implied in the references given nor inculcated in the passage before us.  In

translating David's statement `the king's business required haste' (1 Sam.

21:8) the LXX uses the word spoude.  In the A.V. spoudazo, and its associate

words spoudaios, spoudaioo and spoude, are translated more times by

`diligence' and `diligently' than by any other.  Let us note the passages, as

they give a fair idea of the apostle's meaning in 2 Timothy 2:15.  The

following occur in the Pastoral Epistles themselves,

`He sought me out very diligently, and found me' (2 Tim. 1:17).

`Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me ... do thy diligence to come

before winter' (2 Tim  4:9,21).

`Be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis' (Titus 3:12).

`Bring Zenas ... and Apollos on their journey diligently' (Titus 3:13).

These five references have to do with travel, and, to this day, a

special type of carriage is called a Diligence, especially in France.  Both

speed and care are associated with speudo and the words `assiduity' and

`sedulous', very nearly approach the intention of the original.  In Ephesians

4:3 the word is translated `endeavour'.  The exhortation to `study' also

includes the idea of earnest and close application, implying some element of

endurance, and as we have already seen, some driving necessity that demands

haste in its primary meaning.  Whatever it be that makes such demands upon

the child of God must be of supreme importance.  Let us see what it is.

`Be diligent to shew thyself approved unto God'.

In the original the word translated `to show' is paristemi, from para,

`beside', and istemi, `to stand'.  Because of the perilous times that are to

stand in and because of those, like Jannes and Jambres, who will withstand

the truth, we are encouraged to look forward to the glorious day of standing

up from the dead, rejoicing that, in spite of all opposition, the foundation

of God standeth.  We should, consequently, be diligent to stand beside God,

knowing that He will stand beside us, and should stand around, or aloof, from

profane babblings, and stand away from iniquity.  Even more than all this is

crowded into the exhortation of 2 Timothy 2:15.  Timothy would know the

exhortation of Ephesians 6 to `stand', `stand against' and `withstand', and

only those who have personally assimilated the many and wonderful occurrences

of histemi and its combinations can hope to gather from 2 Timothy 2:15 a

tithe of its encouragement, warning and strength.  This may sound like hard

work.  It is.  A workman is being addressed and he has been exhorted to use

`Approved'. -- The original word is dokimos, and, like histemi, the

ramifications of this word and its combinations are too wonderful to be

appreciated apart from personal acquaintance with them.  We will, however,

draw attention to a few obvious features.  First of all, we note that the

structure places dokimos, `approved' (2 Tim. 2:15) over against `adokimos',

`disapproved' (2 Tim. 3:8).  The root of the word is dokeo, and implies the

passing of an opinion after weighing the evidence, hence it is sometimes

translated `experience' and `proof'.  The form dokimos is found in the LXX in

the sense of the refining and purifying of metals, and dokimion is used by

Peter when comparing the `trial' of faith to the testing of gold (1 Pet.

1:7).  Already in 1 Corinthians 3, the apostle had written at length

regarding the `sure foundation' and the approval or disapproval of the `work'

and a comparison of this passage with 2 Timothy 2 will therefore be useful.

1 Corinthians 3 and 15

2 Timothy 2