Text -- 2 Timothy 2:26 (NET)

2:26 and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 2Ti 2:26

They may recover themselves ( ananēpsōsin ).

First aorist active subjunctive of ananēphō , late and rare word, to be sober again, only here in N.T., though nēphō is in 1Th 5:6.

Robertson: 2Ti 2:26

Out of the snare of the devil ( ek tēs tou diabolou pagidos ).

They have been caught while mentally intoxicated in the devil’ s snare (1Ti 3:7). See note on Rom 11:9 for pagis .

Robertson: 2Ti 2:26

Taken captive ( ezōgrēmenoi ).

Perfect passive participle of zōgreō , old verb, to take alive (zōos , agreō ), in N.T. only here and Luk 5:10 (of Peter). "Taken captive alive."

Robertson: 2Ti 2:26

By him unto his will ( hup' autou eis to ekeinou thelēma ).

This difficult phrase is understood variously. One way is to take both autou and ekeinou , to refer to the devil. Another way is to take both of them to refer to God. Another way is to take autou of the devil and ekeinou , of God. This is probably best, "taken captive by the devil""that they may come back to soberness to do the will of God."There are difficulties in either view.

Vincent: 2Ti 2:26

May recover themselves ( ἀνανήψωσιν )

Lit. may return to soberness . N.T.o . See on be sober , 1Th 5:6. A similar connection of thought between coming to the knowledge of God and awaking out of a drunken stupor, occurs 1Co 15:34.

Vincent: 2Ti 2:26

Out of the snare of the devil ( ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου παγίδος )

Comp. Psa 124:7. The phrase snare of the devil , only here and 1Ti 3:7 (note). The metaphor is mixed; return to soberness out of the snare of the devil.

Vincent: 2Ti 2:26

Who are taken captive ( ἐζωγρημένοι )

Or, having been held captive . Only here and Luk 5:10 (note on thou shalt catch ).

Vincent: 2Ti 2:26

By him ( ὑπ ' αὐτοῦ )

The devil.

Vincent: 2Ti 2:26

At his will ( εἰς τὸἐκείνου θέλημα )

Better, unto his will: that is, to do his (God's) will.

The whole will then read: " And that they may return to soberness out of the snare of the devil (having been held captive by him) to do God's will."

Wesley: 2Ti 2:26

At present are not only captives, but asleep; utterly insensible of their captivity.

JFB: 2Ti 2:26

Greek, "awake to soberness," namely from the spiritual intoxication whereby they have fallen into the snare of the devil.

JFB: 2Ti 2:26

(Eph 6:11, "the wiles of the devil": 1Ti 3:7; 1Ti 6:9).

JFB: 2Ti 2:26

So as to follow the will of "THAT" (the Greek emphatically marks Satan thus) foe. However, different Greek pronouns stand for "him" and "his"; and the Greek for "taken captive" means not "captured for destruction," but "for being saved alive," as in Luk 5:10, "Thou shalt catch men to save them unto life"; also there is no article before the Greek participle, which the English Version "who are taken captive," would require. Therefore, translate, "That they may awake . . . taken as saved (and willing) captives by him (the servant of the Lord, 2Ti 2:24), so as to follow the will of HIM (the Lord, 2Ti 2:24, or "God," 2Ti 2:25)." There are here two evils, the "snare" and sleep, from which they are delivered: and two goods to which they are translated, awaking and deliverance. Instead of Satan's thrall comes the free and willing captivity of obedience to Christ (2Co 10:5). It is God who goes before, giving repentance (2Ti 2:25); then the work of His servant following is sure to be crowned with success, leading the convert henceforth to "live to the will of God" (Act 22:14; 1Pe 4:2).

Clarke: 2Ti 2:26

And that they may recover themselves - The construction of this verse is extremely difficult, though the sense given by our translation is plain enough. I shall set down the original, and the principal English translations: -

Και ανανηψωσιν εκ της του διαβολου παγιδος, εζωγρημενοι ὑπ ’ αυτου εις εκεινου θελημα

And thei rise agein fro snaaris of the debyl, of whome thei ben holde captyffis at his wille. - Wiclif. First translation into English, 1378

And to turne agayne from the snare of devell, which are holden in prison of him at his will. - Coverdale. First printed English Bible, 1535

That they may come to themselves agayne out of the snare of the devyll, which are now taken of him at hys will. - Edward VIth’ s Bible, by Becke, 1549

And they may recover their senses to perform his will, after being rescued alive by the servant of the Lord out of the snare of the devil. - Wakefield; who refers αυτου, him, to the servant of the Lord, 2Ti 2:24

And being caught alive by him out of the snare of the devil, they may awake to do his will. - Macknight; who remarks that αυτου, the relative, means the servant of the Lord; and εκεινου, the demonstrative, refers to God, mentioned 2Ti 2:15

I leave these different translations with the reader

I Have referred, in the preceding notes, to inscriptions which appear on the buildings and coins of the Asiatics; such inscriptions are, in general, very curious, and carry with them a considerable show of piety to God, in the acknowledgment of his providence and mercy. I shall quote one merely as a curiosity, without supposing it to be immediately applicable to the illustration of the text

There is extant a gold circular coin of the Great Mogul Shah Jehan, struck at Delhi, A. H. 1062, a.d. 1651, five inches and a half in diameter; on each side of this coin is a square, the angles of which touch the periphery; within this square, and in the segments, there are the following inscriptions: -

1.    Within the square, on one side

The bright star of religion, Mohammed (a second Sahib Kiran) Shah Jehan, the victorious emperor

2.    In the segment on the upper side of the square

The impression upon this coin of 200 mohurs, was struck through the favor of God

3.    On the lateral segment to the left

By the second Sahib Kiran, Shah Jehan, the defender of the faith

4.    On the bottom segment

May the golden countenance from the sculpture of this coin enlighten the world

5.    On the lateral segment to the right

As long as the splendid face of the moon is illuminated by the rays of the sun

1.    On the reverse, within the square

There is no god but God; and Mohammed is the prophet of God. Struck in the capital of Shah Jehanabad, A. H. 1062

2.    On the top of the square

Religion was illuminated by the truth of Abu Beker

3.    On the left hand compartment

The faith was strengthened by the justice of Omar

4.    On the bottom compartment

Piety was refreshed by the modesty and mildness of Othman

5.    On the right hand compartment

The world was enlightened by the learning of Aly

On these inscriptions it may be just necessary to observe that Abu Beker, Omar, Othman, and Aly, were the four khalifs who succeeded Mohammed. Abu Beker was the father of Ayesha, one of Mohammed’ s wives. Othman was son-in-law of Mohammed, having married his two daughters, Rakiah, and Omal-Calthoom. And Aly, son of Abi Taleb, Mohammed’ s uncle, was also one of the sons-in-law of Mohammed, having married Fatima, the daughter of his favourite wife, Ayesha. The Ottoman empire was not so called from Othman, the third khalif, but from Ottoman, the successful chief, who conquered a small part of the Grecian empire in Asia, and thus laid the foundation for the Turkish

Grotius and others have supposed that the apostle alludes to the custom of putting an inscription on the foundation stone of a city or other building, giving an account of the time in which it was founded, built, etc. Sometimes engraved stones were placed over the principal gates of cities and fortresses, particularly in the east, specifying the date of erection, repairs, etc., and containing some religious sentiment or verse from the Koran. But I do not think it likely that the apostle refers to any thing of this kind. There appears to be an allusion here to the rebellion of Korah and his company against the authority of Moses, Num 16:5, where, it is said: The Lord will show who are his: here the words of the Septuagint are nearly the same that the apostle uses in this verse, εγνω ὁ Θεος τους οντας αὑτου· God knoweth or approveth of them that are his. And the words in Num 16:26, Depart from the tents of these wicked men, are similar to those of the apostle, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. We may therefore take it for granted that those false teachers, the chief of whom were Hymeneus and Philetus, had risen up against the authority of St. Paul; and he, in effect, informs Timothy here that God will deal with them as he did with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their company. And as the true Israelites were to separate themselves from the tents of those wicked men, so he and the believers at Ephesus were to hold no sort of communion with those workers of iniquity. This subject he farther illustrates by a contract between two parties, each of which sets his seal to the instrument, the seal bearing the motto peculiar to the party. This I conceive to be the meaning; but the common mode of interpretation will, it is probable, be most commonly followed.

Calvin: 2Ti 2:26

26.And deliverance from the snare of the devil Illumination is followed by deliverance from the bondage of the devil; for unbelievers are so intoxicated by Satan, that, being asleep, they do not perceive their distresses. On the other hand, when the Lord shines upon us by the light of his truth, he wakens us out of that deadly sleep, breaks asunder the snares by which we were bound, and, having removed all obstacles, trains us to obedience to him.

By whom they are held captive A truly shocking condition, when the devil has so great power over us, that he drags us, as captive slaves, here and there at his pleasure. Yet such is the condition of all those whom the pride of their heart draws away from subjection to God. And this tyrannical dominion of Satan we see plainly, every day, in the reprobate; for they would not rush with such fury and with brutal violence into every kind of base and disgraceful crimes, if they were not drawn by the unseen power of Satan. That is what we saw at Eph 2:2, ¹⁸¹ that, Satan exerts his energy in unbelievers.

Such examples admonish us to keep ourselves carefully under the yoke of Christ, and to yield ourselves to be governed by his Holy Spirit. And yet a captivity of this nature does not excuse wicked men, so that they do not sin, because it is by the instigation of Satan that they sin; for, although their being carried along so resistlessly to that which is evil proceeds from the dominion of Satan, yet they do nothing by constraint, but are inclined with their whole heart to that to which Satan drives them. The result is, that their captivity is voluntary.

Defender: 2Ti 2:26

This verse is rendered in various ways by different expositors. Probably it should be understood somewhat as follows: "And that they may be recovered from the devil's snare, having been recaptured by [the servant of the Lord] to do [God's] will.""

TSK: 2Ti 2:26

recover : Gr. awake, Luk 15:17; 1Co 15:34; Eph 5:14

out : Psa 124:7; Isa 8:15, Isa 28:13; Act 26:18; 2Co 2:11; Col 1:13; 2Th 2:9-12; 1Ti 3:7, 1Ti 6:9, 1Ti 6:10; Rev 12:9, Rev 20:2, Rev 20:3

who are : Isa 42:6, Isa 42:7, Isa 49:25, Isa 49:26, Isa 53:12; Mat 12:28, Mat 12:29; Luk 11:21; 2Pe 2:18-20

taken captive : Gr. Taken alive

at : Job 1:12, Job 2:6; Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32; Joh 13:2, Joh 13:27; Act 5:3; 1Ti 1:20

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Ti 2:26

And that they may recover themselves - Margin, "awake."The word which is rendered "recover"in the text, and "awake"in the margin - ἀνανήψωσιν ananēpsōsin - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means, to become sober again, as from inebriation; to awake from a deep sleep, and then, to come to a right mind, as one does who is aroused from a state of inebriety, or from sleep. The representation in this part of the verse implies that, while under the influence of error, they were like a man intoxicated, or like one in deep slumber. From this state they were to be roused as one is from sleep, or as a man is recovered from the stupor and dullness of intoxication.

Out of the snare of the devil - The snare which the devil has spread for them, and in which they have become entangled. There is a little confusion of metaphor here, since, in the first part of the verse, they are represented as asleep, or intoxicated; and, here, as taken in a snare. Yet the general idea is clear. In one part of the verse, the influence of error is represented as producing sleep, or stupor; in the other, as being taken in a snare, or net; and, in both, the idea is, that an effort was to be made that they might be rescued from this perilous condition.

Who are taken captive by him at his will - Margin, "alive."The Greek word means, properly, to take alive; and then, to take captive, to win over Luk 5:10; and then, to ensnare, or seduce. Here it means that they had been ensnared by the arts of Satan "unto ( εἰς eis ) his will;"that is, they were so influenced by him, that they complied with his will. Another interpretation of this passage should be mentioned here, by which it is proposed to avoid the incongruousness of the metaphor of "awaking"one from a "snare."It is adopted by Doddridge, and is suggested also by Burder, as quoted by Rosenmuller, "A. u. n. Morgenland."According to this, the reference is to an artifice of fowlers, to scatter seeds impregnated with some intoxicating drugs, intended to lay birds asleep, that they may draw the snare over them more securely. There can be no doubt that such arts were practiced, and it is possible that Paul may have alluded to it. Whatever is the allusion, the general idea is clear. It is an affecting representation of those who have fallen into error. They are in a deep slumber. They are as if under the fatal influence of some stupefying potion. They are like birds taken alive in this state, and at the mercy of the fowler. They will remain in this condition, unless they shall be roused by the mercy of God; and it is the business of the ministers of religion to carry to them that gospel call, which God is accustomed to bless in showing them their danger. That message should be continually sounded in the ears of the sinner, with the prayer and the hope that God will make it the means of arousing him to seek his salvation.

Poole: 2Ti 2:26

And that they may recover themselves ; the Greek word ananhqwsin properly signifieth to awake out of a drunken sleep. A state of sin is a kind of drunkenness, in which men have lost the use of their reason.

Out of the snare of the devil ; by the snare of the devil he means his temptations, which like snares are set covertly to catch souls.

Who are taken captive by him ; Hebrew word signfies persons taken captive in war; in such a miserable captivity are sinners.

At his will ; ezwgrhmenoi , which we translate at his will , may as well be translated to his will ; and so the will of God may be meant, and the whole referred to the first sentence thus, may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil to the will of God; and that is the sense some make of it: but it seems more proper to refer it to the participle, taken captive , for that is next it; and so it signifieth the miserable state of sinners, who are captives at the devil’ s command and will, that if he saith to them, Go, they go; if he saith, Come, they come; if he saith, Do this, they do it.

Haydock: 2Ti 2:26

By whom they are held captives [11] at his will: for sinners wilfully put themselves under the slavery of the devil, and wilfully remain in it. The Greek signifies, that they are taken alive in the devil's nets. (Witham)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Captivi tenentur, Greek: ezogremenoi.

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Gill: 2Ti 2:26

And that they may recover themselves,.... Or "awake", and come to themselves, and appear to be sober, and in their right mind: the metaphor is taken from drunken men, who are overcharged, and are not in their senses, and being stupified fall asleep; and like these are persons intoxicated with errors and heresies, who when their minds are enlightened, and they are convinced of their evil tenets, repent of them, come to themselves, and acknowledge the truth, and so escape

out of the snare of the devil; for as carnal lusts and pleasures are the snares and nets, in which Satan, who may be compared to a fowler, catches some; so errors and heresies are those with which he ensnares others: "who are taken captive", or "alive",

by him at his will; such are taken in his nets and snares, as creatures are taken alive, by fowlers, and huntsmen; and they are held fast, and become his captives, and his slaves, and do his will, being led by him to whatsoever he pleases; he works powerfully in them, and they readily comply with him, and obey his lusts. Though some understand this, not of the will of the devil, but of the will of God; and that the sense is, that such persons are held captive by Satan, as long as it is the pleasure of God, and no longer; when the prey is taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered; and so it is an encouragement to the ministers of the word to go on in instructing, hoping this may be the case. Others connect this phrase, "to his will" or "according to his will", as they differently render it, with the word, "recover": and then the meaning is, that such, repenting of their errors, might escape out of the snare of Satan, in which they were taken alive; that so they might do the will of God, by professing and holding fast his truths; or that their repentance, recovery, and escape out of Satan's snare and captivity, are according to the will of God, and his sovereign good pleasure.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Ti 2:26

¹ tn Grk “having been captured by him.”

² tn Grk “for that one’s will,” referring to the devil, but with a different pronoun than in the previous phrase “by him.” Some have construed “for his will” with the earlier verb and referred the pronoun to God: “come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap (though they have been captured by him) in order to do His will.” In Classical Greek the shift in pronouns would suggest this, but in Koine Greek this change is not significant. The more natural sense is a reference to the devil’s will.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2Ti 2:1-26

1 Timothy is exhorted again to constancy and perseverance, and to do the duty of a faithful servant of the Lord in dividing the word aright, and staying profane and vain babblings.

17 Of Hymenaeus and Philetus.

19 The foundation of the Lord is sure.

22 He is taught whereof to beware, and what to follow after, and in what manner the servant of the Lord ought to behave himself.

MHCC: 2Ti 2:22-26

The more we follow that which is good, the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil. The keeping up the communion of saints, will take us from fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. See how often the apostle cautions against disputes in religion; which surely shows that religion consists more in believing and practising what God requires, than in subtle disputes. Those are unapt to teach, who are apt to strive, and are fierce and froward. Teaching, not persecution, is the Scripture method of dealing with those in error. The same God who gives the discovery of the truth, by his grace brings us to acknowledge it, otherwise our hearts would continue to rebel against it. There is no " peradventure," in respect of God's pardoning those who do repent; but we cannot tell that he will give repentance to those who oppose his will. Sinners are taken in a snare, and in the worst snare, because it is the devil's; they are slaves to him. And if any long for deliverance, let them remember they never can escape, except by repentance, which is the gift of God; and we must ask it of him by earnest, persevering prayer.

Matthew Henry: 2Ti 2:22-26

I. Paul here exhorts Timothy to beware of youthful lusts, 2Ti 2:22. Though he was a holy good man, very much mortified to the world, yet Paul thought it necessary to caution him against youthful lusts: " Flee them, take all possible care and pains to keep thyself pure from them."The lusts of the flesh are youthful lusts, which young people must carefully watch against, and the best must not be secure. He prescribes an excellent remedy against youthful lusts: Follow righteousness, faith, charity peace, etc. Observe, 1. Youthful lusts are very dangerous, for which reason even hopeful young people should be warned of them, for they war against the soul, 1Pe 2:11. 2. The exciting of our graces will be the extinguishing of our corruptions; the more we follow that which is good the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil. Righteousness, and faith, and love, will be excellent antidotes against youthful lusts. Holy love will cure impure lust. - Follow peace with those that call on the Lord. The keeping up of the communion of saints will take us off from all fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. See the character of Christians: they are such as call on the Lord Jesus Christ, out of a pure heart. Observe, Christ is to be prayed to. It is the character of all Christians that they call upon him; but our prayers to God and Christ are not acceptable nor successful except they come out of a pure heart.

II. He cautions him against contention, and, to prevent this (2Ti 2:23), cautions him against foolish and unlearned questions, that tend to no benefit, strifes of words. Those who advanced them, and doted upon them, thought themselves wise and learned; but Paul calls them foolish and unlearned. The mischief of these is that they gender strifes, that they breed debates and quarrels among Christians and ministers. It is very remarkable how often, and with what seriousness, the apostle cautions Timothy against disputes in religion, which surely was not without some such design as this, to show that religion consists more in believing and practising what God requires than in subtle disputes. - The servant of the Lord must not strive, 2Ti 2:24. Nothing worse becomes the servant of the Lord Jesus, who himself did not strive nor cry (Mat 12:19), but was a pattern of meekness, and mildness, and gentleness to all, than strife and contention. The servant of the Lord must be gentle to all men, and thereby show that he is himself subject to the commanding power of that holy religion which he is employed in preaching and propagating. - Apt to teach. Those are unapt to teach who are apt to strive, and are fierce and froward. Ministers must be patient, bearing with evil, and in meekness instructing (2Ti 2:25) not only those who subject themselves, but those who oppose themselves. Observe, 1. Those who oppose themselves to the truth are to be instructed; for instruction is the scripture-method of dealing with the erroneous, which is more likely to convince them of their errors than fire and faggot: he does not bid us kill their bodies, under pretence of saving their souls. 2. Such as oppose themselves are to be instructed in meekness, for our Lord is meek and lowly (Mat 11:29), and this agrees well with the character of the servant of the Lord (2Ti 2:24): He must not strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient. This is the way to convey truth in its light and power, and to overcome evil with good, Rom 12:21. 3. That which ministers must have in their eyes, in instructing those who oppose themselves, must be their recovery: If God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. Observe, (1.) Repentance is God's gift. (2.) It is a gift with a peradventure in the case of those who oppose themselves; and therefore, though we are not to despair of the grace of God, yet we must take heed of presuming upon it. To the acknowledging of the truth. (3.) The same God who gives us the discovery of the truth does by his grace bring us to the acknowledging of it, otherwise our hearts would continue in rebellion against it, for we are to confess with our mouths as well as to believe with our hearts, Rom 10:9, Rom 10:10. And thus sinners recover themselves out of the snare of the devil; see here, [1.] The misery of sinners: they are in the snare of the devil, and are led captive by him at his will, 2Ti 2:26. They are slaves to the worst of task-masters; he is the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, Eph 2:2. They are taken in a snare, and in the worst snare, because it is the devil's; they are as fishes that are taken in n evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare. Further, They are under Ham's curse ( a servant of servants shall he be, Gen 9:25), they are slaves to him who is but a slave and vassal. [2.] The happiness of those who repent: they recover themselves out of this snare, as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken and they have escaped; and the greater the danger the greater the deliverance. When sinners repent, those who before were led captive by the devil at his will come to be led into the glorious liberty of the children of God, and have their wills melted into the will of the Lord Jesus. The good Lord recover us all out of the snare.

Barclay: 2Ti 2:22-26

Here is a passage of most practical advice for the Christian leader and teacher.

He must flee from youthful lusts. Many commentators have made suggestions as to what these youthful lusts are. They are far more than the passions of the flesh. They include that impatience, which has never learned to hasten slowly and has still to discover that too much hurry can do far more harm than good; that self-assertion, which is intolerant in its opinions and arrogant in its expression of them, and which has not yet learned to see the good in points of view other than its own; that love of disputation, which tends to argue long and act little, and which will talk the night away and be left with nothing but a litter of unsolved problems; that love of novelty, which tends to condemn a thing simply because it is old and to desire a thing simply because it is new, underrating the value of experience. One thing is to be noted--the faults of youth are the faults of idealism. It is simply the freshness and intensity of the vision which makes youth run into these mistakes. Such faults are matters not for austere condemnation but for sympathetic correction, for every one has a virtue hidden beneath it.

The Christian teacher and leader is to aim at righteousness, which means giving both to men and to God their due; at faith, which means loyalty and reliability which both come from trust in God; at love, which is the utter determination never to seek anything but the highest good of our fellow-men, no matter what they do to us, and which has for ever put away all bitterness and all desire for vengeance; at peace, which is the right relationship of loving fellowship with God and with men. And all these things are to be sought in the company of those who call upon the Lord. The Christian must never seek to live detached and aloof from his fellow-men. He must find his strength and his joy in the Christian fellowship. As John Wesley said: "A man must have friends or make friends; for no one ever went to heaven alone."

The Christian leader must not get involved in senseless controversies which are the curse of the Church. In the modern Church Christian arguments are usually doubly senseless, for they are seldom about great matters of life and doctrine and faith, but almost always about unimportant things like teacups and the like. Once a leader is involved in senseless and unchristian controversy, he has forfeited all right to lead.

The Christian leader must be kindly to all; even when he has to criticize and point out a fault, it must be done with the gentleness which never seeks to hurt. He must be apt to teach; he must not only know the truth, but also be able to communicate it, and he will do that, not so much by talking about it, as by living in such a way that he shows men Christ. He must be forbearing; like his Master, if he is reviled, he must not revile again; he must be able to accept insult and injury, slights and humiliations, as Jesus accepted them. There may be greater sins than touchiness, but there is none which does greater damage in the Christian Church. He must discipline his opponents in gentleness; his hand like the hand of a surgeon, unerring to find the diseased spot, yet never for a moment causing unnecessary pain. He must love men, not batter them, into submission to the truth.

The last sentence of this passage is in very involved Greek, but it seems to be a hope that God will awaken repentance and the desire for the truth in the hearts of men, so that those who are caught in the snare of the devil may be rescued while their souls are still alive and brought into obedience to the will of God by the work of his servant. It is God who awakes the repentance; it is the Christian leader who opens the door of the Church to the penitent heart.

Constable: 2Ti 2:14-26

B. Charge to remain faithful 2:14-26

Paul turned from his emphasis on the importance of enduring hardship in the preceding verses (vv. 1-13) to focus on Timothy's need to remain faithful to the Lord. He did this to motivate him to persevere.

Constable: 2Ti 2:22-26

3. Summary applications 2:22-26

2:22 Paul urged Timothy to run away from the attractive desires that appeal especially to the young. In view of the context he was probably thinking of the desire to argue, to develop a unique theology, to make a reputation for oneself by being doctrinally innovative, and the like. All of these are desires that the individuals Paul warned Timothy to avoid indulged. Nevertheless "youthful lusts" is certainly a broad enough term to include sexual passions as well.⁵⁰ In contrast, Timothy should run toward the goals of right behavior, faith in God, love for all people, and peace with his fellow committed brethren.⁵¹

"V. 22 does not simply reiterate what precedes it but gives, rather, a wider perspective on what true sanctification means. It is added to forestall the false impression that avoiding fellowship with false teachers, essential as that is, is all there is to sanctification."⁵²

2:23 Timothy needed to refuse to participate in unwise and immature debates since these generate arguments that prove divisive (cf. 1 Tim. 1:7).

"Such questions will be brought before you: refuse to discuss them."⁵³

Those who participate in this activity as a type of sport are ignorant (apaideutous). The same Greek word means undisciplined, uneducated, or rude.

"The irrelevancy of much of the controversy then prevalent among Christians seems to have deeply impressed St. Paul; again and again he returns to this charge against the heretical teachers, that their doctrines are unprofitable and vain, and that they breed strife about questions either unimportant or insoluble."⁵⁴

2:24-26 Such behavior is inappropriate for a servant of the Lord. He or she must promote peace and unity among the brethren. The emphasis in the word translated "able to teach" in the Greek (didaktikos, cf. 1 Tim. 3:2) is on the teacher's ability to bring out the best in his students rather than on his knowledge.⁵⁵

He must also gently correct the erring with a view to their restoration to correct doctrine and correct practice. Thus they may escape the devil's trap and be able to do God's will again.

". . . the three characteristics just named, gentle,' able to teach,' and forbearing,' correspond respectively to the three elements in the task to be performed--'in meekness,' instructing,' and those in opposition' . . ."⁵⁶

"If men will not be the servants of God they inevitably become the captives of the Devil. Man's freedom is his freedom to choose his master."⁵⁷

"This remarkable and helpful section [vv. 24-26] sets forth the duty of the Lord's servant and the attitude with which he should conduct himself. The central focus of this duty is teaching and correcting those in opposition so that they may repent and learn the truth (vv. 24-25). The Lord's servant must seek to communicate this truth in such a way that opponents embrace it and abandon their error with proper remorse. God's servant thus seeks to be the instrument through whose efforts God brings them to himself."⁵⁸

In this second chapter Paul compared the believer-minister to seven things: a son (v. 1), a soldier (v. 3), an athlete (v. 5), a farmer (v. 6), a laborer (v. 15), a vessel (v. 21), and a servant-slave (v. 24).⁵⁹

College: 2Ti 2:1-26

2 TIMOTHY 2

C. ILLUSTRATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE MINISTRY WHEN FACING HARDSHIP (2:1-7)

¹ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. ³ Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

After giving examples of those who have and have not been loyal to him during his imprisonment (1:15-18), Paul resumes his appeal for Timothy to "endure hardship." Paul uses three analogies (the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer) to illustrate the need for endurance and the reward to those who do endure.

2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

The emphatic "you then" of v. 1 serves as the link to 1:6-14. Paul again recognizes Timothy as his "son" and calls him to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." The imperative "be strong" is not unusual in Paul (cf. 4:17; 1 Tim 1:12; Eph 6:10; Phil 4:13). Here the phrase represents a present imperative in which Paul is calling Timothy to "continue to be strong." The prepositional phrase "in the grace" can be used to indicate either the place where Timothy is to be strong (the NIV rendering "in the grace"; cf. KJV, NASB, RSV, NRSV) or it can indicate the means by which Timothy is to be strong (i.e., "be strong by the grace"). While either option accords with the NT doctrine of grace, despite the tendency of most translations and commentators to assume that the phrase is locative, Kelly is probably right that "the force of in with grace is probably instrumental: 'by means of,' or 'in the power of.'" This grace is located squarely "in Christ Jesus." In fellowship with Jesus one finds grace. He is the source of that grace.

2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses

Timothy is to "entrust" what he has "heard" from Paul (undoubtedly the "sound teaching" of 1:13) to others who can serve as "reliable" or "faithful" teachers. The verb to "entrust" (parativqesqai , paratithesthai ) is related to the noun "deposit" (paraqhvkh , parathçkç ) in 1:12 and 14 (cf. 1 Tim 6:20). Timothy is to see the gospel as a sacred trust which must be passed on. Paul's message was delivered "in the presence of many witnesses." Although the word translated "in the presence of" (diav , dia ) normally means "through," it is unlikely that Paul intends to represent his message as mediated through others to Timothy since Timothy had heard Paul directly. The suggestion that dia should be rendered "in the presence of" goes back to Chrysostom (d. A.D. 407) and is likely correct.

entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

It should be noted that the word "men" (a[nqrwpoi , anthrôpoi ) primarily indicates not "male persons" but "human beings" or "people." Knight argues that the word is here to be understood as adult males in contrast to women, primarily on the basis of Paul's prohibition in 1 Tim 2:12 (cf. 1 Cor 14:34). He suggests that Timothy would have understood Paul's admonition as directed toward the instruction of elders/overseers. While Knight's argument needs to be considered, he has pressed his conclusions further than the data allows. Paul's real concern here is that Timothy seek out "faithful" people who are able to share the gospel with others. The setting here is not the public assembly. Paul would himself argue that older women need to be able teachers of the gospel and its implications for younger women (Titus 2:4-5). Priscilla had a part in the teaching of Apollos (Acts 18:24-26).

2:3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Paul's first analogy in his call for Timothy to "endure hardship" (sugkakopaqevw , synkakopatheô , literally "take his share in suffering bad") is that of the "soldier of Christ Jesus." Paul frequently uses military imagery (e.g., 1 Cor 9:7; 2 Cor 10:3-5; Eph 6:10-17; Phlm 2). Paul intends for Timothy to see some similarities between his ministry and the task of a soldier. It is to be expected that soldiers will face hardship.

2:4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer.

Paul calls attention to two characteristics: (1) the soldier does not allow himself to get "involved" (or "entangled") in "civilian affairs"; (2) "he wants to please his commanding officer" (literally "the one who enlisted him as a soldier"). Paul's message to Timothy is that he must (1) give wholehearted devotion to his ministry and (2) seek to please the one who has enlisted him in that ministry.

2:5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.

Paul's second analogy is that of "an athlete." When an athlete "competes," he must compete "according to the rules" (nomivmw" , nomimôs ; literally "lawfully"; cf. 1 Tim 1:8) if he wishes to "receive the victor's crown" (cf. 4:8). Paul does not specify what "rules" he intends Timothy to follow, perhaps simply the rule to endure hardship.

2:6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

Paul's final analogy depicts the minister as a "hardworking farmer." Interestingly Paul uses the same three analogies (the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer) in 1 Cor 9:7, 24-27. The "hardworking farmer" must also "endure hardship," but Paul's primary emphasis is on the reward for the faithful minister. Timothy must "work hard" (kopiavw , kopiaô ), a word already used by Paul of elders who are "working hard in the word" (1 Tim 5:17). The word "first" can be taken either with the verb "work hard" (i.e., the farmer who "first works hard" must receive) or with the verb "receive" (i.e., the hardworking farmer "must first receive"). The latter is more likely. As Fee has noted, "the point of his receiving the first share, therefore, is not about his making a living from the gospel, which is totally foreign to the context, but about his final reward for being hardworking."

2:7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Finally Paul asks Timothy to "reflect on" the series of analogies he has given. Just in case Timothy misses his point, Paul expresses confidence that "the Lord will give [him] insight into all this."

D. THE BASIS OF EFFECTIVE MINISTRY WHEN FACING HARDSHIP (2:8-13)

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, ⁹ for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him,

we will also live with him;

¹² if we endure,

we will also reign with him.

If we disown him,

he will also disown us;

¹³ if we are faithless,

he will remain faithful,

for he cannot disown himself.

Paul gives both a fitting conclusion to his appeal for Timothy to endure hardship and the theological basis for that appeal in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy's loyalty to Paul is connected to his loyalty to the gospel.

2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.

Paul moves from the analogies of vv. 3-7 to motivate Timothy by reminding him of the work of Jesus Christ. Paul rehearses the heart of his gospel: "Jesus Christ [was] raised from the dead [and] descended from David" (literally "of David's seed"). Jesus' victory over death in the resurrection should encourage and comfort Timothy as he faced suffering and the prospects of his own death. Timothy might well have reflected back on the words of Paul in 2:9-10 where Jesus is described as the one "who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light." Paul may also be anticipating his description of the false teachers in vv. 14-18 as those who argue that "the resurrection has already taken place." There is no obvious reason in the immediate context for Paul's addition of the phrase "descended from David." Likely the whole description - "Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David" - represents the common confession of Jesus as Messiah.

This is my gospel, 2:9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal.

Paul's present suffering is a result of his ministry for that gospel. He describes suffering as being "even to the point of being chained like a criminal," "a clear indignity for one who was both a Roman citizen and innocent." The word criminal (kakou'rgo" , kakourgos ) is used in Luke 23:32-39 to describe the two men who were crucified with Jesus and was reserved for burglars, murderers, traitors, and others who would have been deemed the worst of law breakers. Paul's description of his imprisonment here indicates a situation considerably more severe than the house arrest of Acts 28.

But God's word is not chained.

For Paul the point of importance is the fact that, although he is chained, the word of God remains unfettered. Paul's emphasis for Timothy is simple. "God's word" is what matters (cf. 4:2). Paul has been imprisoned and made to suffer. Timothy may face the same fate. But the gospel will go on (cf. Phil 1:12-18).

2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Paul indicates that he suffers (here "endures everything") "for the sake of the elect" (literally "the chosen"). As Fee has noted, "Far too much ink has been spilled on the theological implications of this term [i.e., the elect]." For Paul the term simply represents the people of God. Paul is clearly not saying that God elects some for salvation apart from their response to the gospel (see the phrase "that they too may obtain the salvation," v. 10). Paul will later use the word "endure" (uJpomevnw , hypomenô ) in 4:5 when he exhorts Timothy to "endure hardship" in fulfilling his ministry (cf. 3:10; 1 Tim 6:11).

Paul does not see his suffering as salvific. Salvation is located "in Christ Jesus" and his work (cf. 2 Cor 5:17). Paul's suffering may provide people with opportunity to hear the gospel message. If his suffering enables the people of God "to obtain salvation," the suffering becomes almost unimportant. The "salvation of the elect" is accompanied by "eternal glory" (cf. Rom 5:1, 2; 8:21-25; 2 Cor 4:17; 2 Thess 2:13-14).

2:11 Here is a trustworthy saying:

In v. 11 Paul introduces yet another "trustworthy saying" (see discussion at 1 Tim 1:15; cf. 1 Tim 3:1; 4:10; Titus 3:8). The exact nature of this "saying" has been a matter of some debate. Is Paul referring to something in the previous section or to the poetic section which follows? Does the saying represent a fragment from an early Christian hymn or confessional statement? Is it composed by Paul or by some other early Christian author?

Although some (e.g., Ellicot, Fausset, Holtz, Ridderbos, Schlatter, von Soden, Weiss, and White) have suggested that Paul is referring to something in the previous material, this suggestion has not been widely accepted. As Knight has noted, it is unlikely that Paul would describe his statement about his gospel, his being chained, and his enduring as a "trustworthy saying."

Paul introduces the poetic section with "for" (gavr , gar ; " for if we died with him"), which is not translated in the NIV. Some see Paul as pointing back to the introductory formula, "here is a trustworthy saying." Other suggest that the "for" is a part of the original hymn that referred to a previous section not cited by Paul. Another alternative is to take the "for" as an intentional explanatory note added by Paul to refer back to 2:1-10 and call Timothy to endure his share of suffering. Lenski suggests a final option by taking "for" as confirmatory and, therefore, better translated "indeed." It would seem that the more likely options would involve either seeing "for" as a Pauline addition to the hymn fragment or poem tying to his declaration that it is a "trustworthy saying" or as a part of the original source which Paul simply preserves.

There is little question that this section bears some poetic qualities. The section has many of the qualities one would expect to find in a hymn. It is not, however, as precise a match of those qualities as can be found elsewhere, e.g., 1 Tim 3:16. The poetic nature can easily be seen in the strophic arrangement of the NIV. Each verse or strophe consists of a conditional sentence (if . . . , then). It may even be seen as two sets of couplets with the first two verses being positive and the last two negative. It is possible that Paul himself is the author of the material. After all, he did compose 1 Cor 13, and the material in vv. 11-13 sounds like Pauline preaching. Fee says that the saying is "perhaps an early poem or hymn, more likely from Paul himself or from his churches."

If we died with him, we will also live with him;

The first line matches what Paul has said in Rom 6:8. Although some, like Hendriksen, would see Paul referring to martyrdom, it is probable that he has in mind the believer's experience at his conversion and baptism. This would agree with Paul's use of the argument in Rom 6:8-11 (cf. Col 3:3). It would also agree with Paul's use of the past tense "died." Although the primary intent is to emphasize the result of the Christian's baptismal experience, Fee may be correct that Paul may have intended the text to be "heard with the broader implications of Christian martyrdom," implications "not lost on Timothy."

2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him.

The second line provides the likely reason for Paul's use or construction of the text. Paul's appeal in the whole section (1:6-2:13) is for Timothy to "endure." Paul has just spoken of his own patient endurance of suffering in v. 10. If Christians endure, they will participate in the reign of the glorified Messiah they serve.

If we disown him, he will also disown us;

In v. 12b Paul turns to negative behavior and the results. Disowning Christ (the Greek literally says, "if we shall disown him") will result in Christ disowning that one. The language reflects the saying of Jesus in Matt 10:33 and Luke 12:9.

2:13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful,

The final verse or line is the most problematic. Fee declares the line to be "full of surprises." Most scholars see this line as negative corresponding to the line which precedes it. If Christians prove "faithless" (i.e., commit apostasy), God will still remain faithful to himself and will necessarily mete out judgment. The verb translated "will remain" (mevnei , menei ) by the NIV is, however, not a future tense but rather a present. The text must then be understood as follows: "if we are faithless, God remains faithful" (i.e., he is still faithful to his nature and to his promises to his people). Fee suggests that the interpreter is left with two options. Either God can "override our infidelity with his grace," or God will in no way be rendered unfaithful to his promise of salvation to believers even though they are "faithless." The latter option is the only one that fits the biblical doctrines of free will, grace, and human responsibility. It also fits the call Paul has made for Timothy and others to endure.

for he cannot disown himself.

The last clause "because he cannot disown himself" has been called the final coda. Since this time the protasis (the "if" clause) does not give the reason for the apodosis (the "then" clause) as with the earlier lines, Paul provides the reason with a "because" or "for" (gavr , gar ) clause. God, or more likely as Knight suggests Christ, "cannot disown" (literally "deny"; cf. v. 12) "himself." To be less than faithful to his promises and his people would be against Christ's very nature.

IV. FALSE TEACHERS AND SOUND DOCTRINES (2:14-4:8)

In this section Paul gives Timothy instructions for dealing with false teachers. He then appeals again for Timothy to persevere. He is to remain loyal to the Scriptures he has learned, to Paul's gospel, and to his own ministry.

A. DEALING WITH FALSE TEACHERS (2:14-19)

¹⁴ Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," ^a and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

^a 19 Num. 16:5 (see Septuagint)

Earlier Paul has given Timothy exhortations with regard to his life and ministry in a pagan world. Now he moves to continue the exhortations, but this time the context is false teachers and their teachings.

2:14 Keep reminding them of these things.

Paul now urges Timothy to "keep reminding them of these things." The word "them" does not occur in the original Greek text, but must be supplied for sense. It undoubtedly refers to Christians. The "things" of which Timothy is to remind them is perhaps the whole content of the epistle thus far but most likely refers in particular to the "faithful saying" of vv. 11-13. They must be reminded of the gospel and its implications.

Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

In addition to reminding them, Timothy must "warn them before God against quarreling about words" (logomacevw , logomachço ; a word Paul may have coined; cf. 1 Tim 6:4). This seems to be one of the primary characteristics of the false teachers at Ephesus (see the discussion at 1 Tim 2:8; 6:4-5; cf. Titus 3:9). These "word-battles" are "good for nothing" (cf. Titus 3:8). They lead only to the ruin of "those who listen." The word "ruin" (katastrofhv , katastrophç ) means literally "overturning" or "subverting." These "word-battles" produce "overturned" lives for those who give heed to them.

2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,

In contrast to the false teachers who engage in those "word-battles," Timothy must "do his best" (spouvdason , spoudason ; cf. 4:9, 21; Titus 3:12) "to present [him]self as one approved" (i.e., "one who has been tested and met that test"; cf. 1 Cor 11:19; 2 Cor 10:18). Instead of "do your best" the KJV rendered spoudason as "study." Unfortunately a translation which originally meant to "give one's all" has misled many generations of Christians to assume that Paul was here calling Timothy to "get learning."

a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Timothy must do his best to be "a workman who does not need to be ashamed." A workman might rightly be ashamed if his work were shoddy or lacked real effort. For Timothy to be an unashamed worker, he must handle "correctly the word of truth." The word translated "handles correctly" (ojrqotomevw , orthotomeô ) appears only here in the NT and on two occasions (Prov 3:6 and 11:5) in the LXX. It means literally "to cut a straight path." The KJV rendering of the word as "rightly dividing" has produced some unusual dispensational and interpretive understandings which are foreign to Paul's intent. As Simpson has concluded, "It [this text] enjoins on every teacher of the Word straightforword exegesis." It is a call for Timothy and all other workmen of God to be good exegetes of Scripture. Paul purposefully draws attention to Scripture as "the word of truth" to contrast it with the "word-battles" (v. 14) and the "godless chatter" (v. 16) of the false teachers Timothy must face.

2:16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

After instructing Timothy as to what he is to promote and do in vv. 14-15, in vv. 16-18 Paul instructs Timothy of the things he is to "avoid." The description of the banter of the false teachers as "godless chatter" (bebhvlou" , bebçlous , literally "profane empty sounds") is identical to his depiction in 1 Tim 6:20 (cf. Titus 3:9; 1 Tim 1:6). Such godless chatter is to be avoided because it only causes people to "become more and more ungodly" (literally "to progress into more ungodliness"). See the discussion of "ungodliness," the opposite of the desired "godliness," in 1 Tim 2:2.

2:17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene.

The "teaching" of those who engage in "godless chatter" and are progressing in ungodliness "will spread" (literally "have pasture") "like gangrene." "Gangrene" (gavggraina , gangraina ) is a medical term used for spreading sores or ulcers. The metaphor depicts in very descriptive language the advance of false teaching in a Christian community.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Two of those engaged in this false teaching are Hymenaeus and Philetus. Hymenaeus is not a common name, and it may, therefore, be assumed that this is the same man Paul had referred to in 1 Tim 1:20. There Paul stated that he had handed him, along with Alexander, "over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." He is now joined in his false teaching by Philetus, about whom there is no further information.

2:18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

These two men seem to be leaders among a group of false teachers "who have wandered away from the truth" (cf. 1 Tim 1:6; 6:21 for a discussion of this phrase). The next phrase indicates the nature of this heresy: saying "that the resurrection has already taken place" (cf. 2 Thess 2:2 "saying that the day of the Lord has already come"). This text and 1 Tim 4:1ff are the only places in the Pastoral Epistles where the modern reader can ascertain with certainty the nature of the false teaching in Ephesus. Fee makes the following assessment of the false teaching: "This is probably some form of over-realized eschatology, that is, that the fullness of the End, especially the resurrection, has already been realized in our spiritual dying and rising with Christ (cf. v. 11; Rom 6:1-11; Col 2:20-3:4). Such an idea . . . was probably related to the Greek conception of the soul as immortal and released from physical existence at death. Such dualism . . . may also lie at the root of the asceticism in 1 Tim 4:3." Such false teaching is very serious because it hits at the very heart of the Christian faith, "destroying" (literally "overturning"; cf. Titus 1:11) "the faith of some." To deny future bodily resurrection is to deny the Christian faith (cf. 1 Cor 15).

2:19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm,

Despite (note the strong adversative mevntoi [ mentoi ] , "nevertheless") the uncertainty that the false teaching might produce, Paul proclaims one thing as sure: "God's solid foundation stands firm." God "knows" his own. The exact nature of "God's foundation" has brought several conjectures. Is Paul referring to the church in general (cf. his description of the church as the pillar and foundation of the truth, 1 Tim 3:15), the faithful Christians in Ephesus, the deposit of faith, Christ (1 Cor 3:10-12), or the apostles and prophets (Eph 3:20)? In the light of what follows in this verse and in vv. 20-21, it seems likely that Paul is using the phrase in an even more general way. Paul can be seen as simply saying, "What God has founded is solid. What the false teachers say cannot thwart his work."

sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"

Inscriptions on foundation stones indicate either ownership or purpose of the structure. Here there are two inscriptions with which this foundation is "sealed." The first, "The Lord knows those who are his," is an almost exact quote of Num 16:5 in the LXX. The context is the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moses and ultimately against God. There God clearly distinguishes between those loyal to him and those in rebellion. Paul contends that is what God will do in the church at Ephesus.

and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

Several OT passages have been suggested as the background for the second inscription, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness" (e.g., Lev 24:16; Num 16:26; Josh 23:7; Isa 26:13; 52:11; Ps 6:8; 34:14; Prov 3:7). It likely represents a proverbial saying familiar to Timothy and the church at Ephesus. The true servant of the Lord demonstrates that he belongs to him by turning "away from wickedness," a direction opposite that of the false teachers and consistent with the noble work of vv. 20-21.

B. PREPARING FOR NOBLE WORK (2:20-26)

²⁰ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. ²¹ If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

²² Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵ Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

2:20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.

Paul uses the various "articles" which could be found in a large house to illustrate the need to "turn away from wickedness." Paul's use of "a large house" and his reference to articles of gold and silver indicate that he has in mind a home with wealthy inhabitants. While some of the articles are expensive ("gold and silver"), others are everyday and inexpensive ("wood and clay"). The expensive ones would be used for meals, especially feasts, and "for noble purposes" (literally "for honor"). The inexpensive ones might be used for common meals but could also be used "for ignoble" (literally "for dishonor") tasks, including serving as containers for garbage or perhaps even bed pans. The use of the various types of vessels as an illustration is not unique to 2 Timothy (cf. Jer 18:1-11; the apocryphal work, the Wisdom of Solomon 15:7; Rom 9:19-24).

2:21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Paul's point here is not that God can use any vessel (cf. 1 Cor 12:21-24) but rather that one must decide what kind of vessel he will be. Paul is calling for Timothy and others at Ephesus to "turn from wickedness" (v. 19) by cleansing themselves from wickedness and thus becoming "an instrument for noble purposes" (literally "a vessel for honor"), made "holy" (hJgiasmevnon , hçgiasmenon ; literally "having been sanctified" or "set apart" like vessels designated for use in the Temple), "useful to the Master" (cf. 2:4). Paul concludes by saying that this cleansed vessel is "prepared to do any good work." Good works are an important theme throughout the Pastoral Epistles (cf. 1 Tim 2:10; 5:10; 6:18; Titus 1:16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14; 2 Tim 3:17).

2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth,

In v. 22 Paul continues his personal instructions for Timothy begun in vv. 14-16. Timothy is instructed to "flee the evil desires of youth" (literally "continue to flee youthful desires"). Timothy is a young man, at least in comparison with Paul (see 1 Tim 4:12 for a discussion of Timothy's age). There is no way to determine exactly what desires Paul has in mind. The list of virtues to be pursued which follows is too general to give assistance in this regard.

and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Paul continues his instructions by listing four virtues Timothy should continue to "pursue" (the use of the present imperative implies the need for Timothy to continue in the pursuit). He must "pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace." Paul has already counselled Timothy to develop the first three virtues in 1 Tim 6:11. Now he adds "peace," something lacking in those who are involved in "foolish and stupid arguments" and "quarrels" (vv. 23-24). All "those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" seek to develop these characteristics, which are missing in the false teachers.

2:23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

If Timothy is to "pursue peace," he must "have nothing to do with" (cf. 1 Tim 4:7; 5:11 where the same verb is used) "foolish" (cf. Titus 3:9) and "stupid" (ajpaivdeuto" , apaideutos ; literally "untrained" or perhaps "uneducated") arguments. Timothy must avoid the teaching of these people who are quibbling and speaking as experts even though they are ill-informed. All of these foolish debates "produce" (literally "give birth to") "quarrels."

2:24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

In contrast to the false teachers, Timothy is to see himself as "the Lord's servant" (dou'lo" , doulos ; literally "slave") and behave accordingly. He "must not quarrel." Not quarreling does not mean allowing false teaching to go unopposed. In a fashion much like the qualifications of elders (1 Tim 3:2-7; Titus 1:6-9), deacons (1 Tim 3:8-12), or widows to be enrolled (1 Tim 5:9-10), Paul gives the qualities one must have if he or she is to serve as an effective servant of the Lord. He must be "gentle" or "kind to everyone," including even the false teachers. "He must able to teach" (cf. 1 Tim 3:2 where the term is used of the overseer). Finally he is "not [to be] resentful" (ajnexivkanon , anexikakon ; literally "holding up under bad"), a word rendered by the NASB "patient when wronged."

2:25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct,

Timothy "must instruct those who oppose him gently." The word translated "instruct" (paideuvw , paideuô ) is used of training a child (cf. 1 Tim 1:20). In v. 23 Paul used the negation of this word (ajpaivdeuto" , apaideutos , rendered "stupid") to describe the arguments of the false teachers. This training is to be done "gently," a word often translated "meekness" (1 Tim 6:11; Titus 3:2).

in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,

The goal, when the "Lord's servant" instructs or corrects, is never to be getting even. He is to do so "in the hope that" (mhvpote , mçpote ; literally "perhaps") "God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth." Repentance is here seen as the gift of God, resulting in their coming to "a knowledge of the truth" (cf. 1 Tim 2:4). This does not deny human decision in repentance but rather points to the fact that even our repentance is rooted in God's act and the opportunities granted by God.

2:26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

The goal is also "that they will come to their senses" (literally "will return to their soberness") "and escape from the trap" (or "snare," pagiv" , pagis ; cf. Rom 11:9; 1 Tim 3:7; 6:9) "of the devil." Although the exact meaning of the final clause is uncertain, the devil is depicted as having "taken them captive" (literally "having been captured alive by him") "to do his will."

Paul's message to Timothy is simple. He must refute false teachers and the error they propound (cf. 2:15), he must save sinners (1 Tim 4:16), and he must redeem the fallen.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

Commentary -- Other

Evidence: 2Ti 2:26

Warning sinners of judgment . Jeremiah warned King Zedekiah repeatedly that God would judge His people. The prophet pleaded with the king, but still he would not do what Jeremiah said. One cannot but wonder what the king thought about after he was blinded and bound with chains ( Jer 39:6-8 ). Perhaps his thoughts were of the last thing he saw—the unspeakable agony of seeing his own beloved sons butchered before his eyes. Perhaps the words of Jeremiah flashed before his tormented mind, warning him that all of Israel (including his sons) could have been saved if he had obeyed the voice of the Lord. We can’t begin to imagine the remorse he felt.

How this must typify the ungodly who have been bound by the bronze fetters of sin, " taken captive by [the devil] at his will." We warn that there is judgment coming (both temporal and eternal) to those who live for the devil, but most remain in unbelief. Their master is he who came " to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" ( Joh 10:10 ). He blinds the minds of those who don’t believe. Like Zedekiah, so many see their own sons and daughters die before their very eyes. AIDS and other sin-related diseases, as well as alcohol, drugs, and suicide, kill many before their time. Multitudes give themselves to the burning fires of sexual lust, and so the devil breaks down the walls of entire nations.

Yet, there is still time to warn them. There is still time to pray that God will open their understanding. God told Jeremiah to tell an Ethiopian named Ebedmelech that He would deliver him from judgment. He said, " For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be for a prey to you: because you have put your trust in me, says the Lord" ( Jer 39:18 ). This is the message we are to deliver. He who keeps his life will lose it, but those who trust in the Lord will be safe on the Day of Judgment. On that Day, the sword of the Word of God will not fall upon him, because it fell on the Savior two thousand years ago.

Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

Second Timothy

From Rome Probably Early Autumn of 67 or Spring of 68

JFB: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

PLACE OF WRITING.--Paul, in the interval between his first and second imprisonment, after having written First Timothy from Macedonia or Corinth [BIRKS] (if we are to adopt the opinion that First Timothy was written after his first imprisonment), returned to Ephesus, as he intended, by way of Troas, where he left the books, &c. (mentioned in 2Ti 4:13), with Carpus. From Ephesus he went to Crete for a short visit and returned, and then wrote to Titus. Next he went by Miletus to Corinth (2Ti 4:20), and thence to Nicopolis (Tit 3:12), whence he proceeded to Rome. From his prison there he wrote the Second Epistle to Timothy, shortly before his martyrdom. It is not certain where Timothy was at this time. Some of the internal evidences favor the view of his having been then at Ephesus; thus the salutation of Priscilla and Aquila, who generally resided there (2Ti 4:19); also that of the household of Onesiphorus, who is stated in 2Ti 1:16-18 to have ministered to Paul at Ephesus, a circumstance implying his residence there. Also, the Hymenæus of 2Ti 2:17 seems to be the same as the Hymenæus at Ephesus (1Ti 1:20); and probably "Alexander the coppersmith" (2Ti 4:14) is the same as the Alexander joined with Hymenæus (1Ti 1:20), and possibly the same as the Alexander put forward by the Jews to clear themselves, not to befriend Paul, at the riot in Ephesus (Act 19:33-34). The difficulty is, on this supposition, how to account for 2Ti 4:12, 2Ti 4:20 : if Timothy was at Ephesus, why did he need to be told that Paul had sent Tychicus to Ephesus? or that Paul had left Trophimus, himself an Ephesian (Act 21:29), sick at Miletus, which was only thirty miles from Ephesus? However, see on 2Ti 4:12; 2Ti 4:20. Troas lay on the road to Rome from either Ephesus or Pontus, so that 2Ti 4:13 will accord with the theory of either Ephesus or any other place in the northwest of Asia Minor, being Timothy's place of sojourn at the time. Probably, he had the general superintendence of the Pauline churches in Asia Minor, in accordance with his mission combining the office of evangelist, or itinerant missionary, with that of presiding overseer. Ephesus was probably his headquarters.

TIME OF WRITING.--(1) Paul's first imprisonment, described in Act 28:17-31, was much milder than that in which he was when writing Second Timothy. In the former, he had liberty to lodge in his own hired house, and to receive all comers, guarded only by a single soldier; in the latter, he was so closely confined that Onesiphorus with difficulty found him; he was chained, his friends had forsaken him, and he had narrowly escaped sentence of execution from the Roman emperor. Medieval legends represent the Mamertine prison, or Tullianum, as the scene of his incarceration with Peter. But this is irreconcilable with the fact of Onesiphorus, Linus, Pudens, &c., having access to him. He was probably under military custody, as in his former imprisonment, though of a severer kind (2Ti 1:16-18; 2Ti 2:9; 2Ti 4:6-8, 2Ti 4:16-17). (2) The visit to Troas (2Ti 4:13) can hardly have been that mentioned in Act 20:5-7, the last before his first imprisonment; for, if it were, the interval between that visit and the first imprisonment would be seven or eight years, a period most unlikely for him to have allowed to pass without sending for his cloak and parchments, when they might have been of service to him in the interim. (3) Paul's leaving Trophimus sick at Miletus (2Ti 4:20), could not have been on the occasion mentioned in Act 20:15; for, subsequent to that, Trophimus was with Paul in Jerusalem (Act 21:29). (4) The words (2Ti 4:20), "Erastus abode at Corinth," imply that Paul had shortly before been at Corinth, where he left Erastus. But before his first imprisonment, Paul had not been at Corinth for several years; and in the interval Timothy had been with him, so that Timothy did not need at a later period to be told about that visit (Act 20:2, Act 20:4). For all these reasons the imprisonment, during which he wrote Second Timothy, is shown to be his second imprisonment. Moreover, Heb 13:23-24, represents the writer (who was probably Paul) as in Italy, and at liberty. So CLEMENT OF ROME [First Epistle to the Corinthians, 1.5], the disciple of Paul, explicitly states, "In the east and west, Paul as a preacher instructed the whole world (that is, the Roman empire) in righteousness, and having gone to the extremity of the west, and having borne witness before the rulers (of Rome), he so was removed from the world." This plainly implies that he fulfilled his design (Rom 15:24-28) of a missionary journey into Spain. The canon of the New Testament, compiled about A.D. 170 (called MURATORI'S Canon), also mentions "the journey of Paul from Rome to Spain." See ROUTH [Sacred Fragments, vol. 4, p. 1-12].

His martyrdom is universally said to have occurred in Nero's reign [EUSEBIUS, Ecclesiastical History, 2.22; JEROME, On Illustrious Men]. Five years thus seem to have elapsed between the first imprisonment, A.D. 63 (Act 28:17-31), and his martyrdom, June A.D. 68, the last year of Nero's reign. He was probably arrested by the magistrates in Nicopolis (Tit 3:12) in Epirus, in the winter, on a double charge, first, of being one of the Christians who had conspired, it was alleged by Nero's partisans, to set fire to Rome, A.D. 64; secondly, of introducing a novel and unlawful religion. His friends all left him, except Luke: Demas from "love of this present world": the others from various causes (2Ti 4:10-11). On the first charge he seems to have been acquitted. His liberation from his first imprisonment took place in A.D. 63, the year before the great fire at Rome, which Nero made the pretext for his persecution of the Christians. Every cruelty was heaped on them; some were crucified; some were arrayed in the skins of wild beasts and hunted to death by dogs; some were wrapped in pitch-robes and set on fire by night to illuminate the circus of the Vatican and gardens of Nero, while that monster mixed among the spectators in the garb of a charioteer. But now (A.D. 67 or 68) some years had elapsed since the first excitement which followed the fire. Hence, Paul, being a Roman citizen, was treated in his trial with a greater respect for the forms of the law, and hence was acquitted (2Ti 4:17) on the first charge of having instigated the Christians to their supposed acts of incendiarism before his last departure from Rome. Alexander the coppersmith seems to have been a witness against him (2Ti 4:14). Had he been condemned on the first charge, he would probably have been burnt alive, as the preceding martyrs were, for arson. His judge was the city Præfect. CLEMENT OF ROME specifies that his trial was (not before the emperor, but) "before the rulers." No advocate ventured to plead his cause, no patron appeared for him, such as under ordinary circumstances might have aided him; for instance, one of the powerful Æmilian house, under which his family possibly enjoyed clientship (2Ti 4:16-17), whence he may have taken his name Paul. The place of trial was, probably, one of the great basilicas in the Forum, two of which were called the Pauline Basilicas, from L. Æmilius Paulus, who had built one and restored the other. He was remanded for the second stage of his trial. He did not expect this to come on until the following "winter" (2Ti 4:21), whereas it took place about midsummer; if in Nero's reign, not later than June. In the interim Luke was his only constant companion; but one friend from Asia, Onesiphorus, had diligently sought him and visited him in prison, undeterred by the danger. Linus, too, the future bishop of Rome, Pudens, the son of a senator, and Claudia, his bride, perhaps the daughter of a British king (see on 2Ti 4:21), were among his visitors; and Tychicus, before he was sent by Paul to Ephesus (2Ti 4:12; perhaps bearing with him this Epistle).

OBJECT OF THE EPISTLE.--He was anxious to see his disciple Timothy, before his death, and that Timothy should bring Mark with him (2Ti 1:4; 2Ti 4:9, 2Ti 4:11, 2Ti 4:21). But feeling how uncertain it was whether Timothy should arrive in time, he felt it necessary, also, to give him by letter a last warning as to the heresies, the germs of which were then being scattered in the Churches. Hence he writes a series of exhortations to faithfulness, and zeal for sound doctrine, and patience amidst trials: a charge which Timothy seems to have needed, if we are to judge from the apostle's earnestness in urging him to boldness in Christ's cause, as though Paul thought he saw in him some signs of constitutional timidity (2Ti 2:2-8; 2Ti 4:1-5; 1Ti 5:22-23).

PAUL'S DEATH.--DIOYSIUS, bishop of Corinth (quoted in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 2.25]) about A.D. 170, is the earliest authority for the tradition that Peter suffered martyrdom at Rome "about the same time" as Paul, after having labored for some time there. He calls Peter and Paul "the founders of the Corinthian and Roman Churches." The Roman presbyter, CAIUS (about A.D. 200), mentions the tradition that Peter suffered martyrdom in the Vatican. But (1) Peter's work was among the Jews (Gal 2:9), whereas Rome was a Gentile Church (Rom 1:13. Moreover, (2) the First Epistle of Peter (1Pe 1:1; 1Pe 5:13) represents him as laboring in Babylon in Mesopotamia. (3) The silence concerning Peter of Paul's Epistles written in Rome, negatives the tradition of his having founded, or labored long at Rome; though it is possible he may have endured martyrdom there. His martyrdom, certainly, was not, as JEROME says, "on the same day" with that of Paul, else Paul would have mentioned Peter's being at Rome in 2Ti 4:11. The legend says that Peter, through fear, was fleeing from Rome at early dawn by the Appian Way, when he met our Lord, and falling at His feet, asked, Lord, whither goest thou? to which the Lord replied, I go again to be crucified. The disciple returned penitent and ashamed, and was martyred. The Church of Domine quo vadis, on the Appian Way, commemorates the supposed fact. Paul, according to CAIUS (quoted in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 2.25]), suffered martyrdom on the Ostian Way. So also JEROME, who gives the date, the fourteenth year of Nero. It was common to send prisoners, whose death might attract too much notice at Rome, to some distance from the city, under a military escort, for execution; hence the soldier's sword, not the executioner's axe, was the instrument of his decapitation [OROSIUS, The Seven Books of History against the Pagans, 7.7]. Paul appears, from Phi. 1:12-30, to have had his partisans even in the palace, and certainly must have exercised such an influence as would excite sympathy in his behalf, to avoid which the execution was ordered outside the city. Compare TACITUS [Histories, 4.11]. The Basilica of St. Paul, first built by Constantine, now stands outside Rome on the road to Ostia: before the Reformation it was under the protection of the kings of England, and the emblem of the order of the Garter is still to be seen among its decorations. The traditional spot of the martyrdom is the Tre Fontane, not far from the Basilica [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].

JFB: 2 Timothy (Outline)

• EXHORTATIONS; TO FAITHFULNESS AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST; ERRORS TO BE SHUNNED; THE LORD'S SURE FOUNDATION; THE RIGHT SPIRIT FOR A SERVANT OF CHRIST. (2Ti. 2:1-26)
• COMING EVIL DAYS: SIGNS OF EVIL ALREADY: CONTRAST IN THE DOCTRINE AND LIFE OF PAUL, WHICH TIMOTHY SHOULD FOLLOW IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS EARLY TRAINING IN SCRIPTURE. (2Ti. 3:1-17)
• SOLEMN CHARGE TO TIMOTHY TO DO HIS DUTY ZEALOUSLY, FOR TIMES OF APOSTASY ARE AT HAND, AND THE APOSTLE IS NEAR HIS TRIUMPHANT END: REQUESTS HIM TO COME AND BRING MARK WITH HIM TO ROME, AS LUKE ALONE IS WITH HIM, THE OTHERS HAVING GONE: ALSO HIS CLOAK AND PARCHMENTS: WARNS HIM AGAINST ALEXANDER: TELLS WHAT BEFELL HIM AT HIS FIRST DEFENSE: GREETINGS: BENEDICTION. (2Ti. 4:1-22)

TSK: 2 Timothy 2 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Ti 2:1, Timothy is exhorted again to constancy and perseverance, and to do the duty of a faithful servant of the Lord in dividing the word aright, and staying profane and vain babblings; 2Ti 2:17, Of Hymenaeus and Philetus; 2Ti 2:19, The foundation of the Lord is sure; 2Ti 2:22, He is taught whereof to beware, and what to follow after, and in what manner the servant of the Lord ought to behave himself.

Poole: 2 Timothy 2 (Chapter Introduction)

TIMOTHY CHAPTER 2

MHCC: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

The first design of this epistle seems to have been, to apprize Timothy of what had occurred during the imprisonment of the apostle, and to request him to come to Rome. But being uncertain whether he should be suffered to live to see him, Paul gives a variety of advices and encouragements, for the faithful discharge of his ministerial duties. As this was a private epistle written to St. Paul's most intimate friend, under the miseries of imprisonment, and in the near prospect of death, it shows the temper and character of the apostle, and contains convincing proofs that he sincerely believed the doctrines he preached.

MHCC: 2 Timothy 2 (Chapter Introduction)

(2Ti 2:1-7) The apostle exhorts Timothy to persevere with diligence, like a soldier, a combatant, and a husbandman.

(2Ti 2:8-13) Encouraging him by assurances of a happy end of his faithfulness.

(2Ti 2:14-21) Warnings to shun vain babblings and dangerous errors.

(2Ti 2:22-26) Charges to flee youthful lusts, and to minister with zeal against error, but with meekness of spirit.

Matthew Henry: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Epistle of St. Paul to Timothy

This second epistle Paul wrote to Timothy from Rome, when he was a prisoner there and in danger of his life; this is evident from these words, I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand, 2Ti 4:6. It appears that his removal out of this world, in his own apprehension, was not far off, especially considering the rage and malice of his persecutors; and that he had been brought before the emperor Nero, which he calls his first answer, when no man stood with him, but all men forsook him, 2Ti 4:16. And interpreters agree that this was the last epistle he wrote. Where Timothy now was is not certain. The scope of this epistle somewhat differs from that of the former, not so much relating to his office as an evangelist as to his personal conduct and behaviour.

Matthew Henry: 2 Timothy 2 (Chapter Introduction)

In this chapter our apostle gives Timothy many exhortations and directions, which may be of great use to other, both ministers and Christians, for whom they were designed as well as for him. I. He encourages him in his work, showing him whence he must fetch help (2Ti 2:1). II. He must take care of a succession in the ministry, that the office might not die with him (2Ti 2:2). III. He exhorts him to constancy and perseverance in this work, as a soldier and as a husbandman, considering what would be the end of all his sufferings, etc. (2Ti 2:3-15). IV. He must shun profane and vain babblings (2Ti 2:16-18), for they will be pernicious and mischievous. V. He speaks of the foundation of God, which standeth sure (2Ti 2:19-21). VI. What he is to avoid - youthful lusts, and foolish and unlearned questions; and what to do (2Ti 2:22 to the end).

Barclay: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL

The Letters Of Paul

There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letters of Paul. That is because of all forms of literature a letter is most personal. Demetrius, one of the old Greek literary critics, once wrote, "Every one reveals his own soul in his letters. In every other form of composition it is possible to discern the writercharacter, but in none so clearly as the epistolary." (Demetrius, On Style, 227). It is just because he left us so many letters that we feel we know Paul so well. In them he opened his mind and heart to the folk he loved so much; and in them, to this day, we can see that great mind grappling with the problems of the early church, and feel that great heart throbbing with love for men, even when they were misguided and mistaken.

The Difficulty Of Letters

At the same time, there is often nothing so difficult to understand as a letter. Demetrius (On Style, 223) quotes a saying of Artemon, who edited the letters of Aristotle. Artemon said that a letter ought to be written in the same manner as a dialogue, because it was one of the two sides of a dialogue. In other words, to read a letter is like listening to one side of a telephone conversation. So when we read the letters of Paul we are often in a difficulty. We do not possess the letter which he was answering; we do not fully know the circumstances with which he was dealing; it is only from the letter itself that we can deduce the situation which prompted it. Before we can hope to understand fully any letter Paul wrote, we must try to reconstruct the situation which produced it.

The Ancient Letters

It is a great pity that Paulletters were ever called epistles. They are in the most literal sense letters. One of the great lights shed on the interpretation of the New Testament has been the discovery and the publication of the papyri. In the ancient world, papyrus was the substance on which most documents were written. It was composed of strips of the pith of a certain bulrush that grew on the banks of the Nile. These strips were laid one on top of the other to form a substance very like brown paper. The sands of the Egyptian desert were ideal for preservation, for papyrus, although very brittle, will last forever so long as moisture does not get at it. As a result, from the Egyptian rubbish heaps, archaeologists have rescued hundreds of documents, marriage contracts, legal agreements, government forms, and, most interesting of all, private letters. When we read these private letters we find that there was a pattern to which nearly all conformed; and we find that Paulletters reproduce exactly that pattern. Here is one of these ancient letters. It is from a soldier, called Apion, to his father Epimachus. He is writing from Misenum to tell his father that he has arrived safely after a stormy passage.

"Apion sends heartiest greetings to his father and lord Epimachus.

I pray above all that you are well and fit; and that things are

going well with you and my sister and her daughter and my brother.

I thank my Lord Serapis [his god] that he kept me safe when I was

in peril on the sea. As soon as I got to Misenum I got my journey

money from Caesar--three gold pieces. And things are going fine

with me. So I beg you, my dear father, send me a line, first to let

me know how you are, and then about my brothers, and thirdly, that

I may kiss your hand, because you brought me up well, and because

of that I hope, God willing, soon to be promoted. Give Capito my

heartiest greetings, and my brothers and Serenilla and my friends.

I sent you a little picture of myself painted by Euctemon. My

military name is Antonius Maximus. I pray for your good health.

Serenus sends good wishes, Agathos Daimonboy, and Turbo,

Galloniuson." (G. Milligan, Selections from the Greek Papyri,

36).

Little did Apion think that we would be reading his letter to his father 1800 years after he had written it. It shows how little human nature changes. The lad is hoping for promotion quickly. Who will Serenilla be but the girl he left behind him? He sends the ancient equivalent of a photograph to the folk at home. Now that letter falls into certain sections. (i) There is a greeting. (ii) There is a prayer for the health of the recipients. (iii) There is a thanksgiving to the gods. (iv) There are the special contents. (v) Finally, there are the special salutations and the personal greetings. Practically every one of Paulletters shows exactly the same sections, as we now demonstrate.

(i) The Greeting: Rom_1:1 ; 1Co_1:1 ; 2Co_1:1 ; Gal_1:1 ; Eph_1:1 ; Phi_1:1 ; Col_1:1-2 ; 1Th_1:1 ; 2Th_1:1 .

(ii) The Prayer: in every case Paul prays for the grace of God on the people to whom he writes: Rom_1:7 ; 1Co_1:3 ; 2Co_1:2 ; Gal_1:3 ; Eph_1:2 ; Phi_1:3 ; Col_1:2 ; 1Th_1:1 ; 2Th_1:2 .

(iii) The Thanksgiving: Rom_1:8 ; 1Co_1:4 ; 2Co_1:3 ; Eph_1:3 ; Phi_1:3 ; 1Th_1:3 ; 2Th_1:3 .

(iv) The Special Contents: the main body of the letters.

(v) Special Salutations and Personal Greetings: Rom 16 ; 1Co_16:19 ; 2Co_13:13 ; Phi_4:21-22 ; Col_4:12-15 ; 1Th_5:26 .

When Paul wrote letters, he wrote them on the pattern which everyone used. Deissmann says of them, "They differ from the messages of the homely papyrus leaves of Egypt, not as letters but only as the letters of Paul." When we read Paulletters we are not reading things which were meant to be academic exercises and theological treatises, but human documents written by a friend to his friends.

The Immediate Situation

With a very few exceptions, all Paulletters were written to meet an immediate situation and not treatises which he sat down to write in the peace and silence of his study. There was some threatening situation in Corinth, or Galatia, or Philippi, or Thessalonica, and he wrote a letter to meet it. He was not in the least thinking of us when he wrote, but solely of the people to whom he was writing. Deissmann writes, "Paul had no thought of adding a few fresh compositions to the already extant Jewish epistles; still less of enriching the sacred literature of his nation. He had no presentiment of the place his words would occupy in universal history; not so much that they would be in existence in the next generation, far less that one day people would look at them as Holy Scripture." We must always remember that a thing need not be transient because it was written to meet an immediate situation. All the great love songs of the world were written for one person, but they live on for the whole of mankind. It is just because Paulletters were written to meet a threatening danger or a clamant need that they still throb with life. And it is because human need and the human situation do not change that God speaks to us through them today.

The Spoken Word

One other thing we must note about these letters. Paul did what most people did in his day. He did not normally pen his own letters but dictated them to a secretary, and then added his own authenticating signature. (We actually know the name of one of the people who did the writing for him. In Rom_16:22 Tertius, the secretary, slips in his own greeting before the letter draws to an end). In 1Co_16:21 Paul says, "This is my own signature, my autograph, so that you can be sure this letter comes from me." (compare Col_4:18 ; 2Th_3:17 .)

This explains a great deal. Sometimes Paul is hard to understand, because his sentences begin and never finish; his grammar breaks down and the construction becomes involved. We must not think of him sitting quietly at a desk, carefully polishing each sentence as he writes. We must think of him striding up and down some little room, pouring out a torrent Paul composed his letters, he had in his mindeye a vision of words, while his secretary races to get them down. When of the folk to whom he was writing, and he was pouring out his heart to them in words that fell over each other in his eagerness to help.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS TO TIMOTHY AND TITUS

Personal Letters

1 and 2 Timothy and Titus have always been regarded as forming a separate group of letters, different from the other letters of Paul. The most obvious difference is that they, along with the little letter to Philemon, are written to persons, whereas all other Pauline letters are written to Churches. The Muratorian Canon, which was the earliest official list of New Testament books, says that they were written "from personal feeling and affection." They are private rather than public letters.

Ecclesiastical Letters

But it very soon began to be seen that, though these are personal and private letters, they have a significance and a relevance far beyond the immediate. In 1Ti_3:15 their aim is set down. They are written to Timothy "that you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God." So, then, it came to be seen that these letters have not only a personal significance, but also what one might call an ecclesiastical significance. The Muratorian Canon says of them that, though they are personal letters written out of personal affection, "they are still hallowed in the respect of the Catholic Church, and in the arrangement of ecclesiastical discipline." Tertullian said that Paul wrote "two letters to Timothy and one to Titus, which were composed concerning the state of the Church (de ecclesiastico statu)." It is not then surprising that the first name given to them was Pontifical Letters, that is, written by the pontifex, the priest, the controller of the Church.

Pastoral Letters

Bit by bit they came to acquire the name by which they are still known--The Pastoral Epistles. In writing of I Timothy Thomas Aquinas, as long ago as 1274, said, "This letter is as it were a pastoral rule which the Apostle delivered to Timothy." In his introduction to the second letter, he writes, "In the first letter he gives Timothy instructions concerning ecclesiastical order; in this second letter he deals with a pastoral care which should be so great that it will even accept martyrdom for the sake of the care of the flock." But this title, The Pastoral Epistles, really became affixed to these letters in 1726 when a great scholar, Paul Anton by name, gave a series of famous lectures on them under that title.

These letters then deal with the care and organization of the flock of God; they tell men how to behave within the household of God; they give instructions as to how Godhouse should be administered, as to what kind of people the leaders and pastors of the Church should be, and as to how the threats which endanger the purity of Christian faith and life should be dealt with.

The Growing Church

The supreme interest of these letters is that we get in them a picture of the infant Church. In those early days it was an island in a sea of paganism. The people in it were only one remove from their heathen origin. It would have been so easy for them to relapse into the pagan standards from which they had come; the tarnishing atmosphere was all around. It is most significant that missionaries tell us that of all letters the Pastoral Epistles speak most directly to the situation of the younger Churches. The situation with which they deal is being re-enacted in India, in Africa, in China every day. They can never lose their interest because in them we see, as nowhere else, the problems which continually beset the growing Church.

The Ecclesiastical Background Of The Pastorals

From the beginning these letters have presented problems to New Testament scholars. There are many who have felt that, as they stand, they cannot have come directly from the hand and pen of Paul. That this is no new feeling may be seen from the fact that Marcion, who, although he was a heretic, was the first man to draw up a list of New Testament books, did not include them among Paulletters. Let us then see what makes people doubt their direct Pauline authorship.

In them we are confronted with the picture of a Church with a fairly highly developed ecclesiastical organization. There are elders (1Ti_5:17-19 ; Tit_1:5-6 ); there are bishops, superintendents or overseers (1Ti_3:1-7 ; Tit_1:7-16 ); there are deacons (1Ti_3:8-13 ). From 1Ti_5:17-18 we learn that by that time elders were even salaried officials. The elders that rule well are to be counted worthy of a double pay and the Church is urged to remember that the labourer is worthy of his hire. There is at least the beginning of the order of widows who became so prominent later on in the early Church (1Ti_5:3-16 ). There is clearly here a quite elaborate structure within the Church, too elaborate some would claim for the early days in which Paul lived and worked.

The Days Of Creeds

It is even claimed that in these letters we can see the days of creeds emerging. The word faith changed its meaning. In the earliest days it is always faith in a person; it is the most intimate possible personal connection of love and trust and obedience with Jesus Christ. In later days it became faith in a creed; it became the acceptance of certain doctrines. It is said that in the Pastoral Epistles we can see this change emerging.

In the later days men will come who will depart from the faith and give heed to doctrines of devils (1Ti_4:1 ). A good servant of Jesus Christ must be nourished in the words of faith and good doctrine (1Ti_4:6 ). The heretics are men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith (2Ti_3:8 ). The duty of Titus is to rebuke men that they may be sound in the faith (Tit_1:13 ).

This comes out very particularly in an expression peculiar to the Pastorals. Timothy is urged to keep hold of "the truth that has been entrusted to you" (2Ti_1:14 ). The word for that has been entrusted is paratheke (G3866). Paratheke means a deposit which has been entrusted to a banker or someone else for safe-keeping. It is essentially something which must be handed back or handed on absolutely unchanged. That is to say the stress is on orthodoxy. Instead of being a close, personal relationship to Jesus Christ, as it was in the thrilling and throbbing days of the early Church, faith has become the acceptance of a creed. It is even held that in the Pastorals we have echoes of the earliest creeds.

"God was manifested in the flesh;

Vindicated in the Spirit;

Seen by angels;

Preached among the nations;

Believed on in the world;

Taken up in glory" (1Ti_3:16 ).

That indeed sounds like the fragment of a creed to be recited.

"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from

David, as preached in my gospel" (2Ti_2:8 ).

That sounds like a reminder of a sentence from an accepted creed.

Within the Pastorals there undoubtedly are indications that the day of insistence on acceptance of a creed has begun, and that the days of the first thrilling personal discovery of Christ are beginning to fade.

A Dangerous Heresy

It is clear that in the forefront of the situation against which the Pastoral Epistles were written there was a dangerous heresy which was threatening the welfare of the Christian Church. If we can distinguish the various characteristic features of that heresy, we may be able to go on to identify it.

It was characterized by speculative intellectualism. It produced questions (1Ti_1:4 ); those involved in it doted about questions (1Ti_6:4 ); it dealt in foolish and unlearned questions (2Ti_2:23 ); its foolish questions are to be avoided (Tit_3:9 ). The word used in each case for questions is ekzetesis (compare G1567 and G2214), which means speculative discussion. This heresy was obviously one which was a play-ground of the intellectuals, or rather the pseudo-intellectuals of the Church.

It was characterized by pride. The heretic is proud, although in reality he knows nothing (1Ti_6:4 ). There are indications that these intellectuals set themselves on a plane above the ordinary Christian; in fact they may well have said that complete salvation was outside the grasp of the ordinary man and open only to them. At times the Pastoral Epistles stress the word all in a most significant way. The grace of God, which brings salvation, has appeared to all men (Tit_2:11 ). It is Godwill that all men should be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1Ti_2:4 ). The intellectuals tried to make the greatest blessings of Christianity the exclusive possession of a chosen few; and in contradistinction the true faith stresses the all-embracing love of God.

There were within that heresy two opposite tendencies. There was a tendency to asceticism. The heretics tried to lay down special food laws, forgetting that everything God has made is good (1Ti_4:4-5 ). They listed many things as impure, forgetting that to the pure all things are pure (Tit_1:15 ). It is not impossible that they regarded sex as something unclean and belittled marriage, and even tried to persuade those who were married to renounce it, for in Tit_2:4 the simple duties of the married life are stressed as being binding on the Christian.

But this heresy also issued in immorality. The heretics even invaded private houses and led away weak and foolish women in evil desires (2Ti_3:6 ). They professed to know God, but denied him by their deeds (Tit_1:16 ). They were out to impose upon people and to make money out of their false teaching. To them gain was godliness (1Ti_6:5 ); they taught and deceived for base gain (Tit_1:11 ).

On the one hand this heresy issued in an unchristian asceticism, and on the other it produced an equally unchristian immorality.

It was characterized, too, by words and tales and genealogies. It was full of godless chatter and useless controversies (1Ti_6:20 ). It produced endless genealogies (1Ti_1:4 ; Tit_3:9 ). It produced myths and fables (1Ti_1:4 ; Tit_1:14 ).

It was at least in some way and to some extent tied up with Jewish legalism. Amongst its devotees were those of the circumcision (Tit_1:10 ). The aim of the heretics was to be teachers of the law (1Ti_1:7 ). It pressed on men Jewish fables and the commandments of men (Tit_1:14 ).

Finally, these heretics denied the resurrection of the body. They said that any resurrection that a man was going to experience had been experienced already (2Ti_2:18 ). This is probably a reference to those who held that the only resurrection the Christian experienced was a spiritual one when he died with Christ and rose again with him in the experience of baptism (Rom_6:4 ).

The Beginnings Of Gnosticism

Is there any heresy which fits all this material? There is, and its name is Gnosticism. The basic thought of Gnosticism was that all matter is essentially evil and spirit alone is good. That basic belief had certain consequences.

The Gnostic believed that matter is as eternal as God; and that when God created the world he had to use this essentially evil matter. That meant that to them God could not be the direct creator of the world. In order to touch this flawed matter he had to send out a series of emanations--they called them aeons--each one more and more distant from himself until at last there came an emanation or aeon so distant that it could deal with matter and create the world. Between man and God there stretched a series of these emanations, each with his name and genealogy. So Gnosticism literally had endless fables and endless genealogies. If a man was ever to get to God, he must, as it were, ascend this ladder of emanations; and to do that he needed a very special kind of knowledge including all kinds of passwords to get him past each stage. Only a person of the highest intellectual calibre could hope to acquire this knowledge and know these passwords and so get to God.

Further, if matter was altogether evil, the body was altogether evil. From that, two opposite possible consequences sprang. Either the body must be held down so that a rigorous asceticism resulted, in which the needs of the body were as far as possible eliminated and its instincts, especially the sex instinct, as far as possible destroyed; or it could be held that, since it was evil, it did not matter what was done with the body and its instincts and desires could be given full rein. The Gnostic therefore became either an ascetic or a man to whom morality had ceased to have any relevance at all.

Still further, if the body was evil, clearly there could be no such thing as its resurrection. It was not the resurrection of the body but its destruction to which the Gnostic looked forward.

All this fits accurately the situation of the Pastoral Epistles. In Gnosticism we see the intellectualism, the intellectual arrogance, the fables and the genealogies, the asceticism and the immorality, the refusal to contemplate the possibility of a bodily resurrection, which were part and parcel of the heresy against which the Pastoral Epistles were written.

One element in the heresy has not yet been fitted into place--the Judaism and the legalism of which the Pastoral Epistles speak. That too finds its place. Sometimes Gnosticism and Judaism joined hands. We have already said that the Gnostics insisted that to climb the ladder to God a very special knowledge was necessary; and that some of them insisted that for the good life a strict asceticism was essential. It was the claim of certain of the Jews that it was precisely the Jewish law and the Jewish food regulations which provided that special knowledge and necessary asceticism; and so there were times when Judaism and Gnosticism went hand in hand.

It is quite clear that the heresy at the back of the Pastoral Epistles was Gnosticism. Some have used that fact to try to prove that Paul could have had nothing to do with the writing of them, because, they say, Gnosticism did not emerge until much later than Paul. It is quite true that the great formal systems of Gnosticism, connected with such names as Valentinus and Basilides, did not arise until the second century; but these great figures only systematized what was already there. The basic ideas of Gnosticism were there in the atmosphere which surrounded the early Church, even in the days of Paul. It is easy to see their attraction, and also to see that, if they had been allowed to flourish unchecked, they could have turned Christianity into a speculative philosophy and wrecked it. In facing Gnosticism, the Church was facing one of the gravest dangers which ever threatened the Christian faith.

The Language Of The Pastorals

The most impressive argument against the direct Pauline origin of the Pastorals is a fact which is quite clear in the Greek but not so clear in any English translation. The total number of words in the Pastoral Epistles is 902, of which 54 are proper names; and of these 902 words, no fewer than 306 never occur in any other of Paulletters. That is to say more than a third of the words in the Pastoral Epistles are totally absent from Paulother letters. In fact 175 words in the Pastoral Epistles occur nowhere else in the New Testament at all; although it is only fair to say that there are 50 words in the Pastoral Epistles which occur in Paulother letters and nowhere else in the New Testament.

Further, when the other letters of Paul and the Pastorals say the same thing they say it in different ways, using different words and different turns of speech to express the same idea.

Again, many of Paulfavourite words are absent entirely from the Pastoral Epistles. The words for the cross (stauros, G4716) and to crucify (stauroun, G4717) occur 27 times in Paulother letters, and never in the Pastorals. Eleutheria (G1657) and the kindred words which have to do with freedom occur 29 times in Paulother letters, and never in the Pastorals. Huios (G5207), "son," and huiothesia (G5206), "adoption," occur 46 times in Paulother letters, and never in the Pastorals.

Moreover, Greek has many more of those little words called particles and enclitics than English has. Sometimes they indicate little more than a tone of voice; every Greek sentence is joined to its predecessor by one of them; and they are often virtually untranslatable. Of these particles and enclitics there are 112 which Paul uses altogether 932 times in his other letters that never occur in the Pastorals.

There is clearly something which has to be explained here. The vocabulary and the style make it hard to believe that Paul wrote the Pastoral Epistles in the same sense as he wrote his other letters.

PaulActivities In The Pastorals

But perhaps the most obvious difficulty of the Pastorals is that they show Paul engaged in activities for which there is no room in his life as we know it from the book of Acts. He has clearly conducted a mission in Crete (Tit_1:5 ). And he proposes to spend a winter in Nicopolis, which is in Epirus (Tit_3:12 ). In Paullife as we know it that particular mission and that particular winter just cannot be fitted in. But it may well be that just here we have stumbled on the solution to the problem.

Was Paul Released From His Roman Imprisonment?

Let us sum up. We have seen that the Church organization of the Pastorals is more elaborate than in any other Pauline letter. We have seen that the stress on orthodoxy sounds like second or third generation Christianity, when the thrill of the new discovery is wearing off and the Church is on the way to becoming an institution. We have seen that Paul is depicted as carrying out a mission or missions which cannot be fitted into the scheme of his life as we have it in Acts. But Acts leaves it quite uncertain what happened to Paul in Rome. It ends by telling us that he lived for two whole years in a kind of semi-captivity, preaching the gospel without hindrance (Act_28:30-31 ). But it does not tell us how that captivity ended, whether in Paulrelease or his execution. It is true that the general assumption is that it ended in his condemnation and death; but there is a by no means negligible stream of tradition which tells that it ended in his release, his liberty for two or three further years, his reimprisonment and his final execution about the year A.D. 67.

Let us look at this question, for it is of the greatest interest.

First, it is clear that when Paul was in prison in Rome, he did not regard release as impossible; in fact, it looks as if he expected it. When he wrote to the Philippians, he said that he was sending Timothy to them, and goes on, "And I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come also" (Phi_2:24 ). When he wrote to Philemon, sending back the runaway Onesimus, he says, "At the same time prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you" (Phm_1:22 ). Clearly he was prepared for release, whether or not it ever came.

Second, let us remember a plan that was very dear to Paulheart. Before he went to Jerusalem on that journey on which he was arrested, he wrote to the Church at Rome, and in that letter he is planning a visit to Spain. "I hope to see you in passing," he writes, "as I go to Spain." "I shall go on by way of you," he writes, "to Spain" (Rom_15:24 , Rom_15:28 ). Was that visit ever paid?

Clement of Rome, when he wrote to the Church at Corinth about A.D. 90, said of Paul that he preached the gospel in the East and in the West; that he instructed the whole world (that is, the Roman Empire) in righteousness; and that he went to the extremity (terma, the terminus) of the West, before his martyrdom. What did Clement mean by the extremity of the West? There are many who argue that he meant nothing more than Rome. Now it is true that someone writing away in the East in Asia Minor would probably think of Rome as the extremity, of the West. But Clement was writing from Rome; and it is difficult to see that for anyone in Rome the extremity of the West could be anything else but Spain. It certainly seems that Clement believed that Paul reached Spain.

The greatest of all the early Church historians was Eusebius. In his account of Paullife he writes: "Luke who wrote the Acts of the Apostles, brought his history to a close at this point, after stating that Paul had spent two whole years at Rome as a prisoner at large, and preached the word of God without constraint. Thus, after he had made his defence, it is said that the Apostle was sent again on the ministry of preaching, and that on coming to the same city a second time he suffered martyrdom" (Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History, 2.22.2). Eusebius has nothing to say about Spain, but he did know the story that Paul had been released from his first Roman imprisonment.

The Muratorian Canon, that first list of New Testament books, describes Lukescheme in writing Acts: "Luke related to Theophilus events of which he was an eye-witness, as also, in a separate place, he evidently declares the martyrdom of Peter (he probably refers to Luk_22:31-32 ); but omits the journey of Paul from Rome to Spain."

In the fifth century, two of the great Christian fathers are definite about this journey. Chrysostom in his sermon on 2Ti_4:20 says: "Saint Paul after his residence in Rome departed to Spain." Jerome in his Catalogue of Writers says that Paul "was dismissed by Nero that he might preach Christgospel in the West."

Beyond doubt a stream of tradition held that Paul journeyed to Spain.

This is a matter on which we will have to come to our own decision. The one thing which makes us doubt the historicity of that tradition is that in Spain itself there is not and never was any tradition that Paul had worked and preached there, no stories about him, no places connected with his name. It would be indeed strange if the memory of such a visit had become totally obliterated. It could well be that the whole story of Paulrelease and journey to the west arose simply as a deduction from his expressed intention to visit Spain (Rom 15 ). Most New Testament scholars do not think that Paul was released from his imprisonment; the general consensus of opinion is that his only release was by death.

Paul And The Pastoral Epistles

What then shall we say of Paulconnection with these letters? If we can accept the tradition of his release, and of his return to preaching and teaching, and of his death as late as A.D. 67, we might well believe that as they stand they came from his hand. But, if we cannot believe that--and the evidence is on the whole against it--are we to say that they have no connection with Paul at all?

We must remember that the ancient world did not think of these things as we do. It would see nothing wrong in issuing a letter under the name of a great teacher, if it was sure that the letter said the things which that teacher would say under the same circumstances. To the ancient world it was natural and seemly that a disciple should write in his mastername. No one would have seen anything wrong in one of Pauldisciples meeting a new and threatening situation with a letter under Paulname. To regard that as forgery is to misunderstand the mind of the ancient world. Are we then to swing completely to the other extreme and say that some disciple of his issued these letters in Paulname years after he was dead, and at a time when the Church was much more highly organized than ever it was during his lifetime?

As we see it, the answer is no. It is incredible that any disciple would put into Paulmouth a claim to be the chief of sinners (1Ti_1:15 ); his tendency would be to stress Paulholiness, not to talk about his sin. It is incredible that anyone writing in the name of Paul would give Timothy the homely advice to drink a little wine for the sake of his health (1Ti_5:23 ). The whole of 2Tim 4 is so personal and so full of intimate, loving details that no one but Paul could have written it.

Wherein lies the solution? It may well be that something like this happened. It is quite obvious that many letters of Paul went lost. Apart from his great public letters, he must have had a continuous private correspondence; and of that we possess only the little letter to Philemon. It may well be that in the later days there were some fragments of Paulcorrespondence in the possession of some Christian teacher. This teacher saw the Church of his day and his locality in Ephesus threatened on every side. It was threatened with heresy from without and from within. It was threatened with a fall away from its own high standards of purity and truth. The quality of its members and the standard of its office-bearers were degenerating. He had in his possession little letters of Paul which said exactly the things that should be said, but, as they stood, they were too short and too fragmentary to publish. So he amplified them and made them supremely relevant to the contemporary situation and sent them out to the Church.

In the Pastoral Epistles we are still hearing the voice of Paul, and often hearing it speak with a unique personal intimacy; but we think that the form of the letters is due to a Christian teacher who summoned the help of Paul when the Church of the day needed the guidance which only he could give.

FURTHER READING

Timothy

D. Guthrie, The Pastoral Epistles (TC; E)

W. Lock, The Pastoral Epistles (ICC; G)

E. F. Scott, The Pastoral Epistles (MC; E)

E. K. Simpson, The Pastoral Epistles

Abbreviations

CGT: Cambridge Greek Testament

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

TC: Tyndale Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

Barclay: 2 Timothy 2 (Chapter Introduction)

The Chain Of Teaching (2Ti_2:1-2)

The Soldier Of Christ (2Ti_2:3-4)

The Athlete Of Christ (2Ti_2:5)

The Toiler Of Christ (2Ti_2:6-7)

The Essential Memory (2Ti_2:8-10)

The Criminal Of Christ (2Ti_2:8-10 Continued)

Free Yet In Fetters Bound (2Ti_2:8-10 Continued)

The Song Of The Martyr (2Ti_2:11-13)

The Danger Of Words (2Ti_2:14)

The Way Of Truth And The Way Of Error (2Ti_2:15-18)

The Lost Resurrection (2Ti_2:15-18 Continued)

The Firm Foundation (2Ti_2:19)

Vessels Of Honor And Of Dishonor (2Ti_2:20-21)

Advice To A Christian Leader (2Ti_2:22-26)

Constable: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Historical Background

Assuming Paul visited Nicapolis as he planned (Titus 3:12), he went from there to Rome evidently indirectly. His visit to Troas (2 Tim. 4:13) probably took place shortly before he wrote 2 Timothy. It may be that Paul's arrest required his leaving his cloak, books, and parchments there, but that is only speculation. In any case Paul ended up in Rome as a prisoner again (2:9). He had already had his initial hearing and was awaiting trial when he wrote this epistle (4:16). He believed that the Roman authorities would find him guilty and execute him soon (4:6).

Timothy seems to have remained at Ephesus for some time following his reception of Paul's first epistle to him and then, presumably, Paul's personal visit of him there (1 Tim. 3:14). He was evidently in Ephesus when Paul wrote this epistle (2 Tim. 1:16-18; 4:14 cf. 1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 4:19).

Ever since Rome had burned in July of 64 A.D. and Nero had blamed the Christians it had become dangerous to be a Christian. It was also dangerous to have contact with leaders of the church such as Paul.¹ Consequently many believers, including some of Paul's coworkers, had chosen to seek a much lower profile and become less aggressive in their ministries. Timothy faced temptation to do the same. Paul wrote this epistle to urge him to remain faithful to his calling and loyal to his father in the faith. Timothy needed to stand shoulder to shoulder with Paul and the other believers and to continue to "preach the Word" as he had done.

Paul probably wrote 2 Timothy in the fall of 67 A.D. There are two reasons for this date. According to early church tradition Paul suffered execution shortly before Nero committed suicide in June of 68 A.D. Second, Paul penned this last of his canonical epistles fairly near the time of his execution though before the winter of 67-68 A.D. (4:21).

Message²

Paul had previously written to Timothy explaining that the local church is a supporting pedestal for God's truth (1 Tim. 3:15). He had said that the purpose of the local church is the proclamation of God's truth in the world. He had also said that the purpose of church leaders is the exposition of God's truth in the church. Conditions facing the church had worsened considerably since he had written 1 Timothy. Characteristics of the last days were becoming increasingly obvious (2 Tim. 3:1-7). Godlessness and worldliness were invading the church. If the church failed to fulfill its purpose, God's truth would cease to go out into the world. The church would fail if its leaders failed to expound God's truth to the saints in the church. Consequently Paul wrote this letter to encourage Timothy to fulfill his responsibility as a leader in the church. This epistle, therefore, is particularly for church leaders and deals mainly with their duties.

This epistle reveals the true minister of Jesus Christ. It reveals his resources, his methods, and his most important work. Of course every Christian is a true minister of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:12).

The essential resources of the Christian minister are God's gifts and God's grace.

A person can become a minister of God's truth only when the Head of the church bestows a gift on him or her through the Holy Spirit. This is the primary qualification for ministry (1:6). Some leaders have great gifts, others have lesser gifts, but all have at least one gift (1 Pet. 4:10). These gifts are abilities for service that God gives us.

Grace is also necessary. Grace refers to all God's resources that are available to us through Christ. God works through the gifts He has given us. Grace is His power at work to accomplish what is supernatural. His grace brings force to our public ministries and godliness into our personal lives. Its ultimate purpose is to bring everything about us into harmony with God's character (2:1; 2 Cor. 12:9).

The methods of the Christian minister are construction and demonstration.

The leader of God's people must aim at the development of holy character and conduct in the lives of those under his or her care. He or she seeks to build up the saints so they can fulfill their function. Second Timothy 3:16-17 gives the process. This takes place through authoritative instruction, correction, restoration, and patient guidance.

Second, the minister must also demonstrate in his or her own life what godliness and righteousness are. He or she must give people an example they can follow as well as information they can believe (1:8; 2:22-23).

The most important work of the minister is also two-fold. He must know the Scriptures and proclaim the Scriptures.

Knowledge of the whole counsel of God is essential (3:14-15). We must know the Word because that is what God uses to build up His people. We must also know it because it is through our mastery of the Word that God masters us and changes our lives into the examples we need to be.

While proclaiming the Word is not the totality of pastoral ministry, it is without question its most important public function (4:1-2).

Paul's great appeal in this letter is to "fulfill your ministry" (4:5).

Concerning his resources the minister must stir up his or her gift (1:6) to fulfill his or her ministry. We must rekindle our gifts from time to time. They tend to diminish if we do not use them, as any other unused ability tends to diminish. We are in danger of growing cold. We need to keep using and seeking to improve our gifts.

We have a second responsibility concerning our resources. We must draw strength from God's grace (2:1). To do this we must make use of the means of grace: prayer, the devotional reading of the Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and meditation on the cross.

Concerning methods Paul appealed to give diligence to our work of construction (2:15). The approval of God requires zeal in ministry, not half-hearted or sloppy service. In our culture many people are willing to do just enough to get by.

Our work of demonstrating an example for the church requires that we flee some things and pursue others (2:22). Our inner lives affect our ability to demonstrate the truth perhaps more than our ability to proclaim the truth.

We fulfill our responsibility to know the Scriptures when we abide in them (3:14). We must not neglect much less abandon them day by day. We need to read, memorize, and meditate on the Word frequently and regularly.

We fulfill our responsibility to proclaim the Scriptures when we are instant in season and out of season (4:2). There is no "season" for heralding God's truth. We should be ready to do it always.

These are Paul's revelations of the secrets of success in ministry.

Let me make a few applications of the message of this epistle.

First, let us consider some applications to the church.

It is the proclamation of God's truth both in the church and in the world that will keep the church solid and secure. The Word of God is its most important resource. The church must preach the Word!

Second, the church must give attention to both correct thinking and correct acting. Correct thinking is basic to correct behavior. The church must practice and preach godliness. The Word is indispensable to both objectives. Churches that emphasize the proclamation of the Word are most effective on both these fronts. This is the main reason evangelical churches usually grow.

Third, the church must fully know the Word and faithfully proclaim the Word. This is its great work in the world. Do not turn aside to lesser goals.

Finally, let us consider three applications for individual ministers, church leaders.

First, the Lord will guard the lives of those who guard His Word (1:12, 14). There is no safer place to be than doing God's will.

Second, God has given the Scriptures to us in trust, to pass along so that others will benefit from them (2:2). We have an obligation to do this (1 Cor. 9:16).

Third, we have a responsibility to be faithful to our trust. Paul said this was true in this letter for three reasons. Christ will return soon. There is growing apostasy in the church. Furthermore there are always gaps opening in the ranks of the church's leadership by death (Paul) and defection (Demas, et al.). 2 Timothy emphasizes faithfulness.

There is constant turnover in the leadership of the church. Nevertheless the proclamation of the Word by the church's leaders must continue to have priority for the church to fulfill its function in the world. This is the message statement.

Constable: 2 Timothy (Outline)

Outline

I. Salutation 1:1-2

II. Thanksgiving for faithful fellow workers 1:3-18

A. Timothy's past faithfulness 1:3-7

B. Charges to remain loyal 1:8-14

1. Exhortation to be courageous 1:8-12

2. Exhortation to guard the gospel 1:13-14

C. Examples of faithful and unfaithful service 1:15-18

III. Exhortations to persevere 2:1-26

A. Charge to endure hardship 2:1-13

1. Timothy's duty 2:1-7

2. The examples of Jesus and Paul 2:8-10

3. A popular saying 2:11-13

B. Charge to remain faithful 2:14-26

1. Faithfulness in public ministry 2:14-18

2. Faithfulness in personal life 2:19-21

3. Summary applications 2:22-26

IV. Directions concerning the last days 3:1-4:8

A. Characteristics of the last days 3:1-13

1. Evidences of faithlessness 3:1-7

2. Negative and positive illustrations 3:8-13

B. Conduct in the last days 3:14-4:5

1. Adherence to the truth 3:14-17

2. Proclamation of the truth 4:1-5

C. Paul's role in the last days 4:6-8

V. Concluding personal instructions and information 4:9-22

A. Fellow workers and an opponent 4:9-15

B. Paul's preliminary hearing in court 4:16-18

C. Additional greetings and instructions 4:19-21

D. Benediction 4:22

Constable: 2 Timothy

2 Timothy

Bibliography

Bailey, Mark L. "A Biblical Theology of Paul's Pastoral Epistles." in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, pp. 333-67. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

Barclay, William. The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Daily Study Bible series. 2nd ed. and reprint ed. Edinburgh: Saint Andrews Press, 1962.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1965.

Belton, Robert H. The Minister and His Ministry. Moody Manna series. Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1963.

Bernard, J. H. The Pastoral Epistles. 1899. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980.

Bruce, F. F. "Studies in the Pastoral Epistles: Preliminary Observations." Harvester 65:1 (January 1986):12-13.

Constable, Thomas L. "Analysis of Bible Books--New Testament." Paper submitted for course 686 Analysis of Bible Books--New Testament. Dallas Theological Seminary, January 1968.

Conybeare, W. J., and Howson, J. S. The Life and Epistles of St. Paul. New ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.

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Derickson, Gary W. "The Cessation of Healing Miracles in Paul's Ministry." Bibliotheca Sacra 155:619 (July-September 1998):299-315.

_____. "The Decline of Miracles in the New Testament Era." Th.M. thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1986.

Dictionary of the Apostolic Church. Edited by James Hastings. 1915 ed. S.v. "Timothy and Titus, Epistles to," by R. A. Falconer.

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_____. "2 Timothy." In Ephesians-Philemon. Vol. 11 of Expositor's Bible Commentary. 12 vols. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978.

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_____. The Pastoral Epistles. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries series. London: Tyndale Press, 1964.

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_____. Second Timothy. Moody Colportage Library series. Chicago: Moody Press, 1958.

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

THE SECOND

EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE,

TO TIMOTHY.

INTRODUCTION.

The main subject and design of this epistle is much the same as the former; in it the apostle again instructs and admonishes Timothy in what belonged to his office, and also warns him to shun the conversation of those who erred from the truth, describing at the same time their character. He tells him of his approaching death, and desires him to come speedily to him. It appears from this circumstance, that he wrote this second epistle in the time of his last imprisonment at Rome, and not long before his martyrdom. See Eusebius, St. Jerome, and others cited by Tillemont, and by P. Mauduit, (Diss. xi.) where this historical fact is discussed at large. (Challoner, Witham)

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Gill: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY

That this epistle was written to Timothy, while he was at Ephesus, where the apostle in his former epistle had desired him to stay, is evident from his making mention of some persons in it, who were Ephesians; as Onesiphorus, whom he commends, and Alexander the coppersmith, of whom he complains: and that this epistle was written by the apostle, when he was at Rome, is no less evident; for he expressly calls himself a prisoner, 2Ti 1:8 and speaks of being then in trouble, and in bonds, 2Ti 2:9 and the persons that send their salutations in it to Timothy were Romans, 2Ti 4:21 but at what time it was written is not so certain: it seems by 2Ti 4:7 that it was but a little time before his martyrdom; though those words may only signify, that he was now very much on the decline of life, was now grown an old man, and in continual expectation of death, and was in a constant readiness for it, come when it would; having faithfully discharged his duty, and his warfare being as good as accomplished, and his race almost run out; for he afterwards presses Timothy to come to him, and that before winter; and desires him to bring with him his cloak, books, and parchments, which one would think he would have little occasion for, if just upon his martyrdom: besides, he says he was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that by him the preaching of the Gospel might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and expresses his confidence, that he should be again delivered, 2Ti 4:9. And it looks as if this epistle was written before the epistles to the Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, since it appears that Timothy did come to him at Rome; as here desired, and is joined with the apostle in those epistles. Some, therefore, have placed this epistle in the year 58, or 59, about the fourth or fifth of Nero's reign. The design of it is to stir up Timothy to the faithful and diligent discharge of his duty, as a minister of the Gospel; to abide constantly by the truths of it, and to animate him to suffer patiently, cheerfully, and courageously for the sake of it; and to warn him against false teachers, and their errors, who were already risen, and would afterwards arise, and be followed by such who had itching ears, and could not bear sound doctrine; but this should be no discouragement to him in the prosecution of his work; and lastly to desire his presence with him at Rome, being now destitute of his several assistants.

Gill: 2 Timothy 2 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 2

In this chapter the apostle continues his exhortations to Timothy, with respect both to his office and his conversation, and closes with the character of a minister of the Gospel. The apostle having exhorted Timothy, in the former chapter, to abide by the Gospel, notwithstanding whatsoever he might suffer for it, here points out to him that grace and strength in Christ, which he would have him have recourse unto, to enable him to discharge his duty, 2Ti 2:1 and that the Gospel might continue, he advises him to take care of a succession, and to commit the Gospel preached by him to others, whose qualifications for it are faithfulness and aptitude to teach, 2Ti 2:2 and in order to animate him to labour diligently in the Gospel, and suffer cheerfully for it, he observes to him that he was a soldier, and must endure hardships, and not indulge to the ease and pleasures of life; was a runner in a race, and therefore must strive before he received the crown; and was as an husbandman that must first labour before he partakes of the fruit: which things he would have him seriously consider; and desires that the Lord would give him understanding in them, 2Ti 2:3, and then with the same view, to encourage him to suffer for the Gospel of Christ, he puts him in mind of the incarnation and resurrection of Christ, as a summary of the Gospel, and a specimen of what he had heard of him, 2Ti 2:8 and instances in his own sufferings for it, the nature, use, and end of them, by way of example and imitation, 2Ti 2:9, and for the same purpose mentions several useful sayings and pithy sentences, as true and, to be depended on, 2Ti 2:11 which he would have Timothy put his hearers in mind of, and especially those to whom he committed the Gospel to preach; charging them, in a solemn manner, not to strive about words, which is not only unprofitable, but hurtful, 2Ti 2:14 and with respect to himself, he exhorts him to diligence and study, in interpreting and explaining the word of God, that so he might be approved unto God, and not be ashamed before men, 2Ti 2:15 and on the contrary, to avoid false doctrines, as being profane, empty, and mere babble; and as tending to greater impiety; and as being dangerous and threatening, like the spreading canker; of which he gives instances in Hymenaeus and Philetus, 2Ti 2:16 whose error was, that the resurrection was already past; and succeeded in the spreading of it, to the subversion of the faith of some, 2Ti 2:18. However, for the comfort of real believers, it is observed, that notwithstanding such errors, and the success of them, the foundation stands sure; God has a certain knowledge of his own people, and will keep them; and therefore it becomes such who either call on the name, or are called by the name of Christ, to depart from such evil doctrines, 2Ti 2:19 and that such things happening in the world, and in churches, should not be thought strange, the apostle illustrates the case by a simile of a great house, which has vessels of all sorts in it, and for different uses and purposes, 2Ti 2:21. Wherefore, to conclude his exhortations to Timothy, he advises him to flee those lusts which are incident to youth; to follow things that are good, and to avoid foolish and unlearned questions, which tend to strife, 2Ti 2:22 which leads him on to give the character of a servant of the Lord, or a preacher of the Gospel; that he must not strive, but be gentle, patient, and meek, in instructing adversaries; for which he should have an aptness; and is encouraged to act this part, from the consideration of success under a divine blessing; namely, bringing such persons to repentance, and to own the truth, and the recovery of them out of the snare of the devil, 2Ti 2:24.

College: 2 Timothy (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION

DATE AND PLACE OF ORIGIN

In 2 Timothy Paul finds himself in a Roman prison. Onesiphorus had searched for Paul and found him in Rome (1:16-17). Paul instructed Timothy to get Mark and bring him as he came (4:11). This indicates a time in Rome other than the imprisonment related at the end of Acts since both Timothy and Mark were with Paul when he wrote Colossians (Col 1:1; 4:10; Phlm 24). Paul had recently been in Asia Minor and left his cloak at Troas (4:13), stayed with Erastus at Corinth, and left Trophimus sick at Miletus (4:20).

Though Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years before being sent on to Rome (Acts 24:27), it is unlikely that he was writing from Caesarea since Trophimus and Timothy were both with him in Jerusalem when he was arrested. It seems more likely that Paul was released from the imprisonment at the end of Acts, was involved in missionary activities, and then was subsequently arrested once again (probably in Troas). 2 Timothy would then have been written during that second Roman imprisonment. Paul describes his situation in terms that indicate that he is in prison facing the prospects of a speedy execution.

The date of 2 Timothy depends largely upon one's view of the authorship of the book, the place of origin of the book, and Eusebius' date of the martyrdom of Paul. Those who deny Pauline authorship of the book class it with the other Pastoral Epistles and date it in the second century. Since Eusebius dates the martyrdom of Paul in A.D. 67, those who hold to Pauline authorship normally date the book in 66 or 67.

DESTINATION AND AUDIENCE

It appears from several references in 2 Timothy (2 Tim 1:18; 2:17; 4:9, 12, 14, 19; cf. 1 Tim 1:20; Acts 18:18-19, 24-26; 19:33-34) that Timothy is in Ephesus as Paul writes this book as he was when Paul wrote 1 Timothy (1 Tim 1:3). Again, as in 1 Timothy, while the book bears many personal notes intended for Timothy, Paul desires for this book to be read by the whole church.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF 2 TIMOTHY

The central message of 2 Timothy is Paul's desire for Timothy to suffer with him and endure hardship for the gospel. Timothy is to stand assured that God will provide him with strength (1:6-14; 2:1-13; 3:12; 4:5). Timothy is also urged to hold on to the apostolic message (1:13-14), to pass it on to others who can in turn share it with others (2:2), and to be careful to deal with it and the message of the Old Testament correctly (2:15; 3:10-17). Put simply, Timothy must fulfill his ministry (4:1-5); Paul is passing on the mantle to his young co-worker.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

College: 2 Timothy (Outline)

OUTLINE

I. SALUTATION - 1:1-2

II. THANKSGIVING - 1:3-5

III. PAUL'S APPEAL FOR ENDURANCE IN FACING SUFFERING - 1:6-2:13

A. An Appeal for Loyalty in Facing Hardship - 1:6-14

B. Examples of the Disloyal and the Loyal - 1:15-18

C. Illustrations for Effective Ministry when Facing Hardship - 2:1-7

D. The Basis of Effective Ministry when Facing Hardship - 2:8-13

IV. FALSE TEACHERS AND SOUND DOCTRINES - 2:14-4:8

A. Dealing with False Teachers - 2:14-19

B. Preparing for Noble Work - 2:20-26

C. The Character of the Last Days - 3:1-9

D. Further Exhortations for Timothy to Endure - 3:10-17

E. A Final Charge to Timothy - 4:1-8

V. PERSONAL INSTRUCTIONS - 4:9-18

VI. FINAL SALUTATIONS - 4:19-22

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV