2Timothy, chapter one, comments

 

2Timothy 1:1 ¶  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2  To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4  Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

 

While the first letter to Timothy was written from Laodicea, it is said in the postscript that this letter to Timothy was written from Rome where Paul was a prisoner. It shows that Timothy was the first pastor/bishop of the Church at Ephesus.

 

Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ by God’s own will, according to the promise of eternal life in Christ. See how we all come to Christ.

 

John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

Notice Paul’s declaration before of his apostleship.

 

Romans 11:13  For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

 

1Titus 2:7  Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

 

He regards Timothy as his spiritual son and blesses him praying for grace, mercy, and peace from God. And Paul is very thankful for Timothy and prays for him unceasingly. He longs to see him, understanding Timothy’s tears of grief over Paul’s condition possibly as Timothy brings Paul joy with his pure faith that he learned from his mother and grandmother, making the importance of women in the propagation of the gospel apparent. Having the main hand in teaching their children women like these instilled their faith in those children living by example as well as teaching. There is no greater ministry than your own family which makes it disturbing that so many Christian parents today have children who turned their back on the faith in Christ. Did their parents teach them and live as an example before them or did they leave that up to the church one or two days a week? It is a sad state of affairs.

 

We can see great women of the Bible from Sarah, Deborah, Hulda, Mary, Elizabeth, Lydia, Dorcas, Phoebe, and others (look them up) whom God used and who had their own impact on God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself. Review the study on Acts to see some examples of the role of women in the early church.

 

2Timothy 1:6 ¶  Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 11  Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

 

The laying on of hands was a symbolic act of transferring authority and, in fact, a responsibility to another person. It was an acknowledgement of passing on authority like Moses laying on of hands on Joshua in Deuteronomy 34:9.

 

1Timothy 4:14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

 

Paul has laid hands on Timothy.

 

The context of this passage shows that we are not to be afraid of delivering the Gospel message. God has given us, not the spirit of fear, but of the power of His word, a love for the lost and for the church, and a mind and spirit that is well-ordered, filled with wisdom and understanding, calm and assured, and generally just, as it says, sound.

 

Timothy should not be ashamed of either the testimony of Christ or of Paul, who admits here that he is writing to Timothy from confinement, a prisoner. Timothy, too, would share in the trouble that came from giving the Gospel to a dying world, but by the power of God.

 

2Corinthians 1:3 ¶  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

 

Paul reminds Timothy that we are saved by God, then called according to His purpose, not according to our works, from before the world began.

 

John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

Where else are people referred to as the called? In chapter 1 of Romans it was the Christians at Rome whom Paul was writing to as well as Paul Himself.

 

Romans 1:1 ¶  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2  (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6  Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace

from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

When you believe you are called to something, called to be saints, sanctified ones set apart for God. In Romans 8:28 loving God precedes the calling.

 

In Paul’s argument in 1Corinthians 1 the calling is for those that believe, that they be sanctified, set apart for God’s purpose.

 

1Corinthians 1:17 ¶  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18  For the

preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29  That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

 

In fact, those who are called are also elected, known beforehand by God, by virtue of their calling.

 

1Peter 1:2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

 

2Peter 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

 

And yet, that we would be sanctified, those who believe, was from before the world began, based on His foreknowledge. We are chosen that we would be holy and without blame before him in love.

 

Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

 

This is not according to our own works, or our own effort.

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

Christ has made this clear by abolishing death and bringing eternal life through the Gospel.

 

Hebrews 2:14 ¶  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 

Daniel 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

Matthew 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life... 36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

John 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

Romans 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Paul again declares himself the apostle to the Gentiles. This is why he has suffered.

 

Romans 15:16  That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

 

2Corinthians 11:23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

 

Paul is not ashamed and is completely trusting in God that Christ will keep Paul’s soul to the end. He admonishes Timothy to remember Paul’s teachings in the faith and love of Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost who indwells both Paul and Timothy, guarding and growing the Gospel message and the ministry that was imparted to Timothy, that good thing.

 

2Timothy 1:15 ¶  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 16  The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17  But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. 18  The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

 

In the final part of this chapter of Paul’s second letter to Timothy he makes mention of two Asian Christians who turned their back on him. Asia was a province of Rome that would correspond to much of the nation of Turkey today. Asia began to be used for that entire part of the world including the Far East during the age of Imperialism in the 19^th century when Europeans went aggressively out to conquer foreign lands.

 

Paul asks for mercy to Onesiphorus who has been kind to Paul and was not embarrassed or offended by his imprisonment. Paul prays for Onesiphorus’ salvation.