I Timothy 6:13

quickeneth all things--that is, "maketh alive." But the oldest manuscripts read, "preserveth alive"; as the same Greek means in Act 7:19; compare Neh 9:6. He urges Timothy to faithfulness here by the present manifestation of God's power in preserving all things, as in Ti1 6:14, by the future manifestation of God's power at the appearing of Christ. The assurance that "eternal life," Ti1 6:12, will be the result of "fighting the good fight," rests on the fulness and power of Him who is the God of all life, present and to come. witnessed--It was the Lord's part to witness, Timothy's part to confess (or "profess," Ti1 6:12) "the good confession" [BENGEL]. The confession was His testimony that He was King, and His kingdom that of the truth (see on Ti1 6:12; Ti1 6:15; Mat 27:11). Christ, in attesting, or bearing witness to this truth, attested the truth of the whole of Christianity. Timothy's profession, or confession, included therefore the whole of the Christian truth.

The apostle here charges Timothy to keep this commandment (that is, the whole work of his ministry, all the trust reposed in him, all the service expected from him) without spot, unrebukable; he must conduct himself so in his ministry that he might not lay himself open to any blame nor incur any blemish. What are the motives to move him to this? I. He gives him a solemn charge: I give thee charge in the sight of God that thou do this. He charges him as he will answer it at the great day to that God whose eyes are upon us all, who sees what we are and what we do: - God, who quickens all things, who has life in himself and is the fountain of life. This should quicken us to the service of God that we serve a God who quickens all things. He charges him before Christ Jesus, to whom in a peculiar manner he stood related as a minister of his gospel: Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. Observe, Christ died not only as a sacrifice, but as a martyr; and he witnessed a good confession when he was arraigned before Pilate, saying (Joh 18:36, Joh 18:37), My kingdom is not of this world: I am come to bear witness unto the truth. That good confession of his before Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world, should be effectual to draw off all his followers, both ministers and people, from the love of this world. II. He reminds him of the confession that he himself had made: Thou hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (Ti1 6:12), namely, when he was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. The obligation of that was still upon him, and he must live up to that, and be quickened by that, to do the work of his ministry. III. He reminds him of Christ's second coming: "Keep this commandment - until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; keep…

6:13 Paul emphasizes the historical nature of Christ’s mediating work (see 2:5-6). The testimony of Christ Jesus at his trial before Pontius Pilate (Matt 27:11-14; Luke 23:1-4; John 18:33-38; 19:9-11) holds up his example as an incentive for Timothy to remain steadfast under pressure.