 |  |
"In contrast with the evil men who deceive and are themselves deceived, do
thou Timothy, continue in the things which thou hast learned, &100:" (14).
"In contrast with those who turn away their ears from the truth, and who are
turned unto fables, do thou, Timothy, watch in all things, &100:" (II Tim. 4: 5).
Timothy must be an outstanding witness in a day of departure, and all who would
carry on the great and gracious ministry entrusted to faithful men down the age, must
give continual heed to the apostle's "but thou", "but thou", "but thou".
The word translated "fully known" is parakoloutheo, a compound, made up of para
meaning "beside" and akoloutheo "to follow". The word without the preposition para
means to follow as a disciple (Matt. 4: 20), and with the preposition kata it means to
"follow after" (Luke 23: 55, Acts 16: 17), but with para the word used by the apostle
when addressing Timothy, there is a reminder of companionship.
The word
parakoloutheo occurs but four times in the New Testament and we shall understand the
apostle better if we are possess of the knowledge of the usage of this word in its other
occurrences. "These signs shall follow them that believe" (Mark 16: 17). Not "may"
follow, and not "shall follow" a long time afterward, but in close association with
believing faith, these miraculous gifts were experienced during Pentecostal days.
"Having had perfect understanding of all things" (Luke 1: 3).
Bloomfield says:
"Perhaps with allusion to the top-springs or source of a river. In this very sense the
word is used by Demosthenes."
"Nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast
attained" (I Tim. 4: 6).
Alford here translates and comments:
"The course of which thou hast followed (I have thus endeavoured to give
parakolouthekas:--`hast followed along, by tracing its course and accompany it')."
The purpose which the apostle had, when he called the attention of Timothy to the
very beginnings of his ministry, seem to be made clear as we perceive the meaning of the
words translated "fully known". Timothy had followed the course of this great ministry
from its source, he had accompanied the apostle in person, he knew as few could ever
know the full meaning of the apostle's claim to be "the preacher, the apostle, and the
teacher of the Gentiles", "the Lord's prisoner". While this lesson in the first place was
Timothy's contact with the apostle and his ministry, the lesson is nevertheless as personal
and as pointed as ever, while the age lasts, to any of us, who receives the sacred trust of
making known "what is the dispensation of the mystery". We may not have had physical
contact with Paul, nor have we actually walked the streets of Antioch, nevertheless, we
have what Timothy did not have, namely, the inspired narrative of the Acts of the
Apostles, and having this we are spared many an irrelevant incident, and we have also the
complete set of Paul's epistles, and in this again may have some advantage over Timothy.
What Timothy lacked in the matter of inspired Scripture, was made up to him in the
matter of "gift" (II Tim. 1: 6) which he had received through the laying on of Paul's