4:6 {9} If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast {f} attained.
(9) The conclusion with an exhortation to Timothy, to propound these things diligently to the churches, which he had gotten from the apostle even as though he were being fed.
(f) Never departing from it in the least.
4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things. Impress upon them what has just been written.
Thou shalt be a good minister. Thus shall Timothy well discharge his office, and prove himself a faithful minister.
4:6-10 Outward acts of self-denial profit little. What will it avail us to mortify the body, if we do not mortify sin? No diligence in mere outward things could be of much use. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise; and the promises to godly people relate partly to the life that now is, but especially to the life which is to come: though we lose for Christ, we shall not lose by him. If Christ be thus the Saviour of all men, then much more will he be the Rewarder of those who seek and serve him; he will provide well for those whom he has made new creatures.
