The divine calling and profession of believers are correlatives. Both take place in baptism. [If at any time thou hast made a promise to GOD, He Himself deems that thou art bound to Him ; and that is remarkable good-will on His part. — V. g.] — TTJV xa\w 6/AoXoy/ai/) that [not a, as Engl. Vers.] good profession, [viz. that concerning the kingdom of Christ, ver. 13. — V. g.] So also in the following verse [" Christ Jesus, that witnessed — that good profession "]. But the words differ : Thou hast professed, ac companied with the assent of witnesses : He witnessed, though Pontius Pilate did not assent. — JVWT/OV -roXXwi/ ^aprlpuv, before many witnesses) who would testify against thee, if thou wert to fall away.
13. IlapayysXXw, I give thee charge) See how important is the office of preaching the Gospel ; 2 Tim. iv. 1. — ™
vdvra, who quickeneth all things) LXX., Neh. ix. 6 \_ KO,} GV £woTo/g% ra <7rdvra~]. Here the creation of all things, which is there mentioned, is taken for granted. Part of the hymn is expressed, the whole hymn is implied. The power of God quickens (gives life to) thee also, O Timothy, in the discharge of thy duty, and will raise thee up to everlasting life. — rou paprv- pTjffavrog, who witnessed) The confession of Christ quickens [gives life to] all confessions (professions, ver. 12). To witness a con fession was the part of the Lord ; to confess a confession (profes sion, ver. 12) belonged to Timothy. — siei novr/ou n/Xarou, before Pontius Pilate) A. well-known chronological era. — ryv) that which all Christians know was made by Him, viz. that concern ing Sis kingdom, ver. 15.
14. TW) this. — atfTT/Xov, em<7r/X?j<Trov, without spot, unrebukeable) in the masculine gender.1 — //<£%?/, until) Believers, in regulating their practice, used in that day to set before themselves the day of Christ as near at hand : we are accustomed to set before us the hour of death. — l^ave/ac, the appearing) This word often occurs in the second Epistle to Timothy and in the Epistle to Titus.
15. Ka/po% jdioic, in His own fitting times) The plural number is to be noticed, which does not much abridge (does not confine within very narrow limits) the shortness of the times: His own, viz.
1 i.e. Agreeing with c-s, not with rvv !>TO?UJZ/. — ED.