Advice To Timothy

 "Let no one reproach you on account of your youth.  Be a model to the believers, in the way you speak and act, in your love, your faith and purity of life.  Devote yourself to reading, preaching and teaching, until I come.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift conferred on you with prophetic words, when the elders laid their hands upon you.  Think about it, and practice it, so that your progress may be seen by all.  Take heed of yourself, and attend to your teaching.  Be steadfast in doing this, and you will save both yourself and your hearers." - 1 Timothy 4:12-16 

(Let no one reproach you on account of your youth.  Usually, in the Christian communities and in the Jewish ones, the leaders were older men.  This is why they were called "elders" or "presbyters" [which means the same thing].  Timothy, who is visiting the church on behalf of Paul, has authority over these elders, even though he is much younger than they are.  The example of his sincere faith and profound knowledge of the Scriptures will be his strength.

Devote yourself in reading, preaching and teaching until I come.  This counsel is always valid.  To be steadfast in reading and study is what costs most in the majority of liberal professions.  Very few people are courageous enough to persevere in study once they have passed their examinations.  This is so, even in the Church.  The "pastors," clergy and lay, are constantly tempted in thinking such and such an activity is pastorally useful, that leisure is "relaxing" even at the cost of postponing study and meditation on the word.  The Church is always lacking people able to express their faith creatively--a gift that springs from spiritual knowledge and habitual contact with the word of GOD: smiles, goodwill and psychology cannot replace this charism.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift.  If someone was named to a ministry or an official position in the church, this was considered as a spiritual gift: for example, presbyters, deacons, bishops, prophets.  While other gifts, such as healing the sick, came directly from the Holy Spirit, ministries were received through a laying on of hands.  An apostle or a prophet would lay his hands on the candidate to transfer to him the authority that he had received in a similar way.  Thus, in the Church, every leader receives his authority from CHRIST through a succession of people going back to the apostles.

On this occasion the prophets present would also address the candidate with exhortations and warnings [see 1:18].)

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