1 Timothy 6:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Apostle does the same in the Epistle to the Hebrews, saying, "Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, Who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Again he says, "Consider Him Who endured such hostility against Himself from sinners, lest you become weary and faint in your souls" (Heb 12:2-3).

He says this now to his disciple, as though speaking thus: do not fear death. For you are the servant of God, Who can give life to all things.

But what does he call the good confession? It is that, when Pilate asked, "Are You a king then?" He answered, "For this I was born." Again He said, "For this I came into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth" (Jn 18:37).

"These have heard Me." Thus he speaks either for this reason, or because, when He was asked whether He was the Son of God, He said, "You say that I am" (Lk 22:70). He witnessed and confessed many other things as well.

On verses 13 and 14: Confession alone is not required, but also endurance, so that one may constantly remain in confession. Likewise, great struggles and endless labors are rightly required, so that one may escape deception.

Therefore one must fortify oneself on every side and arm oneself properly from every direction.

Countless pleasures appear everywhere and draw the eyes of the soul to themselves. These are the pleasures supplied by our bodies, money, satiety, idleness, glory, pride, authority, and love of rule.

They appear with a bright and pleasant face, able to attract those who submit to their influence and do not love the truth greatly. For truth is hard and contains nothing pleasant.

When Pilate asked Him, "Are You a king then?" He answered, "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth" (Jn 18:37). He also witnessed and confessed many other things.

Let them say how they understand the word "all things" here. Will the kinds of irrational creatures also obtain the resurrection? Before the irrational creatures, will inanimate things do so, namely plants, seeds, stones, trees, and the like?

Clearly they will not say this. Therefore the divine Apostle has left us to understand the word "all things" in a pious manner. Thus the Gospel saying also must be understood in this way.

But let us proceed to the interpretation of what remains. For the one who has testified also tells us why he testifies.

What, then, does the Apostle here call the good confession? It is that, when Pilate asked Him, 'Are You a king then?' He answered, 'For this I was born, and for this I came, that I should bear witness to the truth' (Jn 18:37).

And when He was asked whether He was the Son of God, He said, 'You say that I am.'

To keep the commandment undefiled means that you should bring upon yourself not the slightest reproach, either for your beliefs or for your life, until the appearing of the Lord, that is, until your departure.

He did not say this literally, but said, 'until the appearing of the Lord,' in order to encourage him more."

According to the explanation of blessed Theodoret, "By the good confession the Apostle meant the salvation of the world. For the sake of its salvation He endured sufferings. The Apostle presents this testimony to his disciple, so that he also may form his disciples with zeal."

According to the thought of His Grace Theophan, the Apostle speaks as though saying: "Confessing Christ Jesus as the Son of God, incarnate and suffering for our salvation, be yourself ready to endure everything, even death, for faith in Him and for life according to His Spirit.

This is the same as what St. Peter writes: 'Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind'" (1 Pet 4:1).

Applying this to the subject of the discourse, we see here the strongest inducement to non-possessiveness, to fearless confession of faith, and to good pastoral care.

Ambrosiaster writes: "With great impressiveness and far-reaching foresight the Apostle gives instructions to the pastor of the Church. For in his person lies the salvation of the whole flock. He speaks so strongly not out of anxiety about Saint Timothy, but about his successors. They must be guided by Saint Timothy's example and faithfully keep what their ordination obliged them to keep, handing down this example in themselves also to the successors who follow them."

"I charge you before God." "Again he calls God as witness, just as he did not long before this (cf. 5:21). At once he increases fear, makes his disciple steadfast, and reveals that these are not human ordinances. Thus Saint Timothy receives this commandment as though from the Lord Himself. By always keeping in mind the witness from whom he heard it, he shakes his soul by this remembrance" (Saint Chrysostom).

"Before God, who gives life to all things." The thought of God as everywhere present, sustaining all, and giving being and life to all gives the strongest impulse to moral energy. It enlivens the sense of complete dependence on God, upon which the fear of God is founded and by which it is nourished. This fear is the source of active wisdom.

If we recognize non-possessiveness as the subject of the charge, we may suppose that the reminder of God who gives life to all is given to awaken the conviction that man does not live by bread alone (cf. Mt 4:4). By this it removes the strongest support of concern for possessions, since such concern is chiefly sustained by fears for life when one has nothing.

"The Apostle speaks here as though saying: do not fear death, for you are the servant of God, who can give life to all" (Saint Chrysostom). If we recognize the subject of the charge as the faith of Christ in general, and zeal for spreading and maintaining it, then the reminder of God who gives life to all is given "as encouragement in the dangers connected with this. For if God gives life to all, why should we fear struggles for the faith?" (Oecumenius).

Perhaps the intention was also to lead the thought toward the future resurrection (cf. Saint Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact) and to recall the word of the Lord: "He who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live" (cf. Jn 11:25). It is not inappropriate to admit this as the beginning of the following discourse, where the second coming of the Lord is mentioned.

"And before Christ Jesus, who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate." This is the second reminder for arousing and strengthening moral energy. Christians live and breathe by Christ the Lord. Therefore remembrance of the Lord and Savior always calls forth the most stirring and life-giving thought. It is made here for this purpose.

"He also takes guiding instruction from the example of the Teacher. What he says has this meaning: as He acted, so, he says, you also must act. For He witnessed the good confession so that we might follow in His footsteps in this good confession. The Apostle suggests the same thing in the Epistle to the Hebrews, saying, 'Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God' (cf. Heb 12:2). And again: 'Consider Him who endured such contradiction from sinners against Himself, lest you grow weary in your souls' (cf. Heb 12:3)" (Saint Chrysostom).

But to what does such a reminder here stir us, and what does it present for imitation? Is it the good confession itself, that is, its content, or the unshaken courage with which it was given before the face of death? It is both.

The subject of the Lord's good confession is the assurance that He is the Son of God incarnate, who came to establish truth among men. Saint Chrysostom asks: "What does the Apostle here call the good confession of the Lord?" He answers: "That, when asked by Pilate, 'Are You then a king?' He answered, 'For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth' (cf. Jn 18:37). Either he says this for that reason, or because, when asked whether He was the Son of God, He said, 'You say that I am' (Lk 22:70). Such witness was also given before Pilate, only not by word, but by not answering the question, or by silence, and then by the words spoken afterward (cf. Jn 19:7-11)."

Oecumenius directly understands the confession here as the fact that the Lord "testified that He is the Christ, the Son of God." But this is the essence of our faith, which accomplishes the salvation of men. Therefore Blessed Theodoret writes: "By the Lord's good confession the Apostle meant the salvation of the universe. For the Lord endured suffering for its salvation."

From this Ambrosiaster infers: "He recalls the suffering of Christ the Lord in order to instill fear, suggesting that the one who despises that for which Christ suffered must justly be recognized as guilty of that suffering."

After this, the Apostle's intention in recalling the good confession of Christ Jesus before Pilate may be expressed this way: confessing Christ Jesus as the Son of God, incarnate and suffering for our salvation, be ready yourself to endure everything, even death, for faith in Him and for life according to His Spirit. This is the same as what Saint Peter writes: "Since Christ therefore suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind" (1 Pet 4:1).

Applying this to the subject of the discourse, we see here the strongest motive for non-possessiveness, for fearless confession of the faith by word and deed, and for good pastoral ministry. Blessed Theodoret sees the last point here, writing: "The Apostle sets such testimony of Christ before his disciple as an example, so that he too may direct his disciples with greater zeal," fearlessly and tirelessly bearing witness before them and before all to the truth concerning Christ Jesus our Lord.