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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 2 Timothy 1:12 - 1:12
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
12. διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν. see on 2Ti 1:6.
καὶ ταῦτα πάσχω, I suffer even these things, sc. bonds and prison.
ᾧ πεπίστευκα, whom I have believed, the perfect tense marking the continued πίοτις. With the construction cp. Joh 13:18, ἐγὼ οἶδα τίνας ἐξελεξάμην.
τὴν παραθήκην μου. The word is peculiar in the N.T. to the Pastorals (see also 1Ti 6:20), and occurs in the LXX. only in Lev 6:2; Lev 6:4; 2Ma 3:10; 2Ma 3:15, the last of which passages presents a parallel to that before us. There were in the treasury at Jerusalem ‘deposits’ of widows and orphans, and the priests pray that God may keep them safe (διαφυλάξαι) from the spoiler for those who had deposited them. In 1Ti 6:20 and 2Ti 1:14 παραθήκη plainly means the doctrine delivered to Timothy to preach; and hence it appears that here τὴν παρ. μου = the doctrine delivered to Paul by God. The Apostle is a prisoner and has no prospect of living much longer, and he expresses his confidence that God will keep safe his doctrine against that day, i.e. the day of the final account. Many other meanings for παραθήκη have been suggested, as ‘soul,’ ‘salvation,’ ‘apostolic office’ &c.; but the force of the parallels must be preserved. The connexion with the next verse is also maintained fully by understanding παραθήκη here of the doctrine entrusted to Paul. He knows that he can do little more for the preservation and propagation of the faith; he commends it accordingly to God; and then he solemnly bids Timothy, his spiritual son and successor, to hold fast as a pattern the sound words which he has taught him, to guard the good deposit.