2 Timothy 2:19

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure R.V. alters into the less strong -howbeit"; the same conjunction, which St Paul does not use elsewhere, occurs five times in St John's Gospel, and is rendered by R.V. -nevertheless," in John 12:42 (but with another conjunction added), -yet" in John 4:27; John 20:5, -howbeit" in John 7:13; John 21:4. The adjective -sure" or -firm" from its position must be attribute not predicate, the firm foundation. What is this -firm foundation"? St Paul's thought is still of Timothy as chief teacher, of his true teachers, and of the false teachers; not (except by the way) of private believers or the whole Church. The passage then is parallel to 1 Timothy 3:14-16, where we have seen the Church is called the -pillar and ground of the truth" with reference to the way in which office bearers -ought to behave themselves," -holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience," and avoiding -the snare of the devil." The foundation is therefore the Church built on apostolic doctrine, -strong in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son"; cf. -on this rock the apostolic confession of a true faith I will build my church," Matthew 16:18. And we may paraphrase, -Nevertheless the holy Apostolic church continueth stedfast, having these two marks of a faithful ministry, the Apostles" teaching and the Apostles" fellowship, a pure doctrine and a holy life."

this seal The Lord's acknowledgment of His true ministers; -God knoweth His own, not Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, but Moses, the servant of the Lord," Numbers 16:5; and His warning to unholy teachers; -Ye shall knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall say to you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity," Luke 13:27. The former quotation is exact from LXX., with the alteration of -the Lord" for -God"; the latter freely turns St Luke's record into a maxim, adopting precisely the same Greek words for -depart" and for -iniquity". This is the more natural, as we recall the solitary pair of friends the inspired historian and the inspired correspondent, interchanging -comfortable words" in that prison cell at Rome. -Only Luke is with me," ch. 2 Timothy 4:11. Cf. 2 Timothy 2:26 note on -taken captive."

Alford justifies the adding of a -seal" in this metaphor of the -foundation" by regarding it as -probably in allusion to the practice of engraving inscriptions over doors (Deuteronomy 6:9; Deuteronomy 11:20) and on pillars and foundation stones (Revelation 21:14)."

the name of Christ The ms. authority is almost unanimous for the Lord instead of Christ; and this fits in remarkably with the above passage in St Luke.