Page 475 - Demo

 TIMOTHY 
2Timothy’s Conduct.
1* So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well. 3Bear your share of hardship along with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.a 4To satisfy the one who recruited him, a soldier does not become entangled in the business a airs of life.b 5Similarly, an athlete cannot receive the winner’s crown except by competing according to the rules.c 6The hardworking farmer ought to have the rst share of the crop.d 7Re ect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.e
8* Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my gospel,f 9for which I am su ering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.g 10Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory.h 11This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;i
12if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him he will deny us.j 13If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.k
III. INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING FALSE TEACHING
Warning Against Useless Disputes. 14* Remind people of these things and charge them before God* to stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.l 15Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes
2
1:16
Paul prays for a friend, Onesiphorus, who has died, and remembers with gratitude that Onesiphorus remained with him in his imprisonment, when other friends had scattered in fear. Who are your true friends, the ones who stick by you at di cult times? With Paul, give thanks for them.
2:3
To be a Christian requires discipline. Paul praises the patience and discipline of soldiers, athletes, and farmers. We need to have that same focus as we pursue our goal.
2:9
Writing from prison, Paul beautifully expresses his freedom in Christ: the word of God is not chained but continues to spread and bear fruit in spite of hardship.
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* [2:1–7] This passage manifests a characteristic deep concern for safeguarding the faith and faithfully transmitting it through trustworthy people (2 Tm 2:1–2; cf. 2 Tm 1:14; 1 Tm 6:20; Ti 1:9). Comparisons to the soldier’s detachment, the athlete’s sportsmanship, and the farmer’s arduous work as the price of recompense (2 Tm 2:4–6) emphasize the need of singleness of purpose in preaching the word, even at the cost of hardship, for the sake of Christ (2 Tm 2:3).
* [2:8–13] The section begins with a sloganlike summary of Paul’s gospel about Christ (2 Tm 2:8) and concludes with what may be part of an early Christian hymn (2 Tm 2:11b–12a; most exegetes include the rest of 2 Tm 2:12 and all of 2 Tm 2:13 as part of the quotation). The poetic lines suggest that through baptism Christians die spiritually with Christ and hope to live with him and reign with him forever, but the Christian life includes endurance, witness, and even su ering, as the nal judgment will show and as Paul’s own case makes clear; while he is imprisoned for preaching the gospel (2 Tm 2:9), his su erings are helpful to the elect for obtaining the salvation and glory available in Christ (2 Tm 2:10), who will be true to those who are faithful and will disown those who deny him (2 Tm 2:12–13).
* [2:14–19] For those who dispute about mere words (cf. 2 Tm 2:23–24) and indulge in irreligious talk to the detriment of their listeners (2 Tm 2:16–19), see notes on 1 Tm 1:3–7; 6:20–21. Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tm 2:17), while accepting the Christian’s mystical death and resurrection in Christ through baptism, claimed that baptized Christians are already risen with Christ in this life and thus that there is no future bodily resurrection or eternal glory to come. The rst quotation in 2 Tm 2:19 is from Nm 16:5; the other quotation is from some unidenti ed Jewish or Christian writing.
* [2:14] Before God: many ancient manuscripts read “before the Lord.”
a. [2:3] 1:8; 4:5; Phlm 2.
b. [2:4] 1 Cor 9:6.
c. [2:5] 1 Cor 9:25.
d. [2:6] 1 Cor 9:7–10.
e. [2:7] Prv 2:6.
f. [2:8] Rom 1:3; 1 Cor 15:4, 20 / Rom 2:16; Gal 1:11; 2:2.
g. [2:9] Phil 1:12–14.
h. [2:10] Col 1:24; 1 Tm 1:15.
i. [2:11] Rom 6:8.
j. [2:12] Mt 10:22, 33; Lk 12:9.
k. [2:13] Nm 23:19; Rom 3:3–4; 1 Cor 10:13; Ti 1:2. l. [2:14] 1 Tm 6:4.