2 Timothy 2 - Introduction
Apostolic Regulation of Public Worship Apostolic Zeal and Purity... [ Continue Reading ]
Apostolic Regulation of Public Worship Apostolic Zeal and Purity... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou therefore, my son, be strong_ Rather render MY CHILD, as in 1 Timothy 1:2 where the difference is explained, and BE STRENGTHENED, -be emboldened," because the verb is of the same class in Greek as our English verbs with the ending -en. It occurs again in the active 2 Timothy 4:17 -the Lord sto... [ Continue Reading ]
Personal and Ministerial Zeal enforced by Parables from the life of the Soldier, the Athlete and the Farmer The Apostle resumes the main thread of exhortation to Christian courage. After its enforcements by Timothy's inherited grace (2 Timothy 1:5) and the grace of his -laying on of hands" (2 Timot... [ Continue Reading ]
the things _that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses_ -Of" in the sense of FROM as in 2 Timothy 1:13; - AMONG," i.e. -in the presence of according to the well-known use of the same preposition in Galatians 3:19 -(the law) ordained _through_angels," i.e. -in the presence of," -amid the pomp of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou therefore endure hardness_ The best mss. give one compound verb instead of pronoun conjunction and simple verb, TAKE-PART IN-SUFFERING-HARDSHIP. As our A.V. stands, the words may seem hard and severe, with little allowance for difficulty and weakness. But the phrase in the Greek is a volume of... [ Continue Reading ]
The three illustrations follow of the soldier, the athlete, the farmer, with the common point of _persevering pains_. They are all familiar to St Paul. That of the soldier has occurred already, 1 Timothy 1:18, where see references.... [ Continue Reading ]
_No_man _that warreth_ More literally NO ONE ON SERVICE, as in Luke 3:18 -men on march" came to St John Baptist. Carr, however, there quotes instances from the classics for the absence of the article, Eur. _Ion_639, _Med_. 68, as shewing that possibly it may be used irregularly as a substantive, -no... [ Continue Reading ]
_And if a man also strive for masteries_ The -also" is placed by R.V. before -a man" instead of after as A.V.; correctly, though awkwardly; as implying not that a man may perhaps beside soldiering also contend in the games, which is the proper inference from the position of -also" in A.V., but that... [ Continue Reading ]
_The husbandman that laboureth_ This third illustration is well known from St Paul's use, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, where the substantive corresponding to -farmer" or -husbandman" occurs. -Ye are God's husbandry"; lit., -God's farmed, tilled, land." The stress of meaning lies on the participle -that labo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Consider what I say_ -Apply the parable"; FOR OUR LORD the Great Teacher of parables SHALL GIVE THEE UNDERSTANDING. The ms. authority requires the future indicative instead of aorist optative. The verb belonging to our substantive here -understanding" is used by our Lord in Matthew 13:51, after all... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David_was _raised_ The force of the participle and the true order of the phrases require the rendering REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD, OF THE SEED OF DAVID. In the other N.T. places where the accusative follows this verb -remember," it is of a th... [ Continue Reading ]
A yet higher illustration from God's own plan of salvation the Cross before the Crown Just as in the first chapter St Paul appeals first to Timothy's sympathies and experiences of an earthly kind to brace him up his own strong feelings moved even to tears, his mother's and grandmother's faith and p... [ Continue Reading ]
_wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer_ HARDSHIP rather than -trouble," the same word as in 2 Timothy 2:3; MALEFACTOR rather than -evil doer," the same word as of the thieves on the cross, Luke 23:32, these being the only N.T. occurrences. even _unto bonds_ -Even" need not have been italicised... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore I endure all_things] Therefore, because -pains bring gains"; therefore, because (2 Timothy 2:3) as with Christ, so with His Church; -If the cross we meekly bear, Then the crown we shall wear." Bengel and others do not go far back enough, trying wrongly to find the reason in the last cl... [ Continue Reading ]
It is _a faithful saying_ Literally, FAITHFUL IS THE SAYING, as in 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8. See note on the first passage and Appendix, E. To close the argument, this rhythmical, perhaps liturgical, strain is quoted. It is introduced by -for," as is the quotation in A... [ Continue Reading ]
_if we suffer_ Rather ENDURE with brave and manly submission; 2 Timothy 2:10. The submission is followed by sovereignty, as death by life. Cf. Matthew 19:28 -ye which have followed me … shall sit on twelve thrones." _if we deny_him] The ms. authority requires the future IF WE SHALL DENY HIM, cf. Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_if we believe not_ R.V. IF WE ARE FAITHLESS giving both the play of words in the contrast -he abideth faithful" and the stronger force required for the climax; as -sovereignty" is better than -life," so a -faithless rejection" is worse than -the denials of our weaker moments," a Judas than a Peter.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of these_things _put_them _in remembrance_ See note on Titus 3:1 for this verb, and on 2 Timothy 1:5 for its noun. _charging_them _before the Lord_ Or IN THE SIGHT OF. The ms. authority for -God" instead of -the Lord" is insufficient to justify the change. The verb to -charge" is properly -to bea... [ Continue Reading ]
The Especial Sphere of both Personal and Ministerial Zeal is (1) Pure Doctrine, (2) a Pure Life The proper connexion is to be sought in the earlier part of the previous passage, particularly 2 Timothy 2:2. For the whole of the paragraph now opening has reference to Timothy's dealing with the teache... [ Continue Reading ]
-Let your own example back your precepts to your teachers." The stress therefore is to be laid on -thyself." _Study to shew thyself_ TAKE PAINS TO PRESENT THYSELF; both verbs are aorists, because that tense gives _the verbal idea_always, and the force intended here is -Have for your ideal in work a... [ Continue Reading ]
_shun_ The word is the same as in Titus 3:9 where reasons are given for rendering it AVOID. The present tense here and in 2 Timothy 2:14 are all the more forcible for the aorists which come in between. -Be ever putting in remembrance" -ever avoiding." The article before -profane babblings" points to... [ Continue Reading ]
_their word_ As opposed to -the word of truth" above, the fictions and heresies in which the Gnostic scheme expressed itself. _will eat_ Lit. -will have pasture." The word occurs John 10:9 -will find pasture." Cf. Latimer _Serm_. p. 525 quoted in the _Bible Word Book_-In another place St Paul compa... [ Continue Reading ]
_who concerning the truth have erred_ More exactly, MEN WHO CONCERNING THE TRUTH ERRED BY MAINTAINING. For the compound relative indicating the class see on Titus 1:11; for the verb 1 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 6:21. The present participle, with the aorist verb, may indicate the repetitions of their -sa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure_ R.V. alters into the less strong -howbeit"; the same conjunction, which St Paul does not use elsewhere, occurs five times in St John's Gospel, and is rendered by R.V. -nevertheless," in John 12:42 (but with another conjunction added), -yet" in John... [ Continue Reading ]
The connexion is; -False teachers may do great damage; but the real truth, the strong main structure, is uninjured and stable, while at the same time there may be some bad work in it as well. And to turn from the structure to the furniture, we must distinguish similarly between the good and the bad... [ Continue Reading ]
_If a man therefore purge himself from these_ That is, as Bengel puts it, -if any one shall by purifying himself have gone out of their number." The compound verb -purge out" only occurs besides in 1 Corinthians 5:7 where the preposition gives the force -purge out from your houses the old leaven." W... [ Continue Reading ]
_Flee also youthful lusts_ Here, as in 2 Timothy 2:16, and again below 2 Timothy 2:23, the article has a certain emphasis, bringing forward again and again the different parts of the old theme -the false teachers, their errors of doctrine, their viciousness of life." -Be a different man yourself, fl... [ Continue Reading ]
_But foolish and unlearned questions_ BUT THOSE FOOLISH AND IGNORANT QUESTIONINGS STEADILY REFUSE; as above -beware their bad doctrine; their foolish questioning decline." _unlearned_ The word occurs nowhere else in N.T., its meaning -indoctus" and then -ineptus" is seen in Proverbs 8:5, -Ye _fools... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the servant of the Lord_ The conjunction here is exactly parallel in its force to -and follow after" in 2 Timothy 2:22. -The servant," not -a servant," the emphatic position of -servant" at the beginning is best rendered by the definite article. -Servant," that is, -bondservant" or -slave," the... [ Continue Reading ]
_in meekness instructing_ Meekness, gentleness of heart, the feeling as separate from the demeanour: still more clearly brought out by the use of the compound word 1 Timothy 6:11. The corresponding adjective is used by -the Lord" Himself of Himself, -I am meek and lowly in heart," Matthew 11:29. See... [ Continue Reading ]
_and_that _they may recover themselves_ Omit -that," the verb depending on -if perchance." The verb -recover themselves" is literally -return to soberness." Constructed with the preposition -out of" it has the pregnant force very frequent in Greek -become sober and escape out of." Cf. Winer, _Gr_. §... [ Continue Reading ]