1 Timothy 4:14

Neglect not (mh amelei). Present active imperative in prohibition of amelew, old verb, rare in N.T. ( Matthew 22:5 ; 1 Timothy 4:14 ; Hebrews 2:3 ; Hebrews 8:9 ). From amelh (a privative and melei, not to care). Use with genitive. The gift that is in thee (tou en soi carismato). Late word of result from carizomai, in papyri (Preisigke), a regular Pauline word in N.T. ( 1 Corinthians 1:7 ; 2 Corinthians 1:11 ; Romans 1:11 ; etc.). Here it is God's gift to Timothy as in 2 Timothy 1:6 . By prophecy (dia prophteia). Accompanied by prophecy ( 2 Timothy 1:18 ), not bestowed by prophecy. With the laying on of the hands of the presbytery (meta epiqesew twn ceirwn tou presbuteriou). In Acts 13:2 , when Barnabas and Saul were formally set apart to the mission campaign (not then ordained as ministers, for they were already that), there was the call of the Spirit and the laying on of hands with prayer. Here again meta does not express instrument or means, but merely accompaniment. In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul speaks only of his own laying on of hands, but the rest of the presbytery no doubt did so at the same time and the reference is to this incident. There is no way to tell when and where it was done, whether at Lystra when Timothy joined Paul's party or at Ephesus just before Paul left Timothy there ( 2 Timothy 1:3 ). Epiqesi (from epitiqhmi, to lay upon) is an old word, in LXX, etc. In the N.T. we find it only here, 2 Timothy 1:16 ; Acts 8:18 ; Hebrews 6:2 , but the verb epitiqhmi with ta ceira more frequently ( Acts 6:6 of the deacons; Acts 8:19 ; Acts 13:3 ; 1 Timothy 5:22 , etc.). Presbuterion is a late word (ecclesiastical use also), first for the Jewish Sanhedrin ( Luke 22:66 ; Acts 22:5 ), then (here only in N.T.) of Christian elders (common in Ignatius), though presbutero (elder) for preachers (bishops) is common ( Acts 11:30 ; Acts 15:2 ; Acts 20:17 , etc.).