2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

2 Timothy 4:1-5

After having spoken about scripture and it's usefulness, Paul charges Timothy to "preach the word".  This is related because of the specifics of what he is charged to do.  Not only "preach the word", but Paul goes on to tell Timothy "reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching".  These are things that he just explained were purposes of scripture.

In any case, I still wonder what exactly Paul means by "preach the word".  I'm assuming he means the gospel, but "the word" can also refer to scripture.  Perhaps it is both.  The truth of the gospel is definitely to be proclaimed, but what he is also being told to do are things that the scriptures do.  In any case, this is a serious charge.  It is so serious that Paul starts by charging Timothy "in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus".  Not only that, but seriousness is added when Paul also describes Jesus as one "who is to judge the living and the dead".  Preaching the word is a serious matter.

So, why is this so important?  Well, it's important because "the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching".  Since people are not listening to the truth, truth needs to be preached.  Not only that, but people need to be reproved, rebuked, exhorted and taught.  Sometimes I find people shy away from something "negative", but correction can be a good thing if you're in the wrong.  The Christian life isn't all rainbows and butterflies.  Sometimes people who are very prominent and well respected need correction.  We all sin.  I think about Peter who was opposed by Paul in the book of Galatians.  Peter was in the wrong and leading others astray and needed to be corrected.  You might say that he was harsh or "being mean", but he needed to correct something that was wrong.

Regarding these people who "will not endure sound teaching", it's actually quite scary what is said about them: "having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths".  They'll just get people to tell them what they want to hear.  That's not a good thing.  It makes me think of a prominent leader surrounded by "yes men", simply agreeing to everything he or she says.  Instead, you need people who will speak the truth and tell you when you're making a bad decision.  Unfortunately, these people will not only gather teachers to itch their ears, but they won't even listen to the truth.  They will wander off into myths.  What are myths?  They are stories or beliefs of varying kinds, but they are all ultimately false.

In contrast to these people, Timothy is to "always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry".  These are the things he will need to be doing in light of the fact that people will not endure sound teaching.  I'm guessing it will be hard at times, which is why he must "endure suffering".  Perhaps especially with all kinds of things people will turn to when turning away from the truth, Timothy needs to be "sober-minded" or "clear-minded".  This will probably help to determine what kinds of falsehoods people are being taught.  In any case, he is to continue working, which is to be an evangelist and carry out his ministry.