In
this chapter, I. Paul with great solemnity and earnestness presses Timothy
to the diligent and conscientious discharge of his work and office as an
evangelist; and the charge given to him all gospel ministers are to take to
themselves, ver. 1-5. II. The reason of his concern in this case, Why must
Timothy now be instant in season, &c., in a particular manner? Because
the church was likely to be deprived of the apostle's labours, for his
departure was at hand, ver. 6-8. III. Divers particular matters, with a hint
and caution, about Alexander the coppersmith, ver. 9-15. IV. He informs him
of what befel him at his first answer; though men forsook him, the Lord
stood by him, and this encouraged him to hope for future deliverance (ver.
16-18) And then he concludes with salutations and a benediction, ver. 19, to
the end.
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Ministerial
Duties; The Apostle's Joyful Expectation.
A. D. 66.
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1 I charge thee therefore before God,
and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in
season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But
watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that
day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Observe, I. How awfully this charge is introduced (v. 1): I charge
thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and
the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. Observe, The best of men have
need to be awed into the discharge of their duty. The work of a minister is
not an indifferent thing, but absolutely necessary. Woe be to him if he
preach not the gospel, 1 Cor. ix. 16. To induce him to faithfulness, he must
consider, 1. That the eye of God and Jesus Christ was upon him: I charge
thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ; that is, "as thou
tenderest the favour of God and Jesus Christ; as thou wilt approve thyself
to God and Jesus Christ, by the obligations both of natural and revealed
religion; as thou wilt make due returns to the God who made thee and the
Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed thee." 2. He charges him as he will
answer it at the great day, reminding him of the judgment to come, which is
committed to the Lord Jesus. He shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom, that is, when he appears in his kingdom. It
concerns all, both ministers and people, seriously to consider the account
that they must shortly give to Jesus Christ of all the trusts reposed in
them. Christ shall judge the quick and the dead, that is, those that
at the last day shall be found alive, and those who shall be raised to life
out of the grave. Note, (1.) The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and
the dead. God hath committed all judgment unto the Son, and hath
appointed him the Judge of quick and dead, Acts x. 42. (2.) He will appear;
he will come the second time, and it will be a glorious appearance, as the
word epifaneia
signifies. (3.) Then his kingdom shall appear in its glory: At his
appearing and kingdom; for he will then appear in his kingdom, sitting
on a throne, to judge the world.
II. What is the matter of the charge, v. 2-5. He is charged,
1. To preach the word. This is ministers' business; a dispensation is
committed to them. It is not their own notions and fancies that they are to
preach, but the pure plain word of God; and they must not corrupt it, but as
of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, they speak in Christ, 2
Cor. ii. 17.
2. To urge what he preached, and to press it with all earnestness upon his
hearers: "Be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke,
exhort; do this work with all fervency of spirit. Call upon those under
thy charge to take heed of sin, to do their duty: call upon them to repent,
and believe, and live a holy life, and this both in season and out of
season. In season, when they are at leisure to hear thee, when some
special opportunity offers itself of speaking to them with advantage. Nay,
do it out of season, even when there is not that apparent probability
of fastening something upon them, because thou dost not know but the Spirit
of God may fasten upon them; for the wind bloweth where it listeth; and in
the morning we must sow our seed, and in the evening not withhold our hand,"
Eccl. xi. 6. We must do it in season, that is, let slip no opportunity; and
do it out of season, that is, not shift off the duty, under pretence that it
is out of season.
3. He must tell people of their faults: "Reprove them, rebuke them.
Convince wicked people of the evil and danger of their wicked courses.
Endeavour, by dealing plainly with them, to bring them to repentance. Rebuke
them with gravity and authority, in Christ's name, that they may take thy
displeasure against them as an indication of God's displeasure."
4. He must direct, encourage, and quicken those who began well. "Exhort
them (persuade them to hold on, and endure to the end) and this with
all long-suffering and doctrine." (1.) He must do it very
patiently: With all long-suffering. "If thou do not see the
effect of thy labours presently, yet do not therefore give up the cause; be
not weary of speaking to them." While God shows to them all
long-suffering, let ministers exhort with all long-suffering. (2.) He must
do it rationally, not with passion, but with doctrine, that is,
"In order to the reducing of them to good practices, instil into them
good principles. Teach them the truth as it is in Jesus, reduce them to a
firm belief of it, and this will be a means both to reclaim them from evil
and to bring them to good." Observe, [1.] A minister's work has various
parts: he is to preach the word, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort.
[2.] He is to be very diligent and careful; he must be instant in season
and out of season; he must spare no pains nor labour, but must be urgent
with them to take care of their souls and their eternal concerns.
5. He must watch in all things. "Seek an opportunity of doing
them a kindness; let no fair occasion slip, through thy negligence. Watch to
thy work; watch against the temptations of Satan, by which thou mayest be
diverted from it; watch over the souls of those who are committed to thy
charge."
6. He must count upon afflictions, and endure them, make the best of them. Kakopaqhson,
endure patiently. "Be not discouraged by the difficulties thou
meetest with, but bear them with an evenness of spirit. Inure thyself to
hardships."
7. He must remember his office, and discharge its duties: Do the work of
an evangelist. The office of the evangelist was, as the apostles'
deputies, to water the churches that they planted. They were not settled
pastors, but for some time resided in, and presided over, the churches that
the apostles had planted, till they were settled under a standing ministry.
This was Timothy's work.
8. He must fulfil his ministry: Make full proof of it. It was a great
trust that was reposed in him, and therefore he must answer it, and perform
all the parts of his office with diligence and care. Observe, (1.) A
minister must expect afflictions in the faithful discharge of his duty. (2.)
He must endure them patiently, like a Christian hero. (3.) These must not
discourage him in his work, for he must do his work, and fulfil his
ministry. (4.) The best way to make full proof of our ministry is to fulfil
it, to fill it up in all its parts with proper work.
III. The reasons to enforce the charge.
1. Because errors and heresies were likely to creep into the church, by
which the minds of many professing Christians would be corrupted (v.
3, 4): "For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine. Therefore improve the present time, when they will endure it.
Be busy now, for it is seedtime; when the fields are white unto the harvest,
put in the sickle, for the present gale of opportunity will be soon over. They
will not endure sound doctrine. There will be those who will heap to
themselves corrupt teachers, and will turn away their ears from the truth;
and therefore secure as many as thou canst, that, when these storms and
tempests do arise, they may be well fixed, and their apostasy may be
prevented." People must hear, and ministers must preach, for the time
to come, and guard against the mischiefs that are likely to arise hereafter,
though they do not yet arise. They will turn away their ears from the
truth; they will grow weary of the old plain gospel of Christ, and then
they will be greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them, and God will give
them up to those strong delusions, because they received not the truth in
the love of it, 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. Observe, (1.) These teachers were of
their own heaping up, and not of God's sending; but they chose them, to
gratify their lusts, and to please their itching ears. (2.) People do so
when they will not endure sound doctrine, that preaching which is searching,
plain, and to the purpose; then they will have teachers of their own. (3.)
There is a wide difference between the word of God and the word of such
teachers; the one is sound doctrine, the word of truth, the other is only
fables. (4.) Those that are turned unto fables first turn away their ears
from the truth, for they cannot hear and mind both, any more than they can
serve two masters. Nay, further, it is said, They shall be turned unto
fables. God justly suffers those to turn to fables who grow weary of the
truth, and gives them up to be led aside from the truth by fables.
2. Because Paul for his part had almost done his work: Do thou make full
proof of thy ministry, for I am now ready to be offered, v. 6.
And,
(1.) "Therefore there will be the more occasion for thee." When
labourers are removed out of the vineyard, it is no time for those to loiter
that are left behind, but to double their diligence. The fewer hands there
are to work the more industrious those hands must be that are at work.
(2.) "I have done the work of my day and generation; do thou in like
manner do the work of thy day and generation."
(3.) The comfort and cheerfulness of Paul, in the prospect of his
approaching departure, might encourage Timothy to the utmost industry, and
diligence, and seriousness in his work. Paul was an old soldier of Jesus
Christ, Timothy was but newly enlisted. "Come," says Paul, "I
have found our Master kind and the cause good; I can look back upon my
warfare with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction; and therefore be not
afraid of the difficulties thou must meet with. The crown of life is as sure
to thee as if it were already upon thy head; and therefore endure
afflictions, and make full proof of thy ministry." The courage and
comfort of dying saints and ministers, and especially dying martyrs, are a
great confirmation of the truth of the Christian religion, and a great
encouragement to living saints and ministers in their work. Here the apostle
looks forward, upon his death approaching: I am now ready to be offered.
The Holy Ghost witnessed in every city that bonds and afflictions did abide
him, Acts xx. 23. He was now at Rome, and it is probable that he had
particular intimations from the Spirit that there he should seal the truth
with his blood; and he looks upon it now as near at hand: I am already
poured out; so it is in the original, hdh
spendomai; that is, I am already a martyr in
affection. It alludes to the pouring out of the drink-offerings; for the
blood of the martyrs, though it was not a sacrifice of atonement, was a
sacrifice of acknowledgment to the honour of the grace of God and his
truths. Observe,
[1.] With what pleasure he speaks of dying. He calls it his departure;
though it is probable that he foresaw he must die a violent bloody death,
yet he calls it his departure, or his release. Death to a good man is his
release from the imprisonment of this world and his departure to the
enjoyments of another world; he does not cease to be, but is only removed
from one world to another.
[2.] With what pleasure he looks back upon the life he had lived (v.
7): I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, &c. He
did not fear death, because he had the testimony of his conscience that by
the grace of God he had in some measure answered the ends of living. As a
Christian, as a minister, he had fought a good fight. He had done the
service, gone through the difficulties of his warfare, and had been
instrumental in carrying on the glorious victories of the exalted Redeemer
over the powers of darkness. His life was a course, and he had now finished
it; as his warfare was accomplished, so his race was run. "I have
kept the faith. I have kept the doctrines of the gospel, and never
betrayed any of them." Note, First, The life of a Christian, but
especially of a minister, is a warfare and a race, sometimes compared to the
one in the scripture, and sometimes to the other. Secondly, It is a
good fight, a good warfare; the cause is good, and the victory is sure, if
we continue faithful and courageous. Thirdly, We must fight this good
fight; we must fight it out, and finish our course; we must not give over
till we are made more than conquerors through him who hath loved us, Rom.
viii. 37. Fourthly, It is a great comfort to a dying saint, when he
can look back upon his past life and say with our apostle, "I have
fought, &c. I have kept the faith, the doctrine of faith and the
grace of faith." Towards the end of our days to be able to speak in
this manner, what comfort, unspeakable comfort, will it afford! Let it then
be our constant endeavour, by the grace of God, that we may finish our
course with joy, Acts xx. 24.
[3.] With what pleasure he looks forward to the life he was to live
hereafter (v. 8): Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, &c. He had lost for Christ, but he was sure he should
not lose by him, Phil. iii. 8. Let this encourage Timothy to endure hardness
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ that there is a crown of life before us,
the glory and joy of which will abundantly recompense all the hardships and
toils of our present warfare. Observe, It is called a crown of
righteousness, because it will be the recompence of our services, which God
is not unrighteous to forget; and because our holiness and righteousness
will there be perfected, and will be our crown. God will give it as a
righteous Judge, who will let none love by him. And yet this crown of
righteousness was not peculiar to Paul, as if it belonged only to apostles
and eminent ministers and martyrs, but to all those also that love his
appearing. Observe, It is the character of all the saints that they love
the appearing of Jesus Christ: they loved his first appearing, when he
appeared to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb. ix. 26); they
love to think of it; they love his second appearing at the great day; love
it, and long for it: and, with respect to those who love the appearing of
Jesus Christ, he shall appear to their joy; there is a crown of
righteousness reserved for them, which shall then be given them, Heb. ix.
28. We learn hence, First, The Lord is the righteous Judge, for his
judgment is according to truth. Secondly, The crown of believers is a
crown of righteousness, purchased by the righteousness of Christ, and
bestowed as the reward of the saints' righteousness. Thirdly, This
crown, which believers shall wear, is laid up for them; they have it not at
present, for here they are but heirs; they have it not in possession, and
yet it is sure, for it is laid up for them. Fourthly, The righteous
Judge will give it to all who love, prepare, and long for his appearing. Surely
I come quickly. Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus.
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The
Apostle's Directions to Timothy.
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A. D. 66.
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9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto
me: 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present
world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto
Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with
thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. 12 And
Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. 13 The cloak that I left at
Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but
especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me
much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 15 Of
whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
Here are divers particular matters which Paul mentions to Timothy, now at
the closing of the epistle. 1. He bids him hasten to him, if possible (v.
9): So thy diligence to come shortly to me. For Timothy was an
evangelist, one who was not a fixed pastor of any one place, but attended
the motions of the apostles, to build upon their foundation. Paul wanted
Timothy's company and help; and the reason he gives is because several had
left him (v. 10); one from an ill principle, namely, Demas,
who abides under an ill name for it: Demas hath forsaken me, having loved
this present world. He quitted Paul and his interest, either for fear of
suffering (because Paul was now a prisoner, and he was afraid of coming into
trouble upon his account) or being called off from his ministry by secular
affairs, in which he entangled himself; his first love to Christ and his
gospel was forsaken and forgotten, and he fell in love with the world. Note,
Love to this present world is often the cause of apostasy from the truths
and ways of Jesus Christ. He has gone off, has departed to Thessalonica,
called thither perhaps by trade, or by some other worldly business. Crescens
had gone one way and Titus another way. Luke however remained
with Paul (v. 11, 12), and was not this enough? Paul did not think it
so; he loved the company of his friends. 2. He speaks respectfully
concerning Mark: He is profitable to me for the ministry. It is
supposed that this Mark was he about whom Paul and Barnabas had contended,
Acts xv. 39. Paul would not take him with him to the work, because he had
once flinched and drawn back: but now, says he, Take Mark, and bring him
with thee. By this it appears that Paul was now reconciled to Mark, and
had a better opinion of him than he had had formerly. This teaches us to be
of a forgiving spirit; we must not therefore disclaim for ever making use of
those that are profitable and useful, though they may have done amiss. 3.
Paul orders Timothy to come to him, bids him as he came through Troas to
bring with him thence those things which he had left behind him there (v.
13), the cloak he had left there, which, it may be, Paul had the more
occasion for in a cold prison. It is probable that it was the habit Paul
usually wore, a plain dress. Some read it, the roll of parchment I left
at Troas; others, the desk that I left. Paul was guided by divine
inspiration, and yet he would have his books with him. Whereas he had
exhorted Timothy to give attendance to reading, so he did himself, though he
was now ready to be offered. As long as we live, we must be still learning. But
especially the parchments, which some think were the originals of his
epistles; others think they were the skins of which he made his tents,
whereby he obtained a livelihood, working with his own hands. 4. He mentions
Alexander, and the mischief that he had done him, v. 14, 15.
This is he who is spoken of Acts xix. 33. It should seem, he had been a
professor of the Christian religion, a forward professor, for he was there
particularly maligned by the worshippers of Diana, and yet he did Paul much
evil. Paul was in as much danger from false brethren (2 Cor. xi. 26) as from
open enemies. Paul foretels that God would reckon with him. It is a
prophetical denunciation of the just judgment of God that would befal him:
The Lord will reward him according to his works. He cautions Timothy
to take heed of him: "Of whom be thou aware also, that he do
not, under pretence of friendship, betray thee to mischief." It is
dangerous having any thing to do with those who would be enemies to such a
man as Paul. Observe, (1.) Some who were once Paul's hearers and admirers
did not give him reason to remember them with much pleasure; for one forsook
him, and another did him much evil, and greatly withstood his words. Yet,
(2.) At the same time he mentions some with pleasure; the badness of some
did not make him forget the goodness of others; such as Timothy, Titus,
Mark, and Luke. (3.) The apostle has left a brand on the names
and memory of two persons; the one is Demas, who forsook him, having
loved the present world, and the other is Alexander, who greatly
withstood his words. (4.) God will reward evil-doers, particularly
apostates, according to their works. (5.) Of such as are of Alexander's
spirit and temper we should beware; for they will do us no good, but all the
mischief that is in their power.
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The
Apostle's Directions to Timothy; Salutations and Benedictions.
A. D. 66.
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16 At my first answer no man stood with me,
but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to
their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and
strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that
all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the
lion. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and
will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory
for ever and ever. Amen. 19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the
household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but
Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. 21 Do thy diligence to
come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and
Claudia, and all the brethren. 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be
with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Here, I. He gives Timothy an account of his own present circumstances.
1. He had lately been called to appear before the emperor, upon his appeal
to Cæsar; and then no man stood with him (v. 16), to plead
his cause, to bear testimony for him, or so much as to keep him in
countenance, but all men forsook him. This was strange, that so good
a man as Paul should have nobody to own him, even at Rome, where there were
many Christians, whose faith was spoken of throughout the world, Rom. i. 8.
But men are but men. The Christians at Rome were forward to go and meet him
(Acts xxviii.); but when it came to the pinch, and they would be in danger
of suffering with him, then they all forsook him. He prays that God would
not lay it to their charge, intimating that it was a great fault, and God
might justly be angry with them, but he prays God to forgive them. See what
a distinction is put between sins of presumption and sins of infirmity.
Alexander the coppersmith, who maliciously withstood Paul, he prays against:
The Lord reward him according to his works; but respecting these
Christians, who through weakness shrunk from Paul in time of trial, he says,
The Lord lay it not to their charge. Observe, (1.) Paul had his
trials in his friends' forsaking him in a time of danger as well as in the
opposition made by enemies: all forsook him. (2.) It was their sin not to
appear for the good apostle, especially at his first answer; but it was a
sin of weakness, and therefore the more excusable. Yet, (3.) God might lay
it to their charge, but Paul endeavours to prevent it by his earnest
prayers: Let it not be laid to their charge.
2. Notwithstanding this God stood by him (v. 17), gave him
extraordinary wisdom and courage, to enable him to speak so much the better
himself. When he had nobody to keep him in countenance, God made his face to
shine.--That by me the preaching might be fully known, that is,
"God brought me out from that difficulty that I might preach the
gospel, which is my business." Nay, it should seem, that he might
preach the gospel at that time; for Paul knew how to preach at the bar as
well as in the pulpit. And that all the Gentiles might hear; the
emperor himself and the great men who would never have heard Paul preach if
he had not been brought before them. And I was delivered out of the mouth
of the lion, that is, of Nero (as some think) or some other judge. Some
understand it only as a proverbial form of speech, to signify that he was in
imminent danger. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work.
See how Paul improved his experiences: "He that delivered doth
deliver, and we trust he will yet deliver, will deliver me from every
evil work, from any ill done to me by others. And shall preserve me
to his heavenly kingdom." And for this he gives glory to God,
rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. Observe, (1.) If the Lord stand by
us, he will strengthen us, in a time of difficulty and danger, and his
presence will more than supply every one's absence. (2.) When the Lord
preserves his servants from great and imminent danger, it is for eminent
work and service. Paul was preserved that by him the preaching might be
fully known, &c. (3.) Former deliverances should encourage future hopes.
(4.) There is a heavenly kingdom, to which the Lord will preserve his
faithful witnessing or suffering servants. (5.) We ought to give God the
glory of all past, present, and future deliverances: To whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
II. He sends salutations to Aquila, and Priscilla, and the household of
Onesiphorus, v. 19. He mentions his leaving Trophimus sick at
Miletum (v. 20), by which it appears that though the apostles
healed all manner of diseases miraculously, for the confirmation of their
doctrine, yet they did not exert that power upon their own friends, lest it
should have looked like a collusion.
III. He hastens Timothy to come to him before winter (v. 21),
because he longed to see him, and because in the winter the journey or
voyage would be more dangerous.
IV. He sends commendations to him from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia,
and all the brethren. One of the heathen writers at this time
mentions one Pudens and his wife Claudia, and says that Claudia was a
Briton, whence some have gathered that it was this Pudens, and that Claudia
here was his wife, and that they were eminent Christians at Rome.
V. He concludes with a prayer, that the Lord Jesus would be with his
spirit. We need no more to make us happy than to have the Lord Jesus
Christ with our spirits; for in him all spiritual blessings are summed up.
And it is the best prayer we can put up for our friends, that the Lord Jesus
Christ may be with their spirits, to sanctify and save them, and at last to
receive them to himself; as Stephen the proto-martyr prayed, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit, Acts vii. 59. "Lord Jesus, receive that spirit
which thou hast been with while it was united to the body; do not now leave
it in its separate state." Grace be with you. Amen. This was our
apostle's token in every epistle; so he wrote. The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen, 2 Thess. iii. 17, 18. And if grace
be with us here to convert and change us, to make us holy, to keep us
humble, and to enable us to persevere to the end, glory will crown us
hereafter: for the Lord is a sun, and a shield; the Lord will give grace
and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from those that walk
uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee,
Ps. lxxxiv. 11, 12. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the
only wise God our Saviour, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
