Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Timothy 4:5

"But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry." — 2 Timothy 4:5 (ASV)

But watch thou in all things.—“But do you,” continued St. Paul, “do you be watchful.” The Greek word translated “watch thou,” signifies literally, be sober. It has been well paraphrased, “Keep your coolness and presence of mind, that you are not entrapped into forgetfulness, but as one ever wakeful and ready, be on the watch.”

The word, as it were, sums up all those last directions of St. Paul, from 2 Timothy 2:14. In these, St. Paul charged Timothy to abstain from vain arguments and confine himself to the simple word of truth; to avoid discussions likely to lead to strife; to be patient and gentle with all; and also to separate himself from merely nominal Christians and to keep steadily to the old paths in which the Apostles had walked. He was to be ever watchful in all these things.

Endure afflictions.—And in his watch, Timothy must be ready to suffer. He would remember what had been said before concerning true Christian suffering (2 Timothy 2:3–12), and what was the high reward purposed for such brave endurance. He would remember, too, the hard and faithful life of his master, St. Paul (2 Timothy 3:10–12).

Do the work of an evangelist.—The “evangelists” of the early Church seem to have been preachers of the Gospel: in the first place, assistants to the Apostles and missionaries under their direction. The special functions of a preacher and public teacher seem always to have been allotted to Timothy, and, no doubt, a peculiar persuasive power of oratory was one of the chief gifts conferred on this eminent follower of St. Paul.

In the midst of the many grave and absorbing duties of his charge of the Ephesian Church, he must be mindful not to neglect this great power that he possessed. It is here especially termed “the work of an evangelist,” to remind him that rightly performing this duty required zeal, close work, much study, thought, and prayer. And it was by worthily performing the duties of an evangelist that the many who were turning from the truth to fables would be best won back, by hearing the great facts of the Gospel placed side by side with the tables of the false teachers.

Make full proof of thy ministry.—In other words, “Fully carry out the many duties imposed upon you by your great office.” The office of Timothy, it should be remembered, in Ephesus, included far more than merely those of a preacher or evangelist. He was the presiding presbyter of the Church, to whom its government was entrusted: in fact, the many-sided life of St. Paul was now to be lived by Timothy.