"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4.13-15
Men make plans. This is why James warns not to assume that we know what our future is. All man-made plans are tentative. We do not know what we're going to do tomorrow, we cannot even know what we will do the next second! We may think that we will go out to breakfast and instead be in an ambulance to intensive care, or be dead on the sidewalk. No money can save you if it is the Lord's will. No medicine will overcome it.
For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. I Tim. 4.8
The antithetical ἡ εὐσέβεια allows the linguistically most obvious rendering “physical [Vol. I, p. 776] exercise.” The context, however, makes it clear that there is no attack on Hellenic development of the body, as lexical association might seem to demand (cf. v. 7), but rather a rejection of narrow encratitic strivings (cf. 4:3; 5:23; Tt. 1:15).
We have more information on these encratics:
The Encratites (from Greek enkrateia, meaning “self-control” or “continence”) were an early Christian sect that emerged in the 2nd century AD, known for their extreme asceticism. Here's what we know about them:
🔎 Basic Overview
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The Encratites believed that salvation required strict self-denial, especially of anything connected with the body or material world.
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They rejected marriage, forbade eating meat, and abstained from wine.
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Considered a heretical movement by the mainstream church, though some of their values overlapped with early Christian monasticism.
📜 Historical Context
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They likely emerged around the time of or after Tatian the Assyrian, a 2nd-century Christian writer and disciple of Justin Martyr.
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Tatian is often cited as a key figure or founder of the movement (although this is debated). After Justin’s death, Tatian broke from mainstream Christianity and embraced extreme asceticism.
📚 Sources and References
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Irenaeus (late 2nd century) in Against Heresies mentions the Encratites, associating them with Tatian.
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Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, also describes them and their rejection of marriage and certain foods.
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Hippolytus and Epiphanius (later Church Fathers) catalog them among the heresies of the early centuries.
🔥 What They Believed
Here’s a breakdown of their core beliefs and practices:
| Belief/Practice | Encratite Position |
|---|---|
| Marriage | Rejected as impure and a distraction from spiritual life. |
| Sexual Activity | Strict celibacy was required—even within marriage. |
| Food | Abstained from meat and wine (sometimes all animal products). |
| Creation | Some believed the material world was evil or corrupt, possibly influenced by Gnostic dualism. |
| Salvation | Achieved through radical self-control and denial of the flesh. |
🧠 Theological Influences
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Gnostic Elements: Some Encratites leaned into Gnostic ideas, particularly the belief that the material world is evil or lesser than the spiritual realm.
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Docetism: Possibly associated with beliefs that Christ only appeared to have a physical body, though not all Encratites went this far.
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Proto-Monasticism: Their emphasis on asceticism influenced later Christian monastic practices, though the Church rejected their more extreme views.
⛪ Church's Response
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Mainstream Christian leaders rejected the Encratites as heretical.
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The Council of Ancyra (314 AD) condemned Encratite practices, especially their rejection of marriage.
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Their emphasis on works and self-denial for salvation contradicted the Church’s teaching on grace.
🧬 Legacy
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The Encratites eventually disappeared as a distinct sect but left a mark on Christian ascetic traditions.
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Their views foreshadowed later movements like:
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Montanism (charismatic, rigorous discipline)
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Manichaeism (radical dualism)
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Monasticism (but without rejection of marriage as evil)
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Here are the different interpretations of this passage :
🔍 1. Comparative Value Interpretation
Key idea: Physical exercise is good, but spiritual discipline is better.
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This is probably the most mainstream interpretation.
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The verse doesn't dismiss physical exercise entirely, but says its value is limited (i.e., "little") compared to the eternal value of godliness.
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Paul is highlighting priorities—training in godliness leads to benefits both in this life and in the afterlife.
🛡️ Spiritual Discipline Emphasis
Key idea: Just as athletes train their bodies, believers should train in righteousness.
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The context includes Paul urging Timothy to train himself to be godly (v.7).
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Some interpreters view the "bodily exercise" metaphorically, referring to ascetic practices or ritualistic religious disciplines.
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Emphasis is on developing character, faith, love, and holiness.
⛪ Early Church & Monastic Interpretations
Key idea: Spiritual disciplines (fasting, prayer, celibacy) outweigh physical efforts.
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Early monastic thinkers saw this as support for focusing on the inner life over bodily comforts.
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Some viewed "bodily exercise" as literal physical activity; others saw it as ascetic practices that, while valuable, are not ends in themselves.
🏃 Literal View on Exercise
Key idea: This verse downplays or questions the value of physical fitness.
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Some have taken this to mean physical exercise is unimportant or even discouraged.
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Often cited by people humorously (or sometimes seriously) to justify not working out.
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However, this is widely regarded as an overly narrow or misapplied reading.
💡 Modern Evangelical View
Key idea: Balance physical and spiritual health, with priority on the eternal.
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Many modern pastors and Bible teachers encourage a holistic view.
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While spiritual life takes precedence, physical health is also important as a stewardship of God’s gift (the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor 6:19).
📚 Greek Linguistic Interpretation
Key idea: The Greek word "ὠφέλιμος" (ōphelimos) means "useful"—not "useless."
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"Bodily exercise profits a little" doesn’t mean “none”; the Greek indicates some value, though limited.
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The phrase is comparative, not dismissive.
🧘 Philosophical/Mystical Interpretation
Key idea: Inner transformation surpasses external practice.
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Some spiritual interpreters use this to highlight that inner growth and alignment with God are more vital than external rituals or appearances.
🚫 Anti-Ascetic Reading
Key idea: Paul critiques asceticism that overemphasizes bodily discipline.
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In the broader context of 1 Timothy, Paul warns against false teachers promoting extreme denial of physical needs (like forbidding marriage or certain foods).
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So this verse could be read as pushing back on such rigid bodily discipline in favor of true godliness.
📝 Summary:
| View | Interpretation Summary |
|---|---|
| Comparative Value | Godliness is more important than physical training |
| Spiritual Discipline | Train in faith like an athlete trains physically |
| Monastic | Prioritize spiritual life over bodily concerns |
| Literal | Physical exercise is of limited benefit |
| Evangelical | Balance both, prioritize eternal value |
| Greek Linguistic | Physical training has some value |
| Mystical | Focus on internal transformation |
| Anti-Ascetic | Don’t overvalue bodily discipline or rituals |
The bottom line, no matter what interpretation is "correct," is that those who think that they are secure and healthy due to the exercises they do, or the proper medical attention they receive, are lulled into a false sense of security. We do not know how long the Lord will give us to live, but we can rest assured of this: no matter what exercises we do or medications we take, our final day on this earth will not change.
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