Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Timothy 1:15-20

"Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare; holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme." — 1 Timothy 1:15-20 (ASV)

Previously, the Apostle described his own state regarding both his sins under the law and the good he experienced in the time of grace. Here, he explains the reason for these benefits, attributing them to divine pity.

1. First, he presents the divine pity in general.
2. Second, he applies it to his own case with the words, of whom I am the chief.
3. Third, he offers his thanks with the words, now to the King of ages.

Regarding the first point, he does two things:

• First, he commends the truth he is about to present.
• Second, he shows the divine power with the words, that Christ Jesus came.

Regarding the first point, he says, a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Two things make a saying commendable: that it is true and that it is acceptable. Sometimes a saying is true but harsh, and it stirs up hatred: am I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? (Galatians 4:16). But this saying is, first of all, true; therefore, he says, a faithful saying, as in, these words are most faithful and true (Revelation 22:6). It is also acceptable because it concerns our salvation; therefore, he says, and worthy of all acceptation, as in, and the Lord answered the angel who spoke in me good words, comfortable words (Zechariah 1:13).

Another version reads, a human saying, because it is concerned with the uplifting of humanity: when the goodness and kindness of God, our Savior, appeared (Titus 3:4).

The saying is this: Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. That He came into the world expresses a twofold nature: the divine, in which He existed before He appeared in the world—I came forth from the Father and am come into the world (John 16:28)—and the human, in which He appeared. Because He is God, he fills heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24). Therefore, it is not by virtue of His divine nature that He is in a place, but by virtue of His human nature: he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not (John 1:10).

But why did He come? To save sinners, that is, for the salvation of all people: God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him (John 3:17); I came not to judge the world, but to save the world (John 12:47).

But suppose no one had sinned. Would Christ still have come? It seems not, because He came to save sinners. Otherwise, there would have been no need for the Incarnation. Thus, a Gloss also says: remove the disease, and there is no need for the remedy.

The answer to this is clear from the words of the Church Fathers. However, this question is not of great importance, because God decreed the plan according to which things were to occur, and we do not know what He would have decreed if He had not foreseen sin. Nevertheless, the Scriptures seem to state expressly that there would have been no Incarnation if humanity had not sinned. This is the opinion I am inclined toward.

Then, with the words, of whom I am the chief, he applies this saying to his own case:

1. First, by admitting that he is a sinner.
2. Second, by stating that he was rescued, with the words, but for this cause I have obtained mercy.

He says, therefore, of whom I am the chief. A heretic might claim that Adam’s soul was in Paul, having passed from body to body, as if Paul were saying, “I am the chief sinner because Adam’s soul is my soul.” But this contradicts the Apostle’s statement in Romans: for when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or evil (that the purpose of God, according to election might stand), not of works but of him who calls, it was said to her: the elder shall serve the younger (Romans 9:11). Therefore, the soul does not exist before the body.

Paul is the chief sinner, therefore, not because he was first in time but because of the amount of his guilt, for the just is first accuser of himself (Proverbs 18:17), and I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me (Proverbs 30:2).

But was the Apostle the greatest of sinners? It seems that Judas was greater. Some say that Paul’s sin was more general because it was against the whole Church. But that means nothing, because Paul acted in unbelief, whereas many Jews persecuted the Church out of malice.

The answer is that he is the chief, not in the sense that he was the greatest of all sinners then living, but the greatest of the sinners who had been saved. It is as if he were saying, He came to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. This should be understood to mean he was the chief among those who had been saved up to that point, even though many others had persecuted the Church before him.

Paul says this to show that whatever God does, He does to reveal His goodness—the Lord has made all things for himself (Proverbs 16:4); full of the glory of the Lord is his work ()—and for our benefit. Therefore, he says, for this cause I have obtained mercy: first of all, for God’s glory.

He continues, That in me first—that is, “first” in the order of time or “first” in the order of rank—Christ Jesus might show forth all patience. This means perfect patience, because although He was provoked, God did not punish but rather exalted His adversary. This was also for our benefit.

Therefore, Paul says it was for the information—that is, the instruction—of those who shall believe in him unto life everlasting. It is as if to say: this was done so that sinners may not hesitate to approach Him, being made a pattern for the flock from the heart (1 Peter 5:3).

Then, with the words, to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever, he expresses his gratitude. In doing so, he first commends the One to whom he gives thanks, and second, he expresses the thanks itself with the words honor and glory.

He commends God first for His power and second for His unique nature.

Regarding His power, he says, to the King. God’s dominion is the greatest because He is the sole ruler and has free power, not limited by statutes like a political ruler. The one God is the Lord of all things; therefore, he says, the only God, as in King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16) and God is the king of the earth (Psalms 46:8). Furthermore, a human king’s power lasts no more than fifty years, but God is the King of ages: your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and your dominion endures throughout all generations (Psalms 144:13); the power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord . The very nature of God also belongs to this King.

Regarding His unique nature, it should be noted that the first distinction among natural things is between the corruptible and the incorruptible. Among incorruptible things, some are visible and bodily, such as the heavenly bodies, while others are invisible and spiritual, such as the angels. According to the Platonists, angels are divided into gods who are supreme by nature, intellects which are not gods but are still divine, and souls. But for us, there is only one God: hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4).

Therefore, Paul says immortal to distinguish God from corruptible things, and invisible to show that He belongs among the invisible things and to distinguish Him from visible things. He says, the only God—not merely the only immortal and invisible being—because He is by nature the only God, although He could be called the only immortal and only invisible, that is, holding the first rank above all others: who only has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16).

Then, when he says, be honor and glory, he expresses his thanks. It is as if to say: honor is due to Him because of His power over every creature; brightness and glory are due to Him in acknowledgment of His supreme goodness: benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honor and power and strength to our God (Revelation 7:12), forever and ever, because the duration of other things is for a short time: all flesh is grass, and all its glory as the flower of the field (Isaiah 40:6).

Then, with the words, this precept, I commend to you, he instructs Timothy to keep certain things in mind:

1. First, he reminds him of the task entrusted to him.
2. Second, he instructs him on its proper performance.
3. Third, he shows him how to use it.

He says, therefore, this precept—namely, to guard the goal of the law, that is, to always cling to charity and not to Jewish fables—I commend to you, as a faithful trust, because that is how it has been entrusted to you.

But how is it commended? According to the prophecies going before on you. This means that this Gospel is not out of harmony with the prophecies you have already learned (because Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother): and we have the more firm prophetical word: to which you do well to attend, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn (2 Peter 1:19); do not despise prophecies (1 Thessalonians 5:20). Alternatively, according to the prophecies going before on you means according to what I and the other saints have known about you through the spirit of prophecy, which revealed what should be entrusted to you, so that you war in them—that is, in the prophecies—a good warfare.

There are two kinds of warfare: spiritual and carnal. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God for the pulling down of fortifications (2 Corinthians 10:4). In good warfare, two things are expected of soldiers: that they do nothing contrary to military discipline and that they do not become weak through ease, for everyone who strives for mastery refrains himself from all things (1 Corinthians 9:25). Likewise, two things are required from the soldier: that he subdue those who act against the commonwealth, and that he submit himself to those to whom he is subject. It is the same in spiritual warfare, which is ordained for the destruction of all who exalt themselves and for bringing into captivity every understanding to the obedience of Christ, as stated in 2 Corinthians 10. This is the true warfare of which he says, that you war in them a good warfare.

Here, two things are mentioned: first, the way to wage this war, and second, the necessity of a good conscience, introduced by the words which some rejecting.

He says, therefore, that you war in them a good warfare. It is as if to say: you can wage a good war, first, by having faith—this is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith (1 John 5:4)—and second, through a good conscience. This is because people quickly flee from things that trouble them; therefore, a remorseful conscience is like a goad pricking a person with a bad conscience. That is why such a person is quick to flee from sin by obtaining a good conscience and true faith: I have conversed with all good conscience before God until this present day (Acts 23:1); our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience (2 Corinthians 1:12).

Then he shows why a good conscience is necessary with the words, which some rejecting, have made shipwreck concerning the faith. He mentions first the sin, second the punishment, and third the fruit of that punishment.

He mentions the sin when he says, which—namely, a good conscience—some rejecting, have made shipwreck concerning the faith. For one who goes astray from the faith loses all he has, since without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and he dies, because the just man shall live in his faith (Habakkuk 2:4). He gives examples: Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, as in, Alexander, the coppersmith, has done me much evil (2 Timothy 4:14).

Next, he mentions the punishment when he says, whom I have delivered up to Satan. He excommunicated them so that the faithful might avoid them and not be contaminated. The excommunication inflicted by the Apostle was so powerful that the excommunicated person was immediately seized by the Devil and suffered physical affliction: in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved (1 Corinthians 5:4).

Even now, such people are delivered over to be afflicted spiritually, because they lose the benefit of the Church’s prayers, which are a great help against the Devil. And I have delivered them in the same way that God has delivered them up to a reprobate sense (Romans 1:28), by withdrawing His help and their connection with the Church and her prayers.

And he did this not from hatred, but from love and for their benefit—that the spirit may be saved (1 Corinthians 5:5); therefore, he says, that they may learn, through punishment, not to blaspheme. There are three ways in which a person learns to depart from sin: sometimes from its punishment, when one is afflicted in body; sometimes from the distress of being excommunicated; and sometimes from the fact that the Church delivers him over to Satan, and he falls into public sins. As a result of this distress, the person is humbled and refrains even from hidden sins, which he formerly did not recognize he had.