Bible Commentaries

The Christian Soldier

2 Timothy 2:1; 2 Timothy 2:3-4

St. Paul's admiration of soldiers, and his choice of a soldier to be the type of one who belongs to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, meek and gentle—all this is quite easily explained, and has been very often explained, but nevertheless it ought to challenge much more attention and thought than we usually give it. When St. Paul says, "My 2 Timothy 2:3

A depressing and difficult passage has prefaced every newpage I have turned in life.

—Charlotte Brontë, in Villette.

2 Timothy 2:3

Garibaldi told his Sicilian volunteers: "Men who follow me must learn to live without food, and to fight without ammunition".

References.—II:3.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xvi. No938. R. Primrose, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xlvi. p27 C. Perren, Revival Sermons in Outline, p308. H. P. Liddon, Sermons Preached on Special Occasions, p342. S. Spink, Penny Pulpit, No1689 , p551. J. Aspinall, Parish Sermons (2Series), p182. Expositor (5th Series), vol. vii. p459. II:4.—A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture—Timothy, p45. II:5.—J. Martineau, Endeavours After the Christian Life (2Series), p62. Expositor (5th Series), vol. x. p240. II:8.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxviii. No1653. Expositor (5th Series), vol. iii. p450; ibid. vol. ix. p13. II:9.—Basil Wilberforce, Christian World Pulpit, vol. li. p81; ibid. vol. li. p294. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxiii. No1998. W. T. Davison, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lv. p262. J. A. Alexander, The Gospel of Jesus Christ, p499. Expositor (4th Series), vol. viii. pp115 , 116. II:10.—Ibid. vol. i. p34. II:12.—Bishop Gore, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xlvii. p263. W. J. Knox Little, Christian World Pulpit, vol. li. p278. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. x. No547.

2 Timothy 2:13

Among the cavaliers who fought at Edgehill was Sir Jacob Astley, whose prayer and charge, says Dr. Stoughton, were characteristic of the bluff piety of the best of his class. "O Lord, Thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget Thee do not forget me. March on, boys!"

References.—II:13.—G. Bellett, Parochial Sermons, p32. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxv. No1453. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture—Timothy, p58.

2 Timothy 2:14-16

I remember no discussion on religion in which religion was not a sufferer by it.

—Landor.

The Workman and His Overseer

2 Timothy 2:15

These are words that you might write anywhere: on the bishop's palace, on the magistrate's bench, on the king's throne, on the editor's office, on the factory door, on the gardener's spade, on the maid-servant's broom, on the schoolboy's satchel.

I. God expects us all to be workmen. Our Lord Jesus has told us that God Himself has never ceased to work from the beginning, and His will is that we should all be co-workers with Him. Christianity is a divine workshop, and all who seek for admittance at its door must come with their loins girded for service. Christ expects every man to do his duty, and duty means hard, honest work of some kind. Our religion tells us all that labour and not pleasure should form the main substance of life, and that manhood loses all its dignity if it does not play a workman's part in the world. Everywhere the Christian idea is gaining ground, that rank and nobility are determined by service; that there can be no greatness in indolence, but that there is something great in all honest work.

II. We are to do our work and live our lives as under the eyes of the Great Overseer, remembering that we are seen of Him whom we cannot see, and that each day's work is submitted to His inspection. That is what the Apostle means by "Study to show thyself approved unto God". For it is not likely that we shall do our work well without an overseer. It is well for all of us that our brother-men take account of our doings. That is good, but there is something better. For if we recognise no judges of our work, and no overseer except our fellowmen, we lose the highest motives, and the most constant spur.

III. We are to work and live in such a way that we shall not be ashamed of ourselves. I know it is a hard task. It is all but impossible for a man to live and work in such a manner that he is never ashamed of himself. One of the noblest men I ever knew, the Hon. Baptist Noel as he was called, who had given up family prospects and position for conscience and Christ's sake, said tremblingly, just as he was dying, to some one who whispered to him, "You will soon see Jesus," "Yes; I shall be very glad, but very much ashamed". There is no escape from that with the best of us. But we can endeavour by the help of God to make each day's shame less, and to stand before God at last with something that will bear thinking of as well as much that we would thankfully forget.

—J. G. Greenhough, The Cross and the Dice-Box, p99.

References.—II:15.—G. Lester, Preacher's Magazine, vol. x. p359. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxi. No1217. J. Baldwin Brown, Aids to the Development of the Divine Life, No. xi. Expositor (5th Series), vol. vi. p69.

The Law of Moral Environment

2 Timothy 2:17

One subject suggested by the text is the deep social and religious truth of the influence of environment. Timothy is asked to shun, and to do what he can to make others shun the evil doctrine and ungodly life of their environment, which have crept into the Church also. It is because the Apostle realises the tremendous power of environment that he warns with such impressive solemnity. He knew that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

I. We usually take an outside and surface view of what environment means. We think of it as our outward surroundings, conditions of work, and conditions of home life. But the law of environment is a far subtler thing than all that, and cuts much deeper into our lives. After all is said about material conditions, it has to be remembered that the chief environment of a human life does not consist of things but of persons. There is a moral and spiritual climate as well as a physical. The people make the homes and the workshops and the towns, which have such influence over our lives.

II. When we think of it, we see that all the permanent influences of life come from persons. Home is not the walls where furniture is stored, but the place where others exercise their weird influence over us. The real environment, the mighty forces that play upon life and mould character, are thus spiritual; and this is where we have power over our environment. We can submit to what is evil in that environment, or we can shun it.

III. In all human intercourse influence permeates ceaselessly the whole circle from centre to circumference—your influence on others, their influence on you. It is not a plea for a hermit life, but a plea for serious consideration of the conditions of social life. The consideration should be twofold, the sense of your duty towards others, the sense of a necessary duty towards yourself in this matter.

—Hugh Black, Edinburgh Sermons, p113.

References.—II:17.—Bishop Magee, Sermons at Bath, p124. II:18.—Expositor (6th Series), vol. v. p468; ibid. (7th Series), vol. vi. p151.

The Foundation of God

2 Timothy 2:19-21

You will remember that the closing pages of the Bible are made glorious with a vision of the New Jerusalem, that is, a vision of the perfected Christian Church, and that that vision was seen by St. John from the heights of a great mountain. I am never surprised to hear that men see wonderful things from the heights of the mountains. Are you not surprised, however, to find that a similar vision appeared to St. Paul, when he was in his prison-house at Rome? In that narrow, dark prison he looked out and saw God's great house—the New Jerusalem, the perfected Christian Church. The eye sees what it brings the power to see. I want us to see the vision that appeared, then, to St. Paul.

I. And, first of all, I want us to gather the impression that was produced upon St. Paul when he looked upon the great house of the Lord. When St Paul looked upon the house of the Lord he said it was a great house, and had been built by a mighty workman; that it had stood steadfast in the midst of all the turmoils of time, and that is the impression that ought to be produced upon us when we gaze upon the Christian Church.

II. I want you to pass upward and look upon these inscriptions: (1) "The Lord knoweth them that are His". There are a great many people to whom God says that, to whom you never say that. And one of the greatest surprises will be to find so many people in heaven that we never expected to meet. (2) "Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Let us have great sympathy with doubt, and hesitation, and becloudment of mind, but a very stern voice for all iniquity. We must have a pure Church.

III. But now we must get inside. Go into the banqueting hall. Look! See! It is ready for the King. The vessels of silver and gold as they stand upon the festal table seem to suggest one question to me. It is: How may I be a vessel of honour in the house of the Lord? Paul says: "If a man, therefore, purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour". And it is supposed that the reference there is to such men as Hymenaeus and Philetus. We have light upon the character of one of these men who troubled the Early Church. He made "shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience". If you want to be a vessel of honour in the house of God, get very near to your Master.

—J. S. Simon, Christian World Pulpit, vol. LXXIII. p198.

References.—II:19.—T. Jones, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lii. p408. C. D. Bell, The Name Above Every Name, p67. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxi. No1854. J. Bowstead, Practical Sermons, vol. ii. p99. Expositor (6th Series), vol. x. p358. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture—Timothy, p68. II:20.—Ibid. (4th Series), vol. ii. p39; ibid. (7th Series), vol. vi. p275. II:20 , 21.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiii. No1348. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture—Timothy, p77. II:26.—Expositor (4th Series), vol. vi. p22. III:1.—T. Arnold, The Interpretation of Scripture, p245. Expositor (6th Series), vol. v. p468.