Bible Commentaries
2 Timothy

The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic

COMMENTARY
ON THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE

I-II Timothy, Titus, Philemon

By the REV. GEORGE BARLOW

Author of the Commentaries on Kings, Psalms (121–130), Lamentations, Ezekiel, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians

ON THE EPISTLE TO THE

Hebrews

AND THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF

James

By the REV. ROBERT TUCK, B.A.

Author of the Commentaries on I and II Peter, I, II, and III John, Jude, and Revelation

New York

FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY
LONDON AND TORONTO
1892

THE PREACHER’S COMPLETE HOMILETIC
COMMENTARY
ON THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
WITH CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, INDEXES, ETC., BY VARIOUS AUTHORS

THE
PREACHER’S HOMILETICAL COMMENTARY
HOMILIES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Church Seasons: Lent, Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 12:1; Hebrews 11:29; James 1:12-15; James 4:6. Good Friday, Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 10:10. Whit Sunday, Hebrews 3:7.

Holy Communion: Hebrews 13:10; Hebrews 13:15.

Missions to Heathen: 1 Timothy 2:4-8. Bible Society, 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; Hebrews 5:12.

Evangelistic Services: 1 Timothy 1:11; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 3:2-7. Hebrews 2:1-4; Hebrews 7:23-28.

Special: Ordination, 1 Timothy 1:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Timothy 4:13-16; 1 Timothy 5:17-22; 2 Timothy 2:23-26; 2 Timothy 4:1-8; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Titus 1:5-9; Titus 2:1; Titus 3:9; Titus 3:15; Hebrews 5:1-10; Hebrews 10:24. Workers, 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 3:8-13; 1 Timothy 4:6-7; 2 Timothy 3:10-13; Titus 1:6; Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 10:24; James 1:27; James 5:19-20. Harvest, James 5:7-11. Young, Titus 2:4-8. Parents, 1 Timothy 5:4; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Timothy 5:16; Hebrews 12:16. Aged, Titus 2:1-3; Philemon 1:9. Young Men. 1 Timothy 4:8-11; Hebrews 12:7. Soldiers, 2 Timothy 2:3-4; James 4:1-2. Scientific men. 1 Timothy 6:20-21; Hebrews 11:1-3; James 4:17; James 5:17-18. Purity, Titus 1:15. Worship, 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Hebrews 10:25. Death. 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 11:5-6; Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:14; James 4:14.

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO

TIMOTHY
INTRODUCTION

Time of writing.—Single, but undismayed, and even glorying in the possibility of proclaiming Christ in the imperial court, St. Paul had made his first defence before the emperor during his second imprisonment at Rome; and in the short time that elapsed before he would have to appear a second time, he wrote asking his dear friend Timothy to pay him a last visit. This being so, the date of our epistle would be A.D. 67 or 68, towards the end of Nero’s reign, although there is some amount of uncertainty about the tradition of the martyrdom. There is a slightly preponderant probability that Timothy was in Ephesus when this epistle came to hand, though the notices of places seem rather strange on that supposition.

Object of the epistle.—The apostle’s main purpose, in keeping with the chief place which the kingdom of Christ ever had in his thought and conduct, was to instruct Timothy with regard to the heresies that were multiplying around and within the Church, and to encourage him in the midst of all the trials which would come upon him as a Christian and an official of the Church. The personal element in this epistle is strongly marked. “In no epistle does the true, loving, undaunted, and trustful heart of the great apostle speak in more consolatory yet more moving accents; in no portion of his writings is there a loftier tone of Christian courage than that which pervades these, so to speak, dying words—nowhere a holier rapture than that with which the reward and crown of faithful labour is contemplated as now exceeding nigh at hand” (Ellicott).

Outline of the epistle.

2 Timothy 1:3-5.

Paul’s desire to see Timothy, whom he always remembers.

2 Timothy 1:6-8.

Injunction to stir up the gift, to be brave, and suffer.

2 Timothy 1:9-12.

The grace of God manifested in Paul’s example.

2 Timothy 1:13-15.

Charge to hold fast the doctrine and the sacred deposit.

2 Timothy 1:16-18.

Contrast of Phygellus and Hermogenes with Onesiphorus.

2 Timothy 2:1-13.

Caution in the choice of Church officers, and personal devotion to the Lord, after the type of Paul himself.

2 Timothy 2:14-19.

Against heresy, which corrupts many, but is powerless to hurt the “foundation of God”; sure, and doubly sealed.

2 Timothy 2:20-26.

The attitude Timothy is to maintain towards heretics.

2 Timothy 3:1-17.

Characteristics of the coming days, with inevitable persecutions for those not of the world. Value of the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 4:1-5.

Solemn charge to Timothy to official and personal diligence.

2 Timothy 4:6-18.

Personal retrospect, hope, and surroundings of St. Paul.

2 Timothy 4:19-22.

Greetings, urgent request for Timothy’s arrival, and benediction.