For which cause I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands.

“I have become acquainted with your greatly-desired name in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Christ Jesus our Saviour. Being the followers of the love of God towards man, and stirring up yourselves by the blood of Christ, you have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming to you. For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for the sake of Christ, our common hope, trusting through your prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the disciple of Him "who gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God," [ye hastened to see me]. I have therefore received your whole multitude in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, and who is your bishop, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that you would all seek to be like him. Blessed be God, who has granted unto you, who are yourselves so excellent, to obtain such an excellent bishop.”

“"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands." You see how greatly dispirited and dejected he considers him to be. He almost says, "Think not that I despise thee, but be assured that I do not condemn thee, nor have I forgotten thee. Consider, at any rate, thy mother and thy grandmother. It is because I know that thou hast unfeigned faith that I put thee in remembrance." For it requires much zeal to stir up the gift of God. As fire requires fuel, so grace requires our alacrity, that it may be ever fervent. "I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, that is in thee by the putting on of my hands," that is, the grace of the Spirit, which thou hast received, for presiding over the Church, for the working of miracles, and for every service. For this grace it is in our power to kindle or to extinguish; wherefore he elsewhere says, "Quench not the Spirit." (1 Thess. v. 19.) For by sloth and carelessness it is quenched, and by watchfulness and diligence it is kept alive. For it is in thee indeed, but do thou render it more vehement, that is, fill it with confidence, with joy and delight. Stand manfully.”

“Above he commended him for gratuitous gifts; here he exhorts him to the use of the gratuitous gifts given to him, especially in the preaching of the Gospel. And first he admonishes him in general to the use of the grace given to him; second he specifies what the use of the grace should be, at the place, "Be not thou ashamed therefore." Likewise, first he sets down the admonition; second, its reason, at the place, "for he hath not given us." He says therefore: the faith unfeigned is in thy mother and grandmother and in thee, for which cause I admonish thee. The grace of God is like a fire which, when it is covered over with ash, does not shine: so grace is covered over in man through torpor, or human fear. Hence Timothy too, having become fainthearted, had grown sluggish about preaching. And therefore he says that thou mayest stir up the grace that is asleep. 1 Thess. 5:19: Extinguish not the spirit. And he adds, which is in thee by the imposition of my hands, namely, by which he had been ordained bishop. In which imposition of hands the grace of the Holy Spirit was given to him. Then, when he says, for... not, the reason for the admonition is set down, and it is taken from the condition of the divine gifts. For he who receives a gift ought to work in accordance with the fittingness of the gift; therefore according to the condition of the divine gifts we ought to serve God. Now there is a twofold spirit, that of this world, and that of God. And the distinction of these is this: for spirit signifies love, because the name "spirit" imports impulsion, and love impels. But love is twofold, namely, of God, and this is through the spirit of God; and love of the world, and this is through the spirit of the world. 1 Cor. 2:12: For we have not received the spirit of this world, etc. But the spirit of the world causes one to love the goods of the world, and to fear temporal evils; and therefore he says, for God hath not given us the spirit of fear, namely, worldly fear, because this God takes away from us. Matt. 10:28: Fear ye not them that kill the body, etc. There is another spirit, the spirit of the fear of the Lord, and it is holy, and this causes God to be feared; but this fear is without punishment and without offense, and this is from God. Matt. 10:28: Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. And he adds, but of power, because through the Holy Spirit we are directed amid evils, and this through power, namely, of fortitude against the adversities of the world. Luke, last chapter: Sit ye in the city till you be endued with power from on high. Likewise we are directed amid goods, because as to affection we are ordered through the love of charity, while one refers all that he loves to God. Hence he says, and of love. 1 John 3:14: He who loveth not, abideth in death. Likewise as to exterior goods; and therefore he says, and of sobriety, that is, of all temperance, by keeping the due mode and measure, namely, that we use the goods of the world temperately. Titus 2:12: That we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world. 1 Tim. 3:2: It behooveth a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober. Then, when he says, be not, he specifies the use of grace; and first he excludes the things contrary to this use; second he exhorts to the use of grace, at the place, but labor together with. But from his accustomed preaching he could be hindered on account of two things. First, through shame; second, from the punishment of the apostle, which he was suffering on account of the Gospel. And therefore, as to the first, he says, be not therefore, namely, since thou hast the spirit of fortitude, ashamed, etc. For the preaching of Christ, if it be referred to the wisdom of the world, seemed foolish, hence it seemed to have shame. 1 Cor. 1:23: We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness. Rom. 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Luke 9:26: He that shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed. As to the second, it must be known that if a robber sees someone hanged, he is ashamed to confess himself his companion. So, because the apostle was in chains, Timothy could be ashamed of him; and therefore he says, nor of me his prisoner. Eph. 6:20: For which I am an ambassador in a chain. Ecclus. 4:27: Be not ashamed of thy neighbor in his fall. Then, when he says, but labor together with, he exhorts to the use of grace; and first in general; second he shows with what confidence he should undertake this use, at the place, according to the power. Here he makes manifest what he says, but labor together with, at the place, not according to, etc. He says therefore: be not ashamed, but labor together with, that is, labor along with me. 1 Cor. 3:8: Every man shall receive his own reward. And he says Evangelio, which can be of the ablative case, and thus, in preaching the Gospel; or of the dative case, and thus, to the praise of the Gospel, namely, that it may grow. Wis. 3:15: Glorious is the fruit of good labors, etc. And this with confidence, not one's own, because we are not sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves, etc.; but according to the power of God, that is, having confidence in the power of God. Is. 40:29: Who giveth strength to the weary, and to them that are not, he multiplieth fortitude and strength. This power is made manifest through two things: namely, as to affection, because we are freed from evils; and therefore he says, who hath delivered us. 1 Esdr. 8:31: He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of the ambusher by the way. John 8:36: If the son hath made you free. And as to this, that he calls us unto goods. Hence there follows, and calleth us by his holy calling, because he has called us unto sanctification. Rom. 8:30: Whom he predestinated, them he also called. 1 Pet. 2:9: Who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. And he makes manifest certain things which he says, saying, not according to our works; where he shows that we have been freed and called through the power of God, not through human power. And first he shows that the cause of our calling and deliverance is from God; second, the process of the cause, at the place, which was given also; third he commends the giver of the cause, namely, of grace, and its preserver, at the place, who hath destroyed. He says therefore: he called us not through our own power, namely, not through our works, which are the effects of power. Titus 3:5: Not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Now the cause of human salvation which is from God is twofold. One is eternal, namely, his predestination; the other is temporal, namely, justifying grace. As to the first he says, according to the purpose, that is, predestination, which is the purpose of having mercy. Eph. 1:11: Worketh all things according to the purpose of his will. Rom. 8:28: To them who, according to his purpose, are called to be saints. As to the second he says, and grace. Rom. 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace. Concerning the process of grace, first he shows how grace was prepared; second, how it was bestowed; third, through whom. He shows the first, when he says, which was given to us in Christ Jesus, that is, it was foreseen to be given to us before the times of the world. As the Philosopher says, an age is nothing other than a measure of the duration of certain things; hence different ages are the different lifetimes of men. Hence one age lasts a thousand years, because a man is said to live as long as he is in the memory of men, which does not exceed a thousand years. The times of the world, therefore, are those which measure changeable things, and these began with the world; but predestination is before the world. Eph. 1:4: He chose us in him before the foundation of the world. And he says, in Christ Jesus, because we are not so elected as to be saved by our own merits, but through the grace of Christ; because as he predestined our salvation, so also the mode of our salvation. John 1:17: Grace and truth was made through Jesus Christ. But this predestination was formerly hidden, but now it is made manifest. And how? As the concept of the heart is made manifest through works; hence now, in the effect of the work, he has manifested it to his elect through illumination. He speaks properly; for to manifest is to bring into the light. Job 28:11: He hath brought hidden things into the light. So then it has now been manifested, etc., through the fact that he sent Christ to illumine us. Is. 60:1: Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come. Luke 1:79: To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. Then, when he says, who hath destroyed, he commends Christ the illuminator; and first his power as to the evils which he took away; second, as to the goods which he conferred. He says therefore that Christ, on account of the fact that he suffered for us, destroyed death, that is, he made satisfaction to God for our sins. 1 Pet. 3:18: Christ died once for our sins, etc. And sin was the cause of our bodily death. Rom. 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; and therefore by destroying sin, he destroyed death. Hos. 13:14: I will be thy death, O death, etc. He also conferred perfect goods: first, to the soul in the present, through the grace of faith. Hab. 2:4: My just man liveth by faith. And it is imperfect in this life, but it will be perfected in glory. John 17:3: This is eternal life, that they may know thee. Second, the immortality of the flesh resulting from the glory of the soul. 1 Cor. 15:53: This corruptible must put on incorruption, etc. John 10:10: I am come that they may have life, namely, now through grace, and may have it more abundantly, namely, through glory in the future; likewise in the same place, 11:26: Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall not die forever.”

“Here is an exhortation and excitation of Timothy to his duty (Ti2 1:6): I put thee in remembrance. The best men need remembrancers; what we know we should be reminded of. Pe2 3:1, I write this, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. I. He exhorts him to stir up the gift of God that was in him. Stir it up as fire under the embers. It is meant of all the gifts and graces the God had given him, to qualify him for the work of an evangelist, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the extraordinary gifts that were conferred by the imposition of the apostle's hands. These he must stir up; he must exercise them and so increase them: use gifts and have gifts. To him that hath shall be given, Mat 25:29. He must take all opportunities to use these gifts, and so stir them up, for that is the best way of increasing them. Whether the gift of God in Timothy was ordinary or extraordinary (though I incline to the latter), he must stir it up, otherwise it would decay. Further, you see that this gift was in him by the putting on of the apostle's hands, which I take to be distinct from his ordination, for that was performed by the hands of the presbytery, Ti1 4:14. It is probable that Timothy had the Holy Ghost, in his extraordinary gifts and graces, conferred on him by the laying on of the apostle's hands (for I reckon that none but the apostles had the power of giving the Holy Ghost), and afterwards, being thus richly furnished for the work of the ministry, was ordained by the presbytery. Observe, 1. The great hindrance of usefulness in the increase of our gifts is slavish fear. Paul therefore warns Timothy against this: God hath not given us the spirit of fear, Ti2 1:7. It was through base fear that the evil servant buried his talent, and did not trade with it, Mat 25:25. Now God hath therefore armed us against the spirit of fear, by often bidding us fear not. "Fear not the face of man; fear not the dangers you may meet with in the way of your duty." God hath delivered us from the spirit of fear, and hath given us the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The spirit of power, or of courage and resolution to encounter difficulties and dangers; - the spirit of love to God, which will carry us through the opposition we may meet with, as Jacob made nothing of the hard service he was to endure for Rachel: the spirit of love to God will set us above the fear of man, and all the hurt that a man can do us; - and the spirit of a sound mind, or quietness of mind, a peaceable enjoyment of ourselves, for we are oftentimes discouraged in our way and work by the creatures o our own fancy and imagination, which a sober, solid, thinking mind would obviate, and would easily answer. 2. The spirit God gives to his ministers is not a fearful, but a courageous spirit; it is a spirit of power, for they speak in his name who has all power, both in heaven and earth; and it is a spirit of love, for love to God and the souls of men must inflame ministers in all their service; and it is a spirit of a sound mind, for they speak the words of truth and soberness. II. He exhorts him to count upon afflictions, and get ready for them: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. Be not thou ashamed of the gospel, of the testimony thou hast borne to it." Observe, 1. The gospel of Christ is what we have none of us reason to be ashamed of. We must not be ashamed of those who are suffering for the gospel of Christ. Timothy must not be ashamed of good old Paul, though he was now in bonds. As he must not himself be afraid of suffering, so he must not be afraid of owning those who were sufferers for the cause of Christ. (1.) The gospel is the testimony of our Lord; in and by this he bears testimony of himself to us, and by professing our adherence to it we bear testimony of him and for him. (2.) Paul was the Lord's prisoner, his prisoner, Eph 4:1. For his sake he was bound with a chain. (3.) We have no reason to be ashamed either of the testimony of our Lord or of his prisoners; if we are ashamed of either now, Christ will be ashamed of us hereafter. "But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God, that is, expect afflictions for the gospel's sake, prepare for them, count upon them, be willing to take thy lot with the suffering saints in this world. Be partaker of the afflictions of the gospel;" or, as it may be read, Do thou suffer with the gospel; "not only sympathize with those who suffer for it, but be ready to suffer with them and suffer like them." If at any time the gospel be in distress, he who hopes for life and salvation by it will be content to suffer with it. Observe, [1.] Then we are likely to bear afflictions as well, when we fetch strength and power from God to enable us to bear them: Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God. [2.] All Christians, but especially ministers, must expect afflictions and persecutions for the sake of the gospel. [3.] These shall be proportioned, according to the power of God (Co1 10:13) resting upon us. 2. Mentioning God and the gospel, he takes notice what great things God has done for us by the gospel, Ti2 1:9, Ti2 1:10. To encourage him to suffer, he urges two considerations: - (1.) The nature of that gospel which he was called to suffer for, and the glorious and gracious designs and purposes of it. It is usual with Paul, when he mentions Christ, and the gospel of Christ, to digress from his subject, and enlarge upon them; so full was he of that which is all our salvation, and ought to be all our desire. Observe, [1.] The gospel aims at our salvation: He has saved us, and we must not think much to suffer for that which we hope to be saved by. He has begun to save us, and will complete it in due time; for God calls those things that are not (that are not yet completed) as though they were (Rom 4:17); therefore he says, who has saved us. [2.] It is designed for our sanctification: And called us with a holy calling, called us to holiness. Christianity is a calling, a holy calling; it is the calling wherewith we are called, the calling to which we are called, to labour in it. Observe, All who shall be saved hereafter are sanctified now. Wherever the call of the gospel is an effectual call, it is found to be a holy call, making those holy who are effectually called. [3.] The origin of it is the free grace and eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus. If we had merited it, it had been hard to suffer for it; but our salvation by it is of free grace, and not according to our works, and therefore we must not think much to suffer for it. This grace is said to be given us before the world began, that is, in the purpose and designs of God from all eternity; in Christ Jesus, for all the gifts that come from God to sinful man come in and through Christ Jesus. [4.] The gospel is the manifestation of this purpose and grace: By the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was perfectly apprised of all his gracious purposes. By his appearing this gracious purpose was made manifest to us. Did Jesus Christ suffer for it, and shall we think much to suffer for it? [5.] By the gospel of Christ death is abolished: He has abolished death, not only weakened it, but taken it out of the way, has broken the power of death over us; by taking away sin he has abolished death (for the sting of death is sin, Co1 15:56), in altering the property of it, and breaking the power of it. Death now of an enemy has become a friend; it is the gate by which we pass out of a troublesome, vexatious, sinful world, into a world of perfect peace and purity; and the power thereof is broken, for death does not triumph over those who believe the gospel, but they triumph over it. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Co1 15:55. [6.] He has brought life and immortality to light by the gospel; he has shown us another world more clearly than it was before discovered under any former dispensation, and the happiness of that world, the certain recompence of our obedience by faith: we all with open face, as in a glass, behold the glory of God. He has brought it to light, not only set it before us, but offered it to us, by the gospel. Let us value the gospel more than ever, as it is that whereby life and immortality are brought to light, for herein it has the pre-eminence above all former discoveries; so that it is the gospel of life and immortality, as it discovers them to us, and directs us in the ready way that leads thereto, as well as proposes the most weighty motives to excite our endeavours in seeking after glory, honour, and immortality. (2.) Consider the example of blessed Paul, Ti2 1:11, Ti2 1:12. He was appointed to preach the gospel, and particularly appointed to teach the Gentiles. He though it a cause worth suffering for, and why should not Timothy think so too? No man needs to be afraid nor ashamed to suffer for the cause of the gospel: I am not ashamed, says Paul, for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Observe, [1.] Good men often suffer many things for the best cause in the world: For which cause I suffer these things; that is, "for my preaching, and adhering to the gospel." [2.] They need not be ashamed, the cause will bear them out; but those who oppose it shall be clothed with shame. [3.] Those who trust in Christ know whom they have trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and exultation, as much as to say, "I stand on firm ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the hands of the best trustee." And am persuaded, etc. What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our souls, and their preservation to the heavenly kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep. There is a day coming when our souls will be enquired after: "Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To whom it was offered, to God or Satan? How was it employed, in the service of sin or in the service of Christ?" There is a day coming, and it will be a very solemn and awful day, when we must give an account of our stewardship (Luk 16:2), give an account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming to our comfort in that day. III. He exhorts him to hold fast the form of sound words, Ti2 1:13. 1. "Have a form of sound words" (so it may be read), "a short form, a catechism, an abstract of the first principles of religion, according to the scriptures, a scheme of sound words, a brief summary of the Christian faith, in a proper method, drawn out by thyself from the holy scriptures for thy own use;" or, rather, by the form of sound words I understand the holy scriptures themselves. 2. "Having it, hold it fast, remember it, retain it, adhere to it. Adhere to it in opposition to all heresies and false doctrine, which corrupt the Christian faith. Hold that fast which thou hast heard of me." Paul was divinely inspired. It is good to adhere to those forms of sound words which we have in the scriptures; for these, we are sure, were divinely inspired. That is sound speech, which cannot be condemned, Tit 2:8. But how must it be held fast? In faith and love; that is, we must assent to it as a faithful saying, and bid it welcome as worthy of all acceptation. Hold it fast in a good heart, this is the ark of the covenant, in which the tables both of law and gospel are most safely and profitably deposited, Psa 119:11. Faith and love must go together; it is not enough to believe the sound words, and to give an assent to them, but we must love them, believe their truth and love their goodness, and we must propagate the form of sound words in love; speaking the truth in love, Eph 4:15. Faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; it must be Christian faith and love, faith and love fastening upon Jesus Christ, in and by whom God speaks to us and we to him. Timothy, as a minister, must hold fast the form of sound words, for the benefit of others. Of healing words, so it may read; there is healing virtue in the word of God; he sent his word, and healed them. To the same purport is that (Ti2 1:14), That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us. That good thing was the form of sound words, the Christian doctrine, which was committed to Timothy in his baptism and education as he was a Christian, and in his ordination as he was a minister. Observe, (1.) The Christian doctrine is a trust committed to us. It is committed to Christians in general, but to ministers in particular. It is a good thing, of unspeakable value in itself, and which will be of unspeakable advantage to us; it is a good thing indeed, it is an inestimable jewel, for it discovers to us the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph 3:8. It is committed to us to be preserved pure and entire, and to be transmitted to those who shall come after us, and we must keep it, and not contribute any thing to the corrupting of its purity, the weakening of its power, or the diminishing of its perfection: Keep it by the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us. Observe, Even those who are ever so well taught cannot keep what they have learned, any more than they could at first learn it, without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. We must not think to keep it by our own strength, but keep it by the Holy Ghost. (2.) The Holy Ghost dwells in all good ministers and Christians; they are his temples, and he enables them to keep the gospel pure and uncorrupt; and yet they must use their best endeavours to keep this good thing, for the assistance and indwelling of the Holy Ghost do not exclude men's endeavours, but they very well consist together.”

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance,.... Because of the great affection the apostle had for Timothy, and because of that confidence he had of him, that unfeigned faith dwelt in him, as well as because this had had a place in his relations before him; he therefore acts the part of a kind monitor to him, and, upon these considerations, doubts not of succeeding in his following admonition: that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee; by "the gift" is meant his ministerial gift; for what qualifies men for the ministry, is not anything natural in them, nor acquired by them, but what is given unto them, and that of God: and this was "in" him; it continued with him; it was not lost by him, nor taken from him, as gifts may be, when they are not used; and yet it seems as if there was some decline, some backwardness and indifference as to the exercise of it: he might be too remiss, negligent, and forgetful of it; wherefore the apostle puts him in mind to "stir" it up: there is in the word used a metaphor taken from coals of fire covered with ashes, as if almost extinct, and need to be blown up into a flame, and a very apt one it is; since the gifts of the Spirit, especially his extraordinary ones, such as ministers in those times had, are compared to fire: see Mat 3:11 and these may be reinflamed or increased, when they seem on the decline, by reading, meditation, prayer, and the frequent exercise of them. Agreeably to this the Arabic version renders it, "that thou kindle the fire of the gift of God which is in thee"; and the rather the apostle took this freedom with Timothy, not only because of his superior age and office, but because this gift was through his means; by the putting on of my hands; though not alone, but with the rest of the presbytery; See Gill on Ti1 4:14.”

“Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee - The gift which Timothy had received was the Holy Spirit; and through him, a particular power to preach and defend the truth. This gift is represented here, under the notion of a fire, which, if it be not frequently stirred up, and fresh fuel added to it, will go out. This is the precise idea which the apostle had in his mind; hence the term αναζωπυρειν, which signifies to stir up the fire; to add fresh fuel to it. From this it plainly appears, that if Timothy had not continued to be a daily worker with God, he would have received the grace of God in vain. The Latins have a similar metaphor, excitare igniculos ingenii, to stir up the sparks of genius. By the putting on of my hands - See on Ti1 4:14 (note).”

“That thou stir up [2] the grace of God. In the Greek is a metaphor for fire that is blown up again. — Which is in thee by the imposition of my hands, when thou wast ordained bishop. (Witham) — The grace, which St. Paul here exhorts Timothy to stir up in him, was the grace he had received by imposition of hands, either in his confirmation, or at receiving the sacrament of orders, being a bishop. This verse seems to shew that the imposition of hands is used in these two sacraments, as the essential matter of the sacraments, being the instrumental cause of the grace therein conferred. (Denis the Carthusian)”

“Wherefore--Greek, "For which cause," namely, because thou hast inherited, didst once possess, and I trust ("am persuaded") still dost possess, such unfeigned faith [ALFORD]. stir up--literally, "rekindle," "revive the spark of"; the opposite of "quench" or "extinguish" (Th1 5:19). Paul does not doubt the existence of real faith in Timothy, but he desires it to be put into active exercise. Timothy seems to have become somewhat remiss from being so long without Paul (Ti2 2:22). gift of God--the spiritual grace received for his ministerial office, either at his original ordination, or at his consecration to the particular office of superintending the Ephesian Church (see on Ti1 4:14), imparting fearlessness, power, love, and a sound mind (Ti2 1:7). by the putting on of my hands--In Ti1 4:14, it is "with [not by] the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." The apostle was chief in the ordination, and to him "BY" is applied. The presbytery were his assistants; so "with," implying merely accompaniment, is said of them. Paul was the instrument in Timothy's ordination and reception of the grace then conferred; the presbyters were the concurrent participants in the act of ordination; so the Greek, "dia" and "meta." So in ordinations by a bishop in our days, he does the principal act; they join in laying on hands with him.”