For bodily exercise profiteth little
Meaning not the exercise of the body in the Olympic games, as by
running, wrestling, &c. which profited but little, for the
obtaining of a corruptible crown at most; though since a word is
used here, and in the preceding verse, borrowed from thence,
there may be an allusion to it: much less exercise of the body
for health or recreation, as riding, walking, playing at any
innocent diversion; which profits but for a little time, as the
Syriac and Arabic versions read; and the latter renders the
phrase "bodily recreation": nor is the exercise of the body in
the proper employment of trade and business, to which a man is
called, and which profits for the support of life for a little
while, intended; nor any methods made use of for the
mortification of the body, and the keeping of it under, as
watchings, fastings, lying on the ground, scourging but rather
mere formal external worship, as opposed to godliness, or
spiritual worship. There ought to be an exercise of the body, or
a presenting of that in religious worship before God; there
should be an outward attendance on the word and ordinances; but
then, without internal godliness, this will be of little
advantage: it is indeed showing an outward regard to public
worship, and may be a means of keeping persons out of bad
company, and from doing evil things; but if this is trusted to,
and depended on, it will be of no avail to everlasting life; see
( Luke
13:26 Luke 13:27 )
but godliness is profitable unto all things;
to the health of the body, and the welfare of the soul; to the
things of this life, and of that which is to come; to themselves
and others, though not to God, or in a way of merit:
having promise of the life that now is;
of the continuance of it, of length of days, of living long in
the earth, and of enjoying all necessary temporal good things,
the mercies of life; for God has promised to his spiritual
worshippers, to them that fear him, and walk uprightly, that
their days shall be prolonged, that they shall want no good
thing, nor will he withhold any from them that is for their good,
that is proper and convenient for them:
and of that which is to come;
even of eternal life; not that eternal life is received or
procured hereby; for it is the free gift of God, and is not by
any works of men, for otherwise it would not be by promise; for
its being by promise shows it to be of grace: there is nothing
more or less in it than this, that God promises glory to his own
grace; for internal godliness, which animates and maintains
spiritual worship, is of God, is of his own grace, and every part
of it is a free gift of his, as faith, hope, love, fear