1 Timothy 4 Commentary

    1: Now the Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils 2: Speaking lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared with a hot iron 3: Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from food which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them who believe and know the truth Romans 14:1-4 4: For every creation of God is good and no thing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving 5: For it is cleansed by the Word of God and prayer 6: If you put the brothers and sisters in remembrance of these things you shall be a good diakonos[1] servant, minister, pastor, deacon of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good teaching to which you have attained 7: But reject profane and graōdēs[2] foolish myths and exercise yourselves rather to godliness 8: For bodily exercise profits little but godliness is profitable to all things [so] hold fast [to the] promises [for the] life that now is Exodus 15:26, Matthew 22:36-40, 2 Peter 1:2-11, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, Romans 8:28 and [also for that which] shall be 1 John 3:2 9: This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance 10: For because of this we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all people especially of those who believe[3] 11: These things declare and teach 12: Let none despise your youth but be an example to the faithful in word in lifestyle in agapē The kind of love that only comes from God in spirit in faith in purity 13: Till I come give attendance to reading to consolation comfort, encouragement to teaching 14: Neglect not the gifts [that are] in you which were given forth [to] you by prophecy with the laying on of hands [by the] elders 15: Meditate[4] Psalm 1:1-2 upon these things give yourself wholly to them that your profiting may appear to all 16: Take heed to yourself 2 Peter 3:17,  and to the doctrine continue in them[5] for in doing this you shall both save yourself and them that hear you


[1] Timothy is called a diakonos, which is usually translated as deacon in English. The word, diakonos, is translated alternatively (depending on which translation one reads) as either minister or servant. But, as we see in this passage, the word is also used in reference to Timothy’s calling and work as pastor and teacher. Much controversy surrounds the function of a diakonos, most especially who can be one and if women are excluded from the office. But the controversy could be ended in a moment by consistently translating the word, diakonos, as "Servant of God," **  

We do not know if Timothy ever served as a deacon in the modern sense of the word. We also do not know if the seven chosen to oversee the daily administrations to widows [in the Book of Acts], were actually called deacons, or functioned as the office is understood in many churches today. The word has evolved to mean different things in different denominations and fellowships. But one thing is certain, deacons often wield great power in churches. They frequently compose the board of directors or hold some other position of authority. In many churches, the pastor answers to the deacons, and to cross them, means his days as pastor of that church may be numbered. If he cannot be brought to heel, he is likely to be voted out of the pastorship.

 This example may seem extreme but it is not rare, and is an obvious abuse of the calling. This type of thing occurs because many are appointed as deacons based on how much money or influence they have, rather than whether or not they been called into the ministry. The woman, Phoebe, was also called diakonos [Servant of God], in Romans 16:1, which means that she, like Timothy, could also have been serving as either pastor, teacher, or deacon—or a combination of the three. But not surprisingly, in most cases, gender-biased translators simply call her, servant.  

It is through the Greek words Dia and Konos, that we derive the English word, deacon.
** KONOS is the Greek word for cone. KONOS uses the inverted cone to symbolize God at the top of all creation and all knowledge. https://konos.com/why-konos/?v=47e5dceea252 
So, we see that a diakonos is more than a mere servant but specifically, a servant of God. And this word is used in the New Testament, without regard for whether the servant of God is female or male.

Dia: means through, on account of, because of: Original Word: διά Part of Speech: Preposition
Transliteration: Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ah') Short Definition: through, on account of: Definition: (a) gen: through, throughout, by the instrumentality of, (b) acc: through, on account of, by reason of, for the sake of, because of. http://biblehub.com/greek/1223.htm

[2] The Greek word, graōdēs [Strong's G1126], frequently translated as “old wives’ or “old women’s” tales, occurs only once in the New Testament, and is more likely to be incorrectly translated than not. As we look from one Bible version to another, the translations go from bad to worse. In the King James Version, the word is translated as “old wives” fables. It is the same in the NIV. The translation becomes even more despicable in the NASB, where elderly women are so disrespected by the translators—not in the Greek written by Paul—that “old women” are portrayed as “fit” for worldly fables (or, as the NIV correctly calls them—"godless myths” [“profane” fables in the KJV]).  Really? Aged women deserve to believe in (are “fit” for) profane, godless, myths? That is what the the NIV and NASB translations say. Though misogynistic Bible translators demonstrate contempt for women, it is certain the apostle did not. No doubt, he had many elderly women in his congregations, of whom he had instructed believers to treat as mothers. To insult them, as gender-biased-Bible-translators do, would not only have been repugnant to the apostle, but would also have been rebellion against God, who commands his people to honor both mother and father and to treat all people with respect, most especially the elderly. But such is the prevalence of translator prejudice against women, that the misogynistic translation of this verse survives and continues to be accepted in most of our English Bibles to this day.  Surprisingly, the ESV, which claims to be a complementarian (patriarchal) version, follows the lead of the RSV. The ESV comes close to translating the word “graōdēs” correctly. It does not associate the word directly with women, but it does so, indirectly. Expositors have traditionally associated graōdēs with women—although for no good reason. The biased association is capricious at best. Both the RSV the ESV render the word graōdēs as “silly.” The word “silly” cannot be applied to profane and godless myths. These are certainly not silly but rather detestable and dangerous. The word “silly,” can apply to clowns. And, in some instances, the word can correctly apply to playful, childish, interactions between adults and between children and adults. The word, silly, is never used in regards to the actions of [or of interactions between] men but is spuriously used to describe behavior and ideas of post-adolescent girls and adult women. Using such words, loads the language against women and girls and perpetuates gender-bias in the human psyche. In 1 Timothy 4:7, the word “gullible” is associated with women, but the word is not found nor even suggested, in the Greek Majority Text. Never-the-less, the NET translates the word, graōdēs, as “gullible. It reads: "But reject those myths **fit only for the godless and gullible…." There is one other place in the New Testament where the word “silly” is mistranslated in associatation with women. In this case, the mistranslation is also caused by anti-woman bias. Traditionally, women and men have quietly accepted misogyny coming from pulpits, Sunday School teachers, Christian resource materials, Bible translators, and lexicons, but, thankfully, passive acquiescence in that regard, is changing.  


**No one, is “fit” for profane and godless myths.

[3] Jesus died to become the Savior of the world, but the whole world is not saved. He is the Savior especially of them that believe, because only by coming to Christ through faith in his atoning death and resurrection, can Eternal Life be attained Romans 10:9-13.  

[4] Biblical meditation bears no similarity to eastern style (transcendental) meditation, where mantras are used to clear minds of all thought, in order to hear the voice of God.  Biblical meditation is exactly the opposite. Psalm 1:1-2 instructs us to fill our minds with the written Word of God, the Bible, so that we will not confuse the voice of God with the voices of strangers, so that we can recognize HIS voice when we hear it. 

[5] There are two schools of thought on whether or not one can lose salvation. The one hold’s to “Eternal Security” (Once Saved Always Saved), and the other hold’s to, “If Ye Continue.” Concerning the first, the two phrases they are best known by, cannot be found in scripture, neither in English nor in Hebrew or Greek. However, Bible assurance for Believers is strong, as seen in 1 John 1:8-9 and 5: 11-13. Concerning the second, the phrase quoted above is found more than once in scripture, as are multiple other strong  warnings Hebrews6:4-6, 10:26-29, James 1:12-16 .



Woman this is WAR! examines Bible commentary and translation practices which have historically been androcentric (male centered) and even misogynistic (anti-woman). 

   These have adversely effected understanding of the scriptures, relations between women and men, the happiness of men and women, and, in general, has hindered the work of the gospel, by forbidding women to preach, pastor, or serve as elders or deacons. The book chronicles the early history of the women's rights movements, as well as the role of church leadership in aggressively suppressing both women's rights and the historical record of Christian initiatives within the movements. 

   Through the complementarian movement, many of the same arguments used to support the institution of slavery, are still used today in suppressing the rights of Christian women. This book documents identical arguments used by Christian leaders against both movements and is an unparalleled resource for all who desire an in-depth study of gender equality from a historical and Christian perspective. 

   This book traces history of women’s rights, much further than usual, to the very first feminists…who were Christians—godly women, who brought the issue of women's rights to the forefront as they struggled to alleviate the suffering of others, and found they were hindered in doing so for no other reason than the fact of their sex. This work, provides valuable historical insight into Christian initiatives in the movements for women’s rights, that are rarely included in Christian literature.