In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
The phrase is difficult as it stands. Strictly translated it would be, “lest at any time”; but this would be out of harmony with the whole strain of the passage. Grave doubt is expressed, but hope is not extinguished. God is the giver of repentance. Scharlitz, quoted by Fairbairn, suggests “whether God may not still give repentance.” Here is expression of the thought that there is room and necessity for the operation of the Spirit of God, over and above the normal action of the truth upon the understanding. (H. R. Reynolds, D. D.)
Timothy’s ministry
(2Ti_2:25-26):--Consider--
I. The characters among whom it was to re exercised--opposers not only of God, but of themselves. They oppose--
1. Their duty.
2. Their conscience.
3. Their peace.
4. Their safety.
II. Its nature. It was a ministry of--
1. Instruction.
2. Meekness.
III. Its design.
1. That sinners may be led to repentance.
2. Led to an acknowledgment of the truth.
3. Recovered from the snares of the devil. (Anon.)
Meekness in the minister
He who cannot bear calmly and reply with dignity to contradiction, is just as little fitted for theministry of the gospel as the physician would be for his profession who would allow himself to become moved by the abusive speech of a patient in fever delirium either to forsake the sick-bed, or to hurl back the abuse. (Van Oosterzee.)
Thunder rare
But you may reply that ministers must be Boanerges, Sons of Thunder, rattle in a congregation. True; notwithstanding, meekness is to be retained, practised. But to return an answer suitable to the objection.
1. Every thin vapour, light exhalation, will not afford matter to cause a thunder-crack; so each text, subject, doth not give warrant to denounce terrors.
2. Before it thunder we apprehend a light, and then the voice striketh the organ of hearing, and the eye of the mind is to be enlightened in order ere that judgment be threatened.
3. Thunder is rare, not at every season; should the minister continually shoot the shafts of God’s indignation, would not the vulgar begin to smile, laugh him to scorn?
4. After a great crack of thunder the heavens grow black and refresh the earth with sweet showers of water, and when the bolts of justice are cast among thepeople a preacher is to assume a doleful look, a sad countenance. These rules observed, cry aloud, Thunder and spare not l What shall I more say? In the cause of thy Master be bold, resolute; in thine own, let meekness have her perfect work. (J. Barlow, D. D.)
The spirit of opposition
It was written of Thoreau, theauthor, that “He was by nature of the opposition; there was a constitutional ‘No’ in him that could not be tortured into ‘Yes.’” (H. O. Mackey.)
The nature of religious truths
I.Here is a supposition laid down--that truth is something real in itself and of importance to men; something that may be found, and which we ought to seek after. Wherever the Scripture speaks of truth it always means such truth as has relation to religion. All truth, of what kind soever it be, is real. But truth in matters of religion is always of the greatest importance; as being the foundation and the support of right practice. These truths of God are like an immovable rock, the basis and foundation of that true religion which approves itself to every man’s understanding by clear reason, and glorifies God by making men like unto Him through virtue and righteousness in their practice. All false religions consist in changing these truths of God into a lie (Rom_1:25).
II. Such is the corrupt state and disposition of mankind, that some there will always be who will set themselves to oppose the truth, Notwithstanding the native excellency and beauty of truth considered in itself; notwithstanding the strength and clearness of reason with which it is generally accompanied; notwithstanding the apparent benefit and advantage to which the knowledge of truth always brings, to mankind; yet so little sensible are men of the intrinsic excellency of things, so unattentive to the strength of the clearest reason, so apt to be imposed upon in judging concerning their own true interests; that nothing is more common than to see the plainest and most useful truths in matters of religion violently and passionately opposed. The principal causes of this opposition are--
1. Ignorance. Meaning here by ignorance not a bare want of knowledge. There is a presumptuous ignorancewhich despises knowledge, and this makes men oppose the truth before they understand anything of it.
2. Carelessness. They blindly, and without any consideration, follow the customs of the place where they happen to live, and the knowledge of truth seems to them to be of no great importance. They take up their religion at adventures, not from the consideration of the laws of nature or of revelation, but merely from the company they chance to be educated amongst, and thus all religions are put upon an equal foot, varying according to the accidental temper, of the persons among whom they prevail.
3. Prejudice. They have accustomed themselves to found their belief entirely in an implicit reliance upon other men, instead of building it upon the evidence of things themselves which is the foundation of truth.
4. Rut the last and greatest reason of men’s setting themselves in opposition to the truth is the wickedness and corruption of their manners, the love of unrighteousness and debauchery, the desire and power of dominion, the concern they are under for the defence and support of a sect or party without having any knowledge how far they are, or are not, in the right.
III. The direction given us concerning our own duty, that we ought in meekness to instruct those who oppose themselves against the truth. “We cannot always discern who they are that err through ignorance and through a vicious disposition. But if we would, yet meekness is at all times necessarily a fruit of the spirit, and we are commanded to be patient towards all men, towards them that oppose as well as towards them that are only ignorant of the truth.
IV. A particular reason with regard to the persons to be instructed, why our instruction to them ought always to be accompanied with meekness. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. In the original it is, “Lest God peradventure should give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth.” The meaning is, we are to instruct them with meekness, lest peradventure, by our heat and passion, we raise in them a just prejudice against us, when, by meek instruction, they might possibly have been brought to repentance, and to the acknowledgment of the truth, and so we, by our ill-behaviour become answerable for their miscarriage. For this reason we so frequently find repeated in Scripture the following admonitions, which may serve for a proper application of this whole discourse: 1Pe_2:12; 1Pe_3:15; 1Co_10:32; Col_4:5; 1Ti_3:7; Php_2:15; Php_4:5; Mat_5:16. (S. Clarke, D. D.)
Repentance the design of preaching
1. One principal end of the ministry is to bring men to repentance.
2. By meek preaching God may work repentance.
3. Repentance is hopeful and yet doubtful.
4. Ministers are to preach and leave the success to the Lord. (J. Barlow, D. D.)
Meekness in controversy
When Dr. Swift was arguing one day with great coolness with a gentleman who had become exceedingly warm in the dispute, one of the company asked him how he could keep his temper so well. “The reason is,” replied the dean, “I have truth on my side.” A cobbler at Leyden, who used to attend the public dispulations held at the academy, was once asked if he understood Latin. “No,” replied the mechanic, “but I know who is wrong in the argument.” “How?” replied his friend. “Why, by seeing who is angry first.” (Sunday School Teacher.)
Many qualities requisite in a minister
The medical attendant of my brother has just been expressing his surprise to see how much I am worn within this last half year; I am very sensible of it myself, and expect that I shall be much more worn if my people continue in such a grievous state. I would that my eyes were a fountain of tears to run down day and night. Would you believe it? I have been used to read the Scriptures to get from them rich discoveries of the power and grace of Christ: to learn how to minister to a loving and obedient people; I am now reading them really and literally to know how to minister to a conceited, contentious, and rebellious people. Two qualities, I am sure, are requisite, meekness and patience, yet, in some cases, I shall be constrained to rebuke with authority. I have been used to sail in the Pacific. I am now learning to navigate the Red Sea, that is full of shoals and rocks, with a very intricate passage. I trust the Lord will carry me safely through; but my former trials have been nothing to this. (C. Simeon.)
Plain instruction
Who expects to find “Bradshaw” full of Latin questions? You get it as a guide, and you want it to be as plain as possible. You have lost your way among some mountains one night, and are overtaken by some classic--who says, “I will tell you the way to get home in sixteen different languages,” none of which you comprehend. I think you would reply, “I would rather be told it, sir, in one that I could understand.” Or, if some profound professor should inform you that he could explain the geological strata and formation of the soil on which you were standing, I think you would say, “If you could point me to my own abode, I should be more grateful.” And I think if some poor ragged girl or shepherd boy could tell you of a way by which you could escape that wood or yonder precipice and reach a hospitable shelter, such information would undoubtedly be more profitable to you. The sign-post that points the way by the side of the roads never have a quotation of poetry upon them, or sentences from Isocrates or Sophocles. There is just the word, and that is enough. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
