Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

FiKsT Timothy I. 20. 47
Thus the introduction does not correspond to the body of the epistle,
and what is said of the heretics forms, when compared with the rest
of the epistle, but a very insignificant part of it. In reply to all
this we would say, that, keeping in view particularly chap, i., it is
principally to be borne in mind that the introduction ver. 3, in
which Timothy is reminded of the object of his having been left in
Ephesus, is by no means to be regarded as the theme of the whole
epistle, as may be seen indeed from the epistle itself, iii. 14. That
which was the immediate object for which Timothy was left in
Ephesus, is also, of course, the immediate subject of the writing
which was addressed to him. But why must the epistle have been
written solely for the purpose of giving him instructions on this
subject ? As, over and above his special commission to oppose those
who taught otherwise, Timothy was charged also with the settlement
and administration of the church, as well as with the general
duties of an evangelist, we find accordingly that the epistle treats
of all these things. The only question then is, whether the section
which professes to give instructions to Timothy on that part of his
charge which has reference to the unsound doctrine, or rather which
professes merely to remind him of this charge, is in reality what the
introduction, as I besought thee, etc., warrants us to expect. And
who can doubt that it is so, if it be kept in view that the apodosis
to ver. 3 is absorbed in the protasis, and that in this latter therefore
is to be sought what the apostle has to say on the subject to Timothy
? We find the errors which Timothy is to ward off not merely
designated in a general way in vers, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, but that
wbich is erroneous in them is in vers. 4 and 5 especially noticed. The
source whence they spring is shewn in ver. 6 ; in vers. 7-11 a species
of the general error is more fully entered into, and Timothy is
referred to the gospel which the apostle promulgates with the assurance
of his own experience. In ver. 18 the apostle, referring to
this gospel, and the prophecies which had gone before respecting
Timothy, admonishes him to fight the good fight of his calling, in
order to which he must take good heed to himself, and maintain
that state of soul the loss of which brings along with it the loss of
faith. All this is certainly no refutation of heresies in the strict
sense, nor does it profess to be this ; it is, however, a renewed statement
of the charge which had been given to Timothy, and an advice
as to the right way of fulfilling this charge. And this is all
that the introduction warrants us reasonably to expect. In fine,
those who, like Schleiermacher, hold t'ae Epistle to Titus to be genuine,
need not stumble at the way in which the apostle treats this
subject here, for it is quite the same as in that epistle, and all that
is peculiar to our passage is the anacolouthon, as an unprejudiced
comparison will shew.