the Scriptures call our Lord a “ spirit ” as the Scriptures state of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Last Adam. 1 Corinthians 15:45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (NASU) Also further indicating that Adam was created dichotomous is the plural form of the abstract noun chayyim in Genesis 2:7. Genesis 2:7 Next, the Lord God constructed Adam from the dust of the ground and then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Consequently, Adam became a living soul. (My translation) The word “ life ” is the masculine “plural” form of the noun chayyim . Therefore, this phrase literally means, “breath of lives.” Some suggest that the plural of this word refers to the human spirit and soul life but this is emphatically not the case. The Hebrew plural is used with many different significations whereas English largely restricts its use of the plural to enumerate countables. The Hebrew plural has a variety of uses, chiefly with countable and collective nouns and a special set of senses with abstract nouns. In Genesis 2:7 the plural noun chayyim is an “abstract” noun. An “abstract” noun is frequently expressed by a plural, which may have originally signified the diverse concrete manifestations of a quality or state. The “abstract” plural noun chayyim refers to the state of Adam meaning God breathed into his nostrils “soul life.” So although the word is plural in Genesis 2:7, it should be translated into the English in the singular form since the plural form of the word is referring to the state of Adam possessing soul life. Therefore, Adam was “dichotomous” meaning he was composed of physical or biological life, and soul life and not “trichotomous” meaning, body, soul and spirit. Adam and the woman’s relationship and fellowship with God was based upon their perfection since they were created perfect. As long as they maintained their perfection, they could maintain their relationship with God. The moment they failed though they lost their fellowship with God. Thus, the means of Adam and the woman’s spirituality was based upon their perfection of the soul life and not upon eternal life, which is not given until regeneration. Perfection meaning they always obeyed the Lord. Their spiritual relationship with the Lord ended with Him the moment they disobeyed the command not to eat from the knowledge of good and evil. Spiritual death is loss of fellowship with God and separation from Him as a result of the imputation of Adam’s original sin in the garden to our genetically formed old sin nature (Rom. 5:12).

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Adam and the Woman entered into “real” spiritual death the moment they disobeyed. Therefore, spiritual death for Adam and the Woman was the loss of perfection meaning they disobeyed the Lord’s command. At the time of the Fall (Gen. 3:6) both Adam and the woman suffered immediate spiritual death (Rm. 5:12). Adam died physically or somatically 930 years after his spiritual or pneumatic death (Gen. 5:5). When Adam sinned, the entire human race sinned (Rom. 5:12). God imputed Adam’s sin to every person born into the world in order that He might show grace and mercy to everyone (Rom. 11:32). At the moment of physical birth, every member of the human race becomes a sinner because he has received the imputation of Adam’s sin in the garden. Imputation is the function of the justice of God in crediting something to someone for cursing or for blessing. The imputation of Adam’s sin at physical birth results in every person having the nature of Adam, which resides in the genetic structure of the physical body and can never please God but is selfish and self-centered and always disobedient to God. This imputation means that every person born into the world is born physically alive but spiritually dead, but qualified for the imputation of divine righteousness through faith alone in Christ alone. Physical or biological life was all the life Adam had and all he could bequeath to his posterity but the “last” Adam, Christ gave eternal life, the very life of God. 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (NASU) So when a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ when they hear the Gospel communicated to them, God creates a human spirit and imputes eternal life to the human spirit in order that they may become spiritually alive. When we are born-again we receive the imputation of eternal life. Eternal life enables the believer to live with God forever and has no beginning and no end and is the life of God. So when we become born-again, we have the life of God, which enables us to live with Him forever and ever. The human spirit functions according to eternal life and is in fact, the receptacle for eternal life. When a person becomes born-again or regenerated, they have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life. The human spirit enables the believer to understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:10-14). Unbelievers can’t understand the things of God because they don’t have this human spirit and therefore, do not have eternal life. Only the believer in fellowship with God can understand the things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But a natural ( psuchikos , “ soulish ”) man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 47 spiritual ( pneumatikos ) appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. (NASU) The Old Testament teaches that obedience to God means life (Ps. 16:11 [LXX 15:11]; 21:4 [20:4]; Prov. 3:2; 4:10; 8:35 passim ), but disobedience brings death (Ps. 26:9 [LXX 25:9]; Prov. 8:36; passim ). Life and light are closely associated in the OT (Ps. 36:9 [LXX 35:9]). Faith in a life after physical death also has its origin in the relationship with the regenerate with God. Those who participate in the covenant relationships with Him through faith in the Lord will possess eternal life and will be redeemed from the power of the grave through resurrection (Ps. 49:15 [LXX 48:15]). It is within the context of the Messianic promises and eschatological messages that God clearly pronounces the assurance of resurrection from death to eternal life in the kingdom of God (Is. 26:19).

New Testament Usage of Zoe

The noun zoe appears 135 times in the Greek New Testament. The Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings for the word: (1) Life, i.e. the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate (2) Used emphatically, of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through Him both to the hypostatic logos and to Christ in whom the logos put on human nature; life real and genuine(pages 273-274) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) life in the physical sense, life (2) transcendent life, life (Page 430) Greek-English Lexicon Based on Semantic Domains, “To be alive, to live, life” (23.88). The noun zoe appears 137 times in the Greek New Testament. Zoe is found in the following expressions in the New Testament: (1) “Eternal life ” ( zoen aionion ) (Mt. 19:16, 29; 25:45; Mk. 10:17, 30; Lk. 10:25; 18:18, 30; Jn. 3:15-16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47; 10:28; 12:25; 17:2; Acts 13:46; Rm. 2:7; 5:21; Rm. 6:22; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tm. 1:16; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 5:11, 13; Jude 21); ( zoe aionios ) (Jn. 12:50; Rm. 6:23; 1 Jn. 5:20); ( aionios zoe ) (Jn. 17:3); ( tes aioniou zoes ) (Acts 13:46; 1 Tm. 6:12); ( zoes aioniou ) (Titus 1:2; 3:7). ( ten zoes ten aionion ) (1 Jn. 1:2; 2:25). (2) “Resurrection of life ” ( anastasin zoes ) (Jn. 5:29). (3) “Bread of life ” ( ho artos tes zoes ) (Jn. 6:35, 48, 54). (4) “Words of eternal life ” ( rhemata zoes aioniou ) (Jn. 6:67). (5) “The light of this life ” ( to phos tes zoes ) (Jn. 8:12). (6) “The Originator of life ” ( Archegon tes zoes ) (Acts 3:15). (7) “Justification of life ” ( dikaiosin zoes ) (Rm. 5:18). (8) “Newness of life ” ( kainoteti zoes ) (Rm. 6:4). (9) “Of this spiritual life ” ( tou pneumatos tes zoes ) (Rm. 8:2). (10) “The spiritual

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 48 life ” ( to pneuma zoe ) (Rm. 8:10). (11) “The life of God ” ( tes zoes tou theou ) (Eph. 4:18). (12) “The word of life ” ( logon zoes ) (Phil. 2:16). (13) “The book of life ” (biblo zoes ) (Phil. 4:3); ( tes biblou tes zoes ) (Rev. 3:5); (to biblio tes zoes ) (Rev. 13:8; Rev. 21:27); ( ton biblion tes zoes ) (Rev. 17:8); ( te biblio tes zoes ) (Rev. 20:15). (14) “The promise of life ” ( epangelian zoes ) (1 Tm. 4:8; 2 Tm. 1:1). (15) “Indestructible life’ (zoes akatalutou ) (Hb. 7:16). (16) “The crown of life ” ( ton stephanon tes zoes ) (Jm. 1:12; Rev. 2:10). (17) “The gift of life ” ( charitos zoes ) (1 Pt. 3:7). (18) “The Word of life ” ( tou logou tes zoes ) (1 Jn. 1:1). (19) “The tree of life ” ( tou xulou tes zoes ) (Rev. 2:7); ( xulon zoes ) (Rev. 22:2); (to xulon tes zoes) (Rev. 22:14); ( tou xulou tes zoe s) (Rev. 22:19). (20) “The fountains of life-giving waters ” ( zoes pegas hudaton ) (Rev. 7:17); “ the fountain of life -giving water ” (tes peges tou hudatos tes zoes ) (Rev. 21:6). (21) “The Spirit of life ” ( pneuma zoes ) (Rev. 11:11). (22) “A river of life-giving water ” ( potamon hudatos zoes ) (Rev. 22:1). (23) “The water of life ” ( to hudor zoes ) (Rev. 22:17). The noun zoe can denote the following in the New Testament: (1) Human life (Mt. 18:8-9; Mk. 9:43, 45; Lk. 1:75; 12:15; 16:25; 8:33; Jn. 1:4; Acts 17:25; Rm. 8:38; 1 Cr. 3:22; 15:19; Phil. 1:20; Hb. 7:3; Jam. 4:14; 1 Pt. 3:10; Rev. 16:3). (2) Attribute of God (Jn. 5:26; Eph. 4:18; 1 Jn. 5:11). (3) Eternal life as a salvation gift (Jn. 6:33, 51; 10:10, 28; 17:2-3; 20:31; Acts 5:20; 11:18; 13:46, 48; Rm. 2:7; 5:18; 6:23; 1 Tm. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:10; 1 Pt. 3:7; 1 Jn. 5:11). (4) Promise of eternal life (1 Tm. 4:8; 2 Tm. 1:1; Titus 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:25). (5) Imputation of eternal life (Jn. 3:15- 16; 36; 5:24; 8:12; 1 Jn. 3:14-15; 5:11-13). (6) Person of Christ (Jn. 6:35, 48, 51, 54; Acts 3:15; 1 Jn. 1:1) (7) Doctrine of Christ (Jn. 6:63, 68) (8) Attribute of Christ (Jn. 11:25; 14:6). (9) Title of Christ (Acts 3:15; 1 Jn. 1:1). (11) Prototype spiritual life of Christ (Rm. 5:10; 2 Cor. 4:10-11; Heb. 7:16; 1 Jn. 1:1-2). (12) Resurrection of the believer (Jn. 5:29; 2 Cor. 5:4; Col. 3:3-4; Jude 21). (13) Operational type spiritual life (Rom. 6:4; 8:2, 6; 2 Cor. 2:14-16; 4:10-12; Phil. 2:16; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Pet. 1:3). (14) Prosperity of soul from executing of the spiritual life (Gal. 6:8; 1 Tm. 6:19; Titus 3:7). (15) Prosperity of soul in the eternal state (Rev. 7:17; 21:6; 22:1-2, 14). (16) Reward for the winner believer at the Bema Seat Evaluation (Jam. 1:12; Rev. 2:7, 10). (17) Registry of believers in eternity (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:19)

Zoe in 1 Timothy 1:16

In 1 Timothy 1:16, the noun zoe refers to the life of God, which is described by the adjective aionios as “eternal.” This life is received by the sinner as a gift the moment they exercise faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The noun zoe is the object of the preposition eis , which functions as a marker of purpose indicating that the purpose of the sinner exercising faith in Jesus Christ as

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Savior is eternal life. Therefore, we will translate the prepositional phrase ε ω α , “ for eternal life .”

Translation of 1 Timothy 1:16

1 Timothy 1:16 But in fact, because of this, I obtained grace in order that through me, the foremost, Christ Himself, who is Jesus, could demonstrate for His own benefit the full extent of His patience for an example with respect to those who would in the future place their absolute confidence upon Him for eternal life. (My translation)

Summary and Conclusions from 1 Timothy 1:16

To summarize, we noted that verse 16 is an emphatic adversative clause, which emphasizes the contrast between Paul as the most prominent sinner and leading opponent of our Lord with that of the Lord’s grace policy. Verse 16 also presents the reason for the Lord treating Paul according to His grace policy. It indicates that because Paul was in fact the foremost opponent of our Lord and His church, the Lord treated him according to His grace policy. Because of Paul’s pre-conversion status as the most strident opponent among men of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church, his conversion through faith in Jesus Christ would mark Paul out as the greatest illustration of God’s grace in what it can do for the worst of sinners. Verse 16 also presents the purpose for the Lord treating Paul who was His most strident and violent enemy among men, according to His grace policy. The Lord treated Paul according to His grace policy in order to demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. If the Lord could save His worst and most violent opponent among men, he could save them! In this verse, Paul reveals that he was the agency by which the Lord could demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. By means of Paul’s life and conversion experience, the Lord was demonstrating to sinful humanity that His grace policy can fundamentally change the most strident and violent of His opponents into arguably His greatest servant. Through Paul, the Lord wanted all of sinful humanity to know that His grace policy, which is an expression of His attribute of love, can change His worst enemy into His greatest servant. If the Lord was patient with Paul, He will be patient with anyone. Through Paul, the Lord is telling all of sinful humanity that there is no sin or sinner that can not be forgiven. If God can save His worst enemy, then He can save anyone!

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In 1 Timothy 1:16, the noun makrothumia refers to the “patience” of the Lord Jesus Christ in the sense that He who is holy endures sinners and their sinful ways that are totally opposed to His holy character. The fact that sinners are not sent to the lake of fire forever immediately after sinning does not mean that the Lord is powerlessness but rather it demonstrates that He is patient. Every sinner would be in the lake of fire now, if God was not patient with them. The adjective hapas is modifying the noun makrothumia and means “the full extent” indicating that by saving Paul, the Lord was demonstrating the “full extent” of His patience. Paul was the extreme demonstration of the Lord’s grace policy towards sinners since he led the rebellion and opposition to Him and His church. He was the Lord’s greatest enemy among men. The prepositional phrase “ for an example ” indicates that the Lord’s gracious treatment of Paul serves as an example to those sinners who in the future would trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. If the Lord could save His greatest enemy among men, He could save them. The word denotes that Paul would serve as the greatest “example” of His patience towards sinners since Paul was His greatest enemy among men. This prepositional phrase indicates that the Lord treated Paul according to His grace policy in order that He could demonstrate the full extent of His patience “for the purpose of” presenting an example to those sinners who would in the future trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. “With respect to those who would in the future place their absolute confidence upon Him for eternal life ” refers to those sinners in the future would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. It emphasizes not only the immediacy of Paul serving as an example for those sinners subsequent to him who would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life but also it stresses the certainty of this taking place in the future or subsequent to Paul The phrase refers to the non-meritorious system of perception of placing one’s trust or confidence in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior. It refers to making the non- meritorious decision to place one’s absolute confidence in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross in order to receive the gift of eternal life. “For eternal life ” describes the nature of the life of God in the sense that it has no beginning and no end and is thus an ever present now. Eternal life is an attribute of God and transcends human life. The eternal life of God does not simply emphasize that it is a life that never ends but it is also a particular quality of life. It is a life in which the believer has knowledge of the Trinity in an experiential sense of personally encountering them through faith along in Christ alone and through the process of fellowship after conversion. This life is received by the sinner the moment they exercise faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. This prepositional

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 51 phrase makes clear that the purpose of the sinner exercising faith in Jesus Christ as Savior is eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 serves as a rebuke to those pastors in Ephesus who were occupied with the Law and emphasized it with their congregations since it makes clear that the Law can never save and transform sinners but only God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus can do so. In fact, it can save and transform the worst enemy of Christ and the church, Paul! Only the gospel that centers upon Jesus Christ and proclaims that through faith in Him one can receive eternal life can save the sinner and transforms the worst of sinners and the worst enemy of the church and Christ into an obedient child of God. Only the gospel that proclaims the grace of God through faith in Christ can transform the worst enemy of Christ into His greatest servant. Thus, the futility of these pastors in Ephesus emphasizing obedience to the Law or even wasting their time being occupied with Jewish myths and useless genealogies. Paul’s personal testimony makes clear to the Ephesians and these pastors that the Law cannot save or transform the sinner into an obedient child of God but only the gospel can. Only grace through faith in Christ can save and transform the sinner, even the worst enemy of Christ, who was Paul!

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1 Timothy 1:17-Paul Bursts Into A Doxology Of Praise To The Father

Review of 1 Timothy 1:12-16

By way of review we noted that 1 Timothy 1:12-17 constitutes the third subsection of verses 3-20 and has three divisions: (1) Paul’s thankfulness for what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for him (verses 12-14). (2) God’s purpose in saving Paul (verses 15-16). (3) A doxology in praise of the Lord’s acts on his behalf (verse 17). The theme of this paragraph is the true nature of the gospel as seen through Paul’s conversion. It is based upon God the Father’s grace policy and mercy, which are expressions of His attribute of love and which policy was manifested through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Thus, God’s plan is not based upon occupation with myths and genealogies that are based on the Law, which serves to refute and rebuke these unidentified pastors. In fact, using his personal testimony, Paul contrasts unbelief and faith so as to refute those emphasizing the Law. Faith in Christ for eternal life saves the sinner and not adherence to the Law. This paragraph is also a reminder to these unidentified pastors that they too were saved on the same basis and not based upon observance of the Law. Thus, Paul is attempting to bring these pastors back to their senses. Another theme in this paragraph is that of encouragement for Timothy. By Paul presenting his personal testimony as how the Lord empowered him for service, he would do the same for Timothy who the Lord appointed to serve him as well (verse 18). Also, as Mounce insightfully points out “It may be possible that this theme has another nuance; if God’s graciousness can save even a person like Paul, then it can also extend to the opponents in Ephesus.” (Mounce, William D., The Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles, page 47; Thomas Nelson, 2000) Also, this third subsection is Christological emphasizing the person of Christ as the Savior of sinners, thus rejecting those who emphasize observance of the Law. The expression “Christ Jesus” appears four times in the paragraph (12, 14, 15, 16). The Law did not save sinners, Christ Jesus, the Lord did. This rejects the emphasis upon the Law by those aspiring to be teachers of the Law. So in this paragraph Paul is presenting eyewitness testimony that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and in fact, saved him, the worst of all sinners. Towner writes, “In the critique of the opponents that has been launched, Paul’s testimony serves several purposes. First, to authenticate his position as an apostle he provides the personal history behind the claim just made about entrustment with the gospel. As he does this, he

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 53 sets his ministry strategically into the salvation-historical drama of the outworking of God’s promises to the Gentiles. Second, he offers his experience of salvation as a proof of the gospel he preaches. Third, his story establishes the priority of faith in salvation (and implicitly reduces any function of the law to that discussed above).” (Towner, Philip H., The Letters to Timothy and Titus; page 135; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, MI, 2006) Therefore, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 is not a digression as some argue but rather necessary for addressing the problem in Ephesus with theses pastors who were sidetracked. In fact, as Mounce writes “it is the heart of the argument.” (page 46) This paragraph is the heart of the argument since it teaches the Ephesians and in particular these certain pastors in that city that the proclamation of the Law does not have the power to transform the sinner into an obedient child of God. Rather, only the gospel could do such a thing and Paul could testify to this fact. So he is in effect saying that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Only the gospel could transform a wicked sinner like Paul into an obedient child of God and compel him to proclaim it to both Jew and Gentile and even suffer for it. In verse 12, Paul shares with Timothy and the Ephesian church that he thanks the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens him because he considered Paul faithful by appointing him to serve. In this verse Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to emphasize this statement. This would encourage Timothy in that he too was considered faithful by the Lord in putting him into service and will empower him as well in dealing with this difficult problem in Ephesus. It also emphasizes that the Lord Jesus Christ saved him and not obedience to the Law. 1 Timothy 1:12 I continually possess gratitude to the One who empowered me, namely Christ, who is Jesus, our Lord because He considered me for Himself as faithful by appointing me for Himself for the purpose of service. (My translation) “I continually possess gratitude to the One who empowered me, namely Christ, who is Jesus, our Lord ” expresses Paul’s attitude of gratitude to the Lord for saving him and appointing him as an apostle. It indicates that Paul was always thinking about his salvation and the circumstances in which he was saved and the means by which he was saved. He was continually reminded of it because he was such a wicked sinner. The casual clause “ because He considered me for Himself as faithful ” presents the reason why Paul was grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ’s sovereign decision in eternity past to select Paul as an apostle and which decision was based upon His omniscience. It refers to the fact that in eternity past the Lord knew from His omniscience that Paul would be a faithful servant in communicating the gospel. Thus, Paul’s faithfulness was a potential yet to be realized.

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Verse 12 teaches that in eternity past the Lord Jesus Christ selected Paul to be an apostle because He knew from His omniscience that Paul would be a faithful steward of the gospel. The fact that the Lord considered him faithful does not mean that Paul merited his salvation since he makes clear in verses 13-14 that he was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church and an arrogant man. Yet, he was treated with mercy by the Lord and grace. Therefore, this appointment was based upon the Lord’s grace policy, which is an expression of His attribute of love. So this does not mean that because the Lord knew that Paul was a trustworthy, He appointed him to ministry. After his conversion, the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit empowered Paul to serve as an apostle and thus to be a faithful steward of the gospel. Thus Paul possessed an attitude of gratitude to the Lord because He strengthened Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit to be faithful in exercising his spiritual gift of apostleship and communicating the gospel. So the emphasis is not that Christ foresaw that in spite of his sin Paul would prove himself faithful. Rather, the emphasis is that the Lord’s omnipotence transformed Paul’s life. Not only His grace and mercy but also His omnipotence transformed the life of the apostle Paul in that he went from a blasphemer and persecutor of the church and an arrogant person to a faithful servant of the gospel. This would refute those pastors in Ephesus who were emphasizing the Law. The Law did not have the power to save or transform the life of the sinner but could only condemn the sinner. Only the gospel had the power to save and to transform sinners (Romans 1:16-17). Paul’s was faithful because the Lord empowered him to be so. Through the power of the Spirit, which the Lord Jesus provided him, Paul was faithful to the ministry the Lord gave him. The indwelling Spirit and the spiritual gift of apostleship enabled him to be faithful. In 1 Timothy 1:12, Paul is referring to the stewardship of time, talent and truth. “By appointing me for Himself for the purpose of service ” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ appointing Paul to be an apostle and communicator of the gospel. It speaks of the manifestation in time at Paul’s conversion the Lord’s decision in eternity in considering him as faithful. It indicates that the Lord considered Paul faithful in eternity past by appointing him to serve as an apostle. It defines what Paul means when he says that the Lord considered him faithful. It answers the question as to “how” the Lord considered him faithful, namely, by appointing him to serve as an apostle. 1 Timothy 1:13 is connected to the thought in verse 12 and testifies to the magnitude of God’s mercy and grace with respect to Paul. In this verse, Paul presents a three-fold description of himself prior to his conversion to Christianity. He describes himself as a blasphemer, a persecutor and an arrogant person.

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1 Timothy 1:13a Even though I was characterized as being a slander as well as a persecutor and in addition, an insolent violent person. (My translation) Verse 13a is a concessive clause that is connected to Paul’s thought in verse 12, which records Paul stating that he continually possessed an attitude of gratitude to the one who empowered him, namely the Lord Jesus Christ. He states that this gratitude was because the Lord, in eternity past considered him as faithful which manifested itself in time when the Lord appointed him as an apostle for the purpose of serving Him. Now, in verse 13a, Paul employs a concessive participle to teach his readers in Ephesus that the Lord considered him faithful in eternity past “in spite of” the fact that prior to his conversion he slandered the Lord, persecuting His church and was an insolent violent person towards the church. The first describes Paul defaming Jesus Christ’s character and those who have faith in Him and are His disciples as a result of bitterness towards them. As a Pharisee, prior to his conversion to Christianity, Paul did not slander God knowingly as he says in the adversative clause of this verse he did so out of ignorance. However, nonetheless by slandering Jesus Christ unknowingly, He was slandering the Father and the Holy Spirit in the sense that the former was His Son and the latter was testifying that Jesus was the Son of God through His miracles and words. The second description of himself presents him as engaged in the act of persecuting the church prior to his salvation. The Lord tells Paul that his persecution of the church was in fact does against Him (Acts 9:4-5; 22:7-8; 26:14- 15). This persecution, like all persecution of God’s people in history, was inspired by Satan himself. The third and final description of Paul prior to his conversion indicates that he was a self-centered person who was violently cruel against the church. It says that he had no regard for others and specifically, no regard for the church or Jesus Christ. It implies that he possessed an attitude of superiority with regards to the church. This resulted in mistreatment of the church and violent acts against her as a result of his own revolt against the Lord Jesus Christ. This three fold description of himself in verse 13 serves a distinct purpose in that it magnifies God’s grace and mercy toward Paul. He is presenting testimony that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and in fact, saved him, the worst of all sinners. This would refute those pastors in Ephesus who were emphasizing the Law and it would rebuke them. It would also serve to remind them that like Paul they too were saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by obedience to the Law.

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Paul was transformed by faith in the gospel, which centered upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Law did not transform him into a faithful servant of Christ but the Lord’s grace and mercy. Thus, Paul in verse 13 is setting up his readers and in particular those pastors who sought to be teachers of the Law that the proclamation of the Law does not have the power to transform the sinner into an obedient child of God. Rather, only the gospel could do such a thing and Paul could testify to this fact. It transformed him, the worst of all sinners. So he is in effect saying that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Only the gospel could transform a wicked sinner like Paul into an obedient child of God and compel him to proclaim it to both Jew and Gentile and even suffer for it. Following this concessive clause in verse 13 Paul employs an adversative clause in which the apostle reveals that though he was a slanderer, a persecutor and an insolent person, God treated him with mercy because he acted ignorantly in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:13b But in direct contrast to this, I obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief. (My translation) “But in direct contrast to this, I obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief ” is a strong adversative clause that presents a strong contrast with the previous concessive clause “ even though I was characterized as being a slanderer as well as a persecutor and in addition, an insolent violent person .” The latter describes Paul’s pre-conversion sinful character and the former describes the Lord’s gracious character. Therefore, Paul is contrasting God’s gracious character with that of Paul’s sinful character before his conversion. The causal clause “ because being in a state of rejection, I acted due to unbelief ” presents the reason why Paul obtained grace from the Lord. Therefore, the clause is saying that Paul obtained grace from the Lord because being in a state of rejection, Paul acted due to unbelief. This unbelief is why he was a slanderer, a persecutor and a violent insolent person. He was in a state of rejecting the gospel and thus acted in unbelief prior to his conversion. He was in a state of rejecting the gospel resulting in unbelief because like the rest of unregenerate Israel Paul zealously pursued righteousness through obedience to the Law. His attempt to justify himself through obedience to the Law caused him to reject the gospel and as a result to not exercise faith in Jesus of Nazareth as Savior. He didn’t see his need for Jesus because he was looking to himself to get right with God. Paul loved God but not on God’s terms but on his own. This rejection and unbelief that led to his being a slanderer, persecutor and a violent insolent person qualified him to receive grace, which is for sinners with no merit whatsoever with a holy God. Grace is for the unworthy and undeserving who

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 57 have no merit with God whatsoever. This is what Paul is saying in verse 13. Therefore, Paul’s statements in verse 13 magnify God’s grace policy. Thus, those pastors in Ephesus who sought to be teachers of the Law and did not understand the three-fold purpose of the Law would be rebuked since God’s grace saved a terrible sinner like Paul and transformed him into an obedient child of God and not his obedience to the Law. In fact, his attempt to get right with God by obedience to the Law blinded him to his need for Jesus Christ as Savior! The Law did not have the power to save the sinner but only to condemn him. However, the gospel which expressed God’s grace policy could since its message is about Jesus Christ and that His death and resurrection has delivered sinful humanity from sin, Satan and his cosmic system. Through faith in Him, which is based on God’s grace policy, the sinner like Paul can be transformed into an obedient child of God. Therefore, when Paul says that he obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, he acted due to unbelief he wants to emphasize the Lord’s grace policy towards him. Thus, he is not attempting with this statement to deny his unbelief was sinful since his sinful behavior was the direct result of his unbelief in the gospel. Rather, Paul’s statement in verse 13 demonstrates to his readers that the gospel has the power to save even a person like himself who was violently opposed to Jesus Christ and His disciples in contrast to the Law, which can’t. If you notice, Paul’s unbelief is the reason for his deplorable conduct. They go hand in hand thus, when he says that he obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, he acted due to unbelief he is in effect saying I obtained grace because of my sinful character since his sinful character was the direct result of his unbelief. Paul wants not only to magnify God’s grace but also His power, the power that is in the gospel message. Thus, those pastors in Ephesus who taught false doctrine and sought to be teachers of the Law were failing to appropriate the power of God by rejecting the gospel. They were also hurting their flocks since the gospel presents how they can be delivered from the power of the sin nature. No wonder the conduct of these pastors was appalling since only the power of the gospel could transform them and their congregations into obedient children of God in contrast to the Law, which can’t. Next, in verse 14, Paul emphasizes to his readers that the Lord’s grace was infinitely more than sufficient to deal with his sinful character and conduct as expressed by means of his faith in the gospel resulting in his obeying the command love one another. He tells his readers that this faith and love was because of his union and identification with Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14 In fact, the grace originating from our Lord was infinitely more than sufficient as expressed by means of faith resulting in love, which are because of my union with Christ who is Jesus. (My translation)

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1 Timothy 1:14 advances upon and intensifies the preceding adversative clause in 1 Timothy 1:13 that Paul obtained grace. This is indicated by the fact that in the adversative clause in verse 13 Paul writes that he obtained grace from the Lord and now in verse 14 he says that this grace overflowed to him. So here in verse 14 he is giving the reader more information about what he means that he obtained grace by clarifying his statement in the adversative clause of verse 13. He is advancing and intensifying his statement that he obtained grace from the Lord. The meaning of the verb huperpleonazo is used to describe God’s grace as being superabundant to Paul. This would indicate that the apostle seeks to be emphatic about the Lord’s grace and intensify the idea that he obtained grace. “The grace ” speaks of God’s grace policy towards sinners from the perspective that it is unmerited favor. It is used to describe the Lord’s grace policy in relation to Paul emphasizing that the Lord delivered him from his personal sins, the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law and eternal condemnation and blessed him from the perspective that it was all unmerited. Charis emphasizes that Paul did not earn or deserve this deliverance and blessing. “Originating from our Lord ” indicates that this grace originates from the Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the Father’s will. That this expression refers to Jesus Christ and not the Father is indicated by the fact that in verse 12, which begins the paragraph, kurios is applied to Jesus Christ. Also, Jesus Christ is mentioned in verse 15 and in verse 16 as well. Nowhere is the Father mentioned anywhere in the paragraph. Thus, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 emphasizes Jesus Christ throughout suggesting that the Father is not being referred to in verse 14 with the designation kurios , “ Lord ” but rather the Son. “Was infinitely more than sufficient ” translates the verb huperpleonazo , which is in the emphatic position in verse 14 emphasizing that the Lord’s grace policy was infinitely more than sufficient to meet his need, i.e. his pre-conversion problem with his sinful nature and conduct. This verb indicates that the Lord’s grace more than solved Paul’s pre-conversion problem with his sin nature and his sinful conduct that flowed from this sinful nature. It expresses the idea of infinity in the sense that the Lord’s grace policy towards him was “infinitely more than sufficient” to deal with his pre-conversion sinful conduct and nature. It refers to activity of the Lord Jesus Christ in imparting immeasurably great, indefinitely or exceedingly great, unbounded, unlimited, endless or immeasurable and inexhaustible spiritual benefits to Paul when he exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These blessings more than solved problem with Paul’s sinful pre- conversion character and conduct. “As expressed by means of faith resulting in love ” denotes that the Lord’s grace was expressed in the life of Paul by means of his exercising faith in the

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 59 gospel of Jesus Christ resulting in his exercising the love of God towards his fellow Christian and all men. “Faith ” refers to Paul’s faith and not the faith of our Lord Jesus since the context is presenting an implied contrast between Paul’s pre-conversion sinful conduct with his post-conversion conduct. This contrast in turn is indicated by the fact that Paul is contrasting his pre-conversion character and conduct towards the Lord with the Lord’s gracious character and conduct towards him. “Love ” refers to Paul obeying the Lord Jesus’ command to love one another as He loves (John 13:34). The word does not refer to the Lord’s love toward Paul. Rather, it refers to Paul’s love toward the Lord and his fellow Christian and fellow human being since the context is presenting an implied contrast between Paul’s pre-conversion character and his post-conversion conduct. This contrast is indicated by the fact that Paul is contrasting his pre-conversion conduct towards the Lord with the Lord’s gracious character and conduct towards him. “Faith ” and “ love ” are directly related to each other in that love flows from faith. In other words, faith in the Word of God will result in the believer loving his fellow believer and all men as the Lord loves all men. Paul’s unbelief is the reason for his deplorable conduct. They go hand in hand thus, when he says that he obtained grace because being in a state of rejection, he acted due to unbelief he is in effect saying I obtained grace because of my sinful character since his sinful character was the direct result of his unbelief. Now, in verse 14, he says that the Lord’s grace was infinitely more than sufficient to meet his need, i.e. his problem with his sinful behavior with the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Faith and love parallel Paul’s pre-conversion unbelief and sinful conduct. The Lord’s grace was infinitely more than sufficient to meet his problem with sin in that faith in the Lord replaced unbelief in Him resulting in Paul loving his fellow Christian and all men in contrast to his pre- conversion slandering of the Lord and persecuting Him and being violent towards Him and His church. Thus, a grace oriented person is one who walks by faith in the Word of God and loves his fellow Christian since the latter flows or is the direct result of the former. Therefore, the conjunction kai is more than likely expressing a result meaning that love resulted from faith. The expression η “which are because of my union with Christ who is Jesus ” denotes that the Lord’s grace policy toward Paul expressed itself in his life by means of faith and love which are because of his union and identification with Christ. It denotes why he exercised faith and operated in love in contrast to his pre-conversion unbelief and sinful behavior towards the church. Paul exercised faith in the Word of Christ, i.e. the gospel of Jesus Christ and obeying the Lord’s command to love one another as Christ loves all men because

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 60 he was in union with Christ and identified with Him in His crucifixion, His spiritual and physical deaths, burial, resurrection and session. His faith and love were the direct result of being in union with Christ and identified with Him. Then in verse 15, we noted the first of four trustworthy statements that appear in 1 Timothy. In this verse, Paul quotes an eternal spiritual truth or axiom concerning the purpose of the Son of God becoming a human being. He then appends a personal note that ties this principle back to his personal testimony. The apostle’s point is clear to the Ephesians and these unidentified pastors that they should not be emphasizing the Law and specifically the Ten Commandments but rather the Lord’s commandment to love one another as He loves. 1 Timothy 1:15 This saying is, as an eternal spiritual truth, trustworthy, indeed, worthy of full acceptance, namely that Christ, who is Jesus entered the human race in order to save sinners among whom I myself am the foremost. (My translation) The faithful saying “ that Christ came into the world to save sinners ” is the heart of the gospel and is an articulation of the gospel as well as an expression of Paul’s apostolic authority. It is designed to rebuke and refute those pastors in Ephesus who sought to be teachers of the Law and taught false doctrine. It implicitly rejects the Law as the basis for eternal salvation and as the means of transforming the sinner into an obedient child and servant of God. This faithful saying in 1 Timothy 1:15 epitomizes what Paul has been saying in verses 12-14. It expresses perfectly the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles. This faithful statement also echoes the Lord Jesus’ teaching as recorded in the gospels (cf. Luke 19:10). “Trustworthy ” is making the assertion about the statement η ε ε αω α , “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ,” namely that it is trustworthy in the sense of being an accurate and faithful presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Indeed worthy of full acceptance ” is used of the statement that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and describes it as having a relatively high degree of comparable worth or value or merit to the human race. It is making the assertion that the saying “ Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ” is worthy or deserving of full acceptance by the entire human race. The expression refers to appropriating by faith the statement that Christ Jesus came into to the world to save sinners. The appositional clause “ namely that Christ, who is Jesus entered the human race ” is a reference to the incarnation of the Son of God. It thus speaks of the event when the Son of God became a human being in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago.

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“In order to save sinners ” expresses the purpose of the incarnation. It is used of the act of the Lord Jesus Christ delivering the sinner from personal sin, the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law, spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation through His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross. This purpose clause indicates that Christ became a human being for the express purpose of saving sinners. The relative pronoun clause “ among whom I myself am the foremost ” emphasizes that Paul was the most “prominent” or “foremost” opponent of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It indicates that he was infamous in the church and in heaven. The word is reflecting the immensity of Paul’s sin against the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. It underscores the grace of the Lord and the power of the gospel in which it can save and transform even those sinners like Paul who were foremost in stridently and violently opposing the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. So in verse 15, Paul is holding himself up as an example of the power of the gospel. He is an example of the power of Christ’s spiritual and physical deaths to deliver sinners from spiritual and physical death, personal sins, the sin nature, the Devil and his cosmic system and eternal condemnation. He is holding himself as an example of the power of the gospel to transform a sinner into the image of Christ. The Law is impotent to save and transform the sinner. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to save and transform sinners and Paul is the greatest example of this since he was the most strident and famous of the church’s enemies. Therefore, in verse 15, Paul is affirming the priority of the gospel with respect to the Law and the authority of this gospel. Then, in verse 16, the apostle Paul teaches that the Lord treated him according to His grace policy in order to demonstrate the extent of His patience for an example for all of those in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. In other words, if the Lord Jesus could save a terrible sinner like Saul of Tarsus who led the way in being violently opposed to Him and His church, then He can save anybody! 1 Timothy 1:16 But in fact, because of this, I obtained grace in order that through me, the foremost, Christ Himself, who is Jesus, could demonstrate for His own benefit the full extent of His patience for an example with respect to those who would in the future place their absolute confidence upon Him for eternal life. (My translation) This verse is an emphatic adversative clause, which emphasizes the contrast between Paul as the most prominent sinner and leading opponent of our Lord with that of the Lord’s grace policy. It also presents the reason for the Lord treating Paul according to His grace policy. It indicates that because Paul was in fact the foremost opponent of our Lord and His church, the Lord treated him according to His grace policy. Because of Paul’s pre-conversion status as the most strident

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 62 opponent among men of the Lord Jesus Christ and His church, his conversion through faith in Jesus Christ would mark Paul out as the greatest illustration of God’s grace in what it can do for the worst of sinners. Verse 16 also presents the purpose for the Lord treating Paul who was His most strident and violent enemy among men, according to His grace policy. The Lord treated Paul according to His grace policy in order to demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. If the Lord could save His worst and most violent opponent among men, he could save them! In this verse, Paul reveals that he was the agency by which the Lord could demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those sinners in the future who would trust in Him as Savior. By means of Paul’s life and conversion experience, the Lord was demonstrating to sinful humanity that His grace policy can fundamentally change the most strident and violent of His opponents into arguably His greatest servant. Through Paul, the Lord wanted all of sinful humanity to know that His grace policy, which is an expression of His attribute of love, can change His worst enemy into His greatest servant. If the Lord was patient with Paul, He will be patient with anyone. Through Paul, the Lord is telling all of sinful humanity that there is no sin or sinner that can not be forgiven. If God can save His worst enemy, then He can save anyone! In 1 Timothy 1:16, the noun makrothumia refers to the “patience” of the Lord Jesus Christ in the sense that He who is holy endures sinners and their sinful ways that are totally opposed to His holy character. The fact that sinners are not sent to the lake of fire forever immediately after sinning does not mean that the Lord is powerlessness but rather it demonstrates that He is patient. Every sinner would be in the lake of fire now, if God was not patient with them. The adjective hapas is modifying the noun makrothumia and means “the full extent” indicating that by saving Paul, the Lord was demonstrating the “full extent” of His patience. Paul was the extreme demonstration of the Lord’s grace policy towards sinners since he led the rebellion and opposition to Him and His church. He was the Lord’s greatest enemy among men. The prepositional phrase “ for an example ” indicates that the Lord’s gracious treatment of Paul serves as an example to those sinners who in the future would trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. If the Lord could save His greatest enemy among men, He could save them. The word denotes that Paul would serve as the greatest “example” of His patience towards sinners since Paul was His greatest enemy among men. This prepositional phrase indicates that the Lord treated Paul according to His grace policy in order that He could demonstrate the full extent of

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His patience “for the purpose of” presenting an example to those sinners who would in the future trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. “With respect to those who would in the future place their absolute confidence upon Him for eternal life ” refers to those sinners in the future would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. It emphasizes not only the immediacy of Paul serving as an example for those sinners subsequent to him who would trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life but also it stresses the certainty of this taking place in the future or subsequent to Paul The phrase refers to the non-meritorious system of perception of placing one’s trust or confidence in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior. It refers to making the non- meritorious decision to place one’s absolute confidence in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross in order to receive the gift of eternal life. “For eternal life ” describes the nature of the life of God in the sense that it has no beginning and no end and is thus an ever present now. Eternal life is an attribute of God and transcends human life. The eternal life of God does not simply emphasize that it is a life that never ends but it is also a particular quality of life. It is a life in which the believer has knowledge of the Trinity in an experiential sense of personally encountering them through faith along in Christ alone and through the process of fellowship after conversion. This life is received by the sinner the moment they exercise faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. This prepositional phrase makes clear that the purpose of the sinner exercising faith in Jesus Christ as Savior is eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 serves as a rebuke to those pastors in Ephesus who were occupied with the Law and emphasized it with their congregations since it makes clear that the Law can never saved and transform sinners but only God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus can save the sinner. In fact, it can save and transform the worst enemy of Christ and the church, Paul! Only the gospel that centers upon Jesus Christ and proclaims that through faith in Him one can receive eternal life can save the sinner and transforms the worst of sinners and the worst enemy of the church and Christ into an obedient child of God. Only the gospel that proclaims the grace of God through faith in Christ can transform the worst enemy of Christ into His greatest servant. Thus, by these pastors in Ephesus emphasizing obedience to the Law and wasting their time being occupied with Jewish myths and useless genealogies served no purpose for the Lord, themselves or their congregations. Paul’s personal testimony makes clear to the Ephesians and these pastors that the Law cannot save or transform the sinner into an obedient child of God but only the gospel can. Only grace through faith in Christ can save and transform the sinner, even the worst enemy of Christ, who was Paul!

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Paul’s Doxology

Next, we will study 1 Timothy 1:17, which concludes the paragraph that began in verse 12. In this passage, Paul bursts into a doxology of praise to the Father. The term “doxology” is from the Greek doxologia and is derived from the Greek noun doxa , “praise, glory, honor” and denotes a brief ascription of praise to members of the Trinity. It was used in both song and prayer. It was sung by angels to shepherds the night the Lord Jesus came into the world (Lk. 2:14). The doxology was commonly employed in various parts of the New Testament epistles: (1) Salutation (Gal. 1:5). (2) Opening thanksgiving (2 Cor. 1:3f.; Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3). (3) Final exhortations (1 Tim. 6:15f.; 1 Pet. 5:11; 2 Pet. 3:18). (4) Closing (Heb. 13:20f.; Jude 24f.). The basic formula is the blessing formula “ Blessed be the Lord ” or “ Blessed be the God and Father …” (Heb. Baruk; Greek: eulogetos ; Gen. 24:27; Ex. 18:10; 1 Ch. 16:36; Lk. 1:68; 2 Cor. 1:3f.; Eph. 1:3; 1 P. 1:3), followed by a statement of the attributes motivating the utterance, primarily God’s activities in the lives of His people. Variants are “ worthy is the Lamb ” (Greek: axios , Rev. 4:11; 5:9, 12) and “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty ” (Greek: hagios , Rev. 4:8). Doxologies may begin with an imperative verb, challenging the hearers to “ascribe to the Lord glory and strength ” or “ the glory of His Person ” (Heb: yahab , Ps. 29:1ff. par. 96:7-9; 1 Ch. 16:28f.) or “ ascribe power ” (Ps. 68:34), “praise the Lord ” (Heb: halal , Ps. 150f; cf. Greek: aineo , Rev. 19:5, “worship the Lord” (hithpalel of saha ; Ps. 29:2) or “ glory in His Holy Person ” (hithpael of halal ; 1 Ch. 16:10). In doxologies, the following qualities are attributed to God: (1) Glory (Rom. 16:27; Gal. 1:5). (2) Honor, dominion (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Pet. 4:11). (3) Salvation, power (Rev. 19:1). (4) Majesty and authority (Jude 25). These are all “ forever ” (Rm. 11:36), or “ forever ” and “ ever ” (2 Tim. 4:18; 1 Pet. 5:11). In the New Testament, doxologies may begin with exclamations of “Hallelujah ” (Rev. 19:1), “ Glory to God in the highest ” (Lk. 2:14), or “ Hosanna to the Son of David ” (Mt. 21:9, 15; Mk. 11:9f.; Jn. 12:13). Although God the Father is the primary focus of New Testament doxologies, there are others that are the objects of praise such as Christ (Mt. 21:9; Rev. 5:12) and His kingdom of God (Mk. 11:10). A frequent Christological doxology exclaims “ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord ” (Mt. 21:9; 23:39; Mk. 11:9; Lk. 19:38; cf. Ps. 118:26). In doxologies, to the Lord Jesus Christ is ascribed: (1) Salvation and power (Rev. 19:1). (2) Blessing and might (Rev. 5:18). (3) Glory (Heb. 13:21). (4) Dominion (Rev. 1:6). (5) “Both now and to the day of eternity ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

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Praise is offered up “ through Jesus Christ ” (Rom. 16:27; Heb. 13:21; Jude 25) or “ in Christ ” (Eph. 1:3; 3:21). Rarely are doxologies expressed in the second person, as “ Blessed are You ” and “ Yours ” is the greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty (1 Chron. 29:11). Originally doxologies were voiced by the congregation at the conclusion of hymns and prayers (1 Chron. 16:36; Rom. 11:33-36), in connection with the response “ Amen ” (Mt. 6:13; Rev. 1:6; cf. Rom. 9:5; 16:27; 1 Pet. 4:11; 5:11). However, praise and thanksgiving do occur in the opening line of prayers (1 Chron. 29:10-13; Dan. 2:20-23; Lk. 1:67-69). As in Jewish ritual, they may have been uttered in response to the mention of God’s name (cf. Rom. 1:25; 2 Cor. 11:31). It is fitting for Paul to burst into a doxology of praise to the Father after relating to his readers how the Lord Jesus Christ treated him according to His grace policy even though he was the worst enemy of our Lord among men. 1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NASU) “Now ” is the “transitional” use of the post-positive conjunction de ( ) (theh), which is correctly translated and marks a transition from the previous paragraph in verses 12-16 to the concluding doxology here in verse 17. “To the King eternal, immortal, invisible ” is composed of the articular dative masculine singular form of the noun basileus (αε ) (vah-see-lefts), “ to the king ” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun aion (α ) (aye-own), “ eternal ” and the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aphthartos (α ) (ahf-thar-toce), “ immortal ” and the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aoratos (α ) (ah-ore-dah-toce), “ invisible .”

Basileus

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This word appears throughout Greek literature including the Septuagint where it appears 3,170 times, always having the same meaning, namely, “king.” The term occurs 115 times in the Greek New Testament where it is used of secular rulers such as Herod (Matthew 2:1), David (Matthew 1:6), Agrippa (Acts 25:13), Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1) and kings in general (:2). The noun of course is used of divine rulers in the New Testament such as the Father (Matthew 5:35), Christ as a king in general (Luke 23:2) and as King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15), as King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2) as King of Israel (Matthew 27:42) and as King of believers (Revelation 15:3). Basileus was also used with reference to Christians who overcome and will thus rule and reign with Christ during His millennial reign and on into eternity future (Revelation 5:10). It is also used of Satan in Revelation 9:11. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) one who rules as possessor of the highest office in a political realm, king, generally of a male ruler who has unquestioned authority (2) one who possesses unusual or transcendent power (a) of the Messianic king (b) of God (c) of a king of spirits in the nether world, Abaddon (Pages 169-170). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following meanings: (1) generally one possessing royal authority king, monarch (MT 1.6); (2) of God as possessing supreme power to rule (MT 5.35); (3) of Christ as appointed by God to rule over all (RV 19.16) (Page 88) Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, “one who has absolute authority within a particular area and is able to convey this power and authority to a successor (though in NT times, certain kings ruled only with the approval of Roman authorities and had no power to pass on their prerogatives)—‘king’” (37.67) In 1 Timothy 1:17, the noun basileus means “king” and is used with reference to the Father and not the Lord Jesus Christ. In favor of the latter is that the Lord Jesus Christ is mentioned specifically in verses 12, 14 and 16 of the preceding paragraph. However, in favor of the former is that Jesus Christ is the member of the Trinity who revealed the character and nature of God (John 1:18) and here the king is described as invisible, which is true of the Father and the Spirit. In His deity, Jesus Christ is invisible but He came to reveal the character and nature of the Trinity to men. Thus, it would be unusual for Paul to describe Jesus Christ as invisible when throughout His writings and the writings of the other apostles, He is emphasized as the revelation of God in that the person who has seen Him has seen God (John 14:8-9). Also, in the New Testament, doxologies tend to be directed toward the Father rather than the Lord Jesus Christ. Further suggesting the Father is in view is that the expression ε appears only one other place in the New Testament, in

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Jude 25 where it refers to the Father. The only other place where the adjective monos is used with theos in a doxology is Romans 16:27 where together they refer to the Father. Lastly, further supporting that basileus is a reference to the Father is that the Scriptures teach that both the Son and the Spirit through their work on behalf of sinners is designed to bring praise to the Father and glorify Him in the sense of revealing His character and nature. Paul burst into a doxology of praise to the Father and not the Lord Jesus Christ because he is connecting the salvation that Jesus Christ provided with His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and resurrection as originating from the Father. The apostle wants to make clear that the Lord Jesus Christ did not provide salvation for sinners independently from the Father but in full compliance with the Father’s plan from eternity past. The noun basileus teaches that the Father is sovereign over history. The term “sovereignty” connotes a situation in which a person, from his innate dignity, exercises supreme power, with no areas of his province outside his jurisdiction. As applied to God, the term “sovereignty” indicates His complete power over all of creation, so that He exercises His will absolutely, without any necessary conditioning by a finite will or wills. The noun basileus is a dative of recipient indicating that the Father is the recipient of this doxology in verse 17. The articular construction of the word is kataphoric meaning it is anticipatory followed by several words that further describe the King who is the Father. The article is also monadic emphasizing that the Father is in a class by Himself and is superior to human and angelic kings since all are under His authority. We will translate the expression αε, “ to the King .”

Classical Usage of Aion

Aion is an abstract noun, which by their very nature focus on a quality. However, when such a noun is articular, that quality is “tightened up,” as it were, defined more closely, distinguished from other notions. The article with an abstract noun aion emphasizes eternity is well-known to Paul’s readers. We will translate the prepositional phrase eis tous aionas , “ throughout eternity .” In the classical period aion denoted “lifetime, age, generation, a long period, or eternity.” Time and eternity are two complementary categories for comprehending the historical process. The Greek language has a wealth of various terms with which to express the experience of time. The most extensive one is aion which is primarily a designation for a long period of time. When such an age refers to the past, it

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 68 denotes remote antiquity, the dim and distant past and when it is directed to the on- going future aion can take on the meaning of eternity. Eternity is thus not necessarily a timeless concept, but the most comprehensive temporal one which the experience of time has produced. Theologically speaking, lasting time or eternity is a property of God the Creator, whereas passing time belongs to man as the creature. The Greek word aion is probably derived from aei , “always” and is distinguished from its Indo-European parallels (Latin: aevum ; English: aye are cognate) in that it is thought of not so much from the point of view of an abstract period of time as from the point of view of the time in which one has lived. The essential meaning of aion in classical Greek is time as the condition for all created things and as the measure of their existence. It came to mean all that exists in the world under conditions of time. Ethically speaking aion refers to the course and current of this world’s affairs. In Homer aion is often parallel with psuche , “soul” (Il. 16, 453); in Hesiod (Frag. 161, 1) it denotes a life-span, and in Aeschylus (Sept. 742), “a generation.” So it came to mean the time which one has already lived or will live meaning it can relate to past as to future. It thus appeared appropriate to later philosophers to use the word both for the dim and distant past, the beginning of the world, and for the far future, eternity (Plato, Tim. 37d). In Plato the term is developed so as to represent a timeless, immeasurable and transcendent super-time, an idea of time in itself. Plutarch and the earlier Stoics appropriate this understanding and from it the mysteries of Aion , “the god of eternity” could be celebrated in Alexandria and Gnosticism could undertake its own speculations of time. In Hellenistic philosophy the concept of aeons contributed towards a solution of the problem of the world-order. The aeons were assumed to be mediating powers which bridge the infinite qualitative distinction between God and the cosmos. They are an emanation of the divine pleroma, the fullness of the divine Being. As differing levels of being of the divinity, they rule the various world-historical periods, which follow one another in a perpetual circular movement. The thought of personal, divine aeons was widespread in the speculation of the ancient orient such as in the Zoroastrian religion and Philo. In Gnosticism is found the doctrine of the two ages representing on the one hand the eternal and supratemporal and on the other the temporal and transient world. So the term aion in classical Greek generally expresses an extended span of time, but it additionally assumes a specific meaning according to its various contexts. Aion does not imply any movement of time from one point in time to another but rather aion designates the totality of time and sees the entire picture simultaneously. Because aion suggested an age or aeon, it represented the world or

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 69 kosmos and the course of the kosmos itself. Whereas kosmos connotes the world in terms of space, aion designates the world in terms of time. Kosmos and aion form the framework of mankind’s existence. The Greeks possessed the concept the present aion and the one to come. The Papyri tell of a crowd of people that pays homage to the emperor with cries of Agoustoi kurioi eis ton aiona , “The emperors be forever!” (The Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1.141). The Greeks like many nations imagined an eternal age to come. Liddell and Scott (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, page 45): (1) lifetime, life, age, generation (2) one’s life, destiny (3) long space of time, age (4) eternity (5) space of time clearly defined and marked out, epoch, age.

Septuagint Usage of Aion

The noun aion appears over 450 times in the Septuagint. In the Septuagint, aion is the primary equivalent of the Hebrew ` olam . The concepts behind this word greatly influence the definition of aion in the Greek New Testament. In reference time the word points to an existence beyond that which is material, an unlimited, undefined, and unknown period of time, either past or future. The term also contains the concept of being uninterrupted. Depending on the context it can be translated “formerly, always, eternal, all eternity.” It is ` olam and its cognates which the Old Testament most frequently relies upon to describe “eternal” concepts and “eternity.” The Old Testament often understands the expressions “eternal” and “eternity” as relative in meaning. The nature of the matter in question and the pertinent circumstances determine the interpretation (Job 20:4; Josh. 24:2; Jer. 28:8). The word ` olam retains its relative nature in expressions of future time such as in connection with the divine institutions in Israel (Ex. 12:14; 31:16; Deut. 15:17; 1 Ch. 16:11; 2 Ch. 7:16; Ps. 105:10). The word is used in relation to the Noahic covenant (Gen. 9:16). The terms “eternal” and “eternity” are also employed in the absolute sense. They are used in relation to the existence of God (Deut. 32:40). It is used in relation to the attributes of God and His superiority over His creatures (Gen. 21:33; Deut. 33:27; Is. 40:28). God is in the absolute sense eternal in His relationship with humanity. The eternal nature of God is used in relation to the following concepts in the Old Testament: (1) Light for His people (Is. 60:19). (2) Eternal king (Ex. 15:18). (3) Eternal might (Dan. 4:34). (4) Love (Jer. 31:3). (5) Mercy (Ps. 106:1). (6) Faithfulness (Ps. 146:6). (7) Salvation (Is. 45:17). (8) Anger toward sin (Mal. 1:4). (9) Righteousness (Dan. 9:24). (10) New Covenant (Is. 55:3; 61:8). (11) Messiah

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(Is. 9:6). (12) Word of God (Is. 40:8). (13) Man has eternity in his heart (Ecc. 3:11). A figurative use of the eternity concept appears in the expression “from eternity to eternity” (Ps. 90:2 [LXX 89:2]; 103:17 [102:17]). This denotes through a means of polarity, the extent of something immeasurable. Nowhere in the Old Testament does “eternity” carry a philosophical meaning. Therefore, ` olam can denote a prolonged period of time which extends beyond sight which is hidden and secret and which cannot be comprehended. Nevertheless as with the Greek aion, ` olam can refer to near and temporal things.

New Testament Usage of Aion

The noun aion is employed more than 100 times in the Greek New Testament. It primarily means “eternal,” but in other instances it carries the same definitions and nuances, which are found in classical Greek and in the Septuagint. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised (page 11): (1) a period of time of significant character (2) life (3) an era (4) an age (5) a state of things marking an age or era (6) the present order of nature (7) the natural condition of man, the world (8) illimitable duration, eternity (9) the material universe. The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon (pages 18-20): (1) age, a human lifetime, life itself (2) an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity (3) eis ton aiona , for ever (4) eis aiona , unto the day which is eternity (5) never, not forever, not always (6) eis tous aionas , unto the ages, i.e. as long as time shall be (the plural denotes the individual ages whose sum is eternity) (7) eis tous aionas ton aionon , forever and ever (8) from the most ancient time down, from of old (9) by metonymy of the container for the contained, the worlds, the universe (10) this age. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) a long period of time, without reference to beginning or end (2) a segment of time as a particular unit of history, age (3) the world as a spatial concept, the world (4) the Aeon as a person, the Aeon. (Pages 32-33) Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains (volume 2): (1) a unit of time as a particular stage or period of history – ‘age, era’ (page 648). (2) (always occurring in the plural): the universe, perhaps with some associated meaning of ‘eon’ or ‘age’ in the sense of the transitory nature of the universe (3) the system of practices and standards associated with secular society (that is, without reference to any demands or requirements of God) – ‘world system, world’s standards, world’ (page 508). Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (volume 1, pages 44-46): (1) life, lifetime, generation (2) from time immemorial (3) forever (4) eternity (5) eternal (6) present age (7) world.

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Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “ Aion , ‘an age, era’ (to be connected with aei , ‘ever,’ rather than with ao , ‘to breathe’), signifies a period of indefinite duration, or time viewed in relation to what takes place in the period. The force attaching to the word is not so much that of the actual length of a period, but that of a period marked by spiritual or moral characteristics. This is illustrated in the use of the adjective [see Note (1) below] in the phrase ‘life eternal,’ in John 17:3, in respect of the increasing knowledge of God. The phrases containing this word should not be rendered literally, but consistently with its sense of indefinite duration. Thus eis ton aiona does not mean ‘unto the age’ but ‘for ever’ (see, e. g., Heb 5:6). The Greeks contrasted that which came to an end with that which was expressed by this phrase, which shows that they conceived of it as expressing interminable duration. The word occurs most frequently in the Gospel of John, the Hebrews and Revelation. It is sometimes wrongly rendered ‘world.’ It is a characteristic word of John's gospel. Notes: (1) Aionios , the adjective corresponding, denoting ‘eternal,’ is set in contrast with proskairos , lit., ‘for a season,’ 2 Cor 4:18. It is used of that which in nature is endless, as, e. g., of God, Rom 16:26, His power, 1 Tim 6:16, His glory, 1 Peter 5:10, the Holy Spirit, Heb 9:14, redemption, Heb 9:12, salvation, 5:9, life in Christ, John 3:16, the resurrection body, 2 Cor 5:1, the future rule of Christ, 2 Peter 1:11, which is declared to be without end, Luke 1:33, of sin that never has forgiveness, Mark 3:29, the judgment of God, Heb 6:2, and of fire, one of its instruments, Matt 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7. (2) In Rev 15:3, the RV has ‘King of the ages,’ according to the texts which have aionon , the KJV has ‘of saints’ (hagion , in inferior mss.). There is good ms. evidence for ethnon , ‘nations,’ (KJV, marg.), probably a quotation from Jer 10:7.” The word is related to the following concepts in the Greek New Testament: (1) Totality of visible creation (Heb. 1:2). (2) Cosmic system of Satan (Eph. 2:2). (3) End of the Cosmic System of Satan (Mt. 28:20). (4) Future Millennial Reign of Christ (Mk. 10:30). (5) Eternal State (Eph. 2:7). (6) Eternity (John 9:32). (7) Eternal Life (Jn. 10:28). (8) Old Testament Dispensations (Col. 1:26). (9) Eternal Condemnation in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:3). (10) Eternal Nature of Christ (1 Ti. 1:17). (11) The Will of the Father in Eternity Past (Eph. 3:11). (12) Eternal Nature of the Word of God (1 Pet. 1:25). (13) Eternal Nature of Christ’s High Priesthood (Heb. 7:17). (14) Worship of Christ (Rev. 4:10). The word is used with the preposition eis to express the concept of eternity. It appears regularly in the doxologies and offerings of praise. The noun appears in the formula eis ton aiona tou aionos to emphasize the concept of eternity (Phlp. 4:20; Eph. 3:21). This repetition of the word is the figure of Polyptoton appearing in context of praise to both the Father and the Son and is actually a Hebrew idiom.

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The noun aion appears frequently in the New Testament in this negative sense. In Ephesians 2:2, the word is translated “course” referring to the Satanic viewpoint of Satan’s cosmic system. The word appears in 2 Corinthian 4:4 where it refers to the Satanic age of world history in contrast to the Messianic age. Paul uses the word in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 where he uses it with reference to the present period of human history in which the devil’s viewpoint rules. The noun aion is found in Matthew 13:22, Mark 14:19 and 1 Timothy 6:17. In these passages the word means “age” and these passage teaches that the anxieties of this age coupled with the seductive power of riches can strangle a believer’s spiritual life. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:10 that Demas, a believer loved this present age. The noun aion means “eternity” is used with the preposition eis to express the concept of eternity and literally means “throughout eternity.”

Usage of Aion in 1 Timothy 1:17

In 1 Timothy 1:17, the noun aion appears three times. The first time the word is used it is modifying basileus , which means “king” and refers to the Father. There is a problem of interpreting this word when it is used in relation to basileus . Is the apostle using a Hebraistic construction and using the word as an adjective emphasizing the eternal nature of the Father or is he saying that the Father is king over all the ages of time? Does he mean “eternal” King or is he referring to “the scope of God’s rule, i.e. over the unending series of future ages or possibly over the periods of salvation history or over the worlds in existence during the various ‘ages.’” (I. Howard Marshall and Philip Towner; A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles; page 405). Knight writes, “Is the apostle saying, using a Hebraistic construction (a genitive modeled on a Hebrew construct state, melek `olam ; cf. Str-B III, 320, 643; H. Sasse, TDNT I, 201), that God is an everlasting King (NASB, NIV) or is he saying that God is the King of all the ages of time (RSV, NEB)? If Paul is primarily influenced by current Jewish use of the terminology, which differs somewhat from the OT (cf. Sasse, TDNT I, 201, 204) and if he sees God as exercising his rule as king both now and into eternity, then ‘king of the ages’ is his meaning. If he is primarily influenced by the OT use of the Hebrew construct state with the same use of a plural as here (cf. Jer. 10:10), if a parallel doxology is of any significance (Romans 16:26) and if the significance of the previous occurrence of aionon (verse 16) and the thrust of the conclusion of verse 17 itself ( eis tous aionas ton aionon ) are indicators of the meaning, then there seems to be a slight edge for the meaning ‘eternal king’ (so Str-B and Sasse). In either case, the general meaning is that as king God rules in past, present and future.” (Knight, George W. III, The Pastoral

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Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text; page 105; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K., The Paternoster Press; Bletchley) Mounce writes “On the one hand, because aion (verse 17) is not the same word as aionios (verse 16), the translation should reflect the shift. On the other hand, aion is used later in the same verse in the idiom meaning ‘forever.’ Since English does not have similar synonyms, it is best to preserve the wordplay and translate as ‘king eternal.’” (Mounce, William D., The Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles, page 60; Thomas Nelson, 2000) Wallace writes, “The problem with taking this as attributive (as ASV et al. do) is that the gen. is plural. However, if it were put in the singular, the meaning would not be “eternal king” (‘king of the age’ would be a temporal king). RSV, NRSV treat it as a gen. of subordination—‘king of the ages’…The question is whether innate character or actual domain is emphasized. The gen. is elastic enough to include both; perhaps the expression was left in the gen. for this very reason, as a sort of pregnant gen.” (Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics - Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament; page 104; Zondervan Publishing House and Galaxie Software; 1999; 2002). Wallace’s comments refute any idea of the noun aion meaning “eternal” describing an attribute of the Father. Therefore, it seems best to translate the word “ages” referring to the dispensations of history, past, present, future and eternal state. Now, the question arises as to how to interpret the grammatical function of the word. Is it a genitive of subordination meaning that the noun aion specifies that which is subordinated to or under the dominion of the head noun, basileus ? This would indicate that the Father is king “over” the ages. Or is it a genitive of time meaning that the noun aion indicates the kind of time, or time within which the word to which it stands related takes place indicating that the Father is king “during the ages”? It would seem that the latter is in view since the word also appears in the articular genitive plural form in the prepositional phrase to follow where it emphasizing that the Father will be praised “throughout the ages.” Therefore, when aion is used with basileus as a genitive of time it indicates that the Father is King “throughout the ages” meaning that He is King over the dispensations of history, past, present, future and the eternal state.

Immortality of the Father

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NASU)

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“Immortal ” is the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aphthartos (α ) (ahf-thar-toce), which is correctly translated and pertains “to being not subject to decay and death” (Louw and Nida, 23.128). This word is used to describe the Father in Romans 1:23 distinguishing Himself from His creatures. In older Greek philosophy, this word referred to that which is constant and abiding in nature, as opposed to that which changes and perishes. It occurs only twice in the Septuagint, both instances are non-canonical. The term appears 8 times in the New Testament. It is used of the incorruptible of the reward of the Christian who fulfills the Father’s will for his life in 1 Corinthians 9:25. It is used of the incorruptible and immoral nature of the Christian’s resurrection body in 1 Corinthians 15:52. Peter uses it of the immortal nature of the Christian’s inheritance in 1 Peter 1:4. He uses it to describe the imperishable nature of the Word of God in 1 Peter 1:23. In 1 Peter 3:4, it is used of the reproduction of Christ-like character in Christian wives, which is incorruptible and immortal. In 1 Timothy 1:17, the adjective aphthartos ascribes immorality which is intrinsic to the nature of the Father. The term is a dative of simple apposition meaning that the word is modifying basileus and is further describing the Father who is king. We will translate the word “ who is immortal .”

The Invisibility of the Father

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NASU) “Invisible ” is the dative masculine singular form of the adjective aoratos (α ) (ah-ore-dah-toce), which is composed of a word related to the verb horao , “to see” and a negating alpha, thus the word literally means “not seen” or “invisible.” So the word pertains to that which cannot be seen. It is found only three times in the Septuagint (Genesis 1:2; 2 Maccabees 9:5; Isaiah 45:3). The term is found only five times in the New Testament (Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:15, 16; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27). In Romans 1:20, the word describes God’s attributes as “invisible.” It means “invisible” in Colossians 1:15 where it describes the Father. Aoratos is used by Paul in Colossians 1:16 to describe that aspect of creation created by the Lord Jesus which is “invisible.” In Hebrews 11:27, the adjective is used to describe the Father as “invisible.” In 1 Timothy 1:17, the adjective is used to describe the Father as “invisible.” Though the Father cannot be seen by His creatures, the Son has revealed Him (John 1:18). 1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (ESV)

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In 1 Timothy 1:17, the term aoratos is a dative of simple apposition meaning that the word is modifying basileus and is further describing the Father who is king. We will translate the word “ who is invisible .”

The Only God

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (NASU) “The only God ” is composed of the dative masculine singular form of the adverb monos ( ) (moe-noce), “ only ” and the dative masculine singular form of the noun theos (ε ) (thay-oce), “ the God .” The adverb monos is used with reference to the Father and denotes He is in a class by Himself or unique meaning that He is the “one and only” God. The word functions as an attributive adjective modifying the noun theos , which refers to the Father. Commenting on this expression Towner writes that it “represents a fundamental affirmation of belief that goes back to the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4 (‘Hear, O Israel…the Lord is one’) and became standard theology in the early church. The original affirmation contested pagan polytheism, which in Deuteronomy was symbolized in Egyptian idolatry; it was later developed and used widely in the running debate with paganism. In a purely worship setting, the epithet would draw attention to the supremacy of God.” Towner, Philip H., The Letters to Timothy and Titus; page 153; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, MI, 2006) Mounce writes, “The Shema was repeated every day at the synagogue and is still part of the daily prayer life of the pious Jew. It was perhaps this confession more than any other that made the Judeo-Christian outlook unique in the ancient world.” (Mounce, William D., The Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles, page 61; Thomas Nelson, 2000) In 1 Timothy 1:17, these two words are also datives of simple apposition meaning that they are modifying basileus and are further describing the Father who is king. We will translate the word “ who is the one and only God .”

Ellipsis

Not translated is the dative masculine singular form of the relative pronoun hos () (oce), which refers to the Father. The word functions as a dative of advantage meaning indicating that honor and glory will take place “on behalf of” the Father or “for His benefit.” Therefore we will translate hos , “ for the benefit of whom .” “Be ” does not translate a word in the original Greek text but is correctly added by the translators since Paul is using the figure of ellipsis meaning that he

2011 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 76 deliberately omitting, though it is implied, the third person plural future middle indicative form of the verb eimi (ε ) (ee-mee). The verb eimi means, “to take place, occur” and is used of an event, thus it denotes an event taking place. This indicates that the glorification of the Father by both regenerate Jew and Gentiles “will take place.” This is a predictive future where the future tense indicates that something will take place or come to pass. The portrayal is external, summarizing the action: “it will happen.” The predictive future of the verb eimi is eschatological in nature indicating that God the Father will be the recipient of recognition and adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving from every believer in the future. This will take place because He is the ultimate cause and source of all things as well as the sustainer of all things and all things are for His ultimate glorification and pleasure. The prepositional phrase eis tous aionas , “ forever ” indicates that this is predictive future since it refers to eternity future. The active voice indicates that honor and glory will be directed towards the Father from both Jew and Gentile believers is the subject, which performs the action of the verb eimi . The indicative mood is “declarative” presenting this assertion that the Father will be recipient of honor and glory from His justified sinners and elect angels as an unqualified statement. We will translate eimi , “ will be .”

Time

“Honor ” is the nominative feminine singular form of the noun time ( ) (tee- mee), which was used in classical literature from the Iliad onward. The term had three basic meanings: (1) Of people: worship, esteem, honor (2) Of things: worth, value, price (3) Compensation, satisfaction, penalty. ( The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology , Colin Brown, General Editor, volume 2, pages 48-50, Regency, Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967, 1969, 1971) In classical literature time denoted the following: (1) Legal: appraisal, compensation, penalty, satisfaction” (Homer Iliad 1.159; 3.286, 288, 459; 5.552; Odyssey 22.57). (2) Value: honor usually ascribed to an exalted personage, regard, or respect paid to another (Xenophon Mem. 2.1.33). (3) Honorary office, office (Herodotus 1.59.6), honorary and state officials (Plato Resp. VIII, 549c; Xenophon Cyrop. 1.2.15); also used to denote a king’s prerogatives (Homer Odyssey 1.117). (4) Dignity and the related authority such as divine (Homer Odyssey 5.335; Iliad 9.498; 15.189, or royal Iliad 1.278; 2.197; 6.193). (5) Honorarium (Diog. L. V, 72). (6) Honors, distinctions, awards (Homer Iliad 1.510; 4.410; 9.608; Plato Leg. I, 632b). (7) Worship of God (Euripides Ba. 342, cf. Aeschylus Choeph. 200;

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Euripides Heracl. 903; Aristophanes Pl. 93). (8) Evaluation of a matter, value, price (Plato Leg. XI, 914c). The noun time appears 41 times in the Greek New Testament and has the following meanings: (1) Honor (2) Esteem, dignity, recognition (3) Honorarium (4) Eternal value (Col. 2:23) (5) Doxologically of the Lord (6) Value, price. Vine commenting on the word, writes, “ Time primarily ‘a valuing,’ hence, objectively, (a) ‘a price paid or received,’ e. g., Matt 27:6,9; Acts 4:34; 5:2,3; 7:16, RV, ‘price’ (KJV, ‘sum’); 19:19; 6:20; 7:23; (b) of ‘the preciousness of Christ’ unto believers, 1 Peter 2:7, RV, i. e., the honor and inestimable value of Christ as appropriated by believers, who are joined, as living stones, to Him the cornerstone; (c) in the sense of value, of human ordinances, valueless against the indulgence of the fiesh, or, perhaps of no value in attempts at asceticism, Col 2:23 (d) ‘honor, esteem,’ (1) used in ascriptions of worship to God, 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; Rev 4:9,11; 5:13; 7:12; to Christ, 5:12,13; (2) bestowed upon Christ by the Father, Heb 2:9; 2 Peter 1:17; (3) bestowed upon man, Heb 2:7; (4) bestowed upon Aaronic priests, Heb 5:4; (5) to be the reward hereafter of ‘the proof of faith’ on the part of tried saints, 1 Peter 1:7, RV; (6) used of the believer who as a vessel is ‘meet for the Master's use,’ 2 Tim 2:21; (7) to be the reward of patience in well-doing, Rom 2:7, and of working good (a perfect life to which man cannot attain, so as to be justified before God thereby), 2:10; (8) to be given to all to whom it is due, Rom 13:7 (see 1 Peter 2:17, under B, No. 1); (9) as an advantage to be given by believers one to another instead of claiming it for self, Rom 12:10; (10) to be given to elders that rule well (‘double honor’), 1 Tim 5:17 (here the meaning may be an honorarium); (11) to be given by servants to their master, 1 Tim 6:1; (12) to be given to wives by husbands, 1 Peter 3:7; (13) said of the husband's use of the wife, in contrast to the exercise of the passion of lust, 1 Thess 4:4 (some regard the ‘vessel’ here as the believer's body); (14) of that bestowed upon; parts of the body, 1 Cor 12:23,24; (15) of that which belongs to the builder of a house in contrast to the house itself, Heb 3:3; (16) of that which is not enjoyed by a prophet in his own country, John 4:44; (17) of that bestowed by the inhabitants of Melita upon Paul and his fellow- passengers, in gratitude for his benefits of healing, Acts 28:10; (18) of the festive honor to be possessed by nations, and brought into the Holy City, the heavenly Jerusalem, Rev 21:26 (in some mss., v. 24); (19) of honor bestowed upon things inanimate, a potters' vessel, Rom 9:21; 2 Tim 2:20. (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) A Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition lists the following meanings for the noun time : (1) the amount at which something is valued, price, value (2) manifestation of esteem, honor, reverence (3) honor conferred through compensation, honorarium, compensation (4) a right that is specifically conferred, privilege (Page 1005).

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The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following meanings for time , “a pricing, estimate of worth, price, value; price paid; a thing of price and collectively, precious things; preciousness; substantial value, real worth; careful regard, honor, state of honor, dignity; honor conferred, observance, veneration; mark of favor and consideration.” (Page 405) The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings: (1) a valuing by which the price is fixed; hence the price itself (2) honor which belongs or is shown to one: the honor of one who outranks others, pre-eminence. (Page 624) Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains lists the following meanings: (1) honor as an element in the assignment of status to a person – ‘honor, respect, status’ (volume 2, page 734). (2) the worth or merit of some object, event or state – ‘worth, value’ (volume 2, page 620). (3) the amount of money or property regarded as representing the value or price of something – ‘amount, price, cost’ (volume 2, page 576). (4) compensation given for special service, with the implication that this is a way by which honor or respect may be shown – ‘compensation, pay, honorarium’ (volume 2, page 576). Knight writes that time “refers basically to the ‘honor’ and ‘respect’ that one is worth or has earned, which someone renders and thus the recipient enjoys and possesses. When used of God, as here, it designates that which rightly belongs to God, which those offering the doxology should recognize about him, so that they should seek to ascribe such honor to him.” (Pages 105-106). Towner writes that honor “is a public acknowledgement of worth.” (Page 153). In 1 Timothy 1:17, the noun time refers to the recognition that the Father will receive from those sinners declared justified through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. It refers to their public acknowledgement of the Father for saving them based upon the merits of the object of their faith Jesus Christ. The word is a nominative subject meaning that it is performing the action of the verb eimi , which is omitted but implied. We will translate the word “ honor (in the sense of public recognition and acknowledgment) .”

Adjunctive Kai

“And ” is the “adjunctive” use of the conjunction kai (kaiV) (kah), which introduces an “additional” benefit that the Father will receive from justified sinners. We will translate the word “ as well as .”

Doxa

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“The glory ” is the nominative feminine singular form of the noun doxa (α ) (thoex-ah), which refers to the adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving that will be directed towards the Father by both elect angels and regenerate human beings. Therefore, elect angels and regenerate human beings will be in eternity future giving the Father glory as expressed through adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving because He is the source, sustainer and ultimate goal of all things and is their redeemer and Savior. The word functions as a nominative subject indicating that it is performing the action of the verb eimi , which is omitted due to the figure of ellipsis. We will translate doxa , “glory (in the sense of adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving) .”

Forever and Ever

“Forever and ever ” is composed of the preposition eis (ε) (eece) and the articular accusative masculine plural form of the noun aion (α ) (aye-own), “forever ” and the articular genitive masculine plural form of the noun aion (α ) (aye-own), “ forever .” The noun aion means “ages” or “eternity” and is used with the preposition eis to express the concept of eternity and literally means “throughout eternity.” It is used this way in other places in the New Testament. Romans 1:24, “Therefore, God gave them over in the lust of their hearts to impurity, namely, they degraded their bodies between themselves 25 who indeed by virtue of their evil character exchanged the truth originating from God by means of the lie. Furthermore, they worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is worthy of praise and glorification throughout eternity . Amen.” (My translation) Romans 9:5, “To them belong the fathers and from them, the Christ with respect to human racial descent, the one who is, as an eternal spiritual truth, God over each and every living and non-living thing, worthy of praise and glorification throughout eternity . Amen!” (My translation) Romans 11:36, “Because each and every thing, as an eternal spiritual truth, exists because of Him as their source and through Him and for Him. Glory (in the sense of adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving) will be directed towards Him throughout eternity . Amen!” (My translation) Romans 16:25 Now, to the One who is, as an eternal spiritual truth, always able to strengthen each and every one of you without exception according to my gospel namely, publicly proclaiming as a herald in a dignified and authoritative manner Jesus, who is the Christ on the basis of receiving revelation concerning the mystery, which has been concealed from eternity past. 26 But now has been manifested. Indeed, through the prophetic

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Scriptures according to the decree of the eternal God has been fully made known publicly and explicitly for the benefit of all the Gentiles for the purpose of obedience produced by faith. 27 To the unique, wise God through Jesus Christ, to whom, will be directed glory (in the sense of adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving) throughout eternity . So it will be. (My translation) In 1 Timothy 1:17, we have Paul repeating the articular noun aion , which literally means “the ages.” The preposition eis is coupled with the accusative form of aion and literally they mean “throughout the ages” since it denotes the extent of time in which the Father will receive honor and glory from those sinners He has justified through faith in His Son. The articular construction of the word is anaphoric meaning that the word was used earlier in the verse and is retaining the same meaning the second time that it is used. The articular genitive form of the word means “during the ages” since it is a genitive of time. In the genitive, the noun aion expresses very emphatically the superlative degree, thus this figure is a kind of enallage or exchange by which a noun in the genitive plural is used instead of a superlative degree. The articular construction is also anaphoric. The twofold use of aion in a phrase emphasizes the concept of eternity (cf. Heb. 1:8; Ps. 45:6 [44:6]). This figure occurs regularly in the Pauline corpus and in Revelation (cf. Heb. 13:21; 1 Pet. 4:11; 5:11). This figure of using repetition is a Hebrew idiom indicating a superlative (e.g. Holy of Holies = the most Holy Place), thus this prepositional phrase in Philippians 4:20 means “forever and ever.” This construction stresses most emphatically the concept of eternality. In the Epistles this figure falls only in the context of praise to God and Christ (Gal. 1:5; Eph. 3:21; Phlp. 4:20; 1 T. 1:17; 2 T. 4:18; Heb. 1:8; 13:21; 1 P. 4:11; 5:11). We will translate the prepositional phrase ε αα αω , “ forever and ever .”

Amen

“Amen ” is the interjection amen ( ) (ah-meen), which is a transliteration of the Hebrew ` amen , “surely, truly” and serves as a liturgical formula at the close of a doxology (Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 16:27; Gal. 1:5; Eph. 3:21; Phlp. 4:20; Heb. 13:21). The interjection amen emphasizes the certainty that God the Father will throughout eternity future receive from regenerate men and elect angels honor and glory. William Mounce writes, “In coming ages the songs of the redeemed will ring throughout the court of heaven. Redemption will be complete. The eternal purposes of God will reach their fulfillment. God will be forever praised. Amen.”

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(Mounce, Robert, The New American Commentary, volume 27, pages 283; Romans, Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1995) We will translate the word “ so it will be .”

Translation of 1 Timothy 1:17

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King throughout the ages, who is immortal, who is invisible, who is the one and only God for the benefit of whom will be honor as well as glory forever and ever. So it will be!

Summary of 1 Timothy 1:17

1 Timothy 1:17 is a doxology that marks a transition from the previous paragraph in verses 12-16. It is fitting for Paul to burst into a doxology of praise to the Father after sharing with his readers how the Lord Jesus Christ treated him according to His grace policy even though he was the worst enemy of our Lord among men. “To the king ” is a reference to the Father. Paul bursts into a doxology of praise to the Father and not the Lord Jesus Christ because he is connecting the salvation that Jesus Christ provided with His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and resurrection as originating from the Father. The apostle wants to make clear that the Lord Jesus Christ did not provide salvation for sinners independently from the Father but in full compliance with the Father’s plan from eternity past. The expression teaches that the Father is sovereign over history. It also indicates that the Father will be the recipient of glory and honor from those whom He saved through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. “Throughout the ages ” refers to the fact that the Father is king or sovereign over history. He is ruler over the dispensations of history, past, present, future and eternal state. “Immortal ” describes the Father as not being subject to decay and death distinguishing Him as transcendent of His creatures. “Invisible ” describes God’s attributes as “invisible.” Though the Father cannot be seen by His creatures, the Son has revealed Him (John 1:18). “The one and only God ” denotes that the Father is in a class by Himself or unique meaning that He is the “one and only” God and thus superior to the gods worshipped by the pagans. “Honor ” refers to the recognition that the Father will receive from those sinners declared justified through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. It refers to their public acknowledgement of the Father for saving them based upon the merits of the object of their faith Jesus Christ.

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“Glory ” refers to the adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving that will be directed towards the Father by both elect angels and regenerate human beings. Therefore, elect angels and regenerate human beings will be in eternity future giving the Father glory as expressed through adoring praise, honor, recognition and worshipful thanksgiving because He is the source, sustainer and ultimate goal of all things and is their redeemer and Savior. “Forever and ever ” denotes the extent of time in which the Father will receive honor and glory from those sinners He has justified through faith in His Son. It stresses most emphatically the concept of eternality “Amen ” emphasizes the certainty that God the Father will throughout eternity future receive from regenerate men and elect angels honor and glory.

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