posses^""* ^^'■^'^^ '^""S" '"''' """^^ "<^^ "'"t ^°ve a p^e testimony to the gospel, even it.through
fittlring. In a liturgical formula he reminds him
that the Lord will come to judge.
w."->». Advice to the rich a3 to the use oi
"■"^^^^2^ Final exhortation to guard the deposit of c'hrLstian faith and avoid the meaningless pro- fanities of men who claim a 'gnosis' alsely so laBed the pursuit of which has already caused
'°m^ chapter als'has a disordered arrangement.
,-■] o Timothy —I'-'. Greeting.— Paul, ap- pi^tld'by^Gor'Is an apo^h. of-Jesv. Chnst to nroclaim the promi.se of life in Christ Jesus, adcFre'ses Timothy, his well-beloved son in the
^°tSyrimotkv to succeed Paul in the service mj^r- inn and iiwil reward of the gospel of Chrxst P-2'» . '"flu Yiniothy is exhorted not to be ashamed, through fear of suffering, to preach the gospel foi whk"r Paul is a prisoner, f imolhy, the thought of whose leJeditary faith is a constant source o intense iov and affection to the Apostle, is urged t^ fan i 1 o name his gift of preaching the gospel ^ Divi e power, which cannot fail, even though thereby he" like Paul, may suffer. Of this f^osi.e of salv^atiok from death unto eternal life in Cluist 5esus, Si« an apostle and.teacl.er, an'^.^'''^^? made no mistake in committing himself to God S its service though he is a prisoner ; and now Timotl V is by his preaching through the indwelling S, t^o gliard thfs pure gospel of faith and love in Christ.
,iis-i9. Defections of followers in Asia serve
as a warning, and devoted service on the part ol Onesiphorus^iowards the Apostle as an encourage-
""'oMi Timothy is to be Paul's successor in the transmission of the gospel with its suUer.ng, is triumph, its final reward . He is to d.aw s strength from the grace which is '".C^'f J^;";- and tnuismit the gospel to a succession of worthy nmn The Chriltian teacher must, as a good soldier, endure the hard conditions of the cam- nab'n or, like the athlete, obey the rules of the S ri": "uilering being one of the conditions. On y the toiling husbandman gets his reward ^\ I en discouraged, Timothy must think u,k.,i the gosp that Jes"is died and has risen in triumph. l."ul al^o suffers as a malefactor, but these suller.ngs are for the furtherance of the gospel, and will bring a l' orious reward in Christ's Kingdom as is set forth in a verse of a hymn or a liturg cal formula (The formula ,^rb, 6 X^o, here refers
*°(S'c'/f °raL« u,kich demand faitl^l service in the gospel on the part of Timothy C-^ ^^ >• ^
oH-is' Timothy must prove himself a leliable wo"rknian, and set forth the gospel according to The pattern laid down by Paul, and avoid piotane idle talk which leads to apostasy, and which, ke a runnin.- sore, will eat into the Church s life ASys^ome are teaching that there ,s no bodily
^^t^'^^^c'! The Church of God, however, is built upon a firm foundation, and its members must br, ure ; but, like a large house, it contains vessels of In qualities : some will have honourable, others dishonourable uses, and Timothy, as the true ser- vant of God, must choose for Divine service vessel cleansed of the vices of the false teachers Clins tian virtues are to be cultivated among the f.iitlilul as a protection against error, a.ul the jl-l;" f?-- of false teachers are to be avoided, th ugh ma "entle spirit, in the hope that some of those who Ire in error' may be granted repentance and be
^"a?-^' The worst has not come yet. Though al- ready the Church has a commingling of good and eWl in the last days it will be invaded by men who under the mask of piety, will practise mani- ,m' and abominable vices, and will .cause some o apostatize, women especially becoming n easy prey. This will be a sign not that God h.istoi saken His Church, but of the end of the age ; and, as was the case with the magicians who res sted Moses! these corrupt men will be detected in their
^°^ll\o.n To this error Paul's gospel a.nd manner of life are the only antidote. He has always been Timothy's example, even in sullering ; aiul w t the nasion of these impostors su erings will multiy Timothy must abide by l^aulme doc^ trine which is the fulfilment of what was taught
Ito hin as a true Israelite; it is the doctrine o° salvation contained in the inspired Scuitures
' ?rom w'hich the man of God must equip himself
Lord will assure'dly return to judge the ^^^^J^ the dead and to set up His eternal Kingdom. Timothy is therefore urged to preach the gospel w "the? men are willing to receive it or not. and with much patience to rebuke sin and error. 1 oi soon nianv will refuse to listen to h.m and will turn to false teachers with their gossipy fables, e must not be discouraged, but "'"^t take up and cairv to its complcti.m, a.s far as in him lies, t e woilf w lich the Apostle is about to lay down when he will close a life of sacrilice in a mar jrs death St. Paul's bark is about to cast oft from
586 TIMOTHY AND TITUS, EPISTLES TIMOTHY AND TITUS, EPISTLES