15 be diligent to present thyself approved to God -- a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth;
wherefore, the rather, brethren, be diligent to make stedfast your calling and choice, for these things doing, ye may never stumble,
and I will be diligent that also at every time ye have, after my outgoing, power to make to yourselves the remembrance of these things.
for not he who is commending himself is approved, but he whom the Lord doth commend.
Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether at home or away from home, to be well pleasing to him,
for I did not keep back from declaring to you all the counsel of God.
for now men do I persuade, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if yet men I did please -- Christ's servant I should not be.
having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
concerning whom we have much discourse and of hard explanation to say, since ye have become dull of hearing, for even owing to be teachers, because of the time, again ye have need that one teach you what `are' the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and ye have become having need of milk, and not of strong food, for every one who is partaking of milk `is' unskilled in the word of righteousness -- for he is an infant, and of perfect men is the strong food, who because of the use are having the senses exercised, unto the discernment both of good and of evil.
let no one despise thy youth, but a pattern become thou of those believing in word, in behaviour, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity; till I come, give heed to the reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching; be not careless of the gift in thee, that was given thee through prophecy, with laying on of the hands of the eldership; of these things be careful; in these things be, that thy advancement may be manifest in all things; take heed to thyself, and to the teaching; remain in them, for this thing doing, both thyself thou shalt save, and those hearing thee.
These things placing before the brethren, thou shalt be a good ministrant of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of the faith, and of the good teaching, which thou didst follow after,
and we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the infirm, be patient unto all;
who also made us sufficient `to be' ministrants of a new covenant, not of letter, but of spirit; for the letter doth kill, and the spirit doth make alive.
May we be diligent, then, to enter into that rest, that no one in the same example of the unbelief may fall,
salute Apelles, the approved in Christ; salute those of the `household' of Aristobulus;
`Men, Israelites! hear these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved of God among you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs, that God did through him in the midst of you, according as also ye yourselves have known;
When, therefore, they dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, `Simon, `son' of Jonas, dost thou love me more than these?' he saith to him, `Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;' he saith to him, `Feed my lambs.' He saith to him again, a second time, `Simon, `son' of Jonas, dost thou love me?' he saith to him, `Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;' he saith to him, `Tend my sheep.' He saith to him the third time, `Simon, `son' of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?' Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, `Dost thou dearly love me?' and he said to him, `Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.' Jesus saith to him, `Feed my sheep;
And the Lord said, `Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the lord shall set over his household, to give in season the wheat measure?
And I, brethren, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly -- as to babes in Christ; with milk I fed you, and not with meat, for ye were not yet able, but not even yet are ye now able,
And he said to them, `Because of this every scribe having been discipled in regard to the reign of the heavens, is like to a man, a householder, who doth bring forth out of his treasure things new and old.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Timothy 2
Commentary on 2 Timothy 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter our apostle gives Timothy many exhortations and directions, which may be of great use to other, both ministers and Christians, for whom they were designed as well as for him.
2Ti 2:1-7
Here Paul encourages Timothy to constancy and perseverance in his work: Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, v. 1. Observe, Those who have work to do for God must stir up themselves to do it, and strengthen themselves for it. Being strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus may be understood in opposition to the weakness of grace. Where there is the truth of grace there must be a labouring after the strength of grace. As our trials increase, we have need to grow stronger and stronger in that which is good; our faith stronger, our resolution stronger, our love to God and Christ stronger. Or it may be understood in opposition to our being strong in our own strength: "Be strong, not confiding in thy own sufficiency, but in the grace that is in Jesus Christ.' Compare Eph. 6:10, Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. When Peter promised rather to die for Christ than to deny him he was strong in his own strength; had he been strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, he would have kept his standing better. Observe,
The apostle further commends what he had said to the attention of Timothy, and expresses his desire and hope respecting him: Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things, v. 7. Here,
2Ti 2:8-13
2Ti 2:14-18
Having thus encouraged Timothy to suffer, he comes in the next place to direct him in his work.
2Ti 2:19-21
Here we see what we may comfort ourselves with, in reference to this, and the little errors and heresies that both infect and infest the church, and do mischief.
2Ti 2:22-26