of himself'.  Self-condemnation may be the salutary consequences of the

revelation which the Spirit gives of a man's sin and need of a Saviour, but

it can also be the consequence of professing to be able to judge the conduct

of another (Rom. 2:1; Matt. 7:1,2), and it may proceed from continuing in a

course of conduct against the testimony of the person's own conscience (Rom.

14:23).  Such a person was not to be pursued, he was to be `rejected' or

`avoided' and left to his own conscience and to the God of all grace.  As we

are all too prone to take upon ourselves that which seems to be the

prerogative of the Lord to undertake, it may be well to assemble here the

many similar exhortations which are found in these three pastoral epistles.

`From such withdraw (aphistemi) thyself' (1 Tim. 6:5).

`Flee these things' (pheugo) (1 Tim. 6:11).

`Shun (periistemi) profane and vain babblings' (2 Tim.  2:16).

`If a man therefore purge himself from (ekkathairo) these' (2 Tim.

`Flee (pheugo) also youthful lusts' (2 Tim. 2:22).

`Foolish and unlearned questions avoid' (paraiteomai) (2 Tim. 2:23).

`From such turn away (apostrepho)' (2 Tim. 3:5).

`Avoid (periistemi) foolish questions' Titus 3:9).

Truth however is ever balanced.  These same epistles tell those

responsible to reprove and rebuke, to do nothing by partiality, to be no

partaker of other men's sins.  If the last chapter of Titus bids him to

`avoid' foolish questions, chapter 1 has said of those who were vain talkers

and deceivers that their `mouths must be stopped' (Titus 1:11) but the

overall character to be aimed at is given in 2 Timothy 2:24 -26 where in

place of striving is gentleness, patience and meekness `if God peradventure

will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth', for such are

indeed in the snare of the devil, taken captive at his will.

The epistle closes with one or two personal touches.  He speaks of

Artemas, Tychicus, Zenas and Apollos, and it has been remarked that all of

these names are derived from the heathen gods, whose evil sway the gospel

preached by Paul was destined to destroy.  Artemas is derived from Artemis

(Diana); Tychicus from Tuche (Fortune); Zenas from Zeus (Jupiter) and Apollos

from Apollon.  The city Nicopolis in which the apostle intended to winter

means `the city of victory', fitting name for the last days of the great

champion of the faith.  Nicopolis had been built by Augustus to commemorate

his naval victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 31 b.c.  The city today

is an interminable labyrinth of broken columns, `not even a village now

occupies the site of a city which Augustus fondly hoped would be a lasting

memorial of his exploits, and for whose aggrandisement he despoiled so many

of the neighbouring towns' (Lewin).  Its immortality is owing to the lonely

prisoner, so soon to yield his life as an offering for the truth, Paul's city

of `victory' indeed.  It is surely suggestive that in his last hours Paul

should have with him his `own son' in the faith, Titus, Luke the physician

and Zenas the lawyer, each of which could minister to their revered leader in

the closing hours of his strenuous but glorious life.  The extreme necessity

to urge the believer to `maintain good works' and to not be `unmindful' is

made most evident by the presence of this exhortation at the very close of

his epistle.  Salutations from all that are with him are sent, together with

greetings to them that love him in the faith, and to these closing words, he

appends the benediction that he had assured the Thessalonians was his sign

manual in every epistle (2 Thess. 3:17,18).

`Grace be with you all.