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"Make full proof of thy ministry." Plerophoreo, the word translated "make full proof"
is composed of two words pleres "full", and phoreo or phero "to carry". The substantive
plerophoria is translated "full assurance' in the four passages where it occurs in the N.T.
(Col. 2: 2; I Thess. 1: 5; Heb. 6: 11 and 10: 22). Plerophoreo occurs five times as
follows:
"Those things which are most surely believed among us" (Luke 1: 1).
"Being fully persuaded" (Rom. 4: 21).
"Let every man be fully persuaded" (Rom. 14: 5).
"Make full proof of thy ministry" (II Tim. 4: 5).
"That by me the preaching might be fully known" (II Tim. 4: 17).
With the exception of II Tim. 4: 5, the occurrences of plerophoreo use the word in
the passive, II Tim. 4: 5 being the only occurrence of the word in the active voice. The
apostle did not say to Timothy "Be fully assured of your ministry" but carry it, with all its
responsibilities to a complete conclusion, and had already in his mind what he was
subsequently to put in writing, that he too had "finished his course", and that through the
enstrengthening grace of the Lord Who stood by him, the proclamation had been
"delivered in full measure" (see Alford).
To the same effect is the exhortation given in Col. 4: 17:
"Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,
that thou fulfil it."
It was a great concern with the apostle that those who had "begun" should "finish".
He wrote to the Galatians an expostulation:
"Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh" (Gal. 3: 3).
He wrote to the Thessalonians telling them of his great concern:
"Praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is
lacking in your faith" (I Thess. 3: 10).
He told the Colossians that he "agonized" over them in connexion with his desire "to
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. 1: 28, 29).
Writing to the Romans, Paul could say that he had "fully preached" the gospel of
Christ (15: 19), and that when he visited Rome, he was sure that he would come "in the
fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ" (15: 29). Paul was the apostle of the
"fullness", and desired for himself, for Timothy, for Archippus, and for all who followed
his steps, that this completeness should characterize their ministry too. Awaiting us in
the near context, and already in the apostle's mind is the lone and tragic figure Demas,
the man who did not finish his course. The apostle, as it were, brings to bear upon
Timothy and ourselves the two examples of himself and of Demas, and his prayer as his
purpose in writing was, that all who have been entrusted with this precious ministry,
should "stay the course". For Timothy's encouragement and for ours, he speaks of