Quotes & Notes
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John Wesley's Notes:
Watch-An earnest, constant, persevering exercise. The scripture
watching, or waiting, implies steadfast faith, patient hope, labouring
love, unceasing prayer; yea, the mighty exertion of all the affections
of the soul that a man is capable of.
In all things-Whatever you are doing, yet in that, and in all things,
watch.
Do the work of an evangelist-Which was next to that of an apostle.
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
* watch. Isa 56:9; 62:6; Jer 6:17; Eze 3:17; 33:2,7; Mr 13:34,37; Lu
12:37 Ac 20:30,31; 1Th 5:6; Heb 13:17; Re 3:2
* endure. 2Ti 1:8; 2:3; 3:10-12
* an. Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11; 1Ti 4:12,15
* make full proof of. or, fulfil. Ro 15:19; Col 1:25; 4:17
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Adam Clarke's Commentary:
It is possible to be overtaken in a fault, to neglect one's duty,
and to lose one's soul. Watching unto prayer prevents all these evils.
Endure afflictions] Let no sufferings affright thee; nor let the dread
of them either cause thee to abandon the truth, or relax in thy zeal for
the salvation of men.
Do the work of an evangelist] That is: Preach Christ crucified for the
sins of the whole world; for this, and this alone, is doing the work of
an evangelist, or preacher of the glad tidings of peace and salvation by
Christ. An angel from God was first sent to do the work of an
evangelist, and how did he do it? Behold, said he, I bring you good
tidings of great joy; idou gar, euaggelizomai umin caran megalhn, htiv
estai panti tw law. Behold, I evangelize unto you great joy, which shall
be to all people; to you is born a Saviour. Those who do not proclaim
Christ as having tasted death for every man, and who do not implicitly
show that every human soul may be saved, do not perform the work of
evangelists; they, God help them! limit the Holy One of Israel. Yet, as
far as they preach the truth in sincerity, so far God acknowledges and
blesses them and their labours; they do a part of the work, but not the
whole.
Make full proof of thy ministry.] Push all thy principles to their
utmost power of activity; carry them on to all their consequences; and
try what God will do for thee, and by thee. Neglect no part of thy
sacred function; perform faithfully all the duties of which it is
composed; and do God's work in his own way and in his own spirit.
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Family Bible Notes:
Watch; be sober, earnest, and vigilant, as the original word
implies. Evangelist; a minister of Christ, who went from place to place
preaching the gospel, gathering churches, and assisting in establishing
the institutions of Christianity. Make full proof of thy ministry; or,
as in the margin, fulfil thy ministry; discharge its duties faithfully
and thoroughly. While ministers of Christ have opportunity they should
be most diligently and conscientiously employed in preaching the gospel,
as they do not know how soon their opportunities will cease.
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People's New Testament Commentary:
Watch thou. Rather, be thou sober, and on the alert. Do not
sleep.
Do the work of an evangelist. Preach the gospel and look after the
churches.
Make full proof. Discharge thy ministry fully.
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Robertson's Word Pictures:
But be thou sober (su de nęphe). Present active imperative of
nęphô, for which see 1Th 5:6,8. "Be sober in thy head." Suffer hardship
(kakopathęson). See 2Ti 2:9. Do the work of an evangelist (ergon poięson
euaggelistou). See 1Co 1:17; Eph 4:11 for euaggelistęs, gospelizer.
Fulfil (plęrophoręson). First aorist active imperative of plęrophoreô,
for which see Col 4:12. In Col 4:17 Paul uses plęroô to Archippus about
his ministry as he here employs plęrophoreô. Both verbs mean to fill
full.
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Albert Barnes' Commentary:
But watch thou in all things. Be vigilant against error and
against sin, and faithful in the performance of duty. See Barnes for Mt
25:13; See Barnes for 1Co 16:13.
Endure afflictions. See Barnes for 2Ti 2:3. The Greek word here is the
same which is there rendered "endure hardness."
Do the work of an evangelist. On the word evangelist, See Barnes for Ac
21:8. The phrase here means, do the work of preaching the gospel, or of
one appointed to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. This is the
proper business of all ministers, whatever other rank they may maintain.
Whether it was ever regarded as the proper duty of a separate class of
men to do this, See Barnes for Eph 5:11.
Make full proof of thy ministry. Marg., fulfil. Comp. See Barnes for Ro
14:5. The word here used denotes, properly, to bear or bring fully; then
to persuade fully; and then to make fully assured of, to give full proof
of. The meaning here seems to be, to furnish full evidence of what is
the design of the Christian ministry, and of what it is adapted to
accomplish, by the faithful performance of all its duties. Timothy was
so to discharge the duties of his office as to furnish a fair
illustration of what the ministry could do, and thus to show the wisdom
of the Saviour in its institution. This should be the aim of all the
ministers of the gospel. Each one should resolve, by the blessing of
God, that the ministry, in his hands, shall be allowed, by a fair trial,
to show to the utmost what it is adapted to do for the welfare of
mankind.
{b} "things" 2Ti 2:3
{1} "full proof" "fulfil"
{c} "of thy ministry" 1Ti 4:12,15
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Jamieson-Faussett Brown:
I am no longer here to withstand these things; be thou a worthy
successor of me, no longer depending on me for counsel, but thine own
master, and swimming without the corks [CALVIN]; follow my steps,
inherit their result, and the honor of their end [ALFORD].
watch thou--literally, "with the wakefulness of one sober."
in all things--on all occasions and under all circumstances (Tit 2:7).
endure affliction--suffer hardships [ALFORD].
evangelist--a missionary bishop preacher, and teacher.
make full proof of--fulfil in all its requirements, leaving nothing
undone (Ac 12:25; Ro 15:19; Col 4:17).
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1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, (b) make full proof of thy ministry.
(3) The wickedness and falling away of the world ought to cause faithful
ministers to be so much the more careful. (b) Prove and show by good and
substantial proof, that you are the true minister of God.
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Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:
(None on 2 Timothy 4:5)
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William Burkitt's Notes:
Behold here a fourfold duty pressed upon Timothy;
1. Watchfulness: Watch thou in all things. As if he had said, "False
teachers will beset you round on every side; therefore guard and watch
every where."
2. Courage: Endure afflictions: he that fears the frowns of men, can
never discharge his duty faithfully to God.
3. Fidelity: Do the work of an evangelist. which was an extraordinary,
and therefore but a temporary, office, to assist the apostles in
preaching and publishing the gospel from place to place; they watered
what the apostles planted.
4. Sincerity: Make full proof of thy ministry: so fulfill all the parts
of it, that none may charge thee with the neglect of any part of thy
duty: let the world see that thou makest it thine own and only work to
win souls.
Learn hence, 1. That the apostasy and looseness of the times we live in
must oblige all persons, but especially the ministers of Christ, to
watch: who should watch, if not the watchmen?
Learn hence, 2. That ministers, of all men, need courage: they must
inure thmeselves to endure hardships and expect hard words, hard
dealing, nick names, and all kind of reproaches; and these must be
endured with patience, with courage, and with constance.
Learn, 3. That ministers must make full proof of their ministry; that
is, must fully and faithfully discharge all the duties of their calling,
not do their duties by halves; but accomplish all the parts of their
ministry, strengthening the weak, comforting the afflicted, reducing the
wandering, and adorning their doctrine by a pure and unblamable
conversation. This is to fulfil our ministry.
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Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
(None on 2 Timothy 4:5)
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