The bishop's qualification as to doctrine.
The apostle reserves to the last place the most important of all the qualifications needed by elders.
I. THE DUTY OF ADHERING TO THE TRUTH. "Holding fast the faithful Word which is according to the teaching."
1. The doctrine of the gospel is "the faithful word:"
2. It is no mere subjective opinion of the preacher, but is based upon or in agreement with the teaching of the apostles. "Which is according to the teaching." The truth is not to be discovered by the preacher, but delivered to him.
3. It is to be steadfastly maintained. The preacher is not to allow it to be wrested from his grasp by false teachers. The apostle was always emphatic as to the importance of this duty. "Hold fast the form of sound doctrine, which thou heardest from me" (2 Timothy 1:13); "Continue thou in the things thou hast learned" (2 Timothy 3:14). It was a powerful lever in his hands for moving the hearts of men.
II. THE DESIGN OF THIS QUALIFICATION. "That he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayers."
1. The preacher must be qualified for exhortation in the sphere of a sound, healthy, practical teaching. This implies that men had some knowledge of the truth, but they need to be persuaded to follow it rather than a morbid and unpractical teaching that can in no way minister to edification.
2. He must be qualified to refute the arguments of false teachers. And nothing is so powerfully conducive to this end as sound doctrine firmly held and wisely applied.—T.C.