1 Timothy 4:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does "nourished" mean? Chewing it over, constantly repeating the same thing, and always being instructed in the same thing. For this is no ordinary food. Preach this and learn this. The expression "nourished by the words of faith" has precisely this meaning.

Do not only instruct others, he says, but exercise yourself in this as well. "Nourished," he says, "by the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed."

He said: set these things before others. Now he says: but you yourself must also be nourished by the same truths, turning them over in your mind and, as it were, chewing them again. By saying "nourished," he indicated constant attention to them. Just as we take food every day, so we must always be nourished by the words of faith.

From this it is clear how profoundly true the Apostle's earlier word was: whoever desires the episcopate desires a good thing. He must exercise himself, expose heretics, and instruct those entrusted to him.

"The pastor is called a minister because his duty is not to rule and magnify himself, but faithfully to fulfill what Christ commanded and to transmit the Master's commands to those of the same faith," says blessed Theodoret.

"Nourished by the words of faith and of the good doctrine." By this, according to the explanation of St. John Chrysostom, the Apostle "indicates continual attention to such matters. For just as we use food daily, so the word concerning faith must always be received and always feed us. It must be chewed over, constantly repeated in the mind, and always studied as the same thing."

"Exercise yourself in piety," that is, in pure faith, righteous life, and the best conduct, for this is what piety consists in.

"But why, you ask, does he mention bodily exercises here? In order, by comparison, to show the excellence of spiritual struggles. Exercise of the first kind brings only a little benefit, but piety bears fruit for the life to come. It gives consolation both here and there.

For the man who is conscious of no crime and does good works rejoices even in the present life. But a wicked man suffers punishment not only there, but also here. He lives in fear and does not dare look anyone in the face.

This is not life, but rather the heaviest death."

Concerning what the Apostle called old wives' fables, His Grace Theophan observes: "The teachings of the false speakers were taken partly from the Jews, partly from the Greeks, and partly from other eastern religions.

The Apostle calls them profane, that is, so vulgar that one should loathe and renounce them. Since believers reject all this in the very act of coming to faith, after believing there is no longer any reason to occupy oneself with it.

Therefore the Apostle does not write, 'refute,' as though entering into dispute, but 'renounce.'"

“Setting forth,” υποτιθεμενος, means proposing. “Do you see that here he does not display authority at all, but only condescension? He says ‘setting forth.’ He did not say ‘commanding’; he did not say ‘enjoining,’ but ‘setting forth,’ that is, as though advising. Propose this and begin discourse about the faith,” says Saint Chrysostom.

This is noted about the manner of teaching the flock. The teaching itself lies on the pastor as an inalienable duty. If he departs from it, or fulfills it without zeal, he is no longer what he must be according to the Lord’s intention when He established pastorship in the Church.

The Apostle suggests this by saying next, “you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ.” By setting forth these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ. By not setting them forth, you will be not a good minister, but an unprofitable servant.

The pastor is called “minister,” διακονος, because his duty is not to rule and exalt himself, but faithfully “to fulfill what has been commanded and to hand on the Master’s injunctions to those of the same faith,” says blessed Theodoret.

He is called a minister of Jesus Christ because pastorship takes its origin from the Lord Jesus Christ. Every pastor receives ordination from the hand of the Lord through the hands of fellow pastors. Therefore, while laboring in shepherding the flock, he must keep in mind and heart that he serves not himself or men, but the Lord, doing His work and fulfilling His will.

In the present place only one part of the pastor’s good service is indicated: the ministry of the word. “He serves the Lord well by teaching those pastured what Christ wills them to be taught,” says Oecumenius.

From the flow of the discourse it is clear that this part of the ministry is fulfilled not only by proclaiming the pure truth, but also by rejecting impure teachings. It is fulfilled not only by rejecting present impure teachings, but also by foreseeing those that will appear and preparing the flock to repel them.

Yet this last task cannot be fulfilled better than by fully clarifying and impressing upon the minds of believers the pure truth, or the pattern of sound words.

“What can be more providential and more protective for the flock than that Christian teaching be handed on to it, and continue to be handed on, undamaged and complete? Then, firmly rooted in the Lord’s field, it will bring forth abundant and lasting fruit, fruit that on the day of judgment will endure the test of fire and not be burned. Such is the duty of a good teacher and faithful minister of Christ,” says Ambrosiaster.

The Apostle places the pastor’s good service to the Lord, in handing on truth to the flock and protecting it from demonic teachings, under the condition that the pastor himself be nourished by the words of faith and by good teaching.

Acting thus, he says, in this matter of teaching the flock, you will be a good minister, receiving strength for it from nourishing yourself with the truth. If the pastor is obliged to act as indicated, then he is also obliged to fulfill the condition for such proper action.

Therefore “being nourished” has the meaning as if it were said: nourish yourself also. The force of the apostolic word here lies in “being nourished.” “Do not only instruct others, but exercise yourself in this also,” says Saint Chrysostom.

“You first of all must diligently occupy yourself with spiritual teaching and be enriched by it,” says blessed Theodoret.

“He said, ‘Set this forth to others.’ Now he says, ‘But you yourself also be nourished by the same truths, turning them over in your mind and, as it were, chewing them.’ For he said ‘being nourished,’ suggesting continual attention to them,” says blessed Theophylact.

That is, “being nourished in them by spiritual food, for ‘man shall not live by bread alone,’ cf. Mt 4:4. You must not only set this before the brethren, but also nourish yourself with the same,” says Oecumenius.

“Being nourished, he says, indicating constant attention to such subjects. Just as we use bodily food every day, so also the word of faith must always be received and one must always be nourished by it. What does ‘being nourished’ mean? Chewing over, constantly repeating the same thing in the mind, always meditating on the same thing,” says Saint Chrysostom.

The words of faith are the gospel proclamation, embracing the whole incarnate divine economy. It constitutes our faith and is received and held by faith. It is also good teaching, since it comes from a good source, since it is good in quality in itself, and since it is beneficent now for those who receive it and leads them to a good end.

But it seems the Apostle had in mind to fix special attention on the words, “which you have followed.” You already know it and firmly hold it with your whole soul. Nourish yourself with what you already hold, renewing it in consciousness by remembrance and enlivening it in the heart by sympathy and love for it.

But this already happens of itself. The Apostle’s exhortation goes further. Nourish yourself with this teaching which you already hold. Do not chase after some new teaching. On the contrary, reject it at once as alien as soon as you hear it. Hold what has been handed down to you. Turn away your hearing and attention from what has not been handed down and comes from elsewhere.