The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Timothy — Section 104

11. DIRECTION WITH REFERENCJE TO BIB YOUTH. "Let no man despise thy youth ; but be thou e.n ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity." Timothy we.s e. youth, still living with his parents, when Paul first took him as hie companion. After the lapse of perhaps fifteen years, he is still regarded as e. young me.n. We may understand that he was still young for the work entrusted to him; he we.e young to instruct, and, it might be, to exhort (eh. v. 1) elders (many of them old men). A young minister is placed in the same position; he has to speak to men whose experience goes far beyond his. He has in this respect a d1ffic11lt JJosition to fill, and it becomes him to consider well the course he takeH, a11d, if need be, to take counsel of more experienced men in the ministry, so that he shall have thus the gravity of years, and she.II give none occasion to despise him on account of his youth. The idea of • minister is that he is to be an ensample to them that believe, especially to them over whom he is placed. There are five things in which he is to lead the way. The first two go together. There is the external life of word. A minister is to have the right tone in his private utterances (what seem principally to be referred to a.e public utterances are introduced in the next verse) ; he is to be able to direct the minds of others e.we.y from trifles to important matters. There is also the external life of deed. His actions are to go along with his words: he is to give direction by the very way in which he e.cts. Word and deed reveal the inner life, the motive forces of which are next expressed. There is the motive force of love. He is impelled by love for an unseen Saviour, and for souls purchased by him. There is e.lso the motive force of faith. H., is impelled by what faith reveals, viz. a Master to whom he is responsible, whose honour he is to be careful of, whose reward for faithfulness he is earnestly to covet. Thus moved in his inner being, then, as the fifth and last thing, his life is characterized hy purity. He does not receive the contamination of the world, but e. pervading holy influence from e. source above the world. The young minister who seeks to go before his people in these five things is taking the right plan of placing himself above being despised for his youth. III. DIRECTION AS TO ms UBE OF THE ScRIPTURES. " Till I come, give heed. to reading, t.o exhortation, to teaching." Timothy was not so much a resident minister as Paul's assistant, which involved his moving from place to place. The special arrangement by which he presided over the central Church of Ephesus was to continue in force until Paul's arrival, which was expected at no distant date. Meantime he was to giTe hie attention to his public duties. There was first of all the reading of the ScriptuNS, This was carried down from the Jewish synagogue, in which the Old Testament Scriptures were regularly read. And the Christian Church, in the lifetime of the apostles, being under infallible guidance, we can understaad that parts of the New Testament would gradually be introduced into the Christian sanctuary. This public reading of the Scriptures served a purpose then beyond what it does now. There were very few copies of the sacred Hooks to be obtained then. Members of Churches were, therefore, to e. great extent, dependent for their Bible knowledge on what was publicly read. Meetings would require to be frequent, and a large place in these meet- ings would require to be given to mere reading, in order that the people might become familiar with the exact language of Scripture. With reading was associated exhortation and teaching, We are to understand this as being on the basis of what was read. "Scripture is the fountain of all wisdom, from which pastors ought to draw whatever 1hey bring before their flock" (Calvin). There was exhortation to duty, or an appeal to the feelings, conscience, to influence men to be decided for Christ, and to keep closely by the Law of Christ, And there was teaching of t""th, or the opening up of Scripture in its facts and principles, to show especially whe.t Christ was and had effected for them. It we.s possible to combine the hortatory and instructive, though at one time attention would be directed more to approls, at another time more to e,.,;pla11ations. IV. DmEOTION AB TO TBE USE OF ms GIFT. "Neglect not the gift tbat is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying-on of the bands of the presbytery." There is reference to his ordination, which probably took place years befure he was assigned his present work in Ephesus. At that interesting time the ministerial gift, or the power of governing and the power of handling the Word, was imparte~ to h!m. Not that he was altogether without que.lification before; for there were prol'bec1es gomg before on him, apparently founded on the proof that he was making of himself. But  THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [OB. IV, 1-16.