Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

2 Timothy 1:6

διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν : not so much “because I am persuaded of thine unfeigned faith” (Theoph., Thdrt.), as, “because this faith does of a surety dwell in thee”. We are most fruitfully stimulated to noble action, not when we know other people think well of us, but when their good opinion makes us recognise the gifts to us of God's grace. Faith, as well as salvation, is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8. Except in this phrase (see reff. and Acts 28:20), αἰτία is not found elsewhere in Paul. It is common in Matt., Mark, John, and Acts.

ἀναζωπυρεῖν : In both places cited in reff. the only occurrences in the Greek Bible the verb is intransitive: his, or their, spirit revived. Chrys. well compares with the image suggested by ἀναζωπυρεῖν (“stir into flame,”) “quench not the Spirit,” 1 Thessalonians 5:19, where by “the Spirit” is meant His charismatic manifestations of every kind. It is interesting to note in this connexion that ἀναζωπυρεῖν φαντασίας is opposed to σβεννύναι in M. Antoninus, vii. 2 (quoted by Wetstein).

τὸ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ : This expression refers to the salvation of the soul by God's grace, in Romans 6:23; Romans 11:29. The narrower signification, as here, of a gift given to us to use to God's glory is χάρισμα ἐκ θεοῦ, 1 Corinthians 7:7, or more usually simply χάρισμα. The particular nature of the gift must be determined by the context. In this case it was a charisma that was exercised in a spirit not of fearfulness We can scarcely be wrong, then, if we suppose the charisma of administration and rule to be in St. Paul's mind rather than “the work of an evangelist” (ch. 2 Timothy 4:5). So Chrys., “for presiding over the Church, for the working of miracles, and for every service”.

διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως μου : See note on 1 Timothy 4:14, where it is pointed out that we have no right to assume that hands were laid on Timothy once only. Thus Acts 9:17; Acts 13:3 are two such occasions in St. Paul's spiritual life. There may have been others.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

2 Timothy 1:6

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