The apostle himself had experienced the empowering of grace in life (2 Tim. 1:9-12). Now he exhorted Timothy to be empowered in the same grace.

See note 2 Tim. 1:9^2c.

I.e., the healthy words (2 Tim. 1:13).

The healthy words, after being committed to faithful men, become the good deposit in them (2 Tim. 1:14). This word indicates that if someone in a local church has a deposit of the Lord's healthy words, he should train the faithful ones that they too may have a good deposit from the Lord and be competent to teach others.

Trustworthy.

The apostle considered their ministry a warfare for Christ, just as the priestly service was considered a military service, a warfare, in Num. 4:23, 30, 35 (lit.).

To fight a good fight (2 Tim. 4:7) for the Lord's interests on this earth, we must clear away all earthly entanglements.

The Greek word (bios) denotes the physical life in this age.

Here Timothy is likened to an athlete contending in the games.

See note 1 Cor. 9:25¹.

Here the apostle likened Timothy to a farmer. A soldier must win the victory, an athlete must receive the crown, and a farmer must partake of the fruits, the food.

Indicating Christ's victory over death by His divine life with its resurrection power.

Indicating Christ's dignified human nature, which was exalted and glorified along with His divine nature.

The apostle's gospel is the glad tidings of the living person, Christ, who possesses both the divine nature and the human nature, who was incarnated to be the Son of Man and resurrected to be the Son of God, as related in the parallel portion, Rom. 1:1-4.

In spite of all the opposition by human efforts that were instigated by the enemy, Satan, the bonds of the apostle caused the word of God to be released, to be preached by men freely and to become more prevailing.

The believers in Christ, who were chosen by God the Father before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) and selected from among mankind for salvation. The apostle endured all sufferings for the sake of us, the chosen ones, that we too may obtain salvation, as he did.

It is not salvation and eternal glory but salvation with eternal glory. Eternal glory is the ultimate goal of God's salvation (Rom. 8:21); God's salvation leads us into His glory (Heb. 2:10). This encourages us to endure sufferings for the gospel (Rom. 8:17).

The portion from here to the end of v. 13 might have been a hymn. This passage corresponds with Rom. 6:8 and Rom. 8:17.

In Christ's crucifixion, as symbolized by baptism (Rom. 6:3-8).

In Christ's resurrection (Rom. 6:5, 8; John 14:19).

In this age.

In the coming age.

Not acknowledge us (Matt. 10:33; Luke 12:9).

Faithful to His own word.

If we become faithless toward Him, though He remains faithful, He cannot accept us as faithful by making Himself unfaithful, i.e., by denying Himself (His nature and His being).

Or, overthrowing. Lit., catastrophe.

As in carpentry. It means to unfold the word of God in its various parts rightly and straightly without distortion.

See note 1 Tim. 2:4^2c and note 1 Tim. 3:15^5e. Contentions of words (v. 14), profane, vain babblings (v. 16), the word that eats away like gangrene (v. 17), and foolish questionings and those arising from an untrained mind (v. 23) are often used by the devil (v. 26) in the downward current among the churches to beget contentions (v. 23), to ruin the hearers (v. 14), to promote ungodliness (v. 16), and to overthrow people's faith (v. 18). Hence, there is the need of the word of the truth, rightly unfolded, to enlighten the darkened people, inoculate against the poison, swallow up the death, and bring the distracted back to the proper track.

See note 1 Tim. 4:7^1a.

Contrary to godliness. See note 1 Tim. 2:2^2b.

Or, feed, eat. Lit., have pasture; cf. John 10:9. The word for pasture in Greek is the medical term for the consuming progress of a mortifying disease (Alford). Hence, here the Greek phrase is rendered spread.

An eating sore, a cancer.

See note 1 Tim. 3:15^5e.

I.e., missed the mark, swerved, deviated.

I.e., that there will be no resurrection. This is a serious heresy that denies the divine power in life (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16; Rev. 20:4, 6).

This is the subjective faith, i.e., the act of believing; it is very much related to the resurrection of Christ (Rom. 10:9).

Verses 2 Tim. 2:14-18 give instruction concerning how to deal with heresies, on the negative side, and handle the truth, on the positive side. According to the context of vv. 15, 18, 25, the foundation here does not refer to Christ as the foundation of the church (1 Cor. 3:11) but to the church as the foundation of the truth. This corresponds with the base of the truth, which holds the truth (1 Tim. 3:15), especially the truth of the resurrection of Christ (Acts 4:33).

The church is built with the divine life in Christ, a life that is indestructible, unconquerable (Heb. 7:16; Acts 2:24), and able to withstand deathly decline originating from any source. Hence, the church is the firm foundation of God that stands forever against any heresy.

The seal has two sides. On the Lord's side it is: "The Lord knows those who are His." This is based on the Lord's divine life, which He has given to all His believers and which has brought them into an organic union with Him, making them one with Him and causing them to become His. On our side it is: "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness." This is the issue of the divine life — it enables us to depart from unrighteousness and keeps us blameless in His holy name. The church as the firm foundation in the divine life bears such a two-sided seal, testifying that the Lord's divine life has made us His and has kept us from things that are contrary to His righteous way.

Verse 19 indicates definitely that the ones exposed in vv. 16-18 are not the Lord's. Their evildoings are a strong proof of this.

In contrast to the definition in v. 19 concerning genuine believers.

The house of God defined in 1 Tim. 3:15-16 is the genuine church in its divine nature and essential character as the foundation of the truth; whereas the great house here refers to the deteriorated church in its mixed character, as illustrated by the abnormally large tree in Matt. 13:31-32 (see note Matt. 13:32¹). In this great house there are not only precious vessels but also base ones.

Honorable vessels are constituted of both the divine nature (gold) and the redeemed and regenerated human nature (silver). These, like Timothy and other genuine believers, constitute the sure foundation that holds the truth.

Dishonorable vessels are constituted of the fallen human nature (wood and earth). Hymenaeus, Philetus, and other false believers belong to this category.

This is to depart from unrighteousness (v. 19), as an outward evidence of the inward divine nature.

Referring to vessels unto dishonor, including those mentioned in vv. 16-18.

Unto honor is a matter of nature, sanctified a matter of position, useful a matter of practice, and prepared a matter of training.

Timothy had to be wary not only of outward corruption among the churches but also of inward lusts within himself. He had to avoid the outward corruption and flee the inward lusts.

Righteousness is toward oneself, faith is toward God, and love is toward others; peace is the issue of these three virtues.

This is to name the name of the Lord (v. 19) in our prayer and praise to Him. The Lord's seekers must be His callers.

See note 1 Tim. 1:5^3b.

Or, stupid.

Uneducated, undisciplined, unlearned, i.e., not subject to God but following one's own mind and will (Darby).

This indicates that with the opposers of the truth it is the heart and conscience that are in question. The truth is the revelation of the living God and His economy, His heart's desire. To receive the divine revelation, the heart and conscience need to be rightly exercised toward God. The heart should be turned to Him, directed solely to Him, and the conscience must be pure and void of offense before Him. Otherwise, one may be carried away as a captive by the devil and thus fall into his snare (v. 26).

See note 1 Tim. 2:4^2c. This word proves that the opposers lack adequate knowledge of the divine revelation.

Become sober again, awake out of a drunken stupor (Vincent).

This indicates that the opposers of the truth have been captured and kept in a snare by the devil. The enemy of God occupies their reprobate mind with error and shuts God out, just as he did with the Pharisees (John 8:42-45). Such opposers need to turn to God in their heart and have a thorough dealing in their conscience.

See note Rev. 2:10^1c.

I.e., for God's will, to do God's will.