1 Corinthians 4:17 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
1 Corinthians 4:17
For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
to remind · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person singular
you
ὑμᾶςhymâs
G5209
you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
remembrance
ἀναμιμνήσκωanamimnḗskō
G363
to remind
my
μοῦmoû
G3450
of me
ways
ὁδούςhodous
G3598
a road · noun — accusative plural feminine
be
τὰςtas
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied · article — accusative plural feminine
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
Christ
ΧριστῷChristō
G5547
anointed · noun — dative singular masculine, a title
as
καθὼςkathōs
G2531
just (or inasmuch) as · conjunction
teach
διδάσκω.¶didaskō
G1321
to teach (in the same broad application) · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
where
πανταχοῦpantachou
G3837
universally · adverb
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
every
πάσῃpasē
G3956
all · adjective — dative singular feminine
church
ἐκκλησίᾳekklēsia
G1577
a calling out · noun — dative singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Corinthians 16:10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
1 Timothy 1:2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
2 Timothy 1:2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
1 Corinthians 7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful…
1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 4:17–end
Here, I. He tells them of his having sent Timothy to them, to bring them into remembrance of his ways in Christ, as he taught every where in every church (Co1 4:17) - to remind them of his ways in Christ, to refresh their memory as to his preaching and practice, what he taught, and how he lived among them. Note, Those who have had ever so good teaching are apt to forget, and need to have their memories refreshed. The same truth, taught over again, if it give no new light, may make new and quicker impression. He also lets them know that his teaching was the same every where, and in every church. He had not one doctrine for one place and people, and another for another. He kept close to his in…
For this came--that ye may the better "be followers of me" (Co1 4:16), through his admonitions.
sent . . . Timotheus-- (Co1 16:10; Act 19:21-22). "Paul purposed . . . when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem. So he sent into Macedonia Timotheus and Erastus." Here it is not expressly said that he sent Timothy into Achaia (of which Corinth was the capital), but it is implied, for he sent him with Erastus before him. As he therefore purposed to go into Achaia himself, there is every probability they were to go thither also. They are said only to have been sent into Macedonia, because it was the country to which they went immediately from Ephesus. The undesignedness…
For this cause - That you imitate me, and know in what this consists.
I sent unto you Timotheus - The same person to whom he wrote the two epistles that are still extant under his name, and whom he calls here his beloved son, one of his most intimate disciples; and whom he had been the means of bringing to God through Christ.
My ways which be in Christ - This person will also inform you of the manner in which I regulate all the Churches; and show to you, that what I require of you is no other than what I require of all the Churches of Christ which I have formed, as I follow the same plan of discipline in every place. See the Introduction, Section 3.
The Church Fathers
Paul's behavior was completely consistent with his teaching.
By "ways in Christ" Paul means his embodied good deeds. He tells the Corinthians to remember them, because they are self-evident and do not need to be taught.
Consider here also, I entreat, the noble soul, the soul more glowing and keener than fire: how he was indeed especially desirous to be present himself with the Corinthians, thus distempered and broken into parties. For he knew well what a help to the disciples his presence was and what a mischief his absence. And the former he declared in the Epistle to the Philippians, saying, "Not as in my presence only, but also now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." The latter he signifies in this Epistle, saying, "Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you; but I will come." He was urgent, it seems, and desirous to be present himself. But as this was not possible for a time, he corrects them by the promise of his appearance; and not this only, but also by the sending of his disciple. "For this," he saith, "I have sent unto you Timothy." "For this cause:" how is that? "Because I care for you as for children, and as having begotten you." And the message is accompanied with a recommendation of his person: "Who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord." Now this he said, both to shew his love of him, and to prepare them to look on him with respect. And not simply "faithful," but, "in the Lord;" that is, in the things pertaining to the Lord. Now if in worldly things it is high praise for a man to be faithful, much more in things spiritual. If then he was his "beloved child," consider how great was Paul's love, in choosing to be separated from him for the Corinthian's sake, And if "faithful" also, he will be unexceptionable in his ministering to their affairs. "Who shall put you in remembrance." He said not, "shall teach," lest they should take it ill, as being used to learn from himself. Wherefore also towards the end he saith, "For he worketh the work of the Lord, as I, also do. Let no man therefore despise him." For there was no envy among the Apostles, but they had an eye unto one thing, the edification of the Church. And if he that was employed was their inferior, they did as it were support him with all earnestness. Wherefore neither was he contented with saying, "He shall put you in remembrance;" but purposing to cut out their envy more completely,-for Timothy was young,-with this view, I say, he adds, "my ways;" not "his," but "mine;" that is, his methods, his dangers, his customs, his laws, his…
Dictionary and topics
Faithful — As a designation of Christians, means full of faith, trustful, and not simply trustworthy (Acts 10:45; 16:1; 2 Cor. 6:15; Col. 1:2; 1 Tim. 4:3, 12; 5:16; 6:2; Titus 1:6; Eph. 1:1; 1 Cor. 4:17, etc.).…
Timothy · Reputation and Christian faith of — Reputation and Christian faith of
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on 1 Corinthians 4:17
For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus,.... This is an instance of his care of them, concern for them and respect unto them; that he not only writes unto them, giving his best advice and counsel, promising to come unto them; but in the mean while sends Timothy to them, whose character is here given as one dear to him, and in all things trusty and faithful:
who is my beloved son; so, in his epistles to him, he often styles him his son, his own son in the faith, his dearly beloved son; not that he was the instrument of his conversion, for he was a disciple of Christ before the apostle was acquainted with him; see Acts 16:1 but either because of his age, he being younger than he; or bec…
1 Corinthians 4:16-21
16. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
16. Adhortor ergo vos, imitatores mei estote.
17. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
17. Hac de causa misi ad vos Timotheum, qui est filius meus dilectus et fidelis in Domino: qui vobis in memoriam reducat vias meas, quae sunt in Christo, quemadmodum ubique in omnibus Ecclesiis doceam.
18. Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
18. Perinde quasi non sum ad vos venturus, inflati sunt quidam:
19. But I will come to you shortly,…
Timothy, Paul’s child in the faith and one of his closest associates, was with Paul when he first preached the Good News in Corinth (see 2 Cor 1:19). Paul sent him to faithfully communicate what it means to follow Christ Jesus.
