This precept I commend to thee, O son Timothy; according to the prophecies going before on thee, that thou war in them a good warfare,

“As the apostle also says in the Epistle to the Romans, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith," teaching the one salvation which from prophecy to the Gospel is perfected by one and the same Lord. "This charge," he says, "I commit to thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war the good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck," because they defiled by unbelief the conscience that comes from God. Accordingly, faith may not, any more, with reason, be disparaged in an offhand way, as simple and vulgar, appertaining to anybody. For, if it were a mere human habit, as the Greeks supposed, it would have been extinguished. But if it grow, and there be no place where it is not; then I affirm, that faith, whether founded in love, or in fear, as its disparagers assert, is something divine; which is neither rent asunder by other mundane friendship, nor dissolved by the presence of fear.”

“What is this deposit? Is it so secret as to be supposed to characterize a new doctrine? or is it a part of that charge of which he says, "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy? " and also of that precept of which he says, "I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Jesus Christ who witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate, that thou keep this commandment? " Now, what is (this) commandment and what is (this) charge? From the preceding and the succeeding contexts, it will be manifest that there is no mysterious hint darkly suggested in this expression about (some) far-fetched doctrine, but that a warning is rather given against receiving any other (doctrine) than that which Timothy had heard from himself, as I take it publicly: "Before many witnesses" is his phrase.”

“The office of a Teacher and that of a Priest is of great dignity, and to bring forward one that is worthy requires a divine election. So it was of old, and so it is now, when we make a choice without human passion, not looking to any temporal consideration, swayed neither by friendship, nor enmity. For though we be not partakers of so great a measure of the Spirit as they, yet a good purpose is sufficient to draw unto us the election of God. For the Apostles, when they elected Matthias, had not yet received the Holy Spirit, but having committed the matter to prayer, they chose him into the number of the Apostles. For they looked not to human friendships. And so now too it ought to be with us. But we have advanced to the extreme of negligence; and even what is clearly evident, we let pass. Now when we overlook what is manifest, how will God reveal to us what is unseen? as it is said, "If ye have not been faithful in that which is little, who will commit to you that which is great and true?" But then, when nothing human was done, the appointment of Priests too was by prophecy. What is "by prophecy"? By the Holy Spirit. For prophecy is not only the telling of things future, but also of the present. It was by prophecy that Saul was discovered "hidden among the stuff." For God reveals things to the righteous. So it was said by prophecy, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul." In this way Timothy also was chosen, concerning whom he speaks of prophecies in the plural; that, perhaps, upon which he "took and circumcised him," and when he ordained him, as he himself says in his Epistle to him, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee." Therefore to elevate him, and prepare him to be sober and watchful, he reminds him by whom he was chosen and ordained, as if he had said, "God hath chosen thee. He gave thee thy commission, thou wast not made by human vote. Do not therefore abuse or bring into disgrace the appointment of God." When again he speaks of a charge, which implies something burdensome, he adds, "This charge I commit to thee, son Timothy." He charges him as his son, his own son, not so much with arbitrary or despotic authority as like a father, he says, "my son Timothy." The "committing," however, implies that it is to be diligently kept, and that it is not our own. For we did not obtain it for ourselves, but God conferred it upon us; and not it only, but also "faith and a good conscience." What He hath given us then, let us keep. For if He had not come, the faith had not been to be found, nor that pure life which we learn by education. As if he had said, "It is not I that charge thee, but He who chose thee," and this is meant by "the prophecies that went before on thee." Listen to them, obey them. And say; what chargest thou? "That by them thou shouldest war a good warfare." They chose thee, that then for which they chose thee do thou, "war a good warfare." He named "a good warfare," since there is a bad warfare, of which he says, "As ye have yielded your members instruments to uncleanness and to iniquity." Those men serve under a tyrant, but thou servest under a King. And why calls he it a warfare? To show how mighty a contest is to be maintained by all, but especially by a Teacher; that we require strong arms, and sobriety, and awakenedness, and continual vigilance: that we must prepare ourselves for blood and conflicts, must be in battle array, and have nothing relaxed. "That thou shouldest war in them," he says. For as in an army all do not serve in the same capacity, but in their different stations; so also in the Church one has the office of a Teacher, another that of a disciple, another that of a private man. But thou art in this...”

“Above he showed his own condition, both as to sins under the law and as to the goods in the time of grace; here he shows the reason for these benefits, which is taken from divine mercy. And first he sets forth divine mercy in general; second he applies it to himself, at the words "of whom I am the first"; third he sets forth the giving of thanks, at the words "but to the king of ages." Concerning the first he does two things: first he commends the truth about to be proposed; second he sets forth the divine mercy, at the words "because Christ Jesus." As to the first he says, "a faithful saying," etc. Now there are two things to be commended in a saying, namely that it be true and that it be acceptable. For sometimes a true saying is harsh, and stirs up hatred. Gal. 4:16: "I have become your enemy, telling you the truth." But this saying, first indeed, has truth; hence he says, "a faithful saying." Apoc., last chapter: "these words are most faithful and true." Likewise it is acceptable, because it concerns our salvation; therefore he says, "and worthy of all acceptance." Zach. 1:13: "and the Lord answered the angel who was speaking," etc. Another text has: "a human saying," because it concerns the taking up of men. Titus 3:4: "the kindness and love for mankind of our Savior appeared," etc. And this saying is such: "that Christ came," etc. That he came into the world expresses a twofold nature, namely that of divinity, in which he existed before he appeared in the world. John 16:28: "I came forth from the Father, and came into the world," etc. And that of humanity, in which he appeared. And because he is God, he fills heaven and earth, Jer. 23:24; therefore it does not belong to him according to the divine nature to be in any place, but it belongs to him according to the human nature. John 1:10: "he was in the world, and the world," et cetera. "He came unto his own," et cetera. But for what did he come? "To save sinners," that is, for the salvation of the peoples. John 3:17: "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him." John 12:47: "For I did not come to judge the world." But if no one had been a sinner, would he not have been incarnate? It seems not, because he came to save sinners. Therefore the incarnation would not have been necessary. Likewise the Gloss: "take away the disease, and there will be no need of medicine." I answer. It must be said that this is sufficiently clear from the words of the saints. But this question is not of great authority, because God ordained the things to be done according as the things to be done actually were. And we do not know what he would have ordained, if he had not foreseen sin; nevertheless the authorities seem expressly to declare that he would not have been incarnate, if man had not sinned — toward which side I myself incline more. Then when he says "of whom I am the first," he applies this to himself. First confessing himself a sinner; second he says that he was saved, at the words "but I obtained mercy." He says therefore, "of whom I am the first." Here a certain heretic says that the soul of Adam was in Paul, and passed from body to body — as if to say: I am the first sinner, because the soul of Adam is my soul. But this is against the Apostle, Rom. 9:11: "when they were not yet born," etc. Therefore the soul does not exist before the body. He is first, therefore, not in time but in the greatness of his sins. And he says this out of humility. Prov. 18:17: "the just man is first the accuser of himself." Prov. 30:2: "I am the most foolish of men," etc. But was the Apostle really the greatest sinner? And it seems that Judas was greater. But some say that Paul's sin was more general, because it was against the whole Church. But this is nothing, since Paul acted in unbelief, whereas many Jews persecuted out of malice. It must be said, therefore, that he is first, not because he was the greatest among the sinners who then existed, but the greatest among sinners who were saved; as if to say: he came to save sinners, of whom — namely, of the sinners saved — I am the first; which is to be understood of those who preceded the Apostle, since even before him many others had persecuted the Church. And he says this in order to show that everything God does, he does for the showing forth of his own goodness. Prov. 16:4: "the Lord has worked all things for himself." Ecclesiasticus: "his work is full of the glory of the Lord." Likewise for our benefit; and therefore he says, "therefore he saved me." First for his own glory. Hence "first" is expounded as first in time, or as first, that is, most especially. "All patience," that is, perfect patience, because though provoked he did not punish, but rather exalted his adversary, and this for our benefit; hence he says "for an example," that is, for instruction and edification — as if to say: so that sinners might not despair of approaching him. 1 Peter, last chapter: "made a pattern of the flock." Then when he says "to the king," etc., he sets forth the giving of thanks, and concerning this he does two things: first he commends him to whom thanks are given; second he renders thanks, at the word "honor." Now he commends him, first, from his power; second, from the property of his nature. As to the first he says, "to the king." His dominion is the greatest, because he alone rules, and has free power, not according to statutes, as a political ruler does. But God alone is the lord of all. And therefore he says, "to God." Apoc. 19:16: "king of kings and lord of lords." Ps. 46:7: "for God is king of all the earth." Likewise the power of any king, for the most part, lasts no more than fifty years, but this one is of all ages. Ps. 144:13: "your kingdom is of all ages," etc. Ecclesiasticus 10:4: "the power of the earth is in the hand of God." To whom also belongs the property of the nature of God. Concerning this it must be known that among things, the first difference of natural things is the corruptible and the incorruptible. And of incorruptible things, some are visible and corporeal, such as the terrestrial bodies; but some are invisible and spiritual, such as the angels. And these, according to the Platonists, are divided into gods, who are supreme by nature, and into intellects, which are not gods but are divine, and into souls; but among us there is one God alone. Deut. 6:4: "hear, O Israel, the Lord your God." He says therefore, first, "immortal," to distinguish him from corruptible things; "invisible," to show that he belongs to the invisible, and to distinguish him from other visible things. He says "to God alone," and not "alone immortal," or "alone invisible," because he alone is God by nature, although he could be called "alone immortal," and "alone invisible," that is, special above the others. Below, last chapter: "who alone has immortality." Then when he says "honor and glory," he gives thanks; as if to say: honor is to be shown to him from the subjection of the whole creature, and in manifestation of his own most excellent goodness, brightness, and glory. Apoc. 7:12: "blessing, and brightness, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honor, power and strength to our God." "Forever and ever," because the age of others lasts but a little time. Is. 40:6: "all flesh is grass, and all its glory as the flower of the grass." Then when he says "this commandment," etc., he instructs Timothy to remain in the things that are said. First he recalls what has been entrusted to him; second he admonishes him to the due use of it; and third he teaches the manner of using it. He says therefore, "this commandment" — namely, that you keep the end of the law, that is, that you preserve charity always, and not the fables of the Jews — "I commend to you," as a faithful deposit, because it has been entrusted to you for this reason. And how? "According to the preceding," etc., that is, because this Gospel does not disagree with the prophecies which he had learned before, since he was the son of a Jewish woman. 2 Peter 1:19: "we have a more sure prophetic word, to which you do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place," etc. 1 Thess., last chapter: "do not despise prophecies," etc. Or "according to the preceding," that is, according to what I and other holy men knew through the spirit of prophecy was to be handed on to you concerning you. "That in them you may war," namely in those prophecies, "the good warfare." Warfare is twofold: one spiritual, one carnal. 2 Cor. 10:4: "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God," etc. In a good warfare two things are required on the part of the soldier: namely, that he do nothing contrary to military discipline, and that he not grow slack through idleness. 1 Cor. 9:25: "everyone who competes in the contest abstains from all things," etc. Likewise on the part of the warfare two things are required: namely, that it fight down those opposed to the commonwealth, and that it subject those who ought to be subject. So too it is in the spiritual warfare, because it is ordered to destroying all who exalt themselves, and to subjecting every understanding to the obedience of Christ, as is said in 2 Cor. 10. And this is the true warfare, of which he says "that you war," etc. Where also, first, the manner of using it is set forth, and second its necessity, at the words "which some." He says therefore, "that you war," etc., as if to say: you can indeed wage the good warfare, first through the good faith which you have. 1 John, last chapter: "this is the victory that overcomes the world, faith," etc. Likewise through a good conscience, because a man easily withdraws from that which bites him; hence the remorse of conscience is like a certain goad, which pricks the one who has a bad conscience, and therefore he quickly withdraws from sins through a good conscience and right faith. Acts 23:1: "I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day." 2 Cor. 1:12: "this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience." The necessity of a good conscience is consequently shown, when he says "which some," etc.; where first he sets forth the fault; second the punishment; third the fruit of the punishment. The fault, at the word "which" — namely, a good conscience — "certain men, thrusting away, have made shipwreck concerning the faith." For he who errs against the faith loses everything that he has. Heb. 11:6: "without faith it is impossible to please God." Likewise he dies, because "my just man lives by faith," Habakkuk 2:4, and Rom. 11:17 — "of whom are Alexander and Hymenaeus." 2 Tim. 4:14: "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm," etc. Then their punishment is set forth, when he says "whom I have delivered," etc., because he excommunicated them, so that the faithful might avoid them, lest they defile them. Now the excommunication of the Apostle was of such power that those excommunicated were soon seized upon by the Devil, and vexed bodily. 1 Cor. 5:4f.: "you being gathered together, and my spirit, in the power of the Lord Jesus, to deliver such a man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved." Yet even now men are delivered up to be vexed spiritually, because they lose the suffrages of the Church, which help much against the Devil. And "I have delivered" just as God "delivered up to a reprobate sense," Rom. 1:28, as it were withdrawing his help, and the communion of the Church, and its suffrages. And this not out of hatred, but out of charity for their profit. 1 Cor. 5:5: "that the spirit may be saved." Hence he says, "that they may learn," at least through punishment, "not to blaspheme." Now one learns to withdraw from sin in three ways: sometimes, namely, through punishment, when he is vexed bodily; likewise through the confusion of excommunication; likewise from this, that when the Church delivers someone to Satan, he falls into manifest sins, whence, confounded, he is humbled, and abstains even from the hidden sins, which before he did not know himself to have.”

“Here is the charge he gives to Timothy to proceed in his work with resolution, Ti1 1:18. Observe here, The gospel is a charge committed to the ministers of it; it is committed to their trust, to see that it be duly applied according to the intent and meaning of it, and the design of its great Author. It seems, there had been prophecies before concerning Timothy, that he should be taken into the ministry, and should prove eminent in the work of the ministry; this encouraged Paul to commit this charge to him. Observe, 1. The ministry is a warfare, it is a good warfare against sin and Satan: and under the banner of the Lord Jesus, who is the Captain of our salvation (Heb 2:10), and in his cause, and against his enemies, ministers are in a particular manner engaged. 2. Ministers must war this good warfare, must execute their office diligently and courageously, notwithstanding oppositions and discouragements. 3. The prophecies which went before concerning Timothy are here mentioned as a motive to stir him up to a vigorous and conscientious discharge of his duty; so the good hopes that others have entertained concerning us should excite us to our duty: That thou by them mightest war a good warfare. 4. We must hold both faith and a good conscience: Holding faith and a good conscience, Ti1 1:19. Those that put away a good conscience will soon make shipwreck of faith. Let us live up to the directions of a renewed enlightened conscience, and keep conscience void of offence (Act 24:16), a conscience not debauched by any vice or sin, and this will be a means of preserving us sound in the faith; we must look to the one as well a the other, for the mystery of the faith must be held in a pure conscience, Ti1 3:9. As for those who had made shipwreck of the faith, he specifies two, Hymeneus and Alexander, who had made a profession of the Christian religion, but had quitted that profession; and Paul had delivered them to Satan, had declared them to belong to the kingdom of Satan, and, as some think, had, by an extraordinary power, delivered them to be terrified or tormented by Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme not to contradict or revile the doctrine of Christ and the good ways of the Lord. Observe, The primary design of the highest censure in the primitive church was to prevent further sin and to reclaim the sinner. In this case it was for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, Co1 5:5. Observe, (1.) Those who love the service and work of Satan are justly delivered over to the power of Satan: Whom I have delivered over to Satan. (2.) God can, if he please, work by contraries: Hymeneus and Alexander are delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme, when one would rather think they would learn of Satan to blaspheme the more. (3.) Those who have put away a good conscience, and made shipwreck of faith, will not stick at any thing, blasphemy not excepted. (4.) Therefore let us hold faith and a good conscience, if we would keep clear of blasphemy; for, if we once let go our hold of these, we do not know where we shall stop.”

“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy,.... After a digression the apostle had made concerning himself, his conversion, and call to the ministry, he returns to his former subject, and original design, and renews the charge he gave to Timothy; and which was not only an order to charge others to teach no other doctrine than that of the Gospel; but includes the charge of preaching it himself, and intends the glorious Gospel of the blessed God committed to his trust, and the whole form of sound words he had heard of him, and which he had charged him to keep pure and incorrupt: and this was done, according to the prophecies which went before on thee; by which are meant, not the prophecies of the Old Testament, though of these Timothy had a considerable share of knowledge from a child, and was hereby greatly qualified to have such a charge committed to him; but then these were not prophecies concerning him, but the Messiah, his person, office, kingdom, and grace: nor are any particular revelations made unto the Apostle Paul concerning Timothy intended, of which there is no account; the revelations and visions he had, related not to men, and their characters, but to doctrines; rather the testimonies of the brethren at Lystra and Iconium, and the good reports they made of him to the apostle, which promised and foreboded future usefulness, are designed; though it seems best of all to understand these prophecies of such as were delivered out by the prophets in the church, for such there were in those times; who, when Timothy was a child, or a youth, foretold that he would have great gifts bestowed upon him, and would be a very useful, diligent, laborious, and successful preacher of the Gospel; and therefore the apostle mentions these to stimulate him the more to the discharge of his work, that he might answer the prophecies concerning him: for he adds, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare: that is, that in consideration of the charge committed to him, and the prophecies that went before of him, might be the more industrious to fulfil his ministry, is signified by a warfare, in allusion to the service of the Levites, which is so called, Num 8:24 with zeal and courage, faithfulness and integrity: for not that warfare is intended, which is common to all believers; who being enlisted as volunteers under Christ, the Captain of their salvation, and having on the whole armour of God, fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil; and are more than conquerors through him that has loved them: but that warfare, which is peculiar to the ministers of the word; whose business it is more especially to fight the good fight of faith, and as good soldiers of Christ, to endure hardness for the sake of him, and his Gospel; and who, besides the other enemies, have to do with false teachers; and their warfare lies in publishing and defending the Gospel of Christ, and in contending for it, and in the weakening of Satan's kingdom, and enlarging the kingdom of Christ; and for which the weapons of their warfare are peculiarly made, and are eminently succeeded; and when they are used to such good purposes, by the ministers of the Gospel, they war a good warfare.”

“This charge - See the note on Ti1 1:5. It was a charge that the Judaizing teachers should not teach differently from that doctrine which the apostle had delivered to him. See Ti1 1:3. According to the prophecies - This may refer to some predictions by inspired men, relative to what Timothy should be: and he wishes him to act in all things conformably to those predictions. It was predicted that he should have this high and noble calling; but his behavior in that calling was a matter of contingency, as it respected the use he might make of the grace of his calling. The apostle therefore exhorts him to war a good warfare, etc. He was now called to that estate to which the prophecies referred; and now he is to act worthily or unworthily of that calling, according as he fought or did not fight the good warfare, and according as he held or did not hold faith and a good conscience. Some think that the προαγουσας προφητειας, the foregoing prophecies, refer to revelations which the apostle himself had received concerning Timothy; while others think that the word is to be understood of advices, directions, and exhortations, which the apostle had previously delivered to him; we know that προφητευω signifies to speak to men to edification, to exhortation, and to comfort. See Co1 14:3. This is a very sober and good sense of the passage. War a good warfare - The trials and afflictions of the followers of God are often represented as a warfare or campaign. See Isa 40:2; Co1 9:7; Co2 10:4; and see the reasons of this metaphorical form of speech, in the notes on Eph 6:13.”

“This precept I commend to thee. Some understand it a precept of what follows, that he should wage a good warfare against the enemies of God and of his salvation. Others refer it to the precept mentioned before, ver. 5, to wit, that Timothy should charge all the new converts not to give ear to new teachers. — Prophecies. He seems to mean some particular predictions made by some who had the gift of prophecies, and who foretold that he should be a great minister of God. (Witham) — The apostle reminds his disciple that he did receive him in the number of his disciples, and ordained him a ruler of the Church, in consequence of a prophecy; that is, a particular inspiration and revelation of the divine will. (St. Chrysostom)”

“He resumes the subject begun at Ti1 1:3. The conclusion (apodosis) to the foregoing, "as I besought thee . . . charge" (Ti1 1:3), is here given, if not formally, at least substantially. This charge--namely, "that thou in them (so the Greek) mightest war," that is, fulfil thy high calling, not only as a Christian, but as a minister officially, one function of which is, to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine" (Ti1 1:3). I commit--as a sacred deposit (Ti1 6:20; Ti2 2:2) to be laid before thy hearers. according to--in pursuance of; in consonance with. the prophecies which went before on thee--the intimations given by prophets respecting thee at thy ordination, Ti1 4:14 (as, probably, by Silas, a companion of Paul, and "a prophet," Act 15:32). Such prophetical intimation, as well as the good report given of Timothy by the brethren (Act 16:2), may have induced Paul to take him as his companion. Compare similar prophecies as to others: Act 13:1-3, in connection with laying on of hands; Act 11:28; Act 21:10-11; compare Co1 12:10; Co1 14:1; Eph 4:11. In Act 20:28, it is expressly said that "the Holy Ghost had made them (the Ephesian presbyters) overseers." CLEMENT OF ROME [Epistle to the Corinthians], states it was the custom of the apostles "to make trial by the Spirit," that is, by the "power of discerning," in order to determine who were to be overseers and deacons in the several churches planted. So CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA says as to the churches near Ephesus, that the overseers were marked out for ordination by a revelation of the Holy Ghost to St. John. by them--Greek, "in them"; arrayed as it were in them; armed with them. warfare--not the mere "fight" (Ti1 6:12; Ti2 4:7), but the whole campaign; the military service. Translate as Greek, not "a," but "the good warfare."”