Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Timothy 4:1-5

"I charge [thee] in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry." — 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ASV)

1. Having mentioned the dangers that will appear in the last days and Timothy’s ability to resist them, the Apostle now shows him how to resist.

   • First, he gives the advice.
   • Second, he explains its necessity, in the phrase for there shall be a time.

   Regarding the advice, he does two things:

   • First, he solemnly charges him.
   • Second, he advises him, with the command preach the word.

2. In this charge, there are two elements: first, those before whom one is charged, and second, the one by whom.

   Now, one is charged before two witnesses: before Him who is our beatitude and before Him who leads us to it. Our beatitude is God: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD (Psalms 33:12). He says, therefore, I charge you before God, that is, I call on God to witness that I am giving this exhortation, for this witness cannot be deceived: But I call God to witness against me (2 Corinthians 1:23).

   And Jesus Christ, who will lead us to beatitude: through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace (Romans 5:2). Alternatively, He leads us because He shall judge the living and the dead. By living, he means those who are still alive when He comes. They will, of course, die, but because they will rise again shortly, they are called living: We who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep (1 Thessalonians 4:15). Or, living refers to the good, who live the life of grace, and the dead refers to the wicked: Whoever does not love abides in death (1 John 3:14). He will judge these also: He is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).

   But since Christ is God, why does he use the conjunction in before God and Christ? The answer is that this could mean before God, the Father, and Christ, the Son, for the Father is the source of divinity.

3. When he says, by his coming and his kingdom, he charges him by two things that the saints desire. The first is the coming of Christ: like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast (Luke 12:36); Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20).

   The second is His kingdom: Your kingdom come (Matthew 6:10). He reigns with general power over all creatures—All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18)—but according to His special and spiritual power, He reigns in the saints at present by grace, and in the future by glory. This is because the saints are not of this world: My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). This kingdom begins here and will be completed in the future, when all kingdoms will be subjected to Him, whether willingly or unwillingly: until I make your enemies your footstool (Psalms 110:1).

4. When he says, preach the word, he exhorts him to be persistent in doctrine, which is twofold:

   • One is for all people.
   • The other is for specific individuals, beginning with reprove.

   Therefore, he first urges him to engage in general teaching, and second, he explains how to do so.

5. He says, therefore, preach the word of the Gospel: Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). There are two elements in preaching: the announcement of truth and instruction in morals. The preacher should do both: And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27).

6. The manner is one of persistence and continuance; therefore, he says, be ready in season and out of season: And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28).

   But he says, out of season, which seems to contradict other scriptures: A proverb from a fool's lips will be rejected, for he does not tell it in its proper time , and in Proverbs: A word in due time, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23).

   The answer is that a preacher should preach in season according to the truth, but out of season according to the false opinion of his hearers. For the preacher of truth, every season is the right season for the good, but the wrong season for the wicked: Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God (John 8:47); Wisdom is very unpleasant to the unlearned . If a person were to take advantage of an opportunity to speak only to those willing to hear, he would benefit the just alone. But it is his duty to preach also to the wicked, so that they may be converted. This is why he adds, out of season: Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins (Isaiah 58:1).

7. When he says, reprove, he gives his advice in detail.

   • First, he gives the specific instructions.
   • Second, he describes the manner, with the phrase with complete patience.

8. A person who instructs someone in detail can do so regarding the faith, so as to instill truth and remove error. Regarding this, he says, reprove their errors: Rebuke with all authority (Titus 2:15). Or he can instruct in matters of good morals. In this case, he should sometimes exhort good people, who are in lofty positions, speaking calmly and gently; therefore, he says, entreat: Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father (1 Timothy 5:1); You who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1), especially if they do not sin from malice. But if he instructs an evil person, he should rebuke him; therefore, he says, rebuke: Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith (Titus 1:13); Do not despise the chastening of the Lord (Job 5:17).

9. But how should he rebuke? With complete patience, so that you do not seem to be angry and rebuking from anger, but calmly: Good sense makes one slow to anger (Proverbs 19:11); they will be patient that they may show (Psalms 92:15). And with teaching, specifically, in matters pertaining to faith and morals: They shall feed you with knowledge and understanding (Jeremiah 3:15).

10. When he says, for the time is coming, he shows why this admonition is necessary. There is a threefold need for this advice:

    • First, on the part of the hearers.
    • Second, on Timothy’s part, in the command but you, be sober.
    • Third, on the part of the Apostle, in the statement For I am already being poured out (2 Timothy 4:6).

    Regarding the first, he does two things:

    • First, he describes the need.
    • Second, he explains the statement, with the phrase and will turn away.

11. The first need arises from the perversity of the hearers, for they desire to hear not what is useful, but what is new. Therefore, regarding the first point, he says to be persistent, because a time is coming when they will refuse to listen to sound doctrine. For the time is coming when they will not endure sound doctrine. This will happen when their teachers are wicked: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). Therefore, he says, they will not endure, that is, your doctrine—Christ’s doctrine—will be hateful to them: All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them (Proverbs 8:8).

    Another perversity is that they wish to hear strange and harmful things: O simple ones, how long will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? (Proverbs 1:22). He says, therefore, but they will accumulate for themselves teachers, that is, they will multiply teachers for themselves. Against this it is said: Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1). An accumulation occurs when unbecoming and unsatisfactory things are multiplied. Furthermore, it is more of an accumulation if they accept four unworthy teachers than if they accept a hundred good ones, because in a multitude of counselors there is safety ; Speak to us pleasant things (Isaiah 30:10).

    And this is to suit their own passions, because one person wants to hear one thing, and another person wants to hear another; consequently, they search for different teachers. And he says they will find teachers to suit their own passions, having itching ears—referring to the hearers. An itch in the feet is when a person cannot stay still, but an itch in the ears is when a person wishes to hear only unusual, curious, and sometimes harmful news: Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new (Acts 17:21). In this way, heretical doctrines were spawned: Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant (Proverbs 9:17).

12. When he says, and will turn away their ears from the truth, he explains his statement. First, he clarifies what he had said—that they will not endure sound doctrine—when he says, they will turn away their ears from the truth. Doctrine is sound when it is not a mixture of truth and falsehood. Therefore, they will not endure sound doctrine because they do not wish to hear the truth: There is no truth, no steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land (Hosea 4:1); If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? (John 8:46).

    The phrase they will accumulate for themselves teachers is explained when he says, and wander off into myths. A myth is composed of unusual details that are untrue, but people with itching ears love to hear them: Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths (1 Timothy 4:7).

13. When he says, but you, be sober, he presents the need from Timothy's perspective, to whom this office was entrusted. Therefore, it was necessary for him to preach.

    • First, he urges him to be diligent.
    • Second, he exhorts him to labor.
    • Third, he tells him to moderate his labor.

14. He says, therefore, but you, be sober. It is as if he is saying: While they are doing these things, you must be vigilant: Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming (Matthew 24:42); And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night (Luke 2:8); the one who leads, with zeal (Romans 12:8).

15. But because concern without labor is empty, he first urges him to labor in all things. Second, he shows when he should labor. Third, he explains the need to labor.

    He says, therefore, be sober, but in such a way that you are doing something; therefore, he says, endure suffering: The fruit of good labors is glorious . Endure suffering in all things, that is, among every type of person: Blessed are you who sow beside all waters (Isaiah 32:20); proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15).

    Next, he tells him in what task to labor when he says, do the work of an evangelist, that is, preach the Gospel, for this is the noble work for which Christ was sent: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose (Luke 4:43); I will say to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are!’ and I will give to Jerusalem a messenger of good news (Isaiah 41:27). The name ‘evangelist’ is sometimes used to describe one who has written a Gospel, and in this sense there are four. But sometimes it is used to describe those who preach the Gospel, which is the sense here and in Ephesians (Ephesians 4:11).

    He is obligated to labor this way because it is your ministry, which was entrusted to you. Therefore, he says to fulfill it by preaching: And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord” (Colossians 4:17). A person fulfills the office of an evangelist when he preaches the Gospel and demonstrates it by his actions: Jesus began to do and to teach (Acts 1:1).

16. Finally, he urges him to be moderate when he says, be sober. This can mean bodily sobriety, which is fitting for a preacher, for drunkenness is the enemy of wisdom: I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine (Ecclesiastes 2:3). Or, even better, sobriety stands for discernment: I am speaking true and rational words (Acts 26:25); Be sober-minded; be watchful (1 Peter 5:8).