2 Timothy 2:5 Ulasan

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.

And if a man also strive for masteries,.... In the Olympic games, by running, wrestling, leaping, &c. yet is he not crowned; with a corruptible, fading crown, a crown made of herbs and leaves of trees, as parsley, laurel, &c. except he strive lawfully; according to the laws and rules fixed for those exercises; so no man that calls himself a Christian, minister, or any other, can expect the crown of life, the prize of the high calling of God, except he runs the race set before him, in the right way; looking to Christ, the mark, pressing through all difficulties, towards the prize, and holds on and out unto the end.

We who are concerned with the business of our Creator will live according to the laws of God. We have no desire to serve the laws of sin.… If necessary, we will also partake of the joys of this life and endure the appointed evils as trials of the soul.… In them the soul of the man who is being tested, like gold in the fire, is either convicted of failure or is manifested as reliable.… Moreover, no one is crowned unless he strives lawfully even here upon earth with the body of humiliation.

But, if you place yourself in the hands of a man rich in virtue, you will become the heir of the good qualities he possesses and you will be supremely blessed with God and men. On the other hand, if, to spare the body, you seek a master who will condescend or, rather, degrade himself to the level of your vices, all in vain did you endure the struggle of renunciation, since you have surrendered yourself to a life of gratifying your passions by choosing a blind guide who will lead you into the pit.

How can there be a lawful contest if there is no opponent? If there is no opponent, there is no crown. Victory does not exist by itself, without there being a defeated party.

What is the world but a sort of arena of continual strife? Wherefore also in the Apocalypse the Lord says, "To him that overcometh will I give a crown of life;" and Paul says, "I have fought a good fight;" and in another place, "No man is crowned except he strive lawfully." He who institutes this combat is Almighty God. Now he who in this world offers a combat, does he not first provide all things which are necessary thereto, and prepare the chaplets of victory before he summons the athletics to contend for the prize; and all this that the conqueror may not suffer delay, but retire from the contest crowned with his reward? Now the rewards of man are the fruits of the earth and the lights of heaven; the former for the use of this present life, the latter for the hope of life eternal. As a wrestler therefore he enters the lists last of all... It is he therefore who poises the blow, but it is Christ Who strikes, it is he who lifts up his heel, but Christ Who directs it to the ground... by the preaching of Christ he wounded those evil spirits which assaulted him. Rightly therefore did man, for whom a race was prepared, enter the course last, that he might be preceded by heaven which was to be, as it were, his reward.

You say that her clothes are shabby, but virginity resides not in clothing nor in one’s complexion but in the body and soul. Is it not strange that we have different standards? We will not judge the philosopher by his hair or his staff or his tunic but by his way of life, his character and soul. The soldier too we will not approve for his mantle or belt but for his strength and manliness. Yet the virgin, who represents a state so admirable and superior to all others, we will simply and offhandedly assume practices her virtue because of the squalor of her hair, her dejected look and gray cloak. We do not strip her soul bare and scrutinize closely its inner state. But he who has drawn up the rules for this contest does not permit this. He orders that those who have entered not be judged by their clothing but by the convictions of their souls. “Athletes,” Paul says, “deny themselves all sorts of things,” anything that would trouble the health of the soul. “If one takes part in an athletic contest, he cannot receive the winner’s crown unless he has kept the rules.” What, then, are the laws of this contest? Hear again his words, or rather Christ himself, who has established the contest: “The virgin is concerned with things of the Lord, in pursuit of holiness in body and spirit.”

In a word, it is absolutely necessary for one who hopes to please God and to be acceptable and pure, not to pursue a relaxed and slippery and dissolute life, but a laborious life, groaning with much toil and sweat. For no one is crowned, Paul says, "unless he competes according to the rules."

"And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he 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.

Christ’s athlete is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules, unless he has accepted and sustained the challenge, unless his face is black and blue from the fray and bathed in blood. It is the discolored bruises that deserve a crown, and suffering and pain that merit joy.

For in the present world the righteous and the wicked are mingled together in the common affairs of life, but not in holy communion: and in this the friends and favourites of God are guilty of no sin. For they do but imitate "their Father which is in heaven, who maketh His sun to rise on the righteous and unrighteous, and sendeth His rain on the evil and on the good;" and the righteous man undergoes no peril on this account. For those who conquer and those who are conquered are in the same place of running, but only those who have bravely undergone the race are where the garland is bestowed; and "no one is crowned, unless he strive lawfully." For every one shall give account of himself, and God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked; for with Him it is a constant rule, that innocence is never punished.

One who wants to extinguish the natural desires of the flesh should first hasten to overcome those vices whose ground is contrary to our nature. For if we desire to test out the force of the apostle’s counsel, we ought first to learn what are the laws and what the discipline of the world’s contest. This is so that finally by a comparison with these, we may be able to know what the blessed apostle meant to teach to us who are striving in the spiritual contest.

unless he competes according to the rules. For it is not enough merely to be anointed, or to enter the place of combat, or to engage in hand-to-hand fighting with the enemy, but it is also necessary to endure and to win: for this is the law of combat.

That is, it is not enough to enter the contest, or to anoint oneself, or to engage with an opponent, if a person does not observe the laws of wrestling concerning food, drink, abstinence, and the very manner of wrestling. For one is not left to compete however one wishes, but there are laws regarding this as well — laws of competition. Observe the wisdom of Paul. He reminds Timothy of the soldier, to show that he must be ready for defeat and death, — and of the wrestler, to strengthen him for everything and so that he would constantly be in the struggle.

He also who strives for the mastery is not crowned, except he strive lawfully. But because someone might say: you put heavy burdens on us, Paul; but what fruit do they bring? He answers: take as your example the battles of this world, where not all but only those who fight lawfully receive the crown. So, too, will it be in spiritual battles, where no one is crowned, unless he obeys the rules of warfare: they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one (1 Cor 9:25); and it triumphs, crowned forever (Wis 4:2).

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.

If a man also strive for masteries - Εαν δε και αθλῃ τις· If a man contend in the public games - the Olympic or Isthmian games among the Greeks, so often alluded to and particularly explained in the notes on Co1 9:24-26, to which the reader is referred for a full illustration of this verse. Is he not crowned - Though he may have conquered, except he strive lawfully - unless he enter according to the rules of the athlete, and act as these direct. No man, however zealous he may have been, is to expect the Well done, good and faithful servant, from Jesus Christ, unless he have labored in the word and doctrine, preached the truth as it is in Jesus, and built up the Church upon Him who is its only Foundation.

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."

And--"Moreover." strive for masteries--"strive in the games" [ALFORD]; namely, the great national games of Greece. yet is he not crowned, except--even though he gain the victory. strive lawfully--observing all the conditions of both the contest (keeping within the bounds of the course and stript of his clothes) and the preparation for it, namely, as to self-denying diet, anointing, exercise, self-restraint, chastity, decorum, &c. (Co1 9:24-27).