Fellowship and Its Power

Tou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. A.V.

Take thy share in suffering hardship, as a true (xadés) soldier of Christ Jesus.

WE vary our rendering here, somewhat markedly, from that of the Authorized Version, as the reader will observe. The reason is that the original Greek text, as it is now satisfactorily settled, demands the omission of the word rendered ‘therefore, and the insertion into the verb of a syllable indicating participation. Both changes bring a certain gain. The redundant and not quite pointed repetition of ‘therefore’ disappears, and a most important element, full of beautiful suggestion, appears instead of it — the element of fellowship, the thought of not merely ‘suffering hardship’ but suffering it in company, meeting trial, toil, and peril, not alone but side by side.

‘Take thy share in suffering. We have already had the very word, in the Greek, above (i. 8), where we paraphrased the clause, ‘suffer with the suffering Gospel.’ Here, if we read the context of thought aright, the Apostle means to call Timothy to ‘suffer

with the suffering’ messenger of that Gospel, to share

the lot of toil and pain with his chief and friend.

Fellowship and its Power

A pregnant and noble difference is thus made. 2 Tim. ii. The bare summons to undergo is one thing; it may 3- be a hard, a cold appeal, a mere official order delivered to a military unit. But the call to come to the leader’s side and to partake with him his own deep experiences of danger and sorrow is a very different thing. On the one hand it brings home the inspiring thought of the leader’s own large share in the soldier’s lot; his own experience of the conflict, and of the watch-fire, and of the broken slumber upon the field. On the other hand it discloses the leader’s heart towards the follower; the captain’s generous thirst for fellowship, his open avowal of the help to his own courage which his dear subordinate’s partnership will bring.

Even so the Caprain of our salvation cared that Gethsemane. His disciples should share, in some measure, in His sorrows. ‘ My soul is exceeding sorrowful; tarry ye here, and watch with me’ (Matt. xxvi. 38); ‘Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations’ (Luke xxii. 28). And He has sanctioned the thought of the strength and blessing of fellowship in trial for all His followers of every age, when He bids His Apostle write (1 Pet. v. 9); ‘Resist the devil in the solid strength (arepeoc) of faith, knowing that the same sorts of suffering (ra avra Tav ara0nuarwv) are being carried to their goal (émte-AeicOa) for your brotherhood which is in the world.’

Yes, there is a deep secret of hope and power The in the fact of such a ‘brotherhood,’ the inner Power! brotherhood of grace, and of a circle more intimate Brotherhood. still within it, the brotherhood of suffering ‘under

2 Tim. ii. the mighty hand of God.’ In the early days of

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the English Reformation a notable group of young student Christians was planted by Wolsey in his great foundation at Oxford, Cardinal College, now Christ Church. All of them, unknown to the founder, were men powerfully influenced by Luther, and they all fell into inevitable trouble when their convictions were avowed. Sharers for a time of a loathsome prison, they discovered there the happiness and strength of fellowship. ‘Brothers indeed we were in those evil days,’ wrote one of the survivors, looking back long afterwards.

Who that has ever in the least degree suffered in the path of obedience does not know something of what St. Paul means here? ‘Take thy share with me, on the field of battle, at the post of anxious outlook, in the hour of critical counsel. And there are always those with whom such share may be taken; there were once seven thousand of them (1 Kings xix. 18) when Elijah thought he was alone.

Let us make our times of pain, when they come, times of renewed remembrance of ‘our brotherhood which is in the world, and of a renewed resolve to ‘take our share.’ So shall the spirit of the ‘true soldier of Christ Jesus’ revive and grow within us. So we shall be able to think, not with reluctance but with the alacrity of faith, that if we are Christ’s indeed we are called not to a holiday but to a campaign; that our tent is pitched upon a field of battle; that we are not isolated adventurers, fighting each for his own hand, but soldiers in the uniform of the King, sharing alike.