Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

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First Timothy I. 19. 43
of him. So Olshausen and Huther ; but it is not his ordination to
his office that is spoken of.
I am not inclined to regard the good report
which, according to Acts xvi. 2, Timothy had of all the brethren
in Lystra and Iconium as identical with these pi^ophecies, comp.
Acts vi. 3, etc. The occurrence referred to is to be conceived as similar
to that in Acts xiii. 1, where we find propliecy and laying on of
hands conjoined. For what remains comp. iv. 14 and 2 Tim. i. 6.
True, nothing is recorded in the Acts of these prophecies in reference
to Timothy. But what can be inferred from this ? As well
might we suppose a discrepancy to exist between 2 Tim. i. 6 and
1 Tim. iv. 14. Compare also G-al. ii. 2 with Acts xv. 1, the former
of which passages speaks of a revelation, of which the latter says
nothing. This passage also supplies us with an argument against
Schleiermacher_, to prove that the apostle elsewhere also appeals to
such a revelation. In reply, however, to the objection that it was
not the apostle's custom to pay regard to prophecies when he himself
had to act, in support of which Schleiermacher refers to Acts xxi.
11, seq., Baumgarteu has already observed justly, that the prophecy
cited from Acts xxi. 11 contains nothing at all about what Paul
should do or not do, and has referred with reason to Paul's opinion
concerning prophecy, 1 Cor. xii. 10 ; Bph. iv. 11 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 1.
'Ev avTolg is rendered by De Wette, " in the strength of," better
" in, with," armed as it were with these. On orparEveadai riiv k.
oTpareiaVj comp. 2 Cor. x. 4 ; Eph. vi. 14 ; 1 Thess. v. 8 ; and on
2 Tim. ii. 3-5. It is not his conduct as an individual, but rather in
his official character, which is here meant. Chrysostom : Siarl KaXel
arpareiav ro npdyfia ' drjXoJv ort iroXefiog iyrjyepraL acpodpog ndat jtiev,
mXiora 61 rw dLdaatcdXu). Irpareta, as Huther observes, means properly
" military service," not merely " fight."
Ver. 19.—All fitness for this military service, however, stands
connected with the character and state of the individual engaged in
it. That which the teacher seeks to bring about in others, he must
himself have, and hold fast ; hence the apostle adds, " holding faith
and a good conscience," which he has mentioned above, ver. 5, as
the fundamental condition of all Christian life and striving. He is
to hold faith and a good conscience (fe%wv not holding fast = Kare-
%a)v, as if it would escape from him ; to which the expression
dnoadfievoi does not correspond); ror the examples of Hymeneus
and Alexander shew how it will go with those who put these away
from them. The good conscience is represented as the condition and
ground of faith. The sentiment, observes Olshausen, is practically of
the greatest importance, that the loss of a good conscience will cause
Bhipwreck of faith. The state of faith depends on the inmost tendency
of the soul in man ; the consciousness of sin kills the germ of
faith in man. "Hv refers of course only to dy. ovveld. The expres-