Ezekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - 2 Timothy 2:22 - 2:22

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Ezekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - 2 Timothy 2:22 - 2:22


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Ver. 22. But flee, youthful lusts—Vulg. juvenilia desideria—primarily, no doubt, sensual indulgence, yet not this alone, levity of spirit also, love of pleasure, vainglory, and things of a similar kind (Theodoret). Such an advice was still suitable to Timothy, who, though now in ripe manhood, was yet not beyond the period when the mind is liable to aberration or excess, from the undue impulse of the lower affections (see INTROD. sec. iii.). And the advice is introduced by the adversative particle ( äὲ ), in order more distinctly to mark the importance of the thing here required, if the well-qualified condition for doing good service, noticed immediately before, was to be attained: but remember this at least is indispensable—you must keep clear from the gratification of youthful lusts. But (instead of yielding to those lusts) follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart; in short, maintain a character such as becomes the gospel of Christ, adorned with the graces and virtues which it especially inculcates. The lesson here comes out again, so often already and in so many ways presented in these Pastoral epistles, that a sound moral condition is above all things essential to fitness for effective ministerial service in the divine kingdom. Other things may more or less be helpful, but this is indispensable. The peace spoken of is undoubtedly to be understood of peace in the closer sense—a state of inner harmony and agreeable fellowship; because it is such as is to be maintained with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. This connection obviously reflects upon the nature of the peace intended.