2 Timothy 1

2 Timothy 1:1

2 Timothy 1:1[See Topic “Walking Thru the Bible” for introduction and outline.]

DATE: Rome burned July 19, 64 AD Nero died June 68 AD Paul wrote 2 Timothy somewhere between those two dates.

Apostle .. Paul’s apostleship was for the purpose of making known God’s promise of life in Christ Jesus. Promise of life .. Ephesians 3:6.; Hebrews 9:15

2 Timothy 1:2

2 Timothy 1.2 In 1 Corinthians 4:17 He had already called Timothy his beloved son.

Don’t pray for “justice” we could not stand; we need “mercy.”

2 Timothy 1:3

2Tim. 1.3 Thank God .. that he remembered to pray for Timothy (perhaps Timothy had requested it, or that Onsiphorius had told him some things about Timothy 2 Timothy 1:16-17)

Forefathers - Paul claims a pious ancestry as in Acts 24:14; Acts 26:5; Galatians 2:14; Phi 3:4-7. Robertson’s Word Pictures Phi 3:5. He means, in the spirit and with the principles inherited from his fathers. Comp. the sharp distinction between the two periods of Paul’s life, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:14. Vincent’s Word Studies

Back of Paul’s mind is the fact the Christianity is not a new, upstart faith, but the culmination of a historical, legitimate faith and the divinely ordained sequel to Judaism.(Coffman) Paul was not guilty of propagating some illegal religion in the name of a strange deity, as often accused.

Pure conscience .. always, 1st as a persecutor, now in proclaiming Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:4

2 Timothy 1.4 Desiring to see .. 2 Timothy 4:9, 2 Timothy 4:21 Tears - probably at their partings, as in Acts 20:37 or perhaps over Paul’s afflictions and sufferings, like seeing Paul stoned at Lystra and thought dead. Perhaps Timothy was present on the occasion of Paul’s arrest at Troas. The narrative is too brief to be certain.

2 Timothy 1:5

2Tim. 1.5

Contining the “I thank God”… from vs. 3. Unfeigned = unhypotcritical, genuine, sincere, un-pretended.

Acts 16:1 Luke didn’t mention the family names, perhaps Paul knew the family better than Luke. He seems to know the family on a personal basis, perhaps from a time even before their conversion.

Eunice = while her name is Greek, she was a Jewess.

This faith first dwelled in his grandmother and mother before it came to dwell in him. Timothy was a third generation Christian.

ASV “Having been reminde” .. No record of what it was that reminded Paul, perhaps a personal letter or a visit from one who knew Timothy.

2 Timothy 1:6

2 Timothy 1:6 Stir up = “to kindle afresh” to re-kindle. (as with bellows). “To keep the fire going”, to set a small ember blazing up again. (The single occurance of this word.) This does not mean that Timothy had let the gift die, althought the word may mean “rekindle” or “relight,” [like other words that begin with “re-” but doesn’t necessary mean “again”, i.e. Adam and Eve were told to “replenish the earth.” Genesis 1:28. ]

Gift = supernatural gifts were given by laying on of an apostles’ hands - Acts 8:18 This was done along with the laying on of henda of the presbyter, 1 Timothy 4:14.

2 Timothy 1:7

2 Timothy 1:7 Spirit .. Not the HS but a reference to quality and character of Christians. But note, it is something given by God. Spirit of fear (πνεῦμαδειλίας) Better, of cowardice. Power = ?? miraculous power. Fruit, cf. Galatians 5:22 In this context power seems to be courage, boldness, to stand up and not be ashamed.Sound mind = one Gk word (1x) σωφρονισμός sōphronismos (so-fron-is-mos’) from G4994; discipline, that is, self control: - sound mind. The Greek word denotes …a man of prudence and discretion.

2 Timothy 1:8

2 Timothy 1.8 ESV “the testimony about our Lord” The ;hrase emphasizes the testimony borne, the message itself.

Prisoner .. Not of Caesar, but of Christ! Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 4:1; Philemon 1:9 . Paul considered it the will of God that he should suffer. Be not ashamed.. doesn’t mean that Timothy was. Gk present imperative with the negative forbids an action already going on. Here the aorist subjunctive with the negative forbids an act not yet begun. (Wuest).

Partaker = “share in suffering for the gospel”. This sharing could have resulted in Timothy’s imprisonment, cf Hebrews 13:23. [From the tone of Paul’s words it appears that Timothy’s imprisonment may have been after this writing. My speculation is that Timothy went to Rome to see Paul as he requested, was imprisoned also with him, but probably because his father was not a Jew, he was released. This was a time of great anamosity against both Jews and Christians on the part of the Romans.] Every Christian should know that Christianity doesn’t promise an easy, convenient, popular or man-pleasing couse of action, but the readiness to suffer for adhering to the gospel is the will of God.

Problem: the sorm of imperial opposition to Christiany following Nero’s false charges caused powerful friends of Paul in Asia, such as the Asiarches of Ephesus ( Acts 19:31) to find it very difficult and political suicide to support Paul in his appearance before Nero’s court. Timothy was not to be influenced by such shameful and cowardice action.

2 Timothy 1:9

2Tim. 1.9 The word “God” at the end of the proceeding verse precipitated the next few words which become almost a doxology.

Who saved us .. Past tense, ref to what was accomplished at Calvary, or our initial obedience to the gospel. Holy calling.. synonymouse to being saved. A calling to be holy.

Before times eternal.. the plan and the means of its accomplisment have existed eternally, not a reference to individual predestination. The plan, grace, and the means, in Christ, were predestined. Men then who respond properly will be saved Revelation 22:17 Mark 16:16.

2 Timothy 1:10

2 Timothy 1:10 Made manifest .. revealed. Ref is to Jesus’ appearance in the flesh (not just birth-time) but his birth, minisry, death, resurrectin, and ascention is all included in this. This was Paul’s preaching. Abolished death .. “He made death of none effect” (Wuest) The word means to render idle, inacive, inoperative. Hebrews 2:14 The gospel robbed death of its terrors and enables the Christians to face it with sanity, cojposure and hope. 2 Corinthians 5:8, [ Matthew 25:21, 2 Corinthians 5:6; Phi 1:21-24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 ; Revelation 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:55-56; Hebrews 2:14 Cf. Luke 16:19 ff. Ephesians 4:8-10 ; ?? Matthew 27:51-53 ] Life and immortality to light .. life = eternal life for the soul; immortality = resurrection of the body.

2 Timothy 1:11

2Tim. 1.11 Paul reviewed in brief his years of mission work. His message is in v. 9-10.

2 Timothy 1:12

2Tim. 1.12 A brief of Paul’s defense before Nero’s court. The Gk is “my deposit” the metaphor is the action of one person entrusting another with some precious deposit, to be kept for a time and restored whole and uninjured.

Point: What did Paul committ or entrust to God? 1) the gospel; 2) Paul’s work; 3) souls in Paul card; 4) the welfare of his own soul. The context of Paul facing his own execution seems to point to #4 above.

At the end, Paul had no nagging uncertainty, no shadow of doubt, no wanning confidence in the Lord.

Not ground upon what he had done, but upon whom he had believed and trusted.

2 Timothy 1:13

2Tim. 1.13 Form = pattern. Hebrews 8:5 Acts 7:44 Strange that some would contend there is no pattern. Clearly there is. We might debate as to what the pattern is, but certainly this passage hold up that there is a pattern of sound words to which we should cling.

Hold fast = disaster in departing from them.

2 Timothy 1:14

2Tim. 1.14 Good thing .. the gospel. Which Timothy had been ordained to preach, 2 Timothy 4:2.

Keep .. to guard, watch, preserve, protect

By .. through .. dia διά. (a promise that the Holy Spirit would aid men like Timothy in the guarding of it.)

2 Timothy 1:15

2 Timothy 1.15 Men of Asia; cf. Acts 19:31; All that are in Asia .. “This does not refer to any general desertion of the faith by Christians throughout Asia, but to the turning away from Paul of any who might have been of help to him in his trial before the imperial government of Nero. The two men named here are examples of those who refused to help Paul. We don’t know any more about them. Were they among Paul’s fiends among the Asiarchs (Acts 19:31) of Ephesus? Whoever they were, it seems that Paul had hoped for their support, hence the disappointment evident here.” Coffman.

Turned away from me .. This doesn’t refer to deserting the truth, but to the refusal to stand by the apostle in his trial. … The savage persecution under Nero would sorely test the strongest. Paul here expresses no criticism, no bitterness or rsentment, but the tragic fact itself of being not having these to stand with him, but he takes comfort in the remembrace of one who did not forsake him 2 Timothy 1:16.

2 Timothy 1:16

2Tim. 1.16-17 One who did not desert him. His household mentioned again in 2 Timothy 4:19. It is just possible that Onesiphorus, like the apostle, had been imprisoned and was waiting execution, and that the mercy Paul hoped would be exended to his house would be that of their not being arrested and charged similarly, that is, mercy from Nero’s persecution.

2 Timothy 1:17

2Tim. 1.17 v.17 found and v. 18 find seems to be an intentional play on words in the Greek. ευρεν - ευρειν

2 Timothy 1:18

2Tim. 1.18 This parenthesis causes some to allege that Onesiphorus had already been executed, or was dead. But the language does not absolute require this.

In that day .. seems to refer to the judgment day of Christ, thought some think it refers to his judgment day before Nero’s court.

Carl Spain observes, “If Onesiphour was awaiting trial, Paul avoids langauge that might be used against him.”