Verse 1

Of God, our Saviour. God the Father is here called our Saviour, as also to Titus, (iii. 4.) being the author of our salvation, as are all the three divine persons. (Witham) --- As this letter was to be read to the faithful, it was proper that St. Paul should speak with dignity and authority; and, as in the course of it he reproves false apostles who taught from themselves, he reminds them at the beginning of his letter, that he himself had entered the sacred ministry, and was an apostle by the command of God. (Calmet)

Verse 2

To Timothy, my beloved son (1) in faith: not that St. Paul first converted him, but that by his instructions he was settled in the principles of faith and of the Christian religion. (Witham)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Dilecto, Greek: gnesio tekio. Some manuscripts, Greek: agapeto.

Verse 3

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Ne aliter docerent, Greek: me eterodidaskalein, aliud docere.

Verse 4

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Interminatis, Greek: aperantois, infinitis, sine fine.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Ædificationem Dei, Greek: oikodouian Theou; which, I think, might as well be translated, godly edification. Some few manuscripts, Greek: oikonomian.

Verse 5

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Impiis, Greek: asebesi, indevotis, non colentibus Deum.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Injustis, Greek: anomois, sine lege.

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Verse 8

The law is good. Do not think I condemn the law of Moses, or those who observe it; it is good, if properly understood and rightly practised. I only blame those who make the law an occasion of disturbance; who, without understanding, pretend to be masters, and teach idle curiosities. (Theodoret)

Verse 9

The law is not, &c. He means that the just man doth good, and avoideth evil, not as compelled by the law, and merely for fear of the punishment appointed for transgressors, but voluntarily, and for the love of God and virtue; and would do so, though there were no law. (Challoner) --- If all men were just, the law would be unnecessary, as law are made against transgressors. (Calmet) --- It is not the just, but the unjust, that the law threatens, binds, and chastises. The just man obeys it without violence or constraint; he fulfils it with pleasure. (St. Augustine, lib. de Spiritu. &c.)

Verse 13

Because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, or in incredulity. Not that we can think it an invincible and altogether an inculpable ignorance, such as would have made St. Paul blameless in the sight of God. It was through his pure mercy that he called St. Paul, when his great sins and false zeal made him a greater object of the divine mercy: and God in him was pleased to make known to all men his wonderful patience, that no sinner might despair. The grace of God was superabounding, or exceedingly abundant in him. (Witham)

Verse 15

Christ Jesus, the true Son of God, came into the world to save sinners, of whom (says St. Paul) I am the chief, the first, the greatest. (Witham)

Verse 17

Verse 18

This precept I commend to thee. Some understand it a precept of what follows, that he should wage a good warfare against the enemies of God and of his salvation. Others refer it to the precept mentioned before, ver. 5, to wit, that Timothy should charge all the new converts not to give ear to new teachers. --- Prophecies. He seems to mean some particular predictions made by some who had the gift of prophecies, and who foretold that he should be a great minister of God. (Witham) --- The apostle reminds his disciple that he did receive him in the number of his disciples, and ordained him a ruler of the Church, in consequence of a prophecy; that is, a particular inspiration and revelation of the divine will. (St. John Chrysostom)

Verse 19

evil life is not unfrequently the leading principle of defection from the faith. The heart, not the mind, is generally the first corrupted.

Verse 20

I have delivered to Satan; whom I have excommunicated, that they may learn not to blaspheme, or speak against the truth of the faith. (Theophylactus) --- The devil frequently, at that time, took possession of, or afflicted the excommunicated with diseases and other temporal evils. (St. John Chrysostom)