Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Timothy 2:6

"who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony [to be borne] in its own times;" — 1 Timothy 2:6 (ASV)

Who gave himself a ransom for all.—The declaration (from 1 Timothy 2:5) that there was one God for fallen humanity would have been hardly a joyful proclamation if it had not been immediately followed by the announcement that between that one God and sinning humanity there was a mediator. Now, in 1 Timothy 2:6, we have, in a few words, the inspired description of how the Mediator performed His office and work: of His own free, sovereign will, He yielded Himself up to death as the price of the redemption of all humankind—His life in exchange for their forfeited lives.

St. Paul’s teaching here is very definite and is utterly irreconcilable with much of the popular (so-called) theology of the day, which rejects this great Christian doctrine, so clearly taught here by St. Paul, of a “satisfactio vicaria.” This teaching asserts that, without pleading the death of Christ, we may, if we please, approach and find access to the Father, and such teaching, as this passage shows, is irreconcilable with gospel truth.

To be testified in due time.—Better rendered, “witness of which was to be borne in its own times.” The meaning of the words is this: Jesus Christ, in the eternal counsels, gave Himself to death as the price of the redemption of fallen humanity; at the appointed and fitting season He endured this death—this death was the witness to the truth of the tremendous offering made in the counsels of the eternal and ever-blessed Trinity. So St. Chrysostom, who asserts that “the witness to be borne” was given in the death and suffering of the Lord.