2 Timothy 2:4

Contextual Overview

¹You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ Listen Timothy, you are like a son to me and you must be strong in the grace that is found in Christ Jesus. ¹ So then, my child, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. ¹ Thou therefore, my child, be strong in the grace which [is] in Christ Jesus. ¹ You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ Thou therefore, my son, be strong through the grace which is by Jesus Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that warreth: Deuteronomy 20:5-7, Luke 9:59-62

entangleth: 2 Timothy 4:10, Luke 8:14, 1 Corinthians 9:25, 1 Corinthians 9:26, 1 Timothy 6:9-12, 2 Peter 2:20

that he: 1 Corinthians 7:22, 1 Corinthians 7:23, 2 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:13 - General Numbers 4:23 - to perform the service Numbers 4:30 - service Numbers 16:5 - even him Deuteronomy 20:7 - lest he die 2 Samuel 11:11 - my lord Zechariah 10:4 - of him came forth Matthew 6:25 - Take Luke 9:3 - Take Luke 9:60 - but Acts 6:2 - we should Acts 9:15 - a chosen Acts 18:25 - fervent Acts 21:13 - for Acts 23:31 - as 1 Corinthians 6:3 - pertain 1 Corinthians 9:7 - goeth 1 Corinthians 15:19 - this 2 Corinthians 10:3 - we do Philippians 2:25 - fellowsoldier Colossians 1:10 - all Philemon 1:2 - our fellowsoldier Hebrews 12:1 - let us lay Revelation 17:14 - and they

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginnyng GOD created ye heauen and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
God created the sky and the earth. At first,

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the bigynnyng God made of nouyt heuene and erthe.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the Heauen, and the Earth.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

No man that warreth,.... Who is a soldier, and gives himself up to military service, in a literal sense: the Vulgate Latin version, without any authority, adds, "to God"; as if the apostle was speaking of a spiritual warfare; whereas he is illustrating a spiritual warfare by a corporeal one; and observes, that no one, that is in a military state,

entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; with civil affairs, in distinction from military ones. The Roman soldiers might not follow any trade or business of life, or be concerned in husbandry, or merchandise of any sort, but were wholly to attend to military exercises, and to the orders of their general; for to be employed in any secular business was reckoned an entangling of them, a taking of them off from, and an hindrance to their military discipline: and by this the apostle suggests that Christ's people, his soldiers, and especially his ministers, should not he involved and implicated in worldly affairs and cares; for no man can serve two masters, God and mammon; but should wholly give up themselves to the work and service to which they are called; and be ready to part with all worldly enjoyments, and cheerfully suffer the loss of all things, when called to it, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel:

that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; his captain, or general, who has enlisted him, enrolled and registered him among his soldiers; whom to please should be his chief concern; as it should be the principal thing attended to by a Christian soldier, or minister of the Gospel, not to please men, nor to please himself, by seeking his own ease and rest, his worldly emoluments and advantages, but to please the Lord Christ, in whose book his name is written.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life - Having alluded to the soldier, and stated one thing in which the Christian minister is to resemble him, another point of resemblance is suggested to the mind of the apostle. Neither the minister nor the soldier is to be encumbered with the affairs of this life, and the one should not be more than the other. This is always a condition in becoming a soldier. He gives up his own business during the time for which he is enlisted, and devotes himself to the service of his country. The farmer leaves his plow, and the mechanic his shop, and the merchant his store, and the student his books, and the lawyer his brief; and neither of them expect to pursue these things while engaged in the service of their country. It would be wholly impracticable to carry on the plans of a campaign, if each one of these classes should undertake to prosecute his private business. See this fully illustrated from the Rules of War among the Romans, by Grotius, “in loc.” Roman soldiers were not allowed to marry, or to engage in any husbandry or trade; and they were forbidden to act as tutors to any person, or curators to any man’s estate, or proctors in the cause of other men. The general principle was, that they were excluded from those relations, agencies, and engagements, which it was thought would divert their minds from that which was to be the sole object of pursuit. So with the ministers of the gospel. It is equally improper for them to “entangle” themselves with the business of a farm or plantation; with plans of speculation and gain, and with any purpose of worldly aggrandizement. The minister of the gospel accomplishes the design of his appointment only when he can say in sincerity, that he “is not entangled with the affairs of this life;” compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 9:25-27.

That he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier - That is, him who has enlisted him, or in whose employ he is. His great object is to approve himself to him. It is not to pursue his own plans, or to have his own will, or to accumulate property or fame for himself. His will is absorbed in the will of his commander, and his purpose is accomplished if he meet with his approbation. Nowhere else is it so true that the will of one becomes lost in that of another, as in the case of the soldier. In an army it is contemplated that there shall be but one mind, one heart, one purpose - that of the commander; and that the whole army shall be as obedient to that as the members of the human body are to the one will that controls all. The application of this is obvious. The grand purpose of the minister of the gospel is to please Christ. He is to pursue no separate plans, and to have no separate will, of his own; and it is contemplated that the whole “Corps” of Christian ministers and members of the churches shall be as entirely subordinate to the will of Christ, as an army is to the orders of its chief.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Timothy 2:4. No man that warreth entangleth, &c.] It is well remarked by Grotius, on this passage, that the legionary soldiers among the Romans were not permitted to engage in husbandry, merchandise, mechanical employments, or any thing that might be inconsistent with their calling. Many canons, at different times, have been made to prevent ecclesiastics from intermeddling with secular employments. The who will preach the Gospel thoroughly, and wishes to give full proof of his ministry, had need to have no other work. He should be wholly in this thing, that his profiting may appear unto all. There are many who sin against this direction. They love the world, and labour for it, and are regardless of the souls committed to their charge. But what are they, either in number or guilt, compared to the immense herd of men professing to be Christian ministers, who neither read nor study, and consequently never improve? These are too conscientious to meddle with secular affairs, and yet have no scruple of conscience to while away time, be among the chief in needless self-indulgence, and, by their burdensome and monotonous ministry, become an incumbrance to the Church! Do you inquire: In what sect or party are these to be found? I answer: In ALL. Idle drones: -

Fruges consumere nati,

"Born to consume the produce of the soil,"

disgrace every department in the Christian Church. They cannot teach because they will not learn.