What Does 2 Timothy 2:7 Mean?

(7) **Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.**—The older authorities read here *will give;* also instead of “and the Lord,” the translation should be, *for the Lord.* Thus the sentence should run: *for the Lord* *will give thee understanding in all things.* Some difficulty has been found in explaining exactly why, when we look at the foregoing words, Timothy should be so specially charged to consider St. Paul’s words here, and why the declaration respecting “understanding in all things” was made in this particular place. Theophylact suggested because the preceding exhortations were in the form of metaphors, “he spake all things in an enigmatical form:” but surely these metaphors were the reverse of obscure, and did not seem to need for their comprehension any special enlightenment; if then we refer the words of this verse exclusively to what precedes, it will be best to understand the charge of St. Paul, “Consider what I say,” &c., as directing Timothy’s attention to the *personal* application of each of the pictures, or metaphors. It seems, however, that the words “Consider,” &c., while referring to what he *had* said, belong also to the far weightier words he was about to write in the next sentence (2Timothy 2:8). He is in this chapter exhorting Timothy to be strong in the faith in the face of many troubles. He has instanced to him earthly examples to show how success, even *here, *depends on enduring perseverance, and is now passing on to set before him other and far higher inducements for him “to be strong;” and between the first set of arguments and the second he bids him “Consider what I say” (part has been said, but yet other and deeper things are to follow). God will five him power to grasp their meaning in all their depth.