1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the 2promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy my dearly beloved Son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
2Ti_1:1. By the will of God,
äéὰ èåëÞìáôïò
. In the First Epistle the phrase is, “by the commandment of God.” The
ἐðéôáãÞ
is the fruit of the
èÝëçìá
, and the choice of this latter word in this place is to be explained perhaps thus: The Apostle, in view of his approaching end, in Christian resignation, felt the need of directing his attention to His will, who, according to His own eternal counsels, had led him along this pathway (comp. Gal_1:15-16). Psychologically, also, it is worthy of remark, how, in the opening of this last communication, in the very face of death, he places in the foreground the promise of life in Christ Jesus.—According to the promise of life, &c.,
êáô
̓
ἐðáããåëßáí æùῆò
. We believe that in this way we can best render the sense of this enigmatical
êáôÜ
. It is known how these words hare been variously explained in all periods. Luther has, according to the promise; De Wette, for the promise (or promising) of life, which by itself, without farther comment, is scarcely intelligible; others, still, interpret otherwise. In any event, something in the way of thought must be supplied. Certainly, they who maintain that
ἐðáããåëßá
here cannot mesa proclamation, but promise only, are in the right. Yet
êáôÜ
expresses necessarily the object of the apostolical function of Paul. Paul can be named, however, an Apostle for the promise of life, only from the consideration that he is called, through the will of God, to the office of proclaiming this promise (comp. Winer, Gramm., p. 358).—Promise of life is that promise the main substance of which is the true, eternal, and blessed life. What kind of life the Apostle here denotes, he states more particularly by the words,
ôῆò ἐí ×ñéóô
.
Ἰçóïῦ
. Since, indeed, this life is revealed and manifested personally in the Saviour, while in His fellowship it becomes the inheritance of all believers, so likewise is He the grand centre forth from which it streams without ceasing. It was the apostolic calling of Paul to set forth this life constantly; and just herein lies the power of proclaiming the gospel—its main substance being a promise of life, as the sinner needs it, and which he seeks in vain apart from Christ.
2Ti_1:2. Dearly beloved son, ἀãáðçôῶ ôÝêíῳ. Certainly it is arbitrary to wish to find in the Apostle’s use of this adjective, instead of
ãíçóßῳ
(1Ti_1:2), a proof that Timothy no longer deserved that honorable epithet, on account of an open defect in the temper of his faith (Mack). 2Ti_1:5 establishes the contrary. The reason why this Word
ἀãáðçôῷ
is here used, in our judgment admits of a very simple explanation. The Apostle, feeling that he must soon be separated, speaks in a more affectionate tone than before, and it is better suited to the wholly more subjective character of this second Epistle; which view is incorrectly questioned by Huther. It was not so much in the mind of the Apostle to bear honorable witness to Timothy, as to express the inwardness of the relation in which both stood to each other.—Grace, mercy, &c. See remarks upon 1Ti_1:2.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. By describing the gospel as a promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, the characteristic distinction between it and the law is strikingly brought out, and its high, ali-surpassing worth at the same time is shown.
2. The gospel is no abstract system of doctrine by the side of or even higher than other systems, but it is a revelation of the life which is manifest in Christ, and which through Christ is conveyed to the sinner. In this particular Paul and John agree (comp. 1Jn_1:2). The high scope of the manifestation of Christ was not that He might communicate to the spirit of man even a new wealth in religious ideas, but that he might give to the heart of the sinner, lying in spiritual death, the treasure of a new life (Eph_2:1). But such a communication of life to the sinner, through Christ, is something inconceivable as long as one hesitates to acknowledge the true Godhead of the Lord (comp. Joh_1:1-4).
3. The tranquillity with which Paul—as we behold him not only in this opening of, but throughout the entire Epistle—contemplated death, is not only convincing proof of his true greatness, but it has also apologetic value. The tone of the Apostle furnishes proof alike of the glory of the gospel, and the mighty working of the power of God in His feeble servants.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Paul prepared to write the testament of love for his spiritual son and brother.—Paul remains true to his holy calling even unto death (comp. Mat_24:13; Rev_2:10).—The unwavering certainty of the Apostle in respect of his call to apostleship: (1) Its foundation; (2) its noble value.—Ministry in the gospel is no function of death, but a proclamation of life in Christ Jesus.—Eternal life for the Christian is in part something actual, and in part something future.—The communion of saints.—The high value of spiritual ties superior to those of flesh and blood.—God the Father communicates His highest gifts of grace to us, not otherwise than in personal fellowship with Christ.
Starke: Bibl. Würt.: All true teachers are spiritual fathers of their Christian and devout hearers (1Co_4:15).—Cramer: Teachers and scholars should love one another as parents and children (2Co_12:15; 1Th_5:13).
Von Gerlach: “Life in Christ is to the Apostle, standing at the end of his course, even in view of the last, most bitter conflict, of the utmost moment.”
Footnotes:
2Ti_1:1.—[Cod. Sin. has
ἐðáããåëßáò
.—E. H.]
2Ti_1:2.—[The recepta, and all modern critical editions, have a fullpoint after
ôÝêíῳ
.—E. H.]
