(14) В¶ Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. (15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (16) But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (17) And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; (18) Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
We cannot sufficiently admire the very great attention of the Apostle in following up his advice to his beloved Timothy, how to conduct himself in the Church of God, as a minister of Christ. In these verses, he calls off his attention from using words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers; and directs him to study how to approve himself to God: becoming a workman that needeth not to be ashamed: rightly dividing the word of truth. The dividing rightly the word of truth, seems to be a figure borrowed from the custom in the Jewish Church, when dividing the sacrifice; wherein care was had, that the part consecrated as holy to the Lord might not be kept back; and that which was the portion of the Offerer might be preserved. So that a workman in the ministry which rightly divideth the word of truth, hath an eye to the whole family of Christ. He comforts mourners, supports the weak, rouseth the careless, allures wanderers, and holds up Christ for distressed weary souls, as a rest and consolation. And while speaking to men, hath chiefly his eye unto God: that his blessing may go before, accompany, and follow his labors. That man can never show himself approved unto God, that doth not make Christ what God hath made him, the whole of salvation. Now if Christ be the Alpha, and Omega, in Jehovah's view, in his concerns of the Church: he must be so in the ministry of his servants. And by thus holding up Christ as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness; he follows the footsteps of the Holy Ghost, and makes Jesus the whole of salvation, to everyone that believeth, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile.