Cf. the use of καταρτίζω, Luke vi. 40, 2 Cor. xiii. 11, Heb. xiii. 21, 1 Pet. v. Io.
CuapTerR IV.—Vv. 1-8. I solemnly charge you, in view of the coming judg- ment, to be zealous in the exercise of your ministry while the opportunity lasts, while people are willing to listen to your admonitions. Soon the craze for novelty will draw men away from sober truth to fantastic figments. Do you stand your ground. Fill the place which my death will leave vacant. My course is run, my crown is awaiting me. ‘My crown”? did
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cSeerTim. τοῦ μέλλοντος κρίνειν Lavras καὶ νεκρούς, καὶ 2 τὴν “ ἐπιφάνειαν
Vi. 14.
ἆ Luke (7), αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ: 2. κήρυξον τὸν λόγον, * ἐπίστηθι
Acts (11), A 1 Thess.
εὐκαίρως * ἀκαίρως, ἔλεγξον, 5 ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον,
8 ἐν" πάσῃ
ν. 3,2 ~ ς , Tim.iv.6." μακροθυμίᾳ καὶ διδαχῇ. 3. ἔσται γὰρ καιρὸς ὅτε τῆς | ὑγιαινούσης
6 Ecclus, XVili. 22, Mark xiv. 11 only, οἱ. 1 Cor. xvi. 12. (7), Mark (9), Luke (12), Judeg. * Tit. i g ii. 1.
1 κρῖναι FG, 17, 67**, six others.
f Ecclus. xxxv. (xxxii.) 4, only. cf. Phil. iv. το. h See 1 Tim. 1. 16 and 2 Tim. iii. 10.
g Matt. iz Tim. i. τὸ (q.v.),
3 κατὰ ScDcKLP, vgcle, go., syrr., arm. 8 ἐπιτίμ. παρακάλ. NcACDetKLP, syrhcl, arm. ;
παρακάλ. ἐπιτίμ. NQ*FG, 37,
one other, d, e, f, g, vg-, go., boh.; om. παρακάλ. syrpesh,
Isay? Nay, there is a crown for you, too, and for all who live in the loving longing for the coming of their Lord.
Ver. 1. Διαμαρτύρομαι: See on 1 Tim. ν. 21. As the adjuration follows imme diately on warnings against a moral degeneration which had already set in and would increase, it is appropriate that it should contain a solemn assurance of judgment to come.
Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ, τοῦ μέλλοντος κρίνειν: This was a prominent topic in St. Paul’s preaching (Acts xvii. 31; Rom. ii. 16; I Cor. iv. 5). κρῖναι is the tense used in the Creeds, as in 1 Pet. iv. 5. (Tisch. R.V.). See apparat. crit.
ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς : To be understood literally. See x Thess. iv. 16, 17.
ἣν ἐπιφάνειαν: per adventum ipsius (Vulg.). The acc. is that of the thing by which a person adjures, as in the case of ὁρκίζω (Mark v. 7; Acts xix. 13; cf. 1 Thess. v. 27). The use of διαμαρτύρομαι with an acc. in Deut. iv. 26, xxxi. 28, is different, διαμαρτ. ὑμῖν σήμερον τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. “Ι call heaven and earth to witness against you.” Heaven and earth can be conceived as personalities, cf. Ps. 1. 4; not so the appearance or kingdom of Christ. On ἐπιφάνεια see note on 1 Tim. vi. 14. βασιλείαν: The perfected kingdom, the manifestation of which will follow the second ἐπιφάνεια.
Ver. 2. κήρυξον: In 1 Tim. v. 21 διαμαρτ. is followed by ἵνα with the subj.; in 2 Tim. ii. 14 by the inf. Here the adjuration is more impassioned ; hence the abruptness ; this is heightened also by the aorists.
ἐπίστηθι: Insta, Be at hand, or Be ready to act. ἐπίστ. εὐκ. ἀκ. qualifies adverbially κήρυξον; while the follow- ing imperatives, ἔλεγξον, κ.τ.λ., are vari- ous departments of ‘‘preaching the word’’.
εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως : opportune, impor-
tune (Vulg.). So few καιροί remain available (see next verse), that you must use them all. Do not ask yourself, “15 this a suitable occasion for preaching?” Ask rather, ‘‘ Why should not this be a suitable occasion?”’ ‘‘Have not any limited season ; let it always be thy sea- son, not only in peace and security and when sitting in the Church”? (Chrys.).
Similar expressions are cited by Ben- gel, ¢.g., digna indigna ; praesens absens ; nolens volens. We need not ask whether the reasonableness, etc., has reference to the preacher or the hearers. The direc- tion is to disregard the inclinations of both.