1 Timothy 5:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore the Apostle allowed him to use the rules of medical art, so that Timothy himself would think less of himself. It was also so that others would not be scandalized and would understand that those holy men, being of the same nature as we are, accomplished what they accomplished. Besides this, it seems to me that he was subject to infirmities from other causes also. The Apostle indicates this when he says, "because of your frequent infirmities," both of the stomach and of other parts of the body. Yet he did not permit him to drink wine without measure, but only as much as was needed for health, not for pleasure.

If the shepherd takes care of his body in order to serve you, and if he is concerned to be useful to you, must he be blamed for this? Do you not know that bodily weakness harms both us and the Church no less than weakness of soul? ... If we performed virtues with the soul alone, we would not need to care for the body. Why, then, were we created in this way at all? If the body also has much part in this, is it not utter madness to neglect it?

Finally, it was so that Timothy himself might not become proud of his virtue. This is set forth more fully by St. John Chrysostom at the beginning of the so-called sermons On the Statues. It seems, however, that Timothy was by nature a sickly man. He suffered infirmities not only of the stomach, but also of other parts. Therefore the Apostle added: "and your frequent infirmities."

On the contrary, we should fix our thought on the fact that their sufferings enter into the plan of God's divine economy. For if an angel of Satan was given to Paul himself so that he would not become proud (2 Cor 12:7), then much more to his disciple. Miraculous signs and virtues could easily have led him to pride. The Apostle advised him to use a medical remedy so that he would not think highly of himself. It was also so that others might understand that a weak body does not contain an obstacle to the struggles of virtue.

He abstained so as to give no one an occasion to condemn him as bishop, or to charge him with direct violation of the apostolic commandment. Therefore the Apostle, knowing the weakness of Timothy's stomach and his frequent sufferings from it, tells him to use wine in place of water, in small quantity. The Apostle speaks as though saying: keep yourself pure and chaste, but this should not prevent you from using a little wine because of your stomach attacks. Only excessive use of wine, drunkenness, excites fleshly lust and leads to fornication. The use of wine as medicine is safe, and in sickness of the stomach even beneficial. Moreover, in strict abstinence from wine and certain foods, there lay a direct danger for Christ's disciples. They might be carried away by a false view of the flesh and of the Incarnation of the Son of God. The Apostle warns his disciple against this danger. The Apostle John the Theologian, who settled in Ephesus several years after Timothy, clearly testifies that the heretics foretold by the Apostle Paul had already appeared in his time. They denied precisely the Incarnation of the Son of God (1 Jn 4:3).

"Lay hands quickly." "What does quickly mean?" asks St. John Chrysostom. He answers: "Not after a first, second, or third examination, but after repeated consideration and careful inquiry, since this matter is not without danger. Having given authority to an unworthy man, you will undergo punishment for the sins he has committed, both former and future. For by untimely remitting his former sins, you become the cause also of those he commits afterward. You will be the cause of the latter because you did not allow him to mourn them and come to a state of compunction. You become a participant both in his good works and in his sins." To this, according to Bishop Theophan, the Apostle seems to add the following: "While discerning whether others are worthy of ordination. See that you do not lose your own dignity." Or thus: "So that you may more boldly inquire whether this man is good or that one bad, be pure yourself. Then you will have eyes to see whether another is pure and worthy."

In the counsel to drink water with wine, the interpreters see an indication concerning continence. "If the Apostle commands continence to a man who kept fasts to such a degree, and used water for so long, that he began to suffer illnesses and frequent infirmities, and that man does not refuse, then much more should we not be offended when we hear anyone's instructions on this matter" (Chrysostom).

Since among them there could be influential men of strong character, Timothy, who was rather weak in character, could fall into the danger of imitating their conduct. Or at least, so as not to irritate them, he might impose certain restrictions upon himself, for example concerning wine. Since the tendency of these persons had not yet become sufficiently clear, the Apostle does not directly reproach them. He only warns Timothy concerning them, and by his own authority forbids him to imitate the hydropathists.

"Do not drink water," μηκετι υδροποτει, does not mean, "Do not drink water at all." It means, "Do not drink only water. Do not refresh yourself or quench your thirst with water alone, as is your custom." "Use a little wine," οινω ολιγω χρω, means, "Use wine in small measure."

"By this he was not given permission to become immoderately drunk with wine. He was permitted to drink as much as was needed for health, not for pleasure" (Saint Chrysostom). "He did not simply say, 'Use wine,' but limited this use by adding, 'a little.' For youth is hot and is quickly set in motion by wine" (Blessed Theophylact).

"For your stomach's sake" points to illnesses of the stomach. "But it seems that Saint Timothy was subject not only to ailments of the stomach, but also of other parts. The words 'and your frequent infirmities' hint at this" (Saint Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact).

Ambrosiaster reasons here: "Here the holy Apostle gives Saint Timothy a private counsel, one concerning him personally, so that he may govern himself prudently. God wants men to serve Him according to their strength, not to weaken themselves by excess and then need to seek the help of physicians. The work of abstinence must be managed so that, if possible and necessary, it may gradually be increased. It should not be managed so that afterward it must be lessened because of an excess allowed at the beginning. Excessive bodily abstinence makes the soul itself weak. Troubled by the exhaustion of the body, it is no longer so zealous for divine services. But the soul that is at peace in this respect is carried up to God with its whole heart, entreating Him with undivided attention to grant what is needed for salvation."

Saint Chrysostom poses this question: "Why did Saint Paul not heal Saint Timothy's stomach?" He answers: "Not because he could not, but because he wished to draw from this some important instruction. For he whose garment raised the dead could undoubtedly have done this also. Why, then, did he not do it? So that when we now see great and virtuous men subject to illnesses, we should not be scandalized by this. Thus even this was done with benefit. Moreover, if an angel of Satan was given to Paul himself, lest he be exalted, then such a prevention of pride was all the more needed for Timothy. Signs could easily have led him to pride. Therefore the Apostle allowed him to use the rules of medical art, so that he himself would think less of himself, and others would not be scandalized. They would understand that even those holy men, while doing what they did, namely wondrous works, did not cease to be of the same nature as we are."

"So that we should not think the ancients were above our nature, but should believe that they too were men like us" (Blessed Theophylact).