Bible study Daily, explanation and encouragement - 2 Timothy
2 Timothy 1:3
Paul’s second letter to Timothy. There is a marked difference when we turn from 1 Timothy to 2 Timothy. The situation has clearly changed for the worse. He is no longer a free man making plans for the future, his mind filled with high expectations. Now he is a prisoner with no human hope. There is no prospect of final absolution, other than resignation to the inevitable death penalty. Yet there is no difference in the apostle’s spiritual resilience, for his indomitable spirit rises above what would otherwise have been a desperately dark mood. Paul’s faith is under greater test and proves to be entirely adequate. The letter is a farewell message from one who knows that death is very near.
Paul’s second letter to Timothy is full of encouragement, perhaps because young Timothy really needed it! Many scholars believe that Paul wrote this epistle shortly before his death, while he was facing a much harsher imprisonment than he had previously faced. For this reason, it is a very personal message from the elder apostle to his spiritual son. Paul’s instructions before he completed his earthly journey, so to speak.
I pray that you will apply the instructions and exhortations of 2 Timothy to your life so that when the time for the end of your earthly life draws near, you will be able to say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
2 Timothy 1:5
SINCERE FAITH - Perhaps this means that Grandmother Lois was the first member of the family to accept Christ as Savior and Lord, and that she was instrumental in leading the other members to accept the Christian faith. Or, as is more likely, Paul is referring to the attitude of faithfulness and religious devotion that had characterized Timothy's family for at least three generations, beginning in Judaism and reaching its fullness and development in the recognition of Christ Jesus as Messiah and Lord.
The faith that dwells in true believers is unfeigned; it is without hypocrisy; it is a faith that will endure to the end, steadfast in the face of trial.
The faith that was in Timothy was inherited from his mother Eunice and from the faith that was in his grandmother, and this was the reason for Paul's gratitude, and it should be ours whenever we find similar examples.
It is a comforting thing when children imitate the faith and holiness of their godly parents and follow in their footsteps. But it must be a sincere faith. How many people turn away from the gospel because they saw a hypocritical faith at home? In a country where there were many saints inside the church, the story was different at home. And not only at home, but everywhere, especially among unbelievers, people are watching us.
2 Timothy 1:7
We are not justified in assuming, as some do, that Timothy had been acting the part of a coward in his work at Ephesus, for which he is being rebuked. Indeed, Paul is gentle in his rebuke, not using the pronoun ‘you’ but ‘us’, as if he were including himself with Timothy. The task Timothy was called to do may have required qualities that were not innate to one of a calm disposition, but which must be developed if God’s work is to prosper. A spirit of holy boldness is the order of the day; a vigorous strength, a love that is of divine quality and origin, and a self-control that makes the spirit submissive to God, the ruler of the body.
Cowardice is the same as fear; it does not come from God; God gives us power, love, and a sound mind.
Fear will never stop coming against us. We must learn to do what God tells us, whether we are afraid or not. We must "do it even though we are afraid" if necessary, but that is what courage does; it feels the fear and does what must be done anyway!
We are not cowards because we are afraid. We are only cowards if we let fear rule our decisions.
2 Timothy 1:9
Verses 9 and 10 are a typical Pauline summary of the miracle of divine grace that God has revealed in the work of redemption in Christ: GOD HAS SAVED US AND CALLS US TO A HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE WHICH IS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE WORLD OF THE AGES. It is an accomplished fact that God HAS SAVED US. This is the secure position of the true Christian. Salvation in this sense is not transferred to the distant future, but is the believer’s present experience. Nevertheless, there is an increasing purpose in God’s mercy and a growth in grace that leads to a continual enrichment of that experience.
God has called us with a holy calling. This means more than a holiness that exists in name only or that is merely imputed to the believer by the supreme holiness of God; means that the believer is freed from his sins and the guilt and power that are in them. The calling of God is an experience and life that entails a complete consecration on the part of the believer and a complete inward cleansing on the part of God. But Paul warns immediately that this is not according to our works, for these are utterly unworthy. But it is according to God's own purpose and grace. The initiative in this matter is God's. It is He who awakens us from our death in sin and calls us to holiness; and it is through His intercessions by His Spirit that we accept Him - an acceptance that is made possible solely by His enabling grace. The miracle of human transformation is wholly of God, though our consent in complete freedom is essential to its accomplishment.
The old apostle left no inheritance; just scars. He did not gather up riches on earth, but he laid up rich treasure in heaven. He did not base his life on seeking personal comfort, but gave himself unreservedly so that the gospel could reach all Gentiles. Even enduring loneliness, abandonment, betrayal, deprivation and ingratitude at the end of his life, he did not close the curtains on his story with bitterness in his soul, but with a hymn of exaltation to Christ on his lips.
Another interesting thing in this text is that even suffering abandonment in prison, God raised Onesiphorus to visit and encourage him and not be ashamed of Paul for being imprisoned. In life, we must have friendships like Onesiphorus, who encourage us, cheer us up, lift us up. With these friends you must walk together and preserve. Friends who abandon you in times of sadness, struggle, need you must isolate from. But you think: "Ah! But I already have so few! Still have to leave some". Yes! Leave! Seek friendship with God, through prayer, have the glorious friendship of the Holy Spirit and in the right time God will raise up loyal friends for you.
2 Timothy 1:15-16
FALSE FRIENDS - Here Paul has painful and unhappy memories of sufferings caused by false friends: Phygelus and Hermogenes. It is evident that in the time of the apostle's extreme need, probably when he was imprisoned by the Romans, many from whom he had reason to expect friendship and assistance were content to cowardly abandon him to his fate. This abandonment does not mean that he had no courageous friends. Two men from whom he expected a measure of help were Phygelus and Hermogenes, who turned away from him. Paul is not reproving them, but informing them of what was already well known.
A TRUE FRIEND - In this context, the loyalty and care of Onesiphorus stand out in strong and vivid colors, and Paul expresses eternal gratitude to him for this. The faithful friendship and Christian brotherhood of this man revived the apostle many times.
Verse 17 shows the lengths to which Onesiphorus was willing to go to help Paul: WHEN HE ARRIVED IN ROME, HE SEARCHED FOR ME EAGERLY AND FOUND ME. Which may not have been without danger at the time of the persecution of Christians by the emperor. We can only imagine what it must have meant to the apostle, who was languishing in prison, to see a familiar and friendly face. There is something extremely moving when Paul declares that Onesiphorus SEARCHED FOR ME EAGERLY AND FOUND ME.
There is nothing more comforting than when we are in a situation where we can do nothing but wait, and someone takes an interest in our life to the point of looking for our address and visiting us, sometimes just offering a word of comfort in a hospital or something. In the world, people are always attentive and want to be around someone who has something to offer us. That is the world we live in. But there are those people who love us and care for us without expecting anything in return. These people have the true love of Christ for us. That kind of friend is worth cultivating.
MOTIVATING FOR THE MINISTRY!
MINISTRY IS SERVICE, and a "minister" of the gospel is primarily a servant of God, sharing his message boldly and courageously.
He honors the Word of God and defends it tirelessly, taking care to communicate its truth with absolute precision.
IT IS NOT AN EASY TASK, as the Word of God faces violent opposition.
Therefore, the “minister” of the Word of God learns that patience, resistance and hard work are necessary for success in his calling.
PREACH THE GOSPEL boldly without fear!
Recognize that the word of God is a priceless treasure. Do not let the enemy seduce you into (half) lies to please people.
FIX YOURSELF WITH THE TRUTH YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED.
Do not let the enemy corrupt you.
Become a servant committed to the Word of God!
Keep the model of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and charity that is in Christ Jesus.
Guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (2 Tim 1:13-14).
2 Timothy 2:3
In this chapter the apostle uses three analogies: the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. The military analogy is Paul’s favorite, not because he was a soldier, but because in the Roman Empire it was common to see soldiers.
Verse 4: No soldier allows himself to be involved in the affairs of civilian life, for if he did he could not please the officer who enlisted him.
When a man becomes a soldier, he is separated from the society with which he has been familiar all his life and introduced to a new and highly specialized community. He is stripped of his own clothing and clothed in government-issued equipment. His comings and goings are done only under orders or with express permission. He sleeps where he is told to sleep and eats what is given to him. In fact, his life is at the disposal of the government; if the occasion arises, he may be considered expendable for strategic reasons. This is the consecration of one enlisted for war; in every detail, we have a complete parallel to the life of a believer wholly given to Christ. The soldier cannot be discharged at any time, no matter how desirable it may be. He is not his own, but belongs to someone else.
The athlete does not win the prize unless he follows the rules (v.5) - The athlete has no chance of victory unless he obeys the preconditions; he must undergo the necessary training and follow a certain diet.
And the hard-working farmer must be the first to reap the fruits of his labor (v.6) - In order to reap the harvest, the farmer must exhaust himself in labor, preparing the land, sowing the seed, watching for drought and pestilence, until finally he enjoys the fruits of his labor.
With these analogies, Paul means one thing. For whether it is the soldier's expectation of obtaining final victory, the athlete's vision of receiving the crown, or the farmer's hope of reaping the harvest, EACH SUBMITS HIMSELF TO DISCIPLINE AND TOIL FOR THE SAKE OF THE GLORY THAT WILL COME.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
Of course, the apostle is not speaking of death by martyrdom. Paul speaks of dying with Christ in death to self and sin, which leads to new life in Christ. This death is symbolized in the rite of Christian baptism (Romans 6:3).
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. By suffering, Paul meant enduring suffering for Christ's sake, as he did. But the prospect of reigning with Christ more than compensates for the pain one has to endure.
If we deny Him, He will deny us; if we are unfaithful, He remains faithful; He cannot deny himself. If under the pressure of adversity a person denies Christ, his lack of faithfulness can only result in his own denial. Our Lord said as much in Matthew 10:33, "But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."
2 Timothy 2:15
DO YOUR BEST TO PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD AS ONE APPROVED - or Take great pains to show yourself worthy of God's approval. This has to do with the hours spent in the kind of intellectual work that is indispensable to true ministerial success; but it also has to do with the attitude of untiring ardor that should characterize the minister's attitude toward his mission.
APPROVED TO GOD - is a reference to the final judgment, when Timothy will finally have to give an account. But whatever the exact message of the passage, it is clear that the apostle is concerned that God's Word be subjected to sound exegesis and its correct meaning be properly ascertained.
Handling the Word well is essential for a leader and for any self-respecting Christian.
2 Timothy 2:16
This instruction is identical to 1 Timothy 6:20, which is to turn a deaf ear to the empty, worldly chatter and contradictory ideas of so-called "knowledge."
Paul is again denouncing the false teachers who were stirring up dissension in the church at Ephesus. They were doing the work of Satan, and their feigned familiarity with hidden truth had the effect of desecrating it. Timothy’s course of action was to avoid such teachings.
No compromise can be made with error. Such babblings lead further and further away from Christian living and promote ungodly living.
It is said that a certain king of England was in need of a new coachman. Among several candidates for the post, only two were selected for a real interview. They were the best in the kingdom. The first, when questioned by the monarch regarding his abilities, said: - Majesty, I have unmatched skill to guide the 12 horses of the royal chariot. As proof I can demonstrate that I pass, at high speed, two feet from the edge of the precipice in the curves of the mountain at the exit of the palace.
The king was impressed, and asked the second coachman: - And you? How can you demonstrate your skill to me? And he replied to the king: - Majesty, whenever possible, I avoid going on very dangerous paths. I do not dare to go near the cliffs. As for this aforementioned curve, I prefer to take the road a little longer, at the foot of the mountain, and have a more peaceful and safe trip.
With this answer, the king chose the second as his new coachman. So also the apostle Paul advised his young son in the faith, Timothy, to avoid the danger of sinning: Flee, too, from the passions of youth (2 Tim 2:22). You do not play with danger. You do not play with sin. One does not play with questions of eternal life.
- We live in the midst of an ungrateful generation. It seems that the more people have, the less they are grateful.
- As believers, we are in the world, but we must strive not to be like that. The more people around us complain, the more we should express gratitude to God.
BELIEVE THE WORD, PRAY THE WORD!
Only the Word is our source of faith. LITTLE OF THE WORD WITH LITTLE PRAYER IS DEATH TO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Too much of the word with little prayer breeds a sick life. Much prayer and little Word generates more life, but without constancy.
A GOOD MEASUREMENT OF WORD AND PRAYER EVERY DAY BRINGS A HEALTHY AND POWERFUL LIFE! Andrew Murray
Our entire prayer life must also be built upon the Word of God.
THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD.
The Word is indestructible and immutable, because it is the eternal Word of God. People come and go, but THE WORD OF GOD REMAINS UNSHAKEABLE.
WE MUST KEEP READING THE WORD, BELIEVE THE WORD, OBEY THE WORD AND LIVE THE WORD.
The Word does not depend on our emotions or our intellectual understanding. The Word is above our intellect and emotions.
God bless you! God confirm his Word and His promises with an oath. BELIEVE! LOVE IT! AND PRAY!