1 Timothy 6:15 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Timothy 6:15

Comments

So here is Paul's outstanding doxology, a word of glory to God, a hymn most likely from Old Testament times or the refrain of a hymn, or an utterance that the Apostle Paul used perhaps in concluding prayer. There is a very short version of it earlier in the epistle in connection with the first coming of Christ (1 Timothy 1:15-17), but now for the final appearing of Christ comes the full form. It consists of some twenty-two Old Testament references or allusions. Seven are from the Psalms; the other fifteen are from various other passages in the Old Testament. Who is meant by ‘his’ – ‘his times’ – and who is meant by ‘he’ – ‘he shall shew’? There is almost universal agreement among the commentators that the ‘his’ and the ‘he’ actually refer to the Father and not to the Lord Jesus Christ. Once you see that, you can understand the whole passage. We must keep the faith until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in the Father's times the Father will show. Who is the Father? He is the blessed and only Potentate. All the words in this verse following the word ‘shew’ are in the nominative case, not the accusative – they describe the one doing the showing, not the one who is being shown; the comma after ‘shew’ is important. So this is the meaning then: keep the faith until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who the Father will show in his time, the Father ‘who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.’ ‘Which in his times he shall shew.’ The verb is future; Paul is looking ahead to the second coming: this is about the second coming. It is true that at his first coming Christ showed much of the Godhead. He showed it in in his perfections, in his holiness, in his teaching. He displayed his power in his miracles. His eternal love was expressed in his death for sinners, and his offering up his righteousness to secure salvation for us. So the Father’s revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ is not just at his return at the end of history, and includes his time on earth as the incarnate Son. But supremely he will show it when he comes again and ushers us all into his eternal kingdom. Then his Godhead will no longer be veiled by his being sent in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3). Then he will come in glorified form.‘Who is the blessed and only Potentate.’ The word English ‘Potentate’ comes from a Latin word meaning rule, power, dominion. The Greek says ‘ruler’, ‘man of power’, ‘person of supreme power’. The language is speaking of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The triune Godhead will be disclosed through Christ. At the second coming, not only will the glorified Christ be revealed, but the whole Godhead will be revealed. The title, ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords’ is used elsewhere of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:16), but it also belongs to the whole Godhead. In revealing his Son in glorified form, the Father will reveal the whole Godhead, and therefore, the one who is doing the revealing will also be revealed. When we get to heaven there will be the risen Saviour in his glorified body, and in him we will see as it were all the Godhead, and feel and know all the glory of God. Through Christ, the Father will be revealed in his attributes and glory. In a measure he was revealed while Christ was on earth, so that Christ was able to say to Philip, ‘he that hath seen me hath seen the Father’ (John 14:9), but at his second coming we will see him face to face. We will be enabled to bear the sight, which we could not bear in our fallen state (Revelation 1:17).He is ‘blessed’, supremely happy. That is very significant. God is always supremely happy. We know he feels in a special and divine way, not like us. He feels, but at the same time he is always supremely happy. The definition of Potentate follows: ‘the King of kings, and Lord of Lords.’ There is a great difference between a king and a lord. In the usage of the Bible they cover different aspects of the mighty eternal Potentate. Interestingly the experts in these things tell us that the term ‘king’ comes from an old German expression which means begetter or forerunner, the father of the dynasty or the family, the first one who gave birth to all the others. You may think of Abraham and the children of Israel. A king refers to a father, the first. But of course it is used generally. The head of the family, the father of science, the father of technology: whatever you like. Somebody who is the most noble, the primary figure, the founder, the ultimate father. That's the meaning of king. King doesn't so much refer to the function of a ruler; that is lordship. It is the lord who actually commands, rules by command. King speaks of his status, his nobility, his standing. He is above; he is first in rank. The Begetter of all, the Creator of all, the Founder of all is God. He is seen in Christ, the one to be ultimately revered and admired and acknowledged.

Application

We are constantly disappointed in ourselves; we are disappointed in this fallen world and all its sin around us. We are part of it, and we are constantly frustrated. There are things we cannot accomplish, things we cannot do which we desired to do, and we know times of disappointment and great sadness. Now the supreme happiness of God rests on the fact that he is incapable of being thwarted; he is incapable of being frustrated. Nothing stands in his way. Everything he chooses to do, he succeeds in doing. In his invincible and infinite power so he is supremely content, never dissatisfied, never disappointed. Yes, it is true that at the same time, mysteriously, he can be very disappointed in us and in sin, but he allows that in his unfathomable will, to bring about his purposes. He is supremely happy and content with the plan that he rolls out, even the things he disapproves of that he permits, which form part of that plan. He knows when he's going to bring them to an end, and turn them to account and weave them into his tapestry of eternal perfection. God is supremely happy. It is part of the impassibility of Almighty God. ‘Who is the blessed and only Potentate’, and there is no other. In the schools they teach comparative religion. The poor teacher is bound to do it with some degree of respect to all: that is what is imposed upon him or her. But God is the only ultimate ruler; there is no other. There is no alternative, no other religion. He is all in all, the only one to be trusted.

There are people who go through life, and they must have something to admire, some person who in their mind they are beholden to, and almost worship. But the Christian has Christ who is the true begetter, second person of the Trinity, through whom all things were made that are made. Never love anyone more than you love him. Never esteem anyone or anything more than you esteem Christ.

Who are these earthly kings, these earthly lords? They are here for such a short time. The time of their power is so short, and then they are gone. Whatever God has in mind to terminate their earthly life is already being prepared. You cannot see it perhaps without the microscope, yet it's going to bring that mighty ruler down, and in no time flesh and bones will be under the earth. For now he seems invincible, and he struts the world and he bullies and he spits war and bloodshed, but soon his disembodied soul will pass into the presence of God, and he will be consigned into eternity of banishment and punishment. They must stand before the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Think of the centuries of despots who have already gone under judgment, and the world cannot have far to run now. The proudest atheists who fulminate against God and slander him all the day will soon cringe and grovel before him.

Questions

New Testament praise could be drawn from anywhere in the Bible, not only from the Psalms. The Psalter of course is the hymn book for the Old Testament. Is it to be used exclusively and only by us today for the singing of hymns? No. This isn't the only burst of New Testament praise which is drawn from a far greater range of Scriptures. In Revelation chapters 4 and 5 not one part of the great song sung by the angels is from the Old Testament; it is all pure New Testament doctrine naming the name of Christ. We therefore have this warrant and authority in the New Testament to draw our praise from throughout the Bible, and not to confine ourselves to the types and shadows of the Old Testament. rich though the Psalter is. We are commanded in Ephesians and Colossians to offer all worship in the name of Christ. He must be named in so many of our hymns and so much of our worship, and from New Testament doctrine we must draw truth which is only partially revealed in the Old Testament.

The Lord Jesus Christ will be shown, this verse teaches, when he is revealed by God the Father in the time known to him. Does that mean that the Son will not have power to show himself? No, because the second coming of the Lord is one of these events which is variously described in the Scripture. In one place it speaks as though Christ will show himself entirely by his own power. In another Scripture it is taught that God will reveal him, implying God the Father will reveal him. So when Christ comes again, will it be by his own power or will it be by the power of God the Father? It will be by his own power and also by the cooperating power of the whole Godhead. The return of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the return of Christ is determined by all the members of the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

1 Timothy 6:15 Commentary and Bible Study

Explain meaning of 1 Timothy 6:15