1 Timothy 1:4 – myths versus truth

…nor yet to be heeding myths and endless genealogies, which are affording exactions rather than God’s administration which is in faith.

Besides the fact that Timothy would not pay attention to made-up stories (=myths), he would also not pay attention to “endless genealogies”. Both terms are an extension of each other here. Paul is of course not referring to genealogies in the Bible, but to genealogies that are just as dubious as the myths mentioned. Before you know it, you find yourself in endless yes-or-no discussions. In fact, many myths are fantasies about supposed origins and descent. So about genealogy.

The value of a story depends entirely on the reliability of the source from which one draws. If this source is dubious or the researcher makes false assumptions, then the conclusions are worthless in advance. This also applies to academic studies into origins, which ignore God, so that one is forced to trace the origins of humanity to apes from so many million years ago.

In any case, “myths and endless genealogies”, unfounded as they are, only cause problems. That is why Timothy would not pay attention to it. Solid and well-founded is what has been given to Paul by God (Eph.3:2; Col.1:25). That is reliable and proves itself!

Delen: