A.D. 215 – 1871 10 witnesses 13 excerpts
“"Use a little wine," says the apostle to Timothy, who drank water, "for thy stomach's sake;" most properly applying its aid as a strengthening tonic suitable to a sickly body enfeebled with watery humours; and specifying "a little," lest the remedy should, on account of its quantity, unobserved, create the necessity of other treatment.”
“Let ¦sculapius have been the first who sought and discovered cures: Esaias mentions that he ordered Hezekiah medicine when he was sick. Paul, too, knows that a little wine does the stomach good. Let Minerva have been the first who built a ship: I shall see Jonah and the apostles sailing.”
“Whether, moreover, the apostle had any acquaintance with xerophagies-(the apostle) who had repeatedly practised greater rigours, "hunger, and thirst, and fists many," who had forbidden "drunkennesses and revellings" -we have a sufficient evidence even from the case of his disciple Timotheus; whom when he admonishes, "for the sake of his stomach and constant weaknesses," to use "a little wine," from which he was abstaining not from rule, but from devotion-else the custom would rather have been beneficial to his stomach-by this very fact he has advised abstinence from wine as "worthy of God," which, on a ground of necessity, he has dissuaded.”
“And is not temperance in harmony with nature and that divine law which in the beginning of all things gave the springs for drink and the fruits of trees for food? After the flood, the just man found wine a source of temptation to him. Let us, then, use the natural food of temperance, and would that we all could do so! But, because not all are strong, the apostle therefore says, "Use a little wine for your frequent infirmities." We must drink it not for our pleasure but for our infirmity, sparingly as a remedy, not excessively as a gratification.”
“But if he, the bishop, takes care of his body that he may minister to you, if he attends to his health that he may be useful, ought he for this to be accused? Do you not know that bodily infirmity no less than infirmity of soul injures both us and the church?… For if we could practice virtue with the soul alone, we need not take care of the body. And why then were we born at all? But if this has contributed a great share, is it not the extreme of folly to neglect it?”
“"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thy often infirmities." If one who had practiced fasting to such an extent, and used only water, so long that he had brought on "infirmities" and "frequent infirmities," is thus commanded to be chaste, and does not refuse the admonition, much less ought we to be offended when we receive an admonition from any one. But why did not Paul restore strength to his stomach? Not because he could not--for he whose garment had raised the dead was clearly able to do this too--but because he had a design of importance in withholding such aid. What then was his purpose? That even now, if we see great and virtuous men afflicted with infirmities, we may not be offended, for this was a profitable visitation. If indeed to Paul himself a "messenger of Satan" was sent that he should not be "exalted above measure" (2 Cor. xii. 11), much more might it be so with Timothy. For the miracles he wrought were enough to have rendered him arrogant. For this reason he is left to be subject to the rules of medicine, that he may be humbled, and others may not be offended, but may learn that they who performed such excellent actions were men of the same nature as themselves. In other respects also Timothy seems to have been subject to disease, which is implied by that expression, "Thy often infirmities," as well of other parts as of the stomach. He does not however allow him to indulge freely in wine, but as much as was for health and not for luxury.”
“Because of the necessary activities of this life, health is not to be despised until "this mortal shall put on immortality," and that is the true and perfect and unending health which is not refreshed by corruptible pleasure when it fails through earthly weakness but is maintained by heavenly strength and made young by eternal incorruptibility. The apostle himself says, "Make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscence," because our care of the flesh must be in view of the exigencies of salvation. "For no man ever hated his own flesh."”
“Thus, many Christians do not eat meat, yet they do not superstitiously consider it unclean. And the same individuals who abstain when healthy take meat without qualm when sick, if it be required as a cure. Many do not drink wine. Nevertheless, they do not think it would defile them. In fact, they show great sympathy and good judgment in seeing that it is provided for those who tend to be listless and for all who cannot maintain bodily health without it.”
“Above he treated of the widows who are to be honored, who were supported by the stipends of the Church; here he treats of the honoring of presbyters; and first he instructs Timothy how he should conduct himself toward them; secondly he shows how certain things said are to be understood, at the words "of certain men." Again, first he shows that presbyters are to be honored; secondly he confirms this by authority, at the words "for the Scripture says." Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows that they are to be honored; secondly he shows for what reason honor is owed to them, at the words "especially those who." He says therefore, "the presbyters who rule well." Presbyter is the same as elder, and just as those advanced in age are accustomed to have prudence—Job 12:12: "in length of time is prudence"—so too one who is taken up for the governance of the Church ought to be prudent, Luke 12:42: "the faithful and prudent servant," etc. And therefore the prelates of the Church, namely bishops and priests, are called presbyters. And therefore he says "who rule," etc. Nor is this alone enough, but it is fitting that they rule well, namely for the honor of God, and not for their own advantage. Ezekiel 34:2: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who fed themselves." Likewise let him be prudent, so as to give to each in his own time. 1 Corinthians 4:2: "here now it is required among stewards, that a man be found faithful." These are worthy of double honor, of which one is in the ministering of necessary things. Tobit 1:16: "of those things by which he had been honored by the king, he had ten talents of silver," etc. Proverbs 3:9: "honor the Lord with your substance." The other is in the showing of reverence. Ecclesiasticus 4:7: "humble your soul to the presbyter." Hebrews 13:17: "obey your prelates." Proverbs, the last chapter: "all her household are clothed with double garments." Isaiah 61:7: "in their land they shall possess double." But this honor is especially and chiefly to be shown to those who merit it by their labor, namely those who labor in the word of preaching. Philippians 2:15: "among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life." Colossians 3:16: "let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, teaching in all wisdom." Likewise "in doctrine," that is, in teaching. Jeremiah 3:15: "I will give you shepherds according to my heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine." And Ephesians 4:11 joins pastors and teachers, because this is the office of a bishop. Then when he says "for the Scripture says," he proves it by a twofold authority, and he introduces one according to the mystical sense, the other according to the literal, at the words "he is worthy." He says therefore "for the Scripture says," namely Deuteronomy 25:4: "you shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain." In 1 Corinthians 9:8 the Apostle proves that this is to be understood of teachers, because God has no care for oxen—not that they are not subject to divine providence, but because God has no care about how men treat oxen, who can use them as they wish. Hence that law is not about oxen, but is said by way of likeness. As if he were to say: do not forbid the man who labors in the office of preaching and governance to live from that office. For by oxen are understood teachers. Proverbs 14:4: "where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest." By the harvests, the faithful. Matthew 9:37: "the harvest indeed is great," etc. Therefore preachers and teachers are not to be forbidden from having their expenses. The other authority is "the laborer is worthy of his food," Matthew 7. Or rather it is in the Old Testament, although it is not written exactly thus. Nor was it the Apostle's custom to adduce an authority from the Gospel, except with an express statement of who is speaking; but this is taken from Leviticus 9: "the wages of your hired man shall not remain with you until morning." But are these expenses truly wages? Augustine says in the Gloss that they are: "yet the Gospel is not for sale, that it should be preached for these things." For "wages" is sometimes said of what is rendered to a man as a final reward, and thus far be it that the wages of preachers should be expenses of this kind; sometimes "wages" is said only of that by which one is made worthy through laboring, and in this broad sense it is here called wages. And therefore Augustine says: "let them receive, therefore," etc. Then when he says "against a presbyter," he treats of the correction of a presbyter, saying that presbyters who rule well are to be honored with double honor, but the wicked are to be corrected. Concerning this he does three things. First he says that an accusation against them should not be readily admitted; secondly, that the guilty are to be publicly corrected, at the word "those who sin"; thirdly, that they should not be condemned rashly, at the words "without prejudice." He says therefore: you, the greater presbyter, do not admit an accusation against a presbyter, etc. Two suffice, if they are good. The reason for this saying is given in the Gloss, that a person of so high an order, who stands in the place of Christ, is not easily to be accused. But this does not seem sufficient, because the accusation of others is admitted only under two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 17:6: "by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he perish who is put to death." Hence it should be noted that it is one thing to receive an accusation, and another to condemn the accused; the judge ought not to condemn the latter, except when he has been convicted by witnesses, and this in the case of common men; but he ought not to receive an accusation against a priest, unless it is evident. Then when he says "those who sin," etc., he shows how one is to be punished if it is proved against him; and first he shows that he should correct him publicly; secondly he adjures him to observe these things, at the words "I charge before." He says therefore, "those who sin"—whether presbyters or anyone at all—"rebuke before all." And why? "That the rest also may have fear." Yet the procedure differs in fraternal correction and in judicial correction, because the judge bears a public role, and therefore ought to attend to the common good, which is harmed by public sin, since many are scandalized. And therefore the ecclesiastical judge ought to punish publicly in such a way that others may be edified. Ecclesiastes 8:11: "because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear." Proverbs 19:25: "the pestilent man being scourged, the fool will become wiser." Note that he says "before all." But against this is Matthew 18:15: "if your brother sins against you, reprove him between you and him alone," etc. Augustine answers in the Gloss: distinguish the times and the sin, because one thing is a hidden sin, another a public one. But the first requires a hidden remedy, that is, it must be reproved secretly, and it is of this that the Lord speaks. Hence he says "against you," namely you alone, as it were secretly. But the Apostle speaks of public sin, which requires public punishment. And this is signified in the dead whom the Lord raised. In Matthew 9:25, he raised the girl within the house, by which a hidden sin is understood, and hence he also cast out the crowd at that time; but in Luke 7:12, the widow's son outside the gate, before all, by which it is shown that a public sin is to be publicly punished. Then he says "I charge," etc., because the ecclesiastical judge, in judging, above all bears the person of God, and therefore he is to be adjured by God, that he may judge justly. For he ought so to rebuke before all, that he does not despise the judgment of God. Here he shows three things. The first is the divine authority, because God the Father will judge by authority; therefore he says "before God." Genesis 18:25: "you judge all the earth." Likewise Christ as man, as appearing in judgment. John 5:27: "he gave him power to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man." And therefore he says "and Christ Jesus." Likewise the Angels, as ministers. Matthew 25:31: "when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the Angels with him, then he shall sit upon the seat of his majesty." Therefore he adds "before the Angels." Job 10:17: "you renew your witnesses against me." Then when he says "without prejudice," he removes rash judgment, saying "without prejudice," that is, that you should not proceed rashly, but with deliberation, "doing nothing," namely by inclining to either side. Or "without prejudice," that is, without a preceding examination. Ecclesiasticus 33:30: "without judgment do nothing weighty." Job 29:16: "the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently"—otherwise you would not be a mediator between the parties. Exodus 23:6: "you shall not incline the judgment of the poor." Then when he says "lay hands hastily on no man," he treats of promotion, and this seems to be the reason for the first point. For just as he ought not to punish hastily, so neither should he promote hastily, that is, ordain easily to sacred orders. Above, 3:10: "and let these first be proved," etc. Numbers 11:16: "gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and masters," as if to say: those whom it is clear to you are fit. And why? "Neither be partaker of other men's sins," because if you promote in a disordered way, and from this a sin should befall them, or the people, this will be imputed to you. Or he is a partaker of others' sins, because he does not correct when he can. Romans 1:32: "they are worthy of death, not only who do these things, but also who consent to those who do them." Isaiah 52:11: "touch not the polluted thing." Then when he says "yourself," etc., he shows how he ought to conduct himself toward himself. And this quite reasonably, because it happens that someone is so carried toward others that he neglects himself; and so first he exhorts him to chastity; secondly, from this he checks his immoderate abstinence, at the words "do not still," etc. He says therefore: you, who ought to correct others, "keep yourself chaste," etc. 1 Corinthians 9:27: "I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become reprobate." This Timothy, indeed, was of excessive abstinence, and macerated his body to avoid the sins of the flesh. Ecclesiastes 2:3: "thinking in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine," etc. And because on account of this he was altogether infirm, therefore he says "do not still," after you are infirm, "drink water." And why? Because Leviticus 2:13: "whatever sacrifice you shall offer, you shall season with salt," namely of discretion. Romans 12:1: "your reasonable service." And therefore he says "use a little wine." Not unto drunkenness. Ecclesiasticus 31:36: "wine drunk with moderation is the joy of the soul and the heart." "For your stomach's sake, and your frequent infirmities," namely those which came upon you from abstinence. The Gloss: for one must labor, that if it can be done, the office begun may be advanced gradually, rather than diminished through lack of consideration. But it should be noted that Paul healed the infirm, and raised the dead, and yet he treats Timothy by the counsel of medicine; by which it is given to be understood that he did not use miracles toward everyone, but only when it was expedient for the sake of the faith. Then when he says "of certain," etc., he shows how the two things he said are to be understood, namely that nothing is to be done in condemnations without prejudice; and likewise "lay hands hastily," etc. And first the first, secondly the second. As to the first he says "for the sins of certain," etc., as if to say: above I said "without prejudice," etc., yet you ought to apply consideration, because some sins are notorious, and these do not need examination; some are hidden, and these do need it. Hence it is truly in the case of the latter that "without prejudice" is to be understood, and not in the former, because those precede judgment, but these follow, namely the manifestation through examination not then to be made public. Proverbs 27:19: "as in waters the faces of those who look shine, so the hearts of men are manifest to the prudent." Secondly he said: "lay hands hastily," etc., which he says is to be understood in the case of those not manifestly good, because likewise the good deeds of some are manifest. Matthew 5:46: "let them see your good works, and glorify your Father." John 3:21: "but he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest." "Those which are otherwise," that is, which are not manifest, "cannot be hidden," because Matthew 10:26: "nothing is covered that shall not be revealed, and hidden that shall not be known," because either in the future, or even here, all iniquity is made manifest. And in these there is no easy laying on of hands.”
“Some men's sins are open before hand,.... Some men are such open and notorious sinners, that there is no need of any inquiry about them, or any examination of them; or any witnesses to be called to their character, in order to pass judgment concerning them; they even prevent and supersede any formal process about them. With such persons, the apostle intimates, Timothy could have no difficulty upon him, what to do with them; should they be proposed for the ministry, he would know at once what to do with them; namely, reject them. There would be no danger of his laying hands suddenly on such; for the following phrase, going before to judgment, is not to be understood of God's judgment, or of the last and future judgment of the great day, but of human judgment: it is true indeed that some men's sins are manifest and barefaced, before that day comes; while others are so private, that they will not be known till that day declares them, and brings to light the hidden things of darkness: and much such a way of speaking is used by the Jews; who say (m), "whoever committeth one transgression, (a notorious one,) in this world, it joins to him, "and goes before him" "to the day of judgment".'' But this sense agrees not with the context; and with what propriety soever it may be said, of some men's sins going before to judgment, it cannot be said with any, that others follow after judgment; since at the general judgment, every work, both good and bad, with every secret thing, will be brought into it; and nothing will follow after that: wherefore the next clause, and some men they follow after; that is, some men's sins follow after, is to be understood of their following after human judgment; or of their appearing in the light after judgment has been passed upon them, which before were hid: and the sense of the whole is this, that the characters of some men are so well known, and it is so plain a case, that they are destitute of the grace of God; have not ministerial gifts; or are unsound in the faith; or are men of immoral lives and conversations; so that there can be no dispute about them, whether they are to be admitted into the ministry of the word or rejected. But there are other persons who may be proposed, whose sins or errors are so private, that they may not be known; and yet may appear afterwards; wherefore it is proper to take time, and not be too hasty, or lay hands suddenly on men. (m) T. Bab. Sota, fol. 3. 2. Vid. Avoda Zara, fol. 5. 1.”
“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine - The whole of this verse seems, to several learned critics and divines, strangely inserted in this place; it might have been, according to them, a note which the apostle inserted in the margin of his letter, on recollecting the precarious state of Timothy's health, and his great abstemiousness and self-denial. I believe the verse to be in its proper place; and, for reasons which I shall adduce, not less necessary than the directions which precede and follow it. But it may be necessary to inquire a little into the reasons of the advice itself. The priests under the Mosaic law, while performing sacred rites, were forbidden to drink wine: Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever through your generations; Lev 10:9; Eze 44:21. It was the same with the Egyptian priests. It was forbidden also among the Romans, and particularly to women and young persons. Plato, De Legibus, lib. ii., edit. Bip., vol. viii., page 86, speaks thus: Αρ' ου νομοθετησομεν, πρωτον μεν, τους παιδας μεχρις ετων οκτωκαιδεκα τοπαραπαν οινου μη γευεσται; - μετα δε τουτο, οινου μεν δη γευεσθαι του μετριου, μεχρι τριακοντα ετων· - τετταρακοντα δε επιβαινοντα ετων, εν τοις ξυσσιτιοις ευωχηθεντα, κ. τ. λ. "Shall we not ordain by law, in the first place, that boys shall not, on any account, taste wine till they are eighteen years old? In the next place, we should inform them that wine is to be used moderately till they are thirty years old. But when they have attained the fortieth year, then they may attend feasts; for Bacchus has bestowed wine upon men as a remedy against the austerity of old age, της του γηρως αυστηροτητος εδωρησατο τον οινον φαρμακον, ὡστ' ανηβᾳν ἡμας, και δυσθυμιας ληθην γιγνεσθαι, μαλακωτερον εκ σκληροτερου το της ψυχης ηθος, καθαπερ εις πυρ σιδηρον εντεθεντα, γιγνομενον· that through this we might acquire a second youth, forget sorrow, and the manners of the mind be rendered softer, as iron is softened by the action of the fire." But wine, according to the assertions of some, was given to men as a punishment, that they might be rendered insane: Ὁ δε νυν λεγομενος ὑφ' ἡμων, φαρμακον επι τουναντιον φησιν αιδους μεν ψυχης κτησεως ἑνεκα δεδοσθαι, σωματος δε ὑγιειας τε και ισχυος· page 100. "But we have now said that it is, on the contrary, medicine; and was given that the soul might acquire modesty, and the body health and vigor." From Athenaeus we learn that the Greeks often mingled their wine with water; sometimes one part of wine to two of water; three parts of water to one of wine; and at other times three parts of water to two of wine. See his Deipnosophistae, lib. ix. "Among the Locrians, if any one was found to have drunk unmixed wine, unless prescribed by a physician, he was punished with death; the laws of Zaleucus so requiring. And among the Romans, no servant, nor free woman, ουτε των ελευθερων οἱ εφηβοι μεχρι τριακοντα ετων, nor youths of quality, drank any wine till they were thirty years of age." Deipnosoph., lib. x. c. 7, p. 429. And it was a maxim among all, that continued water-drinking injured the stomach. Thus Libanius, Epist. 1578. Πεπτωκε και ἡμιν ὁ στομαχος ταις συνεχεσιν ὑδροποσιαις· "Our stomach is weakened by continual water-drinking." From Ti1 4:12, we learn that Timothy was a young man; but as among the Greeks and Roman the state of youth or adolescence was extended to thirty years, and no respectable young men were permitted to drink wine before that time; allowing that Timothy was about twenty when Paul had him circumcised, which was, according to Calmet, in the year of our Lord 51, and that this epistle was written about a.d. 64 or 65, then Timothy must have been about thirty-five when he received this epistle; and as that was on the borders of adolescence, and as the Scripture generally calls that youth that is not old age, Timothy might be treated as a young man by St. Paul, as in the above text, and might still feel himself under the custom of his country relative to drinking wine, (for his father was a Greek, Act 16:1), and, through the influence of his Christian profession, still continue to abstain from wine, drinking water only; which must have been very prejudicial to him, his weak state of health considered, the delicacy of his stomach, and the excess of his ecclesiastical labors. As Timothy's life was of great consequence to the Church of God at Ephesus, it was not unworthy of the Spirit of God to give the direction in the text, and to mingle it immediately with what some have called more solemn and important advice. 1. It was necessary that the work should be done in the Church at Ephesus which the apostle appointed to Timothy. 2. There was no person at Ephesus fit to do this work but Timothy. 3. Timothy could not continue to do it if he followed his present mode of abstemiousness. 4. It was necessary, therefore, that he should receive direction from Divine authority relative to the preservation of his life, and consequently the continuation of his usefulness, as it is not likely that a minor authority would have weighed with him.”
“Do not drink water only. The fervour of Timothy induced him to practise total abstinence. St. Paul wished him to use wine, on account of his delicate health, but sparingly. " Since he commanded a man so devoted to fasting, and so long using water, that he fell sick, and seriously so, to keep himself chaste, and he did not reject the admonition, much more should we, when we receive an ad- monition from any one, not be displeased." St. Chrysostom. 'o This may have reference to those who are candidates for orders. Those whose misconduct is notorious are easily judged; but the unworthiness of others may not be at once known.”
“no longer--as a habit. This injunction to drink wine occasionally is a modification of the preceding "keep thyself pure." The presbyter and deacon were enjoined to be "not given to wine" (Ti1 3:3, Ti1 3:8). Timothy seems to have had a tendency to undue ascetical strictness on this point (compare Note, see on Ti1 4:8; compare the Nazarene vow, Num 6:1-4; John the Baptist, Luk 1:15; Rom. 14). Paul therefore modifies the preceding words, "keep thyself pure," virtually saying, "Not that I mean to enjoin that kind of purity which consists in asceticism, nay, be no longer a water-drinker," that is, no longer drink only water, but use a little wine, as much as is needed for thy health. So ELLICOTT and WIESINGER. ALFORD thus: Timothy was of a feeble frame (see on Co1 16:10-11), and prone to timidity in his duties as overseer where vigorous action was needed; hence Paul exhorts him to take all proper means to raise his bodily condition above these infirmities. God hereby commands believers to use all due means for preserving health, and condemns by anticipation the human traditions which among various sects have denied the use of wine to the faithful.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.