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| 2 Timothy 1:13 |
Hold fast the form of sound words,
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which
is in Christ Jesus.
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single verse, read all the verses from the beginning
of the chapter to this point and maybe a verse or
two beyond. Do this so you have the verse in context
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This section has three scriptures
2 Timothy 1:12-14
12 For 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 committed unto him against
that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou
hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee
keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
TRUST HUMAN AND DIVINE
2 Timothy 1:12–14
The verses paraphrased:
And that is the reason why I am going through these
things I am going through. But I am not ashamed, for
I know him in whom my belief is fixed, and I am
quite certain that he is able to keep safe what I
have entrusted to him until the last day comes. Hold
fast the pattern of health-giving words you have
received from me, never slackening in that faith and
love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard the fine trust
that has been given to you through the Holy Spirit
who dwells in you.
THIS passage uses a very vivid Greek word in a
significant double way which is full of meaning.
Paul talks of that which he has entrusted to God,
and he urges Timothy to safeguard the trust God has
placed in him. In both cases, the word is
parathe¯ke¯, which means a deposit committed to
someone’s trust. A man might deposit something with
a friend to be kept for his children or his loved
ones; or he might deposit his valuables in a temple
for safe-keeping, for the temples were the banks of
the ancient world. In each case, the thing deposited
was a parathe¯ke¯. In the ancient world, there was
no more sacred duty than the safe-guarding of such a
deposit and the returning of it when in due time it
was claimed.
Paul says that he has made his deposit with God. He
means that he has entrusted both his work and his
life to him. It might seem that he had been cut off
in mid-career; that he should end as a criminal in a
Roman prison might seem the undoing of all his work.
But he had sowed his seed and preached his gospel,
and he left the result in the hands of God. Paul had
entrusted his life to God; and he was sure that in
life and in death he was safe. Why was he so sure?
Because he knew in whom he had believed. We must
always remember that Paul does not say that he knew
what he had believed. His certainty did not come
from the intellectual knowledge of a creed or a
theology; it came from a personal knowledge of God.
He knew God personally and intimately; he knew what
he was like in love and in power; and to Paul it was
inconceivable that he should fail him. If we have
worked honestly and done the best that we can, we
can leave the result to God, however meager that
work may seem to us. With him in this or any other
world, life is safe, for nothing can separate us
from his love in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Barclay
commentary [on the concept of "doing the
best you can" see sermon, "Transcendent"]
Now to the other commentaries.
First the Matthew Henry Main Commentary on verse 13.
He exhorts him to hold fast the form of sound words,
2 Timothy 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, Titus 2:8.
Quoted verse:
...I will include verse 7
Titus 2:7-8
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good
works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity,
sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he
that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having
no evil thing to say of you.
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, Psalm
119:11.
Quoted verse:
...1 will include verses
9-10
Psalm 119:9-11
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by
taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me
not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might
not sin against thee.
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,
Ephesians 4:15.
Quoted verse:
...1 will read from verse
13 which is just after the statement by Paul that
God has given us apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors and teachers.
Ephesians 4:13-15
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into
him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
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. ~Matthew
Henry Main
Now to the Matthew Henry Concise and commentary
covering verses 13 and 14.
Paul exhorts Timothy to hold fast the Holy
Scriptures, the substance of solid gospel truth in
them. It is not enough to assent to the sound words,
but we must love them. The Christian doctrine is a
trust committed to us; it is of unspeakable value in
itself, and will be of unspeakable advantage to us.
It is committed to us, to be preserved pure and
entire, yet we must not think to keep it by our own
strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit
dwelling in us; and it will not be gained by those
who trust in their own hearts, and lean to their own
understandings. ~Matthew
Henry Concise
Now to the specific commentaries.
The verse is broken out in three parts:
1] Hold fast the form of sound words.
2] Which thou hast heard of me.
3] In faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1] Hold fast the form of sound
words.
The pattern of sound words - The model of
pure, wholesome doctrine.
~John Wesley Explanatory Notes
Hold fast the form of sound
words. - The word rendered ‘form’
(ὑποτύπωσις) is the same as that rightly
translated ‘pattern’ in 1 Timothy 1:16. It is
therefore probable that a word so rarely used by St.
Paul is used here also in the same sense. Its
position shows that it is emphatic, and though
without the article in the Greek, the absence is
supplied by the emphasis thus given. The full
interpretation of the words turns on the meaning of
the verb, which may be simply ‘have’ in the sense of
‘take,’ or ‘have’ in the sense of ‘hold fast and
keep.’ The former gives as the meaning, ‘Take what I
have just said as an example of the wholesome
words;’ the latter, which seems, on the whole, to
give the truer meaning, ‘Hold fast, keep before thee
that pattern.’ ~Popular
commentary
Wholesome words. As in 1 Timothy 1:10; 1
Timothy 6:3, and elsewhere, words that are
characterized by a spiritual healthiness.
~Popular commentary
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 1:10 [See
Lesson]
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves
with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for
perjured persons, and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1 Timothy 6:3 [See
Lesson]
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to
wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to
godliness;
Hold fast the form —
rather as Greek, “Have (that
is, keep) a pattern of sound (Greek,
‘healthy’) words which thou hast heard
from me, in faith and love.” “Keep” suits the
reference to a deposit in the context. The secondary
position of the verb in the Greek forbids our taking
it so strongly as English Version, “Hold fast.” The
Greek for “form” is translated “pattern” in 1
Timothy 1:16, the only other passage where it
occurs. Have such a pattern drawn from my sound
words, in opposition to the unsound doctrines so
current at Ephesus, vividly impressed (Wahl
translates it “delineation”; the verb implies “to
make a lively and lasting impress”) on
thy mind. ~Jamieson,
Fausset, Brown
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 1:16 [See
Lesson]
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might shew forth all
longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
What does Paul mean by a ‘form of sound words’?
I begin the answer by saying that he does not mean a
doctrinal formula. The word here rendered ‘form’ is
the same which he employs in the first of the
letters to Timothy, when he speaks of himself and
his own conversion as being ‘a pattern to them that
should hereafter believe.’ The notion intended here
is not a cut-and-dried creed, but a body of teaching
winch will not be compressed within the limits of an
iron form, but will be a pattern for the lives of
the men to whom it is given. The Revised Version has
‘the pattern; and not ‘the form.’
~Alexander MacLaren
Hold fast the form of sound
words. - Hold and teach sound doctrine, the
pure faith, the gospel as Paul taught it to him,
preaching it in faith and love.
~People's New Testament
Hold fast the form of sound
words. - He shows in what he ought to be most
constant, that is, both in the doctrine itself, the
essential parts of which are faith and charity, and
next in the manner of teaching it, a living pattern
and shape of which Timothy knew in the apostle.
~Geneva Bible Translation
Notes
Hold fast the form of sound
words - The word ὑποτυπωσις signifies the
sketch, plan, or outline of a building, picture,
etc.; and here refers to the plan of salvation which
the apostle had taught Timothy. No man was left to
invent a religion for his own use, and after his own
mind. God alone knows that with which God can be
pleased. If God did not give a revelation of
himself, the inventions of man, in religious things,
would be endless error, involving itself in
contortions of unlimited confusion. God gives, in
his mercy to man, a form of sound words or
doctrines; a perfect plan and sketch of the original
building; fair and well defined outlines of every
thing which concerns the present and eternal welfare
of man, and his own glory.
~Adam Clarke
Hold fast the form of sound
words - On the Greek word here rendered
“form,” see the notes at 1 Timothy 1:16 (quoted
above), where it is rendered pattern. The
word means a form, sketch, or imperfect delineation
- an outline. Grotius says that it here means “an
exemplar, but an exemplar fixed in the mind - an
idea.” Calvin says that the command is that he
should adhere to the doctrine which he had learned,
not only in its substance, but in its form. Dr.
Tillotson explains this as meaning the profession of
faith which was made by Christians at baptism. There
seems to be an allusion to some summary or outline
of truth which Paul had given to Timothy, though
there is no evidence that it was written. Indeed,
there is every presumption that, if it refers to
such a summary, it was not committed to writing. If
it had been, it would have been regarded as
inspired, and would have taken its place in the
canon of Scripture. It may be presumed that almost
none of the sacred writings would have been more
sacredly preserved than such a condensed summary of
Christian truth. But there is no improbability in
supposing that Paul, either at his ordination, or on
some other occasion, may have stated the outlines of
the Christian religion to Timothy, that he might
have a clear and connected view of the subject. The
passage, therefore, may be used as an argument for
the propriety of some brief summary of doctrine as a
matter of convenience, though not as having binding
authority on the consciences of others.
~Barnes Notes
2] Which thou hast heard of me.
Which thou hast heard of me.
- The Greek tense (‘which
thou didst hear’) points to some definite
occasion which Timothy would remember, and on which,
in the temper of ‘the faith and love which are in
Christ Jesus,’ Timothy had listened eagerly to the
words which he was now in danger of forgetting.
~Popular commentary
Which thou hast heard of me
- both in private conversation, and in the public
ministry of the word; and which the apostle had not
from men, but by the revelation of Christ; and
therefore was to be depended upon, and to be abode
by, or held fast, in the manner next directed to:
~John Gill
Which thou hast heard of me
- This proves that he does not refer to a written
creed, since what he refers to was something which
he had heard. ~Barnes Notes
3] In faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus.
In faith and love - The
teaching is to be held, preached, and practiced, not
as a mere schedule of conduct, however excellent,
but with the strong conviction of faith and the
favor of love. ~Vincent's
Word Studies
In faith and love — the
element IN which my sound words had place, and in
which thou art to have the vivid impression of them
as thy inwardly delineated pattern, molding
conformably thy outward profession.
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
That good thing which was
committed unto thee. - The sound faith just
alluded to. Don't let it be perverted. Keep it by
the help of the Holy Spirit. This charge is given in
view of the conduct of some from the province of
Asia, where Timothy was then dwelling, referred to
in 2 Timothy 1:15.
~People's New Testament
Quoted verse:
2 Timothy 1:15 [See
Lesson]
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia
be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and
Hermogenes.
In faith and love -
Faith credits the Divine doctrines. Love reduces
them all to practice. Faith lays hold on Jesus
Christ, and obtains that love by which every precept
is cheerfully and effectually obeyed.
~Adam Clarke
In faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus - in the exercise of faith, and
from a principle of love; which two graces always go
together, and have Christ, as here, for their
object: though this clause, may be connected with
the word "heard", and the sense be, either that
Timothy had heard Paul preach these sound doctrines
with great faith and faithfulness, and with much
fervency and affection to Christ, and the souls of
men; or Timothy had heard them himself, and embraced
and mixed them with faith, and received them in
love: or it may be read in connection with "the form
of sound words"; the sum of which is faith in
Christ, and love to him; the Gospel is the doctrine
of faith; and it puts men on discharging their duty
from love to Christ. ~John
Gill
In faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus - Hold these truths with sincere
faith in the Lord Jesus, and with that love which is
the best evidence of attachment to him.
~Barnes Notes
Recap:
1] Know doctrine. Stay immersed in the Word of God.
2] Have it, hold it, remember it, retain it and
adhere to it.
3] Hold doctrine in opposition to all heresies and
false doctrines.
4] False doctrines and heresies corrupt faith.
5] Grow into Christ.
6] Belief in doctrine is not enough. We must love
them.
7] Christian love and faith is different from our
self-generated love and faith.
8] Doctrine is of unspeakabe advantage to us.
9] The words and doctrines of God are elements of
healing. Indeed, the Salvation Process is a place of
healing.
10] The phrase, "form of sound words" means a
pattern of life expressed by and through those
words.
11] Essential to our doctrine is faith and love.
12] The phrase, "Which thou hast heard of me" shows
that God has specific ways by which doctrine and His
Word is made known.
13] The teaching of God must be held, preached and
practiced with the strong conviction of faith and
the favor of love.
14] Faith credits God's doctrines. Love reduces them
all to practice. Faith lays hold on Jesus Christ. |
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