1 Tim. 6:11-19, Lay Hold of Eternal Life

This phrase appears twice, in 6:12 and 6:19. “Lay hold on eternal life.”  If eternal life is the free gift of God through Christ (Rom. 6:23) why do I need to “lay hold” on it?  Excellent question.  Let’s look at the word.  Most of the uses are in narrative stories (Gospels, Acts, Heb).  But those stories will give an idea of the kind of action involved in laying hold of eternal life.

epilambanomai (verb): to lay hold of, take possession of

·       Mat 14:31 Jesus caught Peter, saying “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

·       Mar 8:23 Jesus took the blind man, led him out of the town, gave him sight.

·       Luk 9:47 Jesus, concerning the “greatest,” took a little child and set him by Him.

·       Luk 14:4 Leaders kept silent, so Jesus took man in synagogue and healed him.

·       Luk 20:20,26 Leaders sent spies that they might seize on His words, … But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people.

·       Luk 23:26 they laid hold of a certain man, Simon, to bear Jesus’ cross.

·       Act 9:27 Barnabas took Saul, brought him to apostles.

·       Act 16:19 Masters of demon possessed girl, they seized Paul and Silas.

·       Act 17:19 Greeks brought Paul to the Areopagus.

·       Act 18:17 Greeks took Sosthenes, synagogue ruler, and beat him.

·       Act 21:30 Jews seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple.

·       Act 21:33 Roman commander took Paul, bound him, questioned him.

·       Act 23:19 Roman commander took Paul’s nephew by the hand, questioned him.

·       1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called & have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

·       1Ti 6:19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

·       Heb 2:16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. (Various translations maintain the “lay hold” idea; He did not lay hold of angels but laid hold of the seed of Abraham.  If you review these passages the “seizing” or “taking” was to accomplish some purpose.)

·       Heb 8:9 The Lord took Israel by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt.

This “laying hold” of eternal life is a vigorous, aggressive seizing, not unlike Lk. 13:24, “Strive to enter at the narrow gate;” or Mt. 11:12, “the violent take it (the kingdom of God) by force.”  What is hard is not God!  He is gracious and has made entrance by faith in Christ, all of grace.  What is hard is me!  Laying aside my good works and just desserts which are empty and useless, and receiving Christ by the empty hand of faith.  We must be ruthless in this.  The two uses in 1 Tim. 6 are in the context of money and riches (6:10,17).  Nobody struggles with simple faith more than the man who thinks everything has a price and he can pay any price!