Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17 KJV
Now to the king of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, only God honor and glory to the ages of the ages. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17 Darby
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17 NASB
Paul has just given his testimony. He has looked back to his shameful past when, in ignorance, he persecuted believers. He has celebrated the mercy and grace of God toward him. He has testified to his faith in the work of God’s Son on his behalf. As he thinks of God’s ways toward him, he breaks forth into the doxology of verse 17.
He thinks of God as the King of the ages, a sovereign God Who is in absolute control of all the events in his life. He is beyond any decay or corruption; He is not visible to human sight but only to eyes opened by the Spirit of God. To this God, the only God, Paul ascribes honor and glory in the present and throughout all ages.
Some commentaries will debate whether Paul is referring to God the Father or to God the Son in his doxology of verse 17. But is there a need to divide the persons within the Godhead? The One Who is King of the ages did become the babe of Bethlehem. He marked off days, weeks, and years. He was a child of eight days at His circumcision; a child of 40 days when brought to the temple. At the age of 12 years, He was brought to Jerusalem. When He began to be about 30 years, He came to Jordan to be baptized by John. He, the eternal, passed through time, minute by minute, day by day.
He is the incorruptible Christ even though in human form. He “aged” as part of the normal growth. But while His body lay in the tomb, He did not see corruption. We age; our frail bodies show the evidence of corruption, the humiliation which sin has brought, as we await the redemption of our bodies. Men sought to “destroy” the temple of His body (John 2). Yet He was able to raise it up again.
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The God Who is invisible, unseen by natural eyes, became visible to men and angels. The Word became flesh! The infinite poured Himself into a finite form and displayed all that God is – aside from the outward manifestation of glory, in that human body. God was manifest in flesh.
Paul, as though lost in wonder at the mercy and grace of God, then burst forth in His doxology: to Him, “honor and glory, forever and ever.” Honor and glory, however, were not His while here. Instead of honor, there was reproach and shame. “Thou hast known My reproach, My shame” (Ps 69:17). Men mocked His claim to deity. Men mocked Him for the grace He showed in His life. Men heaped shame upon Him for His trust in God. He knew the reproaches that men would have heaped upon God in heaven if they could have reached Him; the very same they heaped upon the God manifest in flesh. “The reproaches of them that reproached Thee have fallen upon Me” (Ps 69:9).
Instead of glory, there was dishonor. “Thou hast known … My dishonor.” He deserved the worship of men but received their mocking disdain. He deserved glory from men but received, instead, the crown of thorns, purple robe, and mock sceptre. Knees were bowed but amidst the ribald laughter of coarse and vulgar men. Men well accustomed to battle and torture were at no loss for obscene and bawdy jokes and languages with which to abuse Him. He was the center of the morning’s entertainment for the soldiers in Herod’s army, as well as for the Roman soldiers garrisoned at Jerusalem.
The King of the Ages had known all this before ever He said, “Let us make man …” He knew all this before ever He said, “Lo I come to do Thy will.” He knew all this before He said, “Arise, let us go forth.” As King of the Ages He knew all this and knew it was the only way to save you and me.
Consider:
There are three doxologies in Paul’s letter to Timothy. Notice how they all have something to do with the King and the Kingdom.