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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadEzekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - 2 Timothy 2:4 - 2:4
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Ver. 4. No one serving as a soldier (Scholfield, Hints) entangles himself (taking the verb ἐìðëÝêåôáé as in the middle) in the businesses of life—that is, in the ordinary affairs and occupations of a worldly calling, such as of the forum or the market-place—in order that he may please him who has called him to be a soldier—literally, who enrolled him as a soldier, for such is the exact import of the verb óôñáñïëïãåé ͂ í , milites conscribere; but, with a very natural extension of the meaning, also to call or choose one so to serve. The fact stated is notorious: no officer engaged in earnest warfare would hire soldiers who did not engage to separate themselves for the special service, so as to be ready at any moment to do his commands. A similar disentanglement is needful to the Christian warrior from everything that might keep him at a distance from his Divine Master, or impede him in the service he is called to render. But only thus far; not that he must absolutely withdraw from all employments of a secular kind. The great mass of believers must serve Christ in these; and even for the Christian pastor, his specific relation to them must depend, to some extent, on circumstances. Ordinarily he should be free from any business of a worldly kind; but like Paul himself, with his tent-making, some work of that description may even form a part of his soldier-service to Christ.