The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Timothy — Section 11

Ver. 14.-The importance of preserving {he precious deposit of doctrine. I. TmraE IS A BYBTBK OF TRUTH DEPOSITED IN THE HANDS OF TBE CHURCH. "That good deposit keep through the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us." 1. The truth ia Mt disCOVff'ed lnJ the Ohwch, but deposited in iu kuping. This is the significance of the words of Jude, -when he speaks of" the faith once delivered to the saints." That is (1) "the faith "-a system of gospel doctrines recognized by the Church at large; (2) "delivered," not dis- covered or elaborated out of the Christian consciousness; (3) "once" delivered, in reference to the point of time when tbe revelation was made by inspired men; (4) deposited in the hands of men-" to the saints "-as trustees, for its safe keeping. It is" a good deposit;" good in its Author, its matter, its results, its end. II. 1T IS THE DUTY OF KINIBTEBS AND MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH TO KEEP THIS DEPOSIT. 1. They ought to do it, because it is a commanded duty. 2. Becau.•e it i&fm- the (Jhurch's edification, safety, and stability. 3. Because it is for the glory of God. 4. They cannot do it ncept in the power of "the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us." (1) Because he leads us into all truth; (2) because he by the truth builds up the Church as "a habitation of God;" (3) because he gives the insight and the courage by which believers a.re enabled to reject the adulterations and mixtures of false systems.-T. C. Ver. 15.-The Asiatic desertion of the apostle. He reminds Timothy of a fact well known to him already, that he had suffered from a melancholy desertion of friends. I. THE NATURE .AND EXTENT OF ms LOBB. "All who are in Asia turned awa"I" from me." 1 . .As to its nature. It was not a repudiation of Christianity. It was a de~ei- tion of the apostle himself, either through fear of persecution, or through a rtpudiation of his catholic ideas on behalf of the Gentiles. The Christian Jews seem everywhere to have forsaken him. In one of his prison-letters he can only name two or three Jews who were a comfort to him in the gospel (Col. iv. 11). 2. .As to its extent. The Asiatic desertion may have probably taken place in Rome itself, probably at a time when his life, and that of all Christians, was threatened by Nero; probably at the time referred to in the end of this Epistle, when he could say," No man stood by me; all men forsook me." Those who would identify themselves with the apostle of the Gentiles at snch a time would probably be Gentiles rather than Jews. Thus the number of the deserters might not be great. If the desertion took place in Asia Minor, it would only suggest a widespread falling away from the aged prisoner at Rome, but not from the gospel. The apostle singles out two persons quite unknown to us-" Phygelus and Hermogenes "-as the ringleaders of this movement. The fa.et that so few names are mentioned tends to reduce the extent of the sad misfortune. II. THE EFFECT OF THIS DESERTION. The apostle does n,ot dwell upon it, but rather dismisses the deserters in a single sentence. Yet: 1. It would be a severe trial to the faith of the aged apostl,e in his dying days. The desertion of friends is always a sore trial, but when the friend8hip is cemented by religion, its intensity is peculiarly enhanced. 2. The apostle refers to it with the view of stimulating Timothy to still greater courage in the cause of the gospel-T. C. Vere. 16-18.-The praiseworthy conduct of Onesiphorua. In contrast with the Asiatic deserters, he dwells upon the kindly sympathy of one Asiatic Christian whom he had long kvown at Ephesus. I. 'l'BE KINDNESS OF ONESIPHORUB. " He oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was at Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me." 1. The apostle, as u oll as Timothy, had had an earlier experience of this good man, who was probably an Ephesian merchant, who went from time to time to Rome to do business, for he says, " In how many things he ministered at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." 2. He did not probably come to Rome from EpheS'Us for the special purpose of visiting the apostle, but, having found himself there, he made it his business to visit the apostle. (1) He took pa.ins to find out the aposile. "He sought me out very dili&eatly." Why we.a it so difficuU to discover the priaon in which the apoade was 12 'I-BE SEOOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [oa. L 1-18.