This week we
will finish the study of the Book of 2 Timothy in the New Testament.
Twice, Paul talks about the words that Timothy has heard from him:
(1) 1:13-14
a. Why does Paul refer to the words that Timothy heard from him as “a pattern of sound teaching”? What does a pattern mean?
b. Why does Paul specify that he is to keep them in “faith and love” and (according to Guthrie’s translation with which I agree — see Note below) in “Christ Jesus”?
c. Why then does he also call it a “deposit”?
d. How should he guard it? Why?
(2) 2:1-7
a. Apart from the command to guard, Paul also commands Timothy to entrust to others:
- How important is it that he is to entrust to “faithful” men?
- Why does Paul emphasize that those are words that Timothy has heard in the presence of many witnesses?
b. V. 2 is the second part of the sentence that begins with v. 1:
- Why is this command prefaced with calling Timothy his son and with the encouragement that he should be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus?
c. Now Paul uses three metaphors to encourage Timothy to be strong and to pass on the sound teachings to others:
- The first metaphor is that of a soldier:
- Paul uses the same Greek word in 2 Tim. 2:3 (translated "endure hardship") as in 2 Tim 1:8 (translated "suffering" (NIV)). What is the point he tries to repeat?
- What is the emphasis of this soldier metaphor?
- What is the message to you?
- The second metaphor is that of an athlete:
- What is the emphasis of this metaphor?
- With the image of an Olympic athlete in mind, what is the message to you?
- The third metaphor is that of a farmer:
- What is the emphasis (or emphases) of this metaphor?
- What does this metaphor mean to Timothy in his situation?
- What about you?
d. Instead of simply asking Timothy to take heed, what does Paul ask him to do with the above metaphors? (v. 7) Why?
e. How may we learn from this advice of Paul when it comes to our reading of the Scriptures?
(3) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“The meaning clearly is that faith and love follow from abiding in Christ.” (TNCT, The Pastoral Epistles, 146)
“Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” (2 Tim. 2:7)
In this second letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul gives us insight into how we should read and hear his teachings, which are the very words of God:
(1) Treat his teachings as “pattern of sound teaching” (1:13): the word for pattern is “hypotýpōsin” which means an outline sketch. It is like that drawn by an architect before he gets down to the detailed plans of a building. Allow me to quote again from Guthrie:
“The importance of this pattern cannot be over-emphasized. It means that the apostle claims his own teaching to be no more than a starting-point. It was to be a guide-line rather than a stereotyped form of words. It would allow for growth within the guide-line…Timothy is not told merely to repeat what Paul taught, but to follow that teaching as a basis.”
(TNTC, The Pastoral Epistles, 145)
But the question then is, “How can we understand and grow in our understanding based on it?”
(2) Reflect on his teachings (2:7), that is, do not just read the teachings, but use our mind to engage the words. Allow me to quote from Lenski:
“…one must pause and think to apprehend it all…The Scriptures are intended for our…mind, which God has given us so that we may use it…To be sure, these words are to be spiritually apprehended (1 Cor. 2:14), but no man so apprehend them if he is too lazy to use his mind.”
(Lenski, 2 Timothy, 784)
This is the primary reason why the inductive
questions above are provided for your reflection as a necessary step toward
the understanding of the Word of God. However, ultimately, it is not our minds that ushers us into the true
understanding of the Word, it is the Holy Spirit. As Lenski goes on to say,
“For all spiritual things our thinking abilities, however keen and sharp, are not sufficient. The Lord must control, guide, enlighten our ‘understanding’.” (ditto)
In other words, reflection is the path to unfold the meaning of the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit is the lamp that illuminates it.
As Paul urges Timothy to endure hardship with him, he now reminds him of the reason for his suffering:
(1) What is the reason for his suffering?
(2) He could have written a great deal about what the gospel is. Why does Paul simply say, “Jesus Christ raised from the dead, descended from David” is his gospel?
(3) The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the crux of the gospel obviously. Why then does Paul also emphasize His descent?
a. What does such an emphasis have to do with his chains?
b. For whose sake is he enduring everything? Why?
(4) “But God’s word is not chained”:
a. Can you cite examples from recent world history as proof of these words?
b. Have you experienced this truth yourself?
(5) Now Paul quotes another “trustworthy saying”. Read and re-read this hymn (which rhymes in the original language):
a. “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him”
- Have you died with Him? (See Col. 3:3)
- For those who died with Him, what is the glorious hope that they have? (Also see Col. 3:4)
b. “If we endure, we will also reign with Him”
- This is another dimension of the glorious hope we have in Him:
- Do you truly believe this promise?
- Will it help you endure in times of sufferings? Why or why not?
c. “If we disown Him, He will also disown us”
- What is meant by disowning Him? (See Matt. 10:33)
- What is meant by Christ disowning us?
d. “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful”
- What is meant by being “faithless”?
- How will Christ respond to our being “faithless”?
- Why will He respond to our being “faithless” so differently from our “disowning” Him?
e. “For he cannot disown Himself”
- What does this mean?
- How important is this to us, and especially to those who have to suffer for Christ’s sake?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“If we disown Him, He will also disown us.” (2 Tim. 2:12)
Paul is writing this last letter to Timothy, expecting that the time of his death as a martyr is near (4:6). As he encourages Timothy to endure similar sufferings that he is going through, he quotes another “trustworthy saying", likely a hymn sung in the early church. As much as it is a hymn of hope and encouragement, there is a warning too that “If we disown Him (meaning Christ), He will also disown us”.
During the persecution under the Roman
Emperors, especially under the notorious Roman Emperor Decius Trajan (249-251),
“Many Christians steadfastly refused to go along with Decius’ demands and confessed Christ even under brutal torture. They were given the honorary title 'Confessor' by the church. However, multitudes of Christians did sacrifice to the gods and the emperor. Some bribed authorities to obtain fraudulent certificates stating they had sacrificed, when they had not. The Christians who complied with Decius’ order were excommunicated from the church as apostates and collectively called the lapsi, or those who had lapsed from the faith.”
(Grace Communion International)
A heated debate followed naturally in the
church after the persecutions were over and that was, “what to do about the 'lapsed'?". As Gonzalez puts it,
“There were several complicating factors. One was that not all had fallen in the same manner nor to the same degree. The case of those who ran to offer sacrifice as soon as they were told of the imperial decree was hardly the same as that of those who purchased fraudulent certificates, or those others who had weakened for a moment, but had then reaffirmed their faith and asked to rejoin the church while the persecution was still in progress.”
(The Story of Christianity, p. 88).
As expected, the decision to readmit such “lapsi” into the church or not and how created a huge chasm in the church for generations.
It is important to note that when Jesus warned Peter about his denial of Him saying, “Truly I tell you…this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (Matt. 26:34), the word used for “disown” is exactly the same word used in 2 Timothy 2:12. And yet, as we know Jesus did tell Peter also, “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Lk. 22:32).
In other words, the key was whether Peter would “turn back” or not, and he did. In the end, he was not only restored to his faith in Jesus Christ, he was restored as one of the chief apostles of the church of Jesus Christ.
This forms a unit in which Paul exhorts Timothy both positively and negatively in how to become an approved workman:
(1) First, by warning others and himself against quarreling:
a. What is meant by quarreling about “words”? (v. 14)
- What reasons does Paul give?
b. What is “godless chatter”? (v. 16)
- What are the reasons Paul give?
- Whom does he give as examples?
- What is their godless chatter about?
- What is the result of their godless chatter?
c. How should the Lord’s servant distinguish himself in this respect? (v. 24)
- How should he treat those who oppose him (and his teachings)?
- Why? (vv. 25-26)
(2) The second thing to avoid is evil desires:
a. Why does Paul call the evil desires as evil desires “of youth”?
b. This is not a totally negative command
- The negative is “to flee”. How important is this command?
- The positive is to pursue…along with others:
- What is Timothy to pursue?
- Why does he need to pursue not on his own, but with others?
- Who are these people he should pursue along with?
- Are you pursuing these on your own?
- Do you have others with a pure heart to be your soul-mates in Christ?
c. As an encouragement to Timothy, what promise does Paul give in this respect in vv. 20-21?
(3) As a contrast to the false teachers, Paul urges Timothy to be an approved workman:
a. How should Timothy behave like an unashamed workman approved by God? (v. 15)
b. What is meant by to “correctly handle the word of truth”?
(4) In the midst of his instructions, and in contrast to the false teachers, Paul injects the following saying which seals the foundation on which we can stand firm in v. 19:
a. “The Lord knows those who are His.” How does such knowledge form a sealed foundation? (Note that conservative scholars, in general, see this word “know” as a timeless aorist.)
b. Why does such knowledge (or truth) need to be paired with our response of “turning away from wickedness” in order to form this sealed foundation?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
If during the life time of the first apostles, heresies and false teachings were rampant, it is no wonder that we are flooded with all kinds of “godless chatters” (2 Tim. 2:16), “false doctrines” (1 Tim. 1:3) and even “old-wives’ tales” (1 Tim. 4:7) these days.
Paul’s admonition to Timothy to correctly handle the word of truth is a timeless advice. “To correctly handle” in the original Greek means “to cut straight”; perhaps, Paul is thinking of “cutting straight the camel-hair cloth for tents” (Lenski, 799).
Without sounding too complicated, allow me to offer the following suggestions concerning “cutting straight” the word of truth:
- When we find the word of truth to be hard to understand, do not right away dismiss it as a translation error or a possible scribal error.
- When we find the word of truth too harsh to follow, do not seek to render it right away as only a cultural mandate not applicable to us today.
- When we find the word of truth very convicting, do not think of others but ourselves first in its application.
Paul has previously reminded Timothy of the right attitude in understanding the word of truth, and that is to “reflect on” it. Through it the Holy Spirit "will give [us] insight into all this" (2 Tim. 2:7). Such an attitude of due diligence in reflection and the reliance on the Holy Spirit, together with this honest attitude toward the word of truth, will certainly help us to be an "approved workman who does not need to be ashamed".
Now Paul warns Timothy about the marks of the world in
the “last days” which, in its broad sense refers to the time from the
completion of Christ’s redemptive work to the time of His coming again, or in
the narrow sense, the period immediately preceding His coming again. The list below does not appear to follow any
particular order, but we shall try to reflect on each in groups asking these
two questions:
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Sins of the Last Days |
What does such a person look like? |
Is this very prevalent in “our” last days? |
Examples, if any |
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Group #1: Lovers of themselves: Lovers of money: |
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Group #2: Boastful: Proud: Abusive (or blasphemous to men): |
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Group #3: Disobedient to parents: Ungrateful: Unholy: Without love: Without self-control: |
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Group #4: Brutal: Not lovers of the good: Treacherous: Rash: Conceited |
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Group #5: Lovers of pleasure: Not lovers of God: Having a form of godliness but denying its power: |
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(1) Of the above list, can you highlight three that are most representative of our age? Why did you pick them?
(2) Paul now charges Timothy with some very strong words: “Have nothing to do with them”. Why?
(3) Paul now points out that some of these traits are present in the false teachers (perhaps, especially that last one on the list), and they are compared to Jannes and Jambres (whom the early church fathers, like Oregin, refer to as two of the magicians who opposed Moses). Read Exodus 7:11-12, 22; 8:7 and 9:11.
a. In what ways are these false teachers like the two magicians of Pharaoh?
b. In what ways are they worse?
c. Since their folly will be clear to everyone, why would they be successful, especially in deceiving some of the women?
(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” (2 Tim. 3:1)
As Paul uses the future tense to talk about the difficulties of the last days, he is well aware that those are not just marks of the last days immediately preceding the return of our Lord, but sins that are also prevalent in his days (3:6 ff). However, as the time of our Lord’s return draws near, such wickedness will certainly increase in intensity, and especially in their blatancy and non-repentance, just as the angel told Daniel: “but the wicked will continue to be wicked” in those last days (Dan. 12:10).
As we read this list of vices today, we cannot deny that this is the world we live in. However, I believe that two of these sins do stand out to mark our times:
(1) Disobedience to parents:
Just within one generation, we can notice the difference in the attitude young people have towards their parents. When we were young, our fathers still had that fatherly authority that had been passed on to them for thousands of years of human history. Such authority has almost been totally wiped out in one generation. My now-adult daughter reflected on her rebellious teen’s years and said, “For whatever reason, we thought it was just cool to be rebellious. It was the thing to do.” This is the lie Satan has successfully planted into the heart of our young people and they have bought into this lie lock, stock and barrel.
(2) Unholy (or irreligious):
It began in Continental Europe and now has spread across the West, including North America, and I am talking about the loss of respect for religion, especially Christianity. It is not only reflected in the low attendance on Sundays in churches, but the disrespect for the belief in God. For some two thousand years, not only was church going on Sunday the norm in the West, the teachings of the church had great impact and influence over all aspects of life in the society. Now, the church is kept outside of not only politics, but also the everyday life of society. Arguments on behalf of decency and morality can no longer be made based on Scriptures, but on natural law only. It is indeed a sign of the End Times.
(1) Paul uses his own life as an example to contrast those of the false teachers. What would you say marked these things in Paul's life?
a. His teaching
b. His way of life
c. His purpose
d. His faith
e. His patience
f. His love
g. His endurance
(2) In terms of his sufferings and persecutions, look up the events that occurred in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium and Lystra (see Acts 13:49-52; 14:4-7, 19-20). How do these sufferings and his response to them set him apart from the false teachers?
(3) Read and reflect on v. 12 carefully:
a. It sounds almost like a guarantee. Why?
b. Have you experienced persecution for Christ’s sake?
c. How would you face even more severe persecution?
(4) According to vv. 13-15, how should Timothy differ from evil men and imposters?
(5) Paul
reminds Timothy that he can be confident of what he has learned because of the following:
a. Whom he learned from: Why is it important to know from whom we learn?
b. The source of his learning is the Holy Scriptures:
- How does Paul define the Holy Scriptures in v. 16?
- Who then is the true author of “all Scriptures”?
- How useful is it? (see both v. 15 and v. 16)
- If that is the case, what will become of a believer who does not study the Bible diligently?
(6) Who then is the true author of “all Scripture”?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it.” (2 Tim. 3:14)
2 Timothy is noted, among other things, for the famous saying that “All Scriptures is God-breathed” (3:16) which affirms the absolute authority of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. As to the exact method of its inspiration, there are many fine books that I can recommend for you to look up, including God Has Spoken by J. I. Packer which is highly recommended by John Stott in his own very worthwhile book, Understanding the Bible.
However, Paul also emphasizes to Timothy that apart from the authoritative source he has learned from, which is the God-breathed Holy Scriptures, it is also important to know from whom he has learned.
In the case of Timothy, he has learned the truth of the Word of God from infancy, from both his grandmother and his mother (1:5) who demonstrated “sincere faith” in their lives. Later, as an adult, he learned from Paul himself.
One might wonder how we can depend on learning truth from another person, even as important a figure as the Apostle Paul. The truth of the matter is, we all learn biblical truth from either our mentor or our pastor, and who they are greatly influences our understanding of God and His truth. Therefore it is always important to see who he or she is, not only admire their eloquence as a preacher.
In the case of Paul, he invites Timothy to look at who he is (3:10). This includes examining the following:
- His teachings: These were based not on great philosophy or wisdom but on the very word of the Holy Scriptures, demonstrated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:1-2).
- His way of life: It was definitely marked by purity.
- His purpose: It was to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ so that he might save some (1 Cor. 9:22).
- His faith: He has declared earlier in the same letter that, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (1:12). His faith and hope are in Christ alone.
- His love: His love for Christ is expressed in his love even for the Jews who persecuted him (Rom. 9:1-3).
- His endurance is unquestionable: All we have to do is to read the four accounts of his immense sufferings for Christ in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9; 4:8-12; 6:3-10; 11:23-33.
I think it is safe to say that throughout the account of Paul’s life given by Luke in the Acts of Apostles and the numerous letters that he has written, what marks him apart from the false teachers is the fact that whatever he does and whatever he says point others away from himself and to Christ. This is the mark of someone from whom we can learn the truth of God.
If you read vv. 6-8 carefully, you will get a sense that vv. 1-5 represent the last charge Paul is giving to Timothy and in a certain sense it is also the passing of the baton:
(1) What is this last charge Paul is giving Timothy?
a. Why does he emphasize “in season” and “out of season”? What does the latter mean?
b. Why does he caution him that he should do so “prepared”?
(2) What does preaching entail and what should the attitude be towards it ? How important is it?
(3) In giving Timothy this charge,
a. Why does Paul remind him that he is doing so in the presence of God and Christ Jesus?
b. What is the importance of mentioning that Christ Jesus is the judge of the dead and the living?
c. Why is the charge given in view of His appearing and His kingdom?
(4) What will be the increasing challenge for a preacher according to Paul?
a. What is the reason for this worsening attitude of listening to preaching?
b. How true is it of the people around you?
c. What about you?
d. What is Timothy to do in view of such a challenge? (4:5)
(5) As Paul faces his impending death, he shares with Timothy how he views his life of calling:
a. What is meant by a “poured” drink offering?
b. He looks at this poured offering as a soldier who has fought a good fight, and as an athlete who has finished the race:
- What is the emphasis in each of these metaphors?
- What marks a soldier who has fought a good fight?
- What marks an athlete who has finished a race, like a marathon?
(6) Like writing an epitaph for himself, he ends with saying, “I have kept the faith”. Why does he make it sound rather tough? What did it take for him to keep his faith?
(7) If you were to die soon, could you say as Paul did that you have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith? Why or why not?
(8) Paul genuinely looked forward to receiving the crown of righteousness:
a. Do you think he really knows what this crown is?
b. Why does he look forward to it?
c. Why is this crown also awarded to “all who have longed for His coming”?
d. Does it include you then? Why or why not?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Tim. 4:3)
I am very fortunate in being nurtured in my early years of faith in a church that was committed to expository preaching. "What is expository preaching?", you might ask. Well, I am amazed that Wikipedia gives such a succinct and proper definition of expository preaching:
“Expository preaching is a form of preaching that details the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture. It explains what the Bible means by what it says. Exegesis is technical and grammatical exposition, a careful drawing out of the exact meaning of a passage in its original context. While the term exposition could be used in connection with any verbal informative teaching on any subject, the term is also used in relation to Bible preaching and teaching. The practice originated from the Jewish tradition of the rabbi giving a 'Dvar Torah', explaining a passage from the Torah, during the prayer services. Expository preaching differs from topical preaching in that the former concentrates on a specific text and discusses topics covered therein; whereas, the latter concentrates on a specific topic and references texts covering the topic.”
Topical preaching obviously has its place, but can never replace expository preaching as the main diet of a congregation. When an expository preacher has done his own proper exegesis of a passage, he will be able to guide the hearers to discover together the proper meaning of the passage. Such a regular diet of expository preaching has these results:
- Whets the appetite of the congregation to pursue reading of the Holy Scriptures themselves.
- Teaches the hearers, consciously or subconsciously, how to interpret the Holy Scriptures responsibly, systematically and contextually.
- Enables the hearers to discern if what they hear is biblical or not.
The unfortunate thing is that today, those who listen to a sermon hardly care about any of the above; they are simply satisfied with stories that are interesting or a few pointers that can “speak to their needs”. This is the reason why, as Chuck Colson puts it, Christianity in America is a mile wide, but only an inch deep!
As Paul ends this letter, he addresses some very practical and personal matters:
(1) He urges Timothy to come quickly (to Rome), because only Luke is with him:
a. What good can Timothy do, given Paul’s impending capital punishment?
b. While Crescens and Titus needed to return to their ministry fields, Demas’s departure is branded a desertion. What might be the reason for his desertion at a time like this? Why does Paul say “he loved this world”?
(2) Why does Paul want to see Mark again? (See Acts 15:37-38)
(3) Suppose this Alexander is the same one as in 1 Timothy 1:20:
a. What does “handing over to Satan” mean in 1 Timothy 1:20?
b. How should Timothy treat him?
(4) Paul recounts his first defense:
a. I believe Luke and others were there, but those who could put up a defense for Paul had deserted him. What might be the reason?
b. While he sounds a bit bitter, he also sounds thankful. Why?
c. Does he really expect the Lord to rescue him from his trial? Why or why not?
(5) As we read of his final greetings, describe the life of Paul in terms of:
a. His relationship with churches
b. His relationship with his co-workers
c.His calling by the Lord Jesus Christ
d. His relationship with his Lord and Savior
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Paul has likely sent Tychicus to relieve Timothy so that he could go to Rome, and Tychicus was likely the carrier of this letter. Luke, as Paul’s companion and doctor, obviously stayed with Paul to look after his health.
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.” (2 Timothy 4:6)
As I reflect on my own journey of faith, like many Christians, I have been deeply affected by the life and writings of the Apostle Paul. However, in the beginning of my spiritual journey, I did not like him; I found him to be judgmental and harsh. By the grace of God, as I grew in my faith and my knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, I have come to deeply appreciate the unwavering faithfulness and the love of the Apostle Paul — love for God and love for people. Therefore, as I come to the last part of his last epistle, I am gripped by his sense of loneliness — being deserted by many, and his sense of a life without regret — having fought the good fight, having finished the race and having kept the faith. However, I am particularly touched by his expression: “I am already being poured out like a drink offering” (4:6). This picture of a drink offering in the Old Testament poured around the altar speaks to:
(1) His life is a drink offering that is offered to none other than his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the only object of his worship, his service and his existence. This is powerfully depicted in these words that he wrote to the church in Galatia, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
(2) His life as an offering being poured out like a drink — it is total and without reservation. Such is the life of the Apostle Paul as he lives totally for the sake of the gospel: “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel…” (1 Cor. 9:22-23).
(3) His life is not as a sacrifice, but an offering that accompanies “the” sacrifice who is Jesus Christ. Indeed, as a drink offering is never made on its own, but “joined with meat-offerings (or as) an addition to the burnt offering” (COBTAEL, II, 894), Paul likens himself as wine that delights the heart of God (Cant. 1:2).
“A poured-out drink offering” — What a fitting epitaph for the Apostle Paul!