And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
Ver. 24. Must not strive] μαχεσθαι, scold, wrangle, Ne rixando amittatur veritas, ut fere fit, lest by striving about the truth we utterly lose it. Facta est fides Evangeliorum, fides temporum, et cum fides una esse debeat, eo pene ventum est ut nulla sit. A sad complaint of Hilary. Erasmus observeth, that in the primitive times there were so many sects and heresies, and so much pretending to the truth by them all, that it was a witty thing to be a right believer. A late writer complaineth, that a Christian now is not the same thing as formerly. Our heads are so big (like children that have the rickets) that all the body fares the worse for it.
Patient] Or, tolerant of evil, both persons and occurrences; he shall have his back-burden of both, and must both bear and forbear: a Taceo, Fero, Spero, I am silent, I endure, I hope, must be his motto, as it was Hyperius'.
a ανεξικακον. ανεχου και απεχου. sustine, abstine