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The second section of Chapter 4 consists of
three
verses:
2 Timothy 4:6-8
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of
my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but
unto all them also that love his appearing.
Let us begin with the Barclay:
PAUL COMES TO THE END
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2 Timothy 4:6-8
…paraphrased
For my life has reached the point when it
must be sacrificed, and the time of my
departure has come. I have fought the good
fight: I have completed the course: I have
kept the faith. As for what remains, there
is laid up for me the crown of righteousness
which on that day the Lord, the righteous
judge, will give to me – and not only to me,
but also to all who have loved his
appearing. |
For Paul, the end is very near, and he knows
it. When the Dutch reformer Erasmus was growing old,
he said: ‘I am a veteran, and have earned my
discharge, and must leave the fighting to younger
men.’ Paul, the veteran warrior, is laying down his
arms in order that Timothy may take them up.
No passage in the New Testament [has
more] vivid pictures than this.
‘My life’, says Paul, ‘has reached the point
where it must be sacrificed.’ The word he uses for
sacrifice is the verb spendesthai, which literally
means to pour out as a libation, a drink offering,
to the gods. Every Roman meal ended with a kind of
sacrifice. A cup of wine was taken and was poured
out (spendesthai)
to the gods. It is as if Paul were saying: ‘The day
is ended; it is time to rise and go; and my life
must be poured out as a sacrifice to God.’ He did
not think of himself as going to be executed; he
thought of himself as going to offer his life to
God. Ever since his conversion, he had offered
everything to God – his money, his scholarship, his
time, his physical strength, the acuteness of his
mind and the devotion of his heart. Only life itself
was left to offer, and gladly he was going to lay it
down.
He goes on to say: ‘The time of my departure
has come.’ The word (analusis)
he uses for departure is a vivid one. It contains
many pictures, and each one tells us something about
leaving this life.
(1) It is the word for unyoking an animal
from the shafts of the cart or the plough. Death to
Paul was rest from labour. As Edmund Spenser had it
in The Faerie Queene, sleep after toil, port after
stormy seas, ease after war, death after life, are
lovely things.
(2) It is the word for loosening bonds or
fetters. Death for Paul was a release. He was to
exchange the confines of a Roman prison for the
glorious liberty of the courts of heaven.
(3) It is the word for loosening the ropes of
a tent. For Paul, it was time to strike camp again.
He had made many journeys across the roads of Asia
Minor and of Europe. Now he was setting out on his
last and greatest journey: he was taking the road
that led to God.
(4) It is the word for loosening the mooring
ropes of a ship. On many occasions, Paul had felt
his ship leave the harbor for the deep waters. Now
he is to launch out into the greatest deep of all,
setting sail to cross the waters of death to arrive
in the haven of eternity.
So, for Christians, death is laying down the burden
in order to rest; it is laying aside the shackles in
order to be free; it is dismantling a temporary
campsite in order to take up residence in the
heavenly places; it is casting off the ropes which
bind us to this world in order to set sail on the
voyage which ends in the presence of God. Who then
shall fear it? ~Barclay
commentary
Now to the rest of the commentaries.
We will begin with the general and move to the
specific commentaries. First the Matthew Henry and
we break into the long commentary where it begins
speaking to verse 7
[2.] With what pleasure he looks back upon the life
he had lived (2 Timothy 4:7): I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, etc. He did not
fear death, because he had the testimony of his
conscience that by the grace of God he had in some
measure answered the ends of living. As a Christian,
as a minister, he had fought a good fight. He had
done the service, gone through the difficulties of
his warfare, and had been instrumental in carrying
on the glorious victories of the exalted Redeemer
over the powers of darkness. His life was a course,
and he had now finished it; as his warfare was
accomplished, so his race was run. “I have kept the
faith. I have kept the doctrines of the gospel, and
never betrayed any of them.”
Note, First, The life of a Christian, but especially
of a minister, is a warfare and a race, sometimes
compared to the one in the scripture, and sometimes
to the other.
Secondly, It is a good fight, a good warfare; the
cause is good, and the victory is sure, if we
continue faithful and courageous.
Thirdly, We must fight this good fight; we must
fight it out, and finish our course; we must not
give over till we are made more than conquerors
through him who hath loved us, Romans 8:37.
Quoted verse but I will give
you a greater passage here:
Romans 8:36-39
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all
the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fourthly, It is a great comfort to a dying saint,
when he can look back upon his past life and say
with our apostle, “I have fought, etc. I have kept
the faith, the doctrine of faith and the grace of
faith.” Towards the end of our days to be able to
speak in this manner, what comfort, unspeakable
comfort, will it afford! Let it then be our constant
endeavour, by the grace of God, that we may finish
our course with joy, Acts 20:24.
~Matthew Henry Main
Quoted verse:
Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me, neither count I my
life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my
course with joy, and the ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of
the grace of God.
Now to the Matthew Henry Concise which covers verses
6-8:
The blood of the martyrs, though not a sacrifice of
atonement, yet was a sacrifice of acknowledgment to
the grace of God and his truth. Death to a good man,
is his release from the imprisonment of this world,
and his departure to the enjoyments of another
world. As a Christian, and a minister, Paul had kept
the faith, kept the doctrines of the gospel. What
comfort will it afford, to be able to speak in this
manner toward the end of our days! The crown of
believers is a crown of righteousness, purchased by
the righteousness of Christ. Believers have it not
at present, yet it is sure, for it is laid up for
them. The believer, amidst poverty, pain, sickness,
and the agonies of death, may rejoice; but if the
duties of a man's place and station are neglected,
his evidence of interest in Christ will be darkened,
and uncertainty and distress may be expected to
cloud and harass his last hours.
~Matthew Henry Concise
Here is something from the Biblical Illustrator:
The finished race
To this end we must run—
1. Rightly.
2. Speedily.
3. Patiently.
4. Cheerfully.
5. Circumspectly.
6. Resolutely.
7. Perseveringly. ~Biblical
Illustrator
Note: Private Homework:
Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 [10
is best] for each of these seven items.
Take what you find to God.
Notice this from the Alexander MacLaren commentary:
With what pathetic [moving
the feelings] 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.
~Alexander MacLaren
Now to the specific commentaries. This verse is in
three parts separated by the commas:
1] I have fought a good fight.
2] I have finished my course.
3] I have kept the faith.
1] I have fought a good fight.
I have fought a good fight
- The figure is drawn from the Grecian games.
Literally, "I have striven a good strife."
~People's New Testament
I have fought a good fight
- The Christian life is often represented as a
conflict, or warfare; see the notes on 1 Timothy
6:12. That noble conflict with sin, the world, the
flesh, and the devil, Paul now says he had been able
to maintain. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 6:12
[see
lesson]
Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also
called, and hast professed a good profession before
many witnesses.
I have fought a good fight
- Every reader will perceive that the
apostle, as was his very frequent custom, alludes to
the contests at the Grecian games: Τον αγυνα τον
καλον ηγωνισμαι· I have wrestled that good wrestling
- I have struggled hard,
and have over come, in a most honorable
cause. ~Adam Clarke...emphasis
mine
I have fought a good fight
- The fight of faith; the same as in 1 Timothy 6:10.
~John Gill
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 6:10 [see
lesson].
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which
while some coveted after, they have erred from the
faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
I have fought a good fight
- The Greek is wider in its range, and takes in
every kind of contest ‘I have striven a good strife’
would perhaps be nearer. The words that follow show
that Paul, as in 1 Corinthians 9:24, is thinking
specially of the Greek games.
~Popular commentary
Quoted verse:
1 Corinthians 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all,
but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may
obtain.
From the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge which
shows verses linked to this verse or phrase within a
verse:
1 Timothy 6:12 ...mentioned above
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses.
2] I have finished my course.
I have finished my course
- The Christian life, too, is often represented as a
“race” to be run; compare the notes at 1 Corinthians
9:24-26. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 ...we referenced verse 24
above
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run
all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye
may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a
corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight
I, not as one that beateth the air:
I have finished my course
- I have started for the prize, and have come up to
the goal, outstripping all my competitors, and have
gained this prize also.
~Adam Clarke
I have finished my course
- or race; the race of life set before him, his
course of years; his days were extinct, the grave
was ready for him, and he for that; his last sands
were dropping, and he was just going the way of all
flesh; or else he means the
course of his ministry, which he desired
to finish with joy, and was now finishing; Acts
13:25 he was now got to the end of his line, to
Rome, where he was to be a martyr for Christ, Acts
23:11 so that he now concluded his work was done,
and his warfare accomplished:
~John Gill...emphasis mine
Note: For
Paul, it was the course of his ministry. For
you, it is the course of your calling.
Quoted verses:
Acts 13:25
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom
think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there
cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am
not worthy to loose.
Acts 23:11
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and
said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast
testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear
witness also at Rome.
From the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge:
John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of
him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Acts 13:25
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom
think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there
cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am
not worthy to loose.
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with
so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is
set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross [cross], despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3] I have kept the faith.
I have kept the faith -
I have steadfastly maintained the faith of the
gospel; or, have lived a life of fidelity to my
Master. Probably the expression means that he had
kept his plighted faith to the Redeemer, or had
spent a life in faithfully endeavoring to serve his
Lord. ~Barnes Notes
I have kept the faith -
As the laws of these games must be most diligently
observed and kept, (for
though a man overcome, yet is he not crowned, except
he strive lawfully), so I have kept the
rules of the spiritual combat and race; and thus,
having contended lawfully, and conquered in each
exercise, I have a right to expect the prize.
~Adam Clarke
I have kept the faith -
by which he means, not so much the grace of faith,
that was kept by Christ, the object, author, and
finisher of it, and through his effectual grace and
powerful intercession; but
rather the profession of faith, which he
had held fast without wavering;
and chiefly the doctrine of
faith, which was committed to his trust,
which he had kept pure and incorrupt against all
opposition; unless his faithfulness and integrity in
the ministerial work should be thought rather to be
intended; and which sense is favored by the Syriac
and Ethiopic versions, which render it, "I have kept
my faith"; or have been faithful to my trust, as a
good steward of the mysteries of God; not concealing
and keeping back any thing that was profitable, but
declaring the whole counsel of God; and now what
remained for him was the crown of righteousness; and
this he says for the comfort and encouragement and
imitation of Timothy and others. The phrase seems to
be Jewish; it is said by the Jews, that he that does
not keep the feast of unleavened bread, is as he who
does not נטיר מהימנותא, "keep the faith of the holy
blessed God". ~John Gill...emphasis
mine
I have kept the faith -
What had been expressed before figuratively is now
stated simply. So far he has not failed; he has kept
the faith (in its objective sense) which had been
committed to him. ~Popular
commentary
From the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge:
2 Timothy 1:14 [see
lesson]
That good thing which was committed unto thee keep
by the Holy Ghost [Spirit] which dwelleth in us.
Proverbs 23:23
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and
instruction, and understanding.
Luke 8:15
But that on the good ground are they, which in an
honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep
it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
1 Timothy 6:20 [see
lesson]
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy
trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and
oppositions of science falsely so called:
So:
---Struggle hard and overcome.
---Finish the course of your calling.
---Keep the profession of faith.
---Keep the doctrine of your faith.
These are the lessons of verse 7. |