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24. δοῦλον δὲ κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι. But the Lord’s servant (a title generally applicable to all Christians, as at 1Co 7:22, but specially appropriate to one who has been entrusted with the oversight of the Lord’s family, as Timothy had been) must not strive, sc. must not give way to the temptations of controversy with other Christians. In a true sense he is a ‘soldier’ (2Ti 2:3) and his course is a ‘warfare’ (see on 1Ti 1:18); but his foes are spiritual powers of evil and not his brothers in the family of Christ.
ἀλλὰ ἤπιον κ.τ.λ., but, on the contrary, he must be gentle toward all, apt to teach, patient of wrong. ἤπιος, gentle, is not found again in the N.T.[519]; it seems to have special reference to that kindliness of outward demeanour, so important in one who was, as bishop, the persona ecclesiae, the representative of the Church to the world. That a bishop should be διδακτικός has been already laid down, 1Ti 3:2, where see the note.
[519] At 1Th 2:7, νήπιοι seems to be the true reading.
ἀνεξίκακος, a word which does not occur elsewhere in the Greek Bible (cp. ἀνεξικακία Wis 2:19) expresses patient forbearance.