2 Timothy 2:19

(19) Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure.—Better rendered, Nevertheless God’s firm foundation standeth. Nevertheless, that is to say, though some may be shaken in faith by the unhappy teaching above referred to, yet assuredly God’s firm foundation stands unshaken. “The firm foundation laid by God” is the Church of Christ, which is here termed a foundation laid by God, because it, the Church of Christ, is the ground-storey of the glorious Temple of the future. In other words, the Church of Christ is here considered as the foundation of a far grander building, which, in the fulness of time, will rest upon its massive work (see Ephesians 2:19-22)., and this ground-storey, the corner-stone of which is Christ, “standeth” age after age, in spite of any efforts which may be made to destroy or even to shake it. The term “foundation,” here used for the Church of God on earth, is remarkable, and points to a great truth: that, after all, this life is but a beginning, and that “His Church” here is but a foundation—is only the first and early storey of that glorious Church the Divine Architect has planned, and will complete in heaven.

Having this seal.—It was a custom, which dates back from the very earliest times, to inscribe upon a building or a monument an inscription which told of its origin and purpose. In some cases, as in the oldest monuments of Egypt, the engraved writing told the name of the royal or priestly builder; so in Revelation 21:14, we read how in the wall of the City of God there were twelve foundations, and on them were engraved the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. On this “foundation storey,” of which St. Paul was now speaking, was carved a legible inscription in two sentences—the one told of comfort and hope, reminding men God would ever know “His own;” the other told of duty, reminding men that “God’s own” had no share in unrighteousness. It is called “a seal” here instead of an inscription, for a seal best conveys the idea of the solemn binding character of the writing.

The Jew was especially accustomed to see the words and promises of his God written or graven on his doorposts and on his gates. (See Deuteronomy 6:9; Deuteronomy 11:20. See, too, the words of Job 19:24, where he would have his most solemn declaration of faith graven or sealed on a rock for ever.)

The Lord knoweth them that are his.—This was the first sentence of the inscription graven on the foundation-storey. The words were probably a memory of Numbers 16:5; but the thought here goes far deeper. God’s own people, as they read the words graven on the foundation “with an iron pen and with lead for ever,” are ever reminded of their deepest, highest, truest comfort. “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” The words may be paraphrased: “He knows His own because He loves them;” never will He cease to know them, but will keep them for ever and for ever. Compare, too, the words of the Good Shepherd (John 10:14; John 10:27-29).

And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.—The thought and the words are from the Old Testament. The thought is expressed in a wider and more general form in Isaiah 52:11 : “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing . . . Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord;” and for the words “nameth the name of the Lord,” see Isaiah 26:13. “Naming the name of Jesus” must be understood in the sense of the last clause of 1 Corinthians 12:3; in other words, this sentence of the inscription signifies that no man confessing with the heart that Jesus is Lord can commit iniquity deliberately—the two things are utterly incompatible. “Iniquity” here includes the teaching of those false men above alluded to, as their teaching led away from the truth, and resulted in a lax and evil way of life.