And that they may recover themselves— And that they may awaken out of the snare of the devil, who have been taken captive by him at his pleasure. In order to understand the beautiful image before us, it is proper to observe, that the word 'Ανανηψωσιν properly signifies "to awake from a deep sleep, or from a fit of intoxication;" and refers to an artifice of fowlers, to scatter seeds impregnated with some drugs, intended to lay birds asleep, that they may draw the net over them with the greater security. Some, however, read and connect this verse with the foregoing: God, peradventure, will give them repentance,—that they may recover themselves to his will, out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him.
Inferences.—There is not perhaps a single precept in the whole sacred volumes which would be more extensively useful to ministers, or to private Christians, than that of the apostle in this chapter, taken in all its extent,—Remember Jesus Christ. Many a sweet memorial has he left us of himself. Often, very often, have we been called solemnly to survey them, and yet how ready are we to forget him, and by a natural consequence to forget ourselves, our duty and interest on the one hand, and our danger on the other! "Blessed Jesus! may we daily and hourly remember thee! that thou hast died, that thou art raised from the dead, and that thou art ever near to thy believing people, to protect, to comfort, and to bless them. If, for thy cause, we should be called to suffer evil, as evil doers, whether in our persons, or reputations, may we not be discouraged, but rather rejoice in the honour thou doest us in appointing for us such a conformity to thyself! The enemies of thy gospel may indeed oppose it, they may bind its most faithful preachers; but their opposition, their persecution, is vain." The word of God is not bound; and divine grace, operating by it, will sooner or later give it the intended, the promised, triumph; that all the faithful saints of God may obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, and may not only escape the condemnation and ruin of the impenitent world, but may finally be crowned with eternal glory.
May we ever be mindful of this faithful word, that if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him too; and may we endure the greatest hardships to which we can be called out, as considering that the sufferings are momentary, but the reign will be eternal. Never may we, for any allurements or terror, deny him, as we would not finally be denied by him; when no other honour will remain but that which he confers, no other happiness but that which he bestows.
In the mean time, as we desire the prosperity of his kingdom, let us earnestly pray that he will raise up to his church a multitude of faithful ministers, who may govern themselves by these truly apostolical canons; ministers, who may not contend about words in a manner unprofitable and vain, who may not amuse their hearers with empty harangues about insignificant curiosities or perplexing subtleties; but may, in the integrity of their hearts, endeavour to approve themselves to God, as workmen who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. And may divine grace preserve the church from those seducing teachers, whose doctrine, like a secret gangrene, might spread itself so that the faith of many might be overthrown.
But how affecting a representation is here made of the wretched state of sinners! they are described as sleeping in Satan's snare, like birds in a net, taken alive, and at the fowler's mercy; while they imagine they can spring up whenever they please, and range at full liberty. Alas! they will soon perceive their fatal captivity: but they will perceive it too late, if they be not quickly awakened. Who would not wish to do something for their recovery? Let the ministers of the gospel pity them. Let us pray that God would give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. Let us try every gentle method which the sincerest compassion can dictate, toward effecting so happy a design, and not suffer ourselves to be transported to undue severities of language, or of sentiments, even though we should receive the greatest injuries where we intend the most important kindness.
Let those that have the honour to bear the most holy character, which any office can devolve on mortal man, avoid, with the greatest care, every thing that would bring a stain, or even a suspicion upon it. Let them revere the voice of the great apostle, while it animates them to pursue righteousness and faith, love and peace, with all their fellow-Christians of every denomination, with all that invoke Christ, and that trust in him. So shall they be vessels of honour; so may they humbly hope that their Lord will condescend to make some special use of them, for the purposes of his own glory, and the salvation of their fellow-creatures.
To conclude. What is it to us, that the Lord knows, distinguishes, and favours his saints, and that his almighty power protects them, if we are ourselves found among the wicked, with whom he is angry every day,—among the workers of iniquity, whom he will publicly disown, and to whom he will say, I know not whence you are. To name the name of Christ with dispositions like these, will be to injure and profane it; and our profession itself will be interpreted as an act of hostility against him, whom we have presumed so vainly to call the Foundation of our hopes, and the Sovereign of our souls.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The apostle in this chapter continues his exhortations. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, sensible of thy own weakness, and dependant upon him who alone can enable thee for the arduous work. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, publicly declared, and proved by numerous testimonies of the law and prophets, the same commit thou to faithful men, whose sincerity and abilities have been tried and approved, who shall be able to teach others also, and preserve the glorious truths of gospel grace unadulterated. Thou therefore endure hardness, all those persecutions and afflictions to which, in the gospel warfare, thou mayest be exposed, acquitting thyself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, fighting manfully under his banners with such courage, patience, and perseverance, as may effectually secure the crown. No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; his military service is incompatible with the pursuit of any other trade or profession; he must be at the General's call, and ever ready to obey his orders, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; so must every minister of Christ be disengaged from worldly concerns, that he may be wholly employed in the service of the great Captain of our salvation, and make it his whole study and care to please him, and advance the interests of his kingdom. And if a man also strive for mysteries in the Olympic games, yet is he not crowned with that fading crown the reward of victory, except he strive lawfully, according to the rules prescribed; and much more should they, who have before them a crown of glory incorruptible, exert every effort according to the orders of their divine Master, to win the eternal prize. The husbandman that laboureth, must be first partaker of the fruits; or the husbandman must labour first, before he partakes of the fruits: so must the faithful minister labour for the good of immortal souls, and patiently wait for the success of his ministry, and the expected reward in the day of Christ. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things, enabling thee to make deep application of these things to thy own soul; and, as a valiant soldier, a brave combatant and laborious husbandman, to acquit thyself in thy ministerial office. Note; Let all who look to the ministry, consider these things, and count the cost before they presume to appear candidates for the service.
2nd, To encourage him boldly to suffer, the apostle suggests,
1. The grand foundation of their hope, as built upon the resurrection of Jesus. Remember that Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, of the seed of David, in his human nature, was raised from the dead, shewing thereby the complete atonement he had made for the sins of the world, and the full redemption which he had obtained for all his faithful saints, according to my gospel which I preached unto you.
2. He sets before him his own example: wherein, that is, for preaching which gospel, I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound: even in my prison the gospel still runs and is glorified in the conversion of many souls, and others boldly labour at large, though I am confined. Therefore, dependant upon the power of God, I endure all things for the elect's sake, willing to endure, if I am called thereunto, even death itself, that they may also obtain (confirmed in the faith by my unshaken steadfastness in suffering for it) the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory, of which he is the author, finisher, and bestower, on all those, and only those, who perseveringly believe in him. Note; A noble example is a powerful encouragement to follow on.
3. The reward of faithful suffering should engage him boldly to take up the cross. It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, as vitally united to him in death, or if called to die for his cause, as he died for us, we shall also live with him, planted also in the likeness of his resurrection, and raised up to immortal life and glory: if we suffer for him, we shall also reign with him, sitting down on his throne: but if we prove faithless, and deny him in the hour of temptation, he also will deny and disown us in the great day of his appearing: if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful; his promises and threatenings will surely be accomplished, whether men believe them or not: he is immutable, and cannot deny himself, or falsify his word. Note; (1.) It is our privilege to suffer, when we see that the issue will be so glorious. (2.) The hope of life with Jesus, should raise us superior to all the fears of death, though in its most tremendous form. (3.) They who, for any worldly interest or advantage, or to avoid shame, reproach, or suffering, disown the Lord Jesus, his gospel, and suffering servants,—they shall bear in eternity their burden, and be driven from his presence with everlasting contempt.
3rdly, The apostle proceeds to give further exhortations to Timothy:
1. To seek the edification of those who were under his charge. Of these things put them in remembrance; charging them, with all solemnity and authority before the Lord, as in his presence, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers, drawing them from the purity of the gospel, instead of promoting godly edifying. Note; Any trivial matter will afford occasion of strife to a contentious spirit.
2. He enjoins him to shew himself an able minister of Jesus Christ. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, diligent, faithful, laborious, skilful, rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving to each his portion in due season, according to the various cases and conditions of the people's souls. But shun profane and vain babblings, the dreams of the Judaizing teachers, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and lead to the most pernicious errors in principles and practice. And their word will eat as doth a canker, corroding the hearts of the hearers, and threatening their eternal death: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus, the chief heretical seducers; who concerning the truth have erred, saying, that the resurrection is past already; probably they asserted, that the resurrection was only mystical and spiritual, not of the body but of the soul; and have overthrown the faith of some. Note; (1.) Error is as spreading as a gangrene; and, though it may appear little at first, threatens the most fatal consequences. (2.) They who love to hear themselves talk, will be sure to prove the truth of that scripture, that in the multitude of words there wanteth not folly. (3.) A true minister will labour to speak ever to the purpose, not curious about a fine harangue, but careful to apply the word of truth to the consciences of his hearers.
4thly, Among all the errors of deceivers, this is nevertheless our comfort:
1. That the foundation of God standeth sure. Let not these and the like false, impious, heretical teachers move you; for God will certainly perform his promise to all his faithful saints: his bill of contract in Christ with such, his decree and purpose towards them, remains unchangeable, being under seal; and the seal of this contract has two impresses: on one side this, The Lord knoweth them that are his, God is sure to all those that are faithful to him, to reward them both in body and soul to all eternity. The impress on the other side is, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity; every Christian obliges himself to a holy life (quite contrary to the experience and practices of the deceivers here referred to) by undertaking the faith of Christ.
2. But as in a great house there are not only vessels of gold, and of silver, but also of wood, and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour, so it need not be thought strange, that in the visible church, while some professors adorn the gospel, others appear a scandal to the name they bear, a dishonour to the Redeemer, and will at last be rejected by him. If a man therefore purge himself from these errors and practices of the seducing teachers, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work, employed by him on earth with approbation, and, after having finished the work which he hath given him to do below, shall be removed to shine in his better temple of eternal glory above. Lord, may my lot be with these!
5thly, Some personal directions are here given to the young evangelist.
1. Flee youthful lusts, not merely those of the flesh, but the still more dangerous ones of pride, love of pre-eminence, and popular applause, those fatal rocks against which so many make shipwreck, and which need to be shunned with peculiar care. But,
2. Follow righteousness towards God and men, faith, charity, peace, with all the other train of heavenly tempers which abide in them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Note; They who are Christians indeed, are constant at a throne of grace, and, in purity of heart and life, prove their professions sincere.
3. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes, and open a field of endless and unprofitable controversy. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; the follower of the Lamb of God should copy the pattern of his meekness, not be quarrelsome, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach in the most inoffensive way, patient under the provocations of the most untractable, and the prejudices of the weak; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves against the gospel doctrines; mildly arguing, and gently remonstrating, desirous to win them by love, and overcome them with kindness; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, as it is in Jesus; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will, as the birds in the snare of the fowler, where they must lie and perish, unless through the power of divine grace they turn to God, and yield themselves to his holy will and service. Note; (1.) Nothing is more necessary for a minister than unwearied patience and meekness. (2.) The gospel word is the great instrument which the Lord employs for the conversion of the heart. (3.) They are the vilest of slaves who are led by the devil's beck to the service of divers lusts and pleasures; and happy is it for the soul that is delivered from this dreadful servitude by the power of divine grace, and brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.