-So, in addition to guarding the flock from different teaching, to admonishing those thus teaching to cease and desist, Timothy is also instructed to exhort these path-strayers to not get caught up in that which leads to speculation. As opposed to administration. What needs to happen is administration - the management of God’s affairs, His house. And note the mention of faith - there are some things which we just need to take by faith. We are simply not going to be able to land that plane of certainty on this about which we are speculating. Just need to put a pin in that one and get about God’s business.
-God’s business. The administration of God - what is that? The word is oikonomian, house-management. It is/was the job of a steward (Luke 12.42). Like Joseph (Genesis 39.4). We call it a stewardship - a somewhat sacred trust, in that the owner of said house - and all its accoutrements - is trusting this person to take care of that which is (most?) precious to him. Daily affairs, any and all structures, even the children - the whole kit-n-kaboodle. And we find that God entrusts multiple things to those pastors/teachers He would call His stewards: His mysteries (1Corinthians 4.1, Ephesians 3.9), His grace (Ephesians 3.2, 1Peter 4.10), His church (Colossians 1.25, Titus 1.7). And as a house-steward, the vital quality one clearly must possess is trustworthiness. Certainly pastors/teachers - like Timothy - must carefully study and learn and faithfully convey the truths of God to God’s people in ways which help them learn and understand and apply those truths. These must help guard the family of God from straying off the true path, from being distracted away from pure and simple devotion to Jesus. Presenting every person complete in Christ - that's God's business (Colossians 1.28). One of the ways we can get distracted from that is by getting caught up in these myths and genealogies. Speculations. Things about which God’s Word is either not clear or even silent. There is no definite guidance or hard evidence. These are things which in God’s economy are more useless and unprofitable, and truth be told, they are endless. There is no end to them, if you give yourself to them. More and more useless information - on this path I can't get no satisfaction. These are things which do not build up (1Corinthians 14.26) - in fact, that right there is the perfect measuring rod for the profitability of whatever I am paying attention to. Does it build up and strengthen my faith and the faith of others? Is there an element of speculation in it such that it does not really build up but is rather more trivial? Interesting perhaps to think about but not inherently transformational? These things oughta be none of our business...!
-That verse from Peter makes it abundantly clear that all of us, we who follow Jesus, are called to be stewards of something. Surely while not every one of God’s people has the call to be an overseer of an entire flock, each one of them/us have been entrusted with truth, with grace, with gifts and blessings which we must manage and multiply in helping to serve and grow God’s kingdom, His family. We are all called to stir up undistracted devotion to Jesus. To find and drink deeply from His fountain of living water. Our goal is not stockpiling more and more useless information but rather love and transformation. Purveyors of blessing! That should fire our imagination! I will bless you, He says, and in you all families of the earth will be blessed. It is the parable of the talents (Matthew 25.14-30). We manage and multiply those by His grace and power in order to bear fruit for God’s glory. What are you, what am I doing with MY gift, which what God has entrusted to me? Are we more or less straightening pictures on the walls of burning houses, or are we helping to build up the household of God? May it be said that for each one of us, He will find us faithful.
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