Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Timothy 1:4

4 Neither give heed to fables , and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather then godly edifying , which is in faith : so do.

By Fables he probably meaneth the Iewish Fables, and commandments of men, mentioned Titus 1.14. or more generally, all vain and idle speculations.

Whatsoever tendeth not to build men up in Godliness, (which is the end of Preaching.) The Jews had many unwritten Fables, about what God did before he made the World, &c. and many unwritten endless Genealogies, which were as so many Labyrinths, intricate without an issue out of them: and 'tis probable that some of them (converted to the Christian Faith) still busied their heads about, according to their Education, and the practice of the Iewish Doctors, and made the subject of their Sermons, and discourses to the assemblies of Christians; which is the thing the Apostle here declareth a corruption of the Ordinances of Preaching, and inveigheth against chap. 6.4. 2 Tim. 2.23. Titus 1.14. and 3.9. and willeth Preachers to avoid, and People to give no heed to them, as nothing tending to the building Christians up in holiness, which he here calleth [non-Latin text not transcribed], the building up of God, either so objectively, or efficiently, or by his command, because it is in God, viz. in the knowledge of God, and an increase in the Love of God, and other spiritual habits, or from God, being wrought by him, and serving for his honour and glory, or according to his Will.

For he tells us this edifying can be no otherwise then in Faith, Preaching the Doctrine of the Gospel, and imbracing that which is the Doctrine of Faith, a Doctrine of Divine Revelation, to which men must give their assent, because of the authority of God revealing it. So as no discourses which are not founded in a divine Revelation and to be proved from thence can possibly tend to any building of God, which cannot stand in the Wisdom of Men, but must stand in the power of God, from this Text we may observe the vanity and proneness of some persons even from the infancy of the Church, to make up what they call Sermons of discourses about Fables, Idle Questions, and Speculations, and Genealogies of which there is no end, the Teachers being able to bring the minds of hearers to no rest about them nor they tending to any good, and saving use, but meerly to shew mens Wit and Parts, and we may also learn, that this is no religious Preaching or Hearing, it being impossible men should be under any religious obligations to hear any but Prophets, that is, such as reveal the divine Will. For other discourses men in their seasons may hear them, or let them alone, and credit or not credit them as they see reason.

Marginal references: Chap. 4.7.