1 Timothy 1:18-20

18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Rejection. Paul is warning Timothy of the results of ignoring a good conscience. No – that is not right! It is not a matter specifically of ignoring to maintain a good conscience, which by the way is dangerous, but Paul speaks of some, who we will meet soon, as rejecting faith and a good conscience.

Two actions are being described in this verse.

Holding

G2192 – ἔχω échō To have, to hold, to own or possess.

This is a typical term to define ownership or to keep within close proximity, to cling to or to be closely joined to. The thought communicated is typical of Paul’s writings, and that is to maintain a close relationship with the Lord, and the two vehicles to maintain this relationship is faith and a good conscience. Paul is highlighting Timothy’s continued efforts for his ministry.

Rejecting

G683 – ἀπωθέομαι apōthéomai. To push off, cast away or to thrust away from. This seems to be a deliberate action on the part of the subject. This isn’t a matter of human frailty, in that we all fall down occasionally. Paul is using a word here that speaks of a decision to reject faith and a good conscience. To be able to reject something implies the possession of the thing being rejected – how can you reject something you do not have!. May we safely assume that the two men mentioned in this passage were believers at one time?

Two men are given as examples, who have rejected faith and a good conscience.

Hymenaeus

Hymenaeus shows up in one other passage in the New Testament. Paul is speaking of him as swerving from the truth, and upsetting the faith of some. Pray tell, Paul – what is Hymanaeus teaching that is so bad that you are calling him out for it?

2 Timothy 2:16-18

But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.

Only that the general resurrection has occurred in the past! Consider if you were a believer during this time, and heard that you missed the resurrection. Talk about gutting the gospel! The fellow was causing tremendous damage in the church, and is to be considered an enemy of the gospel in my opinion. And in Paul’s opinion too, if I’m reading him right.

Alexander

There are a number of Alexanders in the New Testament, or at least there could be. We just don’t know. I tend to lean to the thinking Paul is referring to Alexander the coppersmith in our passage to Timothy, since Timothy is in Ephesus and the riot in Ephesus was lead by Alexander

Acts 19:33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.

Another reference to Alexander , that Timothy would recognize and may be the one Paul is referring to in our passage in 1 Timothy, is Alexander the Coppersmith. Personally I would find it difficult to think this is a different man Paul refers to but I will leave that up to my reader

2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

Both Hymenaeus and Alexander have rejected a good conscience and faith. The results do not appear to be characteristic of good Christian living, so I ask you my friend.

What is the result of their rejecting a good conscience and faith?

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