(1) В¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, (2) To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (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; (4) Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; (5) When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. (6) В¶ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. (7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (8) Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
There is somewhat very striking, in what the Apostle here saith, of the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. Let the Reader notice it, for it is well worthy his notice. Here is life, that is, eternal life. And this is promised: not to be attained. It is of grace, a free gift, an unconditional gift, wholly of grace, and in distinction to works; in distinction to the law, and in opposition to it. And it is in Christ Jesus. Christ himself is life, and life eternal; and He himself is the promise. Hence, his seed, his children, are called heirs of promise, and heirs of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 6:17; Romans 8:17. These are precious things. And Paul puts Timothy in remembrance of them, by way of stirring up this gift of God, which was in him. I do not in this Poor Man's Commentary wish to dwell upon things of lesser moment, having objects of an higher nature to regard. Paul's desiring to see Timothy, and his remembrance of Timothy's relations, with an account of their characters; these are things which have long since passed away, and with which we have nothing to do. Being limited, therefore, to compress what I have to offer on these holy scriptures, into as narrow a space as possible; I wholly wish to confine my humble observations, to the more important points of doctrine, which the Holy Ghost hath graciously recorded, in these inspired writings.