But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Thou hast fully known means Timothy had closely followed and thoroughly understood Paul's teaching, way of life, aim, faith, endurance, love and patience as a faithful pattern of service to God. He knew this by firsthand watching, having seen Paul suffer at Lystra where he was stoned, left for dead, and rose bruised and bleeding to praise Christ for suffering for His name without complaint. The teaching Timothy knew holds the truths essential to salvation, given by inspiration to make the man of God complete, and therefore he is charged to preach the word as it is in Jesus, urgent in season and out of season with reproof, rebuke, exhortation, endurance and doctrine, while watching, enduring hardship, rightly dividing truth and feeding the flock as an example. That charge is urgent because the time comes when people will not bear sound teaching but turn from truth to fables, in contrast to Paul's faithfulness and unlike the corrupt deceivers of the chapter. The verse stands in a prophecy of the last days that matches present conditions and shows the end is near, and every word of it now calls all churches to awake from slumber, trim their lamps and shine to a dark world, and be fitted to stand in the day of the Lord. Its warning against those who accept error forbids one mind dominating another as in mind-cure, which makes the controlled mind a machine, serves destruction, gives the enemy advantage, and must have no place in Christian medical work.
Paul's Example to Timothy
The verse declares that Timothy had fully known Paul's doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love and patience. That known teaching and way of life was a faithful pattern of service to God. His knowledge of it also embraced Paul's endurance under persecution.
Timothy knew these things by personal observation, for he had witnessed Paul's sufferings at Lystra. There Paul was stoned and left for dead, then rose bruised and covered with blood. Instead of groaning or complaining he praised Jesus for being allowed to suffer for his name, enduring willingly for Christ's sake.
That firsthand sight of Paul's teaching, conduct and endurance under persecution established Timothy's fitness as a fellow worker. Having so learned him, Timothy remained his faithful companion through trials and joys.
Paul's faithful life so known stands in contrast to the corrupt and evil people described in the chapter. While he exemplified faithfulness to God, they deceive others and are themselves deceived.
Charge to Preach Scripture
The doctrine Timothy had fully known embodies truths deemed by the Father and the Son to be essential for the salvation of man, defined from eternity. Those truths were revealed for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, glorifying his own life and the lives of his fellow men not only by possessing truth but by communicating it. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness to that same end. Therefore the charge grounded on that known doctrine and life is to preach the word as it is in Jesus, being instant in season and out of season with reproof, rebuke, and exhortation with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Fulfilling that ministry requires watching in all things, enduring afflictions, and making full proof of ministry. It requires studying to rightly divide the word of truth, while avoiding foolish and unlearned questions and striving about words to no profit. It requires speaking to please God and not men, fearing God and not fearing to speak clear practical truth. It requires feeding the flock willingly as ensamples and not as lords over them.
The charge is urgent because the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine but will turn from the truth to fables. Timothy, who knows the teaching and way of life set before him, stands in contrast with evil people who deceive others and are themselves deceived. The warning therefore calls for continuing in the Scriptures and remaining faithful rather than departing from the truth.
Last-Day Warning and Application
The verse stands within a prophetic description of the last days whose signs and portrayal of the world's condition matched what Miller observed, and that correspondence supported the conclusion that the earth's present era was nearing its close. Every word of the chapter applies at this time to all the churches throughout the world. It calls brethren, including those in America, to wake out of lethargic slumbers, to trim their lamps with the grace of God, and to let them shine forth in clear, bright rays to a world that is in darkness. It belongs to the great work to be done and the message to be borne in regard to fitting up a people to stand in the day of the Lord. It demands coming up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty, because God is the strongest being in the universe.
The chapter's reference to persons who accept error forbids one mind exercising complete control over another mind as practiced in mind-cure. God has given no light or encouragement for physicians to have one mind completely control another so that one acts out the will of another. Though innocent in appearance, this mind-cure in its development is for destruction not restoration, is one of Satan's greatest sciences, brings great temptation to physicians, and lets the enemy gain advantage by making the controlled mind a machine in another's hands. It must find no place in the work of a Christian physician or in health institutions.
Thou hast fully known means Timothy had closely followed and thoroughly understood Paul's teaching, way of life, aim, faith, endurance, love and patience as a faithful pattern of service to God. He knew this by firsthand watching, having seen Paul suffer at Lystra where he was stoned, left for dead, and rose bruised and bleeding to praise Christ for suffering for His name without complaint. The teaching Timothy knew holds the truths essential to salvation, given by inspiration to make the man of God complete, and therefore he is charged to preach the word as it is in Jesus, urgent in season and out of season with reproof, rebuke, exhortation, endurance and doctrine, while watching, enduring hardship, rightly dividing truth and feeding the flock as an example. That charge is urgent because the time comes when people will not bear sound teaching but turn from truth to fables, in contrast to Paul's faithfulness and unlike the corrupt deceivers of the chapter. The verse stands in a prophecy of the last days that matches present conditions and shows the end is near, and every word of it now calls all churches to awake from slumber, trim their lamps and shine to a dark world, and be fitted to stand in the day of the Lord. Its warning against those who accept error forbids one mind dominating another as in mind-cure, which makes the controlled mind a machine, serves destruction, gives the enemy advantage, and must have no place in Christian medical work.
Paul's Example to Timothy
The verse declares that Timothy had fully known Paul's doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love and patience. That known teaching and way of life was a faithful pattern of service to God. His knowledge of it also embraced Paul's endurance under persecution.
Timothy knew these things by personal observation, for he had witnessed Paul's sufferings at Lystra. There Paul was stoned and left for dead, then rose bruised and covered with blood. Instead of groaning or complaining he praised Jesus for being allowed to suffer for his name, enduring willingly for Christ's sake.
That firsthand sight of Paul's teaching, conduct and endurance under persecution established Timothy's fitness as a fellow worker. Having so learned him, Timothy remained his faithful companion through trials and joys.
Paul's faithful life so known stands in contrast to the corrupt and evil people described in the chapter. While he exemplified faithfulness to God, they deceive others and are themselves deceived.
Charge to Preach Scripture
The doctrine Timothy had fully known embodies truths deemed by the Father and the Son to be essential for the salvation of man, defined from eternity. Those truths were revealed for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, glorifying his own life and the lives of his fellow men not only by possessing truth but by communicating it. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness to that same end. Therefore the charge grounded on that known doctrine and life is to preach the word as it is in Jesus, being instant in season and out of season with reproof, rebuke, and exhortation with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Fulfilling that ministry requires watching in all things, enduring afflictions, and making full proof of ministry. It requires studying to rightly divide the word of truth, while avoiding foolish and unlearned questions and striving about words to no profit. It requires speaking to please God and not men, fearing God and not fearing to speak clear practical truth. It requires feeding the flock willingly as ensamples and not as lords over them.
The charge is urgent because the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine but will turn from the truth to fables. Timothy, who knows the teaching and way of life set before him, stands in contrast with evil people who deceive others and are themselves deceived. The warning therefore calls for continuing in the Scriptures and remaining faithful rather than departing from the truth.
Last-Day Warning and Application
The verse stands within a prophetic description of the last days whose signs and portrayal of the world's condition matched what Miller observed, and that correspondence supported the conclusion that the earth's present era was nearing its close. Every word of the chapter applies at this time to all the churches throughout the world. It calls brethren, including those in America, to wake out of lethargic slumbers, to trim their lamps with the grace of God, and to let them shine forth in clear, bright rays to a world that is in darkness. It belongs to the great work to be done and the message to be borne in regard to fitting up a people to stand in the day of the Lord. It demands coming up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty, because God is the strongest being in the universe.
The chapter's reference to persons who accept error forbids one mind exercising complete control over another mind as practiced in mind-cure. God has given no light or encouragement for physicians to have one mind completely control another so that one acts out the will of another. Though innocent in appearance, this mind-cure in its development is for destruction not restoration, is one of Satan's greatest sciences, brings great temptation to physicians, and lets the enemy gain advantage by making the controlled mind a machine in another's hands. It must find no place in the work of a Christian physician or in health institutions.