Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

“This Epistle is the last testament and swan-like death song of Paul [BENGEL]. according to the promise of life . . . in Christ--Paul's apostleship is in order to carry into effect this promise. Compare "according to the faith . . . in hope of eternal life . .…”

“But this seems to me not justified by the Greek word agapetos, which implies the attachment of reasoning and choice, on the ground of merit in the one "beloved," not of merely instinctive love. See TRENCH [Greek Synonyms of the New Testament].”

“The memory of those who had gone before to whom he is about to be gathered, is now, on the eve of death, pleasant to him; hence also, he calls to mind the faith of the mother and grandmother of Timothy; as he walks in the faith of his forefathers (Ac 23:1; 28…”

“Wherefore--Greek, "For which cause," namely, because thou hast inherited, didst once possess, and I trust ("am persuaded") still dost possess, such unfeigned faith [ALFORD]. stir up--literally, "rekindle," "revive the spark of"; the opposite of "quench" or "e…”

“Whereunto--For the publication of which Gospel. I am appointed--Greek, "I was appointed." preacher--Greek, "herald." teacher of the Gentiles-- (1Ti 2:7).”

“I am not ashamed--neither be thou (2Ti 1:8). for--Confidence as to the future drives away shame [BENGEL]. I know--though the world knows Him not (Joh 10:14; 17:25). whom--I know what a faithful, promise-keeping God He is (2Ti 2:13).”

“Hold fast the form--rather as Greek, "Have (that is, keep) a pattern of sound (Greek, 'healthy') words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love." "Keep" suits the reference to a deposit in the context.”

“Translate as Greek, "That goodly deposit keep through the Holy Ghost," namely, "the sound words which I have committed to thee" (2Ti 1:13; 2Ti 2:2). in us--in all believers, not merely in you and me.”

“Nowhere has Paul prayers for the dead, which is fatal to the theory, favored by ALFORD also, that he was dead. God blesses not only the righteous man himself, but all his household. my chain--Paul in the second, as in his first imprisonment, was bound by a ch…”

“Paul himself worked at tent-making (Ac 18:3). Therefore what is prohibited here is, not all other save religious occupation, but the becoming entangled, or over-engrossed therewith.”

“Rather as Greek, "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead." Remember Christ risen, so as to follow Him. As He was raised after death, so if thou wouldest share His risen "life," thou must now share His "death" (2Ti 2:11). The Greek perfect passive partici…”

“This impossibility is not one of infirmity, but of infinite power and majesty. Also, indirectly, comfort is suggested to believers, that He is faithful to His promises to them; at the same time that apostates are shaken out of their self-deceiving fancy, that …”

“Study--Greek, "Be earnest," or "diligent." to show--Greek, "present," as in Ro 12:1. thyself--as distinguished from those whom Timothy was to charge (2Ti 2:14). approved--tested by trial: opposed to "reprobate" (Tit 1:16). workman--alluding to Mt 20:1,…”

“They "wrested" (2Pe 3:16) Paul's own words (Ro 6:4; Col 2:12) "to their own destruction," as though the resurrection was merely the spiritual raising of souls from the death of sin. Compare 1Co 15:12, where he shows all our hopes of future glory rest on …”

“He cannot be honored with the name Christian, who dishonors by iniquity, Christ, the Author of the name. Blandina's refreshment amidst her tortures was to say, "I am a Christian, and with us Christians no evil is done" [EUSEBIUS, Ecclesiastical History, 5.1]. …”

“If a man . . . purge himself from these--The Greek expresses "If one (for example, thou, Timothy) purify himself (so as to separate) from among these" (vessels unto dishonor). sanctified--set apart as wholly consecrated to the Lord. and meet--Some oldest man…”

“(Tit 3:9.) unlearned--Greek, "undisciplined"; not tending to promote the discipline of faith and morals (Pr 5:23). "Uninstructive"; in contrast with "instructing" (2Ti 2:25), and "wise unto salvation" (2Ti 3:15). avoid--"decline."”

“However, different Greek pronouns stand for "him" and "his"; and the Greek for "taken captive" means not "captured for destruction," but "for being saved alive," as in Lu 5:10, "Thou shalt catch men to save them unto life"; also there is no article before th…”

“"The latter times," 1Ti 4:1, refer to a period not so remote as "the last days," namely, the long days of papal and Greek anti-Christianity. perilous--literally, "difficult times," in which it is difficult to know what is to be done: "grievous times." shal…”

“Ever learning--some new point, for mere curiosity, to the disparagement of what they seemed to know before. the knowledge--Greek, "the perfect knowledge"; the only safeguard against further novelties.”

“Now--Greek, "But"; it is no wonder there should be now such opponents to the truth, for their prototypes existed in ancient times [ALFORD]. Jambres--traditional names of the Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses (Ex 7:11, 22), derived from "the unwritten tea…”

“There is no godliness (Greek, "piously") or piety out of Christ. The world easily puts up with the mask of a religion which depends on itself, but the piety which derives its vigor directly from Christ is as odious to modern Christians as it was to the ancient…”

“Not contradictory to that verse: there the diffusion of the evil was spoken of; here its intensity [ALFORD]. deceiving, and being deceived--He who has once begun to deceive others, is the less easily able to recover himself from error, and the more easily emb…”

“But . . . thou--Whatever they may do. Resuming the thread begun at 2Ti 3:10. learned--from me and thy mother and grandmother (2Ti 1:5; 2:2). assured of--from Scripture (2Ti 3:15). of whom--plural, not singular, in the oldest manuscripts, "from what teach…”

“Wise also in extending it to others. through faith--as the instrument of this wisdom. Each knows divine things only as far as his own experience in himself extends. He who has not faith, has not wisdom or salvation. which is in--that is, rests on Christ Jesu…”