do we suppose in our times approve themselves unto God I [This fact may be put to the test, when a man ought to have given his assistance to a laudable undertaking, either near or at a dis tance, which either he has not under his charge, or which he does not perceive will be of advantage to him, Judg. v. 23, viii. 6. Nay, even it sometimes happens, that he who possesses some extraordi nary gift or endowment, if in any way he has found an oppor tunity of refusing the benefit of it to others, derives much self- gratification from this very fact. 0 Christians, unworthy of the name! — V. g.] It was a very nice a'/fffytig, sense, by which Paul perceived this. — rn tavruv, their own) ver. 4. O how many are godly on their own account ! although they are not enemies, iii. 18. — fyrwffi, seek) A godly intimation may be given to godly hearers as to the character of these or those ministers. — oO ra l Xpiffrov 'iTjffoD, not the things which are Jesus Christ's) They expe rience this, who from their heart seek to promote the common edification. They find few to assist them, Judg. v. 17, 23, viii. 6, 8. They are abandoned, when there is no obligation close in view, no hope of reward or fame. When the advantage of the kingdom of Christ is consulted by most persons, it is generally done in the way of a safe or secure expediency.2 When some sacrifice must be made, the man does not fight, but flees, and excuses himself with the hope of fighting at another time.
22. AS, but) This marks the antithesis between, ver. 21, all, and of him. Rare praise, Neh. vii. 2. — y/j'wtfxsrg) ye know ; comp. Acts xvi. i. 12. — T'SXVOV ffw, as a son with) He speaks with great elegance, partly as of a son, partly as of a colleague : so in ch. iii. 17, he presents himself as the type [TVKOV ; " an ensample," Engl. V.], and yet he commands them to be ffv/^i^Tac, fol lowers with him, not merely followers [just as here he makes Timothy a son following him as a father, and yet also a colleague with him].
1 The marg. of both Ed., and also the Germ. Vers., give their decision in favour of the reading 'Iwov XptaTov in this passage. — E. B.
'Iwov Xpiffrov is the reading of ACD(A)G$r Amiat. MS. of Vulg. But Xp;<7To£ 'I»jffe>y, B (judging from silence) Memph. and later Syr. Ed. — ED.
2 i.e. Where consulting Christ's advantage is consistent with consulting their own, so as to be free from hurt or loss : " per modum innoxise utilitatis."