Again, Christ Himself says, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?” (John xviii. 23.) “Doting1294 about questions.” To question then is to dote. “And strifes of words”; this is justly said. For when the soul is fevered with reasonings, and stormy, then it questions, but when it is in a sound state, it does not question, but receives the faith. But from ques- tionings and strifes of words nothing can be discovered. For when the things which faith only promises are received by an inquisitive spirit, it neither demonstrates them, nor suffers us to understand them. If one should close his eyes, he would not be able to find anything he sought: or if, again with his eyes open, he should bury himself, and exclude the sun, he would be unable to find anything, thus seeking. So without faith nothing can be discerned, but contentions must needs arise. “Whereof come railings, evil surmisings”; that is, erroneous opinions and doctrines arising froth questionings. For when we begin to question, then we surmise concerning God things that we ought not. 468 “Perverse disputings,”1295 that is, leisure or conversation, or he may mean intercommu- nication, and that as infected sheep by contact1296 communicate disease to the sound, so do these bad men. “Destitute of the truth, thinking that gain is godliness.” Observe what evils are produced by strifes of words. The love of gain, ignorance, and pride; for pride is engendered by ignor- ance. “From such withdraw thyself.” He does not say, engage and contend with them, but “withdraw thyself,” turn away from them; as elsewhere he says, “A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject.” (Tit. iii. 10.) He shows that they do not so much err from ignorance, as they owe their ignorance to their indolence. Those who are contentious for the sake of money you will never persuade. They are only to be persuaded, so long as you give, and even so you will never satisfy their desires. For it is said, “The cov- etous man’s eye is not satisfied with a portion.” (Ecclus. xiv. 9.) From such then, as being incorrigible, it is right to turn away. And if he who had much obligation to fight for the truth, is advised not to engage in contention with such men, much more should we1297 avoid it, who are in the situation of disciples. Having said, “They think that godliness is a means of gain,” he adds: “But godliness with contentment is great gain,” not when it possesses wealth, but when it has it not. For that he may not despond on account of his poverty, he encourages and revives his spirit. They think, he says, that godliness is a means of gain,1298 and so it is; only not in their way, 1294 νοσῶν. 1295 διαπαρατριβαί, rec. παραδιατριβαί. 1296 παρατριβόμενα. 1297 This he would hardly have said at Constantinople, when he was Bishop. 1298 This is undoubtedly the true sense, as the article is attached to “godliness.” 810 1 Timothy 6:2-7