neither to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God's stewardship, which is in faith--

 (i) Gnosticism was obviously highly speculative, and it was therefore intensely intellectually snobbish. It believed that all this intellectual speculation was quite beyond the mental grasp of ordinary people and was for a chosen few, the elite of the Church. So Timothy is warned against "godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge" ( 1 Timothy 6:20). He is warned against a religion of speculative questions instead of humble faith ( 1 Timothy 1:4). He is warned against the man who is proud of his intellect but really knows nothing and dotes about questions and strifes of words ( 1 Timothy 6:4). He is told to shun "godless chatter," for they can produce only ungodliness ( 2 Timothy 2:16). He is told to avoid "stupid, senseless controversies" which in the end can only engender strife ( 2 Timothy 2:23). Further, the Pastoral Epistles go out of their way to stress the fact that this idea of an intellectual aristocracy is quite wrong, for God's love is universal. God wants all men to be saved and all men to come to a knowledge of the truth ( 1 Timothy 2:4). God is the Saviour of all men, especially those who believe ( 1 Timothy 4:10). The Christian Church would have nothing to do with any kind of faith which was founded on intellectual speculation and set up an arrogant intellectual aristocracy. 