HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. l.-&hort1tion to Timothy to be ,troog. The apostle founds upon the fore- guing example, and warnings an admonition to Christian firmness and courage. I. THE NEED OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH. "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." 1. Strength was necessary to meet the difficulties und dangers if his official life at Ephesw. 2. The admonition was probably needed un acCQUnt of the disC01J,ragements which Timothy himself must have felt at the cond'UCt of the Asiatic deserters. 3. Strength is the spring of happy activity in any ,phere. "Tbt joy of the Lord shall be your str~ngth." II. THE SOURCE OF THIS sPIRI'l'UAL STRENGTH. •• The grace that is in Christ Jesus." It seems strange to say, "Be strong," to a spiritually discouraged man, as it would lie strange to say the same thing to a physically weak man. 'I'.he injunction ia reason- able, however, when we consider that the source uf our renewed power is at hand. The grace of Christ is the inward power which euables us "to will and to do of his good pleasure." "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might n (Eph. vi. IO). Here lies the true source of our strength. The apostle declared he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.-T. C.
Ver. 2.-Admo,,itiun t-0 Timothy reapecting the appointmad qf faithful preachers. At such a period of unlaithfnlness and timidity, it was neceB11&ry to provide for the contin11ons wants of the Church. I. THE TRUST TwoTHY xs TO DELIVEB TO FAITHFUL ON. "The things which thou heardest frum me a11,ong many witnesses.'' 1. Timothy heard these thin,qs from the apost~ at hi., ordination, but oftener still during hia long mission(l,ry travels, when he would hear the apostle diacourae to large and varied congregations of both J,-w1 OR. II. 1-26.) THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 27
and G~ntiles. 2. The substance of hill preaching would be the grand oullines of Pauline theology, BB they &re exhibited in the ~:pistles, Jesus Christ being the central theme. 3. 1'l1ere is nothing here to C<1Untenance the Roman idea of tradition, as if Timothy WBS to tr&nsmit a body of oral instruction to the latest generations, through successive generations of teachers. The instructions in question are actually contained in the Scriptures, Bod are no longer committed to the cloubtful custody of human memory. II. THE PERSONS TO WHOM THE TRUST WAS TO BE COMMITTED. "The same com- mit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 1. Timothy waa to fudge of their qualifications. They were not to judge of their own fitness; they were not to find their place as teachers by self-appointment. 2. Their o,·dination in itself was to be no qualification; for they might possibly have been wholly destitute of teaching gift11. There is nothing in the passage to justify the idea of apost~lic suc- cession. S. Their qualifications were to be twofold. (1) Faitbfnlness; for " a steward of the mysteries of God" must be faithful, not betrayin~ the charge committed to him, declaring the whole counsel of God, and keeping back nothing that is profitable. (2) Teaching power. " Who shall be a'ele to teach others also." The bishop must be "apt to teach," with a true understanding of the Scripiures, a gift of explication, and a faculty of edifying speech.-T. C.
Vers. 3-7.-The apostle bespeaks from Timothy a copartnerahip in affliction, which would have its due reward. I. THE DUTY OF BUFFERING HARDSHIP m THE GOSPEL, •• Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ." 1. The minister is a soldier of Christ, enrolled by him, trained by him, armed by him, supported by him, as the Oapta-in of onr salvation. The ministry is a warfare, involvinS!, not only the "good fight of faith," but an increasing struggle against fa.lse teachers. 2. Aa a good soldier, he must be prepared to suffer hardships. Like the soldier, he must often leave home and friends, expose himself to cold and hunger and fatigue; he must fear- lessly meet the enemies of his Lord, a.ad die, if need be, in the arms of victory. 3. The apostk strengthens hui admonition by an appeal to his own hardships and sufferi'Tlgs. Timothy took a sympathetic interest in the career of the greatest of the apostles. The tried veteran Appeals to the young soldier. II. ENCOURAGEMENTS TO BE DRAWN FROM THE DUTIES AND REWABDS OP THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 'l'here are three pictures presented to our view-one milita.ry, a.nother agonistical, and another a.gricultural. 1. T!te supreme unembarrassed devotion of the soldier to his commander. "No one that serveth as a soldier entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him to be a soldier." Tbe Roman soldier was isolated by express law from all trades and interests and agencies that would interfere with the discipline of his profession. (1) The minister who is supremely concerned about the affairs of the next life must stand free from the ent.anglements of human ocGupation, so as to devote his whole energies without dis- traction or dispersion of thought to the business of his Master. The apostle had himself occasionally to resort to industry for his own support, under circumstances of a purely exceptional nature; but he demancls an extrication uf the ministry from all ,ecular engagements in his elaborate plea to the Corinthians (1 Cor. ix.). (2) His sole motive is to please the Master "ho enrolled him in this service. It is not to please himself, or to please men by seeking ease, or emolument, or social position, but to please the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose book of life his name is written. 2. The eewre training and lawful striving of the athlete in the games. "But if any one also 1trive in the games, he is not crowned unless he have striven lawfully." The figure was a familiar one to the people of that age who dwelt in cities. (1) It is implied that ministers, in 1triving for the crown of life, roust strip off all encumbrances- " laying aside every weight "-that they may the more easily press to the mark, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. (2) It implies that they must undergo the discipliue of severe training to fit themselves for the work of ministry, and carry on their service accordin~ to 1he high laws of the kingdom of Chri,t. 3. 'l'J,e reward of the lab01/,ri'Tlg husba11dman. "'1.'lie labouring husbandman tnust needs first partake of the fruits of his labour." (1) '!'his does not mean that the husbandman would be the first to partake of the fruits, but th&t he must first labour before he obtained the reward. There is evidently an emphuis on the fact that a laborious 28 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [OR, D, 1-28,