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1
Rules vs. Righteousness
Commentators explain that forbidding things God permits, like marriage or certain foods, is often a sign of hypocrisy. False teachers create external rules to appear righteous, distracting from the true righteousness that comes from faith and an inward change of heart. This verse warns against substituting man-made regulations for genuine godliness.
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Book Overview
1 Timothy
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Commentaries
7
Albert Barnes
On 1 Timothy 4:3
18th Century
Theologian
Forbidding to marry. That is, "They will depart from the faith through the hypocritical teaching—of those who forbid to marry." (See Barne…
AT Robertson
On 1 Timothy 4:3
Forbidding to marry (κωλυοντων γαμειν). Present active participle of common verb κωλυω, to hinder, genitive case agreeing with ψευ…
Charles Ellicott
On 1 Timothy 4:3
19th Century
Bishop
Forbidding to marry.—This strange and unnatural “counsel of perfection,” St. Paul, thinking and writing in the Spirit, foresaw as …
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Expositor's Bible Commentary
On 1 Timothy 4:3
Paul now mentions two of their false teachings: forbidding marriage and ordering people “to abstain from certain foods.” This ascetic emphasis crep…
John Calvin
On 1 Timothy 4:3
16th Century
Theologian
Forbidding to marry. Having described the class, he next mentions two instances: namely, the prohibition of marriage and of some kinds of …
John Gill
On 1 Timothy 4:3
17th Century
Pastor
Forbidding to marry
Which points out not the Encratites, Montanists, and Manichees, who spoke against marriage; but …
Matthew Henry
On 1 Timothy 4:1–5
17th Century
Minister
The Holy Spirit, both in the Old and the New Testament, spoke of a general turning from the faith of Christ, and the pure worship of God. This was …