Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Timothy 4:12

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity." — 1 Timothy 4:12 (ASV)

Let no one despise your youth. If Timothy desired that his teaching should be listened to with respectful, earnest attention, and if he hoped to exert a holy influence over the flock, he needed to be very careful that his comparative youth did not become a stumbling block.

To Paul the aged, his son in the faith still seemed youthful—at this time Timothy could not have been more than forty years of age. The old master would have his young disciple compensate for his lack of years by a gravity of life; he would have him, while fearless, be at the same time modest and free from all that pretentious assumption, unhappily so often seen when the comparatively young are placed in positions of dignity and authority.

Paul proceeds further to explain his solemn warning by highlighting the particular points in which Timothy was to be a pattern to the other believers. These gentle words of warning, and such notices as we find in 1 Timothy 5:23 and 1 Corinthians 16:10–11, seem to point to the fact that Timothy's personal appearance was not particularly winning, but rather the contrary. It is worth noting that among the more famous of the early Christian leaders, beauty of face and form seems to have been the exception rather than the rule. This was, of course, utterly different from the old Grecian idea of gods and heroes.

It was no doubt part of the counsel of God that this world-religion should owe nothing to the ordinary conditions of human success. The teaching was novel and opposed to the maxims that guided and influenced the old world. The noblest ideals proposed for Christian imitation were strange and previously unheard of. The very foremost preachers of the faith of Christ, as in the case of Timothy, seem to have owed nothing to those personal gifts so highly prized among pagan nations. Thus, the appearance of St. Paul, the greatest of the early Christian leaders, seems to have been unimposing and insignificant, “ein armes diirres Männlein,” as Luther has it.

The blessed Founder of the religion is described by Tertullian, who lived in the same century as those who must have conversed with Christ’s disciples, as “having no human beauty, much less any celestial splendour.” Clement of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, and other very early writers join in the same testimony. It is, however, only fair to say that on this point the view of Origen seems to have been different. The Messianic prophecies evidently looked forward to this as the will of the Most High (Psalms 22:15; Psalms 22:17; Isaiah 52:14; Isaiah 53:2–4).

In word. This refers to public utterances in teaching and exhortation, but more particularly to the words used by Timothy in social intercourse. These, in a life such as that of the young presiding elder of the Ephesian Church, must have been of the deepest importance. The tone of his conversation was no doubt imitated by many; it would influence for good or evil the whole Christian society of that great center. The words of men placed in such a position should always be true and generous, helpful and encouraging, and, above all, free from slander and from all low and disparaging conceptions of others.

In conversation. This rendering might be misleading; the Greek word actually signifies “manner of life,” or “conduct.”

In charity. This is better rendered in love. This, and the following term “in faith,” encompass the great graces in that inner Christian life of which “words of the mouth” and “conduct” are the outward manifestations. He was to be an example to the flock in love toward his neighbors and in faith toward God.

The words “in spirit,” which in the English Version occur between “in charity” and “in faith,” are found in none of the older authorities.

In purity. Chastity of mind as well as body is indicated here. The ruler of a church—among whose members a school of teaching evidently existed that urged a life of stern asceticism on the Christian believer as the only acceptable or even possible way of life for the servant of Christ—must be, above all things, watchful lest he seem to set a careless example in the matter of morality.