Mr. D's Notes on I Timothy
Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.
Copyright 2000

CHAPTER 4

Years ago we met a young couple in Bible college. They were helping a small AMF Sunday school that was kind of playing with becoming a church. They asked us to assist in the little work so we dove right in. I taught the Adult Sunday school for a time and we traded off doing a short "teaching time" in the effort to move into a church service.

The young man had a real knack for preaching the word with a real life application. We then assisted with them in another work where he was preaching every Sunday. He was one of the best preachers I have had the privilege to sit under. He always applied the Word to where we were living.

He began studies at a seminary that had a real over emphasis on academics. As his education progressed his preaching became more involved in detail and academic matters. At the end before, moving away, he was one of the poorest preachers I have ever been under. He was teaching a particular method of study and everyone in the church including his wife disagreed with what he was doing.

He was in my view at that point in his life turned from the mark of being a great preacher to one that was a vain jangler.

A. W. Tozer puts our text into our own context in his subtle toe stomping way.

"We have gotten accustomed to the blurred puffs of gray fog that pass for doctrine in churches and expect nothing better. From some previously unimpeachable sources are now coming vague statements consisting of a milky admixture of Scripture, science, and human sentiment that is true to none of its ingredients because each one works to cancel the others out. Little by little Christians these days are being brainwashed. Evidence indicates that an increasing numbers of them are becoming ashamed to be found unequivocally on the side of truth. They say they believe, but their beliefs have been so diluted as to be impossible of clear definition. Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever."

I Timothy 1.6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Does it seem to you that because they left the love and other items in verse five, which should have been there, that they have turned to vain jangling? It seems that is the easiest way to view it. The NASB follows this thought as well.

Vain jangling has the thought of vain talking or empty talk. One writer mentions this as one that utters empty senseless things. I don't know for sure where that line is between senseless and sensible. I assume there is a little bit of perspective in this. What one views as sensible may be seen by others as senseless. What is empty and senseless to a husband certainly isn't empty and senseless to their wife - and the women all said - AMEN!

Job knew well what vain words or empty words were. He mentions in Job 16:1 "Then Job answered and said, 2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all. 3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?"

Another example of vain jangling might well be the outworking of an improper spiritual life. It seems to me that a loose living Christian's testimony can be capable of becoming vain jangling? If a person looks at a Christian that is preaching one thing and living another it will appear to them as vain jangling - jibberish!

I would like to consider some examples of what I would call vain jangling.

In ages past there have been many questions to consider. One such follows this line of thinking. God is all-powerful, and God can do anything that he wants to do. So, can he create a rock so big that He can't pick it up?

The question has some valid information to deliver; however, after a point it would be vain jangling to continue the discussion on the subject.

Some suggest that the discussion method of teaching is "pooled ignorance.” If discussion is not used correctly, this method of teaching often declines to vain talking. Yes, there are times when I would agree. However, the discussion method of teaching need not be this way if used properly.

There is one question that usually pops up in this discussion. How many angels can stand on the head of a pin? Well, this discussion can go on for quite awhile, however since they are spirit beings, it would seem logical that all of them could stand on the head of one physical pin.

Another application might lead us to question just what our fellowship is these days. Is it fellowship or empty talk? I spoke in a little Baptist church in Chugwater, WY (a little town you have to see if you have time!) and mentioned several times in the message that most fellowship was news, weather and sports. After the service a rancher’s wife came to me and said, "I agree with you in principle, but in Chugwater it isn't news, weather and sports, it is fences, weather and bulls!”

We don't talk of God, we don't talk of what God is doing in our lives - we talk about empty things - things that do not bring edification.

As we set forth a pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith, the result will be some powerful teaching, preaching and living of the Word of God. Take some time to consider how Christians live their lives. How do we live our lives?

Barnes mentions about these teachers, "they failed of the things referred to, and had turned to vain talk. The word "which" in the plural, refers not to the law [or commandment in the King James], but to the things enumerated - a pure heart, a good conscience, and unfeigned faith."

I trust that you have gotten to know some of the great missionaries of the past. Men like Carey, Hudson Taylor, etc. These men knew of the pure heart, of good conscience and sincere faith! To read their life story is to know of their great love for their God and their great desire to serve Him.

Those they witnessed to and ministered to, also knew of the impact of these men on their lives. We need some Careys and Taylors in the church today in a big way.

Paul goes on to state bluntly that not only did they swerve from what was right and that they are empty talkers - now he says:

7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

This is a real slap in the face for the people that Paul is talking about!

a. They desire to teach
b. they don't understand what they say
c. they don't understand what they affirm to others as truth.

That is a problem to want to teach and not be able to understand and comprehend the subject at hand.

Might I illustrate this?

A teacher I heard once found his foot in his mouth in a big way. He mentioned that his father changed the oil in his tractor every so many miles. Now, being a city slicker myself I thought he had a good illustration, however if you know anything at all about tractors, which the teacher did not, you know that you change oil and maintain tractors according to hours the unit has run not miles traveled. The teacher didn't understand the principles of tractor care, nor did he understand that which he was holding up as truth.

Another illustration:

I could stand before you and read Einstein's theory of relativity but I certainly would not understand it. I might even tell you emphatically that it was true, yet I cannot teach it, because I don't understand it.

Some of our politicians are right here aren't they. They have all the answers and they tell you all about it, but they don't understand the problems at all.

When working in TV repair in Denver I had a little sign over my bench. "If you think you comprehend this confusion you just don't understand the situation."

The term translated desiring according to Vine is "to will, to wish, implying volition and purpose, frequently a determination, is most usually rendered to will." This person has not only left what is right, and turned to empty talking, but he desires to teach as well. He has determined that he is going to teach as opposed to God calling and gifting him to teach. There is a bit of a difference.

The term translated "teachers of the law" is one Greek word - it is the term "nomodidaskalos {nom-od-id-as'-kal-os}" It is made up of two terms, nomo which has the thought of law and didaskalos which is often translated master in reference to the Lord Jesus in the Gospels. It is also translated teacher and doctor as in a doctor of law - a law teacher.

It would seem obvious these people that have been classed as empty talkers - those that have turned from the mark are teachers of the law. I trust you have a healthy grasp of Paul's view of these teachers.

The terms “affirm” is often translated “affirm strongly” - something felt strongly to be truth but is not - not unlike Saul himself before he was saved. He strongly affirmed his belief in the law and the way of the Jewish leaders of his day. I wonder if this is why he reacted so strongly to these men - he knew just how wrong they were and how misguided their sincerity was. He also knew how destructive their teaching could be.

Let's take a moment to look at Paul's earlier life. In Acts 8.1 we have a context of Stephen preaching and being stoned to death. Luke records "And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles." Saul was part of that persecution!

Most agree that the persecution brought the furtherance of the Gospel - Saul was spreading the Gospel before He was saved!

Again in Acts 9.1 we see further how Saul was treating the Christians. "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem."

Paul was part of that great persecution. He was out and about with the authority given him by the Jewish leadership to round up Christians - those heretics with all the false doctrine!

He, a teacher and believer in the law, was persecuting Christians - those that taught of Christ, the Messiah come.

In I Timothys we see this come full circle - Paul, the leadership, of the church now telling his delegates to root out those that would teach the law.

I would like to look briefly at a couple of Scriptural passages that speak to this subject of empty talking.

Nested in a long list of sins is Eph. 5.6 "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."

Vain words can lead to gross sinful lifestyles. Thus, they should be shunned. Paul says "Let no man deceive you" Vain words are aimed at deception - mark that down in your memory banks! VAIN WORDS ARE AIMED AT DECEPTION.

The term translated vain here means empty or by application "devoid of truth" according to Thayer.

Phillips mentions in his commentary on Ephesians: "'Let no man deceive you,' says the Holy Spirit. Those whose teaching undermines God's absolutes in the realm of personal morality are speaking vain words."

II Tim. 2.16 also speaks to the thought of vain words resulting in ungodliness.

Another form of the word translated vain jangling is used of vain talkers in Titus 1.10 "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake."

Paul is telling Titus that these must be stopped. This is just further indication of how important it is to stop the vain or empty talking and empty talkers in the church. They are misleading the sheep from what is true and nourishing.

We also see in that passage that if you don't stop them they will subvert entire houses or families. It also mentions that their motivation may well be money!

So, what application might we find in this negative portion of Timothy?

1. It is positive in the aspect that we are to clear out this type of teacher so that we can get on with the work of the Lord!

I don't know if you have ever had a time in your life when you are exposed to ungodly or negative influence for a long period of time. Many have told me of times like this and the usual result was that they became negative, and the bad influence was very bad for their spiritual life.

If there are false teachers in a church it is bound to have a negative result on the membership, not only in the doctrinal area, but just in the general life of the church.

2. If we want to be sure we aren't jangling vainly, then we must be sure that we have the following:

a. We love correctly, having a pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith.
b. We desire to teach correct doctrine.
c. We need to understand that which we teach, BEFORE WE TEACH IT!
d. We need to affirm only that which is truth.

In one of the courses I taught at Frontier I taught a series of principles that I found in an old book. The book has been updated a couple times by modern authors, but they did a Readers Digest version of it. Any way there was a man that wrote of the Seven Laws of Teaching. I always added an additional law. I always encouraged my students to never teach a principle that they had not already incorporated into their personal lives.

I think this would take care of some of the problems we have been talking about. If we are putting something into our own lives, we will be a little more careful to be sure it is truth.

3. I really don't want to pick on the politicians, but I think if anyone with a reasonable mind would read this passage and then listen to some of the things these people say you will know why there is so much noise coming out of Washington these days.

4. If you hear anyone talking about the Old Testament Law be careful that they are not asking you to start following that Law as part of gaining or keeping your salvation. The Law has absolutely nothing to do with your salvation or keeping your salvation. Salvation is through the shed blood of Christ alone and nothing added.

5. Now, I couldn't leave such a prime opportunity to speak of the radio and television ministers! Well, I think I will not say any more. We covered that previously!

Well maybe just one illustration: A couple years ago I saw a woman on television that had written a book on getting rid of your husband. At one point in the discussion she mentioned that God helped her write this book and that she just prayed that God would help women to get rid of that man in their bad marriage. That is of interest to me. A God that HATES DIVORCE helping a woman write a book on how to divorce a husband. HUMMMMMMMM!

This woman had the strong desire to teach other women. She had written a book on the subject. She did not really understand the truth of marriage or of God, and she set forth her error with full affirmation - A TRUE VAIN JANGLER I would think.

6. Another positive in this passage that we have not mentioned is that there are some that have swerved from correct teaching. They are in the minority, which should encourage us. Those of us that are in the majority must however be on the lookout for those that have or are in the process of leaving correct doctrine.

7. There is another thought that we have not covered. As you read the context, you will note that those swerving seem to be turning from the items listed in verse five - a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith. ("Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;")

Might it be a good piece of application to encourage one another when we see someone that has in the past been strong in these three areas, but seems to be slipping in one or more of the areas? Say someone has always had a strong faith that God will take care of them, but has begun to worry about how they are going to make it in coming months.

To know when someone doesn't have a pure heart or clear conscience is not easy, but I think you will see hints from their actions and activities of life. Maybe an encouraging word to consider these areas in they’re quite time with the Lord would help them to see your concern for them.

These passages are aimed at people that are really doing some false teaching. I have mentioned that these are in a minority but there is a reality that the run of the mill Christian can easily enter into these practices in small ways.

I received an email from a man that works among the military on a base in the east. He mentioned to me that he had prayed his way around the base for seven days. I am assuming that someone had told him to do as the Israelites did around Jericho.

Now praying isn't wrong. Praying as you walk around the area where you want God to work is not wrong. However, God gave a promise to Joshua and the Israelites about Jericho and it had nothing to do with a military base and a missionary in the United States.

Since he gave me the impression that he was looking for something special to happen because he had done this I am confident that someone told him that God would bless his effort. Well God always blesses prayer and walking is good for the heart, but it does not follow that when you walk around a spot praying that God is going to do a miracle there.

We need to be very careful how we teach the Word and how we apply His word to our lives.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE VAIN TALKERS!