1Timothy 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quicken all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession
‘Charge’ [Greek: parangello]. Translated “charge” (1Tim. 5:7; 1:3; 6:13, 17; Luke 5:14; 8:56; Acts 16:23; 23:22); “declare” (1Cor. 11:17); and “command” (Matt. 10:5; Mark 6:8; 8:6; Luke 8:29; 9:21; Acts 1:4; 4:18; 5:28, 40; 10:42; 15:5; 16:18; 17:30; 23:30; 1Cor. 7:10; 1Thess. 4:11; 2Thess. 3:4, 6, 10, 12; 1Tim. 4:11).
‘Before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession.’ This was the central controversy about Jesus. He claimed to be the Christ and the Son of God but satan and the Jews were determined to disprove these claims (Matt. 4:3, 6; 27:40; John 5:18; 10:36; 19:7). God acknowledged His claims (Matt. 3:17; 17:5); demons were forced to acknowledge them (Matt. 8:29; Mark 3:11; 5:7); disciples confessed them (Matt. 14:33; 16:16); but His enemies rebelled against facts and refused to believe even after His resurrection (Matt. 27:40; 28:11-15; Acts 4:16-22; 5:17-28, 40-42). Some Jews repented and confessed His claims after miraculous and resurrection facts were known (John 3:2; Acts 6:7). A few years after the resurrection of Christ, Josephus, a noted Jewish historian gave one of the most valuable confessions of honest faith in Christ. He said, “Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call Him a man; for He was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to Him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned Him to the cross, those that loved Him at the first did not forsake Him; for He appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning Him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from Him, are not extinct at this day” (Josephus, Antiquities, Book 18, 3:3).
Living the Word 