2 Timothy 1:6

Here is an exhortation and excitation of Timothy to his duty (Ti2 1:6): I put thee in remembrance. The best men need remembrancers; what we know we should be reminded of. Pe2 3:1, I write this, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.

I. He exhorts him to stir up the gift of God that was in him. Stir it up as fire under the embers. It is meant of all the gifts and graces the God had given him, to qualify him for the work of an evangelist, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the extraordinary gifts that were conferred by the imposition of the apostle's hands. These he must stir up; he must exercise them and so increase them: use gifts and have gifts. To him that hath shall be given, Mat 25:29. He must take all opportunities to use these gifts, and so stir them up, for that is the best way of increasing them. Whether the gift of God in Timothy was ordinary or extraordinary (though I incline to the latter), he must stir it up, otherwise it would decay. Further, you see that this gift was in him by the putting on of the apostle's hands, which I take to be distinct from his ordination, for that was performed by the hands of the presbytery, Ti1 4:14. It is probable that Timothy had the Holy Ghost, in his extraordinary gifts and graces, conferred on him by the laying on of the apostle's hands (for I reckon that none but the apostles had the power of giving the Holy Ghost), and afterwards, being thus richly furnished for the work of the ministry, was ordained by the presbytery. Observe, 1. The great hindrance of usefulness in the increase of our gifts is slavish fear. Paul therefore warns Timothy against this: God hath not given us the spirit of fear, Ti2 1:7. It was through base fear that the evil servant buried his talent, and did not trade with it, Mat 25:25. Now God hath therefore armed us against the spirit of fear, by often bidding us fear not. "Fear not the face of man; fear not the dangers you may meet with in the way of your duty." God hath delivered us from the spirit of fear, and hath given us the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The spirit of power, or of courage and resolution to encounter difficulties and dangers; - the spirit of love to God, which will carry us through the opposition we may meet with, as Jacob made nothing of the hard service he was to endure for Rachel: the spirit of love to God will set us above the fear of man, and all the hurt that a man can do us; - and the spirit of a sound mind, or quietness of mind, a peaceable enjoyment of ourselves, for we are oftentimes discouraged in our way and work by the creatures o our own fancy and imagination, which a sober, solid, thinking mind would obviate, and would easily answer. 2. The spirit God gives to his ministers is not a fearful, but a courageous spirit; it is a spirit of power, for they speak in his name who has all power, both in heaven and earth; and it is a spirit of love, for love to God and the souls of men must inflame ministers in all their service; and it is a spirit of a sound mind, for they speak the words of truth and soberness.

II. He exhorts him to count upon afflictions, and get ready for them: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. Be not thou ashamed of the gospel, of the testimony thou hast borne to it." Observe,

1. The gospel of Christ is what we have none of us reason to be ashamed of. We must not be ashamed of those who are suffering for the gospel of Christ. Timothy must not be ashamed of good old Paul, though he was now in bonds. As he must not himself be afraid of suffering, so he must not be afraid of owning those who were sufferers for the cause of Christ. (1.) The gospel is the testimony of our Lord; in and by this he bears testimony of himself to us, and by professing our adherence to it we bear testimony of him and for him. (2.) Paul was the Lord's prisoner, his prisoner, Eph 4:1. For his sake he was bound with a chain. (3.) We have no reason to be ashamed either of the testimony of our Lord or of his prisoners; if we are ashamed of either now, Christ will be ashamed of us hereafter. "But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God, that is, expect afflictions for the gospel's sake, prepare for them, count upon them, be willing to take thy lot with the suffering saints in this world. Be partaker of the afflictions of the gospel;" or, as it may be read, Do thou suffer with the gospel; "not only sympathize with those who suffer for it, but be ready to suffer with them and suffer like them." If at any time the gospel be in distress, he who hopes for life and salvation by it will be content to suffer with it. Observe, [1.] Then we are likely to bear afflictions as well, when we fetch strength and power from God to enable us to bear them: Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God. [2.] All Christians, but especially ministers, must expect afflictions and persecutions for the sake of the gospel. [3.] These shall be proportioned, according to the power of God (Co1 10:13) resting upon us.

2. Mentioning God and the gospel, he takes notice what great things God has done for us by the gospel, Ti2 1:9, Ti2 1:10. To encourage him to suffer, he urges two considerations: -

(1.) The nature of that gospel which he was called to suffer for, and the glorious and gracious designs and purposes of it. It is usual with Paul, when he mentions Christ, and the gospel of Christ, to digress from his subject, and enlarge upon them; so full was he of that which is all our salvation, and ought to be all our desire. Observe, [1.] The gospel aims at our salvation: He has saved us, and we must not think much to suffer for that which we hope to be saved by. He has begun to save us, and will complete it in due time; for God calls those things that are not (that are not yet completed) as though they were (Rom 4:17); therefore he says, who has saved us. [2.] It is designed for our sanctification: And called us with a holy calling, called us to holiness. Christianity is a calling, a holy calling; it is the calling wherewith we are called, the calling to which we are called, to labour in it. Observe, All who shall be saved hereafter are sanctified now. Wherever the call of the gospel is an effectual call, it is found to be a holy call, making those holy who are effectually called. [3.] The origin of it is the free grace and eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus. If we had merited it, it had been hard to suffer for it; but our salvation by it is of free grace, and not according to our works, and therefore we must not think much to suffer for it. This grace is said to be given us before the world began, that is, in the purpose and designs of God from all eternity; in Christ Jesus, for all the gifts that come from God to sinful man come in and through Christ Jesus. [4.] The gospel is the manifestation of this purpose and grace: By the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was perfectly apprised of all his gracious purposes. By his appearing this gracious purpose was made manifest to us. Did Jesus Christ suffer for it, and shall we think much to suffer for it? [5.] By the gospel of Christ death is abolished: He has abolished death, not only weakened it, but taken it out of the way, has broken the power of death over us; by taking away sin he has abolished death (for the sting of death is sin, Co1 15:56), in altering the property of it, and breaking the power of it. Death now of an enemy has become a friend; it is the gate by which we pass out of a troublesome, vexatious, sinful world, into a world of perfect peace and purity; and the power thereof is broken, for death does not triumph over those who believe the gospel, but they triumph over it. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Co1 15:55. [6.] He has brought life and immortality to light by the gospel; he has shown us another world more clearly than it was before discovered under any former dispensation, and the happiness of that world, the certain recompence of our obedience by faith: we all with open face, as in a glass, behold the glory of God. He has brought it to light, not only set it before us, but offered it to us, by the gospel. Let us value the gospel more than ever, as it is that whereby life and immortality are brought to light, for herein it has the pre-eminence above all former discoveries; so that it is the gospel of life and immortality, as it discovers them to us, and directs us in the ready way that leads thereto, as well as proposes the most weighty motives to excite our endeavours in seeking after glory, honour, and immortality.

(2.) Consider the example of blessed Paul, Ti2 1:11, Ti2 1:12. He was appointed to preach the gospel, and particularly appointed to teach the Gentiles. He though it a cause worth suffering for, and why should not Timothy think so too? No man needs to be afraid nor ashamed to suffer for the cause of the gospel: I am not ashamed, says Paul, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Observe, [1.] Good men often suffer many things for the best cause in the world: For which cause I suffer these things; that is, "for my preaching, and adhering to the gospel." [2.] They need not be ashamed, the cause will bear them out; but those who oppose it shall be clothed with shame. [3.] Those who trust in Christ know whom they have trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and exultation, as much as to say, "I stand on firm ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the hands of the best trustee." And am persuaded, etc. What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our souls, and their preservation to the heavenly kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep. There is a day coming when our souls will be enquired after: "Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To whom it was offered, to God or Satan? How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?" There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship (Luk 16:2), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day.

III. He exhorts him to hold fast the form of sound words, Ti2 1:13. 1. "Have a form of sound words" (so it may be read), "a short form, a catechism, an abstract of the first principles of religion, according to the scriptures, a scheme of sound words, a brief summary of the Christian faith, in a proper method, drawn out by thyself from the holy scriptures for thy own use;" or, rather, by the form of sound words I understand the holy scriptures themselves. 2. "Having it, hold it fast, remember it, retain it, adhere to it. Adhere to it in opposition to all heresies and false doctrine, which corrupt the Christian faith. Hold that fast which thou hast heard of me." Paul was divinely inspired. It is good to adhere to those forms of sound words which we have in the scriptures; for these, we are sure, were divinely inspired. That is sound speech, which cannot be condemned, Tit 2:8. But how must it be held fast? In faith and love; that is, we must assent to it as a faithful saying, and bid it welcome as worthy of all acceptation. Hold it fast in a good heart, this is the ark of the covenant, in which the tables both of law and gospel are most safely and profitably deposited, Psa 119:11. Faith and love must go together; it is not enough to believe the sound words, and to give an assent to them, but we must love them, believe their truth and love their goodness, and we must propagate the form of sound words in love; speaking the truth in love, Eph 4:15. Faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; it must be Christian faith and love, faith and love fastening upon Jesus Christ, in and by whom God speaks to us and we to him. Timothy, as a minister, must hold fast the form of sound words, for the benefit of others. Of healing words, so it may read; there is healing virtue in the word of God; he sent his word, and healed them. To the same purport is that (Ti2 1:14), That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us. That good thing was the form of sound words, the Christian doctrine, which was committed to Timothy in his baptism and education as he was a Christian, and in his ordination as he was a minister. Observe, (1.) The Christian doctrine is a trust committed to us. It is committed to Christians in general, but to ministers in particular. It is a good thing, of unspeakable value in itself, and which will be of unspeakable advantage to us; it is a good thing indeed, it is an inestimable jewel, for it discovers to us the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph 3:8. It is committed to us to be preserved pure and entire, and to be transmitted to those who shall come after us, and we must keep it, and not contribute any thing to the corrupting of its purity, the weakening of its power, or the diminishing of its perfection: Keep it by the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us. Observe, Even those who are ever so well taught cannot keep what they have learned, any more than they could at first learn it, without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. We must not think to keep it by our own strength, but keep it by the Holy Ghost. (2.) The Holy Ghost dwells in all good ministers and Christians; they are his temples, and he enables them to keep the gospel pure and uncorrupt; and yet they must use their best endeavours to keep this good thing, for the assistance and indwelling of the Holy Ghost do not exclude men's endeavours, but they very well consist together.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Ti_1:6

Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

The graces of Gods Spirit are of a fiery quality

And here we must all learn a double lesson. First, to get this fire; and next, to keep it from quenching. This is that one thing necessary; and how should we rejoice if it be already kindled! For without it we are blind, corrupt, cold, yea, stark dead. We must make our hearts the hearth to uphold it, and our hands the tongs to build it; it must lodge with us daily, send out flame from us, and our lamps must be continually burning; then shall we glorify our God, give light to others, walk safely, as walled about with a defence of fire, in this pilgrimage; and the Lord, at length, shall send us fiery chariots to carry us to heaven, where our lamps shall burn day and night, and shine as the sun in the clear firmament for ever and ever. (J. Barlow, D. D.)

The gifts of God are to be stirred up within us

For if they be not, will they not perish? Have you not heard that they are of a fiery quality, and therefore subject, without stirring, blowing, to decay and be extinguished? The things that put out the fire of the spirit in us, are--first, evil cogitations; as smoke weakeneth the eye, cold frosts nip the tender bud, and stinking smells damp and dull the purest spirits, so do bad thoughts disturb, impoverish, and enfeeble the gifts of God that be in us. [Secondly, corrupt speech; that troubleth the fountain, and stoppeth the spirits spring; it shakes the young plants of grace, as the boisterous winds do the late grafted scions: this will cause the new man to die before his time, and the best fruits he beareth to become blasted. Thirdly, wicked works; they raze the foundation, and, like the boar of the wood, root up all; when these break forth into action, then falls grace suddenly into a consumption; for they do not only wither the branches and change the complexion, but also kill the body, devour the juice of life, and destroy the constitution. Fourthly, loud company; this doth press down and keep under the gifts of God, that they cannot shoot up and spring; as water to fire, green wood to dry, this quencheth all; one grain of this leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Let the Israelites live among the Egyptians, though they hate the men, yet they will learn their manners; and Peter will grow cold if he warm his fingers at Caiaphas fire. Fifthly, the prosperity of the wicked; that will buffet the soul, wound the very spirit, and make grace to look pale and wan. How have the faithful fainted to see this, and the strongest foot of faith reeled, staggered! This mud hath made the men of God almost to turn out of the way. Sixthly, and finally, the pampering of the flesh. It will impoverish the spirit, and make it look lank and lean. If the one be cherished, the other will be starved. When one of these buckets is ascending the other is descending. Paul knew it well, therefore would beat down his body, and keep it in subjection. These be the greatest impediments that hinder the gifts of grace from stirring, growing. (J. Barlow, D. D.)

Private helps to stir up grace

First, reading either the Scriptures or other holy writings. This being done in a corner will refresh the spirit. It is like food to the fainting passenger. Secondly, meditation. He that sits long by the fire shall have his body to grow hot, and his cold spirits to become active, nimble. Let this be done thoroughly, and it will make grace to stretch itself beyond its ordinary wont, and the Christian to be rapt out of himself. Thirdly, prayer. Who ever in his secret chamber went to God by earnest prayer but he was ravished in mind, and in the strength of that action spent all that day without weariness? God giveth the greatest gifts in secret; and, like man, revealeth Himself apart. Yea, private prayer doth both stir up and increase grace mightily; and as secret meals make a fat body, so doth that a well-liking mind. Fourthly, observation, and that of the daily acts of Gods providence. Fifthly, examples: not the worst, but the most excellent. Set before thine eyes the cloud of witnesses, that have far outstripped thee. Think what a shame it is for thee to come so far behind them. Will not a comely suite make some leap into the fashion? Sixthly, resolution; which must consist in propounding to ourselves a higher pitch of perfection. He that would shoot or leap further than before will cast his eye and aim beyond the mark. But if all these will not stir up this fire, then consider what a loss it is to be a dwarf and bankrupt in this grace. How God may forsake us, an evil spirit possess us, and Satan seek about to apprehend us, as the Philistines did Samson; so shall we pluck up our spirits, stir up our strength, rise out of this lethargy, and fly for our lives. (J. Barlow, D. D.)

The ordinances of God are not without profit, if rightly practised

It is not a trade, but the well using of it; not a farm, but the well husbandry of it, that will enrich the one and the other. Wherefore, be steadfast, immoveable, and abundant in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (J. Barlow, D. D.)

Increase of grace

First, there may be an increase of grace in the best Christians. For Timotheus was an excellent man before this time; and were not his gifts now augmented? Secondly, that a minister hath need of more grace than a common Christian. This is the reason his gifts were increased. Thirdly, that the more worthy calling God sets us in, the greater portion of His spirit will He pour upon us. He did so by Timothy. Fourthly, that preachers may (above others) depend upon God for a blessing. For, are they not consecrated with great care and solemnity? enriched with extraordinary gifts and graces? Think on this, O ye, men of God, and in contempt of the world let the honour of your calling, and hope of good success in the faithful execution, comfort your souls, and breed an un-daunted resolution in you. (J. Barlow, D. D.)

St. Pauls concern about St. Timothy

The letter is a striking but thoroughly natural mixture of gloom and brightness … The thought which specially oppresses (the apostle) is anxiety about all the Churches--and about Timothy himself. Dark days are coming. False doctrine will be openly preached and will not lack hearers; and utterly un-Christian conduct and conversation will become grievously prevalent. And, while the godly are persecuted, evil men will wax worse and worse. This sad state of things has already begun; and the apostle seems to fear that his beloved disciple is not altogether unaffected by it. Separation from St. Paul or the difficulties of his position may have told on his over-sensitive temperament, and have caused him to be remiss in his work, through indulgence in futile despondency. The words of the text strike the dominant chord of the Epistle and reveal to us the motive that prompts it. The apostle puts Timothy in rememberance that he stir up the gift of God which is in him. Again and again he insists on this and similar counsels (see 2Ti_1:8; 2Ti_1:14; 2Ti_2:8; 2Ti_2:15; 2Ti_3:14). And then, as the letter draws to a close, he speaks in still more solemn tones of warning (2Ti_4:1-2; 2Ti_4:5). Evidently the apostle is anxious lest even the rich gifts with which Timothy is endowed should be allowed to rust through want of use. Timidity and weakness may prove fatal to him and his work, in spite of the spiritual advantages which he has enjoyed. The apostles anxiety about the future of the Churches is interwoven with anxiety about the present and future conduct of his beloved delegate and successor. (A. Plummer, D. D.)

Grounds of St. Pauls appeal to St. Timothy

In encouraging Timothy to stir up the gift that is in him, and not suffer himself to be ashamed of the ignominy, or afraid of the hardships, which the service of Christ entails, the apostle puts before him five considerations. There are the beautiful traditions of his family, which are now in his keeping. There is the sublime character of the gospel which has been entrusted to him. There is the teaching of St. Paul himself, who has so often given him a pattern of sound words and a pattern of steadfast endurance. There is the example of Onesiphorus with his courageous devotion. And there is the sure hope of the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Any one of these might suffice to influence him: Timothy cannot be proof against them all. (A. Plummer, D. D.)

Watching the heart flame

The Greek word rendered stir up literally means to kindle up, to fan into flame. We know that St. Paul frequently uses for his illustrations of Christian life scenes well known among the Greek heathen nations of the Old World, such as the Greek athletic games. Is it not possible (the suggestion is Wordsworths) that the apostle while here charring Timothy to take care that the sacred fire of the Holy Ghost did not languish in his heart, while urging him to watch the flame, to keep it burning brightly, to fan the flame if burning dimly--is it not possible that St. Paul had in mind the solemn words of the Roman law, Let them watch the eternal flame of the public hearth? (Cicero, De Legibus 11.8). The failure of the flame was regarded as an omen of dire misfortune, and the watchers, if they neglected the duty, were punished with the severest penalties. (H. D. M. Spence, M. A.)

A neglected gift enkindled

Dr. Paleys great talents were first called into vigorous exercise under the following circumstances:--I spent the first two years of my undergraduate-ship, said he, happily, but unprofitably. I was constantly in society, where we were not immoral, but idle and rather expensive. At the commencement of my third year, however, after having left the usual party at rather a late hour in the evening, I was awakened at five in the morning by one of my companions, who stood at my bedside, and said, Paley, I have been thinking what a fool you are. I could do nothing, probably, were I to try, and can afford the life I lead; you could do everything, and cannot afford it. I have had no sleep during the whole night on account of these reflections, and am now come solemnly to inform you, that if you persist in your indolence, I must renounce your society. I was so struck, Dr. Paley continued, with the visit and the visitor, that I lay in bed great part of the day and formed my plan. I ordered my bed-maker to prepare my fire every evening, in order that it might be lighted by myself. I arose at five; read during the whole of the day, except during such hours as chapel and hall required, allotting to each portion of time its peculiar branch of study; and just before the closing of gates (nine oclock) I went to a neighbouring coffee-house, where I constantly regaled upon a mutton-chop and a dose of milk-punch. And thus on taking my bachelors degree, I became senior wrangler. (Life of Paley.)

Individual gifts

What if God should command the flowers to appear before Him, and the sunflower should come bending low with shame because it was not a violet, and the violet should come striving to lift itself up to be like a sunflower, and the lily should seek to gain the bloom of the rose, and the rose the whiteness of the lily; and so, each one disdaining itself, should seek to grow into the likeness of the other? God would say, Stop foolish flowers! I gave you your own forms and hues, and odours, and I wish you to bring what you have received. O sunflower, come as a sunflower; and you sweet violet, come as a violet; let the rose bring the roses bloom, and the lily the lilys whiteness. Perceiving their folly, and ceasing to, long for what they had not, violet and rose, lily and geranium, mignonette and anemone, and all the floral train would conic, each in its own loveliness, to send up its fragrance as incense, and all wreathe themselves in a garland of beauty about the throne of God. (H. W. Beecher.)

Self-education

Every man has two educations--that which is given to him, and that which he gives himself. Of the two kinds, the latter is by far the most valuable. Indeed, till that is most worthy in a man, he must work out and conquer for himself. It is this that constitutes our real and best nourishment. What we are merely taught seldom nourishes the mind like that which we teach ourselves. (A. Tynman.)

The stirred up will

I. It seems worth our while to remind ourselves that the source of all holy or vicious conduct is a virtuous or a depraved WILL.

II. Next, in the review of our daily practice, it may be regarded as certain that we are wanting in our use of the most ordinary helps to a holy life, if we are infrequent and irregular in prayer, and in our study of the bible.

III. The present may further be a very fitting season for a strict examination of ourselves with reference to all those seemingly indifferent habits, on which (as a very little attention shows) the vigour of our spiritual, life mainly depends. It is a point often overlooked by thoughtless persons, that a slow and undecided manner--habits of procrastination--sloth--want of punctuality and method--that these things, and the like of these, are fatal to the operations of the best-regulated will. (J. W. Burgon, M. A.)

The Christian exhorted to stir up the gift of God that is in him

We must infer from this language that Timothy had become somewhat remiss since the departure of St. Paul, and needed a word of admonition and rebuke. But we must remember also, in justice to Timothy, that his position in Ephesus was an unusually trying one for a man of his age. He had been left in the city for the purpose of checking the outgrowth of heresy add licentiousness which had just begun to manifest itself. His ordinary duties were anxious and heavy: he had to rule presbyters, most of whom were older than himself; to assign to each a stipend in proportion to his work; to receive and decide on charges that might be brought against them; to regulate the almsgiving and the sisterhoods of the Church, and to ordain the presbyters and deacons. But, in addition to all this, there were leaders of rival sects in the city--Hymenaeus, Philetus, and Alexander--men, probably, of considerable intellectual power, and certainly wielding great influence in the Christian community, who would exert themselves to oppose and to thwart the youthful bishop, and who would find in the absence of St. Paul their best opportunity of doing so with effect and success. Now Timothy, as it appears, was a man of a gentle and sensitive temperament. Lacking in the sterner fibre of character, he shrank from opposition and conflict. But although no mistake was made, as the sequel proved, the weaker nature of Timothy required on occasions the support and stimulus which the robust mind of the great apostle of the Gentiles was calculated to afford. One such occasion we have before us now. There came a visible slackening in the energy and vigour with which the youthful disciple held the reins of ecclesiastical government. St. Paul beard of this declension, and immediately spoke. The old man, ready to be offered, standing just on the confines of martyrdom, and just within reach of his crown, might well speak to his younger associate. And very touching are his words, The first thought ell which we shall enlarge will be this--that there is a gift of God abiding in every one who names the name of Christ, and that this gift is a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The second thought will be this--that the gift in question may be permitted, through carelessness and neglect, to fall into decay; and that when this is the case, measures must immediately be taken to stir up the gift--to impart to it, by the use of suitable means, the vitality and vigour which it seems to have lost.

I. Now, according to St. Paul, a christian is one in whom the spirit of God--the personal Spirit, God the Holy Ghost--has taken up his abode, and become, as it were, a resident and inmate. What constitutes a temple is the inhabitation of Deity. It is just so with ourselves. Excellence of character and beauty of disposition are not things to be despised, but they only constitute the empty habitation; and the man is not a Christian unless the Spirit of God is dwelling within him. But, again, according to St. Paul, the Spirit of God does not supply to us the place of our spirit; but leaving the man in his completeness, pervades, animates, directs, that part of his nature by which he holds communion with the Divine. This gift of God which is in us is in the direction of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. What does he mean? He means this. The office of God the Holy Ghost is to take of the things of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to show them to the true disciple. In other words, the Holy Ghost imparts to the soul a right understanding, a correct perception of Christian truth, and enables us to realise our own personal concern and interest in the things that are explained.

II. The apostle tells us that this gift of God within us may be allowed to wane--may require to be stirred up. Yes; interest abates; novelty ceases to be novelty; variety is sought for; the first flush of early love passes away; the impulse which set us a-going is expended; duties become wearisome; regularity is monotonous. And are we always aware of the process that is going on within us? Not always. We attribute it to others--to causes that are outside ourselves. I have frequently visited consumptive patients. The poor fellow, with his wasted frame, and hectic flush, and racking cough, tells you that he is a little worse to-day--A little feebler; but then he knows how to account for it--he sat inadvertently in a draught yesterday. On the occasion of your next visit he is worse; but then--he took something at one of his meals which disagreed with him. The next time he is still worse; but he sat up too late--he overstayed his usual hour of retiring to rest. He has always a reason to assign that is not the real, the right, the true one. You, watching him pityingly, can give a better account of the matter. You know that the bodily frame is decaying,--that death is stretching on with rapid strides to claim his victim. So with the symptoms of spiritual declension. The man has one excuse or another to account for his decaying interest, for his waning spirituality, for his neglect of Bible study, for his less frequent attendance at the house of God or at the table of the Lord. Business has increased; his health is not what it used to be; the preaching is not so interesting as it once was. Well, that is his account of the matter, as the poor consumptive patient has his account of the matter. You, looking on, know that the chill torpor of worldliness has seized upon the soul, and is threatening to bring it into the icy stillness of spiritual death. I fear we are all of us subject to the waning of the life within us. Let us be on our guard, then. The gift of God may be in us still; but it may need stirring up. (G. Calthrop, M. A.)

Our gifts, and how to use them

I suppose that Timothy was a somewhat retiring youth, and that from the gentleness of his nature he needed to be exhorted to the exercise of the bolder virtues. His was a choice spirit, and therefore it was desirable to see it strong, brave and energetic. No one would wish to arouse a bad man, for, like a viper, he is all the worse for being awake; but in proportion to the excellence of the character is the desirability of its being full of force. There are many kinds of gifts. All Christians have some gift. Some have gifts without them rather than within them--gifts, for instance, of worldly position, estate, and substance. These ought to be well used. But we must go at once to the point in hand;--the gift that is in you, we have now to speak of.

I. First, then, what gift is there in us? In some there are gifts of mind, which are accompanied with gifts of utterance. The stones in the street might surely cry out against some religious professors who make the Houses of Parliament, the council-chamber, the courts of justice, the Athenaeum, or the Mechanics hall ring with their voices, and yet preach not Jesus--who can argue points of politics and the like, but not speak a word for Christ--eloquent for the world, but dumb for Jesus. If you have the gift of the pen, are you using it for Christ as you ought? I want to stir up the gift that is in you. Letters have often been blessed to conversions; are you accustomed to write with that view? Another form of gift that belongs to us is influence. What an influence the parent has. Many of the elder members of the Church have another gift--namely, experience. Certainly, experience cannot be purchased, nor taught; it is given us of the Lord who teacheth us to profit. It is a peculiar treasure each man wins for himself as he is led through the wilderness. May you be of such a sort as a certain clergyman I heard of the other day. I asked a poor woman What sort of man is he? She said, He is such a sort of man, sir, that if he comes to see you you know he has been there. I understood what she meant: he left behind him some godly saying, weighty advice, holy consolation, or devout reflection, which she could remember after he had left her cottage door. Another gift which many have is the gift of prayer--of prayer with power, in private for the Church and with sinners. There is another gift which is a very admirable one. It is the gift of conversation, not a readiness for chit-chat and gossip--(he who has that wretched propensity may bury it in the earth and never dig it up again)--but the gift of leading conversation, of being what George Herbert called the master-gunner; when we have that, we should most conscientiously use it for God.

II. And this brings us, secondly to the consideration of--how we are to stir up our gifts.

1. First, we should do it by examination to see what gifts we really have. There should be an overhauling of all our stores to see what we have of capital entrusted to our stewardship.

2. The next mode of stirring up our gift is to consider to what use we could put the talents we possess. To what use could I put my talents in my family?

3. But, next, stir it up not merely by consideration and examination, but by actually using it.

4. And then, in addition to using our gift, every one of us should try to improve it.

5. And then pray over your gifts: that is a blessed way of stirring them up--to go before God, and spread out your responsibilities before Him.

III. Why is it that we should stir up the gift that is in us?

1. We should stir up the gift that is in us, because all we shall do when we have stirred ourselves to the utmost, and when the Spirit of God has strengthened us to the highest degree, will still fall far short of what our dear Lord and Master deserves at our hands.

2. Another reason is that these are stirring times. If we are not stirring everybody else is.

3. And then, again, we must stir up our gift because it needs stirring. The gifts and graces of Christian men are like a coal fire which frequently requires stirring as well as feeding with fuel.

4. If we will but stir our selves, or rather, if Gods Holy Spirit will but stir us, we, as a church, may expect very great things. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

A missionary sermon: Our gift, and the Divine claim on it

What is in us or in our possession through the Divine benevolence? And what is the call made upon us in Divine providence and by the Divine Spirit, for the exercise of that gift, in order to the enlightenment and salvation of our fellow-men?

I. The ethnic or race gift. No people can have enjoyed a larger gift in this regard than our own. God hath not so dealt with any nation. See how this island-race is spreading over the earth! God has said to this nation, Stir up the gift which is in thee--in thee by the slow deposit of My providence, by the sewings of centuries--stir up that gilt, and use it for the worlds good.

II. There is also the family gift. All men receive from their ancestors something which goes into and becomes part of themselves, and this something has in it both help and hindrance. But to us, to most of this Christian assembly, the balance is largely on the side of help. It might have failed; for faith is not something mechanical, nor is it essentially and of necessity transmitted with the natural life. It might have failed, but it has not--And I am persuaded that in thee also. First in thy grand mother. Young men and maidens are apt to smile at the name of grandmother. But the Scriptures glorify old age. So do the great poets. Seventy years ago some one lived, and loved, and was wedded, and listened to the music of her childrens feet, from whom you have inheritance. Something lived in her which lives in you. Stir up the gift which is in thee. Let the good thoughts of that far-off time live again. Let the tears then shed be a present tenderness in your breast. Let all the love of the old time have fulfilment and transmission, so that your children and your childrens children may arise to call you blessed. In this life you are not atoms, units, severed personalities; but branches, links, conductors; receiving and giving, reaping and sowing, reaching back to the Eden behind you, and forward to the day of God that is coming.

III. There is to each one a gift from God distinctly personal. There is something given to each, inhering in his own nature alone, not diffused, not shared by others, not flowing through his life from lives behind to lives before--something that begins and ends with himself. It is himself--the inner real self which presides over all outer relations of hereditary and historical kind. Stir up this gift of immortal life that is in thee by the creating Spirit, by the personal inbreathing of God. Be thyself. When a man is born, God gives him power to be something for his fellow-creatures and his God. That something may be like treasure hid in a field, but never found. We know how certain great men have lived; how they became great by developing the inward energy. How then can a man truly and in the highest sense stir up his personal gift? Attila the Hun, the scourge of God, had from God the gift which he developed, so that his life became like a stream of scorching fire. Napoleon had all that was masterly in his spirit from the God who made him; but the apostle would not have allowed that he stirred up his gift aright. And now, society is vibrating through and through with the action of various human gifts; statesmen striving against each other, and serving their country in the strife; prolific writers, working up to the full bent of their genius; merchants, making a very science of their commerce, and reaping ample harvest of the same. But beyond the stir and strife lies the question of spiritual motive, aim, tendency. From what fountain springs all this activity? To what goal is it tending?

IV. The Christian gift. It is expressed in such a word as this: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Or this: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Or this: If any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away, and all things are become new. And: If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. Full religious development must take the form of Christian consecration. How much a mad--any one of you young men--might do, would, I believe, be a discovery even to yourself. Now and again God gives us to see this, to see how much one can do, not by great original powers, not by the help of favouring circumstances, but just by consecration, by stirring up the gift--it may be a gift composed of many gifts, a general capacity of service. What in you is its measure? How far will it reach? How long will it last? How much will it achieve? I cannot tell, no more can you, until you try. Timothy the lad in Lystra knows nothing of Timothy the bishop of Ephesus. We all go on to meet, and as we go we make, our future selves. (A. Raleigh, D. D.)

Christian enthusiasm

What Timothy seems to have wanted most was fire. St. Paul could have no doubt as to his gifts, nor of the fidelity with which he would use them. But the work and the times demanded something more than talent and conscientiousness; they required enthusiasm. Hence the apostle urges his friend to stir up the gift that was in him, or, as his words might be better rendered, kindle the gift that is in thee into flame. For the want of this enthusiasm men of splendid parts prove splendid failures, and, although otherwise qualified to fill the highest places and to lead the grandest enterprises, are never heard of, from sheer inability to push their way. But our subject is not enthusiasm in general, hut Christian enthusiasm in particular; and our text, with its context, supplies us with some useful hints respecting its subject, its nature, and its motive.

I. Its subject. To be enthusiastic it is obvious that we must have something to be enthusiastic about, and something worthy of our enthusiasm. The enthusiasm of the Christian worker, like that of the poet, may be fine frenzy, but, like the poets, again, it is not aimless frenzy. It gathers round a definite object, which has sufficient force o! attraction to draw towards it the whole interest and strength of the man over whom it throws its spell. In Timothys case this subject was a gift for the office of bishop and evangelist. Notice, then, that this capacity is--

1. The gift of God. We take the greatest pride in the products of our independent genius and industry, or in the purchases of our wealth. But here we have, as the bestowment of a generous benefactor, what all our money could not buy, and what all our skill could not fabricate. We serve God just because God has given us the ability to serve Him. In Christian work, therefore, boasting is shameful, and vanity ridiculous.

2. A constitutional gift. God has invested us with two classes of gifts--gifts external and gifts internal--gifts which go to make up what a man has; gifts which constitute him what he is. Our capacity for Divine service is one of the latter class. It is in us. It is a soul faculty. It entered into the original plan of our being. Further, this capacity--

3. Assumes different forms. It is a common gift, but the idiosyncrasies of the individuals to whom it is given invest it, in each case, with a peculiar shape. Thus painting and architecture, music and science, philosophy and poetry, statesmanship and wealth; that subtle thing called influence, and that dreadful thing called war, that prosaic thing called trade, and that humble thing called home, have each and all been pressed into the service of illustrating our text. And so Raffaelle in the Cartoons, Wren in St. Pauls, Handel in the Messiah, Newton in the Principia, Bacon in the Novum Organum, Milton in the Paradise Lost, Wilberforce in his Parliamentary achievements, Peabody in his munificent benefactions, Shaftesbury in the example he set before society, Gordon in the heroism with which he defended Khartoum, Moore in his work in the London warehouse, Susannah Wesley in hers in the Epworth rectory, and others in what they have done in the house, in the shop, or in the field, all seem to say, There, that is what I mean by the gift that is in me. And that we should ascertain what our special talent is, and in what our capacity should be employed, is of the utmost importance for many reasons. How often do we hear the remark applied to some social failure--and true it is--he has missed his calling. A man who might have made something out in a walk in life for which he was suitably endowed, makes nothing out, because he has chosen one for which he is totally unqualified. Once more, this capacity--

4. Is intended for and must find employment in the service of the Church. St. Pauls injunction carries with it the broad principle just laid down, but we must remember that the apostle had in view the interests of Christs Church, and urged Timothy to promote those interests in the way for which he was Divinely qualified.

II. Its nature. We have the gift; with what shall we kindle it?

1. Like the capacity it has to kindle into flame, Christian enthusiasm is the gift of God. No man ever purchased it; no man ever created it. It is not from beneath and human, it is from above, and Divine; God hath given us the spirit … of power, of love, and of a sound mind. And that a Divine person should provide the materials for the kindling of a Divine gift arises out of the necessities of the case. Like produces like, and fire kindles fire. You have in your grates blocks of a cold black mineral, the last things in the world, as far as appearances go, from which you would expect light and heat. But you know that fire lies imprisoned and slumbering there. And you know, also, that neither the most careful arrangement of the coals, nor the most vigorous use of the fire irons, will be of the least service in awakening the element and setting it free. What you do, however, is to apply a light, and then the cold black mineral becomes fervent and radiant heat. Eighteen hundred years ago a few weak and unlettered peasants formed all that there was of the Christian Church. Who would have given them credit for a world-converting capacity? But within them lay dormant the Divine gift. They formed no elaborate organisation; they made no violent stir. They simply waited and prayed; and by: and by fire from without met its counterpart within. The Holy Ghost fell upon them, made them enthusiasts for Christ, and thus enabled them to kindle their gift into flame.

2. Christian enthusiasm is not the spirit of fear. This is obvious. Until that spirit is laid there can be no enthusiasm. It can only be conquered by the Divine Spirit, who, as He subdues the craven or the diffident temper, will make us instinct with that Christian enthusiasm which is--

(1) The spirit of power. And being this, it is distinguished from excitement, which is the spirit of weakness. The two may, indeed, be confounded for a time, just as a meteor may, at first, be mistaken for a star. No; Christian enthusiasm is not a transient spasm of excitement; it is power, and that means stability, persistence, inexhaustible resources, unwearied and inextinguishable force. The spirit of power, however, although the first and basal element in Christian enthusiasm, is not the only one. For power, by itself, will make a man not an enthusiast, but a fanatic. Fanaticism is by no means weakness, it is force, often of the most vigorous kind, but force without regulation and control. Christian enthusiasm is, therefore--

(2) The spirit of love. We all know the mighty part that love has sustained in the purest human enthusiasms. Love of children; for what heroisms has that not qualified the weakest of mothers? Love of country; what flames has that not kindled in the most phlegmatic of citizens? Love of man; for what endurance and what effort has that not nerved some of the feeblest of our race? Analyse any given case of noble enthusiasm, and you will find the very life of it to be love; either the love which manifests itself in devotion to a person, or the love which finds expression in consecration to a cause. In Christian enthusiasm both of these loves find play, for it is first devotion to a person. Christian love is love to God, and if I love God I must cling to Him. But Christian enthusiasm is also

(3) The spirit of a sound mind--A fact that is most frequently overlooked. Hence, by many, it is regarded as a symptom of goodness of heart, possibly, but certainly of weakness of head. In the world the enthusiast is not a mad speculator or simple dreamer; he is the man who, by the sagacity with which he lays his plans, the common sense lines on which he works them, the alertness with which he seizes every opportunity, and the tenacity with which he retains his hold on every advantage, builds up a colossal business and amasses a vast fortune. And we refuse to recognise as a Christian enthusiast the man who, by his wild vagaries neutralises the good of which he might have been otherwise capable, or the man whose sanguine temperament is imposed upon by impossible ideals. We claim for Christian enthusiasm rational as well as emotional qualities. It demands the consecration of the intellect at its freshest and its best, that it may help the body to render a reasonable service. And what is this sound-mindedness? It is the self-control which conserves its energies, the patience which bides its time, the discernment which perceives that its time has come; it is the knowledge that understands its work, the judgment that determines where the work can be best done, the wisdom that suggests how to do it in the best way; it is the prudence which prepares for difficulties, the resolution which faces them, the tact which threads its way through them, or turns them to its own account. In one word, it is the mind in full health, in the health which consists of the wholeness, vigour, and harmonious activity of all the rational faculties; the intellect filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

III. Its motives. We have the gift; by what considerations are we urged and encouraged to kindle it?

1. Timothy was reminded of his responsibility in the very terms of our text.

2. Timothy was reminded of his ancestral traditions. Men of noble lineage are supposed to have stronger motives to do nobly than those of meaner origin. They have a family as well as a personal reputation to sustain.

3. Timothy was reminded of his share in the great salvation. That we might kindle our gift, God, if I may so say, kindled His.

4. Lastly, Timothy was reminded that he had been honoured with a Divine call to stir up his gift. He was called with a holy calling. There was nothing meritorious in him, as the apostle is careful to remind him, to occasion this call. It was of Gods grace, and God, who had entrusted him with the gift, now laid formal claim to the use of His own. (J. W. Burn.)

An ordination sermon

They that think that every Christian may be a preacher, and that the ministry, considered as a distinct calling or employ, is nothing but usurpation, and some ambitious mens affecting a superiority over their brethren, like the cynic of old trampling upon Platos cloak, make themselves guilty of greater pride than that which they pretend to condemn. The church is called a building, and we know that every flint or pebble is not fit to be a foundation or corner-stone, much less to be set into the ephod, and there to shine in oracles and responses. It is called a body too, and this hath various members, and these various offices, which cannot be all eyes and overseers; if they were, where would be the hearing? An ecclesiastical jurisdiction lodged in Timothy, an overseer constituted and appointed by St. Paul, even by the laying on of his hands, whereof he puts him in mind in the text, and of the gift that was bestowed upon him by that imposition of hands, and of his duty to exercise it. And here, before I enter upon the apostles exhortation, or the duty contained in it, I cannot but take notice of the softness and gentleness of his address, I put thee in remembrance. Practical discourses and salutary admonitions to men of learning and good education are a refreshing of their memories rather than teaching or illuminating their understandings. Discourses of this nature may put you in remembrance of a duty, which multiplicity of business would not suffer you to think of, or contemplations of other matters tempted you to overlook.

I. What the gift is which was in timothy, and may still be supposed to be in all those whom God calls to the same office. I shall particularise, the gift communicated to Timothy; and if we take St. Paul for our guide, we shall find this gift was a Divine power vouchsafed to this man of God, which enabled and disposed him to teach, and live, and act, and do, answerable to the duties incumbent upon him, as a governor of the house of God. The apostle in the following verse calls it the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind; the spirit of Christian fortitude, of charity, and of sedateness and tranquillity of temper.

1. The spirit of fortitude, which consists in being undaunted at danger, fearless of the frowns of men while we do no more than our duty, and a steady freedom to vindicate the truth of the gospel and the honour of Christ Jesus, whatever may be the effect or consequence of it.

2. The spirit of love. It was not without very great reason that our Saviour asked St. Peter thrice, Lovest thou Me? and Lovest thou Me more than these?

3. The spirit of a sound mind. This seems to be a temper able to curb the passions, inordinate lusts, desires, and perturbations of the mind, an admirable spirit! To know when to be angry, and when to be calm; when to be severe, and when to be moderate and gentle. The mind is then sound when it keeps the lower faculties in good order, and it is an argument of wisdom to judge of things without heats, or prejudice, or prospect of self-interest, and to keep the wild desires of corrupted nature in awe, and to do things with prudence and moderation.

II. How this gift was anciently and is still bestowed and communicated. By the putting on of my hands, saith St. Paul; and in 1Ti_4:14 he adds, by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, i.e., of the whole apostolical college, or the greater part of the apostles, who it is like were present upon the place. This rite or ceremony of imposition of hands on a person designed for Church offices and the service of the tabernacle, Isidore and others derive from Isaacs blessing his son Jacob, which they suppose was done by the Patriarchs laying his hands upon Jacobs head; from Jacobs laying his hands on his grandchildren and blessing them; from Mosess laying his hand on Joshua, and communicating part of his spirit to him. The ancient Romans used to lay their hands upon their slaves when they made them free; and Numa Pompilius had hands laid on him when he was made High Pontiff; but it is probable that even these fetched it from the Jews. The Christian Churches, who retained what was good and praiseworthy among the Jews, seeing nothing in this rite but what was grave, and decent, and solemn, and serious, adopted it into their service. In sacrificing beasts to the honour of God the priest laid his hands on the victims head, to show he dedicated it to God, and from common, separated it to a holy use, and dismissed it from the service of men into that of the most high God; all which significations did wonderfully well agree with the end of the ministerial function under the gospel, and therefore the Christians had no reason to reject this useful and decent custom. This imposition of hands was no physical cause of conveying the Holy Ghost, but an external assurance, that as surely as the hands were laid on the head of the person ordained, so surely would the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind, light upon his soul if he did not obstruct it by wilful departing from the living God. That this rite hath lasted in the Church from the apostles time unto this day is what the concurrent testimonies of all ages witness.

III. How this gift is to be stirred up, and what is the best and most proper way to do it. In the original it is ἀναζωπυρε͂ιν, which is as much as stirring up the fire, or blowing the coals, and making the fire burn that lies mingled with the ashes. So that the Spirit of God conferred upon sacred persons by the imposition of hands is lodged in the soul, as the treasure in the gospel was hid in the field, which required digging and searching to make it useful. It is like gold in the ore, which requires melting, and cleansing, and purifying; like a stock of money which requires improvement by trading; like seed sown in the ground, which requires watering and other labour and industry to make it come forth, and grow, and spread, and yield fruit, and strengthen mans heart. This stirring up of the gift of God respects either the means that are to be used, or the duty itself. The means hinted in this and the preceding Epistle are chiefly three--prayer, reading, meditating.

1. Prayer. Who can live without it? Who can act or do anything of moment without the assistance of this spiritual engine? Nature teaches mankind to begin their works of concernment with God; grace therefore must be supposed to press this duty infinitely more, on you particularly, the heirs of Timothys office, in order to this stirring up the gift of God that is in you, by the imposition of hands. God that gives you talents intends not that you should bury them in the earth, or lay them up in a napkin, but occupy and traffic with them, and be gainers by them; and to do this His help is necessary, who gives strength to the weak and power to the feeble; and this help is not to be had without importunate cries and solicitations. These prayers must have fire; it is their fervour that unlocks the secret cabinet of the Almighty.

2. Reading. This the apostle expressly recommends to Timothy (1Ti_4:13) in order to his stirring up the gift of God. Reading what? No doubt the Holy Scripture, and therefore our Church proscribes, delivering a Bible into the hands of the person upon whom episcopal hands are laid. The great examples you meet with here, the industry of Moses, the zeal of Elijah, the fervour of St. Paul, the vigour of St. Stephen, the courage of St. Peter, the assiduity of Apollos, the sincerity of Barnabas, what are these but so many motives to stir up the gift of God that is in you? Add to all this the glorious, the precious, the large, the sweet, the wonderful promises, promises of Christs assistance, promises of comfort, of support, of eternal life and glory, which will animate and enliven, and prompt you to blow up the fire of the sanctuary and the coal of the altar, that it may consume the dross and tin, not only that which cleaves to your own souls, but that also which sticks to others, that see and hear you, and converse with you.

3. Meditating. This is also urged among the means, not to neglect the gift of God. Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them (1Ti_4:15). The bare reading will make no great impression. Meditation digests and rouses the soul from her slumber. This quickens the faculties, sets all the wheels a-going, incites to labour, prompts to industry, and moves and even compels us to imitate the great examples set down in the Word of God, and to follow their faith, and wisdom, and hope, and love, and charity. But in what doth the stirring up of the gift of God consist? Chiefly in these three particulars.

1. Feeding the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over Gods heritage, but being examples to the flock. Ye are the captains, the generals in Christs army, while you bear the heat and burden of the day, detract no labour, spare no pains, live like faithful stewards of the mystery of God, vindicate your Masters honour, act like persons who have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, and by manifestation of the truth commend yourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God; you make good the glorious titles and the names which are given you, such as angels, and stars, and lights of the world, and the salt of the earth, and a city set on a hill, etc.

2. Labouring and making it your business to reform abuses.

3. Enduring hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, a duty very warmly recommended to Timothy (2Ti_2:3). In discharging your duty faithfully, you must expect obloquy, and slanders, and reproaches, and other inconveniences. (A. Horneck, D. D.)

The latent spiritual force in man

I. That there is in man some spiritual force which is in a special sense the gift of God. Indeed, our very existence, with all its physical and mental attributes, is His gift. But this spiritual force is something special, and it may be said to comprehend at least three elements.

1. The sentiment of religious worship.

2. The sentiment of moral obligation. He has an inbred feeling that there is an authority over him to which he owes allegiance, that there are laws which he should recognise and obey.

3. The sentiment of social love. The social love is something more than gregariousness, than mere animal sympathy, which seem to belong to all sentient life. It is benevolence, a well-wishing for the race. Indeed, our life, with all its attributes, is His gift, but this spiritual force is especially so. It is bestowed upon man only; it is something greater than intellect, imagination, genius. These it works as its instruments. It is in truth the substratum of his moral being, the former of his character, the controller of his destiny.

II. That the urgent duty of man is to rouse this spiritual force into right action. To stir up into right action this spiritual force is every mans paramount self-obligation. He has to rouse up into right action the spiritual power that lies within him and which is Gods greatest gift. The command implies--

1. That man has the power to do so. Every righteous obligation implies the existence of adequate power of obedience. But how can man do it?

(1) How can he stir up the sentiment of worship into healthy action? By devout meditations on the moral excellencies of the one true and living God.

(2) How can he stir up the sentiment of obligation? By contemplating the Divine will, which is the supreme law of life.

(3) How can he stir up into right action the sentiment of holy love? By a devout study of the claims and needs of his fellow men. In this way every man can stir up this spiritual force, the gift of God that is within him.

2. On doing this depends his true dignity and bliss. Man can only become great by the right use of his great powers, by bringing out into right action all the great forces of his spiritual nature. The man who has not thus risen, has only risen as the stone has risen which has been hurled up into air, it must come down to the earth again. But he who rises by developing the spiritual forces of his nature, ascends heavenward, as the eagle that guides itself up from earth to heaven through clouds and sunshine. Conclusion: Man attend to thyself, not selfishly, and occasionally, but generously and constantly. There is an exhaustless field lying within thee fraught with countless germs of life and power. Throughout nature there are latent forces--fire mighty enough to burn up the universe sleeps in every atom of dust and drop of water. Powers sleep in the acorn sufficient to cover continents with majestic forests, and there is a spiritual force within us, rightly directed, that will build us into angels and lift us to the highest heavens of being. Let us, therefore, stir up this spiritual force, this gift of God within us. (David Thomas, D. D.)

Latent spiritual power

What is the course of the development of this spiritual gift, or, better, this gift of the Spirit? What is the manifestation and unfolding of this new energy of God in the highest branch of mans nature? It is quiet and gentle as all Gods operations are in the hearts that yield to Him; only an earthquake does it become when opposed by rocky natures, a desolating whirlwind among the stubborn oaks and cedars. It unfolds in willing hearts as seed in congenial soil, always with a promise of more and more; the blade, the ear, the full corn in the ear; the full corn in the ear multiplied thirty, sixty, an hundredfold, and each corn the promise and potency by a similar method of a hundred more. See how it increases. A young convert begins in an unobtrusive way to speak to a few wild boys whom he gathers together, one and another of whom become Christians; the number grows, and with growth of responsibility the convert receives increase of power. The class becomes a congregation; the few trembling, kind words he managed to speak at first become the powerful address; the boys are joined by men and women; the address becomes a sermon. That may be one way in which the gift of God may be developed and displayed. It is only one. For I hold the gift of the Spirit, which comes at conversion, to be also a gift for service. It is the same grace working through us to produce in other hearts precisely the fruits He has produced in us--repentance through our repentance, faith through our faith, love through our love, hope through our hope. The regenerated soul brings forth graces after their kind, just as the earth grass, and herb, and tree, yielding fruit whose seed is in itself, after its kind. But if all require His presence and help, none so manifestly require them as the minister who has to feed the flock of God. His nature ought to lie open to Divine influence at every point, and every call of his ministry should be a call to try and prove what the Spirit of Christ which is in him can accomplish for him and through him. He sometimes finds out the vastness of his supernatural resources through being made painfully conscious of the inadequacy of his natural powers for the work to be done. He sees the truth dimly, and therefore seeks for the light of the Spirit to be shed upon it and irradiate it. And here I would say that I am free to admit, as has been always held by those who intelligently believe that the God who created our natural powers is the same as He who sanctifies them and works through them, that the greater the gifts by nature and cultivation, the greater the number of points at which the Holy Spirit may move us, and that Divine power is conditioned by human receptivity. The gift of the Spirit to Timothy was the same as to Paul; and yet since Timothys measure was not as capacious as Pauls, and, perhaps, because he did not so diligently stir up his gift as Paul, his lifo, beautiful and useful though it was, lacked the luxuriant fruitfulness of Pauls. The condition of our doing our best is that we allow God to do the best He can through us. And be our other gifts few or many, brilliant or humble, the reason for stirring up the flame of the great gift is just the same in all cases. For you would not have your poor gift without the fire that can make even it glow with fervour, as I have often seen the lips of poor, illiterate, feeble-minded men burn with rapture which gave beauty and charm to all they said. And you would not have your finer gifts, if you possess such, bereft of that energy which is a touch of omnipotence, nor left without that inspiration which is a pulse of the heart of infinite love. No one can tell the wealth of his gift in the possession of the Spirit of God. Let us put ourselves in remembrance that we may stir up the gift of God. Let us remember the day of our first submission, and how it ought to have implied a life-long submission, a continual yielding up of self and self-will. Let us remember the day of our consecration, the hopes which then gleamed in our heaven, the vows which then trembled on our lips. If the promise of these times has been blasted or dimmed, let us seek the renewing of our hearts by the Spirit which dwelleth in us. If the promise has been fulfilled, or even more than fulfilled, still let us honour the Spirit by whom we have been kept, sanctified, and used. (J. P. Gledstone.)

Ordination

The poet Keble said on one occasion that he wished he could attend an ordination service every year of his life, that he might be reminded of first principles.

The Nemesis of neglected gifts

There is a terrible penalty attached to the neglect of the higher faculties, whether intellectual or moral; a penalty which works surely and unerringly by a natural law. We all of us have imagination, intellect, will. These wonderful powers must have an object, must have employment. If we do not give them their true object, viz., the glory of God, they will find an object for themselves. Instead of soaring upwards on the wings supplied by the glories of creation and the mercies of redemption, they will sink downwards into the mire. They will fasten upon the flesh; and in an atmosphere poisoned by debasing associations they will become debased also. Instead of raising the man who possesses them into that higher life, which is a foretaste of heaven, they will hurry him downwards with the accumulated pressure of an undisciplined intellect, a polluted imagination, and a lawless will. That which should have been for wealth becomes an occasion of falling. Angels of light become angels of darkness. And powers which ought to be as priests, conseorating the whole of our nature to God, become as demons, shameless and ruthless in devoting us to the evil one Gods royal gifts of intellect and will cannot be flung away, cannot be left unused, cannot be extinguished. For good or for evil they are ours; and they are deathless. But, though they cannot be destroyed, they can be neglected. They can be buried in the earth till they breed worms and stink. They call be allowed to run riot, until they become as wild beasts, and turn again and rend us. Or, in the spirit of power, of love and of discipline, they may be chastened by lofty exercise and sanctified to heavenly uses, till they become more and more fit to be the equipment of one, who is for ever to stand before the throne of God, and praise Him day and night in His temple. (A. Plummer, D. D.)

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

2Ti 1:6-7. Wherefore — Because I remember this; I put thee in remembrance — Because of my love to thee; that thou stir up the gift of God — That is, every gift which the grace of God has given thee. The word αναζωπυρειν is a metaphorical expression, borrowed from stirring up fire when it is almost extinct, and thereby causing it to burn with a fresh flame. The meaning is, that Timothy was to embrace the opportunities which his station afforded him for improving his spiritual gifts, by boldly and diligently exercising them in inculcating and defending the doctrines of the gospel. By the putting on of my hands — Together with those of the presbytery, 1Ti 4:14. And let nothing discourage thee, for God hath not given us the spirit of fear — That is, the spirit which God hath given us Christians, is not the spirit of fear, or of timidity, or cowardice, as δειλιας signifies; but of power — Banishing fear; or of Christian courage in the midst of dangers and troubles; and of love — To God and all mankind, animating us to zeal and diligence in God’s service, and in our endeavours to save men’s souls. And of a sound mind — So as to act according to the best principles of reason and religion.

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

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

2Ti_1:6. Stir up the gift.—As the soldier draws together the embers of his watch-fire, making the flame leap up, so St. Paul would have this good soldier of Jesus Christ attend to the charisma or gift within him. R.V. margin, “stir into flame.”

2Ti_1:7. Spirit of fear.—Or cowardice. Alford thinks there is a touch of severity in this word for “fear,” putting before Timothy his timidity in such a light as to shame him. If so, Timothy was not himself. A sound mind.—R.V. “discipline.” Margin, “Gr. sobering.”

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—2Ti_1:6-7

The Responsibility of Divine Gifts.

I. Divine gifts are a moral equipment for the highest service.—

1. A spirit of fearlessness. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power” (2Ti_1:7). Not a spirit of cowardice, but of courage.

(1) This courage enables us to confront and vanquish the enmity and reproach of the world.

(2) To bear up under religious trials.

(3) Is a Divinely inspired courage.

2. A spirit of love (2Ti_1:7). The spirit of love is a necessary counterpoise to the spirit of power, and prevents it from degenerating into bravado and presumptuous daring.

(1) This love is disinterested.

(2) Universal.

(3) Inexhaustible.

3. The spirit of a sound mind (2Ti_1:7). The spirit of self-discipline and self-government—

(1) Has a keen perception and sober discrimination of the truth.

(2) A love of the truth.

(3) Love in the acquisition of the truth.

(4) In the right use of the truth. What the ballast is to the balloon, the safety-valve to the steam-engine, the beam to the balance, the rudder to the ship, that the sound mind is to the Christian character.

II. The possession of Divine gifts involves responsibility for their use.—God bestows gifts not for display or adornment, but for use. Gifts unused will rust; it is only as they are exercised that they shine and illuminate ourselves and others. No man knows what he can do till he tries. God has left no man without a gift; there are latent possibilities in every man. The world is all the poorer to-day because of its unused talents. It is pitiable to see talent misdirected. Alexander the Great meeting with a man who, with much practice, could throw small peas through a needle’s eye without once missing, ordered him a present suitable to his employment—a basket of peas. We accomplish our mission in life by faithfully and diligently using God’s gifts.

III. We need to be stimulated to renewed zeal in the use of Divine gifts.—“Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee” (2Ti_1:6). Away from the magnetic influence of Paul, Timothy might be tempted to be remiss. The apostle recognises the existence of the gift—the gift of grace and faith—of which Timothy gave evidence at his ordination, and urges him to keep it in active exercise. The best of men need reminding of past blessings, and to exert the power they already possess. Keble said on one occasion, he wished he could attend an ordination service every year of his life, that he might be reminded of first principles. We can never make the best of ourselves, or benefit others, without vigorous effort.

Lessons.—

1. No one man possesses every gift.

2. God has left no man without a gift.

3. We should use the gifts we have so as to honour God.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

2Ti_1:6. Our Gift and the Divine Claim.

I. There is the ethnic or rare gift.

II. There is the family, hereditary gift.

III. There is to each one a gift from God distinctly personal.

IV. We thus come to the Christian gift.—A general capacity for service; a gift composed of many gifts.—Raleigh.

2Ti_1:7. The Christian’s prevailing Spirit of Mind.

I. To what it stands opposed.—“A spirit of fear.” Not the natural passion of fear, or a sense of danger; not the reverential fear of God; but a prevailing disposition of terror and timidity, a slavish dread of God as judge, or of man as an adversary, such a shrinking of the soul as destroys all holy confidence towards our heavenly Father and deprives us of all resolution in doing what is right.

II. In what it consists.—

1. A spirit of power. It denotes such a powerful impression of Divine truth and heavenly blessings as inspires us with vigour and resolution of mind in all we are called to do, in order to form ourselves upon the precepts of the gospel and to maintain its influence in the world. It is a spirit of energy in all that concerns the work of God, in opposition to everything like indifference, unsteadfastness, unfruitfulness.

2. A spirit of love. The love of God—a devout adoration of His excellencies and a grateful sense of His benefits, powerfully constraining us to imitate those perfections we adore, and manifest towards others that love which we acknowledge.

3. The spirit of a sound mind. The same thing as wisdom, prudence, a sober judgment, accompanied by composure and self-command; good sense, exalted and enlightened by heavenly wisdom, a mind free from the perturbations of passion and the extravagance of folly, capable of judging soundly and acting with sobriety.

III. Its excellence and use in the Christian life.—A spirit “God hath given us.” All its principles are calculated to support each other and to form by their union a complete and consistent character. We see the spirit of power, without love, hardening into austerity, and, without soundness of mind, rushing into extravagance. We see the spirit of love, without power, sinking into a soft timidity, and, without soundness of mind, yielding the most sinful compliances. We see the spirit of a sound mind, without power, settling in sloth, and, without love, souring into selfishness. Without the spirit of power, all is feebleness; without the spirit of love, all is ferociousness; without the spirit of a sound mind, all is foolishness. The first is the acting hand, the second the feeling heart, the last the directing head.—J. Brewster.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

III

Exhortation to Timothy to stir up and to apply well the gifts of grace which had been conferred upon him.—The motive hereto; reference to the example of Paul, and others

2Ti_1:6-18

6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by [through] the putting on of my hands. 7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; [,] but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind6 8[self-restraint]. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions7 of the gospel 9according to the power of God; [,] Who hath [omit “hath”] saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began8 10[before the ages]; But is now made manifest by [through] the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath [both]9 abolished death, and hath brought 11life and immortality [incorruption] to light through the gospel: [,] Where-unto [In respect of which] I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a 12teacher of the Gentiles. For the [omit “the”] which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed10 unto him against [unto] that day. 13Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of [from] me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14That good thing [fair trust] which was committed unto [to] thee, keep by [through] the Holy Ghost which [who] dwelleth in us. 15This thou knowest, that all they which are [all those] in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus11 and Hermogenes. 16The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: [,] 17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently,12 and found me. 18The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well [better].

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

2Ti_1:6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance. With these words the Apostle introduces an exhortation which is farther elaborated in the whole chapter, and founded in differing motives. Δἰ ἥν αἰτίαν refers back clearly to what immediately precedes. Just because Paul knows that the faith of the mother and the grandmother of Timothy dwelt in him also, he has the candor to address an exhortation to him, which would have been entirely out of place to an unbeliever—I put thee in remembrance, ἀναμιμνήσκω; I remind thee, hortandi notione inclusâ; Wahl.—That thou stir up the gift of God.Ἁναζωπυρεῖν, composed of ἀνά and ζωπυρεῖν; properly, to kindle again into a blaze the half-concealed coals under the ashes—to quicken them anew. Hence the significance of the revivifying of the inner spiritual fire. The LXX. use the same word (Gen_45:27), for the Hebrew חָיָה. The gift of which Paul here speaks is compared with a fire, precisely as in 1Th_5:19, which is capable both of decrease and increase. The Apostle here, as in 1Ti_4:14, alludes to the gift of the calling (Lehrberuf) received from God, and addresses Timothy not as a Christian simply, but chiefly as teacher. It is somewhat premature to infer from this exhortation that Timothy was not fervent in spirit (Rom_12:11). Certainly the holy fire was in him, but it should blaze forth in a yet brighter flame.—What teacher might not need continually such an exhortation, without our construing it into an indirect censure upon him? In the main, it contains nothing else and farther than what is written in 1Ti_6:11-12; 2Ti_2:15.—By the putting on of my hands (comp. 1Ti_4:14). The Apostle had, it is likely, taken personal part in the solemnity there mentioned; and it harmonizes fully with the more fatherly and confidential character of his second Epistle, that he emphasizes specially this his personal share in the transaction.

2Ti_1:7. For God hath not given us. The exhortation to increase spiritual capital becomes strengthened by reference to that which has been received already. Paul is himself conscious that he has received one and the self-same πνεῦμα with Timothy; and knows, likewise, on the ground of his own experience, how it operates, and what. This he states, first negatively, and then also positively. It is no spirit of fear, δειλίας (comp. Rom_8:15); with this distinction, however, that there, slavish fear before God, while here feeble timidity before men, is referred to as being in direct contradiction with the peculiar character of the Christian spirit. It appears obviously, that Timothy, who was of gentle disposition, borne down by manifold discouraging cares, was in special danger, more than others, of yielding weakly to despondency, without, however, being justly obnoxious to the suspicion of defect in his faith, or of unfaithfulness in his work. “Timothy seems, from the persecutions which the cause of the gospel encountered, and especially from what Paul had suffered, to have become inwardly affected and crippled (?) in his activity. We cannot well reach any other conclusion from the πνεῦμα δειλίας of 2Ti_1:7. He did not exercise the duties of the office conferred upon him with the freedom and energy which the relations of the community demanded.”—But of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The first characteristic stands opposed to faint-heartedness; the two other qualities are added, apparently, by the Apostle, so that it may be distinctly manifest that he recommends no wild, rough exhibitions of force, but only such as were confined within legal limits. The ἀγαπή renders us capable for the offering of the greatest sacrifice for the cause of the Lord; the σωφρονισμός is that Christian self-control which imparts power to a wise bearing in action, and in all things knows how to keep within true bounds.

2Ti_1:8. Be not thou therefore ashamed … of his prisoner. From what he had stated generally in 2Ti_1:6-7, the Apostle now proceeds (in 2Ti_1:8-12) to particulars. He had declared of himself (in Rom_1:16), that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, since it is a power of God unto salvation. Now it is his wish that Timothy shall freely make the same confession, although ridicule and shame attend the preaching of the gospel.—Of the testimony of our Lord, is not the martyrdom of Christ Himself, nor even the testimony of the death of the Lord upon the cross in particular, but, in general, the testimony of the truth which, by and with the preaching of the gospel, was set forth, and of which preaching, the Lord Jesus Christ was chief person and centre. Very naturally, this admonition is connected with what immediately precedes: “Timorem pudor comitatur, victo timore fugit pudor malus;” Bengel.—Nor of me his prisoner. The one thing was inseparably bound up with the other. Were Timothy ashamed freely to preach the Lord, then he would be in the highest degree unwilling to confess that he stood in any intimate relation with the imprisoned Paul. In the mind of the Apostle himself, his bonds were his badge of honor, which he would be willing at no price to forego (comp. Act_26:29; Gal_6:17). How thence could it be a matter of indifference to him, if any one, and especially Timothy, should be offended at them?—But be thou partaker, &c. Instead of avoiding, through an ignominious retreat, Suffering in behalf of the good cause, Timothy must rather courageously submit to it. Συγκακοπάθησον τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ; not, suffer with the gospel, bear with it the disgrace attached to it, but, suffer with me, who also am suffering (σύν) for the gospel, which must be preached at any risk, and is thoroughly deserving of the grandest sacrifices. Τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, a dativus commodi, wholly like Php_1:27. And in order to repel every possible objection, as if the fulfilment of this heavy demand might far surpass the powers of Timothy, the Apostle now adds: according to the power of God; which words are not to be understood as in apposition with τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, but with συγκακοπάθησον. The Divine power which was already (according to 2Ti_1:7) in Timothy, would fit him for the offering of the heaviest sacrifice.

2Ti_1:9. Who saved us. That Timothy might be still more emphatically aroused to courageous endurance, Paul reminds him of the infinite wealth of the salvation, to the personal enjoyment of which he had come through the very same gospel. Here also, as usually in the Pastoral Epistles, God is set forth as σωτήρ of the faithful through Christ. Of this σωτηρία, Paul and Timothy, like all believers, are actual partakers. The means through which this σωτηρία becomes theirs, Paul signifies epexegetically when he speaks here of the calling. In this passage, moreover, as generally with the Apostle, we must not think of a mere outward calling which happens without any distinction between believers and unbelievers, but of an outward and an inward calling, to which man, on his part, has responded through the obedience of faith (comp. Rom_8:30). It is in the highest degree arbitrary to think here exclusively of a special calling to the office of a Christian teacher (Heydenreich), since it is evident from the context that nothing else than the general Christian calling is meant. It is called holy not so much because it proceeds forth from the Holy Ghost, but chiefly because it urges and obliges to holiness. But wherein the origin of this wholly incomparable advantage is to be found, the Apostle states in what immediately follows: Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, &c. A genuine Pauline compendium of his preaching of the gospel (comp. Rom_3:24; Eph_1:4). The standard (κατά) is not our works (comp. Tit_3:5; Eph_2:8-9), but solely and alone the free grace of God, the only ground of which is in Himself (αὐτοκίνητος), and is excited, merited, or called forth through nothing in the creature. Consequently, the emphasis here must be placed upon ἴδιος; and the grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, is to be regarded as the actualization of God’s idea of that which He had purposed in Himself (comp. Eph_1:10). “What God determines in eternity, is as good as already made actual in Time;” De Wette. Here, as always with Paul, Christ is represented as the centre of Divine grace (χάρις). That this grace is already bestowed before the world began, πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, is a proof, moreover, that it is entirely independent of the works of men. “Ab ordine temporis, argumentatur, nobis salutem gratis esse datam, quam minime eramus promeriti. Nam si ante mundi creationem elegit nos Deus, non potuit operum habere rationem, quæ nulla erant, quum nondum essemus ipsi. Nam quod sophistæ cavillantur, Deum operibus, quæ prævidebat, fuisse adductum, non longa solutione indiget. Qualia enim futura erant opera, si essemus a Deo præteriti, quum omnium bonorum fons et initium sit ipsa electio?” Calvin. “From the order of time he adduces argument that salvation is given to us freely, we being in no degree deserving of it. For if God chose us before the creation of the world, he could not have the ground (rationem) of works, which were null when we were not yet in existence. For the cavil of the sophists, that God was governed by the works He foresaw, does not need a lengthened discussion. For what were future works, had we been passed by by God, since election itself is the fountain and beginning of all good works?”

2Ti_1:10. But is now made manifest, &c. Over against what God had purposed from eternity, the Apostle sets forth now what He had done in the fulness of time to realize His determination. He means a φανέρωσις, not only through the word of the gospel, but through the highest deed of Divine love, visible in the manifestation of Christ. The Apostle states a sort of antithesis to this in Rom_16:25. The manifestation of the Lord, ἐπιφάνεια, is not only His coming into the world per se, but His earthly manifestation in its complete circumference; and the fulness of blessing from it is expressed, negatively and positively, in these words: Who abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light. The antithesis of life and death is thoroughly Pauline. Both words here must be understood also in their full force. By death, we must not think simply of the moment of separation between body and soul, but of that death which, as the wages of sin, forms a decided opposition to spiritual and eternal life, ςωή. We must think of death as the power which has seized the entire man, body and soul, in consequence of sin, and which makes physical the precursor of moral death (Wiesinger). Life, on the other hand, is that true, spiritual life, which is perfectly identical with the highest happiness, is enjoyed, indeed, this side the grave, is not destroyed by death, and is perfected beyond. The exegetical clause, καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν, denotes it as eternal, imperishable; so that the idea coincides nearly with the ζωὴ αἰώνιος of John. Christ now has destroyed this death. Καταργεῖν signifies here also, as in 1Co_15:26; Heb_2:14, such a destruction that death is despoiled of his whole power. “In Græcis scriptoribus hoc sensu legere non memini;” Winer. Already now, for believers, death is nothing; the time will come when it shall cease to be. On the other hand, Christ has brought to light life and immortality. Φωτίζειν, an expression which is chosen all the more appropriately here, since also the power of death is a power of darkness. Not only because Christ has imparted this life and immortality to His own (Huther), but chiefly because He has revealed this, and placed it before our eyes, can it be said of Him that He has brought both forth from darkness into light. Never would the world have experienced what eternal life and immortality, in the full meaning of the words, are, had it not beheld them in Christ. We are not accustomed to think here exclusively of the death and resurrection of Christ, although these are in no way excluded. Through His entire manifestation and activity He has bestowed upon us the blessings here mentioned. For the rest, it is obvious that the revelation of life which is given in Christ is likewise, for believers in Him, a communication of life.—Through the gospel; here brought forward as the instrument through which the revelation of life, which was given objectively in Christ, comes subjectively to the knowledge of believing Christians. The gospel is not considered here simply as doctrine, but also as the power of God to save all who believe in it (Rom_1:16; 1Th_2:13).

2Ti_1:11. Whereunto … a teacher of the Gentiles (comp. 1Ti_2:7). This also is an addition, which does not spring from apologetical considerations, but from the personal heart-necessities of the Apostle. It is as if he felt with twofold force the need of setting forth to himself, in his deep humiliation, his high rank. The accumulation of the words here is in no way a tautology. Κήρυξ is the general signification of the Christian office of teaching, which embraces also evangelists and prophets. Of this genus, ἀπόστολος is a species, while διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν is the designation of the sphere in which the apostolate of Paul moves. There is no sufficient ground for removing ἐθνῶν13 from the text, as critically suspicious.

2Ti_1:12. For which cause, &c. Here also, as in 2Ti_1:6, δἰ ἤν αἰτίαν belongs to what immediately precedes. Because, indeed, I am appointed a preacher, &c., καὶ ταῦτα πάσχω. The Apostle thinks of his present imprisonment, with all the calamities connected with it, which for Timothy require no more explicit description.—Ἀλλ̓ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι; namely, of the suffering which I must bear for the Lord’s cause. The Apostle wishes, evidently, to encourage Timothy, through his own example, to carry out his prescript (2Ti_1:8). And upon the question whether it be possible for him to reach such a height, he refers to the source of his own joyfulness.—For I know, &c. ̔͂Ω πεπίστευκα; pudorem pellit fiducia futuri; Bengel. Christ might be the implied subject of discourse (comp. 2Ti_1:10); but it is more evident that God is (comp. Act_27:25; Tit_3:8), although it is obvious that not God in Himself, but specially God in Christ, is the object of the believing confidence of the Apostle. That which immediately follows, shows upon what ground this trust can be so firm and unwavering.—And am persuaded that he is able, &c. The certitude here expressed is that of living faith, the object of which is the almightiness of God.—To keep that which I have committed, &c., τὴν παραθήκην μου (comp. 1Ti_6:20). As the same word is used in 2Ti_1:14 in this chapter, the presumption is, that in all these places the same thing is denoted; which certainly is possible, though by no means necessary. If we understand the word in the sense in which it is used in 1Ti_6:20, then we must think necessarily of the apostolic function (De Wette, Otto, and others), and find this thought: I am persuaded that the Lord, according to His might; will ever guard that, the administration of which He has entrusted to me, &c. But how could the Lord guard, in the strict sense of the word, the office of Paul, when Paul himself should no longer be upon the earth, while, in fact, he was expecting to fall asleep before the Parousia? Hence it is more simple, by πὴν παραθήκην μου, to think of something which Paul, on his part, had confided to the Lord, and had given in trust as a costly treasure, so that now he would not be solicitous about it even for a moment. And on the question what this could be, it is altogether the simplest we hold, to think here of the eternal salvation of his soul, and also to understand the word in the sense in which Calvin wrote upon this place: “Observa etiam nomen depositi pro vita æterna; nam inde colligimus, non alitur in manu Dei salutam nostram esse, ac sunt in manu depositarii, quæ ipsius fidei custodienda tradimus. Si penes nos esset salus nostra, quot assidue periculis exposita foret? Nunc vero bene est, quod apud talem custodem reposita omni discrimine est superior.”—(“Observe also the name deposit for life eternal: for we collect thence that our salvation is not otherwise in the hand of God than those things are in the hands of a trustee, which we yield under the guardianship of faith itself. If salvation were in our keeping, how constantly would it be exposed to dangers. Now indeed it is well that it is in the keeping of such a custodian, and above all risk.”) Other views can be found collected and examined by De Wette and Huther on this place. By the indefiniteness of the expression, and the absence of any clearer indication in the context, it is difficult to hit upon a view which leaves no single difficulty remaining.—Against that day; the day of the coming of Christ, when that which is hidden shall be brought to light, and the crown of life shall be given to all who love His appearing (comp. 2Ti_4:8).

2Ti_1:13. Hold fast the form, &c. “Repetit præceptum de conservanda puritate doctrinæ, quod sæpissime in divinis concionibus recitatur. Et summa comprehensa est in hoc dicto: si quis aliud Evangelium docuerit, anathema sit. Usus est Paulus hic singulari verbo: retineas formam sanorum verborum, i.e., quæ tibi antea declineata est. Vult et res ipsas retineri et modos loquendi perspicuos et usitatos prophetis et apostolis. Quamquam enim non superstitiose postulat ubique eadem verba recitari, tamen vult vitari ambiguitates etλογομαχίας;” Melanchthon. (“He repeats the precept concerning the preservation of the purity of doctrine, which is most frequently uttered in Divine addresses. And the sum is comprised in this saying: If any one shall have taught another gospel, let him be anathema. Paul uses here the verb singular: hold fast the form of sound words—i.e., which has been set forth to thee before. He desires that both things be held fast, and also the clear modes of speaking, and such as were customary with apostles and prophets. For although be does not superstitiously demand that the same words be everywhere recited, he wishes nevertheless that ambiguities and λογομαχίαι be avoided.”) By ὑποτύπωσις is to be understood a brief sketch of Christian doctrine over against an extended treatise. Some commentators (e.g., Herder) have thought here of a written draft, which Paul had left behind as a guide to Timothy. But in this case Paul would not have said, which thou hast heard of me, but, which I have sketched for thee. He has certainly written the form here indicated, but in such a style as is meant, e.g., in 2Co_3:3. Upon the mind of Timothy the ὑποτύπωσις was impressed in indelible colors, and therefore he could do nothing better than to keep himself up to it as closely as possible. Ἕχειν also here is equivalent to κατέχειν, as well as φυλάσσειν, 2Ti_1:14.—In faith, &c. (not, of faith and of love; Luther). No indication, this, of what were the contents of sound words, but an exhibition of the style and way in which Timothy should hold fast the words of the Apostle. Not in an outward, mechanical way, but also that faith and love might be like a vase in which the model referred to would be preserved; so that for that reason likewise also, it was the personal and spiritual characteristic of Timothy. If this last existed, then would he reproduce independently, without the slightest injury to the truth, the sound words of the Apostle, and repeat them, in no degree only as an echo, in a lifeless way. By the addition, love Which is in Christ Jesus, is signified that this love must be kept up and preserved in personal life-fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This love of the heart sharpens the memory of the understanding in the preservation of the sound words, as this is seen, e.g., in the Evangelist John, who in his advanced age was still in condition to repeat the extended dialogues and discourses of the Lord.

2Ti_1:14. That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep, &c. A concluding exhortation, in which all that is said in 2Ti_1:6-13 is yet once briefly summed up. (Upon παραθήκη, see on 1Ti_6:20). There is no adequate ground for understanding this word here wholly in the same sense as in 2Ti_1:12, There the Apostle spoke of a deposit (depositum) with which he had entrusted his God; here, on the other hand, he speaks of a cause which God had confided to Timothy. Many interpreters think exclusively of the sound words spoken of in 2Ti_1:13; but in this case there would be a flat tautology. This exhortation is referred more appropriately, perhaps, to 2Ti_1:6, and by παραθήκη is understood the χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ which Timothy had received for the work of his ministry. This trust committed to him is named good, in the same sense in which the Apostle earlier (1Ti_6:12) had spoken of the good fight of faith. Timothy ought to keep this free from all harm, not through his own, strength, but through the strength of the Holy Ghost who dwells in us, the believing, without distinction, and along with Whom the power to remain true and steadfast is imparted. “Timothy should not apply any human instrument to the keeping of the παραθήκη; the only instrument must be the Holy Ghost; that is, he must permit Him to rule and work without trammels and freely in him, and do only that to which He directs him” (Huther).

2Ti_1:15. This thou knowest, that all, &c. As a warning for Timothy, who ought to see, in the examples, alleged, the consequences of a want of watchfulness, Paul reminds him of what he had suffered at the hands of the unfaithful Asiatics. This thou knowest, οἶδας τοῦτο; the thing itself is known indeed to Timothy, but it is here most appropriately recalled to his memory. “It is indeed very natural, that while he exhorts one to courage, he sets before him examples of cowardice and inconstancy” (Schleiermacher). Perhaps, moreover, the place admits of translation in the form of a question, thus: “Knowest thou indeed this?” Οἶδας τοῦτο =ἀγάπας με (Joh_21:15). The matter itself to which Paul here alludes is somewhat obscure. By Asia, Asia proconsularis is to be understood here—Mysia, Phrygia, Lydia, and Caria (Asia cis Taurum, or, according to Ptolemy, ἡ ἰδίως καλουμένη Ἀσἱα). There is no occasion, in the meanwhile, to think, by those who are in Asia, (ἐν τῇ ̓Ασιᾳ), exclusively of the teachers of false doctrines, since through their errors they had already become separated from Paul in principle. There were also believers in general, who, after they had first followed the Apostle to a certain point, had, in a way not known to us, turned from him. Ἀποστρέφειν = aversari, to turn the face from any one, to turn the back upon; also, inwardly to renounce any one. A wide field for conjecture has here opened itself to exegetes. The most prevalent view (Chrysostom, Theodoret, et al.) is, that persons from Asia Minor, who, upon some occasion, had come to Rome during this imprisonment of the Apostle, were ashamed of him in his bonds, and had not taken any notice of him. The view also has some probability, that certain persons had come to Rome from Asia Minor with the design, originally, to serve Paul as witnesses upon his trial, but, when they observed that his cause would terminate unfavorably, had prudently withdrawn. The only difficulty, then, were that we should expect to read, ὁι ἐκ Ἀσίας, while ἐν Ἀσίᾳ is written. If we bear in mind, however, that they had their dwelling in Asia, and that, when this Epistle was written, they had returned thither, this difficulty disappears. Others think otherwise. Of Phygellus and Hermogenes, whom Paul mentions here by name, either because their conduct had affected him most unpleasantly, or also because they were specially known to Timothy, we discover no farther trace. Over against these, was the bearing of him of whom honorable mention is made in part in 2Ti_1:16-18, doubly praiseworthy.

2Ti_1:16. The Lord give mercy … Onesiphorus. The Onesiphorus here mentioned was probably, too, an “Asiatic,” dwelling at Ephesus (see 2Ti_4:19). It is not impossible that he was a merchant, and had come to Rome upon business, and felt himself impelled, by this opportunity, to manifest his sympathy in the fate of the Apostle. The express mention of his house, and the pious wish of the Apostle for Onesiphorus himself (2Ti_1:18), gave occasion to the supposition that this disciple dwelt no longer among the living when this Epistle was written. Be this as it may, he oft refreshed me, writes the Apostle; through practical proofs of love, and not, indeed, merely through meat and drink (De Wette), but through everything he had done, to give joy to the heart of the Apostle. Ἀνέψυξεν an ἅπαξ λεγόμ., which signifies, in general, to cool off, to refresh. Indeed, this one circumstance, which Paul here expressly mentions, was not with out some influence upon his exhortation (2Ti_1:8).—And was not ashamed of my chain; had also contributed richly to his comfort. Onesiphorus had acted, in fact, in a way entirely in contrast with the others who were “of Asia.”

2Ti_1:17. But when be was … and found me. In a city so populous, in which there could be no scarcity of prisoners held under the most diversified accusations, it was not easy, indeed, to find the imprisoned Apostle, especially since whosoever put too definite inquiries, thereby perilled his own safety. Onesiphorus, meanwhile, as he himself probably afterwards informed the Apostle, shrank from no inquiries, allowed himself no rest, until he had found his forsaken friend. Here also is a proof that the relations of the second imprisonment were far unpleasanter than those of his first (comp. Act_28:30-31). According to the evidence of A. C. D.1 F. G., and other MSS., σπουδαίως seems to deserve preference to the usual reading, σπουδαιότερον.

2Ti_1:18. The Lord grant unto him … in that day. What the Apostle himself cannot repay, that, he hopes, the Most High Judge will. Were Onesiphorus already asleep, then also it follows from this place that the Apostle thought of the supreme decision as not occurring immediately after death, but first in the day of the παρουσία of the Lord, whose appearing he, in the meanwhile, represented as wholly near at hand, so that the interval between death and that great event, for his way of thinking, was fused into on insignificant moment.—The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord; a form of speech without art, in which we may take the second κύριος for the pronoun reflexivum, παῤ ἐαυτοῦ. But in case it is believed necessary to distinguish the subjects, then by the second κύριος Christ must be certainly understood; by the first, either God the Father, or God in the entire fulness and incommunicability of His essence.—And in how many things he ministered, &c. The Apostle does not speak here exclusively of the services done unto him (so Luther: “How much he has served me,” &c.), but wholly in a general way of the services which Onesiphorus, at Ephesus, had rendered to the cause of God’s kingdom. This, Timothy, as dwelling there, knows very well—better, e.g., than the Apostle could tell him (comp. upon this Comparative, Winer, p. 217).

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. As every true Christian has received his χάρισμα, so the most sacred obligation rests upon him to employ this gift without ceasing. The fire which is not blown upon, goes out; and the spiritual capital which we possess is ours only as long as we care unceasingly for its preservation and increase. Here, also, the word of the Lord applies: “He that hath, to him shall be given,” &c. (Mat_13:12). The means through which the awakening of this entrusted gift is brought about, are chiefly threefold: Prayer, whose breath makes the glimmering fire burn brighter; reading of the Word, through which the Spirit speaks to us, and is awakened in us; and the fellowship of the saints, through which the individual life is preserved from sickly conditions and death. Rightly says Melanchthon on this place: “Homo renatus non est, ut statua, sed ideo datur Spiritus Sanctus, ut inchoëtur in nobis libertas, et possumus jam inchoare obedientiam, nec Spiritus Sanctus est otium, sed est flamma et agitatio divina, repugnans diabolo et infirmitati carnis et accedens motus tales, qualis ipse Spiritus Sanctus est. Huc pertinet tota parabola de negotiantibus, Luc. xix.” Divine and human agency move here inseparably together.

2. What exercitia pietatis in particular are to be recommended to the minister of the gospel, is a difficult question (comp. Observ. on 1Ti_4:7). The Catholic (Roman) Church has surely done too much of a good thing, and laid upon the clergy a daily burden of private exercises (ἀσκησις), whereby the spirit is deadened, and valuable time is passed in a mechanical routine. On the other side, it is certainly to be deplored that so frequently the freedom of the evangelical clergyman, in this respect, is misspent for want of discipline, and that, in the due care for others, his own spiritual well-being is often entierly forgotten. Labor would doubtless be more successful, if the study were also more of a closet for prayer. Without precisely binding himself formally to a strict private rule (privat agende), as this, in the last age, was more than once recommended, it is not to be overlooked that the freest development of the spiritual life needs continuously training and guidance. To the helps which can be recommended freely without qualification, belongs, amongst the rest, the reading of biographies of those of the clergy within whom Christ has gained, above many others, a fulness of stature, as, e.g., Louis Harms, Chalmers, Oberlin, Hofacker, Spleiss, and others.

3. Although Paul had laid his hands upon Timothy with desirable effect, still it in do degree follows that the ordinary communication of the Holy Ghost is bound up sacramentally with the laying on of hands, and that a character indelibilis must be ascribed to ecclesiastical ordination, as this is insisted upon by Rome, while appeal is made, amongst others, to 2Ti_1:6. There is here absolutely no mention of ordination in the later, hierarchical sense. The exhortation to stir up the Spirit, presupposes much more, that in spite of the ἐπίθεσις τῶν χειρῶν, He would otherwise become extinct, and in so far proves against rather than for the character indelibilis. Upon the treatment of Ordination in the spirit of Christ and of the evangelical Church, one can find striking words in Nitzsch, Prakt. Theol., Bd. 2, p. 441 et seq.

4. To be ashamed of the cause of the Lord is possible enough, especially in gentler Melanchthon-natures, such also as Timothy seems to have been—natures which are better fitted for patient suffering than for courageous conflict for the truth. Here also the power of sin is manifest, that men are so often ashamed of the very thing which they should esteem their highest honor; and inversely, they find their highest honor in that which must produce their deepest shame. Fundamentally, sin has destroyed all, but grace restores again, all.

5. The doctrine of the free grace of God in the calling and election of the sinner, is one of the chief foundations in the structure of Pauline soteriology, and likewise one of the greatest treasures of the Church, reformed according to the word of God. He only who exaggerates and presses in an unspiritual way this doctrine, the supreme consolation of believers, can make it resemble a heathen fatalism. (Comp. P. Lange’s treatise on the question, “What authority is due still to the peculiarity of the Reformed Church in the scheme of faith (Glaubenslehre) of our own time?” in the Miscellanies, New Series, ii., pp. 1–52. Bielefeld, 1860.)

6. Paul, is to us (2Ti_1:12) a speaking exemplar of the blessed certitude of faith, whereby the claim of many, that such certitude is the fruit of spiritual pride and idle conceit only, is strikingly contradicted. The Roman Catholic Church denies that the Christian, this side the grave, can be assured of his salvation; and upon this point many Protestants are almost cryptocatholic. Nevertheless, it is palpably clear that the believer does not build his certitude upon anything he finds or is competent to within himself, but upon the eternal grace and fidelity of God, which certainly will complete the good work (Php_1:6). Perhaps the misunderstanding of many would be removed, if less were said of the perseverantia, and more of the conservatio sanctorum.

[This is weir expressed. I think, however, we should distinguish between the certitudo gratiæ and the certitudo beatitudinis æternæ. Certitude is only one form of the fiducia which is the essence of justifying faith. Of this we may be, ought to be assured; but of the certitude of everlasting salvation we cannot speak as an essential or factor in the consciousness of the believer. It is very desirable that we revise our habits of teaching upon this article. The reader is referred to the following observations by the late Sir W. Hamilton (“Discussion on Philosophy,” &c., London, 1852, on pp. 493, 494) These are important in themselves, and tend to justify in an original style the remark so frequently made, that Protestants and Roman Catholics do not differ as much now as formerly in the article of Justification:

“Assurance, personal assurance (the feeling that God is propitious to me, that my sins are forgiven, fiducia, plerophoria fidei), was long universally held in the Protestant communities to be the criterion and condition of a true or saving faith. Luther declares that he who hath not assurance, spews faith out; and Melanchthon makes assurance the discriminating line of Christianity from heathenism. It was maintained by Calvin—nay, even by Arminius—and is part and parcel of all the Confessions of all the churches of the Reformation down to the Westminster Assembly. In that synod, assurance was in Protestantism, for the first time, declared not to be of the essence of faith; and, accordingly, the Scottish General Assembly has, subsequently, once and again condemned and deposed the holders of this, the doctrine of Luther, of Calvin, and of the older Scottish Church itself. In the English, and more articulately in the Irish Establishment, it still stands a necessary tenet of belief. Assurance is now, however, disavowed when apprehended by churchmen, high and low; but of these, many, like Mr. Hare, are blissfully incognizant of the opinion, its import, its history, and even its name. This dogma, with its fortune past and present, affords, indeed, a series of the most curious contrasts. It is curious that this cardinal point of Luther’s doctrine should, without exception, have been constituted into the fundamental principle of all the churches of the Reformation, and, as their common and uncatholic doctrine, have been explicitly condemned at Trent. It is curious that this common doctrine of the churches of the Reformation should now be abandoned virtually in, or formally by, all these churches themselves. It is curious that Protestants should now generally profess the counter doctrine asserted at Trent in the condemnation of their own principle. It is curious that this, the most important variation in the faith of Protestants, as, in fact, a gravitation of Protestantism back towards Catholicity, should have been overlooked as indeed in his days undeveloped, by the keen-eyed author of “The History of the Variations of the Protestant Churches.” Finally, it is curious that, though now fully developed, this central approximation of Protestantism to Catholicity should not, as far as I know, have been signalized by any theologian, Protestant or Catholic; whilst the Protestant symbol (Fides sola justificat—Faith alone justifies), though now eviscerated of its real import, and now only manifesting a difference of expression, is still supposed to discriminate the two religious denominations. For both agree that the three heavenly virtues must all concur to salvation; and they only differ, whether Faith, as a word, does or does not involve Hope and Charity. This misprision would have been avoided had Luther and Calvin only said, “Fiducia sola justificat,” “Assurance alone justifies;” for, on their doctrine, assurance was convertible with true faith, and true faith implied the other Christian graces. But this primary and peculiar doctrine of the Reformation, is now harmoniously condemned by Roman Catholics and Protestants together.”—E. H.]

7. The evangelical doctrine here alluded to (2Ti_1:10), that the Lord has overcome death, is illustrated yet farther, chiefly from apostolical expressions, as 1Co_15:55-57; Heb_2:14. Upon the question, how and whereby Christ has achieved this victory, one can refer: 1. To his whole manifestation, by which the true life in its full glory is revealed; 2. to His death, through which sin, the sting of death, is atoned for, and the law, the strength of sin, is fulfilled; 3. to His resurrection on the third day, through which He has burst asunder the bands of death, and triumphed over the power of hell; 4. to His intercession in heaven, whence also He sends down His spirit unceasingly, who imparts the true life, and delivers from the spirit of death; 5. to His final παρουσία, with which He will banish death from the creation (1Co_15:26; comp. Rev_21:4).

8. What Paul says of the Holy Ghost as indwelling within the believer, refers us to the highest blessing of the New Covenant, in which the Holy Ghost is the immanent vital principle of all the redeemed. During the Old Covenant, He over-shadowed momentarily individual holy men of God; in the New, He abides perpetually in the heart of each Christian.

9. What the Apostle says in praise and recognition of the proofs of love shown to him by Onesiphorus, is also a practical explanation of the words of Jesus (Mat_25:34-40).

10. In case, even, that Onesiphorus were really dead at the time of the writing of this Epistle, still the Roman Catholic interpreters are in error when they find, in 2Ti_1:18, a proof of the lawfulness and obligation for intercessory prayers for the dead. The case here was altogether special, and cannot, without great wilfulness, be applied as the foundation of a general rule for all the dead. On the other side, it is often forgotten that the gospel nowhere lays down a positive prohibition to follow with our wishes and prayers, if our heart impel us thereto, our departed while in the condition of separation; and hence, in any case, it is well to distinguish between the Christian idea which lies at the foundation of such inward needs, and the form of later church rite, and practice.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Fire is a striking image of the Holy Ghost In this, that it must be kept up and fanned without ceasing.—It is not enough to be in Christ; one must be rooted in Him, grow, and bring forth fruit.—Do ye not know of whose Spirit ye are children?—The Spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.—a threefold chord, where no tone can be wanting or transposed without sharp dissonance.—False shame about the gospel of Christ: (1) How general; (2) how unfounded; (3) how destructive it is.—The Christian (1) need not be ashamed of the gospel; (2) dare in no case; and (3) also will not be ashamed of it, if he will in truth be a Christian.—It is not enough to contend for the truth; one must know also how to suffer for it.—There is no better protection against false shame than firm faith in free grace,—The deficiency of merit, and the necessity of good works in the Christian’s life of faith.—“Nisi opera videam extra, non credam fidem, esse intra;” J. Huss.—Jesus the death-conqueror: (1) The enemy which He, as such, overcomes; (2) the peace which He, as such, restores; (3) the crown which He, as such, merits.—In how far is death already conquered for the Christian, and in how far not yet? Comp. “Heidelberg Catechism,” Ans. 42.—The gospel a revelation of life.—“I know in whom I believe,” the sublimest science of faith.—A science has so much more a higher value, the more (1) it moves in loftier spheres; (2) is built upon firmer foundations; and (3) presents a greater wealth in practical results. All this is true of this, as of no other science.—The way, degree, ground, and fruit of the Christian assurance of faith.—There is no firm hold in sound doctrine which could signify anything in Paul’s judgment, as long as it is not coupled with personal faith and love in life; 2Ti_1:14. (1) No servant of Christ is without a committed trust; (2) there is no trust which does not require careful watching; (3) no careful watching is conceivable without the power of the Holy Ghost dwelling within us.—Paul, as the Lord, was also forsaken in distress by unfaithful friends.—True Christian brotherly love (2Ti_1:16-18) (1) tested; (2) confirmed; (3) requited.—No labor of love which is positive, goes wholly unrewarded (Heb_6:9-10).—Think of those in bonds, as bound with them (Heb_13:3).

Starke: Bibl. Würt.: As sparks go out in the ashes when one does not rekindle them, so also the gifts of God are lost when they are not made use of for the glory of God, for the Church, for the public, and for the benefit of one’s neighbor, as that for which they are bestowed (Mat_25:30).—Langii Opus B.: The prisoner of Christ, nevertheless God’s child, redeemed of Christ, and His ransomed possession, and yet His prisoner; this belongs to the mystery of the Cross.—The power of God, which is mighty in them that believe, one never sees more gloriously than in sorrow.—He who allows hands to be laid upon him for the office of preacher, allows them also to be laid upon him for imprisonment, if God so order (2Ti_1:6).—Believers are already saved in the kingdom of grace.—Hedinger: Christ has obtained for us twofold blessings, privativa and positiva; He has taken away the noxious, and brought for us the salutary.—Wilt thou doubt thy salvation? As truly as thou believest, and art assured of thy faith, canst thou be assured of thy salvation.—Conflagration, plunder, and war take away all! What is there more?—The best in secured. It is on high, in heaven, well secured.—He who will have the assistance of the Holy Ghost; especially in the office of teaching, must have Him also as an indweller.—Starke: We think often, with Elijah, as if we were alone and forsaken; but God preserves for Himself always a Church amongst much erring, godless, and abandoned men (1Ki_19:14-18).—Faith is not high-minded; it associates affectionately with the most insignificant and miserable.—Canst thou not requite thy benefactors, then with and pray heartily that God will (2Sa_19:32-39).

Heubner: Inspiration must not be fanatical ecstasy.—To desert a friend and benefactor who is fallen into misery and disgrace, is baseness to the last degree.—Where apostolic earnestness is, can ignominy not long stay away.—The deliverance of the human race is the supremest wonder of Divine love; precisely therefore, also, there is no nobler office than the office of reconciliation.—The hope of immortality first through Christianity is firmly established.—If all Christians should possess the Holy Ghost, how much more the teachers.—Where there is no agreement with Jesus and the Apostles, there is no Holy Ghost.—The persecution of the shepherds shows what genuine sheep are.—Next to suffering for the sake of the gospel, the grandest thing is to support the persecuted against the world, to incur danger for them; as Jerome for Huss, Frederic the Wise for Luther.—Jesus recognizes that as done unto Himself (Mat_10:40-41).

Lisco (2Ti_1:8-14): The power of faith.—(2Ti_1:1-14): What ought to move Timothy to fidelity in faith and in the preaching of the gospel: (1) The example of his ancestors; (2) the gift of the Holy Ghost; (3) the example of Paul.—(2Ti_1:7-14, Whitsun Sermon): The Spirit given to us.—Not fear, but love, is the mark of the Christian.—(2Ti_1:15-18): The conduct of the Christian towards true and false friends—that, amid prevailing unfaithfulness, love nevertheless should not grow cold.—To the merciful, the Lord gives grace here and there.

Leipoldt (2Ti_1:12), in the collection, “Manifold Gifts and One Spirit,” ii., p. 2Tim 279: The blessed certitude of faith.—Palmer, sketch of a sermon for the close of the year, on the same text, Evangelische Homiletik, 4. Aufl., S. 340.

Van der Palm (2Ti_1:3), Reformation-Sermon: (1) Through the Reformation we, are once more in the possession of sound doctrine; (2) This possession must make itself known through faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.—On 2Ti_1:8, comp. a sermon by Van Oosterzee on the cognate text, Rom_1:16, in the Langenberg “Collection,” 1852, pp. 225–250.

Footnotes:

[6]2Ti_1:7.—[σωφρονισμοῦ = self-restraint. It would, amongst other things, restrain “the passion of fear;” Conybeare and Howson.—E. H.]

[7]2Ti_1:8.—[συγκακοπάθησον = suffer evil along with, together with ἐμέ. Sin., συγκακ.—E. H.]

[8]2Ti_1:9.—[πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων = ante tempora secularia; Vulg. These times began with the creation of the world; Huther.—E. H.]

[9]2Ti_1:10.—Instead of Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ. The English version loses sight of the force of μέν and δέ in this sentence. The Vulgate has quidem and autem: perhaps we should say: “Who hath both abolished death, and hath brought,” &c.—E. H.]

[10]2Ti_1:12.—[παραθήκην is the reading adopted by the critical editors.—Sin. also; instead of the παρακαταθήκην of the Recepta.—E. H.]

[11]2Ti_1:15.—[Lachmann and Tischendorf, so also Sin., spell φύγελλος, and not φύγελλος. Vulg., Phi(y)gelus.—E. H.]

[12]2Ti_1:17.—[σπουδαίως, by Lachmann, after C. Δ., Orig.: so also Sin. Tischendorf retains σπουδαιότερον.—E. H.]

[Lachmann’s punctuation of this section is noticeable.—E. H.]

[13][Omitted in A.—E. H.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chapter 27

2 Timothy

THE CHARACTER AND CONTENTS OF THE LAST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL-THE NEMESIS OF NEGLECTED GIFTS. - 2Ti_1:6-7

IN the Second Epistle to Timothy we have the last known words of St. Paul. It is his last will and testament; his last instructions to his favorite disciple and through him to the Church. It is written with full consciousness that the end is at hand. His course in this world is all but over; and it will be closed by a violent, it may be by a cruel death. The letter is, therefore, a striking but thoroughly natural mixture of gloom and brightness. On the one hand, death throws its dark shadow across the page. On the other, there is the joyous thought that the realization of his brightest hopes is close at hand. Death will come with its pain and ignominy, to cut short the Apostles still unfinished work, to take him away from the Churches which he has founded and which still sorely need his guidance, and from the friends whom he loves, and who still need his counsel and support. But death, while it takes him away from much to which he clings and which clings to him, will free him from toil, and anxiety, and neglect, and will take him to be with Christ until that day when he shall receive the crown of righteousness which is laid up for him.

If the shadow of impending death were the only source of gloom, the letter would be far more joyous than it is. It would be far more continuously a strain of thanksgiving and triumph. But the prospect of ending his life under the hand of the public executioner is not the thought which dominates the more sorrowful portion of the Epistle. There is the fact that he is almost alone; not because his friends are prevented from coming to him, but because they have forsaken him; some, it may be, for pressing work elsewhere; others because the attractions of the world were too strong for them; but the majority of them, because they were afraid to stand by him when he was placed at the bar before Nero. The Apostle is heavyhearted about this desertion of him, not merely because of the wound which it inflicts on his own affectionate spirit, but because of the responsibility which those who are guilty of it have thereby incurred. He prays that it "may not be laid to their account."

Yet the thought which specially oppresses him is "anxiety about all the Churches"-and about Timothy himself. Dark days are coming. False doctrine will be openly preached and will not lack hearers; and utterly unchristian conduct and conversation will become grievously prevalent. And, while the godly are persecuted, evil men will wax worse and worse. This sad state of things has already begun; and the Apostle seems to fear that his beloved disciple is not altogether unaffected by it. Separation from St. Paul and the difficulties of his position may have told on his oversensitive temperament, and have caused him to be remiss in his work, through indulgence in futile despondency. The words of the text strike the dominant chord of the Epistle and reveal to us the motive that prompts it. The Apostle puts Timothy in remembrance "that he stir up the gift of God which is in him." Again and again he insists on this and similar counsels. "Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner; but suffer hardships." "That good thing which was committed to thee guard through the Holy Ghost" (1Ti_1:8; 1Ti_1:13). "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." "Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed". { 2Ti_2:3; 2Ti_2:15} "But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them". { 2Ti_3:14} And then, as the letter draws to a close, he speaks in still more solemn tones of warning: "I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, Who shall judge the quick and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching." "Be thou sober in all things, suffer hardships, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry". { 2Ti_4:1-2; 2Ti_4:5} Evidently the Apostle is anxious lest even the rich gifts with which Timothy is endowed should be allowed to rust through want of use. Timidity and weakness may prove fatal to him and his work, in spite of the spiritual advantages which he has enjoyed. The Apostles anxiety about the future of the Churches is interwoven with anxiety about the present and future conduct of his beloved delegate and successor.

The Second Epistle to Timothy is more personal than either of the other Pastoral Epistles. It is less official in tone and contents, and is addressed more directly to the recipient himself, than through him to others. Three main subjects are treated in the letter; and first and foremost of these is the conduct of Timothy himself. This subject occupies about a third of the Epistle. The next and longest section treats of the present and future prospects of the Church. {2Ti. 2:14 - 4:5} And lastly the Apostle speaks of himself.

It is not difficult to understand how even these who condemn the Pastoral Epistles as the product of a later writer, feel almost obliged to admit that at least some of this touching letter must be genuine. Whoever wrote it must have had some genuine letters of St. Paul to use as material. It may be doubted whether any of the writings of that age which have come down to us are more thoroughly characteristic of the person whose name they bear, or are more full of touches which a fabricator would never have thought of introducing. The person who forged the Second Epistle to Timothy in the name of St. Paul, must indeed have been a genius. Nothing that has come down to us of the literature of the second century leads us to suppose that any such literary power existed. Whether we regard the writer, or the circumstances in which he is placed, or the person to whom he writes, all is thoroughly characteristic, harmonious, and in keeping. We have St. Paul with his exquisite sympathy, sensitiveness, and affection, his intense anxiety, his unflinching courage. We have the solemnity and importunity-of one who knows that his days are numbered. And we have the urgency and tenderness of one who writes to a friend who has his faults and weaknesses, but who is trusted and loved in spite of them.

In encouraging Timothy to stir up the gift that is in him, and not suffer himself to be ashamed of the ignominy, or afraid of the hardships, which the service of Christ entails, the Apostle puts before him five considerations. There are the beautiful traditions of his family, which are now in his keeping. There is the sublime character of the Gospel which has been entrusted to him. There is the teaching of St. Paul himself, who has so often given him a "pattern of sound words" and a pattern of steadfast endurance. There is the example of Onesiphorus with his courageous devotion. And there is the sure hope of "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." Any one of these things might suffice to influence him: Timothy cannot be proof against them all. St. Paul is persuaded that he is preserving the heritage of undissembled faith which his mother and his grandmother possessed before him. When he considers the character of the Gospel, of which he has become a minister, and the gift of which he has thereby become a recipient, he cannot now become ashamed of bearing testimony for it. And has the teaching of his old master, separation from whom used once to make him weep, lost its hold upon him? Of the other disciples and friends of the master, some have turned away from him, showing coldness or dislike instead of sympathy and self-sacrifice; while others, at great personal inconvenience, and (it may be also) great personal danger, sought him out all the more diligently on account of his imprisonment, and ministered to him. Will Timothy take his stand with Phygelus and Hermogenes, or with Onesiphorus? And over and above all these considerations, which are connected with this world, there are the thoughts of the world to come. This is no mere question of expediency and opportuneness, Or of personal loyalty and affection to a human teacher and friend. There is the whole of eternity at stake. To have shared Christs martyr-death is to share His endless life. To share His endurance and service is to share His royalty. But to reject Him, is to ensure being rejected by Him. Were He to receive faithless followers among the faithful, He would be faithless to His promises and to Himself.

For all these reasons, therefore, the Apostle charges his disciple to "stir up the gift of God which is in him through the laying on of the Apostles hands." And the fact that he uses so much argument and entreaty is evidence that he had grave anxiety about Timothy. Timothys natural sensitiveness and tenderness of heart made him specially liable to despondency and timidity, especially when separated from friends and confronted by sturdy opposition.

"That thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee." Literally "that thou kindle up and fan into a flame." It does not necessarily imply that there has once been a bright flame, which has been allowed to die down, leaving only smoldering embers. But this is the natural meaning of the figure, as is possibly what St. Paul implies here. He does not explain what precise gift of God it is that Timothy is to kindle into a warmer glow; but, as it is one of those which were conferred upon him by the laying on of hands at the time of his ordination, we may reasonably suppose that it is the authority and power to be a minister of Christ. In the First Epistle St. Paul had given Timothy a similar charge; { 1Ti_4:14} and by combining that passage with this we learn that both the Apostle and the elders laid their hands on the young evangelist: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." This talent, committed to his charge for use in Gods service, must not be allowed to lie idle; it must be used with vigor, and trust, and courage. The very character of the gift bestowed proves that it is to be used, and used freely. "For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline." St. Paul includes himself in the statement. He, like his disciple, has received this gift from God, and he knows from long experience what its nature is. It is no "spirit of fearfulness"; no "spirit of bondage leading to fear". { Rom_8:15} It was never meant to produce in us a slavish fear of God, or a cowardly fear of men. To feel awe and reverence when dealing with God, - to feel responsibility when dealing with men, -is one thing. To abstain from action for fear of offending either, is quite another. It is sometimes possible to avoid criticism by refusing to commit oneself to anything; but such refusal may be a sinful neglect of opportunities: and no error of judgment in using the gifts committed to us can be worse than that of not using them at all. Those are not necessarily the most useful servants who make the fewest conspicuous mistakes.

The spirit with which we are endowed is a spirit of power, whereas a spirit of fearlessness is weak. Faint-heartedness cannot be strong. The fainthearted mistrust themselves and others; and they discourage themselves and. others. They anticipate dangers and difficulties, and thereby sometimes create them; and they anticipate failure, and thereby often bring it about. It is only by acting, and by acting vigorously and courageously, that we find out the full power of the spirit with which we have been blessed.

Again, the gift which God has bestowed upon us is a spirit of love: and more than anything else perfect love casts out the spirit of fear. Fear is the child of bondage; love is the child of freedom. If we love God, we shall not live in terror of His judgments: and if we love men, we shall not live in terror of their criticisms. Moreover, the spirit of love teaches us the nature of the gift of power. It is not force or violence; not an imposing of our own will on others. It is an affectionate striving to win others over to obedience to the will of God. It is the spirit of self-sacrifice; not of self-assertion.

Lastly, the spirit with which we are endowed by God is a spirit of discipline. By discipline that cowardly indolence, which the spirit of fearfulness engenders, can be kept down and expelled. If it be asked whether the discipline be that which Timothy is to enforce in ruling others, or that which he is to practice in schooling himself, we may answer, "Both." The termination of the word which is here used ( σωφρονισμος ) seems to require the transitive meaning; and slackness in correcting others may easily have been one of the ways in which the despondency of Timothy showed itself. On the other hand the whole context here speaks of Timothys treatment of himself. To take a more lively interest in the conduct of others would be discipline for himself and for them also. There may be as much pride as humility in indulging the thought that the lives of other people are so utterly bad, that it is quite out of power of such persons as ourselves to effect a reformation. This is a subtle way of shirking responsibility. Strong in the spirit of power, glowing with the spirit of love, we can turn the faults of others, together with all the troubles which may befall us in this life, into instruments of discipline.

The words of the Apostle, though primarily addressed to ministers, in reference to the spiritual gifts bestowed on them at their ordination, must not be confined to them. They apply to the gifts bestowed by God upon every Christian, and indeed upon every human being. There is a terrible penalty attached to the neglect of the higher faculties, whether intellectual or moral; a penalty which works surely and unerringly by a natural law. We all of us have imagination, intellect, will. These wonderful powers must have an object, must have employment. If we do not give them their true object, viz., the glory of God, they will find an object for themselves. Instead of soaring upwards on the wings supplied by the glories of creation, and the mercies of redemption, they will sink downwards into the mire. They will fasten upon the flesh; and in an atmosphere poisoned by debasing associations they will become debased also. Instead of raising the man who possesses them into that higher life, which is a foretaste of heaven, they will hurry him downwards with the accumulated pressure of an undisciplined intellect, a polluted imagination, and a lawless will. That which should have been for wealth, becomes an occasion of falling. Angels of light become angels of darkness. And powers which ought to be as priests, consecrating the whole of our nature to God, become as demons, shameless and ruthless in devoting us to the Evil One. Not only every minister of Christ, but every thinking man, has need from time to time "to stir up the gift of God that is in him," to kindle it into a flame, and see that it is directed to holy ends and exercised in noble service. Gods royal gifts of intellect and will cannot be flung away, cannot be left unused, cannot be extinguished. For good or for evil they are ours; and they are deathless. But, though they cannot be destroyed they can be neglected. They can be buried in the earth, till they breed worms and stink. They can be allowed to run riot, until they become as wild beasts, and turn again and rend us. Or in the spirit of power, or love, and of discipline, they may be chastened by lofty exercise and sanctified to heavenly uses, till they become more and more fit to be the equipment of one, who is forever to stand "before the throne of God, and praise Him day and night in His temple."

William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.

1:6 fan into flames: The Spirit’s work is not automatic—it must be cultivated (see Eph 5:18-21; 1 Thes 5:19-20; cp. Acts 4:31; 7:55; 13:9). • The spiritual gift is the Holy Spirit’s enablement for ministry (see 1 Cor 12:1–14:40; cp. Acts 6:3, 5; 11:24). • when I laid my hands on you: Paul and the elders (1 Tim 4:14) had ordained Timothy for ministry with the ceremonial laying on of hands.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Ti 1:6. Δἰ ἣν αἰτίαν, for which cause) namely, because I have been reminded, ὑπεμνήσθην [referring to 2Ti 1:5, ὑπόμνησιν λαμβάνων].—ἀναμιμνήσκω, I put thee in remembrance) Being reminded himself, he puts others [sc. Timothy] in mind.—ἀναζωπυρεῖν) to stir up. The same word occurs, Gen 45:27, 1Ma 13:7: ζωπυρίω, of raising the dead, 2Ki 8:1; 2Ki 8:5. The opposite σβεννύειν, to extinguish; Mat 25:8; 1Th 5:19. Timothy, being long without Paul, seems to have become somewhat remiss; comp. note to ch. 2Ti 2:22: at least he is now stirred up to greater exertions.—τὸ χάρισμα, the gift) which is joined with faith, 2Ti 1:5: and is energetic and lively, 2Ti 1:7.

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

2Ti_1:6. Δἰ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀναμιμνήσκω σε κ.τ.λ.] This verse contains the chief thought of the whole chapter. By διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν (a formula which occurs in Paul only here, at 2Ti_1:12, and at Tit_1:13; αἰτία not at all in the other Pauline epistles), the apostle connects his exhortation with the previous πέπεισμαι κ.τ.λ., since his conviction of Timothys faith was the occasion of his giving the exhortation. There is no ground for the objection raised by Otto against this connection of thought, that αἰτία never expresses anything but the external objective occasion; he is no less wrong in wishing to refer διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν not to ἀναμιμνήσκω, but to ἀναζωπυρεῖν. In that case the apostle would have written διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀναζωπύρει κ.τ.λ. (as Otto explains the expression). The verb ἀναμιμνήσκειν, properly, remind of something, contains in itself the idea of exhorting; the apostle finely interprets the word so as to make Timothy appear himself conscious of the duty which was urged on him; ὑπομιμνήσκειν is often used exactly in this way.

ἀναζωπυρεῖν τὸ χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ] ἀναζωπυρεῖν: ἅπ. λεγ.: fan into life again; comp. Jamblichus, De Vit. Pyth. chap. 16.: ἀνεζωπύρει τὸ θεῖον ἐν αὐτῇ. By χάρισμα τ. Θ. is meant here, as in 1Ti_4:14, the fitness (ἱκανότης) bestowed by God on Timothy for discharging the ἔργον εὐαγγελιστοῦ (2Ti_4:5), which fitness includes both the capacity and also (though Hofmann denies this) zeal and spirit for official labours. The context shows that the courage of a Christian martyr is here specially meant. This παῤῥησία is not the work of man, but the gift of Gods grace to man. It can only be kept alive unceasingly by the labour of man. Chrysostom: δεῖ σου προθυμίας πρὸς τὸ χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ· … ἐν ἡμῖν γὰρ ἐστὶ καὶ σβέσαι, καὶ ἀνάψαι τοῦτο· ὑπὸ μὲν γὰρ ῥαθυμίας καὶ ἀκηδίας σβέννυται, ὑπὸ δὲ νήψεως καὶ προσοχῆς διεγείρεται. Bengel is not incorrect in remarking on this exhortation: videtur Timotheus, Paulo diu carens, nonnihil remisisse; certe nunc ad majora stimulatur. His former zeal seems to have been weakened, particularly by the apostles suffering (2Ti_1:8), so that it needed to be quickened again.[6] Otto here, too, understands by χάρισμα, the right of office; but this does not accord with the verb ἀναζωπυρεῖν, since the right did not need to be revived. However Timothy might conduct himself in regard to the right imparted to him, it remained always the same; if he did not exercise it as he should have done, he himself or his activity needed the ἀναζωπυρεῖν, but not the right which had been delivered to him with the office.[7] On the next words: ὅ ἐστιν ἐν σοὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν μου, comp. 1Ti_4:14. There can be no reason for doubting that the same act is meant in both passages. As to the difficulty that, whereas in the former passage it was the presbytery, here it is Paul who is said to have imposed hands, see the remark on that passage. The reason for this lies both in the character of the epistle, which has for its foundation and in part for its subject the personal relation between the apostle and Timothy, as well as in Pauls exhortation to Timothy in 2Ti_1:8, to make the gift an effective agent for him through whom the gift was received (Wiesinger).

[6] It has been already remarked (Introd. § 3, p. 27) that Otto is not justified in accusing Timothy of having almost laid down his office through anxiety and timidity. It is a part of this accusation that Otto here finds it said that Timothy was to resume the duties delivered to him by the apostolic laying on of hands.The meaning of ἀναζωπυρεῖν is mistaken by van Oosterzee and Plitt, if they think that we cannot infer from it that there had been an actual decrease of Timothys official zeal.

[7] Otto contends, that along with the office, when the hands were laid on him, Timothy received the understanding, the personal gifts for filling it. Against this it is to be remarked(1) That the natural talents are not bestowed along with the office, but the conscious and intentional concentration and employment of them in the office, otherwise the receiver of the office is only a dead machine in it; and (2) that the apostle, in laying on hands, acted as the instrument of the Holy Spirit; and of this Timothy was also aware.

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.

2Ti 1:6 . διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν : not so much “because I am persuaded of thine unfeigned faith” (Theoph., Thdrt.), as, “because this faith does of a surety dwell in thee”. We are most fruitfully stimulated to noble action, not when we know other people think well of us, but when their good opinion makes us recognise the gifts to us of God’s grace. Faith, as well as salvation, is the gift of God, Eph 2:8 . Except in this phrase (see reff. and Act 28:20 ), αἰτία is not found elsewhere in Paul. It is common in Matt., Mark, John, and Acts.

ἀναζωπυρεῖν : In both places cited in reff. the only occurrences in the Greek Bible the verb is intransitive: his , or their, spirit revived . Chrys. well compares with the image suggested by ἀναζωπυρεῖν (“stir into flame,”) “quench not the Spirit,” 1Th 5:19 , where by “the Spirit” is meant His charismatic manifestations of every kind. It is interesting to note in this connexion that ἀναζωπυρεῖν φαντασίας is opposed to σβεννύναι in M. Antoninus, vii. 2 (quoted by Wetstein).

τὸ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ : This expression refers to the salvation of the soul by God’s grace, in Rom 6:23 ; Rom 11:29 . The narrower signification, as here, of a gift given to us to use to God’s glory is χάρισμα ἐκ θεοῦ , 1Co 7:7 , or more usually simply χάρισμα . The particular nature of the gift must be determined by the context. In this case it was a charisma that was exercised in a spirit not of fearfulness We can scarcely be wrong, then, if we suppose the charisma of administration and rule to be in St. Paul’s mind rather than “the work of an evangelist” (ch. 2Ti 4:5 ). So Chrys., “for presiding over the Church, for the working of miracles, and for every service”.

διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως μου : See note on 1Ti 4:14 , where it is pointed out that we have no right to assume that hands were laid on Timothy once only. Thus Act 9:17 ; Act 13:3 are two such occasions in St. Paul’s spiritual life. There may have been others.

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

He warneth us to set the invincible power of the Spirit, which God hath given us, against those storms which may and do come upon us.

The gift of God is as it were a certain lively flame kindled in our hearts, which the flesh and the devil go about to put out: and therefore we on the contrary side must labor as much as we can to foster and keep it burning.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Wherefore--Greek, "For which cause," namely, because thou hast inherited, didst once possess, and I trust ("am persuaded") still dost possess, such unfeigned faith [ALFORD].

stir up--literally, "rekindle," "revive the spark of"; the opposite of "quench" or "extinguish" (Th1 5:19). Paul does not doubt the existence of real faith in Timothy, but he desires it to be put into active exercise. Timothy seems to have become somewhat remiss from being so long without Paul (Ti2 2:22).

gift of God--the spiritual grace received for his ministerial office, either at his original ordination, or at his consecration to the particular office of superintending the Ephesian Church (see on Ti1 4:14), imparting fearlessness, power, love, and a sound mind (Ti2 1:7).

by the putting on of my hands--In Ti1 4:14, it is "with [not by] the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." The apostle was chief in the ordination, and to him "BY" is applied. The presbytery were his assistants; so "with," implying merely accompaniment, is said of them. Paul was the instrument in Timothy's ordination and reception of the grace then conferred; the presbyters were the concurrent participants in the act of ordination; so the Greek, "dia" and "meta." So in ordinations by a bishop in our days, he does the principal act; they join in laying on hands with him.

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 6. Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee] The gift which Timothy had received was the Holy Spirit; and through him, a particular power to preach and defend the truth. This gift is represented here, under the notion of a fire, which, if it be not frequently stirred up, and fresh fuel added to it, will go out. This is the precise idea which the apostle had in his mind; hence the term αναζωπυρειν, which signifies to stir up the fire; to add fresh fuel to it. From this it plainly appears, that if Timothy had not continued to be a daily worker with God, he would have received the grace of God in vain. The Latins have a similar metaphor, excitare igniculos ingenii, to stir up the sparks of genius.

By the putting on of my hands.] See note on 1Ti 4:14.

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

6 For which cause I advise thee The more abundantly that Timothy had received the grace of God, the more attentive (the Apostle intimates) he ought to be in making progress from day to day. It deserves notice that the words “for which cause” introduce this advice as a conclusion from what has been already said.

To stir up the gift of God. This exhortation is highly necessary; for it usually happens, and may be said to be natural, that the excellence of gifts produces carelessness, which is also accompanied by sloth; and Satan continually labors to extinguish all that is of God in us. We ought, therefore, on the other hand, to strive to bring to perfection everything that is good in us, and to kindle what is languid; for the metaphor, which Paul employs, is taken from a fire which was feeble, or that was in course of being gradually extinguished, if strength and flame were not added, by blowing upon it and by supplying new fuel. Let us therefore remember that we ought to apply to use the gifts of God, lest, being unemployed and concealed, they gather rust. Let us also remember that we should diligently profit by them, lest they be extinguished by our slothfulness.

Which is in thee by the laying on of my hands There can be no doubt that Timothy was invited by the general voice of the Church, and was not elected by the private wish of Paul alone; but there is no absurdity in saying, that Paul ascribes the election to himself personally, because he was the chief actor in it. Yet here he speaks of ordination, that is, of the solemn act of conferring the office of the ministry, and not of election. Besides, it is not perfectly clear whether it was the custom, when any minister was to be set apart, that all laid their hands on his head, or that one only did so, in the room and name of all. I am more inclined to the conjecture, that it was only one person who laid on his hands.

So far as relates to the ceremony, the apostles borrowed it from an ancient custom of their nation; or rather, in consequence of its being in use, they retained it; for this is a part of that decent and orderly procedure which Paul elsewhere recommends. (1 Corinthians 14:40.) Yet it may be doubted if that “laying on of hands” which is now mentioned refers to ordination; because, at that time, the graces of the Spirit, of which he speaks in the 12th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans (Romans 12), and in the 13th of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13), were bestowed on many others who were not appointed to be pastors. But, for my own part, I think that it may be easily inferred from the former Epistle, that Paul here speaks of the office of a pastor, for this passage agrees with that,

“Do not neglect the grace which was given to thee with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” (1 Timothy 4:14.)

That point being settled, it is asked, “Was grace given by the outward sign?” To this question I answer, whenever ministers were ordained, they were recommended to God by the prayers of the whole Church, and in this manner grace from God was obtained for them by prayer, and was not given to them by virtue of the sign, although the sign was not uselessly or unprofitably employed, but was a sure pledge of that grace which they received from God’s own hand. That ceremony was not a profane act, invented for the sole purpose of procuring credit in the eyes of men, but a lawful consecration before God, which is not performed but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Besides, Paul takes the sign for the whole matter or the whole transaction; for he declares that Timothy was endued with grace, when he was offered to God as a minister. Thus in this mode of expression there is a figure of speech, in which a part is taken for the whole.

But we are again met by another question; for if it was only at his ordination that Timothy obtained the grace necessary for discharging his office, of what nature was the election of a man not yet fit or qualified, but hitherto void and destitute of the gift of God? I answer, it was not then so given to him that he had it not before; for it is certain that he excelled both in doctrine and in other gifts before Paul ordained him to the ministry. But there is no inconsistency in saying, that, when God wished to make use of his services, and accordingly called him, he then fitted and enriched him still more with new gifts, or doubled those which he had previously bestowed. It does not therefore follow that Timothy had not formerly any gift, but it shone forth the more when the duty of teaching was laid upon him.

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.

(6) Wherefore I put thee in remembrance.—Wherefore (seeing that I am so thoroughly persuaded of thy faith) I am determined to put thee in remembrance . . . It seems, from the general tenor of the Epistle, that Timothy was deeply cast down by the imprisonment of St. Paul. Timothy, as well as the martyr himself, was conscious that the end of that great and glorious career of his old master was at last come; and the heart of the younger man sank—as well it might—under the prospect of having to fight the Lord’s battle at Ephesus—that famous centre of Greek culture and of Oriental luxury—against enemies without and enemies within, alone, and without the help of the great genius, the master mind, and the indomitable courage of the man who for a quarter of a century had been the guiding spirit of Gentile Christianity, and his dear and intimate friend. So St. Paul now, persuaded that faith burned in his disciple’s heart with the old steady flame, but knowing, too, that he was dispirited and heavy-hearted, was minded, if possible, to cheer up the fainting heart, and to inspire it with fresh courage to fight the Master’s fight when he (St. Paul) had left the scene.

That thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.—The Greek word rendered “stir up” literally means to kindle up, to fan into flame. Chrysostom brings home the great lesson taught by this word, which belongs to all Christ’s people alike, when he quotes 1Th_5:19, “Quench not the Spirit;” for it is in our power both to quench this Spirit and also to fan it into flame. The “gift of God” here alluded to is that special gift of the Spirit conferred on Timothy at his ordination, and which included, in his case, powers necessary for the performance of the many and important duties to which he was in the providence of God called, especially those gifts of ruling and teaching which are necessary for the chief pastor’s office. This “gift of God” was conferred through the medium of the hands laid on Timothy’s head at his ordination at Lystra. In this act the presbytery at Lystra were joined with the Apostle. (See 1Ti_4:14.) We know that St. Paul frequently uses for his illustrations of Christian life scenes well known among the Greek heathen nations of the Old World, such as the Greek athletic games. Is it not possible (the suggestion is Wordsworth’s) that the Apostle while here charging Timothy to take care that the sacred fire of the Holy Ghost did not languish in his heart, while urging him to watch the flame, to keep it burning brightly, to fan the flame if burning dimly—is it not possible that St. Paul had in mind the solemn words of the Roman law, “Let them watch the eternal flame of the public hearth”? (Cicero, de Legibus, xi. 8.) The failure of the flame was regarded as an omen of dire misfortune, and the watchers, if they neglected the duty, were punished with the severest penalties.

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

6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance] More decidedly For which cause. It will break the whole delicacy and tenderness of the exhortation, unless the cause be taken as the thankful recognition of Timothy’s living faith and likeness to his spiritual father.

put thee in remembrance] See note on the last verse. Timothy had been sent himself to ‘put the Corinthians in remembrance of St Paul’s ways that were in Christ,’ ten years before, and was then his ‘child beloved and faithful in the Lord.’ See the same word 1Co_4:17, the only other use in N.T. in the active.

that thou stir up the gift of God] The verb may be rendered fully, dwelling on the metaphor, ‘kindle the glowing embers of the gift of God,’ or as margin of R.V. ‘stir into flame.’ The ‘live coal from the altar’ had ‘touched his lips’ at his ordination; the ‘lightening with celestial fire’ from ‘the anointing Spirit’ in His ‘sevenfold gifts’ had taken place, as it has ever been invoked and bestowed at ‘The Ordering of Priests,’ cf. 5:14. According to the view taken of Timothy’s greater or less despondency and slackness, the stress may be either on the verb or on the preposition with which it is compounded; either ‘re kindle’ or ‘kindle into flame.’ Perhaps we may best adopt Dr Reynolds’s interpretation of the position. ‘We ought not to infer more than that Timothy’s work had suffered through his despondency arising from the peril and imprisonment of his master. He may have been ready to despair of the Church. The special charisma needed therefore in his case was parrhesia or a clear bold utterance of the faith that was in him.’

by the putting on of my hands] Rather, through the laying on. See note on 1Ti_4:14, where the character of this ‘laying on of hands’ is shewn. ‘My hands’ here is not inconsistent with ‘the hands of the presbytery’ there. St Paul of course was chief among the presbyters. But there the largeness of the attendant testimony, the fulness of the circle of ordaining elders, is put forward as a reason for every nerve being strained to run the race: since he is compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, let him give all heed that his ‘progress may be manifest unto all.’ Here one chief figure, the closest and the dearest, fills all the view: ‘for my sake, my son.’

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.

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance,.... Because of the great affection the apostle had for Timothy, and because of that confidence he had of him, that unfeigned faith dwelt in him, as well as because this had had a place in his relations before him; he therefore acts the part of a kind monitor to him, and, upon these considerations, doubts not of succeeding in his following admonition:

that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee; by "the gift" is meant his ministerial gift; for what qualifies men for the ministry, is not anything natural in them, nor acquired by them, but what is given unto them, and that of God: and this was "in" him; it continued with him; it was not lost by him, nor taken from him, as gifts may be, when they are not used; and yet it seems as if there was some decline, some backwardness and indifference as to the exercise of it: he might be too remiss, negligent, and forgetful of it; wherefore the apostle puts him in mind to "stir" it up: there is in the word used a metaphor taken from coals of fire covered with ashes, as if almost extinct, and need to be blown up into a flame, and a very apt one it is; since the gifts of the Spirit, especially his extraordinary ones, such as ministers in those times had, are compared to fire: see Mat 3:11 and these may be reinflamed or increased, when they seem on the decline, by reading, meditation, prayer, and the frequent exercise of them. Agreeably to this the Arabic version renders it, "that thou kindle the fire of the gift of God which is in thee"; and the rather the apostle took this freedom with Timothy, not only because of his superior age and office, but because this gift was through his means;

by the putting on of my hands; though not alone, but with the rest of the presbytery; See Gill on Ti1 4:14.

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

6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

Ver. 6. Stir up the gift] Blow up thy smaller spark into a flame. Grace in us is like a dull seacoal fire, saith one, which if not now and then blown and stirred up, though there be no lack of fuel, yet will of itself at length die and go out. The word αναζωπυρειν, here used by the apostle, is Plato’s word. The apostle seems to have been well read in Plato’s writings. Though I grant the word is also found in the Greek text, Gen 45:27, and the apostle here might very well allude to the fire of the altar that came from heaven, and was day and night kept in by the priests. See the canon for that fire, Lev 6:12-13, Hezekiah’s confession, 2Ch 29:6-7, the good heusewife’s candle, Pro 31:18, the wise virgins’ lamps, Mat 25:8, our Saviour’s charge, Luk 12:35, and do accordingly.

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.

That thou stir up the gift of God - Greek, That thou “kindle up” as a fire. The original word used here denotes the kindling of a fire, as by bellows, etc. It is not uncommon to compare piety to a flame or a fire, and the image is one that is obvious when we speak of causing that to burn more brightly. The idea is, that Timothy was to use all proper means to keep the flame of pure religion in the soul burning, and more particularly his zeal in the great cause to which he had been set apart. The agency of man himself is needful to keep the religion of the heart warm and glowing. However rich the gifts which God has bestowed upon us, they do not grow of their own accord, but need to be cultivated by our own personal care.

Which is in thee by the putting on of my hands - In connection with the presbytery; see the notes at 1Ti 4:14. This proves that Paul took part in the ordination of Timothy; but it does not prove either that he performed the duty alone, or that the “ordaining virtue,” whatever that was, was imparted by him only; because:

(1) It is expressly said 1Ti 4:14, that he was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, of which Paul was doubtless one; and,

(2) The language here used, “by the putting on of my hands,” is just such as Paul, or any other one of the presbytery, would use in referring to the ordination of Timothy, though they were all regarded as on a level. It is such an expression as an aged Presbyterian, or Congregational, or Baptist minister would address to a son whom he had assisted to ordain. Nothing would be more natural than to remind him that his own hands had been laid on him when he was set apart to the work of the ministry. It would be in the nature of a tender, pathetic, and solemn appeal, bringing all that there was in his own character, age, and relation to the other, to bear on him, in order to induce him to be faithful to his trust. On other occasions, he would naturally remind him that others had united with him in the act, and that he had derived his authority through the presbytery, just as Paul appeals to Timothy, 1Ti 4:14. But no one would now think of inferring from this, that he meant to be understood as saying that he alone had ordained him, or that all the authority for preaching the gospel had been imparted through his hands, and that those who were associated with him only expressed “concurrence;” that is, that their presence there was only an unmeaning ceremony. What was the “gift of God” which had been conferred in this way, Paul specifies in the next verse 2Ti 1:7. It is “the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” The meaning is, that these had been conferred by God, and that the gift had been recognized by his ordination. It does not imply that any mysterious influence had gone from the hands of the ordainers, imparting any holiness to Timothy which he had not before.

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

That thou stir up [2] the grace of God. In the Greek is a metaphor for fire that is blown up again. --- Which is in thee by the imposition of my hands, when thou wast ordained bishop. (Witham) --- The grace, which St. Paul here exhorts Timothy to stir up in him, was the grace he had received by imposition of hands, either in his confirmation, or at receiving the sacrament of orders, being a bishop. This verse seems to shew that the imposition of hands is used in these two sacraments, as the essential matter of the sacraments, being the instrumental cause of the grace therein conferred. (Denis the Carthusian)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Ut resuscites, Greek: anazopurein, quasi sopitum ignem excitare.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance: Paul’s affection to Timothy was so far from abating his faithfulness to him, that it quickened him to admonish him to be faithful in his ministry.

That thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee; and to that end, he adviseth him to put new life unto that holy fire (the word signifies the recovering of fire choked with ashes or decaying) which God had kindled in him, by daily prayer, and meditating on the things of God and use of his gifts, improving those spiritual abilities which God had given him.

By the putting on of my hands; upon the prayers of Paul and the presbytery, when he was by them set apart to the work of an evangelist, for the end for which God had given them to him.

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

6. Wherefore—In view of thy hereditary and unswerving faith.

Put thee in remembrance—Not any implication of remissness, (as, most absurdly, Alford,) but a permanent reminder (2Pe_3:1) to ministerial faithfulness.

Gift—The gift of ministerial power, imparted by the Spirit bestowed by Paul’s putting of hands on Timothy. This gift could slumber, like embers beneath the ashes, and wane away, unless the possessor should stir up, that is, enkindle and arouse it, as one does a smothered fire. This is to be done by earnest prayer and diligent exercise. From 1Ti_4:14, (where see note,) it appears that the hands of the presbytery were laid upon Timothy concurrently with those of St. Paul as principal.

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

For the which cause for wherefore, A.V; through the laying for by the putting, A.V For which cause (di hn aijtian); so ver. 12 and; Tit_1:13, but nowhere else in St. Paul"s Epistles, though common elsewhere. The clause seems to depend upon the words immediately preceding, "I am persuaded in thee also; for which cause," etc. Stir up (ajnazwpurein) here only in the New Testament, but found in the LXX Gen_45:27 and RAPC 1Ma 13:7, in an intransitive sense, "to revive." In both passages it is contrasted with a previous state of despondency (Gen_45:26) or fear. (RAPC 1Ma 13:2) We must, therefore, conclude that St. Paul knew Timothy to be cast down and depressed by his own imprisonment and imminent danger, and therefore exhorted him to revive. "the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," which was given him at his ordination. The metaphor is taken from kindling slumbering ashes into a flame by the bellows, and the force of ajna is to show that the embers had gone down from a previous state of candescence or frame rekindle, light up again." It is a favourite metaphor in classical Greek. The gift of God (torisma tou Qeou); as. 1Ti_4:14 (where see note) The laying on of my hands, together with those of the presbytery 1Ti_4:14; comp. (Act_13:2, Act_13:3) The laying on of hands was also the medium through which the Holy Ghost was given in Confirmation, (Act_8:17) and in healing (Mar_16:18; comp. Num_27:18, Num_27:23)

The apostle"s admonition to Timothy to stir up the gift of God within him.

It was because of his persuasion of Timothy"s faith, and perhaps of the apprehension that the young disciple had been depressed by his own long imprisonment, that he addressed him in this manner.

I THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS POSSESSED BY TIMOTHY. "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance to stir up the gift of God which is in thee by means of the laying on of my hands.

1. He refers to the special gift received by Timothy with a view to his nieceas an evangelist. It was not anything either natural or acquired, but something bestowed by the Spirit of God which would fit him for teaching and ruling the Church of God.

2. It was conferred by the hands of the apostle along with the presbytery (1Ti_4:14)

II THE NECESSITY OF STIRRING UP THIS SPIRITUAL GIFT.

1. It is possible there may have been some slackness or decline of power on Timothy"s part, arising from various causes of discouragement, to make this injunction necessary.

2. The gift was to be stirred up by reading, meditations, and prayer, so that he might be enabled, with fresh zeal, to reform the abuses of the Church and endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. T.C.

Quickening the memory.

put thee in remembrance." Timothy was not to create a gospel, but to preach one. The facts and doctrines were matters of revelation, and Timothy had the humbler task of expanding and applying them. All through his gospel was to be that of the faith once delivered to the saints.

I REMEMBRANCE IS NEEDED. Why? Memory is liable to slumber and to sleep. Do we mourn over this fact, and ask why this precious faculty was not stronger? Consider! Could you live in peace or joy at all, if all your sorrows and bereavements kept their clear details before your mind? No; their harrowing spectacles would deaden all the springs of life, and crush the heart. If those past griefs preserved their fulness life would be unendurable. There is a beautiful side, therefore, even to forgetfulness. Memory may slumber, but it does not die. It may be awakened and quickened for high and noble ends. Thus all Christians need to be "put in remembrance," that they may hold fast the Word of life.

II REMEMBRANCE IS COMPREHENSIVE. There are many springs to be touched. We become proud, and need to remember, as the Hebrews did, that we "were slaves." We become self-dependent, and need to be reminded that "without Christ we can do nothing." We become so interested in life that we try to make "home" here, and forget that we are pilgrims and strangers. We become negligent, and forget that responsibility is great and time is short. W.M.S.

Stirring the fire.

up the gift that is in thee." Literally, "stir up (ajnazwpurein) the fire!" There may be fuel even of God"s Word but all fires die out unless from time to time they are stirred up.

I THE FARE WAS THERE. His heart"s altar fire had been lighted. It had descended as a Divine flame from on high. But in the best of men there is danger of absence of watchfulness, for, like the light on the Jewish altar, the fire is not to die out night nor day.

II THERE WERE MANY ENEMIES WHO WOULD QUENCH THE FIRE. The Judaizing teachers would have put out the true gospel light, by turning the gospel into a merely refined Judaism. The world would quench it, as it did the faith of Demas. And there is in us all the danger of spiritual slumber, which leaves the fire to die out by indolence and sloth. Therefore by meditation, by prayer, and by earnest endeavour, by admiration and emulation of heroic lives, we must stir up the fire" that is in us. 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.

Wherefore - Because I remember this. I remind thee of stirring up - Literally, blowing up the coals into a flame. The gift of God - All the spiritual gifts, which the grace of God has given thee.

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

Ver. 6. For which cause—namely, because I have full confidence that such is your spiritual condition (Theophylact, διότι οἶδα σε ἀνυπόκριτον ἔχοντα πίστιν; Theod., ταῦτα περὶ σου πεπεισμένος παρακαλῶ). Cocceius justly compares 1Jn 2:21, “I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it,” and adds: “Each apostle guards against the supposition that his writing or excitation should seem to insinuate either ignorance or unbelief of the truth; and, on the contrary, shows that the knowledge and faith of the truth dwelling in them was the cause of writing them and stirring them up. Such incitement would certainly have been in vain with persons ignorant of the truth, or not exercising faith in it.” In accordance with this is the mild form of the exhortation that follows: I remind thee (ἀναμιμνῄσκω, admonish is too strong) to stir up (ἀναζωπυρεῖν, lit. to kindle up, the subject being viewed under the image of a fire) the gift of God which is in thee through the laying on of my hands. That the verb here used (ἀναζωπ.) does not necessarily imply any previous decay or slumbering—that it means to kindle up, as well as re-kindle, the force of ἀνα being up, or upwards (Ellicott)—is put beyond doubt by the examples given in Wetstein. (The synonyms given by Hesych. are ᾶνεγεῖραι, ἀναζῆν ποιεῖν; by Suidas, ἀνανεῶσαι, ἀνεγεῖραι.) Very similar is the language of St. Peter when he speaks of stirring up the disciples by way of remembrance, or putting them in mind (διεγείρειν ὑμᾶς ἐν ὑπομνήσει, 2Pe 1:13). The circumstances of the time, especially as connected with the apostle’s fresh imprisonment, and now all too probable destination to capital punishment, rendered such an exhortation every way fitting. On such a mind as Timothy’s, disposed to lean rather than to lead—accustomed to take a subordinate, not a principal part—those circumstances could not but have a depressing effect. The danger for him, the apostle would readily foresee, was that he would lose heart in the conflict, and perhaps withdraw into some more retired and humble position than his calling and acquirements qualified him to occupy. He is therefore urged to brace himself for the occasion, and stir into vigorous action the gift he had received for the service of God. The gift itself (χάρισμα) is undoubtedly the special endowment or gift of grace qualifying him for the evangelistic work to which he was appointed. It was referred to in the former epistle (1Ti 4:14), and is there connected instrumentally with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, as here with the laying on of St. Paul’s own hands. There is no contrariety between the two statements, as both parties no doubt took part in the ordination service (see at the former passage); but here it was natural and proper that the apostle should have reminded Timothy of his own act of imposition, as now more than ever Timothy was likely to be called to stand, to a certain extent, in the apostle’s room, and enter into his labours. It was of great importance, therefore, that he should now feel his increased responsibility, and apply himself to the cultivation of the grace which had been conferred upon him, undeterred by any discouragements or dangers which might stand in the way.

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

Observe here, 1. St. Paul’s care in putting Timothy in remembrance of his duty, though he very well knew it before: Wherefore, I put thee in remembrance. None are so well instructed in their duty, but they may and ought sometimes to be put in remembrance of what their duty is.

Note, 2. The duty which St. Paul puts him in remembrance of; namely, to stir up the gift of God, which was in him, by putting on of the apostle’s hands.

Where observe, 1. What the gift was which he advises should be stirred up: namely, the Holy Ghost, in its ministerial gifts and sanctifying graces; particularly, a divine power, which disposed and enabled him to teach and live, to act and do, answerably to the duties incumbent upon him as a minister of Jesus Christ.

Observe, 2. What care Timothy must take of this gift; namely, to stir it up: The word is a metaphor taken from fire, which, if not stirred up, grows dead, and gives little heat. They that have received much grace, and many gifts from the Holy Spirit, may yet be wanting to themselves in stirring them up. This stirring up the gift of God in Timothy, respects either the means that are to be used in order to the duty, such are prayer, reading, meditation; or the duty itself, which consists in feeding the flock of God, in reforming abuses in the church of God, and in enduring hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Observe, 3. How this gift was bestowed upon Timothy; namely, by putting on of the apostle’s hands, together with the hands of the presbytery, 1Ti 4:14. The authority and power was given by the apostle, the presbytery concurring as his assistants. St. Paul did not lay on hands without the presbytery, much less did the presbytery lay on hands without the apostle, but he and they in conjunction.

From the whole, learn, That no persons, especially ministers, ought to suffer the gifts and graces of God’s Holy Spirit to remain in them unexcited and unstirred up: Stir up the gift of God that is in thee.

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

ARGUMENT 1

REVIVAL OF LIFE AND FIRE

6. “On account of which cause I remind thee to revive and refire the gift of God, which is in thee by the laying on of my hands.” Regeneration gives life to the dead soul, and sanctification fire to consume all the surviving debris of the old carnal nature. Here we see that Paul reminds Timothy to revive and refire. The word “stir up,” E.V., is anazopurein, from ana, again, pur, fire, and zoe, life. Hence, you see it literally means to revive and refire the “gift of God, which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.” The normal place of the charismata, which denotes the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, is with the sanctified. (1Co 12:31.) “Covet earnestly the best gifts.” The Holy Ghost confers on sinners the gifts of illumination, conviction, repentance, contrition, and faith, in order to their conversion. Then in sanctification Christ imparts the gift of the Holy Ghost himself (Act 2:38) to come into your heart, not only sanctifying you, but abiding perpetually as an indwelling Comforter. After this it is our privilege to receive these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which constitute the Christian’s panoply, thus arming and equipping us to press the Lord’s war and save others. We see that Timothy already had the charisma, having received it in his ordination to preach the gospel. Yet Paul reminds him to revive and refire it, illustrating the fact that we all need revivals, showers of life from the heavenly rivers to fall on us in copiously reviving irrigating floods, and showers of fire from the heavenly altars, consuming all carnal rubbish that may linger in our way, and quickening us into racehorse speed for heaven and souls.

7. “God has not given unto us the spirit of cowardice, but of dynamite.” Perfect love casts out fear, and makes us brave enough to fight a regiment of devils, while it is our glorious privilege to be so filled with heaven’s invincible dynamite, that “one shall chase a thousand, and two shall put ten thousand to flight.”

8-10. “—Destroying death, and bringing life and purity to light through the gospel.” Life and immortality in E.V. are monotonous. Immortality is aphtharsian, from a, not, and phtheiro, to corrupt. Hence, the word means incorruption; i.e., purity; giving us a clear presentation of this great double salvation wrought by the Holy Ghost in two distinct works of grace, the one giving life to our dead spirit, and the other imparting spiritual purity.

12. “For I know whom I have believed.” This is a positive affirmation of Paul testifying to his personal acquaintance with Christ. This is the real deficiency in the Christian experiences of the present day. They only know Christ historically, and not really and personally. They know Jesus like they know Paul and Peter, but not as they know their comrades in life. “And I am persuaded that he is able to keep my trust unto that day.” Christ is not only our Omnipotent Sanctifier, but our infallible Keeper till he comes in his glory.

13. “Hold fast the form of hygienical words.” The very words of God are meat and drink, and all spiritual pabulum needed in the maintenance of soul life, and at the same time the panacea abundantly competent to cure all our spiritual ailments, simultaneously fortifying us against all malaria and epidemics to which we are exposed in this land of sin and sorrow.

14. “Guard the beautiful trust through the Holy Ghost dwelling in you.” All you have to do is to be courageous; i.e., keep saved from all cowardice (Joshua 1), and the Holy Ghost will do all of your fighting for you.

15-18. We see Satan was busy in Paul’s day decoying away the disciples. Here Paul reveals a deplorable apostasy.

1. “Therefore, my child, be filled up with dynamite in the grace which is in Christ Jesus.” If we will only heed these Pauline admonitions, to be filled with the dynamite of our Omnipotent Savior, we will all the time be more than a match for the devil.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6–7. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance. From the earnestness with which he stirs up Timothy in both Epistles, it seems likely that he did not possess the rugged, restless energy of Paul. Stir up the gift of God. The supernatural gift which he received by the imposition of the apostolic hands. The gift of office was conferred by ordination at the hands of the presbytery; the gift of miraculous powers, by the imposition of the hands of an apostle.

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.

Connecting Statement:

Paul encourages Timothy to live in power, love, and discipline and not to be ashamed because of Paul's suffering in prison because of his (Paul's) faith in Christ.

This is the reason

"For this reason" or "Because of your sincere faith in Jesus"

to rekindle the gift

Paul speaks about Timothy's need to start using his gift again as if he were restarting a fire. AT: "to start using again the gift" (See: Metaphor)

the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands

"the gift of God that you received when I laid my hands on you." This refers to a ceremony in which Paul placed his hands on Timothy and prayed that God would enable him to do the work he had commanded him to do.

God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline

Possible meanings are 1) "spirit" refers to the "Holy Spirit." AT: "God's Holy Spirit does not cause us to be afraid. He causes us to have power and love and discipline" or 2) "spirit" refers to a characteristic. AT: "God does not cause us to be afraid but to have power and love and discipline"

discipline

Possible meanings are 1) the power to control ourselves or 2) the power to correct other people who are doing wrong.

translationWords

gift

God

spirit

fear

power

love

discipline

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

6–14. CHARGE I. BE ZEALOUS; BE COURAGEOUS; STIR UP YOUR ORDINATION GRACE

6. διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν, for the which cause, sc. on account of the unfeigned faith inherited and possessed by Timothy, of which the Apostle has just been reminded. The phrase διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν does not occur in St Paul outside the Pastorals (2Ti 1:12; Tit 1:13: cp. Heb 2:11).

ἀναμιμνήσκω σε, I put you in remembrance. It has been supposed by some that here and throughout the Epistle we have allusions to weakness and timidity on the part of Timothy which had come to St Paul’s knowledge; but the evidence does not seem sufficient to establish anything more than a very natural anxiety on the part of the older man lest the younger one should faint under his heavy burden. Paul does not here tell Timothy of any new gift; he reminds him of that which was already his, and which Timothy knew to be his. See Introd. p. xliii.

ἁναζωπυρεῖν κ.τ.λ., that you kindle into a flame the grace of God &c. The Divine χάρισμα is a fire which may be extinguished through neglect; cp. 1Th 5:19, τὸ πνεῦμα μὴ σβέννυτε (of the despising of prophesyings). The verb ἁναζωπυρεῖν does not occur again in N.T., but it is found twice in LXX. (Gen 45:27; 1Ma 13:7, being used intransitively in both cases) and was a common Greek word. Cp. Clem. Rom. 27; Ignat. Ephesians 1.

τὸ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν κ.τ.λ., the gift of God which is in thee through the laying on of my hands. Cp. carefully 1Ti 4:14 and the note thereon. The χάρισμα is not an ordinary gift of God’s grace, such as every Christian may seek and obtain according to his need; but is the special grace received by Timothy to fit him for his ministerial functions.

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.

6-14.] Exhortation to Timotheus to be firm in the faith, and not to shrink from suffering: enforced (9-11) by the glorious character of the Gospel, and free mercy of God in it, and (11-13) by his own example. For which cause (reff.: viz. because thou hast inherited, didst once possess, and I trust still dost possess, such unfeigned faith;—ταῦτα περί σου πεπεισμένος, Thdrt.) I put thee in mind to stir up (see examples in reff. and in Wetst. The metaphorical use of the word was so common, that there is hardly need to recur to its literal sense. Cf. especially, Iambl, vit. Pythagor. c. 16: ἀπεκάθαιρε τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ ἀνεζωπύρει τὸ θεῖον ἐν αὐτῇ. At the same time it is well to compare, as Chrys. does, 1Th 5:19, τὸ πνεῦμα μὴ σβέννυτε. He adds, ἐν ἡμῖν γάρ ἐστι καὶ σβέσι καὶ ἀνάψαι τοῦτο. ὑπὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀκηδίας καὶ ῥᾳθυμίας σβέννυται, ὑπὸ δὲ νήψεως καὶ προσοχῆς διεγείρεται) the gift of God (χάρισμα, singular, as combining the whole of the gifts necessary for the ministry in one aggregate (τὴν χάριν τοῦ πνεύματος, ἢν ἔλαβες εἰς προστασίαν τῆς ἐκκλησίας, Chrys.): not ‘the gift of the Spirit imparted to all believers:’ see 1Ti 4:14, note. Of those ministerial gifts, that of παῤῥησία would be most required in this case, “videtur Timotheus, Paulo diu carens, nonnihil remisisse: certe nunc ad majora stimulatur.” Bengel), which is in thee by means of the laying on of my hands (these words, especially when compared with 1Ti 4:14, mark the sense of χάρισμα to be as above, and not the general gifts of the Spirit which followed the laying on of hands after baptism. Any apparent discrepancy with that passage, from the Apostle here speaking of the laying on of his own hands alone, may be removed by regarding the Apostle as chief in the ordination, and the presbytery us his assistants, as is the case with Bishops at the present day. As to the διὰ τῆς ἐπιθ., we can only appeal, against the Roman-Catholic expositors, e.g. Mack, to the whole spirit of St. Paul’s teaching, as declaring that by such an expression he does not mean that the inward spiritual grace is operated merely and barely by the outward visible sign,—but is only asserting, in a mode of speech common to us all, that the solemn dedication by him of Timotheus to God’s work, of which the laying on of his hands was the sign and seal, did bring with it gifts and grace for that work. In this sense and in this alone, the gift came διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως, that laying on being the concentrated and effective sign of the setting apart, and conveying in faith the answer, assumed by faith, to the prayers of the church. That the Apostle had authority thus to set apart, was necessary to the validity of the act, and thus to the reception of the grace:—but the authority did not convey the grace. I may just add that the ‘indelibility of orders,’ which Mack infers from this passage, is simply and directly refuted by it. If the χάρισμα τὸ ἐν σοί required ἀναζωπυρεῖσθαι, if, as Chrys. above, ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστι καὶ σβέσαι καὶ ἀνάψαι τοῦτο,—then plainly it is not indelible).

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

6-14. Paraphrase. Feeling this confidence, I write to remind you to stir into full life that gift of God which is within you, which was given by the laying of my hands upon your head. For the gift which God gave us was no spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of strength combined with a spirit of love for others and of self-discipline. So then, as you have that spirit, do not be ashamed of the witness which we have to bear about Our Lord, do not be ashamed of me because the preaching of Him has led me to imprisonment; nay, be ready to share my sufferings in the cause of the Gospel: you have not to rely on your own strength, but on the strength of God Himself—of the very God who saved us and called us into His kingdom by a holy call to holiness, and that not in virtue of our own efforts, but in virtue of a purpose entirely His own, of a gift freely given—given indeed to us as embodied in Christ Jesus before time began, though only shown in these latter days by the bright light which radiated from the appearance of our Saviour Christ Jesus on earth, when He destroyed the power of the dread tyrant death and brought to clear view the full meaning of life, aye of immortal life, through the good tidings which I was appointed to proclaim, to carry with authority throughout the world and to teach its truths. It is because I have done this that I am a prisoner now, that I endure these fetters; but I am not ashamed of them, for I know Him whom I have trusted, and I feel confident that He has strength to guard safely all that I have entrusted to His keeping till that great day to which we Christians look forward. Take then as your pattern of sound doctrine the pattern of the doctrine which I taught you, hold it firmly in a spirit of faith and of that true love which is only found in union with Christ Jesus. It is a trust put into our hands for safe keeping; it is the most precious of all trusts; guard it then with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts.

6. διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν] Cf. 12, Tit 1:13 note. ἀναζωπυρεῖν (“resuscites,” Vulg.; “recrees,” Ambros.), properly “to stir up smouldering embers into a living flame,” “to keep at white heat” (Parry) (“O joy that in our embers Is something that doth live”); there may be a conscious reference to the thought of the Spirit as fire, cf. Act 2:3, Mat 25:8, 1Th 5:19; cf. Seneca, Ep. 94, “Honestarum rerum semina animi nostri gerunt quæ admonitione excitantur: non aliter quam scintilla flatu levi adjuta ignem suum explicat” (Wetstein); but the use in the LXX (2 K 8:1, 5 to bring to life a dead child, Gen 45:27, Gen 45:1 Mac 13:7 “to revive” (intrans.)), makes it very doubtful whether the metaphor was consciously present in Hellenistic Greek; cf. Ign. ad Eph. c. 1, ἀναζωπυρήσαντες ἐν αἵματι θεοῦ. Chrys. paraphrases happily παρρησίας ἔμπλησον αὐτό, χαρᾶς εὐφροσύνης· στῆθι γενναίως.

τὸ χάρισμα] cf. I 4:14. διὰ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως] cf. I 4:14 note. The time referred to is probably the same as there, the ordination for his present work at Ephesus: the context there suggesting a reference to the presbyters, the personal appeal here suggesting a reference to his own act alone. But the allusion here to Timothy’s home training (5), and the character of the gift conferred (7), leave it possible that the reference is to Paul’s first choice of Timothy to be his minister (Act 16:2; so Hort, Christian Ecclesia, p. 184), or even to his confirmation at the time of his conversion, Act 14:7 (so Bp. Chase, Confirmation in the Apostolic Age, pp. 35-40). On the other hand, the whole context of the epistle implies an appeal to one in an ordained and authoritative position.

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

Wherefore [δι ην αιτιαν] . Lit. for which cause. Aitia not in Paul. The phrase in verse 12; Tit 1:13; also in Luke, Acts, and Hebrews Paul 's expression is dio or dia touto.

Stir up [αναζωπυρειν] . N. T. o. LXX, (Gen 45:27; 1 Macc. 13 7. In Class., as Eurip. Electra, 1121, ajn' au su zwpureiv neikh nea you are rekindling old strifes. From ajna again zwov alive, pur fire. To zwpuron is a piece of hot coal, an ember, a spark. Plato calls the survivors of the flood smikra zwpura tou twn ajnqrwpwn genouv diaseswsmena small sparks of the human race preserved. The word is, therefore, figurative, to stir or kindle the embers. Ana combines the meanings again and up, rekindle or kindle up. Vulg. only the former, resuscitare. Comp. ajnaptein 12 49; Jas 3:5. It is not necessary to assume that Timothy's zeal had become cold.

The gift of God [το χαρισμα του θεου] . See on 1Ti 4:14. The laying on of my hands. See on 1Ti 4:14.

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