Let no man despise thy youth;— St. Paul here gives Timothy directions concerning his own conduct, especially as he was yet a young man, and had such difficulties upon his hands. He advises him to take a great deal of care how he behaved both in public and private, and particularly that he gave himself entirely to the work of the ministry, 1 Timothy 4:12-16. St. Paul wrote in a popular style; and, therefore, uses many words to the same purpose, to express the thing more vehemently. However, if any desire to distinguish, they may refer in word to his speech, and in conversation to his behaviour. See 1 Peter 1:15. In charity, may possibly refer more especially to that love which they owed the Gentile Christians. In spirit, means in the temper or disposition of mind;—"in a candid, yet zealous spirit."
Related Commentaries of 1 Timothy 4:12
1 Timothy 4:12
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.