1 Timothy 2:7

Rec. text with א*D2cKL adds ἐν Χριστῷ after λέγω; this is plainly a gloss introduced from Romans 9:1, and is omitted by אcAD2*GP and all early versions.

7. εἰς ὅ. sc. μαρτύριον.

ἐτέθην. The Apostle’s ministry was not self-chosen. Cp. ch. 1 Timothy 1:12, θέμενος εἰς διακονίαν; the entire clause is repeated 2 Timothy 1:11, εἰς ὃ ἐτέθην ἐγὼ κῆρυξ καὶ�. The emphatic ἐγώ should not be overlooked. κῆρυξ is only found in the N.T. in these two passages and in 2 Peter 2:5, where it is used of Noah. But κηρύσσειν is a common Pauline word; see e.g. for the collocation of κῆρυξ and ἀπόστολος, Romans 10:15 : πῶς κηρύξωσιν ἐὰν μὴ�; As κῆρυξ expresses his work, so ἀπόστολος (here used in the higher sense of the word) expresses his Divine mission.

The parenthetical ἀλήθειαν λέγω, οὐ ψεύδομαι (cp. Romans 9:1 and critical note) may be taken to refer either to what precedes or to what follows. If the former, it would be a strong assertion of his apostolical authority, perhaps introduced with a view to false teachers at Ephesus who denied it. But it is far better to take it as introducing his claim to be διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν, doctor gentium, the mention of which is especially in place here, as he is insisting on the Universality of the Gospel message. See esp. Romans 9:13; Galatians 2:7-9, for his assertion of this great claim.

ἐν πίστει καὶ�. There can be little doubt that ἀλήθεια is here to be explained in connexion with the ἀλήθεια of 1 Timothy 2:4, to the knowledge of which it is God’s will that all men should come. That is to say, ἀλήθεια does not directly refer to the spirit of the teacher, but to the content of his lesson; it is the λόγος� (2 Corinthians 6:7) which he preaches. And this objective sense of ἀλήθεια makes it natural to take πίστις in the same way; it does not refer to the Apostle’s confidence, or to the subjective conditions of his ministry, but to the faith which he commends to his hearers. See note on 1 Timothy 1:19 above.