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The public reading was followed by exhortation based upon the passage concerned
and teaching (doctrine), the importance of which is given prominence in the N.T.
especially in the Pastoral Epistles. There is scarcely a deeper need today than faithful
teachers who can clearly expound the Word of God. Preaching sermons can often be
beside the point and ineffectual. "Preach the Word" was one of the Paul's last commands
(II Tim. 4: 2) and the lack of this largely accounts for the ignorance of God's truth in
professing Christian circles with its consequential falling away from spiritual standards.
The Apostle continues:
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying
on of the hands of the presbytery" (4: 14, R.V.).
Prophecy has already been mentioned in 1: 18, but in the reference above it refers to
the beginning of Timothy's public ministry received by the `laying on of hands' of the
body of elders (presbytery). There should be no difficulty with a somewhat similar
statement by Paul in II Tim. 1: 6, for there the Apostle speaks of his own part on this
occasion, nor need there be any problem over the fact that this goes back to the Acts
period. Not every gift (charisma) of the Spirit was necessarily linked with the testimony
to Israel. Some were of enduring value in public service for all time and though Paul
does not specifically mention what the gift was, it was evidently of this nature. Here his
son in the faith is not to neglect it and in II Timothy he is bidden to `stir it up', the word
being used of a dying fire that needed re-kindling. He is to be `diligent' in these things.
Meletao can mean either `practice' or `meditate' and both meanings fit the context.
Timothy was to absorb these necessary qualities till they became second nature.
"Give thyself wholly to them", the result being that his `progress' (not profiting A.V.)
might be recognized by all. He must `keep an eye on himself', then on the teaching he
gives, and lastly over his hearers, `for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them
that hear thee' (verse 16). The verb `save' here must be used in the sense of Phil. 2: 12,
that is, working it out in practice. In no sense could it refer to the salvation and new
creation of the sinner which is wholly of grace, apart from works (Eph. 2: 8). This was
one of the fundamentals of the doctrine committed to Paul and never does he deviate
from it.
The next section of the epistle, commencing with chapter 5:, deals with the needs of
various sections of the assembly under Timothy's charge. First of all he is to avoid
severely censuring those who were older in years. Presbuteros here does not refer to the
body of leaders, but to a person's age. His contemporaries he was to treat as though they
were brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger ones as sisters `in all purity'.
This phrase is added to safeguard his relationship. The N.I.V. renders the passage:
"Do not rebuke an older men harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat
the younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters,
with absolute purity."
The Apostle now deals with the needs of widows in verses 3-16. This is quite a long
passage, but ever since Acts 6: 1-4 the position of widows had been one of great
concern to the churches.