As usual, Paul wrote what he did in his salutation to set the tone for his emphasis in the rest of the epistle. There are only three particulars in which this salutation differs from the one in 1 Timothy.
First, Paul attributed his calling as an apostle to "the will of God"(v. 1) rather than to the command of God. The wording here is what Paul used in several of his other epistles (1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians). The two terms are very similar in meaning. When friends desert us and opposition becomes intense there is nothing that gives Christians confidence like the assurance that we are doing God's will.
Second, the apostle said his calling as an apostle was "according to"(i.e., "because of,"or "in harmony with,"or both) "the promise of life in Christ Jesus"(v. 1). This promise is part of the gospel message.
". . . Paul in his circumstances probably thinks of life' (eternal) as something yet to be fully obtained--thus the reference to a promise(compare 1 Tim 6:19)."3
In this epistle Paul emphasized the importance of faithfulness: God's faithfulness, Paul's faithfulness, Timothy's need to remain faithful, and the faithfulness or unfaithfulness of Paul's fellow workers and other servants of Christ. Paul was counting on God being faithful and providing what He had promised, namely eternal life in Christ. God had called him to proclaim this promise as an apostle.
Third, Paul referred to Timothy as his "beloved son"(v. 2). This description emphasized the affection Paul felt for Timothy and his relationship to him as a spiritual son and protégé whom he had nurtured in the faith.4
