1 Timothy 4:15

1Ti_4:15

Give thyself wholly to them.

Ministers wholly given to their work

I. That ministers must give themselves wholly to their work by giving their hearts to it. NO man over gives himself wholly to any business to which his heart is opposed. Paul gave his heart so much to the ministry, as to esteem it a great and distinguishing privilege. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, says he, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. His life was bound up in his work. Their hearts are so absorbed in their work that it becomes the source of their highest joys and deepest sorrows.

II. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, by giving their thoughts to it. Men always meditate upon their supreme object of pursuit.

III. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, by giving their studies to it. The apostle exhorts Timothy to give attendance to reading. This includes study and thinking, and every mode of intellectual improvement.

IV. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, by devoting all their time to it. They may employ their whole time in their work; because it is a work which may be done, not only on the first and the last, but on every day of the week. Ministers, indeed, should be frugal of time. They should divide it properly, and devote each part to some particular part of their duty. They should live by rule.

V. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, by giving all their interests to it. The apostles were obliged to do this literally. They would not have been the ministers of Christ, without literally following his injunction, to forsake all that they had. Not to insist, however, on such extraordinary cases, I would go on to observe that every minister is called, at least, to make all his worldly interests subservient to his holy and Divine employment.

VI. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, by making their secret devotions subservient to it. They should give themselves to reading, meditation, prayer and self examination; and in all these secret devotions have a particular reference to their public office.

VII. That ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, by living agreeably to it. Their lives should resemble their sacred character, and be worthy of the imitation of the best of Christians.

Having shown, in various respects, how ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, I now proceed to suggest several reasons why they must give themselves wholly to it.

I. And here the first reason that occurs is, that by giving themselves wholly to the ministry they will make the duties of it more easy and pleasant. Their work is truly great and laborious, which needs to be made as light and easy as possible. And though by giving themselves wholly to it, they will neither omit nor curtail any of its duties and labours, yet they will render these very duties and labours more pleasant and delightful,

II. Ministers should devote themselves wholly to the service of their people, because this is the wisest and best way to secure their love and respect. We love to see a person heartily and zealously engaged for our good. This is human nature. The sick man esteems and values the physician who devotes himself to his service, and stands by him day and night, to watch his every motion, and to extend his healing hand at every call.

III. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, because this will be the best security against the snares and temptations to which they are exposed.

IV. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, because this is the best way to become extensively useful. Every industrious man, in every lawful calling, is a useful man. Industry makes the useful farmer, the useful mechanic, the useful physician, and the useful magistrate.

V. Ministers must give themselves wholly to their work, because they actually engage to do it.

VI. That the importance of the ministry requires those who undertake it to give themselves wholly to their office. I have now finished what I have to say upon the nature and obligation of ministers giving themselves wholly to their work, and proceed to improve the subject.

1. We learn, that if ministers do give themselves wholly to their work, they will make it appear.

2. We learn, that if ministers do not give themselves wholly to their work, they will also make it appear.

3. We learn, why the vineyard of Christ bears, at this day, such a disagreeable and melancholy appearance.

4. We learn, the great criminality of those who sustain the sacred office, but do not give themselves wholly to their work. (N. Emmons, D. D.)

Meditation

Meditation chews the cud, and gets the sweetness and nutritive virtue of the Word into the heart and life: this is the way the godly bring forth much fruit. (Ashworth.)

The naturalists observe that to uphold and accommodate bodily life, there are divers sorts of faculties communicated, and these among the rest--

1. An attractive faculty, to assume and draw in the food.

2. A retentive faculty, to retain it when taken in.

3. An assimilating faculty, to concoct the nourishment.

4. An augmenting faculty, for drawing to perfection.

Meditation is all these. It helps judgment, wisdom and faith to ponder, discern, and credit the things which reading and hearing supply and furnish. It assists the memory to lock up the jewels of Divine truth in her sure treasury; It has a digesting power, and turns spiritual truth into spiritual nourishment; and lastly, it helps the renewed heart to grow upward and increase its power to know the things which are freely given to us of God. (J. Ranew.)

The secret of success

A man who commenced life as an errand boy rose rapidly, through his untiring industry and earnestness, to the head of an extensive business, which he conducted very successfully. Meeting an old friend one day, he spared a few moments to describe to him briefly the extent of his prosperity and of his prospects. His friend inquired the secret of his success. I put my soul into it, replied the prosperous shopkeeper. It is only by throwing my soul into my business, that I made it succeed. So must the teacher do. That thy profiting may appear to all--

Growth in grace

Nothing but an evident progress in knowledge and holiness should satisfy the Christian. God expects from him a constant ripening towards perfection. But the duty is plain enough. And the subject of inquiry to which I would rather direct attention is, whether in our long continued enjoyment of religious privileges, there has been any apparent profiting.

I. And the first test by which we may judge that we have grown in grace will be found in an increasing conviction of our sinfulness and weakness by nature. The young converts views of sin may be more startling, because new; but that which flashes before his eyes works its way down into the very heart of the more mature Christian, and assumes there the shape of an abiding, humbling assurance of utter sinfulness and helplessness in himself. Here, then, Christians, is a mark by which to measure whether we have grown in grace. Have years of acquaintance with ourselves made us feel our depravity more deeply? When we hear any boasting of the goodness of human nature, do we listen as a sick man does, who knows death is at his vitals, to one complimenting him upon his good looks? If we realize our sinfulness more and more the longer we live, then we may be sure that there our profiting appears.

II. Another point of contrast between our present and our former state, our early and our mature experience, will be found in our views of christ and dependence upon him. A young Christian rests indeed upon Christ, but it is as the newly laid wall rests upon the foundation, while the cement is fresh, and when a little blow will cause it to totter; but the mature Christian is like that wall when it settles down, and the uniting medium hardens, so that wall and foundation seem but one solid structure. In our early experience we said much of our dependence on the Saviour, now we feel it.

III. If there be any profiting to appear, it will seem again in our increased charity. A young Christian is often a young bigot, filled with self-conceit and pride, and disposed to severity of censure and condemnation. Like a young watch-dog, he means well for his masters interests, but will often snarl at his masters friends, and upon such as an elder guardian would recognize and welcome. An advanced Christian will grieve more over the dissensions of Christians, and pray earnestly for the time when all shall be one.

IV. And there are various other points in which our profiting will appear, if we have grown in grace. A young Christian is much troubled by the remembrance of particular acts of sin. A young Christian, again, sets a very high value on religious sensibility, on excited feeling, on gifts, and estimates his own religious character by his fervours in devotion, his tears for sin. The piety of the young believer, again, depends very much on external aid. It must be fed by constant converse with fellow-Christians, and its warmth must be sustained by frequent attendance on religious meetings. But our profiting will appear, if we have learned to delight more in our own private meditations on Gods Word, and in communion with Him, and to be less dependent on our Christian ministers and our Christian brethren. The mature Christian, like the sack well filled, can stand alone, while the young convert must be held up in his emptiness. The young Christian lives much upon the opinion of others. To the young Christian, one or two doctrines of Gods Word seem exclusively important, and he would he glad if every sermon were upon conversion and faith in Christ, and is apt to regard a preacher as not evangelical who dwells upon the moral duties of life; but our profiting will appear, if we have learned to magnify all Gods Word, to feel that all should be unfolded, and to love it as a whole. And there will be, if our profiting is apparent, an increased dependence on prayer and all the means of grace. But of all other points an increasing heavenly-mindedness will appear as the most striking evidence of a growing Christian. So small is our improvement, however, that most of us are obliged to say, we hardly know at times whether we are any better than we were years ago. When a ship is moving slowly into port, so that we can scarcely perceive that she advances at all, it is pleasant to fix our eye upon some landmark, and watch it till we can exclaim, Oh, yes, I do see now that we move a little; and these marks which I have given may help us to know whether we are progressing at all towards the haven of peace. Happy are they who can thus perceive an advance in the Divine life. It is a comfort in itself, because every degree of progress in holiness is like every step in recovery from sickness, attended with positive and present pleasure. (W. H. Lewis, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti 4:15-16. Meditate on these things — On the instructions I have given thee, or the things mentioned 1Ti 4:13. True meditation implies the lively exercise of faith, hope, love, joy, as it were melted down together by the fire of God’s Holy Spirit, and offered up to God in secret. Give thyself wholly to them — On this passage Bengelius writes, He that is wholly in these things, will be little in worldly company, in other studies, in collecting books, shells, coins, wherein many pastors consume a considerable part of their lives. That thy profiting — Thy proficiency in knowledge and wisdom, holiness and usefulness; may appear unto all — To their edification and the honour of the gospel. Take heed unto thyself — To the state of thy own soul, thy growth in grace, the motives of thy actions, and thy whole spirit and conduct; and to thy doctrine — That it be true, important, and adapted to the state and character of thy hearers. Continue in them — In attention to all the preceding advices, and especially in this diligent care respecting both thy life and doctrine. For in doing this — With zeal, constancy, and perseverance; thou shalt both save thyself and those that hear thee — What a powerful argument is here suggested to engage ministers to preach the doctrines of the gospel with truth, zeal, fidelity, and diligence, and to set a proper example before their hearers! By thus faithfully discharging their duty, they will give satisfactory proof of the reality of their faith and love, and the sincerity of their obedience, and, persevering in this way, will save themselves eternally. In the mean time by their sound doctrine, and, edifying example, they will impress their hearers with such a just sense of the truth and excellence of Christianity, as to induce them also to believe and obey the gospel, so that they likewise will be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti 4:15. Μελέτα, meditate) Μελετᾷν is also applied to the gymnastic exercises; comp. 1Ti 4:7, γὐμναζε σεαυτόν. Let this, he says, be thy study. He directed Timothy to continue in the same study when he was further advanced in life, Ephesians 2, ch. 1Ti 3:14, etc. Who would not desire to be engrossed with the same study as Ions: as he lives? There are vicissitudes in all other studies; some are the fashion to-day, others will be the custom tomorrow. The one study which is devoted to (bestowed upon) Sacred Scripture never seems to be very conspicuous, but at the same time it alone never becomes obsolete. It has an everlasting kingdom, without tyranny and superstitious fascination, a solid reward, an use which will cause no regret.—ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, give thyself wholly to them) He who gives himself wholly to them, will be less in worldly boon-companionships (convivialities); he will less engage in the study of other things, in collecting books, shells, coins, in which many pastors, unawares, waste a considerable part of their life.—προκοπὴ, profiting) which is maintained by exercise.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti_4:15. In order that Timothy may rightly lay to heart the exhortations just given, Paul continues: ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι] ταῦτα referendum ad omnia ea, quae a 1Ti_4:12, usque ad 1Ti_4:14, praeceperat Paulus Timotheo, Leo.

μελετᾷν occurs elsewhere in the N. T. only at Mar_13:11 and Act_4:25, where it means think, consider, reflect on something, equivalent to meditari. The more original meaning, however, is exercere, carry on something with care; this is to be maintained here, where it is a matter of putting recommendations into practice. De Wette: let this be thy care.

ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι] added to strengthen the preceding words; it is equivalent in meaning to the Latin omnis (totus) in hoc sis (Hor. Ep. i. 1, 11, quid verum atque decens curo … et omnis in hoc sum).

ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ πᾶσιν] With προκοπή (only elsewhere in Php_1:12; Php_1:15), progress, not progressiveness (Hofmann), we may either supply in filling thy office (Heydenreich; de Wette: to the perfection of the God-man, 2Ti_3:17), or more generally, in the Christian life. The purpose of this lay in the fact that Timothy was to be a τύπος τῶν πιστῶν.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ti 4:15 . ταῦτα : i.e. , reading, exhortation, teaching. μελέτα : practise, exercise thyself in , rather than meditari . So R.V., Be diligent in . (Bengel compares γύμναζε 1Ti 4:7 .) Cf. Psa 1:2 , ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ μελετήσει , “In his law will he exercise himself,” P.B.V., quoted by Prof. Scholefield.

ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι : To the parallels cited by Wetstein, ἐν τούτοις ὁ Καῖσαρ … ἦν (Plut. Pomp . p. 656 b ), “Omnis in hoc sum” (Horace Epistles , i. 1, 11) and Alford: “Totus in illis” (Horace, Sat . i. 9, 2), we may add ἐν φόβῳ Κυρίου ἴσθι , Pro 23:17 . Timothy’s progress manifest to all would secure his youth from being despised: cf. Mat 5:16 .

φανερὰ ᾖ : This expression is quite Pauline; see reff.; but St. Paul more frequently has φανερὸς γενέσθαι , 1Co 3:13 ; 1Co 11:19 ; 1Co 14:25 , Phi 1:13 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meditate--Greek, "Meditate CAREFULLY upon" (Psa 1:2; Psa 119:15; compare "Isaac," Gen 24:63).

these things-- (Ti1 4:12-14). As food would not nourish without digestion, which assimilates the food to the substance of the body, so spiritual food, in order to benefit us, needs to be appropriated by prayerful meditation.

give thyself wholly to--literally, "BE in these things"; let them engross thee wholly; be wholly absorbed in them. Entire self-dedication, as in other pursuits, so especially in religion, is the secret of proficiency. There are changes as to all other studies, fashionable to-day, out of fashion to-morrow; this study alone is never obsolete, and when made the all-engrossing aim sanctifies all other studies. The exercise of the ministry threatens the spirit of the ministry, unless it be sustained within. The minister must be first his own scholar before he can be another's teacher.

profiting--Greek, "progress" towards perfection in the Christian life, and especially towards the fullest realization of the ideal of a Christian minister (Ti1 4:12).

may appear to all--not for thy glory, but for the winning of souls (Mat 5:16).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. Meditate upon these things] ταυτα μελετα. Revolve them frequently in thy mind; consider deeply their nature and importance; get them deeply fastened in thy heart, and let all thy conduct flow from this inward feeling and conviction. Let the nature, reasons, and motives of thy ministry, be ever in the view of thy heart and conscience.

Give thyself wholly to them] εν τουτοις ισθι. Be thou in these things. Horace has a similar expression: Omnis in hoc sum. "I am absorbed in this." Occupy thyself wholly with them; make them not only thy chief but thy sole concern. Thou art called to save thy own soul, and the souls of them that hear thee; and God has given thee the Divine gifts for this and no other purpose. To this let all thy reading and study be directed; this is thy great business, and thou must perform it as the servant and steward of the Lord. Bengel has a good saying on this verse, which I will quote: In his qui est, minus erit in sodalitatibus mundanis, in studiis alienis, in colligendis libris, conchis, nummis, quibus multi pastores notabilem aetatis partem insistentes conterunt; "He who is wholly in these things will be little in worldly company, in foreign studies, in collecting books, shells, and coins, in which many ministers consume a principal part of their life." Such persons are worthy of the deepest reprehension, unless all these studies, collections, c., be formed with the express view, of illustrating the sacred records and to such awful drudgery few Christian ministers are called. Many, when they have made such collections, seem to know nothing of their use; they only see them and show them, but can never bring them to their assistance in the work of the ministry. These should be prayed for and pitied.

That thy profiting may appear to all.] By being made a universal blessing; convincing and converting sinners; and building up the Church of God on its most holy faith.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15 Take heed to these things The greater the difficulty in faithfully discharging the ministry of the Church, so much the more ought a pastor to apply himself earnestly, and with his whole might; and that not only for a short time, but with unfailing perseverance. Paul therefore reminds Timothy that this work leaves no room for indolence, or for slackening his labors, but demands the utmost industry and constant application.

That thy profiting may be manifest By adding these words, he means, that he ought to labor to this purpose, that by his agency the edification of the Church may be more and more advanced, and that corresponding results may be visible; for it is not the work of a single day, and therefore he should strive to make daily progress. Some refer this to Timothy, that he may profit more and more; but I choose rather to interpret it as referring to the effect of his ministry.

The Greek words, ἐν πᾶσιν, may either be translated, to all men, or, in all things. There will thus be a twofold meaning; either, “that all may see the progress which springs from his labors”, or, “that in all respects, or in every possible way, (which is the same thing,) they may be visible.” I prefer the latter view.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(15) Meditate upon these things.—Better rendered, be diligent in these things. With these words St. Paul closes this division of his solemn directions to his chosen disciple and representative at Ephesus. He must dwell on these things and must be diligent in their practice: he must show himself active and industrious as a public teacher, and must also order his life so as to be an example to his fellow-believers.

Give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.—More accurately rendered, thy advance (or thy progress) may be manifest to all. To these points—his public teaching and his public example—he must give ceaseless attention, that the Christian brotherhood of the Church over which he presided should be enabled constantly to see what progress their chief pastor was making in Christian experience and life. The word we have translated “advance” or “progress” reminds Christian ministers and teachers of St. Paul’s grave words to Timothy—and, through Timothy, to all occupying any position of authority in the congregations—that there must be no standing still, no resting content with knowledge already acquired, no being satisfied with the present spiritual life; there must be a restless striving after the acquirement of new stores of knowledge, ever deeper and more accurate; there must be a ceaseless endeavour to attain to a higher eminence in the spiritual life; and, if the minister or teacher would be successful, the result of these efforts must be manifest to the brethren with whom his lot was cast.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. Meditate upon these things] Rather, to give in our idiom the emphasis of the pronoun in the two clauses, This life, this work, this gift, be diligent in practising, be wholly given up to them. Both phrases are classical and are illustrated by the well-known line of Horace Sat. i. 9, 2, ‘nescio quid meditans nugarum et totus in illis;’ where meditans refers to the poet’s practisings and literary efforts not to mere ‘pensive meditation.’ So in the compound word Luk_21:14 ‘not to meditate beforehand what to answer.’

thy profiting] Better, with R.V., thy progress, giving to this word its full original force as in ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress.’ The Greek word is a late-formed noun belonging to a classical verb, signifying to advance, as an army would do cutting down trees in the way. Cf. Php_1:12; Php_1:25 and Lightfoot. So Luk_2:52, ‘Jesus increased.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Take heed unto thyself,.... Not as a man, or a Christian only, but as a minister; and as every minister should take heed to his life and conversation, that it be exemplary, as in Ti1 4:12 to his gifts, that they be not lost, or neglected, but used and improved; to the errors and heresies abroad, that he be not infected with them; and to his flock, which is the other part of himself, that he feed it with knowledge and understanding: and to thy doctrine: preached by him, that it be according to the Scriptures, be the doctrine of Christ, and his apostles, and according to godliness; that it tend to edification, and is pure, incorrupt, and all of a piece; and that it be expressed in the best manner, with all boldness and plainness; and that he defend it against all opposition:

continue in them; or "with them"; the members of the church at Ephesus; or rather in the doctrines of the Gospel; which should be done, though a majority is against them; though rejected by the wise, learned, and rich; though not to be comprehended by carnal reason; and though loaded with reproach and scandal; and though persecuted, yea even unto death for them:

for in doing this, thou shall both save thyself; a minister by taking heed to himself, and doctrine, saves himself from the pollutions of the world, from the errors and heresies of false teachers, from the blood of all men, and from all just blame in his ministry.

And them that hear thee; by being an example to them in doctrine and conversation, a minister is the means of saving and preserving those that attend on him, from erroneous principles, and immoral practices; and by faithfully preaching the Gospel to his hearers, he is instrumental in their eternal salvation; for though Jesus Christ is the only Saviour, the only efficient and procuring cause of salvation, yet the ministers of the Gospel are instruments by which souls believe in him, and so are saved; the word preached by them, being attended with the Spirit of God, becomes the ingrafted word, which is able to save, and is the power of God unto salvation; and nothing can more animate and engage the ministers of the word to take heed to themselves and doctrine, and abide therein, than this, of being the happy instruments of converting sinners, and saving them from death; see

Next: 1 Timothy Chapter 5

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Ver. 15. Meditate upon these things] And so digest them, turn them in succum et sanguinem. Let your heart study a good matter, that your pen may be as the tongue of a ready writer, Psa 45:1, and not present crude and rude stuff. When it was objected to Demosthenes that he was no sudden speaker, but came ever to the court after premeditation, he answered, Se si fieri posset, dicturum non tantum scripta sed etiam sculpta; that he would not only write but engrave, if he could, what he was about to utter in public. The same Demosthenes also would have such a one branded for a pernicious man to the commonwealth, who dared propose anything publicly which he had not beforehand seriously pondered. What impudence then is it in a preacher so to do. It was a wise speech of Aristides, who being required by the emperor to speak something propounded ex tempore, answered, Propound today, and I will answer tomorrow; for we are not of those that spit or vomit things, but of those that elaborate them, ου γαρ εσμεν των εμουντων, αλλα των ακριβουντων. Melancthon answered Eccius in like manner, who hit him in the teeth with his slowness in answering arguments. So did Augustine deal by Vincentius Victor, a rash young man, who boldly censured him for his unresolvedness concerning the original of a reasonable soul, and vaunted that he could do it without demurs or delays.

That thy profiting may appear to all] i.e. That it may appear thy gifts increase daily, by thy good husbandry.

Give thyself wholly to them] Gr. εν τουτοις ισθι, Be thou in them: totus in hoc sis. It was Mr Perkins’ motto, Verbi minister es, hoc age, Thou art a minister of the word, make it thy whole business.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meditate upon these things - Upon the train of events by which you have been led into the ministry, and upon the responsibilites and duties of the office. Let your mind be deeply impressed with these things; make them the subject of profound and serious thought.

Give thyself wholly to them - Greek “Be in them” - a phrase similar to that of Horace - “totus in illis.” The meaning is plain. He was to devote his life wholly to this work. He was to have no other grand aim of living. His time, attention, talents, were to be absorbed in the proper duties of the work. He was not to make that subordinate and tributary to any other purpose, nor was he to allow any other object to interfere with the appropriate duties of that office. He was not to live for money, fame, or pleasure; not to devote his time to the pursuits of literature or science for their own sakes; not to seek the reputation of an elegant or profound scholar; not to aim to be distinguished merely as an accomplished gentleman, or as a skillful farmer, teacher, or author. Whatever was done in any of these departments, was to be wholly consistent with the direction, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι en toutois isthi - “be in these things” - be absorbed in the appropriate duties of the ministerial office. It may be remarked here that no man will ever make much of himself, or accomplish much in any profession, who does not make this the rule of his life. He who has one great purpose of life to which he patiently and steadily devotes himself, and to which he makes everything else bend, will uniformly rise to high respectability, if not to eminence. He who does not do this can expect to accomplish nothing.

That thy profiting - Greek Thy going forward; that is, thy advancement, or progress. A minister of the gospel ought to make steady improvement in all that pertains to his office. No man ought to be satisfied with present attainments.

To all - Margin, “in all things.” The margin is the more correct rendering, but either of them makes good sense. It should be apparent to all persons who attend on the stated preaching of a minister of the gospel, that he is making steady advances in knowledge, wisdom, and piety, and in all things that pertain to the proper performance of the duties of his office. If a man really makes progress, it will be seen and appreciated by others; if he does not, that will be as well understood by his hearers.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Meditate upon these things; Meleta, let these things be the business of thy thoughts, and take care of them.

Give thyself wholly to them; be in them, (so it is in the Greek), let them be thy whole work, not thy work by the by, but thy chief and principal business.

That thy profiting may appear to all; that so, as all men’s gifts improve by study and exercise, thine also may so improve, that all men may take notice of the improvement of them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. Wholly to them—All other business was to be laid aside, and the whole man to be surrendered to, and kept within, the sacred work, of public reading, exhorting, teaching, and governing the Church. Many men have, as in the “local ministry” of Methodism, maintained a secular business and yet preached, with great success and without remuneration, the holy gospel. Yet others there are, the great body, indeed, of the ministry, who are called to give themselves wholly to the work. The “priesthood of the people” does not so far extend but that there is a divinely established line drawn in the New Testament between ministry and laity.

Thy profiting—Thy improved ability from practice.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Be diligent in for meditate upon, A.V; progress for profiting, A.V; be manifest unto for appear to, A.V Be diligent, etc. (auta meleta). Give all your attention and care and study to these things. It is just the contrary to mhlei in ver. 14. The verb meletaw, besides this passage, occurs in its classical sense of "premeditating" or "getting up a speech," in, Mar_13:11 (where, however, the reading is doubtful) and again intoiv Act_4:25, in the sense of "premeditating" certain actions. A kindred use in classical Greek is "to practice" or "exercise" an art, as rhetoric, dancing, shooting with a bow, and the like. It is very common in the LXX, in the sense of "meditating," practicing in the thoughts. Give thyself wholly to them (ejn tou isqi); literally, be in these things; i.e. be wholly and always occupied with them. The similar phrases in Greek and Latin classics are jEn toutoiv oJ Kaisar h=n (Plutarch); "Omnis in hoc sum" (Her., "Ep.," 1:1. 1); "Nescio quid meditans nugarum, et totus in illis" (Her., "Sat.," 1. 9. 2); and in the LXX, jEn fobw Kuriou ijsqi olhn thran. (Pro_23:17) Thy progress (hJ prokoph). Progress, advance, or growth, is the idea of prokoph. It is used twice in Php_1:12, 25. A good example of its use in classical Greek is that in Polyb., 3:4, Auxhsiv kai prokoph thwn dunasteiav. The use of the verb prokoptw for "to advance," "make progress," is still more common (Luk_2:52; Rom_13:12 Gal_5:14; 2Ti_2:16 2Ti_3:9, 2Ti_3:14) It is used equally of progress in good or evil. Unto all. The R.T. reads pasin for ejn pasin in the T.R., which may be rendered either "to or, "among" all persons" or "in all things.

Vers. 15, 16.

The necessity of a minister giving his whole energies to his work.

The apostle here concludes his solemn instructions to his chosen representative at Ephesus.

I THE DUTY OF BEING MINDFUL AND DEVOTED TO ONE"S MINISTRY. "These things do thou care for: be in them.

1. A ministers heart ought to be anxious about his work. It is this anxiety that secures the efficiency of work in this world. But the minister"s concern is full of an inspiring zeal for God"s honor, and is sustained by encouraging promises of help from on high.

1. A minister ought to devote himself exclusively to his work. "Be in them." The obstacles to this devotion are:

1. slothfulness,

2. worldliness,

3. the pressure of duties right in themselves, but lying outside the sphere of the ministry.

II THE MOTIVE FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION. "That thy progress may appear to all.

1. This does not imply that Timothy was to have exclusive regard to his right standing with the Church. This might be a questionable motive.

2. It implies that his devotion to his work should be so altogether conspicuous that it could not but be seen by all.

III THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PERSONAL LIFE AND THE OFFICIAL WORK OF THE MINISTER. "Take heed to thyself and to the teaching; continue in them: for in so doing thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.

1. The direct object of the minister of the gospel is the salvation of studs.

2. This salvation comes by hearing the gospel. "Faith cometh by hearing.

3. It is the duty of the minister to persevere with a pious insistency on all the objects of his ministry. "Continue in them.

4. Nothing is so well adapted for the salvation of ministers as their pious labors in behalf of the salvation of others.

5. There is to be a double service in this ministry. The minister must first look well to his life, exemplifying the holiness of the gospel in word and deed (ver. 12); and then his teaching must be good (ver. 6) and salutary. (1Ti_1:10) Thus he will be the instrument of much good; he will thus cover the multitude of sins, and save a soul from death. T.C. (Jam_5:20)

Mental absorption.

upon these things." They need and will bear meditation. Divine truths are too awful and august m their deep significance to be exhausted by superficial notice. They need to be focused to the eye, and studied in all their central depth and beauty.

I FOR MEDITATION IS THE VERY ATMOSPHERE OF RELIGION. It requires the silent study that we may enjoy "the harvest of a quiet eye," and see deeply into the "wondrous things" of the Divine Law. Meditate; for thus only will you understand your real self, and so know better the adaptation of the gospel to your need and your sin.

II FOR IN MEDITATION WE ARE STUDYING GOD"S THOUGHTS; these require on our part time and insight. This is the fault of our age it does not meditate. It is superficially critical; apt to fly off at some tangent of mental difficulty; and is so impatient with the key that it injures the lock. We cannot think well in a hurry, any more than we can work well in a hurry. Many of the worst human mistakes of life we should avoid if we meditated more.

Evil is wrought by want of thought, As well as want of heart.

Our prayers would be wider in scope and richer in feeling if we meditated more; and our judgment would not be so hard about the dealings of God with us if we meditated on "the way the fathers trod," and the Divine revelation of our need of discipline. Meditate, and then the cross will stand out in its august significance; the heart will feel that it needs a Savior as well as a Teacher; and instead of feeling that you know all about that wondrous mystery of Divine provision, you will pray that you, like Paul, may "know the love of Christ," which passeth knowledge. "Meditate on these things." They are pluralized; for they are many. The gospel facts and the gospel doctrines constitute a wide range of subjects affecting alike our temporal and eternal interest. W.M.S.

Observation of others.

thy profiting may appear to all." The Christian teachings are not like Eleusinian Mysteries; they are revelations to be lived out in the broad daylight of history. A religion that ends in meditation makes the mystic a religion that confines itself to solitudes makes the ascetic, who shuts himself out from the world.

I THE PROFITING IS NOT TO BE A MATTER OF MERE FEELING; or, in other words, is no mere emotionalism that may coexist with lax character and feeble morality. Too often this has been the case, and the Church has been apt to palliate the sins of the fraudulent trader or the bankrupt trustee, if, though he has wronged others and brought whole families to beggary and ruin, he has still preserved his spiritual emotions, his seraphic rhapsodies of expression, and his fervent interest in missionary agencies.

II THE PROFITING MUST APPEAR IN THE CHARACTER. It must come to the touchstone of action and character. It must energize the conscience, quicken the passive virtues of humility and submission, and brace the will for the stern obedience of the soldier and the faithful obligations of the steward. W.M.S.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meditate - The Bible makes no distinction between this and to contemplate, whatever others do. True meditation is no other than faith, hope, love, joy, melted down together, as it were, by the fire of God's Holy Spirit; and offered up to God in secret. He that is wholly in these, will be little in worldly company, in other studies, in collecting books, medals, or butterflies: wherein many pastors drone away so considerable a part of their lives.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Ver. 15. Be mindful of these things (μελέτα, found only here and at Act 4:25, but signifying to care for, attend to, or be mindful of): let them have their proper place in the regard and application of thy soul. Be in them; have your very life, as it were, in such things. On which Bengel remarks: “He who is in them will be less in worldly companies, in other kinds of pursuits, in collecting books, shells, coins, in which many pastors unconsciously spend a great part of their life.” In order that thy progress may be manifest to all: implying, first, that a perceptible advance in the things which constitute a faithful and effective ministry is what may justly be expected even in the most qualified servant of God; and then, that the way to effect this is by a sincere and devoted application to the work itself Here also it is the hand of the diligent which maketh rich—though only, of course, when the hand is the instrument of an earnest and willing mind.

Patrick Fairbairn — An Exposition of Ezekiel (1851), Jonah (1849), and The Pastoral Epistles (1874) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He exhorted him to read the scriptures before, now to meditate upon what he read.

Where note, That if those who were inspired, and divinely qualified, must yet read, meditate, study hard, and employ their whole time to fit themselves for the ministerial work, what shall we think of the ignorance and impudence of our lay-preachers, who, without any such divine qualification, or without any call or commission, without giving themselves wholly to these things, dare presume to teach the scriptures, when they never understood them; nay, can hardly read them!

Meditate on these things, and give thyself wholly to them. Be in them, says the original, lay out thy whole strength and time in studying God’s will, and making known thy people’s duty.

Three things are here explicitly condemned in persons set apart for the holy function.

1. Sloth and negligence; it is a painful service we are engaged in, and woe unto us if we be slothful in business, if we be sparing of our pains for fear of shortening our days, and hastening our end; verily the lamp of our lives can never burn out better than in lighting others to heaven.

2. Worldly-mindedness, 1Pe 5:2 feed the flock, but not for filthy lucre: the spiritual man must not so mind earthly things as to make them his principal aim and scope; for if so, he will act accordingly, and defeat all the ends of his ministry. The apostles had no settled maintenance, but their subsistence to seek: yet were wholly in these things. How much should we be so now, who have our maintenance, but their subsistence to seek: yet were wholly in these things. How much should we be so now, who have our maintenance legally secured! How should we seek the kingdom of God, and the welfare of our people’s souls, seeing all other things are added to us, in measure, though not in excess!

3. Incumbrance by worldly business: he that must give himself wholly to these things, what leisure can he find for magistracy, for managing law-suits, for farming of lands, and for secular concerns: we cannot make a business of two things so widely different from each other.

Can we be spiritual persons, and yet mere seculars in our thoughts and care?

Well therefore might St. Paul say to Timothy, But thou, O man of God, flee these things, 1Ti 6:11

Observe lastly, The reason which the apostle subjoins why he would have Timothy do all this: That his profiting may appear to all men; he must read, meditate, pray, and study, that he may improve and profit himself; though he was inspired, yet he must rely upon the Spirit’s assistance without his own endeavors: and his improvement by study must appear not barely to himself, but to others, to his people as well as himself, yea, to all persons; his growth and improvement by study and exercise must be so conspicuous, that all his flock may bear witness to it, and bless God for it. Meditate on these things, and give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear unto all men.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. Meditate upon, etc. Rather, Let these things be thy special care. Give thyself wholly to them. The preacher must be heart and soul in his work in order to succeed.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

15. Rec. text inserts ἐν before πᾶσιν with D2cKLP (a mistaken explanatory gloss), om. אACD2*G and Vss.

15. ταῦτα μελέτα. μελετάω only occurs once again in N.T. (Act 4:25) and then in a quotation from the LXX. (Psa 2:1). It may mean either (a) meditate, ponder, as in that passage, or (b) practise, the latter being the prevailing meaning of the word. But (a) here seems more suitable to the context, ponder these things, sc. the injunctions of 1Ti 4:12-14.

ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι. Cp. Horace “omnis in hoc sum”; and “totus in illis.”

προκοπή, progress, whether in the Christian life or (more especially) in fitness for his office. The word only occurs in N.T. here and in Php 1:12; Php 1:25, but is found in LXX.; cp. 2Ti 2:16; 2Ti 3:9; 2Ti 3:13 where the verb προκόπτειν is used of progress in the direction of evil.

φανερὰ ῃ πᾶσιν. Cp. Mat 5:16.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15.] These things (viz. the things enjoined vv. 12-14) do thou care for, in these things be (employed) (Wetst. cites Plut. Pomp. p. 656 b, ἐν τούτοις ὁ Καῖσαρ.… ἦν: Lucret. iii. 1093, ‘versamur ibidem, atque insumus usque:’ Hor. Ep. i. 1. 11, ‘quod verum atque decens curo et rogo et omnis in hoc sum.’ To which I may add a more striking parallel, Hor. Sat. i. 9. 2, ‘Nescio quid meditans nugarum, et totus in illis’), that thy progress (ref.: προκοπή is branded as a “vox non immerito a grammaticis contemta” by Lobeck, Phryn. p. 85: towards perfection; certainly in the Christian life, as Heydenr., De W.: this is implied; but the more direct meaning is, ‘with reference to the duties of thine office:’ and especially as respects the caution given ver. 12, that no man despise thy youth) may be manifest to all.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. μελέτα] either “meditate upon” (A.V.); cf. Seneca, Ep. 16, “hoc quod liquet firmandum et altius cotidiana meditatione figendum est” (Wetstein), and Darwin’s advice to G. J. Romanes— “Always cultivate the habit of meditation.”

Or, “practice”; cf. μελετᾶν τέχνην. Make this your “profession,” cf. 5:13 μανθάνουσιν: and for the whole verse, Epict. i. 1. 25, ταῦτα ἔδει μελετᾶν τοὺς φιλοσοφοῦντας, ταῦτα καθʼ ἡμέραν γράφειν, ἐν τούτοις γυμνάζεσθαι (Field, Ot. Norvic. ad loc.).

ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι] an unusual phrase, picking up the duties and qualities enumerated above 12 ἐν, ἐν, ἐν, ἐν, ἐν. Cf. Hor. Eph_1Eph_1. i. 11, “omnis in hoc sum.” προκοπή, Cf. Php 1:12, Php 1:25: a favourite word in Stoic writers of a pupil’s progress in philosophy. Bonhoffer, Epict. p. 128. πᾶσιν: so that no one may despise thee 12.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meditate [μελετα] . Only here and Act 4:25 (citation). Often in Class. and LXX Most translators reject the A. V. meditate, and substitute be diligent in, or practice, or take care for. Meditate, however, is legitimate, although in Class. the word commonly appears in one of the other senses. The connection between the different meanings is apparent. Exercise or practice applied to the mind becomes thinking or meditation. In LXX it represents seven Hebrew equivalents, and signifies to meditate, talk of, murmur, deligfit one's self in, attend to. Often to meditate, Jos 1:8; Psa 1:9; Psa 2:1; Psa 37:12; Psa 72:6; Sir. 6 7. Meditation is a talking within the mind, and issues in speech; hence to speak, as Psa 34:28; Psa 36:30; Isa 69:3. Similally, logov signifies both reason and discourse. In Lat. meditari, "to reflect," is also "to exercise in," " to practice, " as Virgil, Ecc 1:2. In the Vulg. meditabor is the translation of murmur or mourn iu Isa 38:14. The Hebrews hanah means to murmur, whisper; hence the inner whispering of the heart; hence to think, meditate, consider, as Psa 63:7; Psa 78:13.

Give thyself wholly to them [εν τουτοις ισθι] . Lit. be in these things. The phrase N. T. o. The only parallel in LXX is Pro 23:17. The meaning is that he is to throw himself wholly into his ministry. Comp. "totus in illis," Horace, Sat 1:9, 2.

Profiting [προκοπη] . Better, advance or progress. Only here and Phi 1:12. The verb prokoptein in 2Ti 2:16; 2Ti 3:9, 13. In LXX, see Sir. li. 17; 2 Macc. 8 8. The figure in the word is uncertain, but is supposed to be that of pioneers cutting [κοπτω] a way before [προ] an army, and so furthering its advance. The opposite is ejgkoptein to cut into, throw obstacles in the way, and so hinder. See Gal 5:7; 1Th 2:18; 1Pe 3:7.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.