Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles of Paul the Apostle

251 Pages·1983·1.61 MB·English

by  Cornelius R. Stam

2

YRATNEMMOC
on

SELTS ILPAEROT SEAHPT
OF PAUL THE APOSTLE

by
MAT S. RSUILENROC

Founder, YTEICO SELBI BNAERE B
Former Editor, THGILHCRAE SNAERE B
Radio Teacher, EMI TELBI B
Author, THINGS THAT DIFFER
And Other Bible Studies

Berean Bible Society
N112 W17761 Mequon Road
Germantown, WI 53022

Copyright, 1983

by

Cornelius R. Stam

Second Printing

Printed in USA
3
NOITAICERPP ALUFETAR GNI

Our heartfelt thanks go to many who have helped in the completion of this
.emulov

To my beloved wife, Rut h, who listened intently and made many wise
comments as I read most of the manuscript aloud to her. To Pastor Richard
Jordan, now President of naereB elbiB yteicoS , for his many penetrating
suggestions. Also to Pastor Russell Miller, a faithful and belov ed co - worker with
a keen insight into the Word, who likewise offered many helpful suggestions.

To Brother Richard Hunt, for typing the entire commentary on our Linocomp -
without financial remuneration.

To our proofreaders - every one well qualified for the work: Dan Dobler, Martha
Kaptan, Virginia Tremper - and others who helped in various ways to get the job
done: Rose Ann Carli and Jodie Dokousian among them.

Our sincere thanks too, to many dear friends who have written to share with us
the light that God has given them on these epistles, or to put our views on
certain passages to the test. While we have not adopted all of their suggestions,
we have been helped by many of them and thank all these dear saints for what
their suggestions have meant to us along the way.

Finally, we thank God for those who have provided the funds for the publication
of this book in these difficult times.
4
STNETNOC

Preface 9

IntroduPtcahtsteito oo Enrp ails tles: 0 1
LaboTGuoorgWdeeirttshh e r

Timothy: to Paul of Epistles the to Introduction 4 1
Timothy’s Background - Timothy and the Pastor ate - s ’yhtomiT
Age - WriotTfii nmge

TIFMIORTSHTY

RIETPAHC – I Timothy 1:1 - 4

The Salutation: 0 2
Timothy’s God - neviG yrtsiniM - yM nwO noS - ehT ymotanAf o
eht lacoL hcruhC - The Organization of the Local Church - s’ luaP
nwO elpmaxE - The Condition of the Ephesian Church at that
emiT - ys r’tyshit n otismaMuisTehpE - enirtc orDeh t oON

I IRETPAHC – I Timothy 1:5 - 11

The Object of Paul’s Charge and the Purpose of the Law: 3 3
NTPfehaoeeurdC l h’Tasitr mogo et hy - waL eht fo esopruP ehT

CHAPTER III – I Timothy 1:12 - 17

ehT ecnacifingiS fo eht noisrevnoC fo: luaS 7 3
ecarG gnidnuobA ot eht feihC fo srenniS - ehT ecnatropmI fo eht
Conversion of Saul of Tarsus - The Lost Significance of Saul’s
Conversion - The Chief of Sinners

VRIETPAHC – I Timot 81 :y1h - 7:2

SounDdo ctrinaent dhS ea lvatiootnfh L eo st: 3 4
GoAWo adr favrSseh. i pwreck - A Ransom for All - eht rof reyarP
Unsaved - Prayer for Our Rulers - Does God Love All Men? - di D
Christ Die For All? - Mediator One - em ieT u nDdIeifits eT

PAHC TER V – 8 :y2hto m iIT - 15

Grace in Practice: 1 5
Sexes the of Order Divine The - Sal vatCiihonin l dbearing
5
IRVETPAHC – I Timothy 3:1 - 16

:hcru hlCac oe LhnptiihsredaeL 8 5
The Office of Bishop - A G oodW ork - The Office of Deacon - ehT
Mystery of Godli ness

I IRVETPAHC - I Timothy 4:1 - 16

eghnTi ssoylaCD fnooit ae shfntoe:pesciaDrG 2 7
The Great Apostasy - Which Latter Times? - God’s Infinite Grace
- s’naM esnopseR ot s’doG ecarG - senirtcoD fo snomeD -
Celibacy and Fasting - ehT eulaV fo ssenildoG - s’doG evoLr of
All - MedTiTUhthp eaiostnneeg s

II IRVETPAHC – I Timothy 5:1 - 16

The Widow’s Pension: 2 9
A evitisneS melborP - Widows Indeed - A Dispensational
melborP

XRIETPAHC – I Timothy 5:17 - 25

Bishops and Prospective Bishops: 0 01
ElRdWehros uWleel l - lraenhotiotnaAsnnoespsseiLD

CHAPTER X – 1 :y6hto m iIT - 21

Goadnt dhC eh ristiaLni fe: 6 01
doG dna namuH snoitaleR - doG dna naitsirhC spihsnoitaleR -
Rank, Rights and Righteousness - The Words of Our Lord Jesus
Christ - From Such Withdraw Th yself - ssenildoG h tiW
tnemtnetnoC - Th Geo oFdi ght - ChaRTri hgceeh

SECOND TIMOTHY

:y hn too oitImtIicTudortnI 1 21
Paul’s Circumstances Radically Changed

RIETPAHC – II Timothy 1:1 - 5

BeHliTositvP moeao dut lh y: 3 21
The Apostolic Greeting - nAopA stleB yt heW illo fG od - Dearly A
Beloved Son - Paul and the Believer’s Conscience - e hT
TimothySee to Desire Apostle’s
6
I IRETPAHC – II Timothy 1:6 - 21

,rewoP ,evoL dna a dnuoS: dniM 8 21
Courage For the Conflict - Stir Up the Gift That Is In Thee -
Cou rage For the Conflict - The Gospel Committed to Paul - woH
Wahnedn ? - sgnir e sf n ’f orluesouShaFaTePR

II IRETPAHC – II yhtomiT31:1 - 18

That Precious Deposit: 6 31
WhaITtsh iDse posit? - tnemegaruo cdennhEacatr aeH

VRIETPAHC – II Timothy 2:1 - 15

St rong in Grace: 2 41
The Metaphors of Paul - eB gnortS - rehtaG nA ymrA - The
Illustrations of Scripture - ehT dlO tnematseT sepyT - ruO s’droL
Parables - s’luaP srohpateM - What God Expects of His People -
The Steward - The Soldier - The Athlete - The Farmer - e hT
namstfarC – Conclusion – redisnoC - rebm emeR

CHAPTER V – y6h1 t:Io2ImiT - 26

Negatives: 8 51
What to Avoid - W ronglyD ividingt heW ordo fT ruth - the for Meet
Master’s Use

IRVETPAHC – II Timothy 3:1 - 17

Perilous Times: 3 61
The Course of This Age - The Results of Satan’s Sway - An
Appalling Record of Human Depravity - Moral and Spiritual
Issues - The Power of Godliness Exhibited in the Life of Paul -
Continue Thou

I IRVETPAHC – II Timothy 4:1 - 8

SCohLlaaersmgTtneh :e 6 71
Preach the Word - Pre ach the Word - Make Full Proof of Thy
Ministry - EvangeliAsnt of Work the Do - htr of eAc!nnewHorC

II IRVETPAHC – II Timothy 4:9 - 22

Farewell Requests: 6 81
The Apostle Almost Wholly Abandoned - A kaolC dna e moS
ReaMdaitntge r - TFhienW aolr ds
7

TITUS

IPnTaEtiuprtTliotuo’sdos stu lcet ion: 3 91

RIETPAHC – Titus 1:1 - 4

The Salutation: 4 91
ehT esimorP doG edaM ot flesmiH - ehT esimorP fo doG - A
esimorP – To Himself? – The Promise - ehT noitaleveR fo e ht
esimorP - The Common Faith

I IRETPAHC – Titus 1: 5 - 16

Order to Be Established: 2 02
Elders To Be Ordained - ehT snoitacifilauQ roF sihT noitisoP - A
Character Beyond Reproach - Well Trained Children - r ehtO
Qualifications - evitageN - evitisoP - The Word of God and Our
Responsibility Toward It - gnidloHF ast the Faithful Word - e hT
Gainsayers

II IRETPAHC – Titus 2:1 - 10

DoctSroiunBneed: c omTeh aTth ingsT he 3 12
Godly Behavior - But Thou - The Key to an Effective Pastorate -
The Things Which Become Sound Doctrine - The Aged Men and
Aged Women - The Young Women and Young Men - ’ sutiT
PeRressopnoanls ibility - Exhort Servants

VRIETPAHC – Titus 2:11

The Epiphany of Grace: 0 22
ehT tsetaerG noitaleveR fo llA emiT - The Dispensation of the
Grace of God - The Revelation Lost Sight Of - The Extent of
Paul’s M inistry - The Twelve and Their Commission - luaPd na
His Commission - The Amazing Energy With Which Paul
Proclaimed Grace - ehT eltsopA yleniviD derewopmE - ehT thgiL
demmiD - Our Responsibility To Relight the Torch

CHAPTER V – 2:1T2itus - 15

Disciplin Grabcye e:d 4 32
The Upward Look - egdelwonK toN hguonE - tahT desselB epoH
– The Upward Look - ecarG dna eht enO ydoB - ehT erutpaR fo
the Body - tnenim mI - WCihBtrehiLt sootWn Wegh y
8
IRVETPAHC – Titus 3:1 - 15

Authority:in Those to Subjection 3 42
Th e tsaL fo s’luaP lufhtiaF“ ”sgniyaS - gniredisnoC s’doGe carG
to Us - Paul’s Closing Words to Titus - s’luaP lufhtiaF“ ”sgniyaS -
Final Instructions - Two Christian Gentlemen - Generosity To Be
Taught - laniFsgniteerG
9

ECAFERP

Not long ago I wrote to a friend:

"I have sailed the sea of Christian service for a long time now, and as my
strength begins to wane I sometimes thin k I see land. But every time again the
Lord seems to put His hand on my shoulder and say, 'Sail on for a little while
longer, son. Soon enough you'll reach the harbor."'

This has been particularly true where the writing of this commentary is
concerned, for most of it was accomplished while I was beset with physical
infirmity. But who knows how much the Lord will yet help us to accomplish?

What was a wearying task, physically, however, was pure delight, spiritually.
Having now completed commentaries on the Acts and four of Paul's epistles, I
can truly say that the writing of this last, on Paul's three larotsaP,seltsipE has
proved the most blessed experience of all.

Frankly, I had not realized the extent to which these epistles abound with
exciting dis pensational lessons, while at the same time providing so much
encouragement to godly living.

And now, as this book goes to press, it is our prayer that these studies, which
have brought so much light and blessing to the writer's heart, may do the same
for the reader. And may God in His grace help us all to use this light and
blessing in our witness to others - for His glory.

- MAT S. RSUILENROC

Chicago, Illinois
January 10, 1983
10

NOITCUDORTNI

TOT HEP ASTORALE PISTLES

"LABORERS TOGETHER WITH GOD"

In order to gain the best possible understanding of the Pastoral Epistles, we
will do well to consider first the personalities and characters of the pastors
involved: Timothy and Titus. And since they were so different from each other
we begin with the following question:

What type of Christian personality, do you suppose, can God best use in His
service? Your type? My type? The bold, outspoken type? The reserved, cautious
type?

The answer is: the type that most sincerely desires to be used of God, for the
area of Christian service is so wide that there is need for many and varied
personalities. Only we must ylerecnis erised to be used in whatever way He
wishes to use us.

When our Lord was on earth "He called unto Him His disciples; and of them He
cho se twelve, whom also He named apostles" ( Luke 6:13 ). This is most
instructive, for a disciple is a follower; an apostle is "one sent." A disciple ;snetsil
an apostle speaks. A disciple learns ; an apostle teaches. Thus our Lord called
His disciples to Hi dn am of them He chose twelve whom He appointed apostles.

The declarations of the Old Testament prophets usually began with the words:
"Thus saith the Lord," but at the beginning of the whole long line of the prophets
there was a young lad, saying to the Lord: "Speak; for thy servant heareth " (I
01: 3.maS ).

The lesson is clear. In Christian service there is no getting to the top in ten
easy lessons. Those who aspire to reach the top in the shortest possible period
of time may, like Diotrephes, merely "l ove to have the pre - eminence."

To be truly used of the Lord, then, it is necessary to bear in mind that we must
patiently listen before we can speak authoritatively; we must learn before we can
teach; ew tsum follow erofeb ew nac eb ;tnes ew tsum ylbmuhs ay, "Speak, for
Thy servant heareth" before we can confidently say, "Thus saith the Lord."

Yet, even those who sincerely seek to learn and to have the Holy Spirit mold
their lives do not all develop in the same way. Sometimes the Holy Spirit
associates a lmost opposite personalities in the service of Christ. There could