Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 4

Paul Declares to Brother Timothy the Purpose of God's Law Part 2

1 Timothy 1:6-7 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. KJV

We learned from the previous verse written by the Apostle Paul that God's agape love produces (in every believer who surrenders and is obedient to the Holy Spirit) a clear, cautious, and clean conscience that is not possible for man/humanity to ever obtained apart from acceptance of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, so we find as Paul continues on in his declaration to Brother Timothy the purpose of God's Law he now shows him what some men have done to the Law while trying to instill to others their great knowledge of the Law, however, they only show their ignorance and the reality of their pride being puffed up (1 Corinthians 8:1) as Paul now writes these words, "From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;" (1 Timothy 1:6) (KJV). When Paul begins this verse with the words, 'From which' he is referring to love and a good conscience. The little English phrase 'having swerved' is translated by the Greek word astocheo meaning to miss the mark, that is, (figuratively) deviate from truth: - err, swerve.

In other words, as we declared in the last study/commentary of Paul's somewhat lengthy description he gave to the Galatian Church on the purpose of God's Law (Galatians 3:19-25) being the truth from God, he is now declaring that some men (specifically Judaizers during his day) had turned aside from 'the truth' because they were void of God's love and a good conscience. Instead of growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, these men began to believe error and then to teach their error to others fashioning it as if it were the truth just as the Apostle Paul warns Timothy is his second letter to him with these words, "But wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving {and} leading astray others and being deceived {and} led astray themselves." (2 Timothy 3:13) (Amplified Bible). The little English phrase 'vain jangling' is used this one time only in the entire New Testament and is translated by the Greek word mataiologia meaning random talk, that is, babble: - vain jangling; an idle (that is, senseless or mischievous) talker, that is, a wrangler: - vain talker.

In other words, they were not being contentious  or combative or even controversial because they truly believed that what they said concerning God's Law and the Law of Moses was applicable to the Gospel and to salvation such as what Albert Barnes said with these words, "They were discourses on their pretended distinctions in the law; on their traditions and ceremonies; on their useless genealogies, and on the fabulous statements which they had appended to the Law of Moses" and just as the Apostle Paul declared with these words to Brother Titus in his only letter written to him, "For there are many disorderly {and} unruly men who are idle (vain, empty) {and} misleading talkers and self-deceivers {and} deceivers of others. [This is true] especially of those of the circumcision party [who have come over from Judaism]. Their mouths must be stopped, for they are mentally distressing {and} subverting whole families by teaching what they ought not to teach, for the purpose of getting base advantage {and} disreputable gain." (Titus 1:10-11) (Amplified Bible).

According to this same theme we just read in Paul's words written to Brother Titus, he affirms the exact same theme to Brother Timothy with these words, "Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." (1 Timothy 1:7) (KJV). The English word 'desiring' Paul use here to describe their intentions is translated by the Greek word thelo which means to determine, that is, choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication to wish, that is, be inclined to; by Hebraism to delight in: - desire, be disposed, intend to, love to, mean to. In other words, they were determined to teach their wrong beliefs because they supposed themselves to be right or correct. When he uses the phrase 'teachers of the law', Paul is making reference to them wanting and intending to be like the Jewish Rabbi's that taught the Law of Moses and so they meant to do the same with the Gospel or faith in Jesus Christ.

They did not understand that Christ Himself is the Teacher by virtue of God the Holy Spirit living in each and everyone of us true believers in Christ just as the Apostle John declared was the case with these words he wrote in one of his epistles, "As for you, keep in your hearts what you have heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the first dwells {and} remains in you, then you will dwell in the Son and in the Father [always]. And this is what He Himself has promised us--the life, the eternal [life]. I write this to you with reference to those who would deceive you [seduce and lead you astray]. But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]." (1 John 2:24-27) (Amplified Bible).

"From which - Love and a good conscience. Some are turned aside - An affectation of high and extensive knowledge sets a man at the greatest distance from faith, and all sense of divine things. To vain jangling - And of all vanities, none are more vain than dry, empty disputes on the things of God." John Wesley

"When someone anyone rejects the Word of God as the only truth and the final authority on all matters, then those people are darkened and left devoid of the truth and left disposed to receive error and lies just as the Prophet Jeremiah said in his day to the people of Israel with these words, 'How can you say, We are wise, and we have the written law of the Lord [and are learned in its language and teachings]? Behold, the truth is, the lying pen of the scribes has made of the law a falsehood (a mere code of ceremonial observances). The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken [captive]. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom {and} broad, full intelligence is in them?'" Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

"Now some who set up for teachers of the law swerved from the very end of the commandment: they set up for disputers, but their disputes proved vain jangling; they set up for teachers, but they pretended to teach others what they themselves did not understand. If the Church be corrupted by such teachers, we must not think it strange, for we see from the beginning it was so. Observe, [1.] When persons, especially ministers, swerve from the great law of charity - the end of the commandment, they will turn aside to vain jangling; when a man misses his end and scope, it is no wonder that every step he takes is out of the way. [2.] Jangling, especially in religion, is vain; it is unprofitable and useless as to all that is good, and it is very pernicious and hurtful: and yet many people's religion consists of little else but vain jangling. [3.] Those who deal much in vain jangling are fond and ambitious to be teachers of others; they desire (that is, they affect) the office of teaching. [4.] It is too common for men to intrude into the office of the ministry when they are very ignorant of those things about which they are to speak: they understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm; and by such learned ignorance, no doubt, they edify their hearers very much!" Matthew Henry

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…