Rough Draft-- Not for citation
These commentaries are forthcoming in Illustrated Bible Life.
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Second Timothy is a deeply personal letter from a mentor to the primary heir of his legacy. Although the letter begins with Paul’s name, some scholars believe that one of Paul’s disciples, perhaps Timothy himself, composed the letter to allow later generations to understand what Paul would say to their day. In antiquity, it was a common practice for students to write in the name of their deceased teachers. Students were particularly likely to attribute their writings to a mentor if they had incorporated fragments of their mentor’s earlier, otherwise unknown, writings in their own works. In any case, whether Paul himself wrote this letter, or whether it was written by one of his disciples, the letter has the same purpose and authority—to encourage second and third generation Christian leaders (like Timothy) how to live faithfully after the apostles passed from the scene.
1. The Letter Opening (vv. 1-2)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul’s letters always began with his name as the sender. His name was often followed by his claim to be an apostle (e.g., Gal. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1) or by a reminder that he was “called to be an apostle” (Rom. 1:1). For Paul, his apostleship was marked by two important characteristics. First, his apostleship conveyed the authority of God through Jesus Christ. Paul did not choose to become an apostle; God, through Jesus Christ, choose Paul to be an apostle. Second, Paul never considered himself “the” apostle, but rather “an” apostle. Paul both insisted upon his authority as an apostle and also recognized the authority of the other apostles.
2. To Timothy, my dear son. Paul and Timothy worked together a great deal. Timothy co-wrote some of Paul’s letters (1 Thess. 1:1; Philemon 1; Phil. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1) and was mentioned in some of the other letters (Rom. 16:21; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10). According to Acts, Timothy’s mother was a Jew, but his father was a gentile (who probably forbid Timothy’s circumcision). Because of his close relationship with Timothy, Paul himself circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:1-3) before taking him on a missionary journey among the Jews (Acts 17:15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4).
After the names of the sender and the recipient, Paul’s letters typically include a peace wish (e.g., Rom. 1:7; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2). In addition to Paul’s normal grace and peace, 2 Timothy includes mercy. In Paul’s thought, peace refers to how humans relate to each other, while mercy and grace refer primarily to how God relates to humanity. Of course, humans can follow God’s example and be gracious and merciful to each other, but humans can never be gracious or merciful to God because God has no need of grace (unmerited favor) or mercy from human beings.
2. Initial Thanksgiving (vv. 3-7)
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 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. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
3. I thank God. Paul’s letters typically include a prayer of thanksgiving addressed to God in their opening verses (e.g., Phil. 1:3-11; 1 Thess. 1:2-10), which blends into an address to the readers. This letter follows that pattern. The letter’s insistence that Paul served the same God as his forefathers reflects Paul’s conviction that Christians serve the same God who was revealed in the Old Testament. Although Jesus revealed God more fully, Jesus did not reveal a different God. To serve Jesus Christ is to serve the exact same God as did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their spouses.
As night and day Listing night before day reflects the ancient Jewish system of time keeping in which the “day” began at dusk when the first three stars of the night became visible. This system of time keeping explains why the creation account in Genesis 1 records evening before morning each day (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31).
I constantly remember you in my prayers. For Paul, one of the primary functions of his apostolic ministry was prayer. The plural, prayers, gives the image of Paul offering short prayers at various times throughout the night and day as needs came to mind.
4. Recalling your tears, I long to see you. Paul’s relationships with his congregations were often marked by strong emotional bonds. Paul rejoiced that the Philippians held him in their heart (Phil. 1:7) and was moved by the fact that the Galatians were willing to tear out their own eyes for him (Gal 4:15). Paul traveled extensively and often reported missing his former parishioners (e.g., 1 Thess. 2:17; Philemon 22). In this case, however, you is singular and refers only to Timothy.
5. The letter mentions Timothy’s grandmother and mother, Lois and Eunice. Women were prominent leaders in the early church and were frequently addressed in Paul’s letters (e.g., Phil. 4:2; Rom. 16:1, 3, 7, 15; 1 Cor. 1:11). The quality of Timothy’s faith is judged by the standard of the godly women in his ancestry (Timothy’s father was apparently an unbeliever [Acts 16:3]).
6. When Timothy is told to fan into flame the gift of God, he is essentially being told to tend his faith. The previous verse has reminded Timothy of the legacy of faith within his family; this verse exhorts Timothy to cultivate that legacy. The gift of God which Timothy is to fan into flame is the gift of faith. In Paul’s thought, faith is never an act of the human will, but rather a gift from God. Humans can exercise or quench this gift, but still, faith is a gift and not an achievement.
Paul claims that Timothy was set aside for service through the laying on of my hands. Within early Christianity, laying on of hands was a ritual in which older, wiser, and more experienced “elders” conferred authority to younger leaders of the church (Acts 8:18; Heb. 6:2).
7. not … but The significance of this contrast is often overlooked. Then, as now, many younger leaders in church were reluctant to accept the authority which the body of Christ rightfully bestowed upon them. Second Timothy warned that young people’s ministry could not be characterized by timidity. It is God’s will that their ministry be characterized by a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. For Paul, the gospel itself was the power of God (Rom. 1:16) and the greatest of all the gifts for ministry was love (1 Cor. 13:13). Self-discipline was necessary to provide internal checks against the unconscious or unintentional abuse of this divinely-sanctioned authority.
3. Initial Exhortations (vv. 8-14)
8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
8. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord. Paul practiced what is preached here. Here, Timothy is instructed not to be ashamed. In Romans 1:16, Paul boldly proclaimed “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” It is important to understand, however, that this call to overcome shame is probably directed toward activity within the church, not outside of the church. The letter is exhorting young people to have the confidence to speak within the church and to assume the leadership roles that have been conferred upon them by the laying on of hands (v. 6). The letter contains a recurring theme that youthful leaders should cast aside their timidity and sense of inferiority. Humility is virtuous; timidity is not.
Or ashamed of me his prisoner. Paul was often imprisoned and refers to his imprisonments frequently in his letters (Philemon 1, 9, 23; Phil. 1:7; 13-17; Rom 16:7; 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23). Then, as now, imprisonment was an embarrassment, but Paul glorified in such humiliation for the sake of Christ.
Join with me in suffering for the gospel. Paul saw great redemptive value in suffering and considered it a “privilege” to suffer for Christ (Phil. 1:29). He even came to view his life as a sacrificial offering to God (Phil. 2:17).
The power of God. For Paul, the redemption of this world was a battle between the power of sin and the power of God. The power of sin was seen in the death and destruction around us; the power of God was seen in Christ’s resurrection and its defeat of the power of sin and death. For Paul, Christians experience the power of God through participating in Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4; Phil. 3:10-11; Gal. 2:20).
9. who has saved us and called us to a holy life. The call to holiness follows our initial response to God. Sinful humanity cannot heed the call to holiness, only those with a prior relationship to God can entertain the prospect of entering the holy life. Importantly though, this holy life is never a human achievement. Holiness emerges within a life that is open to God, not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
10. The appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death. For Paul, Christ’s life, death and resurrection were all viewed as a single event, an event which broke the power of sin and death and ushered in life. Paul did not think about the significance of Christ’s life primarily in terms of his death, but in broader terms of his life, death and resurrection.
11. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. Paul always spoke of his offices and responsibilities within the church as delegated by God. Paul was appointed by God; he did not choose his offices and responsibilities. Paul did not often refer to himself as a herald, but the term essentially refers to a person who proclaims the gospel. An apostle was a person of unique authority within the early church whose authority came from a direct encounter with Christ (Gal. 1:1; 1 Cor. 9:1-2). In this context, the title, teacher, emphasizes the writer’s authority to instruct younger leaders about the appropriate doctrine and ethics for the future church.
12. That is why I am suffering as I am. Paul was convinced that apostleship always entailed suffering. In fact, when he defended his apostleship against those who were prone to doubt it, Paul specifically listed his suffering as a proof of his apostleship (2 Cor. 11:23-29).
What I have entrusted to him for that day. Paul looked ahead to that day, the second coming of Christ, when his choice to endure suffering would be vindicated and when his faith would be demonstrated true.
13. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. This verse is essentially the theme of the letter. The letter offers a mentor’s advice to his protégé and assumes that correct practice (faith and love) began with sound teaching—and it was Paul, who above all others, could be trusted to deliver that trustworthy and reliable truth. Paul is the model of one who lived well because he thought well. For Paul, bad ethics usually arose from bad theology. Ideas mattered to Paul and 2 Timothy insisted upon the importance of following appropriate patterns of thought.
14. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. This closing admonition brings the logic of this first chapter full circle. God entrusted Paul with the gospel; Paul and the elders of the church have entrusted Timothy and the younger generation with that same gospel (the good deposit); now, that younger generation must guard that gospel with the same fidelity with which Paul has guarded it. Yet, this transference of authority is not to be construed as a human enterprise. The transference of the gospel from generation to generation is guided and aided by the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2 Timothy 2:1-13
These verses fall into three sections, the first looks forward and calls for strength and endurance, the second looks backward and calls for remembrance and reflection, and the final section looks to the present and recites a contemporary Christian hymn.
1. Call to Endurance (vv. 1-7)
1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
1. You then, my son. The term translated son is literally child. Greek has several terms to describe one’s offspring, some of which are gendered like the English “son” and some of which are not gendered like the English “child.” This term is not gendered. The reason for this unexpected use of “child” instead of “son” may be the desire for this instruction to have a broad range of applications, even though it is directly given to Timothy alone.
Be strong in the grace. There is an irony throughout this and Paul’s other letters that people are urged to apply themselves to the struggle for spiritual maturity and effectiveness (be strong is a command in Greek) and yet human effort ultimately is not the determining factor in that struggle. The ultimate factor is always the grace that is in Christ Jesus. For Paul, the grace available through Jesus Christ opens up new possibilities for humanity, but that grace does not guarantee the attainment of those possibilities. God has incredible dreams for every human life, but not even God’s dreams can come true without human involvement. God’s ability to work in a human life is always contingent upon human willingness to participate with God.
2. And the things you have heard me say. Paul was always aware that Christianity is never more than one generation away from extinction. Tradition, receiving and passing on the gospel, was always important for Paul (1 Cor. 15:3-11). In this letter, as authority passed from one generation to the next, one of the great concerns is not just to transmit the word of the gospel, but to do so in a manner consistent with Paul’s original apostolic proclamation.
Even though this letter encourages Timothy to act with decisive authority, it continues to remind Timothy that even he is accountable to the other heirs of Paul’s legacy. The many witnesses could even be a veiled reference to Paul’s earlier letters which are now preserved in the New Testament. As an heir to Paul’s gospel, Timothy is to follow Paul’s example training the next generation for faithful service and leadership. Timothy must transmit (entrust to others) the message that he has heard. Hearing the message faithfully conveys a responsibility to transmit the message faithfully. The faithful transmission of the gospel must never stop. Each generation is only a temporary custodian of the truth. The entrusting in this passage is not talking about evangelism (that extends to all people, not just the reliable). The entrusting applies to the idea of seeking out and empowering those uniquely gifted persons who will faithfully maintain the tradition and then transmit it to the next generation.
To reliable men. The word men could also translated humans; this is not the Greek which means “male.” This text cannot support the idea that only men are to be teachers. Paul typically recognized the value of women’s leadership roles in the church. Junia was a female apostle (Rom. 16:7). Phoebe was a female deacon (Rom. 16:1). Paul’s commitment to hearing women’s voices in worship prompted him to offer a lengthy discussion of how they should be attired when they preached and prayed in a church service. In keeping with the standards of modesty in the first century, he suggested that women should wear veils when they lead worship. But in keeping with his general practice of valuing women’s gifts of ministry to the church, he also assumed that in most churches women would be active in leadership (1 Cor. 11:2-16). In exceptional circumstances, Paul may have quieted women’s voices (1 Tim. 2:11-12), but such cases were exceptions to Paul’s normal practices.
Who will also be qualified to teach others. Not everyone in the early church was qualified to teach. Neither the mere desire to teach nor even the experience of conversion provided a sufficient basis for becoming a teacher. Only a mastery of the apostolic teachings qualified one to teach.
3. Endure hardship with us. As humorous as it may sound to modern ears, this phrase is the Pauline way of recognizing Timothy’s role in ministerial leadership. Since Paul viewed suffering as a central feature of apostleship, those who followed in the teaching of the apostles had to be prepared for hardship. This verse and the next three verses offer three analogies that elaborate on this theme of enduring hardship. In the first analogy, Timothy is told to endure like a good soldier. Military life is difficult in the modern world, but it was much more difficult in the ancient world. Unrelenting battles with years between visits to home and extensive travel through hostile environments, along with frequent hunger and privation, made the life of a soldier acutely dangerous and uncomfortable. Soldiers were often drawn into the Roman legions with promises of vast land grants and large cash gifts upon completion of a few decades of service, but few Roman soldiers lived to acquire their generous retirement bonuses.
4. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. The earliest disciples and apostles were essentially bi-vocational. Paul, for example, worked as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). However, for the next generation of Christian leaders, the work of ministry was to be a “full-time” job and they were to concentrate exclusively on ministry (like a soldier who avoided all civilian entanglements). Second generation ministers like Timothy were to avoid becoming involved in any business that would distract them from ministry.
The commanding officer presumably is Christ, or perhaps the bishop (1 Tim. 3:17).
5. In the second analogy, Timothy is told to endure as an athlete, who disciplines himself in order to win the victor’s crown. Athletic ability was highly valued in the Greek world (the Greeks held the first Olympic games) and the winners of athletic competitions were commonly crowned with garlands that celebrated their achievement. Playing according to the rules probably means adhering to the apostolic teachings.
6. In the third analogy, Timothy is told to endure as a hardworking farmer. Farmers, both then and now, are subject to many forces beyond their control. Their profession requires them to risk their livelihood on the hope that their seeds will bear fruit and not merely rot in the ground. Because they risk so much to get the crop in the ground, they are the first to receive a share of the crops.
7. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. This invitation to reflection highlights the fact that the letter gives no clear indication how the analogies of the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer are to inspire Timothy to endure. Upon reflection, however, Timothy would recognize that the soldier anticipates a retirement with a land grant and pension from Rome, the athlete anticipates the rights and status of a victor, and the farmer anticipates a crop. Each of these people endures great adversity in anticipation of a great reward. Timothy, and all faithful workers, likewise can anticipate a great reward.
2. Call to Remembrance (vv. 8-10)
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
8. Remember Jesus Christ. After encouraging Timothy to live in anticipation of future reward, the letter shifts focus to the past and calls Timothy to remember. The primary motivation for Christians is never their future reward in heaven, but rather Christ’s past action on the cross. Christians love because they have been loved.
Raised from the dead, descended from David. For Paul, the two most important facts about Jesus were his resurrection and his role as the long-anticipated Jewish messiah. These two phrases emphasize those facts. The expression translated this is my gospel is a prepositional phrase in Greek (literally, “according to my gospel”) which is designed to emphasize the importance of teaching about the resurrection and about Jesus’ fulfillment of Jewish hopes in a manner consistent with Paul’s gospel. Paul was aware of alternative accounts of the gospel in the first century, but he labeled many of these alternatives “false gospels” and cursed those who promoted them (Gal. 1:6-9).
9. I am suffering …But God’s word is not chained. Again, suffering was a primary mark of apostleship for Paul, but no amount of hostility toward Paul could suppress the spread of God’s word. In at least one case, Paul’s imprisonment gave him an opportunity to convert his prison guards (Phil. 1:12-14). The reference to chains is literal. Roman prisoners were not held in prison buildings, but were literally chained to a soldier. Unfortunate prisoners would then be forced to publicly drag their chains behind their guard wherever he happened to travel in the normal course of his day.
10. Although those who minister and serve share in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection and of heavenly reward, they endure the hardships of service for the sake of the elect. For Paul, all persons are elect, but not all people will respond favorably to that election.
That they too may obtain the salvation. In Paul’s mind, his service to the cause of Christ was never a quid pro quo. Paul did not suffer merely so that he could receive a greater reward in heaven. He did indeed know that great reward awaited him, but he did not serve solely (and selfishly) for the sake of that reward. He served—and suffered—for the sake of love. He served so that other people may know the joys of salvation.
3. The Trustworthy Saying (vv. 11-13)
11 Here is a trustworthy
saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
11. Here is a trustworthy
saying: Such formulas in Paul’s writings usually indicate that Paul is
drawing upon an earlier source, whether written or oral. The following words
were probably a hymn sung or recited in unison in the first century churches.
If we died with him, we will also live with him. The origin of these words
could be early baptismal, funeral or even martyrdom contexts. Paul speaks more
abstractly on the same themes elsewhere (e.g,, Gal. 2:19-20).
12. The logic of this verse runs from the positive (endure/reign) to
the negative (disown/disown). Paul’s ethics were never motivated by the
mere desire to avoid punishment, therefore, this statement begins with the
positive rewards for faithfulness (reigning with Christ). However, it was
always possible to forfeit one’s privileges in Christ, and Paul was unwilling to
ignore the prospect of being disowned by God. One’s salvation is always
contingent upon one’s continued willingness to participate in God’s redemption.
Human beings have the freedom to disown their heavenly Father, and their
heavenly Father will honor that sad human decision once it is firmly made.
13. In spite of the fearsome possibility of being disowned by God,
Christians should take immense confidence in the fact that even if we are
faithless, he [God] will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Consistent with Paul’s emphasis upon the positive, this saying ends with the
promise that our salvation does not depend our performance. We do not save
ourselves. God saves us. We come to know God by faith, and our relationship
with God is maintained by faith. Even though Christians can be disowned by God,
God does not disown God’s children at the first sign of unfaithfulness. God
will not easily abandon God’s own. God is faithful even when we are less than
fully faithful. God does not disown us for lapses of faith, God disowns us only
after we deliberately and spitefully disown God. Such reassurances of God’s
faithfulness were undoubtedly needed in the midst of these calls to endurance.
Human endurance sometimes fails, but God’s grace never fails.
2 Timothy 2:14-26
This section of scripture contains seven commands for the reader to observe. (Verbs of command are marked by clear grammatical features in Greek.) The first command conveys instructions that Timothy is to share with others (v. 14), the next five commands convey instructions that Timothy is to observe for himself (vv. 15-23), and the final command is generalized and applies to all servants of the Lord (vv. 24-26).
1. Exhortations to be Passed on to Others (v. 14).
14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
14. Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them. This first command is directed to Timothy, but he is treated as a mere conduit which directs these commands to others (them). The NIV’s translation can be misleading at this point. The warning against quarreling is not a separate command, but rather is the content that Timothy is to remind others about. The verse would be better translated: “Keep reminding them of these things, which are the warning before God against quarreling about words.”
before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value. It is significant to note that the warning against quarreling takes no notice of who is right and who is wrong. The letter does not want to extend needless debate by taking sides. The prohibition of quarreling likewise shows complete disregard for the motives behind the various disputes. Quarreling is forbidden across the board, because, regardless of its underlying motives, it fails to accomplish anything. Paul recognized that most quarrels are sustained more by the intense desire to be proven correct than by the sincere desire to learn the truth. This warning against quarreling brings to mind St. Francis’s prayer that he would seek “not so much to be understood as to understand.” Quarreling requires two people who are more eager to be understood than they are to understand.
ruins those who listen. Paul recognized that even ongoing bickering between friends can have a detrimental effect on those who overhear an exchange of verbal assaults.
2. Exhortations to be Observed by Timothy (vv. 15-23).
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” 20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
15. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved. This second command reminds Timothy to conduct himself as one who lives in the presence of God. Timothy is instructed to live as if God was looking over his shoulder at all times. The letter assumes that Timothy is a workman for the cause of Christ. The issue is not whether or not he will work for Christ, but rather the character and appropriateness of that work.
who does not need to be ashamed. The theme of not being ashamed appeared earlier in this book (1:8, 12) and prominently in Romans (1:16).
and who correctly handles the word of truth. The Greek term for correct handling of the word contains the same root word (ortho) from which the term orthodoxy (right teaching) is formed. Although the word of truth certainly includes the Christian Scripture, in the original context of this letter, it probably referred more broadly to the apostolic traditions to which Timothy was heir. (At the time when this letter was written, only what we call the Old Testament was recognized as Scripture.)
16. Avoid godless chatter. This third command has the longest supporting discussion of any of the commands. Godless chatter is apparently theological discourse which does not correctly handle the truth. This admonition is essentially the negation of the previous command, contrasting correct handling of the apostolic tradition with incorrect handling of the apostolic tradition.
more and more ungodly. The author recognizes that growth in both truth and falsity is developmental. When people grow careless in their fidelity to truth, their initial infidelity produces increasing infidelity.
17. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. In the absence of modern antibiotics, gangrene was a death sentence in the ancient world. Two of the teachers involved in the spread of this deadly menace were Hymenaeus and Philetus. We know nothing about Philetus, but Hymanaeus was excommunicated from the church in 1 Tim. 1:20. Unfortunately, we don’t know if 1Timothy was written before or after 2 Timothy. (The current order of these books in the Bible is based upon their length. When multiple books had the same author and recipients (e.g., 1 & 2 Corinthians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 John) the early church placed the longest letter first in the Bible regardless of the order in which the letters were written.)
18. They say that the resurrection has already taken place. This claim entails both a denial of the second coming and an arrogance that some have already gained resurrection perfection. Paul battled similar claims among the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15). In both the Corinthian case and in this case, those who taught such things destroy the faith of some. Traditionally, the church has made a distinction between error (a mistaken opinion or conviction that one holds privately) and heresy (a mistaken opinion or conviction that one actively teaches others to believe). By this definition, the problem here is heresy and must be countered.
19. The sayings in this verse insinuate that those involved in such teachings do not know God and have not turned from wickedness. These citations stem from Number 16:15; Job 36:10 and Joel 2:32. These were probably well known Old Testament texts in the ancient church and these simple allusions to them brought many associations to mind.
20. This analogy to household articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay is similar to Paul’s discussion in Romans 9:20-21. Paul tended to view even his opponents as having some use within God’s master plan. For Paul, all people fit within God’s purposes, even though some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.
21. If a man cleanses himself. It is important to note that the text views false teaching as a moral problem and hopes that those who have promoted such teachings will cleanse themselves of their teaching. In the church today, people often seem to forget that false teaching is an immoral and sinful act. Only those who have cleansed themselves from heresy will be ready for divine use, which the writer describes in four rapid fire expressions: an instrument for noble purposes, made holy [benefiting the believer himself or herself], useful to the Master [benefiting God] and prepared to do any good work [benefiting the entire church].
22. Flee the evil desires of youth. This fourth command is often interpreted in sexual terms (the KJV translates this saying as “flee youthful lusts”), but the term for desires is not inherently sexual. In this context, the desires are probably the eagerness to “gain a reputation” quickly and to avoid the hard work of serious theological reflection. These uncontrolled desires have led many young people to fall into heresy.
Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. This fifth command is essentially a call to pursue Christian virtue. All four of these terms appear frequently in Paul’s letters. Although the exact nuances of their individual meanings are unclear, it is significant that the letter assumes that such virtues are developed as individuals participate with those who call on the Lord. For Paul, Christian virtue is developed within the Christian community, not in isolation from it. John Wesley held a similar conviction, even insisting that “there is no holiness but social holiness.” Within the context of the church, individuals are able to develop such profound Christian character that they are able to act out of a pure heart. For Paul, genuine purity of heart could be a present reality. God’s grace is adequate to create a pure heart in those who pursue righteousness.
23. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. This sixth command returns to the theme of theological bickering. This letter works with two sets of dynamics. On the one hand, the letter insists upon the importance of apostolic doctrine and warns against moving away the truth of the authentic Pauline tradition. On the other hand, the letter rejects the notion that mature Christians will become involved in every theological dispute which arises within the community. The letter doesn’t always clearly explain which disputes are merely foolish and stupid arguments (that should be ignored) and which disputes are like gangrene (that should be vigorously opposed). The writer of this letter assumes Christian maturity and diligent reflection on the apostolic tradition will enable people to discern between the two kinds of disputes. One of the surest ways to recognize an argument as foolish and stupid is to examine its effects. Disagreements which produce quarrels are always to be avoided.
3. Generalized Exhortation for Christian Servants (vv. 24-26).
24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
24. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel. This seventh and final command is slightly different than the previous commands. This command is stated as a divine necessity. Literally, it says “It is a divine necessity for the servant of Lord not to quarrel.” The address, the Lord’s servant, could apply to either a Christian minister or more generally to any Christian. In this context, the term probably refers to ministers, but it emphasizes the lowly humble nature of genuine Christian ministry by referring to the minister as a servant, a term can also be translated “slave.”
After describing the Christian minister as a servant, the text goes on to describe the minister’s conduct: kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. This description speaks to the required disposition (kindness) and the required skill (ability to teach). Many denominations follow in this tradition and require that ministers have the required “gifts” (like the ability to teach) and “graces” (like the disposition of kindness) in order to qualify for ordination to ministry. While these first two attributes of the minister are positive, the third attribute of the minister is negative. The minister must not be resentful. At first glance, this characteristic seems out of place, but upon reflection, it is vital. Anyone who gives himself or herself to a life of service can be tempted to feel exploited, used or underappreciated. Resentment often grows in those—ministers and laity alike—who forget that they are voluntarily giving their lives in service. Apart from a clear sense of one’s willing acceptance of Christ’s call to service, even the most well-meaning persons can begin to sense resentment toward those to whom they minister. This potential for resentment is natural given that some people drain so much energy and strength from those who minister to them. The constant drain of ministry can tempt some ministers to resent those who take from them, but Paul advocated a life so filled with the self-giving love of God that there was no room left over for resentment.
25. Those who oppose. Even the most dedicated of God’s servants often face opposition. Character is found in facing opponents with a gentle and redemptive spirit, always believing in the possibility that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth. Paul never gave up on anyone. No one’s sin was beyond the scope of grace. Paul himself had once persecuted the church, but even he eventually became one of premier thinkers and leaders within the Christian church (1 Cor. 15:9-10).
26. and that they will come to their senses. Within the classic Christian tradition, coming to Christ has often been characterized as a coming to one’s senses or coming to oneself. When treated with gentleness, even the most hostile often find redemption.
2 Timothy 3:1-17
This chapter of Scripture opens with a call to resist the spirit of the times (vv. 1-5), then contrasts two different ways of living in troubled times (vv. 6-14), and closes with a call to follow the behavior modeled by Paul (vv. 15-17).
1. Courage to Resist the Times (vv. 1-5)
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
1. But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. Over the years, much ado has been raised by people who have claimed that they could read the signs of the times. Such people have often claimed that their particular time marked the last days and that Christ was prepared to return. Each generation seems to have its own doomsayers either who interpret every event as a sign of endtime terrors or who warn of impending dangers which just around the corner. Such speculations often create fear and gloom in even the most well-meaning people. Much uneasiness could be avoided if people understood that when the biblical writers wrote about the last days, they were writing about their own times. The biblical writers assumed that they were living in the last days, and they were correct. They were living in the last days. Modern Christians are also living the last days. According to Scripture, the last days began at Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost, Peter proclaimed: “this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh…’” (Acts 2:16-17, NRSV). The church has always lived in the last days, because the church has always lived under the blessing of Pentecost. The church has also always lived in terrible times, because the church has always existed in a world that is hostile to grace. What the church values, the world devalues; who the church worships, the world rejects. That leads to inevitable conflict. Some of the manifestations of that conflict are listed below.
2. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money. Paul lived in the Roman Empire, where 95% of the world’s population was dominated the Roman superpower that ruled and arranged the world for the benefit of the 5% of people who were Roman citizens. The Romans loved all that was Rome; they loved themselves and they could be relied upon to organize their world to the maximum advantage of those whom they loved—themselves! The Romans also loved money. The Romans taxed, and taxed for the benefit of Rome. Christians came into this Roman world and operated on the principles of Jesus. Christians owed their allegiance not to Rome, but to Jesus, and Jesus had taught them to pray for their enemies, to turn the other cheek when struck and to give to anyone who begged from them (Matt. 6:38-45). Because Christians were unwilling to do as the Romans did, they faced terrible times. Their prayers were met with demands for worship of the emperor, their non-violence was met with violence, and their generosity was met with the confiscation of property. The Roman historian, Tacitus, recorded that in the second half of the first century, the Roman emperor Nero “punished Christians with the utmost refinements of cruelty.” Nero burned Christians alive, beheaded Paul and crucified Peter (upside down!). Why did Nero bring such terrible times on Christians? Because the early Christians dared to challenge Rome’s ideology of violence and greed with Jesus’ ideology of sacrifice and generosity. The first century was a terrible time for those who choose to love neither themselves nor money.
The letter continues with a long list of vices that arose from the self-love of Roman culture. People were boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and unholy. An aura of Roma superiority justified pride in one’s self and abuse toward the other. Eventually, that spirit extended to children who turned the same attitudes back toward their parents and toward those who had given them such abundance. Not even God was recognized by this unholy lot.
3-4. The vices of these first century people reads like a self-conscious reversal of Christian values: without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. In reality, of course, Christian virtues were developed as a self-conscious reversal of the values of the first century Roman world.
5. Roman society was outwardly one of the most religious cultures in history. Statues of gods and goddesses adorned every corner, pagan temples stood in the center of every city, and everyday coins were routinely festooned with religious symbols. The city of Rome itself was said to have been founded by the god Romulus, and the empire’s mighty military machine was said to be sustained by Roma, the goddess of victory. If any people on earth ever had a form of godliness, it was the Romans. Yet, the Romans fundamentally misunderstood the nature of divine power. Divine power was not revealed in the might of the Roman legions, but in the self-sacrifice of the cross of Jesus Christ. Paul is clear. True divine power was manifest in the one who died on the cross, not in those who nailed him to the cross. In regard to those who don’t understand these values, Paul can only say: Have nothing to do with them.
2. Contrast Between Two Models of Behavior (vv. 6-14)
6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
6. All of the non-Romans in Paul’s world understood how the Romans outside of the church operated and first century readers would have recognized quintessential Roman attitudes in the previous verses. At this point, the letter shifts its attention to people who are within the church, but who still live by the values of the Roman Empire. Such people are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women. This reference to women may seem inappropriately condescending by the standards of our day (and it is!), but by the standards of the Roman world, it is typical. Few women were educated in the ancient world and—as would be the case with any person who had been robbed of the opportunities for personal growth and intellectual maturation—women in the ancient world often came under the influence of fast-talking pitchmen. Of course, there is no reason in the contemporary world to believe that women are any more likely to engage in inappropriate teaching than are men. The letter’s disdain is not so much toward the women who are the victims in this scenario as it is toward the men who worm their way into their lives.
7. These people were not drawn away from truth because of their unwillingness to learn. In fact, they were always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Their error laid in their unwillingness to accept instruction from properly trained heirs to the apostolic traditions.
8. The letter finds a precedent for this behavior in the example of Jannes and Jambres in Exodus 7:11, 22. Paul may have lived in the last days, but he encountered the same problems as did Moses many generations earlier.
9. Even as strongly as the letter condemns false teachers, it exhibits a quiet confidence in the ability of the church to collectively discern what is truthful. The people who prey upon the most vulnerable women in the church will not get away with their conduct because eventually their folly will be clear to everyone. Error becomes a way of life only for those who continue to ignore the collected wisdom of the church.
10. Having finished his discussion of those who fail to live out a Christian ethic within the community, the letter turns to a closer look at the example of Paul himself. All aspects of Paul’s life, my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, are known to the readers. Paul can be trusted.
11. In spite of his exemplary life, Paul experienced persecutions and sufferings. Paul had suffered shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonments, floggings and even a stoning (e.g., 2 Cor. 11:23-29). He spoke with authority on the subject of hardship. The letter assumes that the original readers were personally aware of the persecutions that Paul had experienced in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra (see Acts 13-14). According to Acts, Timothy and Paul first met in Lystra (Acts 16:1).
12. Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Of all the promises and prophecies in the Bible, this one is undoubtedly the least popular, but Paul was never one to minimize the demands of the gospel. Paul’s message challenged the structures of this world, and the people who benefited from those structures were bound to fight back. Paul was unapologetic about the uncompromising fact that the way of Christ is the way of the cross. Paul insisted that the cross had redefined power. In 1 Corinthians 1:18, he explained: “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (NSRV).
13. Paul held out no illusions that the Roman Empire and its ideology of domination through violence could ever be reconciled with the Christian message. He assumed that evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
3. Call to Follow Paul’s Model of Behavior (vv. 14-17)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
14. The previous verses have warned about both the secular ideology of selfishness and about those who would bring that ideology into the church. Now, the letter urges the readers to reconsider the alternative lifestyle promoted by Paul and the Old Testament Scripture. Timothy is urged to continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it. Timothy had heard the gospel from Paul, and now he is encouraged to stick with the gospel as proclaimed by the trustworthy Paul.
15. Timothy’s father was a gentile, but his mother was Jewish (Acts 16:1-3). Therefore, in addition to the gospel as preached by Paul, Timothy was to master the Old Testament that he had known from infancy. These holy Scriptures could be relied upon to make Timothy wise for salvation. It is important to note that the reason for studying
Scripture in these verses is explicitly linked to the quest for salvation. In this much discussed passage, the purpose of Scripture is to teach about salvation, not to teach about everything. The Scripture can be trusted to reveal all matters necessary to our salvation, but this passage says nothing about Scripture’s authority in any other area of human endeavor. If one wishes to learn the way to heaven, the Scripture is the place to look. If one wishes to learn about barn building, an engineering text may be more helpful.
16. The phrase, all Scripture is God-breathed, recalls the language of creation where God breathed life into humanity (Gen. 2:7). Scripture breathes life into believers. The purposes of this life-giving Scripture are fourfold: teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. The precise distinctions between these related terms are difficult to establish, but they essentially establish Scripture’s authority and reliability in all matters of faith and practice. Only the Scripture can be trusted for formation in righteousness. “Common sense” cannot be trusted because the gospel is “foolishness” when judged by the standards of this world (again recall 1 Cor. 1:18). As essential as these verses are for establishing the authority and reliability of Scripture, it is equally important to understand that these claims for the authority of Scripture are specifically placed within the context of spirituality, that is, in righteousness. Scripture informs in matters of righteousness, but there are many areas of human inquiry over which the Scriptures make no explicit claims.
17. God gave the Scripture to the church and beseeches the Christians to study the Scripture for one primary reason, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work (NRSV). (The NIV’s use of “man” is not required by the Greek text.) This passage ends with an emphatic affirmation of Scripture’s power both to transform lives and to equip believers for service in the Kingdom of God.
2 Timothy 4:1-18
As with many of Paul’s letters, this letter ends with a series of loosely connected comments, reflections and exhortations. For the sake of analysis, these closing remarks can be understood as the letter’s closing exhortations (vv. 1-5), Paul’s farewell (vv. 6-8), a plea for fellowship (vv. 9-13), and a final update of Paul’s situation (vv. 14-18).
1. Closing Exhortations (vv. 1-5)
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
1. The words which appear at the end of this verse in the NIV, I give you this charge, are based on a single word in Greek, which appears as the first word in the verse’s original Greek. By beginning with this expression, the letter draws upon Paul’s authority and emphasizes his role as a Christian witness. The letter further emphasizes the importance of Paul’s charge by calling upon divine authority. Timothy is given this charge in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus. Consistent with Paul’s theology throughout his letters, the one who will judge the living and the dead is Jesus. Paul taught that Jesus would judge the world upon his appearing and then hand authority over to God (1 Cor. 15:21-23). According to Paul, wise persons always lived in anticipation of the divine justice that would be fully revealed at Christ’s return.
2. Whereas the first verse emphasized Paul’s authority to give Timothy a charge, this second verse emphasizes Timothy’s responsibility to carry out that charge. Timothy is commanded to preach the Word and to be prepared in season and out of season. The language of seasons could be translated as “in good times and bad times.” The admonition is probably intended to encourage Timothy to speak the truth even when that truth was out of season or unpopular. In the previous chapter (3:16), the purposes of Scripture were very similar to the purposes listed for preaching here, to correct, rebuke and encourage. To encourage in this context is not merely “cheering up” people. It is to help people advance and grow in the Christian faith. Although Paul had great respect for the minister’s authority, he urged Timothy to practice his ministry with great patience and careful instruction. Growth in the Christian faith takes time and patience is a virtue for Christian ministers. Paul knew that righteous zeal could easily produce impatience. Timothy was warned not to push too hard and too fast—even in the right direction.
3. Being patient is not the same thing as being apathetic. Paul never entertained the idea that everyone would put up with sound doctrine. Then, as now, some people desired ministers who suited their own desires. Only genuinely loving patience, not apathetic compliance to every new and ill-considered doctrine, could keep Timothy from joining the great number of teachers, who had given up on the radical claims of the gospel. Like unethical salesmen, many ministers had succumbed to the temptation merely to tell people what they want to hear. The letter presumed a sentiment like Jesus’ words in the sermon on the mount: “the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:14). No honest believer can ever claim that the way of the cross is easy.
4. Paul was aware that many people would find the cross-shaped life too demanding and would turn aside to myths. Mythology in Paul’s world was a well-developed system of beliefs centered upon the Roman gods and goddesses. That system was developed for one purpose: to validate the claims of a violent and expanding empire. In the Roman world, the entire “known” world of Paul’s day, there was no clear distinction between the political and religious realms of life. Participation in the Roman life always involved participation in the religious myths that sustained the Roman Empire. Paul mourned when any Christian turned away from the self-sacrificing model of the cross and back to the ideology of empire-building.
5. It is no surprise that after being reminded of those who have turned aside to myths, Timothy is admonished to endure hardship. Roman brought hardship on anyone who rejected its myths. The work of an evangelist is to transform the world, not to conform to it. The true evangelist offered a cross-shaped alternative to Rome’s mythology of empire-building. The phrase, discharge all the duties of your ministry, is better translated, “carry out your ministry fully” (NRSV). The emphasis is not upon doing all the various tasks of ministry (the word “all” does not appear in Greek), but rather upon fulfilling the purposes of ministry.
2. Paul’s Farewell (vv. 6-8)
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
6. This letter gives every evidence of the apostle’s willing acceptance of his impending execution at the hands of the Roman Empire. Paul had contemplated his death at the emperor’s hands before (Phil. 1:20-26). However, because his life belonged to Christ, and because he was facing death for the sake of Christ, Paul interpreted his suffering and even his impending death in religious terms, like a drink offering. Whereas in his earlier encounters with violence, Paul had remained optimistic about his prospects for release and further ministry, in this case he flatly stated that the time has come for my departure.
7. In looking back on his life, Paul had no regrets. In three brief sentences, he offered his own epitaph. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. The first two sentences clarify the third sentence. For Paul, the live of faith was difficult and strenuous, like a fight or race. Paul did not look back and claim to have drifted along with the current.
8. After the sports metaphors in the previous verse, the metaphor is extended with a reference to the victor’s crown. The victors in Greek and Roman games were routinely given garlands to wear in their hair. Here, that image is drawn into Christian service by being depicted as a crown of righteousness. As was characteristic of Paul, judgment is presented as an endtime activity of Christ, the Lord, the righteous Judge, at his return on that day. Paul never regarded himself as anyone special. The possibilities of grace were not reserved for him only. They were open to all who have longed for his appearing.
3. Plea for Fellowship (vv. 9-13)
9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
9. In the face of death, even Paul desired companionship. As a single man with no children, he longed to see Timothy and, with understated humility, requested: Do your best to come to me quickly. In these words, we see Paul as very human and lonely.
10. We possess little information about Demas. He and Luke were apparently some of Paul’s trusted coworkers. Paul even sent their greetings to the readers of his letters to Philemon (24) and to the Colossians (4:14). Sadly, Demas primary legacy is that he deserted Paul in his hour of need. The expression, he loved this world, may mean that he choose to leave Paul rather than accept martyrdom with Paul. We have no evidence to explain why Demas went to Thessalonica in Greece, but there was a significant Christian community there and Demas may have decided to go there to serve that church. Several different interpretations are possible for the actions of Demas. First, because love is never used negatively anywhere else in Paul’s letters and because the word translated deserted can be translated without the negative connotations of desertion (the term is translated “left behind” in other contexts), it is possible that Paul was pleased with Demas’ decision to leave Paul in order to practice ministry (and love) in Thessalonica. In this case, this verse would be translated: “Demas, because he loved this world [which is not a bad thing], has left me and gone to Thessalonica [to serve].” Second, it is also possible that Demas went to Thessalonica with the purest of motives, simply to serve the church, and that Paul, in his disagreement and disappointment with Demas, was unwilling to give Demas the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps Paul felt deserted, but Demas never saw himself as deserting Paul, just moving to a new ministry assignment. Third, it is also possible that Demas went to Thessalonica simply to save his own skin or to return to his home. Perhaps Demas really did desert Paul because he had an inappropriate attachment to the things of this world. The translation in the NIV follows this third line of interpretation, but this interpretation is not the only possible interpretation.
This is the only Biblical reference to Crescens, so we have no information about him. However, there was a large Christian community in Galatia. Titus is a well-known figure within early Christianity. Paul traveled with Titus a great deal (2 Cor. 7-8; Gal. 2:1-3) and the New Testament contains a letter from Paul to Titus. Dalmatia is mentioned only here in the Bible, but it was located near Thessalonica where Demas went. Paul was active in that general area for much of his missionary career.
11. Luke reportedly traveled with Paul a great deal in Acts, even to Rome on Paul’s journey to his death. Luke’s memories are widely believed to have been preserved in the sections of Acts where the narrative appears in the first person plural (these “we” sections appear intermittently in Acts 16-28). It is interesting that Paul seeks Mark at this crucial time. Earlier in his ministry, Mark abandoned Paul and caused a serious dispute between Paul and Barnabas. In that context, Paul did not trust Mark for further service (Acts 15:36-41). This passage would lead one to believe that Paul could change his mind about a young person’s mistakes, because here Paul insisted that Mark is helpful to me in my ministry.
12. Tychicus also appears frequently in Paul’s company (Acts 20:4; Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7; Tit. 3:2). Ephesus, one of the most important centers of early Christianity, was located in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).
13. This update on Paul’s circumstances closes with an appeal for Paul’s cloak, essentially a winter coat. We know nothing about Carpus, but Paul was active in Troas for an extended period of time. Scrolls may very well mean Old Testament texts, since the Hebrew Old Testament was commonly preserved on scrolls made of animal skins. Parchments were used for smaller documents and were often composed of fibers from the papyrus plant (which explains the origin of the English word “paper”). Most early Christian documents were preserved on parchments rather than scrolls. Paul wanted to study even as he faced an almost certain death.
4. Paul’s Final Update (vv. 14-18)
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
14. Metalworkers, like Alexander, incited a riot against Paul in Ephesus because his condemnations of idolatry were hurting their idol-manufacturing business (Acts 19). Paul was confident in the Lord’s ability to judge this man—and all people—for what he has done.
15. Paul sought to avoid trouble when possible, so Timothy is warned: You too should be on your guard against him.
16. In Acts, Paul stood trial several times (Acts 20-28). This letter is set between his first defense and his eventual death sentence. In Acts, Paul always stood alone during his trials, but according to this letter, he held no grudge toward those who avoided sharing his arrest. He prayed: May it not be held against them.
17. God was faithful even when people were not—and, for Paul, these experiences were part of his call to apostleship. He was willing to suffer for Christ. Previously, he had been spared from the arena and the lion’s mouth, but according to tradition, he was eventually beheaded by the Romans.
18. Paul was confident of his hope for heaven, so he could pray, to God be glory for ever and ever. Amen.