But thou, O man of God, flee these things - These allurements of wealth, and these sad consequences which the love of gold produces.

And follow after righteousness, ... - Make these the grand object of your pursuit. On the virtues here enumerated, see the notes on Galatians 5:22-23.

But thou, O man of God - Thou, who hast taken God for thy portion, and art seeking a city that hath foundations, whose builder is the living God, flee these things. Escape for thy life. Even thou art not out of the reach of the love of money. How many of the ministers of religion have been ruined by this! And how much has religion itself suffered by their love of money!

Follow after righteousness - Justice and uprightness in all thy dealings with men. Godliness - a thorough conformity to the image of God and mind of Christ. Faith in Jesus, and in all that he has spoken; and fidelity to the talents thou hast received, and the office with which thou art intrusted.

Love - To God and all mankind. Patience in all trials and afflictions.

Meekness - Bearing up with an even mind under all adversities and contradictions.

But thou, O man of God,.... Not only by creation, as every man is; nor merely by special grace, as everyone is, that is chosen of God, redeemed by Christ, and regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit; but by his peculiar office, as an evangelist and minister of the word, being qualified for, and devoted to, and employed in the service of God. The phrase is taken out of the Old Testament, where the prophets, Elijah and Elisha, are so called, 2 Kings 1:9,

flee these things; the Arabic version reads "these abominations"; namely, all questions and strifes of words, from whence so many evils follow, 1 Timothy 6:4 and all worldly gain, selfish interest, and mercenary views in religion; a wicked resolution to be rich, at any rate, and an immoderate love of the things of the world, and an eager pursuit after them, which expose to great danger, and even utter ruin; things very unbecoming any professor of religion, but much more a minister of the Gospel.

And follow after righteousness; not for justification before God, that he had followed after, and attained unto, which is the righteousness of Christ, and not of the law; but for the honour of religion before men; and intends the doing of justice between man and man, giving everyone their own, which in undue affection for the world sometimes leads men from:

godliness; spiritual religion, holiness of heart, and conversation, which has the promise of this life, as well as of the other, and with contentment is great gain; wherefore to pursue this is much better than greedily to run after the riches of this world, or with the false teachers to suppose that godliness lies in worldly gain, or in securing to a man his worldly interest:

faith; the grace of faith, which looks not to things seen, which are temporal, but to things not seen, which are eternal; and leads off the mind from sublunary enjoyments to God, and Christ, and the glories of another world; and is the leading grace to all others, and the foundation of good works, without which there is no pleasing in acts of moral righteousness, or in any acts of religious worship, which may be called godliness:

love; to God, which is inconsistent with serving mammon, or with an immoderate love of money; and to Christ, which will put a man on seeking, not his own things, but the things of Christ; and to the saints, which will direct him to serve them by acts of beneficence and liberality:

patience; in bearing reproaches and indignities; in suffering injuries, loss of goods, imprisonment, and every sort of persecution, for the sake of the Gospel; which a covetous disposition will not admit of: last of all,

meekness; or humility, not seeking great things, but being content with a lower station of life; for generally it is pride that puts men upon a determination to be rich at any rate: it may also design meekness in instructing the ignorant, in refuting error, and in reproving offenders.

Man of God (ἄνθρωπε θεοῦ)

The phrase only in Pastorals. Comp 2 Timothy 3:17. Not an official designation.

Righteousness (δικαιοσύνην)

See on Romans 1:17. Not in the Pauline dogmatic sense, but as Ephesians 5:9, moral rectitude according to God's law.

Meekness (πραΰπαθίαν)

N.T.o. olxx. Meekness of feeling (πάθος). The usual word is πραΰ̀της, often in Paul. See on meek, Matthew 5:5. With the whole verse comp. Titus 3:12.

{9} But thou, O {e} man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

(9) A peculiar exhortation to various virtues, with which it appropriate for the pastors especially to be furnished.

(e) Whom the Spirit of God rules.

6:11 Man of God. This expression is used in the sense of an evangelist devoted to God's work. See 1Sa 9:6,8 1Ki 13:1,4,8.

Flee from these things. The love of money. Instead of following after money, seek after righteousness, etc.

6:11 But thou, O man of God - Whatever all the world else do. A man of God is either a prophet, a messenger of God, or a man devoted to God; a man of another world. Flee - As from a serpent, instead of coveting these things. Follow after righteousness - The whole image of God; though sometimes this word is used, not in the general, but in the particular, acceptation, meaning only that single branch of it which is termed justice. Faith - Which is also taken here in the general and full sense; namely, a divine, supernatural sight of God, chiefly in respect of his mercy in Christ. This faith is the foundation of righteousness, the support of godliness, the root of every grace of the Spirit. Love - This St. Paul intermixes with everything that is good: he, as it were, penetrates whatever he treats of with love, the glorious spring of all inward and outward holiness.

Margin righteousness

See Scofield Note: "1Jn 3:7".

11. But thou-in contrast to the "some" (1Ti 6:10).

man of God-who hast God as thy true riches (Ge 15:1; Ps 16:5; La 3:24). Applying primarily to Timothy as a minister (compare 2Pe 1:21), just as the term was used of Moses (De 33:1), Samuel (1Sa 9:6), Elijah, and Elisha; but, as the exhortation is as to duties incumbent also on all Christians, the term applies secondarily to him (so 2Ti 3:17) as a Christian man born of God (Jas 1:18; 1Jo 5:1), no longer a man of the world raised above earthly things; therefore, God's property, not his own, bought with a price, and so having parted with all right in himself: Christ's work is to be his great work: he is to be Christ's living representative.

flee these things-namely, "the love of money" with its evil results (1Ti 6:9, 10).

follow after righteousness-(2Ti 2:22).

godliness-"piety." Righteousness is more in relation to our fellow man; piety ("godliness") to God"; faith is the root of both (see on [2484]Tit 2:12).

love-by which "faith worketh."

patience-enduring perseverance amidst trials.

meekness-The oldest manuscripts read, "meek-spiritedness," namely, towards the opponents of the Gospel.

6:11-16 It ill becomes any men, but especially men of God, to set their hearts upon the things of this world; men of God should be taken up with the things of God. There must be a conflict with corruption, and temptations, and the powers of darkness. Eternal life is the crown proposed for our encouragement. We are called to lay hold thereon. To the rich must especially be pointed out their dangers and duties, as to the proper use of wealth. But who can give such a charge, that is not himself above the love of things that wealth can buy? The appearing of Christ is certain, but it is not for us to know the time. Mortal eyes cannot bear the brightness of the Divine glory. None can approach him except as he is made known unto sinners in and by Christ. The Godhead is here adored without distinction of Persons, as all these things are properly spoken, whether of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost. God is revealed to us, only in and through the human nature of Christ, as the only begotten Son of the Father.