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Observe here, 1. St. Paul asserts his apostolical authority, calling himself an apostle; not that Timothy questioned it, but he writes it for their sakes over whom he was now presiding at Ephesus, that neither ministers nor people might despise what Timothy did, it being enjoined both him and them by so great an authority as was that of an apostle; Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Observe, 2. What authority St. Paul had for executing this office of an apostle: it was by the commandment of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, by the appointment, injunction, ordination, and immediate commission, of the Father and of Christ, by his voice from heaven, as the rest of the apostles were called by a voice from Christ on Earth. In 1Co_1:1, he is said to be called by the will of God; not by his permissive will barely, but by his preceptive will particularly.
Observe. 3. The title given to our Lord Jesus Christ; he is styled our hope, that is, the author of our hope, the object of our hope, the purchaser of what we hope for, the declarer to us of the hopes of glory expected by us.
Where note, That our Lord Jesus Christ is undoubtedly and undeniably God, because he is our hope and trust: now if he were no more than a man, though never so excelling, to make him our hope would be to make ourselves miserable; for cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm. Jer_17:5.