The "trustworthy statement" Paul referred to here seems to have been what he had just said ( 1 Timothy 4:8). Several schools of philosophy in Paul"s day denigrated the excessive physical conditioning that many Greek young men practiced. [1] They believed the development of the inner man was more important. So perhaps this "trustworthy statement" was one that they had popularized. Paul agreed with this viewpoint whatever its source may have been. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
1 Timothy 4:9-16 - "take Heed To Thyself"
In all Christian service we must set our hope on the living God. Nothing counts apart from God. Prayer implies that all our gifts and efforts cover only a small part of our efficiency. There are infinite resources in God, which He is waiting to employ in human affairs, and of which we fail to make use. The Christian worker, therefore, must not only labor and strive, but must hope in the living God, whose saving grace is at the disposal of our faith. The faith exercised by the average man results in obtaining only natural things; the supernatural is secured by the faith of those who have made profounder discoveries of God, and can therefore make demands on His resources, which are hidden from the princes of this world.
In order to succeed, we must give ourselves wholly to our work for God. In answer to prayer great gifts had been communicated to Timothy, but he had to give heed to them, use them, and stir up the slumbering embers of the fire, kindled at his ordination. It is worthy of notice that the Apostle's injunctions do not include a single allusion to priestly or sacramental service, but urge to boldness of character, 1 Timothy 4:12; diligent study, 1 Timothy 4:13; rigorous orthodoxy, 1 Timothy 4:16; and the daily self-watch of the soul, 1 Timothy 4:16. Take to heart the blessed assurance of the closing sentence of the chapter. [source]
Chapter Summary: 1 Timothy 4
1He foretells that in the latter times there shall be a departure from the faith 6And to the end that Timothy might not fail in doing his duty, he furnishes him with various precepts
Greek Commentary for 1 Timothy 4:9
[] See note on 1 Timothy 1:15 for these very words, but here the phrase points to the preceding words, not to the following as there. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Timothy 4:9
1 Timothy 1:15Worthy of all acceptation [πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος] The phrase only here and 1 Timothy 4:9. Ἁποδοχή Pastoolxx. Comp. Acts 2:41, ἀποδεξάμενοι τὸν λόγον receivedhis word. Πάσης all or every describes the reception of which the saying is worthy as complete and excluding all doubt. [source]
1 Timothy 1:15Faithful is the saying [πιστος ο λογος] Five times in the Pastorals (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:11). It will pay to note carefully πιστισ πιστευω πιστος pistisπιστος pisteuōλογος pistos Same use of οτι pistos (trustworthy) applied to αποδοχης logos in Titus 1:9; Revelation 21:5; Revelation 22:6. Here and probably in 2 Timothy 2:11 a definite saying seems to be referred to, possibly a quotation (αχιος hoti) of a current saying quite like the Johannine type of teaching. This very phrase (Christ coming into the world) occurs in John 9:37; John 11:27; John 16:28; John 18:37. Paul, of course, had no access to the Johannine writings, but such “sayings” were current among the disciples. There is no formal quotation, but “the whole phrase implies a knowledge of Synoptic and Johannine language” (Lock) as in Luke 5:32; John 12:47. [source]
1 Timothy 1:15Acceptation [πρωτος] Genitive case with ην axios (worthy of). Late word (Polybius, Diod., Jos.) in N.T. only here and 1 Timothy 4:9. Chief (ειμι prōtos). Not ελαχιστος των αποστολων ēn (I was), but τωι ελαχιστοτερωι παντων αγιων eimi (I am). “It is not easy to think of any one but St. Paul as penning these words” (White). In 1 Corinthians 15:9 he had called himself “the least of the apostles” (elachistos tōn apostolōn). In Ephesians 3:8 he refers to himself as “the less than the least of all saints” (tōi elachistoterōi pantōn hagiōn). On occasion Paul would defend himself as on a par with the twelve apostles (Galatians 2:6-10) and superior to the Judaizers (2 Corinthians 11:5.; 2 Corinthians 12:11). It is not mock humility here, but sincere appreciation of the sins of his life (cf. Romans 7:24) as a persecutor of the church of God (Galatians 1:13), of men and even women (Acts 22:4.; Acts 26:11). He had sad memories of those days. [source]
2 Timothy 2:11Faithful is the saying [πιστος ο λογος] The saying which follows here though it can refer to the preceding as in 1 Timothy 4:9. See note on 1 Timothy 1:15. It is possible that from here to the end of 2 Timothy 2:13 we have the fragment of an early hymn. There are four conditions in these verses (2 Timothy 2:11), all of the first class, assumed to be true. Parallels to the ideas here expressed are found in 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 7:3; Romans 6:3-8; Colossians 3:1-4. Note the compounds with συν sun For υπομενομεν hupomenomen (we endure) see note on 1 Corinthians 13:7 and for απιστουμεν apistoumen (we are faithless) see note on Romans 3:3. The verb αρνεομαι arneomai to deny Here in 2 Timothy 2:13 it has the notion of proving false to oneself, a thing that Christ “cannot” (ου δυναται ou dunatai) do. [source]
What do the individual words in 1 Timothy 4:9 mean?
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄξιος
Sense: weighing, having weight, having the weight of another thing of like value, worth as much.
What are the major concepts related to 1 Timothy 4:9?
Greek Commentary for 1 Timothy 4:9
See note on 1 Timothy 1:15 for these very words, but here the phrase points to the preceding words, not to the following as there. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Timothy 4:9
The phrase only here and 1 Timothy 4:9. Ἁποδοχή Pastoolxx. Comp. Acts 2:41, ἀποδεξάμενοι τὸν λόγον receivedhis word. Πάσης all or every describes the reception of which the saying is worthy as complete and excluding all doubt. [source]
Better, faithful is the saying. A favorite phrase in these Epistles. oP. See 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8. [source]
Five times in the Pastorals (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:11). It will pay to note carefully πιστισ πιστευω πιστος pistisπιστος pisteuōλογος pistos Same use of οτι pistos (trustworthy) applied to αποδοχης logos in Titus 1:9; Revelation 21:5; Revelation 22:6. Here and probably in 2 Timothy 2:11 a definite saying seems to be referred to, possibly a quotation (αχιος hoti) of a current saying quite like the Johannine type of teaching. This very phrase (Christ coming into the world) occurs in John 9:37; John 11:27; John 16:28; John 18:37. Paul, of course, had no access to the Johannine writings, but such “sayings” were current among the disciples. There is no formal quotation, but “the whole phrase implies a knowledge of Synoptic and Johannine language” (Lock) as in Luke 5:32; John 12:47. [source]
Genitive case with ην axios (worthy of). Late word (Polybius, Diod., Jos.) in N.T. only here and 1 Timothy 4:9. Chief (ειμι prōtos). Not ελαχιστος των αποστολων ēn (I was), but τωι ελαχιστοτερωι παντων αγιων eimi (I am). “It is not easy to think of any one but St. Paul as penning these words” (White). In 1 Corinthians 15:9 he had called himself “the least of the apostles” (elachistos tōn apostolōn). In Ephesians 3:8 he refers to himself as “the less than the least of all saints” (tōi elachistoterōi pantōn hagiōn). On occasion Paul would defend himself as on a par with the twelve apostles (Galatians 2:6-10) and superior to the Judaizers (2 Corinthians 11:5.; 2 Corinthians 12:11). It is not mock humility here, but sincere appreciation of the sins of his life (cf. Romans 7:24) as a persecutor of the church of God (Galatians 1:13), of men and even women (Acts 22:4.; Acts 26:11). He had sad memories of those days. [source]
The saying which follows here though it can refer to the preceding as in 1 Timothy 4:9. See note on 1 Timothy 1:15. It is possible that from here to the end of 2 Timothy 2:13 we have the fragment of an early hymn. There are four conditions in these verses (2 Timothy 2:11), all of the first class, assumed to be true. Parallels to the ideas here expressed are found in 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 7:3; Romans 6:3-8; Colossians 3:1-4. Note the compounds with συν sun For υπομενομεν hupomenomen (we endure) see note on 1 Corinthians 13:7 and for απιστουμεν apistoumen (we are faithless) see note on Romans 3:3. The verb αρνεομαι arneomai to deny Here in 2 Timothy 2:13 it has the notion of proving false to oneself, a thing that Christ “cannot” (ου δυναται ou dunatai) do. [source]