Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

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208 Second Timothy II. 11.
certainly sees in this latter a proof of the power of liis Lord. I
prefer, therefore, to refer 6id tovto at once to what follows, as a comprehensive
and emphatic intimation of the thought subsequently
set forth. These epistles abound in abrupt transitions. The
thought, finally, remains essentially the same. Jldvra refers to his
present position with all its sufferings. 'TTrofievo), not merely a passive
endurance, but the maintenance of one's position as under an
attack (Tit. ii. 2). 'EkXek-oi here, as at Tit. i. 1, the chosen of God ;
thus, neither with De Wette, those exclusively to whom the gospel
has as yet not been preached, nor with Flatt, etc., exclusively
those to whom it has ;
to this temporal consequence of the election
there is here no reference. For neither can those who are yet unbelieving,
in contrast with those already believing, (««< av-oi, according
to De Wette, as already believing), be called the elect ; for the
latter are still elect ; nor can believers, as shewn by the follo^ving
Iva, be exclusively meant, since they are already saved by foitb. On
the contrary, all is clear, if the apostle, looking away from its temporal
realization, has in view God's eternal purpose, whose accomplishment
Ids calling is under all circumstances to subserve. For,
further, it is not his extraordinary firmness in enduring suffering, and
the impression thus produced on the elect, which he here has in view
(as De Wette, Huther, etc., think), but, in accordance with his exhortation
to Timothy to shrink from no sufferings as a soldier of Christ,
the fact that looking to the high purpose of his calling, he cheerfully
meets all that it imposes. To shrink were to abandon his
apostolic calling, and bring to nought its noble purpose. Kat avTol,
themselves also, besides the apostle. lo)Tj]plag, conceived by the
apostle positively, as well as negatively, is emphatically determined
by the r//^ tv Xp. 'I. (Winer's Gr., § 20, 4), pointing back to ver. 8.
Mera 66^. alu)v. then brings out the positive feature of moriynar. The
grand aim, is to conduct to such glory, as presents itself, and
with certainty, in Christ ;
and hence says the apostle, I endure
all things.
Ver. 11.
Uia-bc 6 Xoyog cannot, on account of the followiug ydp,
as rightly maintained by De Wette (Matth. i. 18, where ydp, namely,
introduces a lengthened explanation, presents a different case), be
referred to what follows.'-' It attaches itself naturaDy to the foregoing.
Having jtresented the high goal of his apostohcal striving,
the apostle now declares that this salvation and glory on the promise
of which rests his ai>ostoHcul calling, is certain ;
tliat the declaration
which assures it is reliable. The following, " for if we be dead with
him," etc., is then not a confirmation of this but an explanation.
It states the universal condition (here to be si)ecially laid to heart by
Timothy), under which alone, yet with certainty salvation can be
* Evcu lluther regards it aa introducing what follows.