Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Timothy 1:3-5

"As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; [so do I now]. But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:" — 1 Timothy 1:3-5 (ASV)

1. Here begins the message of this epistle, which is a type of pastoral guide written by the Apostle for Timothy. It instructs him in all matters related to his duties as a church leader and teaches him the proper order for his concerns.

First, he instructs him on the management of spiritual affairs, and second, on temporal affairs. He divides his instruction as follows:

1. He instructs him on the management of spiritual affairs.
2. He instructs him on temporal affairs, which begins in chapter four with the words now the Spirit (1 Timothy 4:1).

A church leader must first teach according to the rule of faith, so that the beliefs of his people are not harmed. As the Lord said, I have prayed for you that your faith fail not: and you being once converted, confirm your brethren (Luke 22:32). Second, he must instruct them in matters of divine worship, which cannot be done properly unless one’s faith is sound.

Therefore, he first instructs Timothy on three spiritual matters:

1. He instructs him about the faith.
2. He instructs him about the worship of God, which begins in chapter two with the words I desire therefore (1 Timothy 2:1).
3. He instructs him about appointments to ecclesiastical offices, which begins in chapter three with the words a faithful saying (1 Timothy 3:1).

It should be noted that in the early Church, the destructive error was spreading that the observances of the Law should be kept along with the Gospel. The Apostle rejects this idea in two ways:

1. By showing the nature of the Law.
2. By citing his own experience, beginning with the words I give him thanks.

Regarding the first point, he does three things:

1. He shows what must be rejected in the Law.
2. He shows what must be accepted, beginning with the words now the end of the commandment.
3. He concludes with the Law’s present status, beginning with the words but we know that.

What must be rejected in the Law are those things that have been wickedly added—things not given by God, but which come from a carnal understanding of the Law.

In this, he does two things:

1. He teaches that false fables and genealogies are to be rejected.
2. He gives the reason for this, beginning with the words which furnish questions.

2. Therefore, he says that Timothy ought to do as I desired you. He frames this as a desire because he does not wish to command, following the wisdom: Have they made you a ruler? Be not lifted up: be among them as one of them . This desire is that you might charge some not to teach otherwise: not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies.

Alternatively, two duties belong to a church leader:

1. To restrain those who teach what is false. Thus, Paul says, not to teach otherwise, for if anyone preach to you a gospel besides that which you have received, let him be anathema (Galatians 1:9). And again, You shall not add to the word that I speak to you; neither shall you take away from it (Deuteronomy 4:2).
2. If some are teaching what is false, he should forbid the people to listen to them. Thus, Paul adds, not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies.

3. However, certain heretics who disdained the Old Testament have claimed that the Apostle rejected it when he said not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies. Augustine answers them by pointing out that the Apostle himself uses the stories and genealogies of the Old Testament, for example: Abraham had two sons; the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free woman (Galatians 4:22). Therefore, if Paul had rejected the Old Testament, he would not have used it.

This is why Paul says fables. He is not referring to the written Law, but to oral traditions, namely, the Talmud. He does not mean the things Moses transmitted orally, but the things others added, such as the foolish fable that Adam had another wife from whom demons were born. As it is written, you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition (Matthew 15:6), and, they will be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:4).

4. The reason for this prohibition is that these things furnish questions—that is, they lead to disputes. As Scripture says, contend not in words (2 Timothy 2:14) and it is an honor for a man to separate himself from quarrels (Proverbs 20:3). Such disputes do not promote the building up from God, which is by faith. The goal of all doctrine should be to build up and confirm a person in the true faith.

5. Then, with the words now the end, he shows what should be kept from the Law.

In this regard, he does two things:

1. He proves his point.
2. He shows the danger for those who do not hold to this, beginning with the words from which things.

6. Regarding the first point, it should be noted that the Old Law is called the law of commandments because it is filled with commandments and precepts, as in making void the law of commandments contained in decrees (Ephesians 2:15). Therefore, what must be especially retained is the goal toward which all the commandments of the Law are directed: namely, love. As it is written, you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind (Matthew 22:37). To this is added: on these two commandments depends the whole law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40).

7. But how is love the end of the commandment?

To answer this, we must consider two things. First, all the precepts of the Law concern acts of virtue. Second, through these virtuous acts, people are rightly ordered toward one another. This is because whenever one of our faculties is directed toward a goal, all other related faculties are also directed toward it as their goal. For example, the art of making bridles is ordered toward the art of riding, which is its end; and the art of riding is, in turn, ordered toward the needs of the cavalry leader.

The theological virtues have the ultimate end as their object, while all other virtues are concerned with the means to that end. Therefore, all other virtues look to the theological virtues as their goal. Among the theological virtues, the one closest to the ultimate end most fully has the nature of an end. Faith points out the ultimate end, and hope makes one strive toward it, but love unites one to it. Therefore, all virtues are ordered toward love. That is why love is the end of the commandments.

8. Since the means prepare the way for the end, and the precepts are ordered toward love, it follows that they prepare the way for it. This is why Paul says love comes from a pure heart. The precepts of the virtues aim to form a pure heart. Some of these virtues are meant to properly moderate the passions—namely, those virtues concerned with the passions themselves. For example, temperance moderates sinful desire (concupiscence), meekness moderates anger, and fortitude moderates fear and recklessness. Because these passions would disturb the purity of the heart, the virtues aim to purify it.

9. But is a pure heart required for love? Yes, because it is impossible for an impure heart to be ready for love. A thing naturally loves what is like itself, and an impure heart loves what is like itself among the passions. Therefore, the heart needs to be freed from the passions. As it is written, the righteous love you (Song of Solomon 1:4).

10. Some virtues set a person right in relation to their neighbor, and from this comes a good conscience, because one does not do to others what one does not want done to oneself: all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them (Matthew 7:12). Consequently, whatever is against one’s neighbor is against conscience; this is why Paul adds and a good conscience. A person who does not have a good conscience cannot love God in a pure way, because such a person fears punishment. But fear cannot coexist with love, for fear flees from God rather than uniting with Him. Therefore, the commandments that set one's conscience right also prepare a person for love.

Other virtues set a person right in regard to possessing the true faith. These are the virtues by which we worship God, such as the virtue of latria (the worship due to God alone) and others like it, which are intended to remove errors and confirm a solid belief in God in the hearts of the faithful. For one who does not have the true faith cannot love God, because whoever believes something false about God does not truly love God. A person who does not believe correctly cannot love correctly, because love can only attach itself to what the intellect presents to it. Consequently, whatever promotes true faith also promotes true love.

This is why he says love comes from a pure heart, because these things make the heart pure—blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8); and a good conscience—for our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience (2 Corinthians 1:12); and an unfeigned faith, that is, a faith that is true.

And so, the virtues and the precepts are ordered toward their end, which is love, and this love arises from those three things.