2 Timothy
This could well be the last letter that Paul wrote when he was in prison in Rome, awaiting his martyrdom in the hands of Nero. It appears that he was acquitted in his first trial (Acts 28:30-31) and subsequently returned to Greece and Asia Minor for a time. We have no idea why he was arrested the second time, perhaps it had to do with Nero’s persecution of Christians after he set Rome on fire. Being his last words, this letter to Timothy was highly emotional and personal, encouraging him to persevere in sufferings and be an approved workman for Jesus Christ.
(1) Compare the greetings here with that of his first letter to Timothy. From the similarities and differences, can you detect the more personal touch to this second letter?
(2) At the close of his life, Paul reflects on having served God as his forefathers did. Why does he add that he serves with a “clear conscience”? (Remember that Paul has been and still is under attack by Jews who wish him dead.)
(3) How often does Paul say that he remembers Timothy? What “tears” is he talking about?
(4) What kind of a relationship is being portrayed here between Paul and Timothy?
(5) Do you have someone that you intercede for as Paul did for Timothy?
(6) He reminds Timothy to “fan into flame” his gift from God:
a. What gift is Paul referring to? (also see 1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14)
b. What does it mean to “fan into flame”?
(7) Although the Bible says, “but his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:1), how did Timothy came to become a believer with “sincere faith”?
(8) What lesson can we learn from the conversion and calling of Timothy?
(9) In the midst of suffering and persecution (from without and within the church), it is understandable that Paul encourages Timothy by pointing out that “for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power” (1:7), but why does Paul also point out that it is a spirit “of love and of self-discipline”?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
提摩太後書
這可能是保羅所寫的最後一封書信，相信是他在羅馬獄中，等待尼魯王下令行刑前寫的。似乎他曾因為先前的控罪被撤銷而得釋放(徒28:30-31) ，及後他回到希臘和小亞細亞一帶。我們不曉得他再次被拿的確實原因，但相信與尼魯王放火燒羅馬而嫁禍基督徒有關。既是死前寫的，這書信是非常個人化和充滿感情的。他要鼓勵他這「親愛的兒子」忍受苦難，在神面前作個無愧的工人。
(1) 試把保羅在前後書的自稱和問候語作比較，相同與分別之處何在？不同之處有什麼特別的原因沒有？
(2) 在生命快到盡頭時，為何保羅特別論到自己事奉神是「接續祖先」的？為何要說是「用清潔的良心」事奉的？
(3) 保羅自言是怎樣記念提摩太的呢？所提到的「眼淚」是指什麼？
(4) 這裡刻劃的是二人什麼的關係？
(5) 你可有類似提摩太這樣的人，是你這樣記念的嗎？
(6) 保羅提醒提摩太要把恩賜「如火挑旺」：
a. 所指的是什麼恩賜？(亦參提前1:18; 4:14)
b. 「如火挑旺」是什麼意思？
(7) 雖然聖經在使徒行傳16:1說提摩太的父親「卻是希尼利人」，他怎樣會有這樣「無偽之信」呢？
(8) 提摩太這經歷可給我們什麼提醒？
(9) 既是內外受敵，提摩太被保羅提醒神所賜的不是膽怯，乃是剛強的心(原文是靈)(1:7) ，這樣的鼓勵是可以理解的。為何更說這是「仁愛和謹守的心」？
(10) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Tim. 1:7)
I agree with Howard Marshall that the “Spirit” mentioned by Paul unlikely refers to “the human spirit as endowed by the Holy Spirit…still less the human spirit alone…or simply a human disposition”, but rather the Holy Spirit Himself; and the qualities of power, love and discipline are being conveyed to us by Him to equip “all believers, each for their particular needs” (TICC, The Pastoral Epistles, 698-9).
In the case of Timothy, being put in charge of probably the most prominent church at the time, with the pressure of false teachings and the increasing threat of state persecution under Nero (who burned the city of Rome and tried to lay the blame on Christians), the reminder that the Holy Spirit who dwells in him is not a “Spirit” of timidity is very timely. Paul, in particular, contrasts timidity with power which Timothy would have witnessed first-hand as he accompanied Paul in his second missionary journey.
However, Paul does not only focus on the power of the Holy Spirit, but also on the qualities of love and self-discipline which He imparts to all believers. This is something that we all need to heed, especially those of us involved in ministry.
It is so easy for us to be bitter as we face opposition and persecution. Our sense of righteousness burns the brightest as we tackle false teachings and false teachers. However, Paul reminds Timothy that he needs to fan the flame of love, even in the middle of such spiritual battles. After all, our enemies are never of “flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12).
It is also true that in the midst of spiritual battles and especially after a certain victorious experience (like Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18), we can easily fall into temptation, and thus Paul also reminds Timothy of the importance of self-discipline.
「因為神賜給我們，不是膽怯的心，乃是剛強、仁愛、謹守的心。」(提後1:7)
我同意Howard Marshall所言，這裡的「心」不但是指「聖靈所賜人類的心靈……更非一般人的靈...... 或人的意念」，乃是(按原文) 指「聖靈」本身。故此，這裡論到的是藉著聖靈而來的剛強、仁愛、謹守，是要裝備「所有的信徒來應付他們個別需要」(TICC, The Pastoral Epistles, 698-9) 。
以提摩太當時所面對的挑戰：被保羅委派牧養當時最重要的以弗所教會、內有假師傅的異端、外有政府由尼魯王發起加劇的逼迫(即明知這王放火燒羅馬城而刻意嫁禍給基督徒) ，故此保羅提醒他，在他內住的聖靈「不是膽怯的靈，乃是剛強」的靈，是非常合宜和及時的。當然，提摩太自隨從保羅踏上第二次的宣教旅途後，肯定親身體驗到聖靈所顯的大能、神蹟、奇事的。
但保羅的提醒並沒有停在這裡。他更指出這聖靈賜予「仁愛」和「謹守」給所有的信徒。這也是今日事奉主的人當留意的。
在面對逼迫和攻擊時，我們很容易產生苦毒的心。我們的自義在面對假道和假師傅時，很容易會「如火挑旺」的。但保羅卻提醒提摩太，在屬靈爭戰中，要挑旺的是「愛」，因為正如他在以弗所書早已指出，「我們並不是與屬血氣的爭戰」(弗6:12) 。
在屬靈爭戰中，特別像以利亞在一場勝利的戰爭之後，也往往是我們跌倒之時(參王上18, 19章) ；故此保羅也提醒提摩太「謹守/self-discipline」的重要。
Vv. 8-12—Not be ashamed
(1) Paul was already imprisoned by the state because of the gospel and he expects to be executed soon (4:6):
a. What does he ask Timothy not to be ashamed of?
b. If you were Timothy, what will it take for you to listen?
(2) In urging Timothy to suffer with him for the sake of the gospel, Paul reminds him of the following:
a. The gospel: What has Christ accomplished through His (first) appearance?
b. How have Paul and Timothy benefited from the gospel?
c. On what basis are they saved and called?
(3) What role has Paul been assigned in this gospel?
(4) Why is Paul not ashamed of the gospel and his role in the midst of suffering?
Vv. 15-18—Suffering deepened by desertion (see Note below)
(5) Paul shares with Timothy the harsh reality of imprisonment in that “Everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me”. It could be that Paul’s second arrest took place in Asia and that due to the nature of the arrest (which had nothing to do with the Jews any more, but with Nero’s edict), no one came to his defense.
a. Was Paul being bitter or discouraged?
b. Why did he mention the names of Phygelus and Hermogenes whom we know nothing about?
(6) In contrast, how different was the household of Onesiphorus (see 4:19 for his role in Ephesus) towards Paul and his imprisonment?
(7) What risk might the household of Onesiphorus have taken?
(8) What is the message to Timothy?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Vv. 15-18 acts like a parenthesis, with chapter 2 continuing the thought expressed in 1:13-14 about what Timothy has heard from Paul. Therefore, we shall reflect on 1:13-14 next week together with chapter 2.
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
1:8-12—不以為恥
(1) 保羅既已被官府逮捕下獄，正待死亡(4:6) ：
a. 他要求提摩太不以為恥的是什麼？
b. 如果你是提摩太，你需要什麼才能做到保羅的要求？
(2) 在要求提摩太能與他一同為福音受苦時，保羅作了以下提醒：
a. 福音：主耶穌藉著祂(第一次)的顯現成就了什麼？
b. 保羅與提摩太與這福音的關係是什麼？
c. 他們之被拯救和呼召是基於什麼？
(3) 保羅在這福音中所承擔的位份是什麼？
(4) 為何保羅受苦中仍不以福音和所受托為恥？
1:15-18—被棄之苦(參下註)
(5) 保羅坦言被囚的苦況：「凡在亞西亞的(指信徒) 都離棄我」。似乎保羅第二次被捕是發生在亞西亞，被捉拿已不再與逼迫他的猶太人有關，而是羅馬尼魯王的迫害，故此無人敢為他伸辯或作保：
a. 你覺得保羅心存苦毒，還是失望？為什麼？
b. 為何要特別提出腓吉路和黑摩其尼二人的名字？(我們對這二人是誰，無從知曉)
(6) 相反地，阿尼色弗，這在以弗所的一家(見4:19) 怎樣對待被囚的保羅呢？
(7) 這家人這樣對待保羅，相信要付上什麼風險？
(8) 這給予提摩太什麼信息？
(9) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
註：第15-18節似是一個「括號」，再提到保羅所受的苦難。第13-14節論到提摩太以前從保羅所聽的教訓，在2:1再次被提到，故此在思想第二章時，才一起的研讀。
“You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.” (2 Tim. 1:15)
I still remember my visit to Rome. Like Onesiphorus, I looked hard among the ruins of Rome and eventually found what is believed to be the underground cell that housed Paul. I had to negotiate down some narrow steps before I entered into a tiny cell of rocks. I could imagine the coldness at night in a place like that. No wonder Paul urged Timothy to bring his cloak to him before winter (4:13, 21).
However, unlike Onesiphorus, I did not have to risk anything to find Paul’s cell. It was indeed one of the highlights of my tour in Rome. But for Onesiphorus, he not only had to risk his safety, but he probably had to pay some kind of bribe before he could see Paul. While we know nothing about the circumstances under which Paul was arrested the second time, we do know that it was under the reign of terror by Emperor Nero who allegedly burned Rome and tried to lay the blame on Christians. Therefore it is more than likely that this second arrest had nothing to with the Jews anymore, but with the state persecution of Christians. It is generally believed that both Paul and Peter died under Nero as martyrs.
We have no idea who Phygelus and Hermogenes were, but with Paul singling out their names, perhaps they were Christian leaders in Asia (Minor) whom Paul expected help from at the time of his arrest. In other words, they were ashamed of the gospel and they were ashamed of Paul (1:8). If Paul had to use them as examples to warn Timothy, we should not be too judgmental, but examine ourselves if we, too, would be ashamed of the gospel under similar circumstances.
「凡在亞西亞的人都離棄我，這是你知道的，其中有腓吉路和黑摩其尼。」(提後1:15)
我仍記得多年前曾到訪羅馬。像阿尼色弗一樣，我到處尋找保羅被囚之處，終於給我找到；不過我要小心的行過狹小的石級，才能進到一個細小的石洞。相信這就是保羅被囚之室。我站在那裡可以想像到晚間會是何等的寒冷，無怪保羅要吩咐提摩太給他帶來外衣，並要趕緊在冬天以前來到(4:13, 21) 。
不過，與阿尼色弗不同的是，我不用冒任何的風險來尋覓保羅被囚之處，反而是我那次旅程的高潮。但阿尼色弗是甘冒因與保羅認識的風險，更相信付了不少錢，才能見到保羅的。我們雖然不知道保羅被捕的真相，但按歷史的顯示，這正是尼魯王把火燒羅馬城的罪行，嫁禍給基督徒而發起的逼害的年代。根據教會的歷史，彼得和保羅至終都是在這時候殉道的。
我們對保羅所提的腓吉路和黑摩其尼也是一無所知。但保羅既把二人提出，像是以他們代表了全亞西亞的信徒。明顯地，在保羅被捕時，他們沒有挺身而出為保羅作辯或作保。換句話說，他們是以福音，也以保羅為恥了(1:8) 。不過，若保羅要以二人的失敗來提醒提摩太的話，我們不要自以為在同樣的情況下能「站得穩」，不會以福音為恥；反而「須要謹慎，免得跌倒」(林前10:12) 。