18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
(1 Timothy 1:18-20 KJV)
Thomas Scott
Verses 18-20: The apostle here referred to what he had before spoken (1Ti 1:3,5,11). The trust committed to him by Jesus Christ as his apostle, he had committed to his “son Timothy.” He was encouraged to repose great confidence in him, not only by what he knew of his principles and character; but by entertaining hopes of him, “according to certain prophecies” which inspired persons had uttered concerning him before his appointment to the ministry; and he expected that, by meditating upon them, he should be animated and instructed in “warring a good warfare,” or rather, “the good” or honorable “warfare,” as a valiant soldier of Jesus Christ. This must be done by maintaining and insisting on both the faith of the gospel, or its doctrines as uncorrupted and unmutilated; and a good conscience, or an universally conscientious conduct. These Timothy must be careful to connect, both in his own example and in his preaching; for some professed Christians, having neglected to maintain and insist on a good conscience, had after a time renounced the faith also, and made shipwreck of their whole religion; either by a total apostasy from their profession, or by the most heretical corruptions of the gospel.—Of this number were Hymeneus and Alexander, with whom Timothy had doubtless been acquainted. These the apostle had found it needful openly to excommunicate, and cast out of the church into the visible kingdom of Satan; that they might be instructed, by this discipline, not to blaspheme Christ, or disgrace his gospel by their impious tenets. It is generally supposed that some severe correction was miraculously inflicted on them, which would tend to make them sensible of their guilt and danger, and subserve the charitable design of bringing them to repentance. We afterwards read of Hymeneus; and probably Alexander the coppersmith was the other person meant. It does not, however, appear that either of them was brought to repentance by the correction awarded them.—It has often been justly observed, that the severe censures which the apostle inflicted on those who had once been professors or ministers of Christianity, and publicly recorded with their names annexed, constitute a most conclusive proof that he had no dread of their being provoked to disclose any secret, or give information of any evil practice , which they had witnessed among Christians. His conduct implied a public challenge to them in this respect, and was the genuine expression of conscious integrity, and the courage which springs from it.—Some think that Timothy was chosen to the ministry by the prophecies respecting him (1Ti 1:18); and that this was the way in which the pastors and teachers in the newly planted churches were generally selected; but this opinion, as to the general plan, does not appear to be supported by sufficient proof.