But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,

“"But thou hast fully known my doctrine." Wherefore be strong; for thou wert not merely present, but didst follow closely. Here he seems to imply that the period had been long, in that he says, "Thou hast followed up my doctrine"; this refers to his discourse. "Manner of life"; this to his conduct. "Purpose"; this to his zeal, and the firmness of his soul. I did not say these things, he says, and not do them; nor was I a philosopher in words only. "Faith, longsuffering." He means, how none of these things troubled me. "Charity," which those men had not; "patience," nor yet this. Towards the heretics, he means, I show much longsuffering; "patience," that under persecution. "Persecutions, afflictions." There are two things that disquiet a teacher, the number of heretics, and men's wanting fortitude to endure sufferings. And yet he has said much about these, that such always have been, and always will be, and no age will be free from them, and that they will not be able to injure us, and that in the world there are vessels of gold and of silver. You see how he proceeds to discourse about his afflictions, "which came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra." Why has he selected these instances out of many? Because the rest was known to Timothy, and these perhaps were new events, and he does not mention the former ones, for he is not enumerating them particularly, for he is not actuated by ambition or vainglory, but he recounts them for the consolation of his disciple, not from ostentation. And here he speaks of Antioch in Pisidia, and Lystra, whence Timothy himself was. "What persecutions I endured." There was twofold matter of consolation, that I displayed a generous zeal, and that I was not forsaken. It cannot be said, that God abandoned me, but He rendered my crown more radiant. "What persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me."”

“He above described the dangers of the last times, and assigned the cause; here he teaches that such things are also to be avoided at present. And first he sets forth a warning about avoiding these; second he shows in which men the aforesaid things appear at present, at the place *for of these*. He says therefore: I have said that in the last times there will be most wicked men. But do not believe that you are safe at present; but even now avoid these, and such men, namely lest you fall into a similar error. Titus, last chapter: *a heretical man, after a first and second correction, avoid*. And although as to some things they are to be avoided, yet not as to the discourse of exhortation. And then he shows that even now there are some such men. And first he shows the harm which they inflict; second, the defect which they suffer, at *reprobate men*; third, the impediment by which they are restrained, at *but further*. Concerning the first he does two things, for first he shows the impediment which they inflict on subjects; second, the impediment which they inflict on prelates, at *but just as*. Again the first is divided into two; for first he shows their imprudence; second their cunning, at *and captive*. As to the first he says: *avoid these*, because there are already some such, for *of these*, that is, of their number, *are*. 1 John ch. 2, 18: *now there are many Antichrists*, et cetera. Nor should you understand that they were of these, but rather that they are, namely wicked and ungrateful, etc., because sinners already converted ought not to be called sinners. Ps. 15, 4: *nor will I be mindful of their names through my lips*. Then when he says *who penetrate houses*, he shows their malice. And it can be expounded literally, as men inordinately thrusting themselves in, and going about for the sake of gain. Against which, Ecclesiasticus 21, 25: *the foot of the fool is quick into the house of his neighbor*. But on account of this, some are not forbidden to visit the afflicted in their houses. James 1, 27: *religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their tribulation*, et cetera. Or *house* can be expounded metaphorically, that is, as conscience. Wisdom 8, 16: *entering into my house, I shall rest*, et cetera. Those therefore penetrate houses who, with cunning, wish to know the secrets of conscience, in order to deceive others. Ecclesiasticus ch. 13, 14: *with much talk he will tempt you, and smiling he will question you*. Nevertheless, for those who have charge, it is permitted to inquire into the state of conscience. Proverbs 27, 23: *diligently know the countenance of your flock, and consider your herds*. Then when he says *and lead captive*, he shows their cunning. And first their malice is touched upon, because they lead away from liberty and the state of grace. James 1, 25: *but he who has looked into the law of perfect liberty*, et cetera. And they lead into the state of servitude, which is the state of sin. Ps. 125, 1: *when the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion*, et cetera. For this the name of captivity implies. Isaiah 5, 13: *therefore my people is led captive, because it had not knowledge*. Second, he shows upon which persons they exercise their malice, whom he describes first from the frailty of sex; second from the malice of manner of life; third from the vanity of affection; fourth from the defect of discretion. As to the first he says *little women*, who are of lesser discretion and of the more fragile sex. And he says *little women*, because great ladies have certain counselors, whence they cannot be seduced. But these are destitute of such help. Matthew 23, 14: *you devour the houses of widows*. 1 Maccabees 1, 34: *they led women captive*, et cetera. As to the second he says *burdened with sins*. Sin is a burden, because it does not permit one to walk freely, nor to be upright and stand, but bends one down. Ps. 37, 5: *like a heavy burden, they have grown heavy upon me*. And therefore they especially deceive these, because sin prepares the way for seduction. Likewise, because they are evil, they fear to resist, lest they be lost. As to the third he says *who are led by various desires*, that is, they are apt to be seduced on account of the various desires which they have. James 1, 8: *a man double in soul is inconstant in all his ways*. And therefore the first woman was seduced because she did not stand constantly in the words of the Lord, but said: lest perhaps we die. Ecclesiasticus 9, 3: *do not look upon a woman of many desires*. As to the fourth he says *always learning, and never*, et cetera. Curiosity always strives to seek new things, and does not wish to persist. Hence he says *always learning*. Proverbs 9, 13: *a clamorous woman*, et cetera. Yet this which he says, *always learning*, can be referred back to those who penetrate houses. Then when he says *just as*, he shows the harm which they bring upon prelates, and the harm of resisting their teaching. And he brings in an example from Exodus, where the magicians of Pharaoh resisted Moses, because from the beginning of the world there has always been a struggle between truth and falsity. 2 Peter 2, 1: *but there were also false prophets among the people, as also among you*, et cetera. But in Exodus these magicians are not named, but here they are, which perhaps he had from certain sayings of the Jews. So also they resist *the truth*, namely which we preach. Job 24, 13: *they themselves were rebels against the light*. Acts 17: *you have always resisted the Holy Spirit*. Consequently, when he says *men*, etc., he shows their defect in faith and in work. In work, *reprobate men*. The Gloss: *in works, that is, who by their works show themselves reprobate*. Jeremiah 6, 3: *call them reprobate silver*. Likewise in faith, *corrupted in mind*, that is, in the rational power. For each thing is then said to be corrupted, when it falls short of its proper power. But the proper perfection of the mind is the knowledge of truth. Hence he is said to be corrupted in mind who falls short of the knowledge of faith. Consequently, when he says *but further*, he shows how they are restrained; and first he shows that they are to be impeded; second he teaches the manner of impeding, at *their folly*. But it must be known concerning the first that the will to harm is in man from himself, but the power to harm is from God permitting it. And God does not permit the evil man to harm as much as he wills, but imposes a limit. Job ch. 38, 11: *and here you shall break your swelling waves*. So also the Devil did not harm Job, except according to what he was permitted by God. So Arius did not harm the Church, except as much as the Lord permitted. Apocalypse 7, 3, the Angel says: *do not harm the earth or the sea, nor the trees, until we have signed the servants of God on their foreheads*, et cetera. And he says *further*, namely than God permits, *they shall not advance*. The manner of impeding is that their cloak and concealment be taken away, which are to be taken away, because they do harm. Job 41, 4: *who will reveal the face of his garment*, et cetera. And therefore he says *their folly shall be manifest*, God disclosing it, when he will illuminate the hidden things of darkness, etc., as is said in 1 Corinthians 4, 5. Just as also that of those, namely of the magicians of Pharaoh, was manifest, because they could not perform the signs. Then when he says *but you*, etc., he shows the fitness of Timothy for resisting dangers of this kind. And first he shows that he was fit from the training of the Apostle; second from experience of the Scriptures, at *from infancy*. Again, first he shows how he was sufficiently instructed by the Apostle; second how he could be universally instructed by others, at *everyone who*, et cetera. Concerning the first, first he shows how he was instructed by word; second how by example, at *purpose*. But it must be known that someone is instructed by word in two ways: in one way, concerning the truth to be known; in another way, concerning justice to be done. As to the first he says *but you have followed my doctrine*, that is, you have been instructed in the Catholic faith; therefore you can well avoid them. As to the second he says *my instruction*. Instruction is a training, which concerns certain things to be done, which are subject to human operation. Philippians 4, 12: *everywhere and in all things I have been instructed*. Likewise how he had been trained by example. And first as to the good to be done; second as to the evils to be endured, at *patience*. In doing good, he sets down two things. The first is the intention of a right end; and as to this he says *purpose*, which concerns faith. Wisdom 8, 9: *I purposed therefore to bring her to myself to live with*. And to this one arrives through good works, which are derived from three virtues, namely faith, hope, and charity. And first he sets down faith, when he says *faith*. Hebrews 11, 6: *without faith it is impossible to please God*. Second, hope, when he says *longsuffering*, which waits for a long time. 2 Corinthians 6, 6: *in longsuffering*. Third, charity, when he says *love*. 1 John 3, 14: *he who does not love, remains in death*. Then, concerning the evils to be endured, he instructs him as to three things, bringing them back to memory. First, the patience which he had; likewise the evils which he endured; likewise the divine help which was present to him. First therefore he sets down *patience*, which *has a perfect work*, James 1, 4. And first he sets down the matter of patience, namely persecutions in general. Matthew 10, 23: *if they persecute you in one city, flee into another*. Likewise in particular, when he says *sufferings*, which namely he suffered in his own body. 2 Corinthians 11, 25: *three times I was beaten with rods*, et cetera. Third, in the particular instance, when he says *what things happened to me at Antioch*, etc., Acts 16 and 17. The Jews persecuted him, Timothy being present. But divine help was present. And therefore he says *and out of them all the Lord delivered me*. 2 Corinthians ch. 1, 4: *who comforts us in all our tribulation*.”

“Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch,.... In Pisidia; where the Jews that contradicted and blasphemed his doctrine, and envied his success, stirred up the chief of the city, both men and women, against him, and Barnabas; who persecuted them and expelled them out, of their coasts, Act 13:45 and also at Iconium; where both Jews and Gentiles made an assault upon them, to use them ill, and stone them, Act 14:5 and likewise at Lystra; where the apostle was stoned, and drawn out of the city, and left for dead, Act 14:19. And these instances are the rather mentioned because they were done in those parts, where Timothy had lived, Act 16:1 and so knew the truth of these things, not only from the apostle's mouth, but from the testimonies of others; and perhaps he might have been a witness to some of them himself; what persecutions I endured: not only in the above places, but elsewhere; see a detail of them in Co2 11:23, but out of them all the Lord delivered me; see Co2 1:10 Ti2 4:17, this he says to the glory of the grace and power of God, to whom he ascribes all his deliverances; and for the encouragement of Timothy, and other saints, under sufferings, who may hope and believe that the Lord will deliver them in his own time and way, Psa 34:19.”

“Thou hast fully known my doctrine - And having long had the opportunity of knowing me, the doctrine I preached, my conduct founded on these doctrines, the object I have in view by my preaching, my fidelity to God and to my trust, my long-suffering with those who walked disorderly, and opposed themselves to the truth, and did what they could to lessen my authority and render it suspected, my love to them and to the world in general, and my patience in all my adversities; thou art capable of judging between me and the false teachers, and canst easily discern the difference between their doctrines, conduct, motives, temper, spirit, etc., and mine.”

“fully known--literally, "fully followed up" and traced; namely, with a view to following me as thy pattern, so far as I follow Christ; the same Greek as in Luk 1:3, "having had perfect understanding of all things." His pious mother Eunice and grandmother Lois would recommend him to study fully Paul's Christian course as a pattern. He had not been yet the companion of Paul at the time of the apostle's persecutions in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra (Act 13:50; Act 14:5, Act 14:19), but is first mentioned as such Act 16:1-3. However, he was "a disciple" already, when introduced to us in Act 16:1-3; and as Paul calls him "my own son in the faith," he must have been converted by the apostle previously; perhaps in the visit to those parts three years before. Hence arose Timothy's knowledge of Paul's persecutions, which were the common talk of the churches in those regions about the time of his conversion. The incidental allusion to them here forms an undesigned coincidence between the history and the Epistle, indicating genuineness [PALEY, HorÃ&brvbr PaulinÃ&brvbr]. A forger of Epistles from the Acts would never allude to Timothy's knowledge of persecutions, when that knowledge is not expressly mentioned in the history, but is only arrived at by indirect inference; also the omission of Derbe here, in the Epistle, is in minute accordance with the fact that in Derbe no persecution is mentioned in the history, though Derbe and Lystra are commonly mentioned together. The reason why he mentions his persecutions before Timothy became his companion, and not those subsequent, was because Timothy was familiar with the latter as an eye-witness and Paul needed not to remind him of them, but the former Timothy had traced up by seeking the information from others, especially as the date and scene of them was the date and scene of his own conversion. doctrine--"teaching." manner of life--"conduct," "behavior." purpose--The Greek is elsewhere usually used of God's "purpose." But here, as in Act 11:23, of Paul's determined "purpose of heart in cleaving unto the Lord." My set aim, or resolution, in my apostolic function, and in every action is, not my selfish gain, but the glory of God in Christ. long-suffering--towards my adversaries, and the false teachers; towards brethren in bearing their infirmities; towards the unconverted, and the lapsed when penitent (Ti2 4:2; Co2 6:6; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12). charity--love to all men. patience--"endurance"; patient continuance in well-doing amidst adversities (Ti2 3:11; Rom 2:7).”