The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Timothy — Section 33

himself to the great Commander. 2. The athlete. "And if also a man contend in the games, he ie not crowned, except he have contended lawfully." The Greeks were great admirers of phyftical perfection. Even their men of genius, like Plato, engaged in athletic contests on public occasions. Great enconrngement waa given to the athletic art. 'fhe successful athlete was crowned under very inspiriting circumstances. '!'here were many subordinate rules to be observed by the athlete, but the great rule was to go through a course of very bard preparation. Only thus could he expect to be crowned when the occasion of the games came round. The minister is, in the same way, to aim at efficiency in his art. He has many examples of this placed before him. And there is great encouragement given by that royal Personage who is to preside on the occasion of award. 'l'he successfnl minister is to be crowned. There are many subordinate rules to be ob~erved by him, but the great rule is that he is to subject himself to severe discipline. Only thus can he expect to have a fadeless crown for efficiency in the ministerial art. 3. The husbandmrin. "The husbandman that laboureth must be the first to partake of the fruits." The husbandman has to extract bread from the unwilling ground; and be may have to do this under unfavooring conditions of weather. He has need, then, for hard and persistent labour, especially in the season of spring. In the sweat of his face be has to prepare the soil and put in the seed. It is only the husbandman that thus exerts himself that comes to the front in the time of fruit. He is eating of the new corn, when the h118bandman who has not exerted bimselr is far behind. In the same way the minister bas to extract good products from unwilling hearts, and not always under favouring conditions from without. Hard work is needed to prepare the soil and to put in the seed. If he engages in hard work, he has the prospect of the farmer, viz. the fruit of his own labour. He will have joy in those for whom he has laboured-partly in this world, chiefly in the next world. It is the minister who does not grudge hard service that comes to the front in the enjoyment of fruit, while he who gives grudging service lags behind in the reward. Appended call to attention. "Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee undcrstanrling in all things." What Paul said was easily under- stood;· but it needed to be thoroughly weighed so as to become spiritual strengthening to 'fimothy. It plainly meant that he was to set himself to hard work, and that. he need not expect easy outward conrlitions of working; when the mind is made up to it, the hardest work is often felt to be light. This was a lesson which he wished Timothy to learn, with the Lord's promised and all-sufficient assistance. Ill. ENCOURAGEMENTS UNDER HARDSHIP, 1. &ample of Ohrw. (1) Victorious aspect of Christ's resurrection. "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead." Paul's principal encouragement is to go back in memory upon the historical Jesus at the victorious point of his history. He seemed to be utterly defeated in death. His body was laid in the tomb, a stone rolled against the mouth of it and sealed, and a watch set; and the rulers thought they had conquered. Could he be released from the power of death and ihe grave? Let not the most distressed, the most maltreated of men, despair; for it was when Christ seemed to be utterly defeated that he victoriously got for hi8 people victory over sin and over death and the grave. (2) His reaumction culminating in his present mediatorial dignity. "Of the seed of David, according to my gospel." As of thii seed royal, be was raised, and raised to sit upon the throne of his father David. That is the high position he has won for himself. The govern- ment of the universe is at this moment upon his shoulders. Under all outward defeat, then, let us enter into the spirit of the victorious termination of our Lord's career of suffering. 2. Example of Paul. (1) Appearance of defeat. "Wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor." He had not yet resisted unto blood. But though he had not gone the length of the Master, he had gone the length of bonds, and, with his Master, was numbered with the transgr_essors. (2) Promise of victory. "Ilut the Word of God is not bound." Not only was his conviction strong that the Word proceeding from God could not be bound by any tyrant, but he had tw fa.et to lay hold of that much freedom was enjoyed in the preaching of the Word. (3) Victoriow for the sake of the elect. " Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, th:.t they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." God has appointed for the elect the salvation which is in Christ Je~us. It is a salvation which i~ to blossom forth under a sunnier sky into glory. This glory will be ample oom-  THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [on, n. 1-26,