2 Timoteo 2:4 Commento

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 2 In this chapter the apostle continues his exhortations to Timothy, with respect both to his office and his conversation, and closes with the character of a minister of the Gospel. The apostle having exhorted Timothy, in the former chapter, to abide by the Gospel, notwithstanding whatsoever he might suffer for it, here points out to him that grace and strength in Christ, which he would have him have recourse unto, to enable him to discharge his duty, 2Ti 2:1 and that the Gospel might continue, he advises him to take care of a succession, and to commit the Gospel preached by him to others, whose qualifications for it are faithfulness and aptitude to teach, 2Ti 2:2 and in order to animate him to labour diligently in the Gospel, and suffer cheerfully for it, he observes to him that he was a soldier, and must endure hardships, and not indulge to the ease and pleasures of life; was a runner in a race, and therefore must strive before he received the crown; and was as an husbandman that must first labour before he partakes of the fruit: which things he would have him seriously consider; and desires that the Lord would give him understanding in them, Ti2 2:3, and then with the same view, to encourage him to suffer for the Gospel of Christ, he puts him in mind of the incarnation and resurrection of Christ, as a summary of the Gospel, and a specimen of what he had heard of him, Ti2 2:8 and instances in his own sufferings for it, the nature, use, and end of them, by way of example and imitation, Ti2 2:9, and for the same purpose mentions several useful sayings and pithy sentences, as true and, to be depended on, Ti2 2:11 which he would have Timothy put his hearers in mind of, and especially those to whom he committed the Gospel to preach; charging them, in a solemn manner, not to strive about words, which is not only unprofitable, but hurtful, Ti2 2:14 and with respect to himself, he exhorts him to diligence and study, in interpreting and explaining the word of God, that so he might be approved unto God, and not be ashamed before men, Ti2 2:15 and on the contrary, to avoid false doctrines, as being profane, empty, and mere babble; and as tending to greater impiety; and as being dangerous and threatening, like the spreading canker; of which he gives instances in Hymenaeus and Philetus, Ti2 2:16 whose error was, that the resurrection was already past; and succeeded in the spreading of it, to the subversion of the faith of some, Ti2 2:18. However, for the comfort of real believers, it is observed, that notwithstanding such errors, and the success of them, the foundation stands sure; God has a certain knowledge of his own people, and will keep them; and therefore it becomes such who either call on the name, or are called by the name of Christ, to depart from such evil doctrines, Ti2 2:19 and that such things happening in the world, and in churches, should not be thought strange, the apostle illustrates the case by a simile of a great house, which has vessels of all sorts in it, and for different uses and purposes, Ti2 2:21. Wherefore, to conclude his exhortations to Timothy, he advises him to flee those lusts which are incident to youth; to follow things that are good, and to avoid foolish and unlearned questions, which tend to strife, Ti2 2:22 which leads him on to give the character of a servant of the Lord, or a preacher of the Gospel; that he must not strive, but be gentle, patient, and meek, in instructing adversaries; for which he should have an aptness; and is encouraged to act this part, from the consideration of success under a divine blessing; namely, bringing such persons to repentance, and to own the truth, and the recovery of them out of the snare of the devil, Ti2 2:24.

No man that warreth,.... Who is a soldier, and gives himself up to military service, in a literal sense: the Vulgate Latin version, without any authority, adds, "to God"; as if the apostle was speaking of a spiritual warfare; whereas he is illustrating a spiritual warfare by a corporeal one; and observes, that no one, that is in a military state, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; with civil affairs, in distinction from military ones. The Roman soldiers might not follow any trade or business of life, or be concerned in husbandry, or merchandise of any sort, but were wholly to attend to military exercises, and to the orders of their general; for to be employed in any secular business was reckoned an entangling of them, a taking of them off from, and an hindrance to their military discipline: and by this the apostle suggests that Christ's people, his soldiers, and especially his ministers, should not he involved and implicated in worldly affairs and cares; for no man can serve two masters, God and mammon; but should wholly give up themselves to the work and service to which they are called; and be ready to part with all worldly enjoyments, and cheerfully suffer the loss of all things, when called to it, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel: that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; his captain, or general, who has enlisted him, enrolled and registered him among his soldiers; whom to please should be his chief concern; as it should be the principal thing attended to by a Christian soldier, or minister of the Gospel, not to please men, nor to please himself, by seeking his own ease and rest, his worldly emoluments and advantages, but to please the Lord Christ, in whose book his name is written.

Pay attention to the bishop so that God will pay attention to you. I give my life as a sacrifice (poor as it is) for those who are obedient to the bishop, the presbyters and the deacons. Along with them may I get my share of God’s reward! Share your hard training together—wrestle together, run together, suffer together, retire together, get up together, as God’s stewards, assessors and assistants. Give satisfaction to him in whose ranks you serve and from whom you get your pay. Let none of you be a deserter. Let your baptism be your arms; your faith, your helmet; your love, your spear; your endurance, your armor.

Give attention to reading, that thou mayest not only thyself know the laws, but mayest also explain them to others, as the earnest servant of God. "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; and if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully." I that am in bonds pray that my soul may be in place of yours.

If you have understood how either an animal or a vessel or a garment is called holy, understand too that a person is also called holy by these observances and laws. For if anyone should devote himself to God, if anyone should not entangle himself in secular affairs, “in order to please him who appointed him,” if anyone was separated and set apart from the rest of men who live carnally and are bound with mundane affairs and does not seek things which are upon the earth but which are in heaven, that person is deservedly called holy.

For it is written: "No man that warreth for God entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him to whom he has pledged himself.". And again: "No man that warreth for God binds himself to anxieties of this world, that he may be able to please Him to whom he hath approved himself. Moreover, also, if a man should contend, he will not be crowned unless he have fought lawfully.". Concerning this same thing to Timothy: "No man that warreth for God bindeth himself with worldly annoyances, that he may please Him to whom he hath approved himself. But and if a man should contend, he will not be crowned unless he fight lawfully."

Where is Christ, the King? In heaven, to be sure. In this direction it behooves you, soldier of Christ, to direct your course. Forget all earthly delights. A soldier does not build a house. He does not aspire to the possession of lands. He does not concern himself with devious, coin-purveying trade.… The soldier enjoys a sustenance provided by the king. He need not furnish his own nor vex himself in this regard.

You are a spiritual soldier. This kind of soldier does not sleep on an ivory bed but on the ground. He is not anointed with perfumed oils. These are the concern of those corrupt men who dally with courtesans, of those who act on the stage, of those who live carelessly. You must not smell of perfumes but of virtue.

"No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully." These things are said indeed to Timothy, but through him they are addressed to every teacher and disciple. Let no one therefore of those who hold the office of a Bishop disdain to hear these things, but let him be ashamed not to do them. "If any one strive for masteries," he says, "he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully." What is meant by "lawfully"? It is not enough that he enters into the lists, that he is anointed, and even engages, unless he comply with all the laws of the exercise, with respect to diet, to temperance and sobriety, and all the rules of the wrestling school, unless, in short, he go through all that is befitting for a wrestler, he is not crowned. And observe the wisdom of Paul. He mentions wrestlers and soldiers, the one to prepare him for slaughter and blood, the other with reference to endurance, that he might bear everything with fortitude, and be ever in exercise.

How can the clergy be managers and stewards of other men’s households and estates when they are bidden to disregard even their own interests?

We are not anxious about the necessities of life, because, when we can perform these labors, he feeds and clothes us as men in general are fed and clothed. When, however, we are not able to work, then he feeds and clothes us just as the birds are fed and the lilies clothed, since we are of more value than they. Therefore, in this warfare of ours, we give no thought to the morrow, because it is not by temporal concerns pertaining to the morrow but by eternal matters, the concern of the everlasting today, that we have proved ourselves to him whom we cannot please if we are entangled in worldly affairs.

No one can serve two masters. Since business affairs often involve the exercise of greed, the faithful churchman must be separate from these.

He who is enrolled in God’s army must not be bound to others, lest any obligatory ties call him away from the Lord’s camp, where his name is inscribed.

Clerics do not seem to be on military service in the world, yet they are nonetheless soldiers for God and the Lord. As the apostle says, No one soldiering for God involves himself in secular affairs. We seem, I say, not to be soldiers in our loose and flowing tunics, but we have our military belt, by which we are bound to an interior purity.

No one engaged in warfare. Paul remembered the soldier, showing that the servant of Christ must be eager and bold; and as an athlete, showing that he needs continuous training. If, therefore, he says, the one serving the earthly king is not entangled in matters that distract him from his weapons, how much more the one who has committed himself to the heavenly king and recruited.

This is said to all bishops and teachers. A strong expression: "entangles himself." For worldly affairs are truly bonds and snares. By "affairs" he gives us to see all the cares, dealings, vanities, and burdens of worldly life. These words suggest: why do you bind yourself? Why do you entangle yourself in these encumbrances and troublesome affairs? Concern yourself with soldiering alone, and in this way you will please Christ, who chose you for His army.

No man, being a soldier to God, entangles himself with secular businesses. It should be noted that the end of spiritual warfare is one thing, and the end of carnal another: for the end of carnal warfare is to obtain victory against the enemies of one's fatherland; therefore, the soldiers should not entangle themselves with things that keep them from battle, namely, business and pleasure: everyone that strives for the mastery, refrains himself from all things (1 Cor 9:25). But the end of spiritual warfare is to obtain the victory over men who are against God; consequently, they must refrain from all that distracts them from God. These are secular businesses, because the cares of this world choke the word. That is why he says, entangles himself. But on the other hand, even though secular businesses are temporal, the Apostle engaged in them when he lived off the labor of his hands. I answer that the Apostle says entangles and not engages. When one is entangled in them, his care and anxiety are focused upon them; in such a case it is reasonable to forbid them to Christ's soldiers, for whom it is not necessary to entangle themselves in secular businesses. Furthermore, he does not say be entangled but entangles himself, because sometimes a person can be entangled without entangling himself. For he entangles himself when he undertakes a business without godliness and necessity calling for it; but when the requirements of godliness and of authority demand it, he does not entangle himself, but is entangled by such requirements: assist her in whatsoever business she shall have need of you (Rom 16:2). But the reason why he ought not entangle himself is that he may please him to whom he has engaged himself: if any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). For a soldier of Christ has vowed himself to do battle for God; consequently, he must strive to please him to whom he has dedicated himself.

He exhorts Timothy to constancy, fidelity, and courage; and to acquit himself as a true soldier of Jesus Christ; and patiently expect the fruit of his labors, Ti2 2:1-7. What the apostle's doctrine was relative to Christ, Ti2 2:8. He mentions his own sufferings and consolations, Ti2 2:9-13. What Timothy is to preach, how he is to acquit himself, and what he is to shun, Ti2 2:14-16. Of Hymeneus and Philetus, and their errors, Ti2 2:17, Ti2 2:18. Of the foundation of God, and its security, Ti2 2:19. The simile of a great house and its utensils, Ti2 2:20, Ti2 2:21. Timothy is to avoid youthful lusts, and foolish and unlearned questions, Ti2 2:22, Ti2 2:23. How he is to act in reference to false teachers, Ti2 2:24-26.

No man that warreth entangleth, etc. - It is well remarked by Grotius, on this passage, that the legionary soldiers among the Romans were not permitted to engage in husbandry, merchandise, mechanical employments, or any thing that might be inconsistent with their calling. Many canons, at different times, have been made to prevent ecclesiastics from intermeddling with secular employments. The who will preach the Gospel thoroughly, and wishes to give full proof of his ministry, had need to have no other work. He should be wholly in this thing, that his profiting may appear unto all. There are many who sin against this direction. They love the world, and labor for it, and are regardless of the souls committed to their charge. But what are they, either in number or guilt, compared to the immense herd of men professing to be Christian ministers, who neither read nor study, and consequently never improve? These are too conscientious to meddle with secular affairs, and yet have no scruple of conscience to while away time, be among the chief in needless self-indulgence, and, by their burdensome and monotonous ministry, become an incumbrance to the Church! Do you inquire: In what sect or party are these to be found? I answer: In All. Idle drones: - Fruges consumere nati, "Born to consume the produce of the soil," disgrace every department in the Christian Church. They cannot teach because they will not learn.

EXHORTATIONS; TO FAITHFULNESS AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST; ERRORS TO BE SHUNNED; THE LORD'S SURE FOUNDATION; THE RIGHT SPIRIT FOR A SERVANT OF CHRIST. (2Ti. 2:1-26) Thou therefore--following my example (Ti2 1:8, Ti2 1:12), and that of ONESIPHORUS (Ti2 1:16-18), and shunning that of those who forsook me (Ti2 1:15). my son--Children ought to imitate their father. be strong--literally, "be invested with power." Have power, and show thyself to have it; implying an abiding state of power. in the grace--the element IN which the believer's strength has place. Compare Ti2 1:7, "God hath given us the spirit of power."

"No one while serving as a soldier." the affairs of (this) life--"the businesses of life" [ALFORD]; mercantile, or other than military. him who hath chosen him--the general who at the first enlisted him as a soldier. Paul himself worked at tent-making (Act 18:3). Therefore what is prohibited here is, not all other save religious occupation, but the becoming entangled, or over-engrossed therewith.