Paul continues to teach Timothy regarding the correct behavior of holy-people (sanctified people, Christians, saints, children of the only true God, all people who have received the gift of holy spirit).
I Timothy 6:1 and 2:
6:1As-many slaves as are under a yoke they must lead (their minds to regard their) own masters worthy of all honor in order that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed; .2and the (slaves) having believing masters must not despise (them) because they are brothers but rather they must serve-as-slaves because they are believers and loved-people1, the (people) helping the good-work. These-things you must teach and encourage.
A “slave” is a servant who is bound to serve his master. This service as a slave (bond-servant) means that the slave's whole being is at the service-of or in service-to that one master, not serving anybody or anything else. During the time-period of the writing of the Bible, a master was obligated to take-care of his slave, and the slave was obligated to do all his master would ask of him. It was a mutually-beneficial relationship between the master and his slave.
The word translated “masters” here (it is not the Greek word kurios usually translated ‘lord’) means: the sovereign lords, the absolute masters, the despots, those who have absolute dominion, ownership, supreme authority, and unlimited power within that working relationship – similar to ‘employers’ in the work situation today. This word “masters” is used to emphasize that the masters are over their own slaves whereby their slaves figuratively have their feet bound in complete subjection to them in service during everyday living.
The word translated “yoke” is not referring to a literal yoke, but figuratively describing the appropriate level of work. Those in the same yoke would work in service on the same team, as oxen being tied to the same wooden/metal bar or frame by-which they all work within its limitations plowing a field going evenly together in the same direction according to their master's direction and instruction.
Paul writes: as many/much slaves (referring to holy-people who are slaves) as are under a yoke (legally subject or in submission to a yoke as described above) they must lead before or in-front-of their minds to regard their own masters worthy of all honor (they must take the initiative, go beforehand in their minds to view their own masters, not some other person’s master but their own masters who are not believers, not holy-people, to be of equal-worth to every value, of like-value with all price, worth) – why? – for the purpose and result that the name of God and the teaching (the instruction, doctrine that originates from God; this word ‘teaching’ includes the teaching itself and the action of teaching it) may not be blasphemed (would not be evilly-spoken-of, treated with lack of Godly reverential-respect, calumniated).
A name is a word or phrase given to a person, etc, to be called and known-by, in order to designate and describe the distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character, quality, workings, etc. Here, Paul writes “the name of God” – the First, Superior or Ultimate One, the One Who has power, executes judgment, and emanates what He is, His power and light. He is the only true God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As many slaves as are under a yoke they must lead their minds to regard their own masters worthy of all honor in order that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed.
The slaves who presently have believing masters (masters adjectively described as: faithful, trusting relative-to God, believers) must not despise them because they are brothers (the slaves must not think down on or against them, the objective-cause being that they are the slaves’ brothers in the spirit category having the same gift of holy spirit within them, these masters are also holy-people) – but contrary to despising, rather they must serve-as-slaves (more-so, more and more, constantly increasing the slaves must serve in the capacity, the position of being slaves, bound-people carrying-out the appropriate service), the objective-cause being that these masters…
These-things, that I am writing to you here in this letter, you must teach (instruct) and encourage (exhort, call others beside you as a father or mother would call their children beside them to help them to do what is right).
[Reference: Matthew 6:9; Luke 1:54; Acts 4:9, 24, 29, and 20:35; Romans 2:23, 24, and 14:16; Ephesians 6:5-9; I Timothy 1:20.]
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True Bible Study - First and Second Timothy and Titus
(May) the grace (be) with you.
