2 Timothy 1:3

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; I THANK, [ charin (G5485) echoo (G2192)] - 'I feel gratitude to God.' WHOM I SERVE FROM MY FOREFATHERS - whose service handed down from them I cherish. He does not mean to put on the same footing the Jewish and Christian service; but to assert his own conscientious service of God in the truth common to Judaism and Christianity, as he had received it 'from his (immediate) progenitors' (not Abraham, Isaac, etc., whom he calls "the fathers," not 'progenitors' [ progonoon (G4269)],...

3_I give thanks _The meaning usually assigned to these words is, that Paul “gives thanks to God,” and next assigns the cause or ground of thanksgiving; namely, that he is unceasingly mindful of Timothy. But let my readers consider whether the following sense do not suit equally well and even better: “Whenever I remember thee in my prayers, (and I do so continually,) I also give thanks concerning thee;” for the particle ὡς most frequently has that meaning; (138) and, indeed, any meaning that can be drawn from a different translation is exceedingly meager. According to this exposition, prayer will be a sign of carefulness, and thanksgiving a sign of joy; that is, he never thought of Timothy without calling to remembrance the eminent virtues with which he was adorned. Hence arises ground of thanksgiving; for the recollection of the gifts of God is always pleasant and delightful

1-5 The promise of eternal life to believers in Christ Jesus, is the leading subject of ministers who are employed according to the will of God. The blessings here named, are the best we can ask for our beloved friends, that they may have peace with God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Whatever good we do, God must have the glory. True believers have in every age the same religion as to substance. Their faith is unfeigned; it will stand the trial, and it dwells in them as a living principle. Thus pious women may take encouragement from the success of Lois and Eunice with Timothy, who proved so excellent and useful a minister. Some of the most worthy and valuable ministers the church of Christ has been favoured with, have had to bless God for early religious impressions made upon their minds by the teaching of their mothers or other female relatives....

Verse 2 Timothy 1:3. _WHOM I SERVE FROM_ MY _FOREFATHERS_] Being born a _Jew_, I was carefully educated in the knowledge of the true God, and the proper manner of worshipping him. _WITH PURE CONSCIENCE_] Ever aiming to please him, even in the time when through ignorance I persecuted the Church. _WITHOUT CEASING I HAVE REMEMBRANCE OF THEE_] The apostle thanks God that he has constant remembrance of Timothy in his prayers. It is a very rare thing now in the Christian Church, that a man particularly thanks God _that he is enabled to pray for_ OTHERS. And yet he that can do this most must have an increase of that brotherly love which the second greatest commandment of God requires: _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_. It is also a great blessing to be able to maintain the spirit of a pure

I THANK GOD, WHOM I SERVE FROM MY FOREFATHERS - Paul reckoned among his forefathers the patriarchs and the holy men of former times, as being of the same nation with himself, though it may be that he also included his more immediate ancestors, who, for anything known to the contrary, may have been distinguished examples of piety. His own parents, it is certain, took care that he should be trained up in the ways of religion; compare the Philippians 3:4 notes; Acts 26:4. The phrase “from my forefathers,” probably means, after the example of my ancestors. He worshipped the same God; he held substantially the same truths; he had the same hope of the resurrection and of immortality; he trusted to the same Saviour having come, on whom they relied as about to come. His was not, there

EXPOSITION 2 TIMOTHY 1:1 _Christ Jesus _for _Jesus Christ, _A.V. and T.R.; _the life _for _life, _A.V. The life is a little clearer than _life, _as showing that "life" (not "promise") is the antecedent to "which." ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE denotes the subject matter with which, as an apostle, he had to deal, viz. the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus, and the end for which he was called, viz. to preach that promise (comp. Titus 1:2). 2 TIMOTHY 1:2 _Beloved child _for _dearly beloved son, _A.V.;_ peace _for _and peace, _A.V. MY BELOVED CHILD. In...

I THANK GOD,.... After the inscription and salutation follows the preface to the epistle; which contains a thanksgiving to God upon Timothy's account, and has a tendency to engage his attention to what he was about to write to him in the body of the epistle. God is the object of praise and thanksgiving, both as the God of nature and providence, and as the God of all grace; for every good thing comes from him, and therefore he ought to have the glory of it; nor should any glory, as though they had not received it: and he is here described, as follows, WHOM I SERVE FROM MY FOREFATHERS WITH PURE CONSCIENCE; the apostle served God in the precepts of the law, as in the hands of Christ, and as written upon his heart by the Spirit of God, in which he delighted after the inward man, and which he served with his regenerated mind; and also in the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, in which he was...

2 Timothy 1:1. _Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dearly beloved son:_ There is the greatest possible affection between the preacher and his convert. This is a relationship which even death will not destroy. They neither marry nor are given in marriage in the Heavenly Kingdom, but this fatherhood and sonship shall endure for ever. 2 Timothy 1:2. _Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the father and Christ Jesus our Lord._ It is not a little remarkable that, when the apostle writes to churches, he usually wishes them «Grace and peace»; but when he writes to a minister, he generally prays for «Grace, mercy, and peace», as if we needed more mercy than other Christians. Having so

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. PAUL'S PERSONAL WORD TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 1 _ 1. Paul's affectionate words and confidence (2 Timothy 1:1)_ 2. Difficulties and assurance (2 Timothy 1:6) 3. Holding the form of sound words (2 Timothy 1:13) 4. Turning away and faithfulness in contrast (2 Timothy 1:15) 2 Timothy 1:1 Paul speaks in this last Epistle as an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God “according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.” It is a blessed word and shows how th

INTRODUCTORY SALUTATION (2 TIMOTHY 1:1 F.) AND THANKSGIVING (2 TIMOTHY 1:3). For the official form of salutation _cf._ 1 Timothy 1:1 f.* Moved by affectionate remembrance, Paul, thanks God for some recent reminder of Timothy's faith, a faith witnessed earlier in his mother and grandmother. 2 TIMOTHY 1:2. MERCY: 1 Timothy 1:2 *. 2 Timothy 1:3. The _ground_ of thanksgiving is...