Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Timothy 4

Second Timothy Chapter 4

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.

This chapter comprises the following subjects:

1. A solemn charge to Timothy, to be faithful in preaching the gospel, and in the whole work of the ministry (2 Timothy 4:1–5). The particular reason given for this charge was that the time was approaching when men would not endure sound doctrine, but would turn away from the truth. Hence, Timothy is exhorted to be faithful in his work, and to be prepared to endure the trials which, in such circumstances, a faithful minister must be expected to meet.

2. A statement of Paul that his own work was nearly done, and that the hour of his departure drew near (2 Timothy 4:6–8). This statement, also, seems to be made in order to excite Timothy to increased fidelity in the ministry. His teacher, guide, father, and friend, was about to be withdrawn, and the great work of preaching was to be committed to other hands. Hence, in view of his own departure, Paul exhorts Timothy to fidelity when he himself should be removed.

3. An exhortation to Timothy to come to him as soon as practicable (2 Timothy 4:9–15). Paul was then in bonds, and was expecting soon to die. He was alone. For various reasons, those who had been with him had left him, and he needed some companion and friend. He therefore exhorts Timothy to come to him as soon as possible.

4. Paul refers now to his first trial before the emperor, and to the fact that then no one stood by him (2 Timothy 4:16–19). The reason of his referring to this seems to be to induce Timothy to come to him in view of his anticipated second trial. The Lord, he says, then stood by him, and he had confidence that he would continue to do it; yet who is there that does not feel it desirable to have some dear earthly friend to be with him when he dies?

5. The epistle is closed, in the usual manner, with various salutations, and with the benediction (2 Timothy 4:19–22).

I charge you therefore before God. (See the notes on 1 Timothy 5:21).

Who shall judge the quick and the dead. That is, the Lord Jesus; for he is to be the Judge of men (Matthew 25:31–46; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

The word quick means living (See the notes on Acts 10:42; Ephesians 2:1); and the idea is that he would be alike the Judge of all who were alive when he should come, and of all who had died. (See the notes on 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

In view of the fact that all, whether preachers or hearers, must give up their account to the final Judge, Paul charges Timothy to be faithful; and what is there which will more contribute to fidelity in the discharge of duty, than the thought that we must soon give up a solemn account of the manner in which we have performed it?

At his appearing. That is, the judgment will then take place. This must refer to a judgment yet to take place, for the Lord Jesus has not yet "appeared" the second time to men; and, if this is so, then there is to be a resurrection of the dead. On the meaning of the word rendered appearing, (See the notes on 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

It is there rendered brightness. (Compare 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 2:13).

And his kingdom. Or, at the setting up of his kingdom. The idea of his reigning, or setting up his kingdom, is often associated with the idea of his coming. .

The meaning is that, at his second advent, the extent and majesty of his kingdom will be fully displayed. It will be seen that he has control over the elements, over the graves of the dead, and over all the living. It will be seen that the earth and the heavens are under his sway, and that all things there acknowledge him as their sovereign Lord.

In order to meet the full force of the language used by Paul here, it is not necessary to suppose that he will set up a visible kingdom on the earth, but only that there will be an illustrious display of himself as a king, and of the extent and majesty of the empire over which he presides. (Compare the notes on Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10).

Preach the word. The word of God; the gospel. This was to be the main business of the life of Timothy, and Paul solemnly charges him, in view of the certain coming of the Redeemer to judgment, to be faithful in the performance of it.

Be instant. (Romans 12:12), the meaning here is, that he should be constant in this duty. Literally, to stand by, or to stand fast by; that is, he was to be pressing or urgent in the performance of this work. He was always to be at his post, and was to embrace every opportunity of making known the gospel. What Paul seems to have contemplated was not merely that he should perform the duty at stated and regular times; but that he should press the matter as one who had the subject much at heart, and never lose an opportunity of making the gospel known.

In season. eukairwv. In good time; opportunely. (Luke 22:6; Mark 14:11).

The sense is, when it could be conveniently done; when all things were favourable, and when there were no obstructions or hindrances. It may include the stated and regular seasons for public worship, but is not confined to them.

Out of season. akairwv. This word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It is the opposite of the former, and means that a minister is to seek opportunities to preach the gospel even at such periods as might be inconvenient to himself, or when there might be hindrances and embarrassments, or when there was no stated appointment for preaching.

He is not to confine himself to the appointed times of worship, or to preach only when it will be perfectly convenient for himself; but he is to have such an interest and earnestness in the work, that it will lead him to do it in the face of embarrassments and discouragements, and whenever he can find an opportunity.

A man who is greatly intent on an object will seek every opportunity to promote it. He will not confine himself to stated times and places, but will present it everywhere, and at all times.

A man, therefore, who merely confines himself to the stated seasons of preaching the gospel, or who merely preaches when it is convenient to himself, should not consider that he has come up to the requirement of the rule laid down by the apostle.

He should preach in his private conversation, and in the intervals of his public labours, at the side of the sick bed, and wherever there is a prospect of doing good to any one. If his heart is full of love to the Saviour and to souls, he cannot help doing this.

Reprove. Or convince. (2 Timothy 3:16).

The meaning is, that he was to use such arguments as would convince men of the truth of religion, and of their own need of it.

Rebuke. Rebuke offenders (Titus 2:15). See the use of the word in Matthew 8:26; 12:16 (rendered charged); Matthew 16:22; 17:18; Matthew 19:13; 20:31; Luke 4:35, 39; 17:3; 18:15; Jude 1:9.

In the New Testament the word is used to express a judgment of what is wrong, or contrary to one's will, and hence to admonish or reprove. It implies our conviction that there is something evil, or some fault in him who is rebuked. The word in this verse rendered reprove, does not imply this, but merely that one may be in error, and needs to have arguments presented to convince him of the truth.

That word also implies no superior authority in him who does it. He presents reasons, or argues the case, for the purpose of convincing. The word here rendered rebuke, implies authority or superiority, and means merely that we may say that a thing is wrong, and administer a rebuke for it, as if there were no doubt that it was wrong.

The propriety of the rebuke rests on our authority for doing it, not on the arguments which we present. This is based on the presumption that men often know that they are doing wrong, and need no arguments to convince them of it.

The idea is, that the minister is not merely to reason about sin, and convince men that it is wrong; but he may solemnly admonish them not to do it, and warn them of the consequences.

Exhort. (Romans 12:8).

With all long-suffering. That is, with a patient and persevering spirit if you are opposed. (2 Timothy 2:25).

.

(2 Corinthians 6:6; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 1:11; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 1:16).

And doctrine. Teaching, or patient instruction.

For the time will come, and so on. This probably refers to the time mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:1 and following.

When they will not endure sound doctrine. In Greek, healthful doctrine; that is, doctrine contributing to the health of the soul, or to salvation. At that time they would seek a kind of instruction more agreeable to their wishes and feelings.

But after their own lusts. They will seek such preaching as will accord with their carnal desires, or such as will palliate their evil propensities and deal gently with their vices. Compare to Isaiah 30:10: Speak unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits.

Shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. The word translated heap—episwreuw—does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to heap up upon, to accumulate, and here to multiply.

The word translated itching—knhyw—also occurs only in this place in the New Testament. It means to rub, to scratch, and then to tickle, and here, to feel an itching for something pleasing or gratifying.

The image is derived from the desire we have, when there is an itching sensation, to have it rubbed or scratched. Such an uneasiness would these persons have: a desire for some kind of instruction that would allay their restless and uneasy desires, or would gratify them. In explanation of this passage, we may observe the following:

1. That there will always be religious teachers of some kind, and that, in proportion as error and sin abound, they will be multiplied. The apostle here says that by turning away from Timothy and from sound instruction, they would not abandon all religious teachers but would rather increase and multiply them.

   Men often declaim strongly against a regular ministry and call it priestcraft; and yet, if they were to get rid of such a ministry, they would by no means escape from all kinds of religious teachers. The deeper the darkness, the grosser the errors, and the more prevalent people's wickedness, the more a certain kind of religious teachers will abound, and the more it will cost to support them.

   Italy and Spain swarm with priests, and in every non-Christian nation, they constitute a very numerous class of the population. The cheapest ministry on earth is a well-educated Protestant clergy, and if society wishes to free itself from swarms of preachers, prophets, and exhorters, it should secure the regular services of an educated and pious ministry.

2. In such classes of persons as the apostle here refers to, there is a restless, uneasy desire to have some kind of preachers. They have itching ears. They will be ready to run after all kinds of public instructors.

   They will be little pleased with any, and this will be one reason why they will have so many. They are fickle, unsettled, and never satisfied.

   A desire to hear the truth and to learn the way of salvation is a good desire. But this can be better gratified by far under the patient and intelligent labor of a single religious teacher than by running after many teachers or by frequent changes. How much would a child learn if he were constantly running from one school to another?

3. Such persons would have teachers according to their own lusts; that is, their own tastes or wishes. They would have those who would coincide with their whims, who would foster every vagary that might enter their imagination, who would countenance every wild project for doing good, who would be the advocates of the errors they held, and who would be afraid to rebuke their faults.

   These are the principles on which many persons choose their religious teachers.

   The true principle should be to select those who will faithfully declare the truth and who will not shrink from exposing and denouncing sin, wherever it may be found.

{*} "Lusts" can be understood as "desires."

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth. That is, the people themselves will turn away from the truth. It does not mean that the teachers would turn them away by the influence of their instructions.

And shall be turned unto fables. See Barnes 1 Timothy 1:4.

But watch you in all things. Be vigilant against error and against sin, and faithful in the performance of duty (see Barnes on Matthew 25:13; see Barnes on 1 Corinthians 16:13).

Endure afflictions (see Barnes on 2 Timothy 2:3).

The Greek word here is the same which is there rendered endure hardness.

Do the work of an evangelist. On the word evangelist, see Barnes on Acts 21:8.

The phrase here means do the work of preaching the gospel, or of one appointed to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. This is the proper business of all ministers, whatever other rank they may maintain. Whether it was ever regarded as the proper duty of a separate class of men to do this, see Barnes on Ephesians 5:11.

Make full proof of your ministry. Marginal reading, fulfil. Compare with Barnes on Romans 14:5.

The word used here denotes, properly, to bear or bring fully; then to persuade fully; and then to make fully assured of, to give full proof of. The meaning here seems to be to furnish full evidence of what is the design of the Christian ministry, and of what it is adapted to accomplish, by the faithful performance of all its duties.

Timothy was so to discharge the duties of his office as to furnish a fair illustration of what the ministry could do, and thus to show the wisdom of the Saviour in its institution. This should be the aim of all ministers of the gospel. Each one should resolve, by the blessing of God, that the ministry, in his hands, shall be allowed, by a fair trial, to show to the utmost what it is adapted to do for the welfare of mankind.