1 Timothy 6:3-5 -- Part 1: Understanding nothing

To catch up on our adventure through 1 Timothy, click here and read from the bottom post up.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NIV):

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, [4] he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions [5] and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."

Qualities of a false teacher:

1. A false teacher "teaches false doctrines" (v. 3).
2. A false teacher "does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 3).
3. A false teacher "does not agree...to godly teaching" (v. 3).
4. A false teacher "is conceited" (v. 4).
5. A false teacher "understands nothing" (v. 4).
6. A false teacher "has an unhealthy interest in controversies" (v. 4).
7. A false teacher "has an unhealthy interest in...quarrels about words" (v. 4).
8. A false teacher produces "envy" (v. 4).
9. A false teacher produces "strife" (v. 4).
10. A false teacher produces "malicious talk" (v. 4).
11. A false teacher produces "evil suspicions" (v. 4).
12. A false teacher produces "constant friction between men of corrupt mind" (v. 5).
13. A false teacher has "been robbed of the truth" (v. 5).
14. A false teacher thinks "that godliness is a means to financial gain" (v. 5).

Here Paul comes full circle. He ends 1 Timothy the way he began it (1:3-11), discussing false teachers.

The phrase "sound instruction" in verse 3 is better translated "healthy words or sayings." So he contrasts the healthy words or sayings "of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "godly teaching" against "an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words."

Healthy teaching results in godly living; unhealthy or false teaching results in all sorts of moral problems, both in the teacher and in the students. Many of them are listed in this passage.

The false teacher is "conceited" (literally, "puffed up") with an inflated ego, but "understands nothing." He is diseased with "controversies and quarrels about words," out of which come only "envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction."

Contrast that with what Paul said in 1:5, where he says that the end of his command was "love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

These false teachers are men "who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." You don't have to look too long on Christian TV or in the news to see leaders like this and the fallout they create.

Next time, we'll think about how to keep from becoming a false teacher.