Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Ver. 2. Be instant] Gr. επιστηθι, stand over it, stand close to it. Chrysostom, at Antioch, having preached many sermons against swearing, was at length asked when he would preach upon another subject? He answered, When you leave swearing, I will leave preaching against swearing.
In season, out of season] On the Lord's day, on the week day, Volentibus nolentibus die importunus, Tu vis errare, tu vis perire, ego nolo, saith Augustine. Let men know, whether they will or not, that for lack of preaching they shall not perish. The shewbread stood all the week before the Lord; to show, that preaching is not out of season on any day. The friars of Basil held that it was Lutheranum diebus profanis praedicare, heretical to preach on working days. (Melch. Adam.) But Anthony Person, martyr, told his persecutors that they were bite sheeps and not bishops for neglecting to preach. It being as great a wonder at Rome to hear a bishop preach as to see an ass fly, said Dr Bassinet. But Bishop Ridley preached usually every sabbath day and holy day; so did Bishop Jewel, Dr Taylor, martyr, Mr Bradford, even during his imprisonment; preaching, reading, and praying was all his whole life. He did sharply reprove sin, pithily improve errors, sweetly preach Christ crucified, earnestly persuade to a godly life.
With all longsuffering, &c.] Si decimus quisque, si unus persuasus fuerit, ad consolationem abunde sufficit, saith Chrysostom. If you gain but the tithe of your hearers, or less, it is well.