SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:18
¶ Este mandamiento, hijo Timoteo, te encargo, para que conforme a las profecías pasadas acerca de ti, milites por ellas buena milicia;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 1:18
Verse 18. This charge] See the note on ver. 5. It was a charge that the Judaizing teachers should not teach differently from that doctrine which the apostle had delivered to him. See ver. 3. According to the prophecies] This may refer to some predictions by inspired men, relative to what Timothy should be: and he wishes him to act in all things conformably to those predictions. It was predicted that he should have this high and noble calling; but his behaviour in that calling was a matter of contingency, as it respected the use he might make of the grace of his calling. The apostle therefore exhorts him to war a good warfare, &c.
He was now called to that estate to which the prophecies referred; and now he is to act worthily or unworthily of that calling, according as he fought or did not fight the good warfare, and according as he held or did not hold faith and a good conscience.
Some think that the proagousav profhteiav, the foregoing prophecies, refer to revelations which the apostle himself had received concerning Timothy; while others think that the word is to be understood of advices, directions, and exhortations, which the apostle had previously delivered to him; we know that profhteuw signifies to speak to men to edification, to exhortation, and to comfort. See 1 Cor. xiv. 3. This is a very sober and good sense of the passage.
War a good warfare] The trials and afflictions of the followers of God are often represented as a warfare or campaign. See Isa. xl. 2; 1 Cor. ix. 7; 2 Cor. x. 4; and see the reasons of this metaphorical form of speech, in the notes on Eph. vi. 13.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy , etc.] After a digression the apostle had made concerning himself, his conversion, and call to the ministry, he returns to his former subject, and original design, and renews the charge he gave to Timothy; and which was not only an order to charge others to teach no other doctrine than that of the Gospel; but includes the charge of preaching it himself, and intends the glorious Gospel of the blessed God committed to his trust, and the whole form of sound words he had heard of him, and which he had charged him to keep pure and incorrupt: and this was done, according to the prophecies which went before on thee ; by which are meant, not the prophecies of the Old Testament, though of these Timothy had a considerable share of knowledge from a child, and was hereby greatly qualified to have such a charge committed to him; but then these were not prophecies concerning him, but the Messiah, his person, office, kingdom, and grace: nor are any particular revelations made unto the Apostle Paul concerning Timothy intended, of which there is no account; the revelations and visions he had, related not to men, and their characters, but to doctrines; rather the testimonies of the brethren at Lystra and Iconium, and the good reports they made of him to the apostle, which promised and foreboded future usefulness, are designed; though it seems best of all to understand these prophecies of such as were delivered out by the prophets in the church, for such there were in those times; who, when Timothy was a child, or a youth, foretold that he would have great gifts bestowed upon him, and would be a very useful, diligent, laborious, and successful preacher of the Gospel; and therefore the apostle mentions these to stimulate him the more to the discharge of his work, that he might answer the prophecies concerning him: for he adds, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare : that is, that in consideration of the charge committed to him, and the prophecies that went before of him, might be the more industrious to fulfil his ministry, is signified by a warfare, in allusion to the service of the Levites, which is so called, ( Numbers 8:24) with zeal and courage, faithfulness and integrity: for not that warfare is intended, which is common to all believers; who being enlisted as volunteers under Christ, the Captain of their salvation, and having on the whole armour of God, fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil; and are more than conquerors through him that has loved them: but that warfare, which is peculiar to the ministers of the word; whose business it is more especially to fight the good fight of faith, and as good soldiers of Christ, to endure hardness for the sake of him, and his Gospel; and who, besides the other enemies, have to do with false teachers; and their warfare lies in publishing and defending the Gospel of Christ, and in contending for it, and in the weakening of Satan's kingdom, and enlarging the kingdom of Christ; and for which the weapons of their warfare are peculiarly made, and are eminently succeeded; and when they are used to such good purposes, by the ministers of the Gospel, they war a good warfare.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 18-20 - The ministry is a warfare against sin and Satan; carried on under the Lord Jesus, who is the Captain of our salvation. The good hopes other have had of us, should stir us up to duty. And let us be upright in ou conduct in all things. The design of the highest censures in the primitive church, was, to prevent further sin, and to reclaim the sinner. May all who are tempted to put away a good conscience, and to abuse the gospel, remember that this is the way to make shipwreck of faith also __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ταυτην 3778 την 3588 παραγγελιαν 3852 παρατιθεμαι 3908 5731 σοι 4671 τεκνον 5043 τιμοθεε 5095 κατα 2596 τας 3588 προαγουσας 4254 5723 επι 1909 σε 4571 προφητειας 4394 ινα 2443 στρατευη 4754 5735 εν 1722 αυταις 846 την 3588 καλην 2570 στρατειαν 4752
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. This charge (tauthn thn paraggelian). See on ver. T It refers to what follows, that thou might'st war, etc.
I commit (paratiqemai). The verb in the active voice means to place beside. In the middle, to deposit or intrust. Only once in Paul, 1 Corinthians x. 27. Comp. 1 Pet. iv. 19.
According to the prophecies which went before on thee (kata tav proagousav epi se profhteiav). Const, according to with I commit: which went before is to be taken absolutely, and not with on thee: const. prophecies with on these. On thee means concerning thee. The sense of the whole passage is: "I commit this charge unto thee in accordance with prophetic intimations which I formerly received concerning thee." Prophecy is ranked among the foremost of the special spiritual endowments enumerated by Paul. See Roman xii. 6; 1 Cor. xii. 10; xiii. 2, 8; xiv. 6, 22. In 1 Corinthians 12. 28; Eph. iv. 11, prophets come next after apostles in the list of those whom God has appointed in the church. In Epesians ii. 20, believers, Jew and Gentile, are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. According to 1 Tim. iv. 14, prophecy has previously designated Timothy as the recipient of a special spiritual gift; and the prophecies in our passage are the single expressions or detailed contents of the prophecy mentioned there. Proagein to go before is not used by Paul. In the Pastorals and Heb. it appears only as an intransitive verb, and so in the only instance in Luke, xviii. 39. In Acts always transitive, to bring forth. See Acts xii. 6; xvi. 30; xvii. 5; xxv. 26. That by them (ina en autaiv). %Ina that denoting the purport of the charge. By them (en), lit. in them; in their sphere, or, possibly, in the power of these.
Thou mightiest war a good warfare (strateuh - thn kalhn strateian). More correctly, the good warfare. Strateia war-fare once by Paul, 2 Cor. x. 4. Not flight (machn), but covering all the particulars of a soldier's service.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:18 {I commit} (paratiqemai). Present middle indicative of old and common verb, to place beside (para) as food on table, in the middle to entrust (#Lu 12:48) and used by Jesus as he was dying (#Lu 23:46). Here it is a banking figure and repeated in #2Ti 2:2. {According to the prophecies which went before on thee} (kata tas proagousas epi se profeteias). Intransitive use of proagw, to go before. When Timothy first comes before us (#Ac 16:2) "he was testified to" (emartureito) by the brethren. He began his ministry rich in hopes, prayers, predictions. {That by them thou mayest war the good warfare} (hina strateuei en autais ten kalen strateian). Cognate accusative (strateian, old word from strateuw, in N.T. only here and #2Co 4:4) with strateuei (second person singular middle present subjunctive of strateuw, old verb chiefly in Paul in N.T., #1Co 9:7; 2Co 10:3). As if in defensive armor.
