“To the King of Ages”

A LOVING DOXOLOGY: 1 Timothy 1:17

To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul closes his reflections on sin, life, and grace with a spontaneous burst of praise. As a deeply observant Jew, such an expression of glorification would come as naturally as breathing. Yet for Paul, there is something extra; it is the joyful fireworks of a soul which has known at first hand the blessing of unmerited redemption.

In the Middle Ages, such expressions would become the basis of a way of doing theology called “apophatic”, i.e., theologizing-by-taking-away, or the “negative way” (via negativa). The name most frequently connected with this is that of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, an otherwise unknown monastic philosopher-theologian who was mistakenly identified with the Dionysius who was converted by Paul at Athens on Mars Hill (the Areopagus). The general idea is that, when we follow an apophatic method, we are more likely to avoid errors in what we say about God. For Ps.-Dionyius and others, it was more than just a method for pursuing rigorous spiritual thought, it was a form of spiritual discipline and prayer in itself, a contemplation of the mysteries of God.

Thus also the hymn based on this passage:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise
In light inaccessible hid from our eye
Most blessed, most glorious, the ancient of days
Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise!

Paul has brought us to the junction of understanding and mystery, of recollection and amazed wonder, of intellectual rigor and ecstatic praise.


Great and incomparable God, bring me again to the wonder-filled contemplation of Your Majesty, and to joys both deep and explosive in Your Presence. Let my life be as a fountain of glorification to You. Amen.


Lusby, Maryland

"In accordance with the gospel"

THE ENTRUSTED WORD: 1 Timothy 1:11

... in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

This verse closes out the first major section of chapter 1. The emphasis here is on being entrusted; this is not some "word" or teaching that Paul has cooked up, nor is the good news some product of his overheated wishful thinking, a dream he is trying to force into reality. Rather, it reflects a sacred charge. But to what end?

Safekeeping. In the ritual for ordination in The United Methodist Church, the ordinand is charged and pledges to proclaim the doctrine of the Church "and no other". Part of the role of the Christian teacher is to safeguard the treasure "old and new" of the message of salvation, and its attendant messages of God's righteousness, human sin and the wrath of God, and the eternal intention and purpose of God to redeem the fallen humanity whom He loves. Our message must be rooted securely in the word received -- as it is, not as we would want or amend it to be -- unchanging but interpreted afresh and given vitality in our own time, in every time that is "now", "today".

Proclaiming. This is a treasure, yes, this Gospel -- but it is one which is by name and design that is to be shared. As the holiness of God both tell us that God is perfectly righteous, yet is used by God to bring us into a relationship of righteousness before Him -- to make us righteous -- so also the Gospel is meant to define the people of God called the Church, but in such a way as to draw "all men unto" the Lord of the Church. God's judgment is intended to bring us to mercy. Our defining the bounds of the Church and her message must be in order to drawing others within those bounds, not for the purpose of holding them out.

Paul is therefore responsible: to the message, and to the Lord of the message. It is an awesome charge, in the true sense of that overused word. The word "entrusted" (episteuthen) comes from the verb pisteuo, the same verb as "to believe", "to trust". Paul is called to keep faith, so that others might have faith. And it all rests, so to speak, on Christ's faith in Paul, to whom He has entrusted the message. With what has Christ entrusted you and me? How do we keep faith?

And it is awesome in another way: Paul mentions "glory" (doxa), a reference to the same attribute of God's holiness which filled the tabernacle and the temple with His Presence, and which is the destiny of the children of God. Contrary to the parodies of this world, seen in entertainment and media and held by many, God does not call us to death, bondage, boredom, or hopelessness, but to glory, joy, and abundant life. "Satan's glory glitters; God's glory shines."


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)