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:
Paul’s Grounds of Appeal
|
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. |
As Paul comes to the end of his letter, he
wants to encourage and to challenge Timothy to his
task. To do so, he reminds him of three things
concerning Jesus.
(1) Jesus is the judge of the living and the
dead. Someday, Timothy’s work will be tested, and
that by none other than Jesus himself. Christians
must do every task in such a way that they can offer
it to Christ. They are not concerned with either the
criticism or the verdict of others. The one thing
they long for is the ‘Well done!’ of Jesus Christ.
If we all did our work in that spirit, the
difference would be incalculable. It would save us
from being so touchy that we are offended by
criticism; it would save us from the self-importance
which is concerned with personal rights and personal
prestige; it would save us from being self-centered
and demanding thanks and praise for everything we
do; it would even save us from being hurt by
people’s ingratitude.
(2) Jesus is the returning conqueror. ‘I
charge you’, says Paul, ‘by his appearing.’ The word
is epiphaneia. Epiphaneia was used in two special
ways. It was used for the clear intervention of some
god, and it was especially used in connection with
the Roman emperor. His accession to the throne was
his epiphaneia, and in particular – and this is the
background of Paul’s thought here – it was used of
his visit to any province or town. Obviously, when
the emperor was due to visit any place, everything
was put in perfect order. The streets were swept and
decorated, and all work was brought up to date so
that the town might be fit for epiphaneia. So, Paul
says to Timothy: ‘You know what happens when any
town is expecting the epiphaneia of the emperor; you
are expecting the epiphaneia of Jesus Christ. Do
your work in such a way that all things will be
ready whenever he appears.’ Christians should order
their lives in such a way that at any moment they
are ready for the coming of Christ.
(3) Jesus is king. Paul urges Timothy to
action by the remembrance of the kingdom of Jesus
Christ. The day comes when the kingdoms of the world
will be the kingdom of the Lord; and so Paul says to
Timothy: ‘So live and work that you will have an
honorable place on the roll of its citizens when the
kingdom comes.’
Our work must be such that it will stand the
scrutiny of Christ. Our lives must be such that they
will welcome the appearance of the King. Our service
must be such that it will demonstrate the reality of
our citizenship of the kingdom of God.
~Barclay Commentary
Now to the other commentaries. We will go from the
general to the specific beginning with the F. B.
Meyer The commentary covers the first 12 verses.
The Victor’s Final Charge
2 Timothy 4:1-12
To the end Paul held to the appearing of Jesus,
though he might not live to see it; and it was to
precede and usher in the coming of the Kingdom. The
world of that time was sad and sick, and Paul’s sole
panacea was the preaching of the gospel. 2 Timothy
4:2, do not only take opportunities, but make them.
2 Timothy 4:3, make haste; such opportunities are
closing in. Sound throughout these Pastoral Epistles
means “healthy” and “health-giving.” Note that
striking phrase of the itching ears, which turn in
every direction where they may obtain momentary
relief. 2 Timothy 4:5, be on the alert! Fulfill,
that is, work to the edge of your pattern.
With what pathetic words Paul refers to his
approaching death! He regarded his life-blood as
about to be poured out as a libation, 2 Timothy 4:6,
r.v., margin. The time had come for him to go on
board the good ship which was waiting in the offing
to sail at sunset for its port of glory. He was a
veteran who had fought valiantly and
successfully-keeping the faith as in the old Roman
story the heroes kept the bridge. But he was soon to
be relieved. The crown at the end of the course was
already in sight. He was lonely-only Luke is with
me. He needed to be ministered unto-take Mark. But
his courage was unabated. Demas might forsake, but
Christ failed not. ~F. B. Meyer
Now to the Matthew Henry Main. We are breaking into
a long commentary where it discusses verse 2.
II. What is the matter of the charge, 2 Timothy
4:2-5. He is charged,
1. To preach the word. This is ministers' business;
a dispensation [an appointment, as by God] is
committed to them. It is not their own notions and
fancies that they are to preach, but the pure plain
word of God; and they must not corrupt it, but as of
sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, they
speak in Christ, 2 Corinthians 2:17.
Quoted verse:
2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of
God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the
sight of God speak we in Christ.
2. To urge what he preached, and to press it with
all earnestness upon his hearers: “Be instant in
season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort;
do this work with all fervency of spirit. Call upon
those under thy charge to take heed of sin, to do
their duty: call upon them to repent, and believe,
and live a holy life, and this both in season and
out of season. In season, when they are at leisure
to hear thee, when some special opportunity offers
itself of speaking to them with advantage. Nay, do
it out of season, even when there is not that
apparent probability of fastening something upon
them, because thou dost not know but the Spirit of
God may fasten upon them; for the wind bloweth where
it listeth; and in the morning we must sow our seed,
and in the evening not withhold our hand,”
Ecclesiastes11:6. We must do it in season, that is,
let slip no opportunity; and do it out of season,
that is, not shift off the duty, under pretence that
it is out of season.
Quoted verse:
Ecclesiastes 11:6
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the
evening withhold not thine hand: for thou
knowest not whether shall prosper, either
this or that, or whether they both shall be
alike good.
Notice this from the John Wesley Notes:
In the morning - Early and late, in all
seasons and occasions; do it speedily and
continually, be not weary of it.
Sow - Do all good works.
Withhold not - From working or giving.
~John Wesley Explanatory Notes |
3. He must tell people of their faults: “Reprove
them, rebuke them. Convince wicked people of the
evil and danger of their wicked courses. Endeavour,
by dealing plainly with them, to bring them to
repentance. Rebuke them with gravity and authority,
in Christ's name, that they may take thy displeasure
against them as an indication of God's displeasure.”
Note: Interesting point. The rebuke of the
minister is him attempting to show the displeasure
God would have about the act or situation.
4. He must direct, encourage, and quicken those who
began well. “Exhort them (persuade them to hold
on, and endure to the end) and this with all
long-suffering and doctrine.”
(1.) He must do it very patiently: With all
long-suffering. “If thou do not see the effect of
thy labours presently, yet do not therefore give up
the cause; be not weary of speaking to them.” While
God shows to them all long-suffering, let ministers
exhort with all long-suffering.
(2.) He must do it rationally, not with passion, but
with doctrine, that is, “In order to the reducing of
them to good practices, instill into them good
principles. Teach them the truth as it is in Jesus,
reduce them to a firm belief of it, and this will be
a means both to reclaim them from evil and to bring
them to good.” Observe,
[1.] A minister's work has various parts: he is to
preach the word, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort.
[2.] He is to be very diligent and careful; he must
be instant in season and out of season; he must
spare no pains nor labour, but must be urgent with
them to take care of their souls and their eternal
concerns.
Note: With the commentary from Ecclesiastes
11:6 we easily see that a minister must have a
ministerial point-of-view in all things and by
extension, the firstfruit must have a firstfruit
point-of-view in all things all the time. This is
another support to the idea of
Assiduity.
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.”
6. He must count upon afflictions, and endure them,
make the best of them. Kakopathēson, endure
patiently. “Be not discouraged by the difficulties
thou meetest with, but bear them with an evenness of
spirit. Inure [to accustom yourself to]
thyself to hardships.”
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 [over a specific place or church]
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.
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.
Observe,
(1.) A minister must expect afflictions in the
faithful discharge of his duty.
(2.) He must endure them patiently, like a Christian
hero [a person full of courage and bravery].
(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 to the Matthew Henry Concise which covers verses
1-5:
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
Now to the specific commentaries:
The verse is in seven parts, though the Barnes
divides up one phrase into three parts for a total
of nine. We will go with seven parts:
1] Preach the Word.
2] Be instant in season and out of season.
3] Reprove.
4] Rebuke.
5] Exhort.
6] With all longsuffering.
7] And doctrine.
1] Preach the Word.
Preach the word - The Word of God; the gospel. This
was to be the main business of the life of Timothy,
and Paul solemnly charges him in view of the certain
coming of the Redeemer to judgment, to be faithful
in the performance of it. ~Barnes Notes
2] Be instant in season and out of
season.
Be instant - see the notes at Romans 12:12. The
meaning here is, that he should be constant in this
duty. Literally, “to stand by, or to stand fast by;”
that is, he was to be pressing or urgent in the
performance of this work. He was always to be at his
post, and was to embrace every opportunity of making
known the gospel. What Paul seems to have
contemplated was not merely, that he should perform
the duty at stated and regular times; but that he
should press the matter as one who had the subject
much at heart, and never lose an opportunity of
making the gospel known. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Romans 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer.
In season - εὐκαίρως eukairōs. In good time;
opportunely; compare Matthew 26:16; Luke 22:6; Mark
14:11. The sense is, when it could be conveniently
done; when all things were favorable, and when there
were no obstructions or hindrances. It may include
the “stated and regular” seasons for public worship,
but is not confined to them. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses...all speaking to seeking opportunity:
Matthew 26:16
And from that time he sought opportunity to betray
him.
Luke 22:6
And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray
him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
Mark 14:11
And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised
to give him money. And he sought how he might
conveniently betray him.
Out of season - ἀκαίρως akairōs. This word does
not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It is the
opposite of the former, and means that a minister is
to seek opportunities to preach the gospel even at
such periods as might be inconvenient to himself, or
when there might be hindrances and embarrassments,
or when there was no stated appointment for
preaching. He is not to confine himself to the
appointed times of worship, or to preach only when
it will be perfectly convenient for himself, but he
is to have such an interest and earnestness in the
work, that it will lead him to do it in the face of
embarrassments and discouragements, and whenever he
can find an opportunity. A man who is greatly intent
on an object will seek every opportunity to promote
it. He will not confine himself to stated times and
places, but will present it everywhere, and at all
times. A man, therefore, who merely confines himself
to the stated seasons of preaching the gospel, or
who merely preaches when it is convenient to
himself, should not consider that he has come up to
the requirement of the rule laid down by the
apostle. He should preach in his private
conversation, and in the intervals of his public
labors, at the side of the sick bed, and wherever
there is a prospect of doing good to any one. If his
heart is full of love to the Saviour and to souls,
he cannot help doing this. ~Barnes Notes
3] Reprove.
Or “convince;” See the notes at 2 Timothy 3:16. The
meaning is that he was to use such arguments as
would “convince” men of the truth of religion, and
of their own need of it. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
2 Timothy 3:16 [See
Lesson]
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness:
4] Rebuke.
Rebuke - In the New Testament the word is used to
express a judgment of what is wrong or contrary to
one’s will, and hence, to admonish or reprove. It
implies our conviction that there is something evil,
or some fault in him who is rebuked. The word in
this verse rendered “reprove,” does not imply this,
but merely that one may be in error, and needs to
have arguments presented to convince him of the
truth. That word also implies no superior authority
in him who does it. He presents “reasons, or argues”
the case, for the purpose of convincing. The word
here rendered rebuke, implies authority or
superiority, and means merely that we may say that a
thing is wrong, and administer a rebuke for it, as
if there were no doubt that it was wrong. The
propriety of the rebuke rests on our authority for
doing it, not on the arguments which we present.
This is based on the presumption that men often Know
that they are doing wrong, and need no arguments to
convince them of it. The idea is, that the minister
is not merely to reason about sin, and convince men
that it is wrong, but he may solemnly admonish them
not to do it, and warn them of the consequences.
~Barnes Notes
Note: One of my preaching points is that one
person, even a minister [or any firstfruit],
has no power, in and of himself, to convince anyone.
You see this confirmed in this commentary. The
argument of rebuke is to the Spirit of God in the
person being rebuked. The true convincing will take
place between God and that individual by and through
the Spirit of God in them.
5] Exhort.
Exhort - See the notes at Romans 12:8.
Quoted verse:
Romans 12:8
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he
that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;
he that ruleth, with diligence; he that
sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let us look at that commentary:
He that exhorteth - This word properly
denotes one who urges to the practical
duties of religion, in distinction from one
who teaches its doctrines. One who presents
the warnings and the promises of God to
excite men to the discharge of their duty.
It is clear that there were persons who were
recognized as engaging especially in this
duty, and who were known by this appellation
[title], as distinguished from
prophets and teachers. How long this was
continued, there is no means of
ascertaining; but it cannot be doubted that
it may still be expedient [surely it
is], in many times and places, to
have persons designated to this work. In
most churches this duty is now blended with
the other functions of the ministry [surely
it is]. ~Barnes Notes with edits
by me |
6] With all longsuffering.
With all long-suffering - That is, with a patient
and persevering spirit if you are opposed.
~Barnes Notes
With all longsuffering - or patience. The success of
the Gospel ministry should be patiently waited for
as husbandmen do for the fruits of the earth. Those
that give into error, and oppose themselves to the
truth, should be instructed in meekness; and those
who are overtaken in a fault should be gently
rebuked, and restored in such a spirit; and every
exhortation should be pressed as persons are able to
bear it: ~Barnes Notes
7] And doctrine.
And doctrine - The different modes of teaching
suited to each. ~Adam Clarke
And doctrine - in a way that is instructive and
teaching, and in agreement with the doctrine of the
Scriptures, which are profitable for that purpose.
~John Gill
For the minister, he is to preach the Word of
God, to look for any opportunity to use his
ministerial gifts, to reprove, rebuke and exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine. The
members are to immerse themselves in the Word of
God. They are to look for every opportunity to
invoke the power of the Holy Spirit and be an
example of Christ. They are to allow the Word
of God, as well as the ministry to reprove, rebuke
and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
This is the lesson of verse 2. |