What Does 1 Timothy 1:16 Mean?
But for this reason I was shown faithful love, that in me first Jesus the Anointed One might point out all his slowness to heat, for an imprint to those about to lean their weight upon him unto the life of the ages.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.THE KEY
Christ’s patience turns a life that needed mercy into visible ground for another person’s trust.
THE MEANING
Christ’s patience appears in a life that receives mercy, and that life becomes a pattern for those who now trust him. Their trust opens toward life of the ages.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a life must already be exemplary to display Christ’s patience: here, receiving mercy is what makes the life a pattern.
THE ROOT
μακροθυμίαν
makrothymian
GROWS FROM
θυμ-
The Greek stem θυμ- (thym-) names heat, anger, or force of feeling; in μακροθυμία, μακρο- (makro-, long) stretches the time before that heat flares.
“slowness to heat” in this verse is makrothymian. The verse’s longsuffering carries the sense of being slow to heat. Christ’s patience becomes visible in a life, so what might remain an abstract quality becomes a pattern others can see.
ALSO GROWS
thymos: Heat, anger, or strong impulse.
θυμός
Its θυμ- stem names the heat held in check by μακροθυμία.
makrothymeō: To be patient, or slow to anger.
μακροθυμέω
This verb shares the μακρο- and θυμ- family, describing the same slowness to flare.
ὑποτύπωσιν
hypotypōsin
GROWS FROM
τυπ-
The Greek stem τυπ- (typ-) carries the sense of a mark or impression, from which the ideas of a model and example grow.
“imprint” in this verse is hypotypōsin. A pattern is more than an idea stated from a distance; it is a form impressed where others can see it. Christ’s patience takes shape in a life and gives later trust something visible to follow.
ALSO GROWS
typos: A mark or impression; a model or example.
τύπος
It shares τυπ- and names the impression or model carried by ὑποτύπωσις.
typoō: To form or impress; to shape as a model.
τυπόω
It shares the τυπ- stem and helps show how an impression can become a pattern.
αἰώνιον
aiōnion
GROWS FROM
αἰων-
The Greek stem αἰων- (aiōn-) belongs to αἰών (aiōn), meaning an age or era.
“the life of the ages” in this verse is aiōnion. The word family keeps the age in view: the phrase can be heard as life of the ages. That adds a sense of the kind of life toward which trust is moving, alongside its enduring horizon.
ALSO GROWS
aiōn: An age, era, or span of time.
αἰών
This noun is the source word behind αἰώνιον and brings the idea of an age into the phrase.
aiōnios: Belonging to an age; age-long.
αἰώνιος
This adjective shares the αἰων- stem and describes the life named in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Displayed patience turns received mercy into a pattern that invites trust.
And the LORD passed by before his face, and called out, The LORD, The LORD God, compassionate and full of favor, slow to flare, abounding in faithful love and truth,Or do you look down upon the fullness of his kindness, and the holding back, and the slowness to heat, not perceiving that the kindness of God leads you to turning?The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some hold slowness; but is slow to heat toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should make room for turning.THE THREAD
Hold to the imprint of whole words which you have heard from me, in trust and love, which is in Jesus the Anointed One.The same Greek word for “pattern” appears here as “form.” In 1 Timothy, Christ’s patience leaves its outline in a life; here, sound words also have a form to be held.
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