1 Timothy 4:14 - Exposition

The gift ( χάρισμα ). The verb χαρίζομαι means " to give anything freely," gratuitously, of mere good will, without any payment or return ( Luke 7:42 ; Acts 27:24 ; Romans 8:32 ; 1 Corinthians 2:12 , etc.). Hence χάρισμα came to be especially applied to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are preeminently "free gifts" (see Acts 8:20 ). It is so applied in Romans 1:11 ; Romans 12:6 ; 1 Corinthians 1:7 ; 1 Corinthians 12:4 , 1 Corinthians 12:9 , 1 Corinthians 12:28 , 1 Corinthians 12:30 , 1 Corinthians 12:31 ; 1 Peter 4:10 . Here, then, as in the similar passage, 2 Timothy 1:6 , the " gift " spoken of is the special grace given by the Holy Ghost to those who are separated for " the office and work of a priest in the Church of God by the imposition of hands" (Ordering of Priests). This gift St. Paul bids him not neglect ( μὴ ἀμέλει ). The word contains the idea of contemptuous neglect—neglect as of an unimportant thing. In Matthew 22:5 the persons invited to the feast made light of it, and went away to other things which they cared mere about. In Hebrews 2:3 , τηλικαύτης ἀμελήσαντες σωτηρίας , and Hebrews 8:9 , imply a contemptuous disregard. So here Timothy is reminded that in his ordination he received a great χάρισμα , and that he must value it duly, and use it diligently. It must not be let lie slumbering and smoldering, but must be stirred up into a flame. The lesson here and in 2 Timothy 1:6 seems to be that we must look back to our ordination, and to the spiritual grace given in it, as things not exhausted. The grace is there, but it must not be lightly thought of. Which was given thee by prophecy. This seems to be explained by Acts 13:1-3 , where Barnabas and Saul were separated for their work by the laying on of the hands apparently of the prophets and teachers, at the express command of the Holy Ghost, speaking doubtless by the mouth of one of the prophets. Timothy, it appears, was designated for his work by a like command of the Holy Ghost, speaking by one of the Church prophets, and received his commission by a like " laying on of hands" by the elders of the Church. If St. Paul refers, as he appears to do, to the same occasion in 2 Timothy 1:6 , then it appears that he laid his hands on Timothy, together with the presbyters, as is done by the bishop in the ordination of priests. The presbytery ( τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου ). The word is borrowed from the Jewish nomenclature (see Luke 22:6 ; Acts 22:5 ). In a slightly different sense for "the office of a presbyter," Sus. 5.50 (Cod. Alex.).