Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Timothy 4:5

"for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer." — 1 Timothy 4:5 (ASV)

The simple fact is that “everything God created is good” (echoing a statement made six times in Ge 1 [Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31]). It is true that vegetarianism may have prevailed before the Flood (cf. Genesis 2:9, 16), but God clearly told Noah that animals could also be eaten as food (Genesis 9:3).

Paul then declares that “nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” This underscores the importance of “offering thanks” always before we eat, and this is reinforced by v.5: “because it is consecrated [GK 39] by the word of God and prayer.” Food thus becomes “holy” to the eaters—not that they are inherently unclean, but some people’s scruples or unthankfulness might make them unclean to them. “The word of God” suggests the use of Scripture phrases when saying a prayer at the table.