John Calvin Commentary 2 Timothy 1:14

"That good thing which was committed unto [thee] guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us." — 2 Timothy 1:14 (ASV)

Keep the excellent thing committed to you. This exhortation is more extensive than the preceding one. He exhorts Timothy to consider what God has given to him, and to bestow care and diligence in proportion to the high value of that which has been committed; for, when the thing is of little value, we are not usually inclined to call anyone to such a strict account.

By “that which has been committed,” I understand him to mean both the honor of the ministry and all the gifts with which Timothy was endowed. Some limit it to the ministry alone; but I think that it denotes chiefly the qualifications for the ministry, that is, all the gifts of the Spirit, in which he excelled. The word “committed” is also used for another reason: to remind Timothy that he must, one day, give an account, for we should faithfully administer what God has committed to us.

Τὸ Καλόν denotes that which is of high or singular value; and, therefore, Erasmus has aptly translated it (egregium) “excellent,” to denote its rare worth. I have followed that version.

But what is the method of keeping it? It is this: we must beware that we do not lose by our indolence what God has bestowed on us, or that it is not taken away because we have been ungrateful or have abused it. For there are many who reject the grace of God, and many who, after having received it, deprive themselves of it altogether. Yet because the difficulty of keeping it is beyond our strength, he therefore adds—

By the Holy Spirit. It is as if he had said, “I ask from you more than you are able to do, for what you do not have from yourself, the Spirit of God will supply to you.” Therefore, it follows that we must not judge the strength of men from the commandments of God; because, as He commands by words, so He also engraves His words on our hearts and, by communicating strength, causes His command not to be in vain.

Who dwells in us. By this he means that the assistance of the Holy Spirit is present to believers, provided that they do not reject it when it is offered to them.