Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you through prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Neglect not the grace. The Greek seems to imply the gifts of the Holy Spirit, given by the sacraments, by prophecy; which may signify, when the gift of preaching or of expounding prophets was bestowed upon thee.
With the imposition of the hands of the priesthood. Some expound it, when thou didst receive the order of priesthood, or wast made bishop: but the sense rather seems to be, when the hands of priests of the first order (i.e. of bishops) were laid upon thee, according to St. Chrysostom. (Witham)
St. Augustine sayeth that no man can doubt whether holy orders be a sacrament; and that no one may argue that he uses the term improperly, and without due precision, he joineth this sacrament in nature and name with baptism (Contra Ep. Par men. lib. 2. chap. xiii.) St. Ambrose on this verse understands in the words imposition of hands, all the holy action and sacred words done and spoken over him when he was made a priest; whereby, says the saint, he was designed to the work, and receiv...
The apostle clearly teaches that presbyters are the same as bishops…. Writing to Titus the apostle says, “For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and appoint presbyters in every city, as I had instructed. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having believing children not accused of wantonness or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God.” And to Timothy he says, “Neglect not the gift of prophecy that is in you, which was given you through the laying on of hands of the presbytery.”
Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy.
Here he calls teaching prophecy.
With the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. He speaks not here of Presbyters, but of Bishops. For Presbyters cannot be supposed to have ordained a Bishop.
If you are willing, you will have more success with each other than we can have. For you both are with one another for a longer time, and you know more than we of each other’s affairs. Further, you are not ignorant of each other’s failings, and you have more freedom of speech, and love and intimacy. These are no small advantages for teaching but great and opportune moments for it. You will be more able than we both to reprove and exhort. And not this only, but because I am but one, whereas you are many; and you will be able, however many, to be teachers. Therefore I entreat you, do not “neglect this gift.”
