The first section of Chapter 4 consists of five
verses:
2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions,
do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry.
Let us begin with the Barclay:
FOOLISH LISTENERS
2 Timothy 4:1–5
…paraphrased
I charge you before God and Christ Jesus,
who is going to judge the living and the
dead – I charge you by his appearing and by
his kingdom – herald forth the word; be
urgent in season and out of season; convict,
rebuke, exhort, and do it all with a
patience and a teaching which never fail.
For there will come a time when men will
refuse to listen to sound teaching, but,
because they have ears which have to be
continually titillated with novelties, they
will bury themselves under a mound of
teachers, whose teaching suits their own
lusts after forbidden things. They will
avert their ears from the truth, and they
will turn to extravagant tales. As for you,
be steady in all things; accept the
suffering which will come upon you; do the
work of an evangelist; leave no act of your
service unfulfilled. |
He is to accept whatever suffering comes upon
him. Christianity will cost something, and
Christians are to pay the price of it without
grumbling and without regret.
He is to do the work of an evangelist. In
spite of the demand for conviction and rebuke,
Christians are essentially the bringers of good
news. If they insist on discipline and self-denial,
it is because an even greater happiness may be
attained than common and easily bought pleasures can
bring.
He is to leave no act of service unfulfilled.
Christians should have only one ambition – to be of
use to the Church of which they are a part and the
society in which they live. The opportunity not to
be missed is not that of a cheap profit but that of
being of service to God, to the Church and to other
people. ~Barclay Commentary
Now to the other commentaries.
First, we will go to the general commentaries and
move to the specific. Again Paul is speaking
minister to minister but clearly all these
admonitions speak, in principles and concepts, to
all
Let us begin with the Matthew Henry Main. We are
breaking into commentary covering the first eight
verses.
5. He must watch in all things. “Seek an opportunity
of doing them a kindness; let no fair occasion slip,
through thy negligence. Watch to thy work; watch
against the temptations of Satan, by which thou
mayest be diverted from it; watch over the souls of
those who are committed to thy charge.”
Note: All
firstfruits must seek opportunities in all they do
for every element, concept and principle they hold
in the salvation process.
6. He must count upon afflictions, and endure them,
make the best of them. Kakopathe¯son, endure
patiently. “Be not discouraged by the difficulties
thou meetest with, but bear them with an evenness of
spirit. Inure thyself to hardships.”
Note: Every word
in this point applies to every firstfruit.
7. He must remember his office, and discharge its
duties: Do the work of an evangelist. The office of
the evangelist was, as the apostles' deputies, to
water the churches that they planted. They were not
settled pastors, but for some time resided in, and
presided over, the churches that the apostles had
planted, till they were settled under a standing
ministry. This was Timothy's work.
Note: Clearly we
do not have any evangelists or apostles among us at
the moment, but we all have duties and we must apply
ourselves to those duties in the same way an
evangelist would apply himself to his duties.
8. He must fulfil his ministry: Make full proof of
it. It was a great trust that was reposed in him,
and therefore he must answer it, and perform all the
parts of his office with diligence and care.
Note: And so
must we.
Observe,
(1.) A minister must expect afflictions in the
faithful discharge of his duty.
(2.) He must endure them patiently, like a Christian
hero.
(3.) These must not discourage him in his work, for
he must do his work, and fulfil his ministry.
(4.) The best way to make full proof of our ministry
is to fulfil it, to fill it up in all its parts with
proper work. ~Matthew Henry
Main
Now something from the Biblical Illustrator on the
phrase, "But watch thou in all things."
But watch thou in all things.
1. But watch thou. The apostasy and looseness of the
times we live in must make us the more watchful.
Their [the world]
falls must be our fears; their levity must quicken
us to constancy, and their negligence must quicken
our diligence in keeping the watch of the Lord.
2. Good men desire the Church’s good after their
departure. Paul is dying, yet he commands Timothy to
improve his talents for the Church’s good when
himself was dead. Moses, before he dies, prays the
Lord to set up a fit ruler instead . Wicked men care
not what becomes of the world, when they are dead
and gone let heaven and earth come together, and all
be in confusion, they care not. But good men have
public spirits.
3. As all persons, so ministers especially must
watch. The devil hath a special spite at them; he
commands his agents, as the king of Aram did his
followers, to fight neither with small nor great,
but against the king of Israel; so he bends all his
strength against the ministers of Israel.
(1) The better the man, the more watchful must he
be. The pirate sets on the laden ship, and the thief
upon the wealthiest traveller. But we must watch as
pastors too, and discover wolves that would destroy
the flock.
(2) We must watch at all times.
(a) In prosperity, as pigeons when they fare best
fear most.
(b) Watch in adversity, the devil is busy then in
laying snares, as the fowler doth for birds in
frosty weather.
(3) In all places, in public and private, at home
and abroad; the world is full of snares.
(4) Watch in all things, so runs the text.
(5) Watch against all sins. We carry about us a
proneness to all sin.
(6) Watch over all thy senses; stop thine ears; make
a covenant with thine eyes (Job 31:1). Set a watch
before thy mouth. The whole soul is out of order,
and therefore we must set a guard upon all its
faculties.
Quoted verse:
Job 31:1
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I
think upon a maid?
4. Ministers especially must be hardy men. We are
called soldiers, shepherds, watchmen, husbandmen,
all which must endure summer’s heat and winter’s
frost.
(1) We must endure hardship in our preparatory
studies; we must give up ourselves to reading, study
and prayer.
(2) He must endure hardship in the actual
performance of his duty.
(3) Most properly and genuinely this hardship in the
text consists in a patient undergoing of those
injuries and oppositions which we must expect from
an ungrateful world.
(4) The Lord Himself sometimes is pleased to
exercise us, and to inure us to hardship, that we
may be the fitter for His service. But let us, like
good soldiers of Christ, endure hardship—
(a) Patiently.
(b) Courageously.
(c) Constantly.
5. The ministry is a work. The sweat of the brow is
nothing to that of the brain; besides the dangers we
are liable to for our work’s sake.
6. Do the work or service of an evangelist. Observe,
ministers are servants, and their office is service.
7. Of an evangelist. Observe, ministers must preach
the gospel. We must publish the glad tidings of a
Saviour (what in us lieth
to all the world); this is to do the work
of an evangelist, viz., soundly and sincerely to
publish the gospel.
8. Make full proof of thy ministry. Ministers must
fully and faithfully discharge all the duties of
their calling. ~Biblical
Illustrator
Note: and so
should all of us.
Now to the Matthew Henry Concise
People will turn away from the truth, they will grow
weary of the plain gospel of Christ, they will be
greedy of fables, and take pleasure in them. People
do so when they will not endure that preaching which
is searching, plain, and to the purpose. Those who
love souls must be ever watchful, must venture and
bear all the painful effects of their faithfulness,
and take all opportunities of making known the pure
gospel. ~Matthew Henry
Concise
Take a look at the Jamieson, Fausset, Brown:
I am no longer here to withstand these things; be
thou a worthy successor of me, no longer depending
on me for counsel, but thine own master, and
swimming without the corks; follow my steps, inherit
their result, and the honor of their end.
Watch thou — literally,
“with the wakefulness of one sober.”
In all things — on all
occasions and under all circumstances (Titus 2:7).
Quoted verse:
Titus 2:7
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good
works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity,
sincerity,
Endure affliction —
suffer hardships .
Evangelist — a
missionary bishop preacher, and teacher.
Make full proof of —
fulfil in all its requirements, leaving nothing
undone (Acts 12:25; Romans 15:19; Colossians 4:17).
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verses:
Acts 12:25
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when
they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with
them John, whose surname was Mark.
Romans 15:19
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of
the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round
about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the
gospel of Christ.
Colossians 4:17
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry
which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou
fulfil it.
Now to the specific commentaries:
The commas in this verse easily break it out in four
parts:
1] But watch thou in all things.
2] Endure afflictions.
3] Do the work of an evangelist.
4] Make full proof of thy ministry.
1] But watch thou in all things.
But watch thou in all things
- Be vigilant against error and against sin, and
faithful in the performance of duty; See the Matthew
25:13 note; 1 Corinthians 16:13 note.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Matthew 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the
hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like
men, be strong.
But watch thou in all things
- It is possible to be overtaken in a fault, to
neglect one’s duty, and to lose one’s soul. Watching
unto prayer prevents all these evils.
~Adam Clarke
But watch thou in all things
- Relating to himself, his doctrine, and
conversation; and to others, to feed the flock of
God under his care, to know the state of them, and
care for them; to give the time of night, and notice
of approaching danger, and see the laws of Christ
put in execution; either in allusion to shepherds,
who watch over their flocks night and day; or to
watchmen that are upon the walls of cities, or go
about them; or to the priests and Levites in the
temple: ~John Gill
2] Endure afflictions.
Endure afflictions -
See the notes at 2 Timothy 2:3. The Greek word here
is the same which is there rendered “endure
hardness.” ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse
2 Timothy 2:3 [See
Lesson]
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ.
Endure afflictions -
Let no sufferings affright thee; nor let the dread
of them either cause thee to abandon the truth, or
relax in thy zeal for the salvation of men.
~Adam Clarke
Endure afflictions -
the Alexandrian copy adds, "as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ", as in 2 Timothy 2:3 [mentioned
above] meaning reproaches and
persecutions for the sake of the Gospel, from
without, and all trials and exercises from within,
through the infirmities and ill conduct of the
saints themselves; all which are to be endured
patiently, cheerfully, and courageously; so as not
to be moved by them to desist from the work of the
ministry: ~John Gill
3] Do the work of an evangelist.
Do the work of an evangelist
- On the word “evangelist,” see the notes on Acts
21:8. The phrase here means, “do the work of
preaching the gospel,” or of one appointed to
proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. This is the
proper business of all ministers, whatever other
rank they may maintain. Whether it was ever regarded
as the proper duty of a separate class of men to do
this, see the notes on Ephesians 4:11.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Acts 21:8
And the next day we that were of Paul's company
departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered
into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was
one of the seven; and abode with him.
Ephesians 4:11
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Do the work of an evangelist
- That is: Preach Christ crucified for the
sins of the whole world; for this, and this alone,
is doing the work of an evangelist, or preacher of
the glad tidings of peace and salvation by Christ.
An angel from God was first sent to do the work of
an evangelist, and how did he do it? Behold, said
he, I bring you good tidings of great joy. Behold, I
evangelize unto you great joy, which shall be to all
people; to you is born a Savior. Those who do not
proclaim Christ as having tasted death for every
man, and who do not implicitly show that every human
soul may be saved, do not perform the work of
evangelists; they, God help them! limit the Holy One
of Israel. Yet, as far as they preach the truth in
sincerity, so far God acknowledges and blesses them
and their labors; they do a part of the work, but
not the whole. ~Adam Clarke
Do the work of an evangelist
- which may design either an officer, then in
the church, distinct from apostles and prophets on
the one hand, and pastors and teachers on the other;
and was below the former, and above the latter; and
was aiding and assisting to the apostles, and such
an one Timothy may be thought to be: or it may
intend a preacher of the Gospel in common; and to do
the work of such an one is not to read lectures of
morality, or to preach up justification and
salvation by the works of the law; or to mix law and
Gospel together, and confound them both; but to
preach peace, pardon, righteousness, life, and
salvation alone by Jesus Christ, and through the
free grace of God: ~John
Gill
4] Make full proof of thy
ministry.
Make full proof of thy
ministry - Margin, “fulfill;” compare the
notes at Romans 14:5. The word here used denotes,
properly, to bear or bring fully; then to persuade
fully; and then to make fully assured of, to give
full proof of. The meaning here seems to be, “to
furnish full evidence of what is the design of the
Christian ministry, and of what it is adapted to
accomplish,” by the faithful performance of all its
duties. Timothy was so to discharge the duties of
his office as to furnish “a fair illustration” of
what the ministry could do, and thus to show the
wisdom of the Saviour in its institution. This
should be the aim of all the ministers of the
gospel. Each one should resolve, by the blessing of
God, that the ministry, in his hands, shall be
allowed, “by a fair trial,” to show to the utmost
what it is adapted to do for the welfare of mankind.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Romans 14:5
One man esteemeth one day above another: another
esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind.
Make full proof of thy
ministry - Push all thy principles to their
utmost power of activity; carry them on to all their
consequences; and try what God will do for thee, and
by thee. Neglect no part of thy sacred function;
perform faithfully all the duties of which it is
composed; and do God’s work in his own way and in
his own spirit. ~Adam
Clarke
Make full proof of thy
ministry - the work of the ministry, which
lies in preaching the Gospel, and administering
ordinances, and doing all the duties belonging to
it, which is to fulfil it, or discharge it; and
which gives full proof of a man's being a true and
faithful minister of the word; particularly when he
diligently and constantly attends to his work; seeks
not his own things, but the things of Christ;
cheerfully and patiently suffers for Christ and his
Gospel, and lives an agreeable life and
conversation. ~John Gill
Recap:
Admonitions for both minister and member.
---Be vigilant against error and sin.
---Be faithful to the performance of your duties
---Ministers: preach true doctrine. Members: receive
and hold true doctrine.
---Do not be fearful of sufferings.
---Do not allow sufferings and afflictions to cause
you to abandon truth.
---Do not allow sufferings and afflictions to weaken
your fervency, diligence and zeal.
---Be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Do not be
shaken by reproaches and persecution from without or
from ill conduct of saint within.
---All ministry and members: Do the work of an
evangelist, meaning be conformed to the image of
Christ, be His example and invoke all fervency,
diligence and zeal.
---Ministers and members: make full proof of the
ministry. That is, be a full illustration of the
gospel, the principles of God and the elements of
the salvation process.
---Push all the principles of God to their utmost
power of activity; carry them to their promised
consequence [conclusion].
---Do God's work in the way He would do it.
---Neglect no part of your sacred function. Perform
it faithfully.
These are the lessons of verse 5. |