Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but labour with the gospel, according to the power of God,

“"For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner," he writes to Timothy. Such shall he be "who cleaves to that which is good," according to the apostle, "who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law." If, then, this God, to whom we bear witness, be as He is, the God of hope, we acknowledge our hope, speeding on to hope, "saturated with goodness, filled with all knowledge."”

“There is nothing worse than that man should measure and judge of divine things by human reasonings. For thus he will fall from that rock a vast distance, and be deprived of the light. For if he who wishes with human eyes to apprehend the rays of the sun will not only not apprehend them, but, besides this failure, will sustain great injury; so, but in a higher degree, is he in a way to suffer this, and abusing the gift of God, who would by human reasonings gaze intently on that Light. Observe accordingly how Marcion, and Manes, and Valentinus, and others who introduced their heresies and pernicious doctrines into the Church of God, measuring divine things by human reasonings, became ashamed of the Divine economy. Yet it was not a subject for shame, but rather for glorying; I speak of the Cross of Christ. For there is not so great a sign of the love of God for mankind, not heaven, nor sea, nor earth, nor the creation of all things out of nothing, nor all else beside, as the Cross. Hence it is the boast of Paul, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal. vi. 14.) But natural men, and those who attribute to God no more than to human beings, stumble, and become ashamed. Wherefore Paul from the first exhorts his disciple, and through him all others, in these words: "Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord," that is, "Be not ashamed, that thou preachest One that was crucified, but rather glory in it." For in themselves death and imprisonment and chains are matters of shame and reproach. But when the cause is added before us, and the mystery viewed aright, they will appear full of dignity, and matter for boasting. For it was that death which saved the world, when it was perishing. That death connected earth with heaven, that death destroyed the power of the devil, and made men angels, and sons of God: that death raised our nature to the kingly throne. Those chains were the conversion of many. "Be not" therefore "ashamed," he says, "of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel"; that is, though thou shouldest suffer the same things, be not thou ashamed. For that this is implied appears from what he said above; "God hath given us a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"; and by what follows, "Be thou partaker of the sufferings of the Gospel": not merely be not ashamed of them, but be not ashamed even to experience them. And he does not say, "Do not fear," but, the more to encourage him, "be not ashamed," as if there were no further danger, if he could overcome the shame. For shame is only then oppressive, when one is overcome by it. Be not therefore ashamed, if I, who raised the dead, who wrought miracles, who traversed the world, am now a prisoner. For I am imprisoned, not as a malefactor, but for the sake of Him who was crucified. If my Lord was not ashamed of the Cross, neither am I of chains. And with great propriety, when he exhorts him not to be ashamed, he reminds him of the Cross. If thou art not ashamed of the Cross, he means, neither be thou of chains; if our Lord and Master endured the Cross, much more should we chains. For he who is ashamed of what He endured, is ashamed of Him that was crucified. Now it is not on my own account that I bear these chains; therefore do not give way to human feelings, but bear thy part in these sufferings. "Be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel." He says not this, as if the Gospel could suffer injury, but to excite his disciple to suffer for it.”

“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.”

“Be not then therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,.... Either that testimony which Christ bore personally by his doctrine and miracles, and by his sufferings and death; or rather the Gospel so called, because it comes from Christ, and because it is a testimony concerning him; concerning his person, his offices, his righteousness, blood, sacrifice, and satisfaction; concerning his obedience, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, session at God's right hand, intercession for his people, and second coming to judgment; and concerning life and salvation by him: and which no preacher or professor of Christ has reason to be ashamed of, it being so true in itself, so great, so glorious, and so useful; and whoever is, Christ will be ashamed of him another day: nor of me his prisoner; for Paul was now a prisoner at Rome, but not for any capital crime, or for any immorality, but for the sake of Christ, and for preaching his Gospel; wherefore none of his friends had any reason to be ashamed of him; he was suffering in a glorious cause, and setting a noble example to others; it looks as if Timothy was somewhat blameworthy in this respect. But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel; the Gospel is here represented as a person suffering afflictions, and the apostle would have Timothy suffer them as that did, and along with it; he means those afflictions which come upon men for preaching and professing the Gospel; for though the Gospel is a Gospel of peace, yet, through the corruption and depravity of men, it brings a sword, division, and trouble. Tribulation arises on account of it; and this should be endured patiently, and constantly, for the sake of it: according to the power of God; which is only sufficient to enable persons to bear them; and is mentioned for the encouragement of Timothy and others, to endure them cheerfully.”

“Be not - ashamed of the testimony - The testimony of Christ is the Gospel in general, which proclaims Christ crucified, and redemption through his blood. In the sight of the world, there appeared to be reason why a man should be ashamed of this; ashamed of him who was crucified as a malefactor; but, when this Gospel became the power of God to the salvation of every one that believed, it was a subject to exult in. Hence the apostle, Rom 1:16 (note), said, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Nor of me his prisoner - When our friends are in power and credit, we can readily acknowledge them, and take opportunities to show that we have such and such connections; but when the person falls into disgrace or discredit, though we cannot pretend not to know him, yet we take care not to acknowledge him. This induced Cicero, in relation to friendships, to give for a maxim - Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur: "A true friend is known in adverse circumstances;" and from this we have borrowed our proverb, A friend in need, is a friend indeed. Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel - No parent could love a child better than Paul loved Timothy; and, behold! he who could wish him nothing but what was great, honorable, and good, wishes him to be a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel! Because, to suffer for Christ, and suffer with Christ, was the highest glory to which any human being in this state could arrive. The royal way to the crown of glory, is by the cross of Christ. According to the power of God - While thou hast no more affliction than thou hast grace to sustain thee under, thou canst have no cause to complain. And God will take care that if a faithful discharge of thy duty shall expose thee to afflictions, his power manifested in thee shall be in proportion to thy necessities. His load cannot be oppressive, who is strengthened to bear it by the power of God.”

“therefore--seeing that God hath given us such a spirit, not that of fear. Be not thou . . . ashamed--I agree with ELLICOTT, in opposition to ALFORD, that the Greek subjunctive here, with the negative, implies action completed at one time, not continued action, which the present imperative would express; thus implying that Timothy had not decidedly yet evinced such feeling of shame; though I think, Paul, amidst the desertion of others who once promised fair, and from being aware of Timothy's constitutional timidity (see on Ti2 1:7), felt it necessary to stir him up and guard him against the possibility of unchristian dereliction of duty as to bold confession of Christ. Shame (Ti2 1:8) is the companion of fear (Ti2 1:7); if fear be overcome, false shame flees [BENGEL]. Paul himself (Ti2 1:12), and Onesiphorus (Ti2 1:16), were instances of fearless profession removing false shame. He presents in contrast sad instances of fear and shame (Ti2 1:15). of the testimony of our Lord--of the testimony which thou art bound to give in the cause of our Lord; he says "our," to connect Timothy and himself together in the testimony which both should give for their common Lord. The testimony which Christ gave before Pilate (Ti1 6:12-13), is an incentive to the believer that he should, after His Lord's example, witness a good testimony or confession. nor of me his prisoner--The cause of God's servants is the cause of God Himself (Eph 4:1). Timothy might easily be tempted to be ashamed of one in prison, especially as not only worldly shame, but great risk, attended any recognition of Paul the prisoner. be thou partaker--with me. of the gospel--rather, as Greek, "for the Gospel," that is, suffered for the Gospel (Ti2 2:3-5; Plm 1:13). according to the power of God--exhibited in having saved and called us (Ti2 1:9). God who has done the greater act of power (that is, saved us), will surely do the less (carry us safe through afflictions borne for the Gospel). "Think not that thou hast to bear these afflictions by thine own power; nay, it is by the power of God. It was a greater exercise of power than His making the heaven, His persuading the world to embrace salvation" [CHRYSOSTOM].”