(6) Personal expression of Paxil's own gratitude to Christ Jesua, who had entrusted him with the ministry in spite of his post sin, as a proof of God's long-suflering and as an encouragement to others, for the gospel is summed up in the/ai7A/ui sai/iTio, Xfurrit 'In^oZi v-Ci*
iiV TO* tuffLUt etfxaeriXei't irwrxi (^*-l^.
(This section is not only a personal digression called out by the thought of God's mercy to himself, but is intended to point Timothy to the same source of strength for his task (itivafjM' rcriri. cf. II 21). an<l to fix his mind on the central message of the g>'>:^el as a gospel of salvation from sin (cf. ^ and l^)).
(c) Reiteration of the charge to Timothy, and enforcement
of it by (1) a reminder of the paat prophecies about
him (ih); (2) a warning drawD from the fate of two
falflcteacheniOS 30).
Formal ad*<c£, 2i-(fl. A. iJeneral, 2i-4*. B. Personal, 4tt-6>.
4- Gerurai regulatuma of Church L>/e.
1 The proper scope of Public Prayer. — This is to in- clude ail mankind, and specially rulers, that Chris- tians may live a quiet life (2'- '-'). This is baaed on God's desire to save all men (•• ■*), which itself rests on (1) the unity of God i^); (2) the nature of Christ •"•presenting both fJod and man (ib.); (3) the con- scious pur]>09e of Christ's death, who died for all, an'l commiRbioned Paul to teach this truth (*•'')■ II. The jhisUion o/ men and xroinen at Public Prayer. — Men are to lead the jirayers (") ; Wnm<n to dress modestly and avoid ostentation (^"'), to listen in silence and subjection 0*-'^. This is based on the order of creation (i^\ and woman's action at the Fall ('*). Yet woman *^o will share the ChristiaD salvation, if she abide ui ▼OL. l" —49
a Christian life, for t\ie faithful aaying declares
rtt8r,Cl7Ct.t Zlix. Tr.f TlX*»y9tieC{ (^^).
UL Rules for the choice of ministerg.
(1) For the irio-xarot. His position is one of honour and of work (3^), hence he must be tested as to hia private character (2- 3); as to his power of ruling his own family well (*■ fi) ; he must not be a new convert (*»>, he must have won the respect of the heathen world (?).
(2) For h«K6toi : their private character miist be tested C*-***), and their relation to their own family (''-). For their otlice, too, may be one of honour, and will raise their status in Christ's sight ('*).
(8) For yv*cc7x(i. They too, if in any official position,
must have a high character (l^).
The pnrpoee of all these regulations is to secure a right moral
Hfe and intercourse in Gods family, because it is His Church,
and the upholder of the Truth. This truth is summed up In Uie
well-known hymn about Christ —
Warning.— Yet there are symptoms of false teaching, that will contradict this great tnith, depreciating marriage and food, though they are God's creatures, Gods gifts, capable of sancti- fication, ii received with prayer and thanksgiving (41-^)^
[This section forms the transition from A to B. It stands in contrast to S'^J (4^ hi), but leads on to 4^ (T«i/T«)]. B. Personal axivice to Timothy.
(a) With regard to his own teaching and eofufti^.— He is to be loyal to these truths CJ), to avoid foolish fables Q), to exenMse a true asceticism, such as will produce true holiness — for holiness, according to the faithful saying, iwecyyiXia* iri* Z^it ryji *u» xai T^f ^./^>»:(, — and any effort is worth while, for our hope rests on a God of life, a Saviour of all mankind (.*>■")■ He is to assert himself, in spite of his youth; to be a model of Christian character ; to attend to public reading, exhortation, teaching: to remember the gift given him for his task, and to throw his whole heart into his work (^2-18). (6) For his dialings with various classes of people. 1. Men, old and young (5i)- —2. Women, old and young {■-). — 3. Widows, who are to be supported by the Church, only if their own families cannot do 80 (^ and *), who are to lead a religious life of prayer (*- 6). There is to be kept a list of widows above tkj years of age, of good character; but younger widows are not to be enrolled upon it, but are to be encouraged to marry O'O). — i. Presbt/ters: the hard-working are to he rewarded (}^• i") : the sinful to be formally tried and punished impar- tially (1&-21) ; he must not ordain ('? remit penalties) h;isiily, lest he should be entangled in the sins of others (22) ; but he must keep himself j>ure, though this need not imply total abstinence i'^'), and he will need caution in judgment, whether for praise or blame ('^- '^). — 5. Sla cfn, whether under heathen or Christian masters (6i- 2). Conclution.
(o) Further denunciation of the false teachers, as con- ceited, ignorant, excited about questions which only produce envy and strife, striving to make money, knowing nothing of true Christian con- tent, but ruining themselves through the desire of gain (3-^0 = 13-10).
(6) Solemn appeal to Timothy to avoid such teaching : to aim at spiritual qualities, to lay hold of eternal life, remembering his past confession ; and to hold fast Paul's commauduient with the thought ol the future appearance of the Lord (11-14= ll»--*0),