1 Timothy 4:7

1 Timothy 4:7

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

a. NLT: Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.

b. NIV: Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

c. YLT: And the profane and old women's fables reject thou, and exercise thyself unto piety,

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But refuse and avoid irreverent legends (profane and impure and godless fictions, mere grandmothers’ tales) and silly myths, and express your disapproval of them. Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit].

e. Worrell Translation: But refuse the profane and old wives fables, and exercise yourself unto godliness;

f. Wuest Translation: But unhallowed and old wife’s fictions be shunning. On the other hand, be exercising yourself with a view  to piety  toward God.

1. “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables…”

a. But [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. refuse [Strong:  3868. paraiteomai par-ahee-teh'-om-ahee from 3844 and the middle voice of 154; to beg off, i.e. deprecate, decline, shun:--avoid, (make) excuse, intreat, refuse, reject.] [Zodhiates: In the N.T., to decline or refuse, avoid.]

c. profane [Strong:  952. bebelos beb'-ay-los from the base of 939 and belos (a threshold); accessible (as by crossing the door-way), i.e. (by implication, of Jewish notions) heathenish, wicked:--profane (person).] [Zodhiates: …bebelos properly denoted one who either was or ought to have been debarred from the threshold or entrance of a temple. Unhallowed, profane, void of religion, lacks all relationship or affinity to God.]

1). According to Dictionary.com it is used as an adjective and a verb. The two usages are as follows: Adjective: characterized by irreverence or contempt for God or sacred principles or things; irreligious. not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular (opposed to sacred); unholy; heathen; pagan: profane rites; not initiated into religious rites or mysteries, as persons; common or vulgar. As a verb it is used as follows: Verb (used with object), profaned, profaning; to misuse (anything that should be held in reverence or respect); defile; debase; employ basely or unworthily; to treat (anything sacred) with irreverence or contempt; violate the sanctity of: to profane a shrine.

2). I believe the use of “secular” throws very interesting light on this word.

d. and [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

e. old wives [Strong: 1126. graodes grah-o'-dace from graus (an old woman) and 1491; crone-like, i.e. silly:--old wives'.] [Zodhiates: silly, old wives tales.]

f. fables [Strong:  3454. muthos moo'-thos perhaps from the same as 3453 (through the idea of tuition); a tale, i.e. fiction ("myth"):--fable.] [Zodhiates: English: mythology. In the N.T. the word myth does not have the meaning of being a vehicle of some lofty truth as in the early use of the word…it denotes a fable full of falsehoods…Thus in 1 Timothy 4:7 described as godless or profane and belonging to old women.]

2. “…and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”

a. and [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. exercise [Strong: 1128. gumnazo goom-nad'-zo from 1131; to practise naked (in the games), i.e. train (figuratively):--exercise.] [Zodhiates: naked, to train naked, generally, to train to exercise.]

1). Rick Renner Daily Devotionals 11/16/16: The word “exercise” is the Greek word gumnadzo, and it literally meant to exercise while stark naked or to exercise in the nude. It is a word that was developed from the word gumnos, the Greek word that is literally translated naked. It is from these words that the English words gym or gymnasium are derived…These combat sports were so ferocious that when each competition ended, one of the competitors was usually dead. Knowing that a stiff, life-or-death battle awaited them, these athletes exercised and exercised and exercised to get themselves into the best possible physical condition. This included submitting themselves to self-imposed hardships in order to make themselves tougher.

2). A couple of other uses of this word in the New Testament shed light on its meaning.

a). Hebrews 5:14 “…even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

(1) use [1838 * hexis] [Zodhiates: Habit. Used usually of life or body, therefore, practice or exercise.]

(2) The senses he is speaking of are not our 5 physical senses. In verse 11 the sense of hearing he was referring to was spiritual. The spiritual senses of taste, hearing, seeing, touch, and smell are what he is referring to. We cannot sense good or evil with our physical senses.

b). To understand the phrase “senses exercised” we need to look at a couple of verses.

(1) 2 Peter 2:14 “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart have they exercised with coveteous practices; cursed children:”

(2) To exercise the heart with coveteous practices would be to as Ephesians 2:3 says: “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind…”, to act out those desires.

3). A good example of the phrase, “…exercise thyself rather unto godliness”, would be the very opposite of 2 Peter 2:14 & Ephesians 2:2, 3. Whereas in those examples one would think about and meditate and then act out the evil desires; the good example would be to examine what the word of God says, think about it meditate it and begin to confess it about me and obey it. It is this very discipline that the Apostle Paul was referring to in 1 Corinthians and Romans.

a). 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

b). Romans 12:1, 2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

4). It is also this spiritual discipline that the Apostle Peter was referring to also in his first epistle.

a). 1 Peter 1:13-16  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

5). All of this spiritual exercise must be bathed in prayer to petition and thank God for the grace to obey His word. Without Him we can do nothing.

c. thyself [Strong: 4572. seautou seh-ow-too', genitive case from 4571 and 846, also dative case of the same, seautoi seh-ow-to', and accusative case seauton seh-ow-ton', likewise contracted sautou sow-too', sautoi sow-to', and sauton sow-ton', respectively of (with, to) thyself:--thee, thine own self, (thou) thy(-self).]

d. rather [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

e. unto [Strong: 4314. pros pros a strengthened form of 4253; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated):--about, according to , against, among, at, because of, before, between, (where-)by, for, X at thy house, in, for intent, nigh unto, of, which pertain to, that, to (the end that), X together, to (you) -ward, unto, with(-in). In the comparative case, it denotes essentially the same applications, namely, motion towards, accession to, or nearness at.]

f. godliness [Strong: 2150. eusebeia yoo-seb'-i-ah from 2152; piety; specially, the gospel scheme:--godliness, holiness.]

1). Rick Renner Daily Devotionals 11/16/16 The word “godliness” is the Greek word eusebeia, a Greek word that describes piety, godliness, or a radical, fanatical devotion. In other words, Paul was telling Timothy, “Don’t do just the average that others would do and get an average result. Put your whole heart and soul into developing yourself to the maximum level.” Our commitment to spiritual development is to be so intense that we literally exercise and exercise and exercise ourselves to the point of a radical, fanatical devotion to God. We must be as committed to our spiritual development as those professional Greek athletes were to their physical development.