2 Timothy 2
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
In chapter 1 we learned of the great plea Paul has for his protege. The plea is to be strong and remember the power that resides in Timothy, placed there by God. It’s Timothy’s charge to access that power. Timothy, it seems, has a proclivity toward timidity. But Paul reminds that he wasn’t built with a spirit of fear but one of power, love and strength. The second part of his message is found here in chapter 2. It is to realize where the strength comes from: it comes from remembering the grace that Jesus has granted him.
God’s strength was available to Timothy, but is also available to us. It doesn’t come to us passively; we must act upon it. We must take a step toward God (James 4:8). We must seek Him first, and He, and His power, will be made available.
This power doesn’t come to us through our own strength. It comes to us through submission. To understand the relationship, we have to first submit to it. When we submit to God’s power, His power is made attainable.
2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
1 Timothy 6:12 eludes to this moment in Timothy’s life, when he was entrusted to follow God and teach others. It was done in the body of Christ, amongst a variety of believers who laid hands upon him. His work, as a church leader, was to pour into other people’s lives, affect them for God, strengthen their walk, so he could eventually pass his teaching onto them. This succession of trusted people to deliver God’s word shows us the reason why pride can’t come into the picture. Because each person is a piece of a larger truth. They all contribute to their own ministry, and to others. They do their one piece of a greater ministry.
3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing 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.
First, Paul asks Timothy to join him in suffering. Why would he want to do that? What’s the benefit of suffering? Anyone who does God’s work also suffers in doing it. Not all the time, but there are moments when suffering through it, enduring the hardship of it, is required. Because of this requirement, a good soldier should expect hardship during his duty. A soldier, because he experiences adversity, doesn’t give up, but digs in and finds a way through it. It’s part of the job. A solider also must give up civilian affairs, as Paul puts it. This means that when one becomes soldier, his mind remains on his duty. The “civilian” issues, like bills, family, friends, the entanglements, are left behind and his duty becomes the overriding focus. The effectiveness of his job relies on his focus as a soldier.
The soldier also wants to please his commanding officer. Put in spiritual terms, this is Jesus. We want to please Jesus. But how do we do that? We first understand the things Jesus cares about. We align ourselves with how he wants us to operate in our lives. We move to please him in the way we live our daily lives.
In the same way Paul draws a comparison of an athlete. An athlete must compete according to the rules. He can’t make up the rules. We must understand what God demands of us and shape our lives inside His rules, not our own.
Paul also talks about the hard-working farmer. The key here is hard-working. The ministry, in which Paul is discussing, is like the solider (one of focus), of an athlete (who must understand the rules) and a farmer (who works hard). Ministry is not for those who have no desire to work hard. As a minister, whatever teaching is taught must be ingested first, understood, and delineated properly. Just like the farmer, he must get the first share of the crops before parsing them our to others.
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 remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
Paul reminds Timothy of the reason why the gospel is important. Jesus was raised from the dead. He was descended from David. The Old Testament Prophets pointed to this. The lineage doesn’t simply begin with the birth and end with the death. It shows the eternal implications of Christ. It is why Paul is willing to go to his death.
Paul endures everything he went through in his life for the sake of the people who he can effect with his gospel. He can be imprisoned, beaten, stoned, left for dead, but it is worth the mission. If he were a soldier and quit, he wouldn’t receive the victory. If he were an athlete and quit, he wouldn’t win the contest. If he were a farmer and quit, he wouldn’t yield a crop.
Dealing With False Teachers
14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
Timothy’s job, as a church leader, was to keep his congregation on task. Focused. Moving forward. Working. He knew that it was, and is, incredibly easy to get off track, to begin to argue about small things that have the ability to swing us away from proper teaching. As a leader, Timothy’s charge, and ours, is to avoid the endless and fruitless debates of items which aren’t of vital importance. When we focus on the minutia and forget the core messages and fall into the pattern of human opinions and polarizing ourselves and others, we become ruined. As a leader we can’t do that, because we have people we influence. If we get caught up in it, we run the risk of ruining not only ourselves but others.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Paul’s plea to Timothy is apparent: Strive to be approved not by men, but by God. If we are striving for God’s approval in all things, then our conduct, our words, our actions and most importantly, our handling of the truth, will be in alignment with God.
The KJV interprets this verse as “dividing the word” properly. This in an interesting way to look at it, because dividing the word conjure a sword. A sword can cut straight or crooked, depending on the way it is cut. It is important to cut the word cleanly, or disseminating it for the truth it carries, instead of interpreting it the way you believe.
There are many religions and cults that do this regularly. In order to fit their narrative, they may concentrate on a verse or set of verses, remove the context and use those clipped verses to verify their behavior. This “cherry-picking” process is harmful and deadly and has led many people astray.
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 departed 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,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
What is Godless chatter? It is the things that take our focus off of God. When we indulge in it, it opens a door in us that is difficult to close. Like a drug, profane chatter can be very seductive and can take us down a road of destruction. It will take us further from he truth. We will become more ungodly.
Hymenaeus is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20 as a man Paul delivered to Satan so that he would learn not to blaspheme. His, and Philetus’s departure from the truth falls into this category of godless chatter. It has blown into full-throated unbelief - but it probably began with allowing godless chatter to come into their life.
But in verse 19, Paul reminds us that despite all of this strife, God’s still in charge. He knows who belongs to Him and who doesn’t (Numbers 16:5, Number 16:26-27). And of those who belong to Him, there is the greater charge of abiding by His laws. This seal has the two components: If you belong to Him then you must abide by His Laws.
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Continuing with another metaphor, Paul talks about a variety of articles in a large house. Some are for special purposes, some are not.
Those who cleanse themselves from the latter (dishonor) will be set aside for special purposes. Realize that this is not passive. We have a part in this. We could call this self-cleaning or self-preparation the giving up of wickedness for something better, the focus, the running the race, the hard work of the former metaphor. This work in us is really God’s work, but our part in giving up our sins is important to understand (1 John 1:9).
What the master of the house does in this metaphor is he sets aside the those articles used for special purpose. This is what is called being sanctified. This process is about people being made holy, ready to do God’s work as it appears in one’s orbit.
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 be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
The evil desires of our youth are still tempting to us. They remind us of times that we thought were better, freer, lovelier, but we were really in a prison that had walls closing in on us. Like the Israelites complaining about Manna and pining for Egypt where they were slaves, we do a similar thing. But Paul says there is something much better. Righteousness: doing right. Following God earnestly.
Faith: Knowing that God is there and to be trusted with your life.
Love and Peace: understanding the better things that God cares about.
All of these things are what we should pursue. Letting the bad things go is good, but it’s never enough. We must also pursue righteousness. Part of the things we must flee from are the entangled madness of human interactions that draw us into arguments, fights and temptation because they draw us further from the truth. Consequently, we must pursue kindness, be able to teach effectively, and not to resent.
25 Opponents must be gently instructed, 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.
One of the most important phrases in this set of verses is “come to their senses”. Sin has a way of taking us away from the calm and strong mind he has given us. Our instruction to others is not to gain superiority but to bring them back to an understanding of the truth. This fight is spiritual. Our job is to help others see that, so they can regain the truth and escape the trap.
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
In chapter 1 we learned of the great plea Paul has for his protege. The plea is to be strong and remember the power that resides in Timothy, placed there by God. It’s Timothy’s charge to access that power. Timothy, it seems, has a proclivity toward timidity. But Paul reminds that he wasn’t built with a spirit of fear but one of power, love and strength. The second part of his message is found here in chapter 2. It is to realize where the strength comes from: it comes from remembering the grace that Jesus has granted him.
God’s strength was available to Timothy, but is also available to us. It doesn’t come to us passively; we must act upon it. We must take a step toward God (James 4:8). We must seek Him first, and He, and His power, will be made available.
This power doesn’t come to us through our own strength. It comes to us through submission. To understand the relationship, we have to first submit to it. When we submit to God’s power, His power is made attainable.
2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
1 Timothy 6:12 eludes to this moment in Timothy’s life, when he was entrusted to follow God and teach others. It was done in the body of Christ, amongst a variety of believers who laid hands upon him. His work, as a church leader, was to pour into other people’s lives, affect them for God, strengthen their walk, so he could eventually pass his teaching onto them. This succession of trusted people to deliver God’s word shows us the reason why pride can’t come into the picture. Because each person is a piece of a larger truth. They all contribute to their own ministry, and to others. They do their one piece of a greater ministry.
3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing 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.
First, Paul asks Timothy to join him in suffering. Why would he want to do that? What’s the benefit of suffering? Anyone who does God’s work also suffers in doing it. Not all the time, but there are moments when suffering through it, enduring the hardship of it, is required. Because of this requirement, a good soldier should expect hardship during his duty. A soldier, because he experiences adversity, doesn’t give up, but digs in and finds a way through it. It’s part of the job. A solider also must give up civilian affairs, as Paul puts it. This means that when one becomes soldier, his mind remains on his duty. The “civilian” issues, like bills, family, friends, the entanglements, are left behind and his duty becomes the overriding focus. The effectiveness of his job relies on his focus as a soldier.
The soldier also wants to please his commanding officer. Put in spiritual terms, this is Jesus. We want to please Jesus. But how do we do that? We first understand the things Jesus cares about. We align ourselves with how he wants us to operate in our lives. We move to please him in the way we live our daily lives.
In the same way Paul draws a comparison of an athlete. An athlete must compete according to the rules. He can’t make up the rules. We must understand what God demands of us and shape our lives inside His rules, not our own.
Paul also talks about the hard-working farmer. The key here is hard-working. The ministry, in which Paul is discussing, is like the solider (one of focus), of an athlete (who must understand the rules) and a farmer (who works hard). Ministry is not for those who have no desire to work hard. As a minister, whatever teaching is taught must be ingested first, understood, and delineated properly. Just like the farmer, he must get the first share of the crops before parsing them our to others.
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 remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
Paul reminds Timothy of the reason why the gospel is important. Jesus was raised from the dead. He was descended from David. The Old Testament Prophets pointed to this. The lineage doesn’t simply begin with the birth and end with the death. It shows the eternal implications of Christ. It is why Paul is willing to go to his death.
Paul endures everything he went through in his life for the sake of the people who he can effect with his gospel. He can be imprisoned, beaten, stoned, left for dead, but it is worth the mission. If he were a soldier and quit, he wouldn’t receive the victory. If he were an athlete and quit, he wouldn’t win the contest. If he were a farmer and quit, he wouldn’t yield a crop.
Dealing With False Teachers
14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
Timothy’s job, as a church leader, was to keep his congregation on task. Focused. Moving forward. Working. He knew that it was, and is, incredibly easy to get off track, to begin to argue about small things that have the ability to swing us away from proper teaching. As a leader, Timothy’s charge, and ours, is to avoid the endless and fruitless debates of items which aren’t of vital importance. When we focus on the minutia and forget the core messages and fall into the pattern of human opinions and polarizing ourselves and others, we become ruined. As a leader we can’t do that, because we have people we influence. If we get caught up in it, we run the risk of ruining not only ourselves but others.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Paul’s plea to Timothy is apparent: Strive to be approved not by men, but by God. If we are striving for God’s approval in all things, then our conduct, our words, our actions and most importantly, our handling of the truth, will be in alignment with God.
The KJV interprets this verse as “dividing the word” properly. This in an interesting way to look at it, because dividing the word conjure a sword. A sword can cut straight or crooked, depending on the way it is cut. It is important to cut the word cleanly, or disseminating it for the truth it carries, instead of interpreting it the way you believe.
There are many religions and cults that do this regularly. In order to fit their narrative, they may concentrate on a verse or set of verses, remove the context and use those clipped verses to verify their behavior. This “cherry-picking” process is harmful and deadly and has led many people astray.
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 departed 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,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
What is Godless chatter? It is the things that take our focus off of God. When we indulge in it, it opens a door in us that is difficult to close. Like a drug, profane chatter can be very seductive and can take us down a road of destruction. It will take us further from he truth. We will become more ungodly.
Hymenaeus is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20 as a man Paul delivered to Satan so that he would learn not to blaspheme. His, and Philetus’s departure from the truth falls into this category of godless chatter. It has blown into full-throated unbelief - but it probably began with allowing godless chatter to come into their life.
But in verse 19, Paul reminds us that despite all of this strife, God’s still in charge. He knows who belongs to Him and who doesn’t (Numbers 16:5, Number 16:26-27). And of those who belong to Him, there is the greater charge of abiding by His laws. This seal has the two components: If you belong to Him then you must abide by His Laws.
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Continuing with another metaphor, Paul talks about a variety of articles in a large house. Some are for special purposes, some are not.
Those who cleanse themselves from the latter (dishonor) will be set aside for special purposes. Realize that this is not passive. We have a part in this. We could call this self-cleaning or self-preparation the giving up of wickedness for something better, the focus, the running the race, the hard work of the former metaphor. This work in us is really God’s work, but our part in giving up our sins is important to understand (1 John 1:9).
What the master of the house does in this metaphor is he sets aside the those articles used for special purpose. This is what is called being sanctified. This process is about people being made holy, ready to do God’s work as it appears in one’s orbit.
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 be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
The evil desires of our youth are still tempting to us. They remind us of times that we thought were better, freer, lovelier, but we were really in a prison that had walls closing in on us. Like the Israelites complaining about Manna and pining for Egypt where they were slaves, we do a similar thing. But Paul says there is something much better. Righteousness: doing right. Following God earnestly.
Faith: Knowing that God is there and to be trusted with your life.
Love and Peace: understanding the better things that God cares about.
All of these things are what we should pursue. Letting the bad things go is good, but it’s never enough. We must also pursue righteousness. Part of the things we must flee from are the entangled madness of human interactions that draw us into arguments, fights and temptation because they draw us further from the truth. Consequently, we must pursue kindness, be able to teach effectively, and not to resent.
25 Opponents must be gently instructed, 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.
One of the most important phrases in this set of verses is “come to their senses”. Sin has a way of taking us away from the calm and strong mind he has given us. Our instruction to others is not to gain superiority but to bring them back to an understanding of the truth. This fight is spiritual. Our job is to help others see that, so they can regain the truth and escape the trap.