2. Timotheus 1:3

I thank--Greek, "I feel gratitude to God." whom I serve from my forefathers--whom I serve (Rom 1:9) as did my forefathers. He does not mean to put on the same footing the Jewish and Christian service of God; but simply to assert his own conscientious service of God as he had received it from his progenitors (not Abraham, Isaac, &c., whom he calls "the fathers," not "progenitors" as the Greek is here; Rom 9:5). The memory of those who had gone before to whom he is about to be gathered, is now, on the eve of death, pleasant to him; hence also, he calls to mind the faith of the mother and grandmother of Timothy; as he walks in the faith of his forefathers (Act 23:1; Act 24:14; Act 26:6-7; Act 28:20), so Timothy should persevere firmly in the faith of his parent and grandparent. Not only Paul, but the Jews who reject Christ, forsake the faith of their forefathers, who looked for Christ; when they accept Him, the hearts of the children shall only be returning to the faith of their forefathers (Mal 4:6; Luk 1:17; Rom 11:23-24, Rom 11:28). Probably Paul had, in his recent defense, dwelt on this topic, namely, that he was, in being a Christian, only following his hereditary faith. that . . . I have remembrance of thee--"how unceasing I make my mention concerning thee" (compare Plm 1:4). The cause of Paul's feeling thankful is, not that he remembers Timothy unceasingly in his prayers, but for what Timothy is in faith (Ti2 1:5) and graces; compare Rom 1:8-9, from which supply the elliptical sentence thus, "I thank God (for thee, for God is my witness) whom I serve . . . that (or how) without ceasing I have remembrance (or make mention) of thee," &c. night and day--(See on Ti1 5:5).

1:3-4 Thanksgiving and prayer are standard sections of Paul’s letters (e.g., Rom 1:8-12; Col 1:3-14; contrast Gal 1:6-10). 1:3 just as my ancestors did: See Phil 3:5; cp. Deut 6:4-9. • with a clear conscience: This might be in relation to heresy (see 2 Tim 2:17-18; see also 1 Tim 1:5) or to Paul’s previous legal self-defense (see Acts 23:1; 24:14-16).