Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Timothy 1:18

"This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare;" — 1 Timothy 1:18 (ASV)

This charge. This command or injunction. It does not refer to any "charge" or "cure" (pastoral responsibility) which he had as bishop or minister, as the word is sometimes used now, but to the commands or injunctions Paul was delivering to him. The command particularly referred to is that in 1 Timothy 1:3.

According to the prophecies which went before concerning you. The general meaning of this is plain. It is that Paul was committing to him an important trust, one that required great wisdom and fidelity. In doing so, Paul was acting in conformity with the hopes cherished for Timothy and with certain expressed anticipations about his influence in the church.

From early life, the hope had been entertained that he would be a man to whom important trusts might be committed; it had also been predicted that he would be distinguished as a friend of religion. These hopes seem to have been cherished as a consequence of the careful religious training he had received (2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 3:15), and probably from the early indications of seriousness, prudence, and piety that he showed.

It was natural to entertain such hopes; indeed, it seems from this passage that such hopes had even assumed the form of predictions. It is not absolutely necessary to suppose that these predictions, referred to by the word "prophecies," were inspired. The word may be used in a popular sense, as it often is now; we speak familiarly of predicting or foretelling the future usefulness of a serious, prudent, studious, and pious youth.

We argue from what he is to what he will be, and we do not consider it unsafe or improper to hazard the prediction that, if he lives, he will be a man to whom important interests may be entrusted. However, since there were prophets in the Christian church (see commentary on Acts 11:27; 1 Corinthians 14:32), and since it is possible that in some cases they were inspired to foretell future events, it cannot be regarded as improper to suppose that some of them had foretold the future usefulness of this religiously educated youth.

Whatever may be meant by the expression, this general observation can be made. When a young man enters on the active duties of life, and when great interests are entrusted to him, it is not improper to remind him of the hopes cherished for him. He should also be reminded of the anticipations formed of his future usefulness and of the expressions used by the pious and discerning regarding his future character.

This kind of reminiscence will likely increase his sense of responsibility rather than flatter his vanity, and it can be a means of exciting him to diligence and fidelity. A virtuous young man will not willingly disappoint the long-cherished hopes of his friends. He will likely be made more diligent by remembering all their fond anticipations of his future success.

That you by them. By those prophecies. That is, that being stimulated and excited by those predictions and hopes, you might be led to fidelity and usefulness.

Might war a good warfare. The Christian life is often compared to a warfare or struggle for victory (1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Corinthians 10:4), and the services of the Christian ministry especially are compared to those of a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3–4; 2 Timothy 4:7).

The meaning here is that he should contend with earnestness as a Christian and a minister in that holy service in which he was engaged, and endeavor to secure the victory. He "wars a good warfare" who is engaged in a righteous cause; who is faithful to his commander and to his post; who is vigilant in observing the motions of the enemy, and fearless in courage in meeting them; who never forsakes his standard, and who continues thus faithful until his term of enlistment ends, or until death. Such a soldier the Christian minister should be.