SSL 8 - 2 Tim. 2:1-13
LAST WEEK: In 2 Tim. 1:3-14, we heard the start of what must have been Paul's last words before he was martyred in Rome. The general theme of the entire letter is a bold, clear call to persevere for the sake of the Gospel and to continue the good fight of faith despite persecution and suffering. We discussed four main points of application: (1) As we saw in timothy's case, "sincere faith" is often generational, something he learned at home from a godly mother and grandmother, who demonstrated sincere faith in the way that they lived. (2) As Christian believers, we should never be ashamed but ready and willing, if necessary, to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Simply being embarrassed or uncomfortable is not an excuse for failing to share our witness of Jesus Christ. (3) Jesus Christ came to put an end to death. By His death and resurrection, Jesus abolished spiritual death for those who believe in Him. On "immortality," Jesus brought the truth about eternal life and our immortal state through His own resurrection, and showed us what our immortal bodies would look like. (4) Paul's standard of "sound words" is the best medicine for spiritual health. Unlike Timothy, we have the Bible, all 66 books, as our source of "sound words," and we also have the 13 NT books written by Paul which form a "user's guide" on virtually every aspect of living the Christian life.
THIS WEEK: 2 Tim. 2:1-13 presents a series of examples that Paul tells Timothy to consider. Among these are soldiers, athletes, farmers, Jesus Christ, and Paul himself. Rather than give extensive details, Paul encourages Timothy to think about how each of these examples might apply to his own life. The background for all of this is "suffering," meaning, specifically, the hardships one might be forced to endure for the sake of Christ Jesus. The final message is that those who do endure, do so by the power of God, not their own efforts.
Read 2 Tim. 2:1-7 - BE STRONG
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
v. 1: "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" - This is the second instance where we see Paul refer to Timothy as his "son" (see 1 Tim. 1:2). Paul was estimated to be age 67 or 68 when he wrote this, and having completely devoted the last 30+ years of his life to the spread of the Gospel, he had remained unmarried with no children of his own. As his spiritual son in faith, Timothy was probably the closest thing he had to a real son. To be "strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus," means that "grace" is not only the source of eternal salvation but the source of God's power in a Christian's daily life. Earlier, speaking of the "thorn in his flesh," Paul said, "Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me" (2 Cor. 12:8-9).
v. 2: "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" - This is a well-known verse on discipleship. "[W]hat you have heard from me" are Paul's apostolic teachings, as apposed to personal opinions and theories. When Paul first taught Timothy(i.e., discipled him) , he did so "in the presence of many witnesses," and after that, as a disciple of Paul and a witness himself, he heard him teach in many places. When he says "entrust these to faithful men" he means that making disciples isn't a one-step process but a multi-generational process, reaching and teaching others who will reach and teach others.
v. 3: "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" - Here Paul transitions to a series of word pictures. Suffering is a recurrent theme of Paul in this letter. While he was suffering from the privations of imprisonment, he expected Timothy likewise to be willing to suffer for the faith. When he said "as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," he didn't mean violence but the attitude of a well-trained soldier whose focus was on the mission, not unrelated concerns.
v. 4: "No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier" - Continuing the soldier analogy, Paul points out that a soldier doesn't concern himself or worry about non-military matters unrelated to his mission-e.g., entertainment, politics, weather, etc.-but focuses entirely on the job in front of him so that he can fulfill the orders of his commander. The "one" who enlists us to make disciples is Jesus. This doesn't mean that all worldly things are necessarily bad, it's just that we can't allow them to get in the way of our prime mission of reaching people and making disciples of them.
v. 5: "Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules" - Paul now transitions to the imagery of an athlete. Athletics were very popular in ancient times, and Paul often drew analogies on them for illustrations of the Christian life (1 Cor. 9:12, 26; Eph 6:12). The point he makes here is clear: An athlete can't make up the rules as he pleases but must complete according to the rules if he hopes to win. We fall into the same mis-take if we think we can make up the rules for the Christian life. If we sin, we disqualify ourselves. In other words, sin damages our witness, and if our witness is compromised, we can't make disciples.
v. 6: "The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops" - Paul now shifts to the example of a farmer. Note the emphasis: this isn't just any farmer but a "hard-working farmer." Not all the famers of Timothy's day were known to be hard workers. But the farmer of this example was one known to get up early in the morning, work attentively on a variety of tasks during the day, and sometimes not finishing until the evening when all needed work was finally complete. At the same time, to see it to completion, he must patiently await the harvest. This is what Christian ministry requires: work hard to plant and cultivate the seeds and depend on God for the harvest.
v. 7: " Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything" - When Paul says "consider" (Gk. noeō, lit. to think through something carefully), he means for Timothy to reflect and deliberate these illustrations. Paul has just explained three analogies about the Christian life-a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer-and all three of these vocations require great perseverance to succeed, e.g.: (1) the soldier who stops fighting before the battle is over will never see victory; (2) the athlete who stops running before the race is over will never win the race; and (3) the farmer who stops working before the harvest is complete will never see the fruit of his crops. In the same way, Christian ministry will involve commitment, effort, patience, and suffering. In the last phrase, "the Lord will give you understanding in everything," refers to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, not so much in every specific area of life, but in a complete knowledge of the Gospel in all it implications. It's also right in line with Prov. 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
TRUTH 1: Making disciples isn't a one time thing but a multi-generational process. When Paul first taught Timothy-discipled him-he did it "in the presence of many witnesses," and after that, as a disciple of Paul and a witness himself, he heard him teach new disciples in many places. When he says "entrust these to faithful men" he means that making disciples isn't a one-step process but a multi-generational process, reaching and teaching others who will reach and teach others, etc.
TRUTH 2: In Paul's examples comparing the Christian life to a soldier, and athlete, and a farmer, all three of them required perseverance in order to succeed. For example (1) the soldier who stops fighting before the battle is over will never see victory; (2) the athlete who stops running before the race is over will never win the race; and (3) the farmer who stops working before the harvest is complete will never see the fruit of his crops. In the same way, Christian ministry, in whatever form it takes, will involve commitment, effort, patience, and suffering.
Read 2 Tim. 2:8-13 - THE CONTENT OF PAUL'S GOSPEL
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. 11 It is a trustworthy state-ment: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
v. 8: "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel" -"Remember" (Gk. mnēmoneuō) is a present active imperative verb that means keep on, keep on, etc., remembering. What's he's to remember is item #1 in Christology-the person, nature, and role of Christ, that: (1) He was raised from the dead by the Father; (2) He remains the resurrected One-eternal; (3) His resurrection was the sign that the Father fully accepted the Son's earthly work, teachings, and sacrifice for sin; and (4) His descent from David shows that He was (a) fully-God, (b) fully-man and (c) the Messiah foretold by OT prophecy. This is the central pillar of the Christian faith. This was Paul's gospel in the sense that he preached it but more importantly, that he believed it. In fact, it's my gospel, your gospel, and truly belongs to anyone who believes it and accepts it as truth.
v. 9: "for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned" - The gospel never brought Paul a life of popularity and ease; and it ultimately led to imprisonment under a sentence of death. But even from his cell, he was communicating God's truth to Timothy and his congregation and other early churches. It in due course became part of the NT, so that it still impacts lives all over the world today. The Word of God cannot be constrained like a physical human being; and as Christians, only our silence can imprison the Word of God.
v. 10 "For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory" - The word "endure" (Gk. hupomenó) means to keep trying under adversity. In simple language, Paul endures because of the certainty that through his efforts to share the Gospel, God will save some, that is, "those who are chosen." To Paul, the goal was not only to get them to "obtain salvation" but also to watch them grow more complete in their relationship with Jesus. The Bible tells us that there is an "eternal glory" that is indescribably greater than any earthly glory. And that's Paul's precise point: Eternal glory is worth far more than earthly fame and fortune, which is temporary at best.
v. 11: "It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him" - This is the last, chronologically, of five "trustworthy statements" in the Pastoral Letters and the first of four "if" conditional sentences that scholars believe may be part of an early hymn or poem. In the the first conditional sentence, there are several interpretations of the phrase "if we died with him": (1) a metaphor for immersion baptism; (2) that we died with him in the past on the cross; or (3) if you actually die as a martyr like as Paul did. But whichever option you choose, as saved Christians, it is assured that "we will live with Him" eternally.
v. 12: "If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us" - Here are the second and third conditional sentences. Our eternal reward for endurance will be to reign in heaven. This tells us that we will reign and rule with Jesus Christ, and our endurance is, in effect, God's training program for us to reign and rule beside Him in the world to come. I looked up the second sentence-"if we deny Him, He will also deny us"-in several commentaries. It appears to say that a person who denies Christ is one who has heard the Gospel but has not repented and confessed Jesus as Lord. This brings to mind James 2:17: "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." Mere intellectual belief in Jesus isn't enough. Jesus Himself said this: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter" (Mt. 7:21). And it is the will of God the Father is that we accept the truth about the person, nature, and role of Jesus Christ that Paul expressed above in v. 8.
v. 13: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" - A surprising statement, yes? In what sense is the believer portrayed here "faithless"? From Paul's perspective it could be (1) faltering under persecution or trial, (2) following a false teacher, or (3) an ungodly lifestyle. These are people Paul referred to as "falling away." We Baptists might refer to them as backslidden or hypocrites. But Paul's point is even if they have abandoned the faith, that God hasn't abandoned them. The final phrase, "He cannot deny Himself," declares and affirms that the character of God is unchanging and so, too, Jesus is unchangeable, and this unchanging Divine nature of mercy and grace is at the very bedrock of our hope, confidence, and assurance.
TRUTH 3: The only thing that can "imprison" the Word of God is our silence. Providing to us a great example even while imprisoned and facing death, Paul was communicating God's truth to Timothy and other early churches, and his words of truth ultimately became part of the NT, so that it is still impacting lives all over this world.
TRUTH 4: Following Paul's example, we must "endure" because of the certainty that through our efforts to share the Gospel, God will save some. The Greek word for "endure" (hupomenó) means to keep trying under adversity. In simple language, Paul endures-and so must we-because of the certainty that through his-or our-efforts to share the Gospel, God will save some, that is, "those who are chosen (v. 10b)." To Paul, the purpose was not only to get them to "obtain salvation" but also to watch them grow more complete in their relationship with Jesus, i.e., make them disciples.
