Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Verse 13. Hold fast the form of sound words. . On the Greek word here rendered "form," , where it is rendered pattern. The word means a form, sketch, or imperfect delineation--an outline. Grotius says that it here means "an exemplar, but an exemplar fixed in the mind--an idea." Calvin says that the command is that he should adhere to the doctrine which he had...
Paul asserts his apostolic authority not for Timothy's sake alone; Timothy already believed. He writes with these grand titles because he stands at death's door and means to seal his whole ministry with his blood, that the Church may know his doctrine comes from God Himself, not from a mortal man's opinion.
AI summary
Commenting on 2 Timothy 1:1-18
By sound words, we are to understand the doctrine of the gospel; by a form of sound words, the truths and doctrine of the gospel methodically disposed and digested; to hold it fast, is, not to swerve from it in the course of our ministry, but pertinaciously to adhere to it, not parting with it ourselves, nor suffering it to be adulterated and corrupted by others.