Refuse Godless Myths | 1 Timothy 4:6-10

“In pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.”

--1 Timothy 4:6

 

Definition of “Nourish.”

ἐντρέφω entréphō, (figuratively) to educate: —nourish up in.  To educate the mind.  to nourish in: a person or a thing

 

ἐν (en): A preposition meaning "in" or "on".

τρέφω (tréphō): A verb meaning "to nourish, feed, or raise".

 

Oxford Definition of “Nourish.”

 Nourish:  to keep a person, an animal or a plant alive and healthy with food, etc.

 

1. Feed Yourself with the goodness of God’s doctrine/ of God’s truth and go to a Church that feeds you with the goodness of God’s truth.

 

Remember, Timothy is in his mid-30’s and has a big task for this church in Ephesus—get them out of their false teaching ways and back into the good doctrine of Christ.

 

“As I exhorted you when going to Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may command certain ones not to teach a different doctrine,”

--1 Timothy 1:3

 

What a Jesus community believes will directly shape how that community lives and behaves. Allowing the Scriptures and good news about Jesus to form you will lead to a life of integrity and good works.

--The Bible Project

 

Feeding yourself with God’s nourishing word and teachings will build up your faith in Jesus Christ.  It will give you certainty and assurance of your salvation.  It will also guide you in how to navigate the different challenges in this world, in this life.

 

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!  But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, And in His law he meditates day and night.  And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water.  Which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”

--Psalm 1:1-3

 

God’s law, God’s teachings, God’s ways are good for His people.  He loved His people so much that He gave them a certain way to live, certain commands to obey—that obedience will build up trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul is reminding Timothy here to trust and obey God.  God will take care of the rest.  When Timothy trusts in God, when he exhorts God’s word, when he calls out false teaching and does not hold the Jewish food laws over the congregation’s head—this will please God. 

 

“In pointing these things out to your brothers, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ…”

--1 Timothy 4:6

 

The Parable of the talents:

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”

--Matthew 25:23

 

“’Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, set His seal.’  Therefore they said to Him, “What should we do, so that we may work the works of God?’  Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent’… Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’

--John 6:27-29, 35

 

Jesus commands His followers to partake in His body.  To be with Him, to nourish themselves on spiritual food that will help us for eternal glory rather than temporary glory found on earth.  What is amazing is that God is perfect, holy, eternal and He cannot be grasped by a sinful, unholy, disobedient humanity. 

But!  God knew that would be the case.  So He came down to humanity to attain us, to teach us, to allow us how to partake in Him, How to obey Him and How to please Him—it is because of Jesus’ humility, love, mercy and grace that we can even have a relationship with God in the first place!

 

2. Train in Godliness so that you may not be swayed by false teachings.

 

“But refuse godless myths fit only for old women.

--1 Timothy 4:6

 

This saying by Paul:  “But refuse godless myths fit only for old women.” This isn’t a slight against women rather he is using the word, γραώδης graṓdēs, grah-o'-dace; from γραύς graús (an old woman) and G1491; crone-like, i.e. silly:—old wives'. – this is similar to calling something “an old wives tale.”  Paul is also reminding Timothy false doctrine can spread through the gossipers within the church

 

False doctrine must be refused!  It must be declined, rejected, tossed out to where it belongs—it belongs to Satan. (1 Timothy 1:20). 

 

“Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.”

--1 Timothy 3:11

 

διάβολος diábolos, dee-ab'-ol-os; from G1225; a deceiver; specially, Satan (compare H7854):—false accuser, devil, slanderer. may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.

 

Paul isn’t saying women are gossipers and men never gossip (sermon for next week) however Paul is teaching the church and women on how to remain godly in their social circles.  Paul is also iterating on the fact that women are more socially minded than men typically are—the false teachings in the ancient church were being propagated and spread through gossip circles—some of these circles were women and widows. Paul is urging Timothy to say away from this behaviour, stay away from myths, false teachings that grow and fester as old wives’ tales in the church. 

 

“Empirical evidence has further indicated that social relationships have different effects by gender, such as the findings that women draw more satisfaction from large and close social networks but that they are also more intensely affected by social events than men (Leach et al., 2008). In general, women are often socialized to be providers of support to multiple network members, and they devote more time and energy to cultivating close interpersonal relationships (Finkel et al., 2018;  Ang, 2019). Hence, women can benefit more from the advantages of having access to supportive relationships than men.

-- of Medicine, United States Government, 2006-2019.

 

“On the other hand, train yourself for the purpose of godliness…”

--1 Timothy 4:7

 

Training and discipline in EVERYTHING were important virtues in the Greko-Roman world; especially in Ephesus, the biggest city in Rome at the time (250,000 people) and the most metropolitan / progressive. 

 

85%-90% of men and women the ancient Greko-Roman world was illiterate. 

 

“In his now-classic study of ancient literacy, William Harris gave compelling reasons for thinking that at the best of times in antiquity only 10% or so of the population was able to read [Ancient Literacy; Harvard University Press, 1989]. By far the highest portion of readers was located in urban settings… Most students did not progress beyond learning the basics of reading, to the second level of grammar. Training in composition came only after these early stages, and most students did not get to that point”

--Bart Erhman (How Many People Were Illiterate in Antiquity). 

 

Boys and Girls would go to these “gyms” for primary school to learn basic math, reading, philosophy and exercise training.  Boys would typically progress to higher forms of education BUT only the wealthy were educated and could read very basic.  This is why churches taught the bible orally—in speeches or sermons, because most people in the congregation (both men and women) couldn’t read.  This is why the church needed someone like Timothy—literacy is no longer a problem in our culture today BUT it doesn’t mean we stop preaching, stop listening to the church structure given to us in 1 Timothy, and it doesn’t mean we abandon God’s commands for His church.

 

“Train yourself OR Discipline Yourself.”

γυμνάζω gymnázō, goom-nad'-zo; from G1131;  i.e. train (figuratively):—exercise.  To train as a athlete in the Palaestra (Greek and Roman wrestling and athletic training facility). 

 

“Therefore, laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this stumbling they were also appointed.”

--1 Peter 2:1-5, 8

 

3. Refuse the world. Stay Focused on Christ.  Repent to Christ, Love Christ and Follow Christ.

 

“…for bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance.  For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”

--1 Timothy 4:8-10

 

One must be spiritually disciplined in God’s word, in the faith of Christ.  One must know the bible (1 Tim. 4:8-9).

 

“Yahweh therefore said to Moses, ‘Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers, and take them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.  Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.  And say to the people, ‘Set yourselves apart as holy for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of Yahweh, saying, “Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For it was good for us in Egypt.’ Therefore Yahweh will give you meat, and you shall eat.”

--Numbers 11:16-18

 

Throughout this chapter God will encourage Timothy as a leader, a gifted pastor/ elder who has the gift of preaching and teaching God’s word.  This was confirmed by his elders and presbyters in the church.  Paul encourages Timothy to press on in the exhortation of God’s world.  The world needs to hear the gospel of Christ and the Church needs to know the gospel of Christ in order to share that gospel with those around them.

 

“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.14 Do not neglect the gift within you, which was given to you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.”

--1 Timothy 4:13-14

 

If the church is going to be effective in the mission and ministry Jesus’ hopeful gospel; we must be disciplined in God’s doctrine, practices and confession of our sins.  The world needs to see and hear about God’s amazing love, God’s amazing work and the good news of forgiveness of their sins.

 

“We are not seeing terrible things in our culture because we vote the wrong way.  We are seeing terrible things in our culture because men love darkness rather than light.”

--Voddie Baucham

 

“for ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?  And how will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!’  However, they did not all heed the good news, for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

--Romans 10:13-17