In the first epistle and in the companion epistle to Titus, the Apostle had given instruction

as to the nature and extent of women's ministry. In other epistles he had expressed deep

gratitude for the help and assistance of many sisters in Christ, but he makes it clear that it

was not the Lord's will that women should teach (I Tim. 2: 12), and both in I Tim. 2:

and in I Cor. 11: he goes back to the early chapters of Genesis for his reasons. These are

as fundamentals as the facts of creation and of the fall upon which they are based, and

those who are "faithful stewards" will neither argue, rebel, nor explain away these items

of sound teaching.

To repeat, these faithful men must however be "apt to teach", or as II Tim. 2: 2 has

it, they must be "sufficient" to be able to teach others. The word which we have

translated, "sufficient" is hikanos and is derived from hikanoo, "to reach or attain unto".

The word is a figure, and the idea of attaining, or reaching, becomes that of competence,

ability, or sufficiency.

We come across different forms of the word in Col. 1: 12, "to make meet" and in

II Cor. 3: 5, "sufficient". In I Cor. 15: 9 it is rendered "I am not meet". It is most

evident that the Apostle, who had already said of himself:

had no thought that those who were described as "sufficient to teach" found their

sufficiency in themselves; rather, he indicated a most important item of practical truth.

The man who is called by God to visit the sick will have a truly blessed "bed-side

manner". The man who cannot make himself heard in a small hall, whose speech is

imperfect, who is lost for words, who can never overcome what is called "stage-fright",

who finds it almost impossible to explain or illustrate the truth so that the young and

inexperienced may learn; that man may be an appointed teacher, for grace can work

wonders, but if the wonders are never wrought, both he and his hearers would be justified

in believing that he had mistaken his calling.

The principle as to gifts already declared in Rom. 12: 6-8 is capable of unlimited

expansion. It was this passing on, this entrusting of the right message to the right men

that was the deep concern of the Apostle as he stood at the end of his course. He had

finished. The foundation had been laid, but others must follow and build.

Here is the only apostolic succession that these epistles know. The privilege of thus

continuing, however feebly, the glorious work commenced by such an apostle is

overwhelming, but the same grace that equipped a Paul or a Timothy is at the disposal of

the lowliest and weakest of his servants to-day, and will be until sower and reaper,

planter and waterer, stand together in the presence of the Faithful Witness (Rev. 1: 5)

Himself.