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1-13. Further appeal to Timothy to take heart and to entrust his teaching to others.
Paraphrase. So then, as others have failed me, I turn to you to whom I have a right to appeal, such as I had not to Onesiphorus, as you are my own child in the faith—and I bid you to realize constantly the strength which is yours in virtue of the grace given you through your union with Christ Jesus. In that strength, Come to me and, before you come, hand over the truths which you heard from me, in the presence of many witnesses, to men on whom you can rely as being of ability enough to train others in their turn. Then come and take your share of suffering as a true soldier in the army of Christ Jesus: now every soldier hopes to please his general and, therefore, while on active service does not tie himself up with business affairs: so, too, an athlete hopes to win the prize, but he cannot win it unless he observes to the end the rules of the contest: in the same way a husbandman hopes to take his share first of the fruits of the ground, but he must work hard for it. Think over the way in which this applies to you: for the Lord is ready to give you discernment in all things.
Keep ever in your memory Jesus Christ—as one who has been raised from the dead, and as the offspring of a Royal ancestor, as a living Lord, for this is the central truth of the Gospel entrusted to me. In the service of that Gospel, I am now suffering, aye, imprisoned and fettered as though I was a criminal: yet God’s word has never been fettered by man: it has been free and doing its work all the time: and, therefore, I am ready to endure this and anything to help God’s chosen ones that they with me may obtain salvation, that complete salvation which is given by union with Christ Jesus and which carries with it a glory that is eternal. How true is that great saying:
“Who shares Christ’s death His life shall share:
They reign with Him their cross who bear:
Who Him deny He will deny:
Though our faith fall, He cannot lie.”
Nay, He cannot be untrue to Himself.
1. σ, in contrast to 1:15-18: ον taking up 1:14, “as I need some one to guard the deposit”; cf. 1:14 πρθκνwith 2:2 πρθυ ἐδνμῦ, taking up 1:7, 8, 12: a favourite Pauline word (six times: elsewhere in N.T. only Act_9:22 where it is used of St. Paul): probably middle voice; cf. Eph_6:10 ἐδνμῦθ ἐ κρῳ. . . ἐδσσε for the thought, cf. 2Co_12:9. ἐ τ χρτ, “grace” in its widest sense, but perhaps with special reference to the χρσαof 1:6.
2. The connexion of 1 and 2 is not clear: there may have been practical difficulties to be faced in the choice of these men so that Timothy would need to fall back on God’s strength: or 1 may refer mainly to the courage needed for coming to Rome; 2 to the necessity of appointing other ministers to take his place while absent and in case he should never return.
ἤοσς] possibly at the time of 1:6, or during the whole ministry; cf. 3:10.
δὰπ μρύω] in later Greek almost equivalent to “in the presence of”; cf. δὰθῶ μρύω, Plut. ii. p. 338 F (Wetstein). Field (Ot. Norv. ad loc.) suggests that it was a legal term: if so, it would carry a slightly stronger meaning, “supported by many witnesses.” Here they may be the presbyters of 1Ti_4:14, or the hearers of St. Paul’s teaching from time to time who bore witness to its truth (cf. 2Co_1:20 τ ἀή, Joh_3:33) and also knew what Timothy had heard; cf. 1Ti_6:12. But may it not be constructed with πρθυof the further security which Timothy is to take? in which case the witnesses will be presbyters, as in 1Ti_4:14.
πρθυ] taking up 1:14.
3. σγαοάηο] cf. 1:8, with me and with all who suffer.
4. κλςσρτώη] I 1:18 ἵασρτύ τνκλνσρτίνand σσρτώη, Phm_1:2, Php_2:25, show that St. Paul applied it specially to the ministers of Christ. The three similes are found together in 1Co_9:6, 1Co_9:7, 1Co_9:24-27, and there may be a conscious reminiscence of that chapter, though the main thought is different here. Here stress is laid on two points: (a) the conditions of true service: it needs whole-hearted devotion (4), loyalty to the rules (5), hard work (6); (b) the natural hope of a reward, the reward of pleasing the Master, of winning a crown, of partaking of the results. The same thoughts recur in 11-13. The application is both to Timothy himself and to the regulations he is to make for the πσο ἄθωο.
ἐπέεα] cf. 2 P 2:20. Epict. iii. 22. 69, of the ideal Cynic, ο ποδδμννκθκυι ἰιτκῖ αδ ἐππεμννσέει. τῖ τῦβο παμτ the businesses by which men earn their livelihood; cf. Hermas, Vis. 3. 6, of rich Christians, ὅα γντιθῖι, δὰτνποτνατνκὶδὰτςπαμτίςἀανῦτιτνΚρο ατν cf. Clem. Hom., Ep. Clem. c. 5. As applied to ministers this command requires whole-hearted devotion to their work, perhaps implying abstinence from secular trades (cf. 1Co_9:6, 1Co_9:7): but this was not required at first. The Council of Chalcedon forbade trading only if done δὰασρκρεα or δὰφλρυίν Canon 3, ubi v. Dr. Bright’s note: “Most of the clergy of Cæ in Cappadocia practised sedentary trades for a livelihood” (Basil, Ep. 198), “and some African canons allow, or even direct, a cleric to live by a trade, provided that his clerical duties are not neglected” (Mansi, iii. 955). …“In the Anglo-Saxon Church …the canons of King Edgar’s reign ordered every priest diligently to learn a handicraft (No. 2. Wilkins, i. 225).” Cf. also Hatch, Bampton L. vi.; Dict. Chr. Ant., s.v. Commerce.
ἵαἀέῃ] cf. 1Co_7:32-34, Rom_8:8, 1Jn_3:22. Ign. ad Polyc. 6, ἀέκτ ᾧσρτύσε ἀʼο κὶτ ὀώι κμζσε It includes the thought of “pleasing by good service”; cf. Milligan on 1Th_2:4. A useful expansion of these two verses will be found in S. Greg. Reg. Past, ii. 7.
5. ἀλ] cf. 1Ti_4:7-10. These two similes are expanded fully in Tertullian, ad Mart. c. 3.
νμμς] will include both the training for the contest and the regulations for it; cf. Epict. iii. 10, ὁθό σιλγι῾ό μιἀόεξνε νμμςἤλσς ε ἔαε ὅαδῖ ε ἐυνση, ε τῦἀεπο ἤοσς Plut. Non posse suaviter viv., p. 1105. 1: ἀλτὶσέαο οκἀωιόεο λμάοσ, ἀλ ἀωιάεο κὶνκσνε (Wetstein). As applied to the Christian minister the training is that of 1Ti_4:7; the regulations those of the law of Christ, especially those laid down here in10-12.
6. γωγν] cf. γώγο, 1Co_3:9. τνκρῶ. This may well include (a) the “honour” and maintenance he receives from the Church, cf. I 5:17, 18; and δῖseems to point to some regulation that Timothy is to enforce; (b) the spiritual reward which comes here on earth in the sense of God’s approval and blessing on the work; cf. Php_1:22 κρὸ ἔγυ Rom_1:13 ἵατν κρὸ σῶκὶἐ ὑῖ: cf. Jam_1:25 μκρο ἐ τ πισιατῦ Chrys. (here) ἐ ατ τ κπ ἡἀτδσς
7. νε] cf. Mar_13:14, Eph_3:4, Rev_13:9; and for the appeal, 1Co_10:15, κίαεὑεςὅφμ. δσι; cf. Jam_1:5. Ign. ad Polyc. 1, ατῦσνσνπεοαἧ ἔες He does not think it wise to explain his allusion too explicitly. Verbum sapienti.
8. μηόεε] so St. Peter is said to have appealed to his wife on her way to martyrdom, μμηο ὦατ, τῦκρο, Clem. Alex. Strom. vii. p. 869, §63 (Wetstein). St. Paul is acting in the spirit of the Eucharist, εςτνἐὴ ἀάνσν 1Co_11:24.
Ἰσῦ χ.] here only in this Ep. (elsewhere Χ. Ἰσῦ): with stress on the historic life as the first thought, and Χιτνperhaps consciously a predicate. “Jesus—as the Messiah”; cf. Rom_1:3, Rom_1:4.
ἐηεμνν] not the mere fact of the Resurrection (ἐηέθι but keep Him in your mind as a Living Risen Lord who is able to give His life to you; cf. σζσμν11.
ἐ σέμτςΔβδ] Perhaps a semi-quotation from an early form of a creed: cf. Ign. Eph. 18, Trall. 9, Smyrn. 1, in all which places it emphasizes the reality of the human nature. There may be some such antidocetic thought here (cf. I 2:5 note), and in ἐηεμννa refutation of Hymenæ and Philetus (18); but the context lays stress rather on the power of Christ to help, so that ἐ σ. Δ expands the thought of Χιτνa Messiah and a true descendant of David, a King who can share his Kingdom; cf. σμαιεσμν v. 12 and Luk_1:32, Luk_1:33.
κτ τ εα. μυ] cf. Rom_2:16, Rom_16:25—not invented by me but entrusted to me; cf. 1Ti_1:11.
9. ὡ κκῦγς] “like a criminal,” “quasi male operans,” Vulg.; “ut latro,” Ambros.; “ut malefactor,” Thdt.: or perhaps “on the charge of being a criminal”; cf. 1 P 4:15 μ τςὑῶ πσέεὡ φνὺ ἢκέτςἢκκπις This might imply that the writer was not tried for Christianity but for some alleged crime; cf. Suetonius, Nero, 16, “afflicti suppliciis Christiani, genus hominum superstitionis novæac maleficæ” Tac. Ann. xv. 44, “per flagitia invisos”; but some more definite word than κκῦγςwould be more natural in this case, and ἐ ᾧpoints to Christianity as the offence. This would be quite possible in Nero’s time; cf. Hort on 1 P 2:12; Chase in Hastings’ D.B. iii. p. 784.
ο δδτι] a strict perfect, while I have been bound the Word has not been, for I have been able to speak on its behalf, cf. 4:17; and others are doing its work, 4:9-12; “God buries His workers but continues His work,” cf. Phill 1:12-18, Eph_5:13. For the personification, cf. 1Th_2:13, 2Th_3:1. Origen, c. Cels. i. 27, μ πφκςκλεθι ὡ λγςθο (said of Jesus).
10. δὰτῦο] cf. Col_4:3 δʼὃκὶδδμι πναὑοέω in the power of Love; cf. 1:7, 1Co_13:7.
δὰτὺ ἐλκος] both (a) those already called whose faith will be strengthened and their salvation helped by the example of my endurance; cf. Col_1:24, 2Co_1:5, 2Co_1:6; and (b) those objects of God’s Love who will be drawn to Christ by it; cf. 4:17. This power of endurance was the fact of St. Paul’s life which most impressed his contemporaries; cf. Clem. Rom_1:5, ὑοοῆ γνμνςμγσο ὑορμό.
δξςαωίυ] Chrys. has an interesting contrast between the temporary glory of Nero and the eternal glory won by St. Paul.
11. πσὸ ὁλγς] almost certainly a quotation (cf. Tit_3:8 note). It may refer to the preceding verses; if so, most probably to v. 8, γρ11 confirming the writer’s appeal to the saying about the Risen and Royal Christ by the quotation of a well-known hymn; or possibly to the following11-13; γρbeing explanatory, “namely,” or a part of the quotation. In any case, ε γρ. . . πσὸ μνιis a rhythmical saying, a careful balancing of encouragement and warning. The language is full of reminiscences of earlier passages in the N.T., Rom_6:8, Rom_8:17, Rom_3:3, Mat_10:33, and may be a hymn composed in face of persecution, encouraging to boldness and warning against defection. Polycarp, c. 5, has a reminiscence of this place, or perhaps an independent reminiscence of the same hymn: ὑέχτ ἐεριἡᾶ ἐ νκῶ κὶὅι ἐνπλτυώεαἀίςατῦ κὶσμαιεσμνατ, εγ πσεοε.
ε σνπθνμν] the aorist perhaps anticipates the “one act of self-devotion in martyrdom” (Bernard); but the analogy of Rom_6:8 suggests that the primary reference is to baptism: “if our death with Christ was real and complete, so real that we shall be ready to share his literal death”; so Chrys. θντν τντ δὰτῦλυρῦκὶτνδὰτνπθμτν
σζσμν confirms ἐηεμνν8; as σμαιεσμνdoes ἐ σέμτςΔβδ8 and ὑοέοε does ὑοέω10. The writer’s mind passes from the past (σνπθνμν through the present (ὑο.) to the final test (ἀνσμθ); cf. Tertullian, De Fuga. 14, “Non potest qui pati timet ejus esse qui passus est.”
13. ἐενςπσὸ μνι] perhaps, He remains faithful to His promises of mercy, cf. Rom_3:3, Rom_11:29-32 and 1Jn_3:20, ἀιτῦε being then less strong than ἀνσμθ; but the balance of the rhythm and the following clause almost require a note of warning: He remains faithful; He keeps his word both for reward and for punishment; cf. 4:8 and 1:4, Deu_7:9, Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.
ἀνσσα . . . δντι] prob. a comment by the writer. For the thought, cf. Num_23:19, “God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent.” Tit_1:2 ὁἀεδςθό. Clem. Rom. 1:37, οδνγρἀύαο πρ τ θῷ ε μ τ ψύαθι
14-26. This paragraph passes from the thought of the subjectmatter (ἅἤοσς 2:2) to that of the character of the teaching and of the teacher. It begins with advice which Timothy has to give to others, but passes at once to advice to himself. Remind those to whom you hand on your teaching not to strive about mere words (14). Show them in yourself the example of a true worker and teacher, avoiding empty discussions which will tend more and more to lower the tone of religion and eat out the life of the Church (15-17). One case is given of such false teaching (18): two tests of the true teacher (19): there is a great variety of Character within the Church, good and bad, and a teacher must carefully keep from the bad, if he is to be fit for his Master’s work (20, 21). For yourself, avoid merely youthful impulses, aim at the central virtues, keeping in touch with all sincere Christians (22). Avoid profitless discussions and all that is inconsistent with the character of the servant of the Lord, who should be patient, skilful in teaching, hopeful for the conversion of opponents (22-26).
The whole paragraph is very analogous to I 4:6-16; but the notes specially characteristic of this are:
(a) The contrast of work (ἐγτν15, πνἔγνἀαό 21, τ ἐενυθλμ 26) with mere talk (λγμχῖ 14, κνφνα 16, λγνε 18, ζτσι 23).
(b) The contrast of true speech (τνλγντςἀηεα 15, ἤιν24, δδκιό 24, ἐ πᾳττ πιεοτ 25) and false (ἐʼοδνχήιο, ἐὶκτσρφ τνἀοότν14, ββλυ 16, ὁλγςατνὡ γγρια17, ἀαρπυιτντννπσι 18, μρς ἀαδύος23).
Paraphrase. These are the central truths of which you must remind any to whom you entrust your teaching, and you must charge them as in the sight of their Lord and Master not to be “word-warriors,” constantly arguing and wrangling with words as if they wished to ruin rather than to build up their hearers’ faith: such wrangling is perfectly useless. With regard to yourself, take all pains to present yourself before God as one who can stand His test—as a real worker, as one who will never be put to shame for bad or scamped work, but as teaching rightly the one message of the truth. But to all these irreligious and frivolous hair-splittings give a wide berth. Those who take part in them will go forward—on a downward grade of impiety: their message will be like a cancer eating into the sound members of Christ’s body. To that class belongs Hymenæ and Philetus, for they have entirely missed their aim about the truth, explaining away the literal resurrection and saying that Resurrection is only our past resurrection with Christ in Baptism, and thereby they are upsetting the faith of some. Yet be not alarmed; whatever false teachers may say, the solid foundation-stone of God’s Temple has been fixed once for all; and on it are two inscriptions carved first by Moses and renewed by Our Lord: one tells of God’s knowledge, “The Lord knoweth them that are His own”; the other of man’s duty, “Let every one who worships the Lord depart from iniquity.” Yet within the Church there will be great varieties: it is like a big house, in which there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but others of wood and earthenware; some for honourable, some for mean uses. If, then, any teacher keep himself quite clear of these false teachers, he will be a vessel for honourable use, set apart for service, ready to his Master’s hand, prepared to take part in any good work. But that you may be such a vessel, you must turn your back upon all merely youthful impulses and passions; you must set your face towards just dealings with others, towards loyalty, love, and peace with all who call the Lord their God out of a pure heart. But these foolish discussions with men of untrained minds persistently avoid: you know they only engender strifes, and, as Isaiah said, “A servant of the Lord must not strive”; nay, he must be courteous to every one, apt and skilful to teach, ready to bear with contradiction, speaking in a gentle tone, as he has to train the minds of opponents. He must always have in his heart the hopeful question, “May it not be that God will give them a real change of heart, and they will come to a real knowledge of truth? May it not be that they will come back to their sober senses, saved from the devil’s snare? May it not even be that I shall be a fisher of men, and save them alive, and bring them back to do their true Master’s Will?”
14. τῦα]=τῦαof 2:2, with the addition of the truths in 2:3-13. ὑοίνσε i.e. remind the teachers of 2:2, who have to think of the good of their hearers (τνἀοότν δαατρμνς: cf. I 5:21, 6:13. λγμχῖ: cf. I 6:4 note.
χήιο] perhaps governing ἐʼοδν “a course useful for nothing,” but probably agreeing with οδν “to no useful result”: cf. ἐʼοδν χηίῳ Plut. de ira cohib., p. 456 B (ap. Wetstein). Ambrosiaster’s note is suggestive, “Necesse est enim ut contentio extorqueat aliquid, immo multa quædicuntur contra conscientiam, ut intus in animo perdat, foris victor abscedat. Nemo enim patitur se vinci, licet sciat vera quæaudit. …Collatio ergo inter Dei servos esse debet, non altercatio”: cf. H. C. G. Moule (ad loc.), “The time of religious controversy is the time above all others to resolve that our souls shall live behind and above words, in conscious touch with the eternal Things.”
ἐί] denoting the result (Blass, N.T. Gr., §43. 3, but without any parallel instance); rather, the result is treated half-ironically as the purpose “as if they set themselves deliberately not to build up, but to throw down”; cf. 16.
15. πρσῆα] to present yourself for service, cf. 21 and Rom_6:13-16; perhaps also, with the further thought, present yourself for judgment, cf. 1Co_8:8, the solemn appeal in 14 having suggested the thought of God as Judge.
ἐγτν] with a slight antithesis to λγμχῖ, cf. 1Co_4:19. 1Co_4:20.
ἀεασυτν] perhaps a conscious reminiscence of 1:8. 12. 17 “a workman who is not ashamed of his task or of his master”; but more probably “a workman who will never be put to shame by being shown to have done bad work” (“inconfusibilem,” Vulg.; “non impudoratum,” Ambros.); cf. Php_1:20 ἐ οδν ασυθσμι and 1Co_3:10-15. This carries on the thought of δκμν and leads up to 21.
ὀθτμῦτ] “recte tractantem,” Vulg., rightly teaching, keeping the word free from logomachies. The stress is on ὀθ-: it is doubtful whether in Hellenistic Greek the metaphor in -τμῦτ is consciously present (cf. κιοοεν If it is, it may be that of a plough driving a straight furrow (Chrys.), or of a road-maker driving his road straight; cf. Pro_3:6, Pro_11:5 δκισν ἀώοςὀθτμῖὁος or of a mason squaring and cutting a stone to fit it into its proper place (Parry). The whole phrase is used frequently in the Liturgies as describing the duty of the bishop, cf. Introd., p. xxxix; and ὀθτμαis used of orthodoxy, Clem. Alex. Strom. vii. 16. 104, τνἐκηισιὴ . . . ὀθτμα τνδγάω.
16. κνφνα] cf. I 6:20. πρΐτσ Tit_3:9.
ποόοσν] i.e. ο κνφνῦτς The word is ironical (cf. I 4:15 note). They will make progress—on a downward grade, cf. 14. Perhaps there is a conscious antithesis to ὀθτμῦτ, ποότι, being also used of road-making.
17. νμνἕε] perhaps “will eat into their own heart and ruin it more and more,” cf. Tit_1:15; but the chief thought is “will spread further into the Church and corrupt others”; cf. 1Co_5:6, Act_4:17 ἵαμ ἐὶπεο δαεηῇεςτνλό: Apost. K.O. 17, μπτ . . . ἐὶπεο νμθ ὡ γγρια
ὧ ἐτν: cf. 1:15, 1Ti_1:20 note: it might be a later note added by an editor, giving an illustration from his own time, cf. Introd., p. xxxi. Ὑέσο, 1Ti_1:20. φλτς, not mentioned elsewhere.
18. ἠτχσν] cf. 1Ti_1:6 note.
λγνε . . . ἀάτσν] i.e. that the Resurrection was only a spiritual Resurrection, which took place at Baptism when the Christian rose to newness of life and a knowledge of the truth. This is analogous to Philo’s treatment of the “translation” of Enoch (μτθκνατνὁθό, Gen_5:24) as equivalent to conversion from a lower to a higher stage of moral life (de Abrahamo, Son_3 and 4), and was a natural perversion of the teaching of St. Paul (Rom_6:1-11) and of the Fourth Gospel (Joh_17:3). It was held by many Gnostics, some denying that the true Christian would ever die (Iren. i. 23. 5 of Menander, “Resurrectionem per id quod est in eum baptisma accipere ejus discipulos et ultra non posse mori sed perseverare non senescentes et immortales”; Tert. de Anima, 50; Justin M. Apol. I. 26, Dial. 80, ἅατ ἀονσεντςψχςἀααβνσα εςτνορνν Does this theory lie behind Joh_21:23?); some holding that there would be no Resurrection of the body (Iren. ii. 31. 2 of Simon and Carpocrates, “esse autem resurrectionem a mortuis agnitionem eius quae ab eis dicitur veritatis”: cf. 1Co_15; Tert. de Res. Carnis, 19). Justin M. (Fragments on the Resurrection, ed. Otto, ii. p. 211) argues fully against this view, and it probably led to the emphasis on the “Resurrection of ‘the flesh’ or of ‘the body,’” in the early Creeds (v. J. Th. St., Jan. 1917, p. 135).
A quite different explanation prevailed very early—that men do not rise at all, but only live on in their posterity: cf. Acta Pauli et Theclœ, c. 14, ἤηγγννἀάτσςἐʼοςἔοε τκος so Ambrosiaster (“Hi autem, sicut ex alia Scriptura” (i.e. probably, The Acts of Paul and Thecla) “docemur, in filiis fieri resurrectionem dicebant”), Pelagius, Theod.-Mops. (“quam in successionem aiunt nostram constare”), Thdt. (τςἐ πιοοΐςδαοά). This was a Jewish view (cf. Ecclus 11:28 (LXX), 30:1sqq.), and might have been introduced from Sadducean sources, but it would have been expressed more clearly, e.g., as in Ecclus 30:4 ἐεετσνατῦὁπτρκὶὣ οκἀέαε·ὅοο γρατ κτλπνμτ ατν
19. Reassurance to Timothy—in spite of the false teachers’ work, ἐὶκτσρφ 14 and ἀαρπυι18, the foundation is firmly set and has its mark upon it; God knows his own, and they will depart from iniquity.
ὁ. . . θμλο] i.e. either Christ Jesus and his Apostles (cf. 1Co_3:11, Eph_2:20, Rev_21:14): or, more widely, “the Church” (cf. 1Ti_3:15); or “the truth,” “the deposit” (Hillard): but the emphasis is on ἕτκνrather than on θμλο.
σργδ] perhaps simply “inscription”; cf. Exo_28:36 ἐτπμ σργδςἁίσακρο: or, more exactly, “seal,” whether the stonemason’s mark, denoting workmanship, or the owner’s mark, denoting “ownership, security, and destination” (H.D.B. s.v. “Seal”); cf. Joh_6:27, Eph_1:13, Eph_4:30.
ἔν] Perhaps, of foreknowledge, Rom_8:29; cf. Odes of Solomon, 8. 15, “I do not turn away my face from them that are mine, for I know them, and before they came into being I took knowledge of them, and on their faces I set my seal” (Dibelius): or more likely (as it is an adaptation of an O.T. phrase), of complete insight into character: cf. 1Co_8:3, Gal_4:9, Nah_1:7 κρο . . . γγώκντὺ ελβυέοςατν the aorist denoting the complete result of past watching (Moulton, N. T. Gr., p. 113)
ὁὀοάω τ ὄοα] who names the name of Christ as his Lord, who calls himself Christian and worships Christ; cf. Lev_24:16, Jos_23:7, Isa_26:13.
Both inscriptions have their origin in the O.T., and probably both in the story of the rebellion of Korah, Num_16:5 ἐέκπα κὶἔν ὁθὸ τὺ ὄτςατῦ 16:26 ἀοχσηεἀὸτνσηῶ τνἀθώω τνσλρντύω: cf. Isa_52:11. But each is modified by sayings of the Lord; cf. Mat_7:23 οδπτ ἔννὑᾶ, Luk_13:27 ἀόττ ἀʼἐο πνε ἐγτιἀιίς so that the writer may be quoting from some early Gospel or collection of Christian sayings; cf. Apost. Const. ii. 54, κθςγγατι τῖ ἐγςκὶτῖ μκά, οςἔν κρο ὄτςατῦ(Resch, Agrapha, pp. 204-07).
20. μγλ οκᾳ … i.e. the Church (so Ambros. Thd. and modern Commentators, though many Patristic Comm. interpret it of the world). The illustration is perhaps suggested by Isa_52:11 ἀόττ, ἀόττ . . . ἀαάτυμ ἅηθ, ο φρνε τ σέηκρο: cf. Wisd 15:7, Rom_9:20-23. The object is twofold, to teach Timothy patience with varieties of character within the Church, cf. 1Co_12:20-26, but mainly to warn him against contact with all impurity and false teaching.
21. τς] any member of the Church, but, especially, any who would be a teacher.
ἐκθ ἑυό] Keep himself (cf. 15 and 2Co_7:1) completely (ἐ) pure by separation from these, i.e. from the vessels to dishonour: τύω, prob. neuter, though the reference is primarily to the false teachers, “a doctoribus hæ” Pelagius. σεο ὀτάιο ἦ ὁΠῦο ἀλ ἐέεοχυον Chrys.
εχητν] 4:11, Phm_1:11, easily usable (“utile,” Vulg; “optimum,” Thd.); contrast ἐʼοδνχήιο 14; cf. Epict. ii. 16, τληο ἀαλψςπὸ τνθὸ επῖ, χρ μιλιὸ εςὃἂ θλς. . . σςεμ . . . ὅο θλι, ἄε.
ες. . . ἀαό] Tit_1:16, Tit_3:1. ἡομσέο he is prepared for the tasks prepared for him, Eph_2:10 κιθνε ἐ Χιτ Ἰσῦἐὶἔγι ἀαοςοςποτίαε ὁθό.
22. Combines the thoughts of I 4:12 and 6:11 (q.v.).
τςνωειὰ ἐι.] will include impulses to impatience, love of disputation, self-assertion as well as self-indulgence (cf. illustrations in Wetstein); everything inconsistent with the virtues that follow.
δκισνν] contrast ἀιις19, “justice”—rather than the more abstract “righteousness.” πσι, the main thought is “fidelity,” “trustworthiness” (“integritatem,” Pelagius), as the stress is on relations to other men.
μτ] probably to be joined closely with ερνν cf. Heb_12:14, but possibly with the whole sentence; cf. 1Co_1:2. τνἐια. τνΚ, cf. 19, Joe_2:32, Rom_10:12 (ubi v. S.-H:), 1Co_1:2. ἐ κθ κρίς: cf. ἐκθρ 21, I 1:5 note.
23. Cf. I 1:4, 4:7, 6:4, Tit_3:9. ἀαδύος here only in N.T but frequent in Wisdom literature, always of persons, “sine disciplina,” Vulg.; “ineruditos,” Ambros.
24. δῦο κρο] here in its special sense of a minister (cf. Rom_1:1, Php_1:1), probably with a conscious reference to the picture of the servant of Jehovah in Isa_42:1-3, 53. One who like Christ has to do the Lord’s own work of winning and saving; cf. G. A. Smith, Isaiah, ii. p. 288; Chadwick, The Social Teaching of St. Paul, c. 5.
ἤιν] as both Paul and Timothy had been at Thessalonica; cf. 1Th_2:7 (si vera lectio). ἀείαο here only in N.T. But the ἀείαο will be tried by persecution; cf. Wisd 2:19 δκσμντνἀειαίνατῦ
25. πιεοτ] contrast ἀαδύος23 and cf. Tit_2:12. The servant will be carrying out the work of grace.
τὺ ἀτδαιεέος] those who are adversely disposed; cf. Longinus, de Subl. 17, πὸ τνπιὼτνλγνπνω ἀτδαίεα (Field, Ot. Norvic. ad loc.).
μπτ δη] “ne quando,” Vulg.; “si quando,” Ambros. It is an indirect question; cf. Tob 8:10 μ κὶοτςἀοάῃ Luk_3:15 μπτ ατςεηὁΧιτς Gen_24:5,Gen_24:39.
δη] οκεπ, μπτ δνθς. . . τῦΚρο τ πνγντι Chrys The form is optative, cf. 1:16-18; but both here and in Eph_1:17 the subjunctive δῃwould be more natural; cf. Moulton, N. T. Gr., p. 55; W.-H ii. p. 168.
26. ἀαήωι] cf. 4:5 νφ, and 1Co_15:34 ἐνψτ δκίςthere, too, out of ignorance (ἀνσα γρθο ἔοσν and profitless discussion about the Resurrection.
ἐ τς …πγδς 1Ti_3:6 note, Psa_124:7 ἡψχ ἡῶ ὡ σρυίνἐρσηἐ τςπγδςτνθρύνω: Pro_5:22 πρνμα ἄδαἀρύυι
ἐωρμνι] cf. Luk_5:10 ἀθώοςἔῃζγῶ, a saying of the Lord’s which may be in the writer’s mind. In the LXX the emphasis is nearly always on taking or on saving alive; cf. Jos_2:13, Jos_6:25, Jos_9:20.
ὑʼατῦ. . . εςτ ἐενυθλμ] Four alternative translations are possible.
(i) “Having been captured by the devil to do his will”; cf. Ign. Eph. 17, μ αχαωίῃὐᾶ ἐ τῦποεμνυζν[ὁἄχντῦαῶο τύο](so “a quo captivi tenentur ad ipsius voluntatem,” Vulg., A.V., most Patristic Comm., Holtzmann, Dibelius); ἐενυbeing substituted for ατῦto suggest a contrast with God whose will they ought to be doing,—“that false master’s will,”—cf. Test. XII. Patr., Napht. 3, ἐ κθρττ κρίςσνστ τ θλμ τῦΘο καενκὶἀοῥπεντ θλμ τῦΒλα: cf. Wisd 1:16, 2:25. But this adds no new thought and does not give its full force to ἐωρμνι
(ii) After having been captured by the devil, they may return to do God’s will. “The true master’s will,” so Bernard, Wohlenberg; but the same objections hold good to this.
(iii) “Having been captured by God to do His will” (Thphl. εςτ πισιτ θλμ ατῦ cf. Heb_13:21), but it is doubtful whether God would be said ζγενἀθώος
(iv) Having been saved alive, captured into life, by the servant of the Lord to do the Lord’s will, and not the devil’s (Bengel, Wetstein, R.V. marg.).
This seems best, as (i) it gives its full force to ἐωρμνι cf. the Inscr. from Apamea, “my greetings to the beloved of God and the newly-caught” (Authority and Archœ, p. 384); cf. 2Co_10:5 for a similar metaphor.
(ii) It makes εςἐενυθλμ parallel to εςἐίνσνἀηεα.
(iii) It ends on a note of hopefulness and encouragement to Timothy; cf. Chrys. de Sacerdotio, ii. 119, γναα ονδῖψχςἵαμ πρκκ, ἵαμ ἀοιώκ τντνππαηέω στρα, ἵασνχςἐεν κὶλγζτικὶλγ Μπτ δ ατῖ ὁθὸ ἐίνσνἀηεα κὶἀαλγσ τςτῦδαόο πγδς
Blass, Grammar of New Testament Greek, English translation, 1898.
Apost. K.O. Apostolische Kirchen-Ordnung, in Texte und Untersuchungen, ii. 5.
J. Th. St. The Journal of Theological Studies, London, 1910-
H.D.B. Dictionary of the Bible, ed. J. Hastings, 1898-1904.
W.-H The New Testament in Greek, with Introduction and Appendix, by Westcott and Hort, Cambridge, 1881.
A.V. Authorized Version of the English Bible.
R.V. Revised Version of the English Bible.