2 Timothy 2
2
Timothy’s Conduct. 1#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).So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And 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.#1:8; 4:5; Phlm 2. 4To satisfy the one who recruited him, a soldier does not become entangled in the business affairs of life.#1 Cor 9:6. 5Similarly, an athlete cannot receive the winner’s crown except by competing according to the rules.#1 Cor 9:25. 6The hardworking farmer ought to have the first share of the crop.#1 Cor 9:7–10. 7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.#Prv 2:6.
8#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 suffering, as the final judgment will show and as Paul’s own case makes clear; while he is imprisoned for preaching the gospel (2 Tm 2:9), his sufferings 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).Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my gospel,#Rom 1:3; 1 Cor 15:4, 20 / Rom 2:16; Gal 1:11; 2:2. 9for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.#Phil 1:12–14. 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.#Col 1:24; 1 Tm 1:15. 11This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;#Rom 6:8.
12if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.#Mt 10:22, 33; Lk 12:9.
13If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.#Nm 23:19; Rom 3:3–4; 1 Cor 10:13; Ti 1:2.
III. INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING FALSE TEACHING
Warning Against Useless Disputes. 14#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 first quotation in 2 Tm 2:19 is from Nm 16:5; the other quotation is from some unidentified Jewish or Christian writing.Remind people of these things and charge them before God#Before God: many ancient manuscripts read “before the Lord.” to stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.#1 Tm 6:4. 15Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without deviation.#1:8; 2 Cor 6:7; Eph 1:13; Col 1:5. 16Avoid profane, idle talk, for such people will become more and more godless,#1 Tm 4:7. 17and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,#1 Tm 1:20. 18who have deviated from the truth by saying that [the] resurrection has already taken place and are upsetting the faith of some.#2 Thes 2:2. 19Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands, bearing this inscription, “The Lord knows those who are his”; and, “Let everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord avoid evil.”#Is 28:16; 1 Cor 3:10–15 / Nm 16:5; Jn 10:14.
20In a large household there are vessels not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for lofty and others for humble use. 21If anyone cleanses himself of these things, he will be a vessel for lofty use, dedicated, beneficial to the master of the house, ready for every good work.#3:17. 22So turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord#Those who call on the Lord: those who believe in Christ and worship him as Lord, i.e., Christians (Acts 9:14–16, 20–21; Rom 10:12–13; cf. 2 Tm 2:19, literally, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord”). with purity of heart.#Gal 5:22; 1 Tm 6:11 / Rom 10:13; 1 Cor 1:2. 23Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels.#1 Tm 1:4; 4:7; 6:4; Ti 3:9. 24A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant,#1 Tm 3:2–3. 25correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth,#3:7; 1 Tm 2:4. 26#Some interpreters would render this passage, “Thus they may come to their senses and, forced to do his (i.e., God’s) will, may escape the devil’s trap.” This interpretation of the Greek is possible, but the one accepted in the text seems more likely.and that they may return to their senses out of the devil’s snare,#1 Tm 3:7. where they are entrapped by him, for his will.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
2 Timothy 2
2
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1You then, #See ch. 1:2 my child, #See Eph. 6:10be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2and #ch. 1:13 what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses #1 Tim. 1:18 entrust to faithful men,#2:2 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women, depending on the context #[Titus 1:5]who will be able to teach others also. 3#ch. 1:8; 4:5 Share in suffering as #1 Tim. 1:18a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No soldier #2 Pet. 2:20gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5#See 1 Cor. 9:25 An athlete is not #[ch. 4:8]crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6It is #1 Cor. 9:10; [Heb. 6:7]the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8Remember Jesus Christ, #1 Cor. 15:20 risen from the dead, the #See Matt. 1:1 offspring of David, #See Rom. 2:16as preached in my gospel, 9#ch. 1:8, 12 for which I am suffering, #See Phil. 1:7 bound with chains as a criminal. But #[ch. 4:17]; See Phil. 1:13the word of God is not bound! 10Therefore #Eph. 3:13; Col. 1:24; [1 Cor. 13:7] I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain #2 Cor. 1:6 the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with #1 Pet. 5:10eternal glory. 11The saying is #See 1 Tim. 1:15 trustworthy, for:
# [1 Thess. 5:10]; See Rom. 6:8 If we have died with him, we will also #Rev. 20:4live with him;
12 # [2 Thess. 1:4, 5]; See Rom. 8:17; Heb. 10:36; Rev. 20:4 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
# See Matt. 10:33 if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 # See Rom. 3:3 if we are faithless, #See 1 Cor. 1:9 he remains faithful—
for #Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2he cannot deny himself.
A Worker Approved by God
14Remind them of these things, and #1 Tim. 5:21; 6:13 charge them before God#2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord #1 Tim. 6:4; [ver. 23] not to quarrel about words, #Titus 3:9which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,#2:15 That is, one approved after being tested a worker #[Phil. 1:20]who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16But #Titus 3:9 avoid #1 Tim. 6:20irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are #1 Tim. 1:20Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18who have swerved from the truth, #[1 Cor. 15:12]saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: #Num. 16:5; Nah. 1:7; John 10:14, 27; [Luke 13:27]; See 1 Cor. 8:3 “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone #Isa. 26:13who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
20Now in #See 1 Tim. 3:15 a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, #Rom. 9:21some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21Therefore, #[Prov. 25:4; Isa. 52:11] if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,#2:21 Greek from these things he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, #ch. 3:17; Titus 3:1; [1 Tim. 5:10]ready for every good work.
22So #1 Tim. 6:11 flee #[1 Tim. 4:12] youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with #Acts 7:59; 9:14 those who call on the Lord #1 Tim. 1:5from a pure heart. 23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant #See 1 Tim. 6:4controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And #[1 Tim. 3:3] the Lord’s servant#2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface must not be quarrelsome but #1 Thess. 2:7 kind to everyone, #1 Tim. 3:2able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents #Gal. 6:1; Titus 3:2; [1 Tim. 6:11; 1 Pet. 3:15] with gentleness. God #Dan. 4:27; Acts 8:22; See Acts 5:31 may perhaps grant them repentance #See 1 Tim. 2:4leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from #1 Tim. 3:7the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
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