"Endless genealogies"

[Jiggy37]

1 Timothy 1
3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia--remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.


They can't literally be endless, or else you couldn't give heed to them anyway because you'd never be able to finish reading them. So if they're only figuratively endless, does this mean that we're not supposed to use the genealogies in the Bible as a complete history of humans since "the beginning"?

[Hootmon]

does this mean that we're not supposed to use the genealogies in the Bible as a complete history of humans since "the beginning"? The genealogies are in Scripture for a purpose.

I would assume the genealogies referred to in 1 Timothy are being rambled off to 'puff up' the rambler, and therefore are a waste of time...

[Jiggy37]

The genealogies are in Scripture for a purpose.I absolutely agree that they're in there for a purpose; I'm just not sure that I can agree, as some say, that their purpose is telling us about every single family line since the beginning of creation. :confused
I would assume the genealogies referred to in 1 Timothy are being rambled off to 'puff up' the rambler, and therefore are a waste of time...What do you mean by being rambled off?

[Timothy]

I agree with Hoot, and think that "endless" is a figure of speech. I've always inferred that the genealogy part meant that someone was playing a "I'm better than you" game because "I descend from so and so."

[Jael]

I'm with Timothy and Hootmon, it's a figure of speech...now stop your endless questions :heh (Just kidding, and demonstrating the sense I think Paul intended here). It's not the genealogies that were endless, but their ability to argue about them.

[dman]

I agree Timothy The rambleing on endlessly Was some spouting Family after family Trying to prove There Close relation to Christ even Before or without salvation..

I'm sure most have seen this in life with one or more people we know, Who will say we are not only good friends but after 30 years begining friend we discovered that were related.

My mothers, aunts, Cousin ,who's sister inlaws Brother's mother, has an uncles who was married to my Great great great great grand fathers brother on my mothers side.

so we are closer to each other then any of our other friends ever could be were blood haha ..

[Timothy]

It's not the genealogies that were endless, but their ability to argue about them.

Well said. :clap

[Hootmon]

I'm just not sure that I can agree, as some say, that their purpose is telling us about every single family line since the beginning of creation. THey are there to establish the 'family lines' of those figures important in Scripture, as well as the Jews as a whole.


What do you mean by being rambled off? Something along the lines of "Dont you realize who I am? Well... My great grandfather invented the wheel, and blab blah blech..."

[dman]

Something along the lines of "Dont you realize who I am? Well... My great grandfather invented the wheel, and blab blah blech..."

WellI got ya top there Hoot, My Great grand father was wiser then your's before he would use the wheel he invented the Break for it !!!

[antsinmypants]

I agree with Hoot, and think that "endless" is a figure of speech. I've always inferred that the genealogy part meant that someone was playing a "I'm better than you" game because "I descend from so and so."

Perzactly!