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favour fitting him for this work: the charge concludes for the time in 3: 14, 15 by the
apostle saying:--
"These things I write unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly, but if I tarry long,
that thou mayest know how to behave thyself in the house of God."
Chapter 4: opens with a reference to the departure from the faith as a result of giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, whose conscience is seared. Verses 6
and 11 shew that all this is a part of the charge given to Timothy. The greatness of the
task, and the nature of the opposition seem to have made Paul specially anxious to
stimulate Timothy to resolute action and faithfulness; "let no man despise thy youth", he
says, "be an example", "attend to the reading, the exhorting, the teaching, neglect not the
gift that is in thee, which has been given to thee through prophecy, with laying on of the
hands of the eldership".
Chapter 5: indicates that the discipline of the church was to be undertaken by
Timothy. Elders, and elderly women and widows, were to be dealt with; verse 7 uses the
word "charge" again. Timothy is also evidently in charge of the distribution of the funds
for the ministering brethren (verses 17, 18); further, he sits as judge to hear cases brought
by one member against another, and he is solemnly adjured to conduct these things
without partiality or prejudice. Timothy also had the appointing of elders and deacons,
for he is warned not to lay hands hastily on any man. In chapter 6: 13 the apostle returns
to his "charge", encouraging Timothy by the example of faithfulness exhibited by his
Lord, and again in verse 17. The closing words of the epistle express the apostle's
concern for Timothy's faithfulness, the temptations that surrounded him, and again he
makes his appeal to the special trust that Timothy had received. In the second epistle the
apostle expresses his confidence that the unfeigned faith he so much emphasized in his
first charge, dwelt in Timothy; because of this the apostle reminds him to rekindle the gift
of God which is in him by the laying on of the apostle's hands. Again, this "gift" has no
reference to "healing", but directly to the special ministry of Timothy:--
"For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind, therefore be not ashamed. . . . the good deposit entrusted to thee, guard,
through pneuma hagion (the gift that Timothy and Paul possessed) that dwelleth in us".
Timothy is solemnly adjured to "preach the word" and to make full proof of his
ministry (4: 1-5). What was this ministry? We have seen something of its responsibility
and all-round activity in the first epistle; here the apostle gives it a name, and throws
fuller light upon its character:--
"Do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry, FOR I am now ready
to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand."
From this it is evident that Timothy was to do the work of an evangelist, and that he
was to take the place of the departing apostle; he had partly entered into this, as is evident
from the first epistle. The "evangelist" is the one omitted from I Cor. 12: 28, where a
"gifted" ministry associated with prophecy, miracles, and healing, is spoken of.
The evangelist's office, which Timothy was about to enter, is that mentioned in
Eph. 4: 11, 12:--