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| 2 Timothy 2:7 |
Consider what I say; and the Lord
give thee understanding in all things.
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This section has two verses:
2 Timothy 2:6–7
6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first
partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee
understanding in all things.
THE WORKER FOR CHRIST
2 Timothy 2:6–7
...in paraphrase
It is the toiling husbandman who must be first to
receive his share of the fruits. Think of what I am
saying, for the Lord will give you understanding in
all things.
To represent the Christian life, Paul has used the
picture of the soldier and of the athlete, and now
he uses the picture of the farmer. It is not the
lazy farmer, but the farmer who works hard, who must
be the first to receive the share of the fruits of
the harvest. What then are the characteristics of
the farmer which Paul would wish to see in the life
of the Christian?
(1) Often, farmers must be content, first to work
and then to wait. More than any other worker,
farmers have to learn that there is no such thing as
quick results. Christians too must learn to work and
to wait. Often, they must sow the good seed of the
word into the hearts and minds of their hearers and
see no immediate result. Teachers often have to
teach and see no difference in those they teach.
Parents often have to seek to train and guide, and
see no difference in the children. It is only when
the years go by that the result is seen; for it
often happens that, when those young people have
grown to adulthood, they are faced with some
irresistible temptation, some terrible decision or
some intolerable effort, and back into their minds
comes some word of God or some flash of remembered
teaching; and the teaching, the guidance and the
discipline bear fruit and bring honour where without
it there would have been dishonour, salvation where
without it there would have been ruin. The farmer
has learned to wait with patience, and so must the
Christian teacher and the Christian parent.
(2) One special thing characterizes the farmer – and
that is a readiness to work at any hour. At harvest
time, we can see farmers at work in their fields as
long as the last streak of light is left; they know
no hours. Neither must the Christian. The trouble
with so much Christianity is that it is spasmodic.
But, from dawn to sunset, Christians must always be
working at their challenge of being Christians.
So God Made a Farmer 2:03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMpZ0TGjbWE
One thing remains in all three pictures. The soldier
is upheld by the thought of final victory. The
athlete is upheld by the vision of the crown. The
farmer is upheld by the hope of the harvest. Each
submits to the discipline and the toil for the sake
of the glory which will come in the end. It is the
same with the Christian. The Christian struggle is
not without a goal; it is always going somewhere.
Christians can be certain that after the effort of
the Christian life there comes the joy of [The
Kingdom]; and the greater the struggle,
the greater the joy.
~Barclay commentary
Now to the other commentaries.
First the general and then the specific
commentaries.
First the Matthew Henry concise, which covers verses
1-7
As our trials increase, we need to grow stronger in
that which is good; our faith stronger, our
resolution stronger, our love to God and Christ
stronger. This is opposed to our being strong in our
own strength. All Christians, but especially
ministers, must be faithful to their Captain, and
resolute in his cause. The great care of a Christian
must be to please Christ. We are to strive to get
the mastery of our lusts and corruptions, but we
cannot expect the prize unless we observe the laws.
We must take care that we do good in a right manner,
that our good may not be spoken evil of. Some who
are active, spend their zeal about outward forms and
doubtful disputations. But those who strive lawfully
shall be crowned at last. If we would partake the
fruits, we must labour; if we would gain the prize,
we must run the race. We must do the will of God,
before we receive the promises, for which reason we
have need of patience. Together with our prayers for
others, that the Lord would give them understanding
in all things, we must exhort and stir them up to
consider what they hear or read.
~Matthew Henry concise
Now the Matthew Henry main and its commentary for
just verse 7:
Here,
1. Paul exhorts Timothy to consider those things
about which he admonished him. Timothy must be
reminded to use his considering faculties about the
things of God. Consideration is as necessary to a
good conversation as to a sound conversion.
2. He prays for him: The Lord give thee
understanding in all things. Observe, it is God who
gives understanding. The most intelligent man needs
more and more of this gift. If he who gave the
revelation in the word does not give the
understanding in the heart, we are nothing. Together
with our prayers for others, that the Lord would
give them understanding in all things, we must
exhort and stir them up to consider what we say, for
consideration is the way to understand, remember,
and practice, what we hear or read.
~Matthew Henry main
The verse is broken into two parts:
1] Consider what I say.
2] And the Lord give thee understanding in all
things.
1] Consider what I say.
Consider what I say -
Consider the force of the illustrations I have given
from the soldier, the contender in the games, and
the husbandmen, as applying to thyself in thy
ministry. ~Jamieson,
Fausset, Brown
Consider what I say -
Apply my metaphors and similitudes in a proper
manner. ~Adam Clarke
Consider what I say. -
Reflect, and take in its meaning.
~People's New Testament
Consider what I say. -
Paul contents himself with suggesting the analogies
of the two previous verses, and leaves it to
Timothy’s reflection to see their bearing on
himself. ~Popular
commentary
Consider what I say; -
see 1 Timothy 4:15. The sense is “Think of the
condition of the soldier, and the principles on
which he is enlisted; think of the aspirant for the
crown in the Grecian games; think of the farmer,
patiently toiling in the prospect of the distant
harvest; and then go to your work with a similar
spirit.” These things are worth attention. When the
minister of the gospel thinks of his hardships, of
his struggles against an evil world, and of his
arduous and constant discouraging toil, let him
think of the soldier, of the man who struggles for
this world’s honors, and of the patient farmer - AND
be content. How patiently do they bear all,
and yet for what inferior rewards!
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 4:15 [See
Lesson]
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to
them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Consider what I say
-The advice given by the apostle to Timothy, to be
strong in the grace of Christ; to commit the
doctrines of the Gospel to faithful and able men;
and to endure hardness for the sake of it: as also
the characters which he bore as a soldier, a runner
in a race, or a wrestler, and an husbandman; and
therefore must not expect ease and rest, but war,
difficulties, toil, and labour; and likewise under
what titles Christ was to be regarded; as his
General, and Captain of salvation, that commanded
him; as the righteous Judge, that held the prize and
crown for which he was running; and the chief
Shepherd, who would reward all his labours; and
moreover, the glorious reward of grace itself, he
might expect, as eternal life, when he had fought
the good fight the crown of righteousness, when he
had finished his course, or run his race; and a
crown of glory that fades not away, when the chief
Shepherd should appear: and by putting him upon the
consideration of these things, he suggests, that
they were matters of moment and importance, and
would be of great use to him in assisting and
encouraging his faith, amidst all trials and
exercises; and whereas they were expressed in
figurative terms, taken from the soldier, the runner
in a race, and the husbandman, they might not at
first view be so easy to be understood; and
therefore he would have him think of them, and
meditate upon them, and weigh them in his mind; as
well as he would not have him take things upon trust
from him, but examine them whether they were right
or not; though he doubted not but that they would be
found to be agreeable to the standard of truth:
wherefore he prays as follows.
~John Gill
Consider what I say. -
The apostle’s lessons had been given in parables or
similitudes. He therefore begs Timothy to note them
well, lest the application to himself should escape
him, suggesting further that he should seek the
necessary wisdom and understanding from God. So our
Lord, at the end of the parables recorded in Matthew
13:1-58., says to his disciples in Matthew 13:51,
"Have ye understood all these things?" and
elsewhere, "He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear." ~Pulpit commentary
Quoted verse:
Matthew 13:51
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these
things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
2] And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things.
And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things. - The better
reading gives ‘for the Lord will give thee.’ This
gives also a better meaning: ‘Make the effort to
reflect, for if thou do, the Lord will give thee the
discernment which thou needest.’
~Popular commentary
And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things - Enable you to
see the force of these considerations, and to apply
them to your own case. Such are often the
discouragements of the ministry; so prone is the
mind to despondency, that we need the help of the
Lord to enable us to apply the most obvious
considerations, and to derive support from the most
plain and simple truths and promises.
~Barnes Notes
And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things - Consider thou
properly, and God will give thee a proper
understanding of all things that concern thy own
peace, and the peace and prosperity of his Church.
Think as well as read.
~Adam Clarke
And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things - in all the
above things, and in all others; in all the
doctrines and mysteries of grace, and in all the
rules of conduct in life. No man has of himself an
understanding in spiritual things; this is the gift
of God; and where it is given there is need of an
increase of it, and always of such a prayer for it.
The Alexandrian copy, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic
versions, read, "the Lord will give thee", &c, and
so the words are a promise, an encouragement to
Timothy, to consider well of these things; for he
might assure himself, that, in so doing, God would
give him more understanding in them.
~John Gill
And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things - The oldest
manuscripts read, “for the Lord will give thee
understanding.” Thou canst understand my meaning so
as personally to apply it to thyself; for the Lord
will give thee understanding when thou seekest it
from Him “in all things.” Not intellectual
perception, but personal appropriation of the truths
metaphorically expressed, was what he needed to be
given him by the Lord.
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
And the Lord give thee
understanding in all things - Understanding (σύνεσιν);
one of the special gifts of the Spirit [See Isaiah
11:2; Colossians 1:9, 2:2].
~Pulpit commentary
Quoted verses:
Isaiah 11:2
…speaking of Jesus
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the
spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of
the fear of the LORD;
Colossians 1:9
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it,
do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye
might be filled with the knowledge of his will in
all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Colossians 2:2
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit
together in love, and unto all riches of the full
assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of
Christ;
Key points:
--Christians must work and then wait. Everything is
a process.
--Do not allow your Christianity to be spasmodic. Be
a 24-hour Christian.
--Be a Christian who is upheld by the hope of the
harvest; the Kingdom and salvation.
--Firstfruits have discipline.
--We must grow stronger in that which is good - our
faith stronger, our resolution stronger, our love to
God and Christ stronger.
--We do nothing in the Salvation Process by our own
strength.
--Work to please Christ.
--We must do good in the right manner.
--Firstfruits must run the race of salvation.
--Pray that you and others in the faith get
understanding.
--We must understand, remember and practice what we
receive from God from the Word of God.
--Study the dictionary and biblical definition of
the word, "consider."
--The more you immerse yourself in the Word of God,
the more faith you will have.
--God gives us understanding.
--In the Word of God, think as well as read.
--Desire to be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
******************************************************************************************
Referenced in Class
Girl takes a fall during a race 2:39
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsOBaV_93yQ
The word, "Consider"
verb (used with object)
1. to think carefully about, especially in order to
make a decision; contemplate; reflect on:
He considered the cost before buying the new car.
2. to regard as or deem to be:
I consider the story improbable.
3. to think, believe, or suppose:
We consider his reply unsatisfactory.
4. to bear in mind; make allowance for:
The arrest was justified if you consider his
disorderly behavior.
5. to pay attention to; regard:
He considered the man for some time before speaking
to him.
6. to regard with respect, thoughtfulness, honor,
etc.; esteem.
7. to think about (something
that one might do, accept, buy, etc.):
to consider a job in Guatemala.
Bible Word G3539 from 2 Timothy 2:7
νοιέω
noieō
noy-eh'-o
From G3563; to exercise the mind (observe),
that is, (figuratively)
to comprehend, heed: - consider, perceive, think,
understand.
Thesaurus
acknowledge
contemplate
deal with
examine
favor
look at
recognize
regard
scrutinize
ponder
reflect
meditate |
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