Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Timothy 6:7

"for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out;" — 1 Timothy 6:7 (ASV)

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.—(). Every earthly possession is only meant for this life—for the period between the hour of birth and the hour of death; we entered this world with nothing, we shall leave the world again with nothing. If we could take anything with us when death parts soul and body, there would at once be an end to the “contentment” (1 Timothy 6:6), for the future then would in some way be dependent on the present.

This sentence is quoted by Polycarp, in his letter to the Philippians, written early in the second century. Such a reference shows that this Epistle was known and treasured in the Christian Church even at that early date.

For.—Logically, the “for” belongs to the clause “he that letteth;” thus: “For, although the mystery is already at work, the wicked one will not be revealed until he that now withholds disappears.”

The mystery of iniquity doth already work.—Both “mystery” and “iniquity” have the article in the Greek, perhaps (as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3) because the phrase was well known to the Thessalonians. Lawlessness is a more literal rendering than “iniquity”; the same word in 1 John 3:4 is rendered “the transgression of the law.”

The word “mystery” in Greek does not necessarily involve any notion of mysteriousness in our modern sense. It means a secret (which may be, in its own nature, quite simple) known to the initiated, but incapable of being known until it is divulged. Here the whole emphasis is thrown, by a very peculiar order of the Greek words, upon the word “mystery.” It may be paraphrased thus: “For as a secret, into which the world is not yet initiated, that lawlessness is already at work.”

Thus the word “mystery” stands in sharp contrast with the word “revealed” in 2 Thessalonians 2:6, 8: the time for publishing, openly avowing, the secret has not yet come. To whom, then, is the mystery of that lawlessness now known? Not to all those who are contributing to its ultimate manifestation, for most of them are deceived by it (2 Thessalonians 2:10), and, while sharers in the Apostasy, still believe themselves members of the Church.

The mystery is known to God, and:

1. to enlightened Christians like St. Paul;
2. to Satan and a few Satanic men who avow to themselves their real object in joining the movement.

Though the mystery is said to work (the verb expresses an inward activity, e.g., 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 7:5, like that of leaven on the lump), it is not a personal thing, not (like “Man of Sin,” “that which withholdeth,”) a covert description of any person or set of persons. It is solely the unavowed design which is gradually gaining influence over men’s hearts. It is the same movement as the “falling away” of 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

In several places (e.g., 2 Peter 2:1 and following; Jude 1:18 and following) the coarser side of the “falling away” is spoken of, but here the “lawlessness” seems not so much to mean ordinary antinomianism as insubordination to God—rebellion.

Only he. . . .—More correctly, Only [it cannot be revealed] until he that now withholdeth disappears from the midst. The English version has obscured the meaning by putting “letteth,” although the word is precisely the same as in 2 Thessalonians 2:6—the only difference being that there it was neuter: “the thing which withholdeth;” while here it is masculine: “he.”

Evidently to St. Paul’s mind there was a great obstructive power, which was gathered up in, and wielded by, the person so described: “he that withholdeth.” How this potentate would “disappear out of our midst” St. Paul gives no hint; but obviously not by death, for unless the power itself was to disappear with him, his successor would equally be “he that now withholdeth.” We may therefore say that the prophecy would be satisfied if “he that withholdeth” proved to be a whole succession of persons; we hardly have the same right to say so of the “Lawless One.”

For justifies the assertion that they had received a better teaching. (Compare to 1 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:2.)

To follow us.—The word, of course, means “to imitate”; and the rather compressed expression seems to stand for something fuller, such as, “You yourselves know how you ought to live, for you have only to imitate us: you remember not only a tradition, but an example.” This is better than (with St. Chrysostom) to make the whole “tradition” consist of example without precept, however such an interpretation might simplify the logic.

For (or because).—Historical justification of the statement that their example was a trustworthy model in this respect, in any case: see the same use of “for” in 1 Thessalonians 2:9, “for labouring,” and so on, and 1 Thessalonians 4:3. It is perhaps simpler, however, to translate the word “that,” instead of “for”: “You know perfectly how to live—how to imitate our example—that we never,” and so on. Then follows a description of the Apostles’ conduct at Thessalonica similar to that in the First Epistle, thus giving us a clearer understanding why they dwelt so long and so passionately upon the topic there—namely, in order, by force of tacit contrast, to shame the disorderly brethren into imitation.

Rest with us.—Why “with us”? It shows sympathy in their present trials, for it implies that the writers themselves had earned or were earning that rest by similar trials. The word “rest” (or relaxation) is the opposite of the “strain” under which the persecution kept them. Such “rest” is not to be expected in its fullness until the judgment day.

From heaven.—St. Paul seems to delight in calling attention to the place from which “the Lord Jesus” (the human name, to show His sympathy with those who are troubled) will appear. (See 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16.)

With his mighty angels.—Literally, with the angels of His power—that is, the angels to whom His power is entrusted and by whom it is administered. The angels do not attend merely for pomp, but to execute God’s purposes. (Matthew 13:49; Matthew 24:31.)