1 Timothy 4:1 - Exposition

But for now , A.V.; saith for speaketh , A.V.; later for the latter , A.V.; fall away for depart , A.V. The Spirit saith expressly ( ῥητῶς ); only here in the New Testament, and very rare in classical Greek. But the adjective ῥητός , in the sense of something "laid down," "definite.... expressly mentioned," is common. It was, doubtless, on account of these prophetic warnings of a falling away from the faith, that the apostle gave the preceding heads of Christian doctrine in such a terse and tangible form, and laid such a solemn charge upon Timothy. (For examples of these prophetic utterances, see Acts 11:28 ; Acts 13:2 ; Acts 20:23 ; Acts 21:11 ; 1 Corinthians 12:8 ; 1 Corinthians 14:1-40 . '30, 32, etc.) Shall fall away ( ἀποστησονται ). So St. Paul says ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ) that the day of Christ will not be, "except the falling away ( ἡ ἀποστασία ) come first" (comp. Hebrews 3:12 ). The faith ; objective (see 1 Timothy 3:9 and 1 Timothy 3:16 , note). This "falling away" is to take place ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ; not, as in the R.V., in "later times," but as in the A.V., "the latter times." The adjective ὕστερος is only found here in the New Testament. But in the LXX . ( e . g . 1 Chronicles 29:29 ; Jeremiah 1:19 ; Jeremiah 27:17 , LXX .), ὕστερος means "the last," as opposed to "the first." And so the adverb ὕστερον always in the New Testament (see Matthew 4:2 ; Matthew 21:37 ; Matthew 26:60 ; or more fully ὕστερον πάντεν , Matthew 22:27 ). Here, therefore, ἐν ὑστεροις καιροῖς is equivalent to ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ( Acts 2:17 ) and ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ( 2 Timothy 3:1 ; comp. James 5:3 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; 2 Peter 3:3 ; Jud 2 Peter 1:18 ). It should be observed that in all these passages there is no article. Giving heed ( προσέχοντες ); as in 1 Timothy 4:13 ; in 1 Timothy 1:4 ; Titus 1:14 ; Acts 8:6 , and elsewhere. Seducing spirits ( πνεύμασι πλάνοις ). Such were the "lying spirits" who deceived ( ἠπάτησαν ) Ahab to his destruction ( 2 Kings 22:1-20 :22). πλάνος , seducing, is not elsewhere found in the New Testament as an adjective (see Matthew 27:63 ; 2 Corinthians 6:8 ; 2 John 1:7 , in all which places, however, it is almost an adjective). The idea is "causing to wander," or "go astray." St. John warns his people against such deceiving spirits ( John 4:1-6 ). He calls them generically πνεύμα τῆς πλάνης , "the spirit of error." Doctrines of devils ; i.e. teachings suggested by devils. So the unbelieving Jews suggested that John the Baptist had a devil ( Luke 7:33 ), and that our Lord himself had a devil ( John 7:20 ; John 8:48 , John 8:52 ; John 10:19 ).