_TIMOTHY IS PUT IN MIND OF THE CHARGE WHICH WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM BY ST. PAUL, AT HIS GOING TO MACEDONIA. OF THE RIGHT USE AND END OF THE LAW. OF ST. PAUL'S CALLING TO BE AN APOSTLE: AND OF HYMENEUS AND ALEXANDER._ _Anno Domini 58._ ST. PAUL began this epistle with asserting his apostolical dignity;... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMANDMENT OF—CHRIST, WHICH IS OUR HOPE;— _Appointment of—Christ our hope._... [ Continue Reading ]
MY OWN SON, &C.— It is not certain from the history that Timothy was converted by St. Paul: See Acts 16:1. It seems therefore that he calls him _his son,_ to express the parental affection that he had for him, and the complacency he found in that assistance which he had received from him in the work... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER GIVE HEED TO FABLES, &C.— Nothing can be conceived more monstrous and absurd than the _fables_ with which the writings of the Jewish rabbies are filled. It is probable this wild romantic humour might in some measure prevail as early as the apostle's days, and may be referred to here. The Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE END OF THE COMMANDMENT, &C.— _"The sum_ and great end of the Christian doctrine, or of the gospel, is love, &c." See 1 Thessalonians 5:10. Philemon 1:2... [ Continue Reading ]
DESIRING TO BE TEACHERS OF THE LAW;— The gospel alone was too simple a thing for the Judaizing Christians; and their partiality for the law of Moses was so great, that they not only considered the whole of it, even the ceremonial part, as obligatory upon themselves, but they would have imposed it up... [ Continue Reading ]
IF A MAN USE IT LAWFULLY;— This plainly intimates, that there were some who abused the law, borrowing a pretence from it to condemn some of the best of men, and to subvert the gospel: and whereas some have represented St. Paul as an enemy to the law, he here denies and disproves the charge. The desi... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THIS, &C.— The apostle's thought seems to be this, "That _a law_ in the general,—(for there is no _article,_ as in 1 Timothy 1:8 to determine or confine it to the _Jewish law_)—is chiefly intended to restrain men from actions injurious to the public:" what it says, therefore,chiefly relates... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THERE BE ANY OTHER THING, &C.— That was _sound doctrine,_ in St. Paul's account, which condemned wicked practices and evil tempers, and promoted holiness and love; that, therefore, must be _unsound doctrine,_ which encourages the contrary practices, tempers, and experience: here then is a pro... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HATH ENABLED ME,— "Who hath qualified me with so many, and such extraordinary spiritual gifts and miraculous powers, to enable me for so great and blessed an undertaking," See Acts 1:8. Doddridge renders it, _"Who hath strengthened me_ for the arduous duties of such a calling.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I OBTAINED MERCY, &C.— It is not to be supposed that the apostle, by saying _because I did it ignorantly and in unbelief,_ meant that his ignorance and unbelief were deserving; or were a proper cause of his obtaining mercy: for it would be strange indeed to imagine, that there was any merit in a... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH FAITH AND LOVE— When he was a bigotted Jew, he had no _love_ to the Christians, or to the Gentiles, nor any true love to God; but _love_ soon followed _faith in Christ Jesus:_ the benevolent spirit of Christianity, accompanied with the power of divine grace, sweetened his temper, regenerated hi... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM I AM CHIEF.— As distance diminishes objects to the sight, and nearness magnifies them, so to holy men their own faults appear greater than those of others; and truth is not injured by expressions which humility suggests, because they speak their real sentiments.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE KING ETERNAL, &C.— It has been thought that in giving such titles to the true God here, St. Paul, among various other reasons, might possibly glance at the absurdity of idolatrous Ephesus, in worshipping such a visible corruptible image as that of Diana. The apostle therefore plainly intima... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE PROPHESIES, &C.— "That according to the predictions made concerning you, you may exert yourself with success in this conflict" See Ch. 1 Timothy 4:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLDING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE;— _"Retaining_ the great principles of the Christian _faith_ in power, _and_ with it the exercise of _a good conscience."_... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM IS HYMENEUS AND ALEXANDER;— Probably this _Alexander_ is the person mentioned Acts 19:33 who might become worse and worse after St. Paul's departure from Ephesus, emboldened whereto by his absence: so that the apostle might now be determined to _deliver him up to Satan;_ that is,—according t... [ Continue Reading ]