Homily 18 — First Timothy 6, verses 13 to 16

“I charge you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who in the presence of Pontius Pilate bore witness to a good confession, that you keep this commandment without stain and beyond reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will show in his own times — he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in light that no one can approach, whom no one has seen or can see; to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” [a]

Again he calls God to witness, as he had done a little before. He does it to increase his disciple’s awe and at the same time to make him safe, and to show that these were not human commands. Receiving the command as from the Lord himself, and always keeping in mind the Witness before whom he heard it, Timothy will have it pressed into his mind with greater fear.

“I charge you,” he says, “before God, who gives life to all things.” Here at once is comfort in the dangers that awaited him, and a reminder that wakes in him the thought of the resurrection.

“And before Jesus Christ, who before Pontius Pilate bore witness to a good confession.” [b]

Again the encouragement is drawn from the example of his Teacher, and what he means is this: as he did, so you ought to do. For this is why he “bore witness”: so that we might follow in his steps (First Peter 2, verse 21).

“A good confession.” What he does in his letter to the Hebrews — “Looking to Jesus, the originator and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart in your minds” (Hebrews 12, verses 2 and 3) — that he now does with his disciple Timothy. It is as if he had said: “Do not fear death, since you are the servant of God, who can give life to all things.”

But what “good confession” does he mean? The one Christ made when Pilate asked, “Are you a king?” “For this,” he said, “I was born.” And again: “I came to bear witness to the truth. See, these have heard me” (John 18, verse 37). He may mean this, or that when he was asked, “Are you the Son of God?” he answered, “You say that I am” (Luke 22, verse 70). And he made many other testimonies and confessions as well.

Verse 14: “That you keep this commandment without stain and beyond reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [d]

That is, until your end, your departure from this life. He does not put it that way, though; to rouse him all the more, he says, “until his appearing.” But what is it “to keep the commandment without stain”? It is to take on no defilement, either in teaching or in life.

Verse 15: “Which he will show in his own times, he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in light that no one can approach.”

Of whom are these things said? Of the Father, or of the Son? Of the Son, without doubt. And it is said to comfort Timothy, so that he will not fear or stand in awe of the kings of the earth.

“In his own times” — that is, at the due and fitting times — so that he will not grow impatient because it has not yet come. And how is it clear that he will show it? Because he is the Sovereign, the “only Sovereign.” He, then, will show it who is “blessed” — no, who is blessedness itself. And this is said to show that in that appearing there is nothing painful or troubling.

He says “only” either to set him apart from human beings, or because he has no beginning, or in the way we sometimes speak of a man we want to praise highly. [e]

“Who alone has immortality.” What then? Does the Son not have immortality? Is he not immortality itself? How could he who is of the same essence as the Father not have immortality?

“Dwelling in light that no one can approach.” Is he, then, one light himself, and is there another light in which he dwells? Is he, then, confined by place? Far from it! This expression pictures how far the divine nature is beyond our grasp. This is how Paul speaks of God, in the best way he can. Notice how, when the tongue tries to utter something great, its power fails.

“Whom no one has seen or can see.” Just as no one has seen the Son either, or can see him.

“To whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” Fittingly, and very much to the point, has he spoken of God. Since he had called him to witness, he says a great deal about that Witness, so that his disciple may stand in greater awe. In these words he gives him glory, and this is all we can do or say. We must not pry with curiosity into who he is. If everlasting power is his, do not be afraid. Yes, even if it does not come about now, honor is his, power is his, forever.

Verse 17: “Command those who are rich in this world not to be arrogant.” [f]

He did well to say “rich in this world,” for there are others who are rich in the world to come. He gives this advice because he knows that nothing breeds pride and arrogance so commonly as wealth. So to bring this down, he at once adds, “nor to trust in uncertain riches,” since that was the source of the pride; for the one who hopes in God is not puffed up. Why do you set your hopes on something that passes to another in a moment? For that is what wealth is like! And why do you hope in something you cannot be sure of? But you ask: “How can they keep from being arrogant?” By considering how unstable and uncertain riches are, and that hope in God is infinitely more valuable, since God is the giver of wealth itself.

Verse 17: “But in the living God,” he says, “who richly gives us all things to enjoy.”

This “all things richly” is rightly said, with the changing seasons of the year in view, and air, light, water and his other gifts. How richly and generously all these are given! If you are looking for riches, look for those that are stable and lasting, the ones that are the fruit of good works. He shows that this is what he means by what follows.

Verse 18: “That they do good,” he says, “that they be rich in good works, generous in giving, ready to share.” [g]

The first phrase refers to wealth, the second to love. For to be ready to share means being sociable and kind.

Verse 19: “Storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come.”

There nothing is uncertain. Because the foundation is firm, there is no instability: everything is firm, fixed, immovable, secure and lasting.

Verse 19: “So that they may take hold,” he says, “of eternal life.”

For doing good works can secure the enjoyment of eternal life.

Verse 20: “Timothy, keep what has been entrusted to you.”

Do not let it be diminished. It is not your own. You have been entrusted with someone else’s property; do not make it less.

Verse 20: “Avoiding the godless and empty chatter and the contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.”

He did well to call it that. For where there is no faith, there is no knowledge; when something springs from our own reasonings, it is not knowledge. Or perhaps he says this because some people at that time took the name of Gnostics, as though they knew more than others.

Verse 21: “Which some have professed, and have strayed from the faith.” [i]

You see how again he commands Timothy not even to engage with them. “Avoiding the contradictions.” So there are contradictions we should not even dignify with an answer, because they turn people away from the faith and do not let anyone be firmly established or settled in it. So let us not chase after this knowledge, but hold fast to faith, that unshaken rock. For neither floods nor winds beating against us will be able to harm us, since we stand on the rock, immovable.

So even in this life, if we choose him who is truly the foundation, we stand firm, and no harm reaches us. For what can hurt the one who has chosen the riches, the honor, the glory, the pleasure of the life to come? These are all firm; in them there is no change. Everything here is liable to be overturned and is forever changing. What would you have? Glory? The psalmist says, “His glory will not go down after him” (Psalm 49, verse 17). And often it does not stay with him even while he lives. But it is not so with virtue: everything that belongs to her lasts.

Here, the man who has glory from his office becomes a private citizen without honor once someone else succeeds to his office. The rich man is brought to poverty by an attack of robbers, or by the traps of informers and swindlers. It is not so with Christians. The self-controlled man, if he watches over himself, will not be robbed of his virtue. The one who rules himself cannot become a commoner and a subject.

And on examination it will be clear that this rule is better than any other. [j]

Tell me, what good is it to reign over nations of our fellow human beings, and to be the slaves of our own passions? Or what are we the worse for having no one under our rule, if we are above the tyranny of the passions? That is true freedom, that is rule, that is kingship and sovereignty. The opposite is slavery, though a man wear countless diadems. For when a crowd of masters sways him from within — the love of money, the love of pleasure, anger and the other passions — what use is his diadem? The tyranny of those passions is all the harsher when not even his crown has the power to free him from their rule.

It is as though a man who had been a king were made a slave by barbarians, and they, wanting to show their power all the more completely, did not strip him of his purple robe and his diadem, but made him work in them and do every menial task — draw water, cook their food — so that his disgrace and their honor might be all the plainer. That is how our passions lord it over us, more savagely than any barbarians.

For the one who despises the passions can despise the barbarians too; but the one who gives in to them will suffer worse than he would from barbarians. The barbarian, when his power wins out, may afflict the body; but these passions torture the soul and tear it all over. When the barbarian has won, he hands a man over to the death of this present life; but these hand him over to the death that is to come. So the only free man is the one who has his freedom within himself, and the one who gives in to these unreasoning passions is the slave. [k]

No master, however inhuman, gives such harsh and inhuman orders. In effect, they say to him: “Disgrace your soul endlessly and for nothing. Offend your God. Turn a deaf ear to the claims of nature: even if it is your father or your mother, do not be ashamed to set yourself against them.”

Such are the commands of the love of money. She says: “Sacrifice to me — not calves, but men.” The prophet, indeed, says, “Sacrifice men, for the calves have run out” (Hosea 13, verse 2, in the Greek Old Testament). But the love of money says: “Sacrifice men, though there are calves still. Sacrifice those who have never wronged you; yes, kill them, even if they have done you good.” Or again: “Make war. Go about as the common enemy of all, of nature herself, and of God. Pile up gold, not so that you may enjoy it, but so that you may keep it and bring greater torment on yourself.”

For the lover of money cannot possibly enjoy it, since he is afraid his gold may grow less and his hoards run out. She says: “Stay on the watch. Suspect everyone, even your household servants and your friends. Keep an eye on other people’s goods. Though you see a poor man dying of hunger, give him nothing; strip him instead, if you can, of his very skin. Break your oaths, lie, swear. Be an accuser, a false informer. If it is necessary, do not refuse to rush into fire, to die a thousand deaths, to starve, to struggle with disease.” Does not the love of money lay down these laws? “Be offensive and impudent, shameless and brazen, villainous and wicked, ungrateful, unfeeling, unfriendly, faithless, without natural affection, a killer of your own parents, a beast rather than a man. Outdo the serpent in bitterness, the wolf in ravenousness. Go beyond even the wild beast in brutality; and if it should be necessary to go as far as the very malice of the devil, do not refuse. Be a stranger to the one who has done you good.”

Does not the love of money say all this, and is she not obeyed? God, on the contrary, says: “Be a friend to all. Be gentle, loved by all; give offense to no one without cause. ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ Win a good name. Do not be a man, but an angel. Say nothing indecent, nothing false, and do not even think it. Help the poor. Do not bring trouble on yourself by plundering others. Do not be brazen or insolent.” God says this, but no one listens. Is not hell, then, rightly threatened, and the fire, and the worm that does not die? How long will we keep throwing ourselves over the cliff? [l]

How long will we walk on thorns and pierce ourselves with nails, and be grateful for it? We put ourselves under cruel tyrants and refuse the gentle Master, who lays on us nothing heavy, nothing savage, nothing burdensome, nothing useless, but only what is useful, valuable and beneficial. So let us rouse ourselves, collect ourselves, and gather our strength. Let us love God as we ought, so that we may obtain the blessings promised to those who love him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honor, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.