Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

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First Timothy I. 3-20. 23
vi. 12, seq., how the ideas indicated in the expressions under consideration
pervade the epistle, and often come into prominence.
Everywhere we find these great thoughts breaking forth, and the
apostle's mind dwelling upon them with delight as resting-places.
For this reason I cannot agree with Olshausen, who finds in the expression
Saviour, as well as in liope and mercy, a -special reference
to the apostle's situation in his imprisonment, comp. also Baumgarten,
p. 232, seq. We have the expression Saviour and something corresponding
to our Jiope, also at the beginning of the Epistle to Titus
and yet this epistle contains elsewhere not a single reference to the
apostle's situation. Instead of the words in the faith, denoting the
ground and element of this relation in which Timothy stands to
Paul, we have in Tit. i. 4 the words, according to the common faith.
Here, as there, the preposition is to be connected with the compound
idea expressed in genuine son, comp. on Tit. i. 4, and Winer's Gr.,
§ 19, 2. De Wette and others connect in the faith, only with son.
Some have sought to explain the addition of the word mercy, which
denotes the condescending mercy of God in contrast with our weakness
and unworthiness (comp. Matthies on Tit. i. 4), by the reference
to the mediator in the benediction, as it is peculiar to Paul to
regard the ofiice of a Christian teacher as a gift of God's mercy,
1 Cor. vii. 25 ; 2 Cor. iv. 1 ; 1 Tim. i. 16. It may be so, although
Gal. vi. 16 does not confirm this view. At all events it is an expression
of that with which the mind of the apostle shews itself to
be filled in the whole epistle, and a proof of his warm afiection for
Timothy. Kat rovro dnb noXXrig (pcXooropyiag, observes Chrysostom.
For what remains I refer to Tit, i. 1-4, where we have explained
whatever else needs explanation.
Vers. 3-20.—The apostle forthwith proceeds, as in the Epistle to
Titus, without further introduction to the subject itself. Timothy
is reminded of the design of his being left in Ephesus, namely, to
oppose the perverse tendency there to things which only minister
strife, but do not promote Christian feeling and Christian life. The
end which should ever be kept in view, is love out of a pure heart,
and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. But this fundamental
characteristic is wanting in those teachers of other things, and
hence the excrescences of empty talk which are to be seen in those
who set up for being teachers of the law, without knowing what
they are about. For the law is not designed for the upright, but to
rebuke vices, in confirmation of which the apostle appeals to the
gospel committed to him, the certainty of which he has experienced
in himself. Thus, on the ground of this gospel, but at the same
time also, on the ground of former prophecies regarding Timothy,
he admonishes him to fight the good fight in order that he may be
able to maintain faith and a good conscience, if the latter of which