1 Timothy 6:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Which He will reveal in His own time," he says, "the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Who alone has immortality, Who dwells in unapproachable light."

Of whom is this said? Of the Father, or of the Son? Without doubt, of the Son. "Which the blessed and only Potentate will reveal in His own time."

Again he says this for consolation, so that Timothy may neither marvel at nor fear earthly kings.

"In His own time" means at the proper and fitting time. Therefore he should not grieve that it has not yet come.

How is it clear that He will manifest it? From the fact that He is mighty. He alone is mighty. Therefore the Blessed One will manifest it, He Who is blessedness itself.

He says this to show that there is no sorrow or grief there.

"Which He will reveal in His own time," that is, at the fitting and foreordained time. Therefore do not grieve that it has not yet come.

"The blessed and only Potentate." The Apostle says this also for consolation, so that Timothy may not look at the goods here which seem blessed. Rather, he should fix his eyes on the One alone Who is blessedness itself.

In Him there is neither sorrow nor sighing. Timothy should not fear any earthly authorities or kings. At the same time, the Apostle prepares him for what His coming will reveal. For He alone is mighty.

All this is said of the Son. The Apostle used the word "only" in contrast to men or to false gods, not in relation to the other Persons of the Most Holy Trinity.

The Apostle Paul said, "Who alone has immortality" (1 Tim 6:16), not of the Father only, but of the one and only God, Who is the Trinity itself.

For eternal life itself is not mortal, as that which is subject to change is mortal. Therefore the Son of God, since He is "eternal Life," is Himself understood together with the Father when it is said, "Who alone has immortality."

For we also become partakers of this eternal life, and according to our measure we become immortal. Yet eternal life, in which we become partakers, is one thing. We ourselves, who shall live eternally through this participation, are another.

The end of the virtuous life is blessedness. For everything in which we diligently make progress necessarily has some aim.

As the art of medicine has health in view, and the aim of agriculture is the provision of what life requires, so the acquisition of virtue serves this end: that the one who lives virtuously may become blessed.

This is the summit and limit of everything we conceive as good.

Therefore that which, in the true and proper sense, is contemplated and conceived under this exalted notion will rightly be called the divine nature.

As for the other names of God, some plainly signify authority, while others signify the divine economy of salvation. The latter belong partly to the time before the Incarnation and partly to the time after the Incarnation.

For example: Almighty, and King either of glory (Ps 23:10), or of the ages (1 Tim 1:17), or of powers, or of the beloved (Ps 67:13), or of those who reign (1 Tim 6:15).

Likewise, Lord Sabaoth, or, what is the same, Lord of hosts (Is 3:15), or of powers (Am 6:8), or of those who exercise lordship (1 Tim 6:15).

Since we may be governed through fear of punishments, through hope of salvation, and also through glory and the practice of virtues, the preceding names are drawn from these realities.

When I speak only of the Father, I do not separate the Son from Him, for the Son abides in the bosom and depths of the Father. When I speak only of the Son, I join the Father to Him, as the Son also joined Him, saying, “Behold, the hour is coming, and has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (Jn 16:32). Therefore the Father is called blessed and the only Sovereign because the Son, Who is always in the Father, is not separated from Him.

For this reason the Creator of all and Maker of our human race became man for our sake. Having come down to earth and been incarnate of the Holy Virgin, He entered into life with men.

For our sake, His irrational servants, the Lord accepted death on the cross, in order to free us from the power of sin and abolish our condemnation.

He did this so that the gates of paradise, which He had destined for us, might again be opened to us, and so that He might seat us again upon the throne of glory.

He granted an immortal kingdom, full of inexpressible blessings, to those who love Him. For He alone is almighty, King of kings and Lord of lords.

His power is invincible, and His authority is incomparable with any authority. He is glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit. In Their name I was baptized.

“Which in His own times He will show, the blessed and only Sovereign.” He will show this appearing in its proper and appointed time, and will reveal it to those who love Him. Christ is, in the proper sense, blessed and mighty, that is, blessed in Himself and mighty in Himself. The word “only” is not said in relation to the Father and the Holy Spirit, but by comparison with those who are called blessed and mighty after the Most Holy Trinity. “King of kings and Lord of lords.” That is, He is King in the proper sense, according to His divine nature.

Souls in the Kingdom of Heaven taste wholly of joy, gladness, and peace. There they are kings, lords, gods. For it is written: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Prayer must proceed from a humble, meek, truthful heart. It must confess its sins without any excuses, and in bitter weeping hope in the sweetness of God’s compassion. Let this prayer not seek earthly things, but desire heavenly things. Let it turn away from bodily desires and be joined only to the Divine. In a word, let it be wholly spiritual, leaving from the flesh only tears. Strive with the eyes of the mind, as far as the Most High permits, to behold Him Whom you call upon. Then you will understand how you, cast down in sin, must appear before Him. For He is, according to the Apostle, “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”

When we say that He is "Holy of Holies" (Dan 9:24), or "Lord of lords" (Ps 135:3; Rev 19:16), or "God of gods" (Ps 49:1; Ps 135:2), or "King of kings" (Rev 19:16; 1 Tim 6:15), we show by this that we mean His powers which go forth toward us.

We hymn Him according to His energies and participations, since we partake of them or strive to partake of them.

For whence would there be many holy ones, unless they partook of His holiness? Whence would there be many gods, who in that future and endless age will have the one God standing in their midst (Ps 81:1), unless they partook of His divinity?

Whence would there be such lords and kings, unless they partook of His lordship and kingdom?

Do they, then, partake of a created kingdom, or of a created divinity, or of a created holiness? Away with such blasphemy!

For whoever says this makes God a creature, and calls His kingdom, divinity, and holiness created.

“The blessed and only Sovereign,” and so forth. In this doxology the Apostle conceals a depth and force of thought that strikes down false teaching. Especially by his final words, “dwelling in unapproachable light,” he exposes the boastfulness of the false teachers, who boasted that they knew everything about God.

Timothy, like every presider of the Church, must be a model of such disinterestedness and non-acquisitiveness. In general, he must be a living example of the good confession made before many witnesses, even until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His own time He will reveal Him who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, and so forth.

Having mentioned the appearing of the Lord and thereby brought to mind the other things connected with it, the resurrection, judgment, eternal blessedness, and eternal torments, the Apostle now depicts the properties of God, who will bring all this about. He does this for the same purpose, to stir vigor and watchfulness in keeping what has been commanded. At the same time he deepens the conviction that this will certainly be so.

Saint Chrysostom explains why the Apostle does this: "The Apostle did well to set forth such theology. This was necessary. For since he had called God as witness, he speaks at length about this witness, so as to impress more deeply the thought of Him." In this way he strengthens watchfulness and zeal.