the Master's use' and so 'prepared unto every good work' (2 Tim. 2:19 -21).

In the next verse we have the whole teaching crystallized in

two words 'flee', 'follow'.  If we turn to the only other occasion on which

Timothy was addressed as a 'man of God' we shall find the same two words,

'But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after

righteousness ...' (1 Tim. 6:11).

Nothing is actually said in 2 Timothy 2 concerning 'denominations',

'sects', 'Christendom' and the like, but a guiding principle is there which

makes one see very clearly that a servant of God who would preach and teach

the Mystery and be found 'meet for the Master's use', must not only see the

truth clearly for himself but stand clear of all compromising associations.

In 2 Timothy 3:15 -17 the sequel is 'saved', then 'service'; whereas in 2

Timothy 2:19 -21 the sequel is 'sanctified', then 'service'.  We have

observed that where 2 Timothy 3:17 uses the words 'throughly furnished', 2

Timothy 2:21 uses the word 'prepared'.  This word hetoimazo means 'to

prepare' as one prepares a road to facilitate progress (Matt. 3:3); or as one

prepares a 'dinner' or 'feast', like the passover; or a people for some

specific duty.  It is used of the Lord's gracious work of preparing a place

for His people; the glorious things that God has prepared for them that love

Him; for Paul's request to Philemon to prepare him a lodging and for the

adorning of a bride for her husband.  The word implies watchfulness, 'Be ye

also ready'; 'They who were ready went in'.  It also implies willingness,

'Lord I am ready to go with Thee'; 'ready always to give an answer'.  The use

of the word in the LXX is very similar to that of the N.T., only that, in the

former, the word is occasionally used to translate a Hebrew word meaning 'a

base' or 'foundation'.  This can be seen in Ezra 2:68 (Heb. makon, A.V.

place), Ezra 3:3 (Heb. mekonah), and Zechariah 5:11 (Heb. mekunah).  The

idea, too, of establishing or firmly settling is found in 1 Kings 2:46.

Consequently, some commentators view the 'preparation of the gospel of peace'

with which the believer is shod (hupodeo Eph. 6:15) as referring to the

military hupodema (sandal Matt. 3:11) which enabled the Roman soldier 'to

stand' against the shock of an enemy.  Each of the ways in which hetoimazo is

used, as cited above, can be applied to the preparation of the 'man of God'.

His ministry is intimately associated with a 'way' and a 'meal'; with a

'people' and a 'home'; with readiness to speak, and watchful care, even as it

is expected that the true servant of the Lord will not only be 'always

abounding in the work of the Lord', but at the same time 'steadfast' and

'unmoveable' (1 Cor. 15:58).

Words, either spoken or written, constitute the material with which the

servant of God must serve, and in the Pentecostal equipment, the twelve

apostles were miraculously enabled to speak in the language, even the

'dialect' of those who were assembled at Jerusalem.  Such supernatural

equipment does not pertain to the present dispensation, but a recognition of

the place that language must occupy is implied, even though such ability to

speak be attained by slower and more painful process.  There is no doubt

about the apostle's attitude to this great matter:

'Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall

it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air' (1 Cor.

He proceeds to remark, that while there are a great variety of voices

in the world, 'none of them is without signification'.  If, therefore, said

the apostle, 'I know not the meaning of the voice' the effort will be wasted.