2 Timothy 2:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"The servant of the Lord must not quarrel." One must not quarrel even in disputation. The servant of God must be far from quarrels. If God is the God of peace, how can the servant of the God of peace quarrel?

"But be gentle to all." "The servant of the Lord," he says, "must not quarrel, but be gentle to all." Why then does he say, "Rebuke them with all authority" (Tit 2:15)? And again here, "Let no one despise your youth" (1 Tim 4:12)? And again, "Rebuke them sharply" (Tit 1:13)?

Because even this is the work of meekness. Strong reproof, when it is done with meekness, can especially touch the heart. One can touch the heart much sooner by meekness than shame it by severity.

"But the servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all." Gentle means meek. Why, then, does the Apostle say, "Rebuke with all authority and severity" (Tit 2:15), and again, "Let no one despise your youth" (1 Tim 4:12)? Because strong rebuke moves especially when it is done with meekness. One can more readily move by meekness than shame by severity. "Able to teach." This is for those who wish to learn. For he also says: "Reject a heretic after the first and second admonition" (Tit 3:10). "Patient." This quality is especially necessary while awaiting conversion and continuing instruction, rather than rushing to excommunication. See what follows next.

The servant of the Lord, as one who is meek, must not quarrel with such ignorant men. Rather, he must be quiet and modest, as his Lord taught him, not only toward one person, but toward all men. He must also be gentle and patient toward his disciples. If you see brothers agreeing together on an evil deed, do not join in their disorder. Withdraw, enter your cell, and remember Him who said: "The servant of the Lord must not quarrel."

"The servant of the Lord must not quarrel." For the one entrusted with preaching the divine instructions must present them without disputes. The Apostle also added this: "but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient," "correcting opponents with meekness." The one who teaches unbelievers with fatherly meekness and magnanimously hears their objections will often persuade even extremely stubborn heretics. The Apostle teaches Timothy to remain in teaching and not to despair regarding those who do not easily receive the word of preaching.

"And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all." He must be meek, for boldness can harden an opponent, whereas meekness is more likely to bring him to understanding. If the Lord Himself is meek, for He says, "Learn from Me, for I am meek" (Mt 11:29), and He is also the lawgiver of peace, then His servant must not start quarrels. "Able to teach," that is, toward those who desire to learn. "Patient." He must be magnanimous and long-suffering.

If someone defends his own unjust and false cause with far greater zeal than he sympathizes with another person's just and true cause, this comes only from a tendency toward conceit and pride. Foreseeing this very thing, the blessed Apostle Paul writes to Timothy and teaches that a bishop must not be quarrelsome or fond of disputes, but teachable and gentle. The one capable of teaching is he who, being patient himself, possesses meekness and quietness while being instructed. For a bishop must not only teach, but also learn. He teaches best who daily grows and advances in the study of what is better.

The servant of the Lord must not quarrel. Here the Apostle lists the same qualities of the servant of the Lord, that is, of the minister of the Church, which he also indicated in 1 Tim 3:2-3.

"Therefore be pure from this," Saint Paul concludes his exhortations to Timothy concerning false teachings, "that you may be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and useful to the Master." Be pure from their vices also: "Flee youthful lusts," and so forth. Be pure from their disputes over words also: "Avoid foolish and ignorant controversies," and so forth (see 2 Tim 2:16).

The measures of prudent conduct toward opponents of the faith consist first of all in restraint. This is especially necessary when judging the most absurd opinions, where it is particularly easy to fall into indignation and then, in disputes, into quarrel.

Precisely here special caution is needed. It is most easily attained by avoiding judgment about what is not even worth judging.

Toward all, the Apostle commands the servant of God to be gracious, edifying, free from malice, and even to instruct opponents with meekness. He places hope in God, who by judgments known to Him can awaken in them repentance and the desire to be freed from the devil, who has caught them in his snares. The devil is the chief instigator of every uprising directed against the Lord.

But in order to be a vessel unto honor, Timothy must not only cleanse himself from defilement coming from without. He must also fight everything impure within himself and cultivate Christian virtues, chiefly meekness and guilelessness. Only with these can there be successful labor in converting those who have gone astray.

Here is the subject of the present section. Do not argue, yet teach, and teach even opponents, but quietly and meekly.

"For one entrusted with preaching divine instruction must offer it without disputes" (blessed Theodoret).

"One must not quarrel even in disputation. The servant of God must be far from quarrels. If God is the God of peace, how can the servant of the God of peace quarrel?" (Saint Chrysostom).

"But be gentle to all." Gentle, but not sluggish. A sluggish word will produce no effect. One must speak both strongly and without quarrelsomeness. Otherwise, why would he write elsewhere, "Rebuke with all authority" (Tit 2:15), and again, "Rebuke them sharply" (Tit 1:13)?