2 Timothy 2:8-13

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:8-13

What does Paul say next?  "Remember Jesus Christ".  What is it to be remembered about Jesus Christ?  First, he was "risen from the dead".  Second, he's "the offspring of David".  So he defeated death and rose as he said he would.  Also, he is the offspring of David which is a fulfillment of scripture.  This Jesus is the one Paul preached.

It is for what he is preaching that he is suffering.  Specifically, he is currently in chains because of what he is preaching.  However, Paul makes an interesting statement "But the word of God is not Bound!".  Paul may be bound in chains, but unlike Paul, God's word is not bound.  There is hope in God's word even if he is in chains and so Paul endures.  He endures for the sake of the elect.  Those whom God chose in ages past that he would graciously save.  Paul endures for their sake that they might be saved.  That actually sounds a bit odd.  If they were chosen in eternity past, why would Paul need to endure for their sake what has already been set?  Well, they still need to hear the gospel and God is using Paul as his instrument to save.  Also, Paul doesn't know who the elect are and he needs to simply preach for the sake of souls he doesn't know whether or not they will be granted repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

Paul presents a saying that I guess is relating to what he has said.

The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

Dying with Christ leads to living with him.  Paul just mentioned Jesus raised from the dead.  This also reminds me of Romans 6, talking about not continuing in sin.  Why not?  We have died to sin and were baptized into his death.  This leads to be raised with him.

Enduring leads to reigning with him.  Paul also just mentioned about enduring everything for the sake of the elect.  He endures hardship and enduring leads to reigning with Jesus.  It's not how you start but how you finish that counts and endurance is how you finish well.
Unfortunately, denying him leads to him denying us.  Fortunately, if we lack faith, he is still faithful.  Why is that?  He cannot deny himself.  We may fail but there is still hope because Jesus is faithful.  He is who he says he is and does what he says he'll do.

2 Timothy 1:15-2:7

You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.  May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains,  but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

2 Timothy 1:15-2:7

Apparently, "all who are in Asia turned away from me" says Paul.  This is something that Timothy is already aware of.  He points out two people who have turned away from him, Phygelus and Hermogenes.  This next group perhaps is included among the people who have turned away from Paul, but I'm not entirely sure.  Paul actually speaks well of the household of Onesiphorus.  He often refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chains.  I guess being associated with someone in prison was not necessarily a good thing.  In fact, that's probably true nowadays.  Associating with prisoners may result in some kind of shame brought.  However, this is not true for the household of Onesiphorus.  Paul was strengthened and encouraged by the household of Onesiphorus.

On that same note, Paul turns to Timothy and encourages him to be strengthened.  Paul was helped by the household of Onesiphorus, but he now encourages Timothy to "be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus".  The next thing Paul tells Timothy is to pass along the message.  Paul preaches Christ and so teaches Timothy to preach as well.  Paul's death may come soon and he wants Timothy to do as he did and pass along the message to more people to carry it along.  It doesn't just end with Paul and it doesn't just end with Timothy.

Paul now presents Timothy with three pictures.  The first is of a good soldier of Jesus.  With this picture, Paul explains that a soldier doesn't bother himself with civilian matters.  Instead, a soldier's main goal is to please his officer.  The second picture is of an athlete.  An athlete can only properly win by following all the rules.  The last picture is of a hard-working farmer.  It is expected or perhaps due to the farmer that he enjoy the first share of his harvest.  After these three pictures, Paul simply tells Timothy to "Think over what I say".  I don't really know what they all mean.  Fortunately, Paul's instruction is to think it over.  God will give understanding, so I will ponder and think it over.

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to[a] a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Beginning with "therefore" in this verse, I suspect that it is referring to this God given spirit mentioned in verse 7.  Because of this God given spirit, Paul encourages Timothy to not be ashamed.  Don't be ashamed of the testimony nor of Paul himself.  It may be shameful because people try to bring shame upon those who preach Christ raised from the dead.  But it isn't something to be fearful of.  Perhaps it was shameful to be a friend of Paul who was now a prisoner.  He used to be so prominent within the Jewish world, but now he preaches Christ.  These aren't thing to be ashamed of.  Instead, the encouragement is to share in these sufferings.  How is this to be done?  Certainly not by a spirit of fear but by the power of God.  This same God is the one who saved us.  I'm not sure if Paul is talking only about himself and Timothy or of believers in general.  In any case, the truth remains the same.  Whether Paul and Timothy or believers in general, God is the one who saves and calls.

Why does God save and call?  He does so not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace.  In Ephesians 2:8-9 Paul writes about salvation by grace through faith and not by works.  Here in 2 Timothy it is similar.

Paul says something interesting here regarding this saving work: "which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began".  What does this mean?  NLT seems to think that this means a plan made long time ago: "that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus".  However, the other translations seem to say a bit more than that.  It says, "he gave us", meaning it has already been given in the past.  I'm not so sure that it's referring to "making a plan", then again, I'm only reading translations and am not a Greek or biblical expert.

Moving on, in contrast to this which took places before the ages began, it "has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus".  It happened long time ago in some sort of fashion, but it is NOW being manifested and coming to pass.  It has now been "revealed" and "fully disclosed" though it was already given in the past.

What did Jesus do?  Jesus "abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel".  I am reminded about what it says in 1 Corinthians 15.

“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Death is abolished.  There is no victory for death because those who are saved are no longer defeated by death.  Death isn't the end for there is everlasting life for those who believe in Jesus.  Instead, life and immortality is brought to light through the gospel.  He showed the way, which is himself.

For all this, Paul suffers.  He suffers for what Christ has done, his great saving work on the cross.  Paul is not ashamed and I guess that's part of the reason why he has encouraged Timothy not to be ashamed either.  Why is Paul not ashamed?  I really love this part: "for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me".  Paul knows and trusts Jesus.

So, Paul is now saying to Timothy that he should follow him.  Specifically, what is to be followed is his sound words.  This too is to be "in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus".  I take that to mean sound words that are rooted or always accompanied by faith in Jesus and love for Jesus.  This isn't the end, since Paul has a bit more to add here.  The last is to say that all this is to be done "by the Holy Spirit".  The Holy Spirit is the one by whom this is all done, not by yourself.  The Holy Spirit dwells within us.

Okay, now there's a lastly, not just this part about the Holy Spirit.  Now, the last word of this paragraph is "guard the good deposit entrusted to you".  I'm not entirely sure what Paul is referring to here.  He could be talking about the Holy Spirit, since the Holy Spirit is referred to as a deposit or guarantee in Ephesians and 2 Corinthians.  However, he could also be referring to this gift of God he was talking about earlier in this passage.  Some translators probably take this approach because of the paragraph headers.  I'd probably suspect it's that way as well.  So all this to ultimately talk about this which was entrusted to Timothy that he is to fan into flame and not be ashamed.

2 Timothy 1:1-7

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:1-7

Lately, I have been thinking a bit about a part in 2 Timothy 4, so perhaps it would be good to go over 2 Timothy.

This, Paul's second letter to Timothy is more personal than first Timothy, if I remember correctly.  As typical letters begin, we read that it's from Paul and to Timothy.

Paul is an apostle by the will of God.  As you know Paul's story, it wasn't his decision to be an Apostle.  If anything, knowing who he was, you cannot conclude any other answer other than the fact that this was all God's doing.

Not only is Paul an apostle, but he is an Apostle, by the will of God, according to the promise.  His sending or mission or whatever is according to this promise.  What is the promise?  The promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus is the good news of the gospel.  NLT translates it to say, "I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus".  Paul, an apostle, by God's will, according to the promise.  He is sent out to tell others about Jesus, which is what we read that he does.

Timothy is Paul's "beloved child".  There is a special relationship there as perhaps a father is to his son.  We also recognize that Timothy is a younger man, so this father/son relationship makes more sense (it would be weird to be "father" to a "son" who is older than you, wouldn't it?).

Yes, "grace, mercy, and peace" are typical greetings in the introduction of a letter.  Finishing up the introduction we are.

Beginning the middle of the letter, Paul begins with thanksgiving.  He is thankful for Timothy.  Paul really wishes to see Timothy.  I'm sure he misses him, and he wants to see him, "that I may be filled with joy".  This, Paul says, "as I remember your tears".  The memory of Timothy's tears compels him to say that he wants to see Timothy for the purpose of joy.  Perhaps they had some special moments in the past where tears brought immense joy.

One of the things Paul remembers about Timothy is his sincere faith.  This faith is also found in his mother and grandmother.  I guess they seemed to pass this along.  I think of a roast or a wedding speech as one talks about some of the redeeming qualities of a person.  Paul is thinking fondly about Timothy, a person who is very dear to him.  Now, he begins to switch and encourage Timothy.  The encouragement is to "fan into flame the gift of God".  He has a gift and should use it and use it to the fullest.  This is even something that was imparted to him through the laying on of hands.  Why is he to do this and act in such a way?  The verse some of us may be familiar with tells us why Timothy is to use this gift to the fullest, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control".  We are not to be afraid but to be moving forward in God's spirit, which consists of power and love and self-control.