1 Timothy 6:11 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

But thou, O man of God Whatever all the world else do; (a man of God is either a prophet, a messenger of God, or a man devoted to God, a man of another world;) flee As from a serpent, instead of coveting these things, and follow after righteousness Truth, justice, mercy, with all their proper fruits; godliness Sincere and fervent piety, implying devotedness to God, in heart and life, and a conformity to his image; faith In all its branches, especially as having the perfections of God, and the truths and promises of his word for its object, implying an evidence of things not seen, and an earnest of things hoped for, with fidelity as to every trust committed to thee. This faith is the foundation of righteousness, the support of godliness, the root of every grace of the Spirit; love To God and all mankind, friends or enemies, and especially to all the saints. This the apostle intermixes with every thing that is good: he, as it were, penetrates whatever he treats of with love, the glorious spring of all inward and outward holiness. Patience Under all afflictions coming immediately from the hand of God; meekness Under all provocations proceeding from man through God's permission. Fight the good fight of faith Greek, αγωνιζου τον καλον αγωνα, agonize the good agony, or, maintain the good combat: the words, with those that follow, are plainly agonistical, and refer to the eagerness with which they who contended in the Grecian games struggled for, and laid hold on the crown; and the degree to which the presence of many spectators, or the cloud of witnesses, animated them in their contests. Some would translate the clause, Exercise the good exercise; but the word exercise does not, by any means, express the force of αγωνα, which always supposes an opponent to be resisted. Lay hold on eternal life The prize just before thee; whereunto thou art also called By the gospel and the grace of God; and In pursuance thereof; hast professed, &c. Or, rather, hast confessed; a good confession Probably at his baptism or ordination, or perhaps at both; before many witnesses Who were present on that solemn day, when thou wast dedicated entirely and irrevocably to the service of God, of Christ, of his church, and all mankind.