MIGHTY TO SAVE (2 TIMONTHY 2:1-10)
A little girl walked daily to and from school. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trip to school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child.
Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword would cut through the sky. Full of concern, the mother quickly got in her car and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile.
Another and another were to follow quickly, each with the little girl stopping, looking up and smiling. Finally, the mother called over to her child and asked, "What are you doing?"
The child answered, "smiling, God just keeps taking pictures of me."
Chapter 2 begins with a “then/therefore” in verse 1, the second of its kind in the book for a reason. The first “therefore” occurs in chapter 1:8 on, where Paul uses three times the phrase “not + ashamed” to urge Timothy to be unashamed to testify about our Lord or of Paul’s imprisonment (2 Tim 1:8) , then declared using the word the second time that he – Paul himself - was not ashamed (v 12), just as Onesiphorus was not ashamed of his chains (2 Tim 1:16). To be unashamed is stated in the negative, but to be strong is the positive.
Paul is at his most passionate and paternal best in his letters to Timothy, calling the latter “son” (1 Tim 1:18) and “my own son” (1 Tim 1:2) in his first letter, and “my son” (2 Tim 2:1) and “my dearly beloved son” (2 Tim 1:2) in the second letter. Twice in all his epistles, Paul called Timothy “my (dearly) beloved son” (2 Tim 1:2, 1 Cor 4:17).
What is strong? Strong as a bull? Strong as steel? How are people strong? Is it by age, sex, or muscles? How do people get strength, gain it or govern it?
Be Empowered in Service
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. ( 2 Tim 2:1-2)
A Strong Person vs A Person of Strength
A strong person works out every day to keep their body in shape.
A person of strength builds relationships to keep their soul in shape.
A strong person isn't afraid of anything.
A person of strength shows courage in the midst of their fear.
A strong person won't let anyone get the best of them.
A person of strength gives the best of themself to everyone.
A strong person makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future.
A person of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings and capitalizes on them.
A strong person wears a look of confidence on their face.
A person of strength wears grace.
A strong person has faith that they are strong enough for the journey.
A person of strength has faith that it is in the journey that they will become strong.
The verb “be strong” (endunamoo) literally is the present equivalent of “to empower,” or cause to have power, be powered. “Be strong” is an imperative in Greek, which implies it is a must and not a maybe, a requirement and not a recommendation, a prerequisite and not a proposal. The same word is traditionally translated as “increased the more in strength”(Acts 9:22), “enabled” (1 Tim 1:12) and “strengthened” (2 Tim 4:17).
A son is not a child. God’s children are required to be strong because we are not children per se but God’s children. God’s children is a relationship and not a regression. To be children is a burden, but to be God’s children is blessed.
The imperative “be strong” occurs in only one other text in the New Testament, in the context of warfare: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Eph 6:10), so there is a sense of looming crisis, an urgent challenge and a rough crossroad ahead.
Finally. “be strong” is never physical, but spiritual; not from underneath, but from upward; not without assistance but with anchor. “In Christ Jesus” is a phrase that occurs seven times in the book (2 Tim 1:1, 9, 13, 2:1, 10, 3:12, 15). As in the other “be strong” imperative in Ephesians 6:10, our strength is found in the Lord and in his mighty power (Eph 6:10). We can have spiritual fortitude and mental toughness in the Lord and because of Christ.
From his relationship with Timothy, Paul now moved to Timothy’s relationship with others. The second imperative is the thrust of discipleship, to “entrust/commit,” which means “to place alongside” literally. What is just as important as to be strong internally is to entrust the work to faithful men who are able to teach others. There are four challenges awaiting any leader. The first is Paul passing the torch to Timothy, Timothy to faithful men, and faithful men to others. Faithfulness is a recurring theme in chapter 2, from faithful/reliable men in verse 2 to trustworthy/faithful saying in verse 11 and God’s faithfulness in verse 13. There are lighting the torch, carrying the torch, and passing the torch. We call this the principle of multiplication. Witnesses and men are plural. Paul urged Timothy to have a lasting, long-term and even lifelong impact by transferring what he learned to others, not to be shortsighted, short-range or short-term in thinking
史祈生牧師說：「一個傳道人，在年輕的時候應該出去佈道，操練信心的功課。中年時，定下來牧會。年紀大了，找間神學院教書，把自己的經驗傳授給下一代。這樣，神學生學到的才不僅是書本上的知識，不致於與事奉生活脫節。」(「主僕史祈生」，48頁)
The phrase “heard of me” (KJV) in verse 2 is a continuation of the same phrase “heard of me” (KJV) in the previous chapter (2 Tim 1:13): “What you heard from me, KEEP as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” The imperative in the previous chapter is “keep/hold fast.” Now the order or command is to “entrust” to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others (v 2). The verb commit (paratithemi) means place beside or set before. It implies relay and relinquish to others, not resign or renounce, to commit or commend to one’s charge or care. It means to let go, to delegate, disciple and designate. It implies to equip from the start, to entrust for the future, and to edify on the side. It is to move forward, toward and onward, not backward, inward or downward. It is about attitude more than ability. Many are able but few are assigned because of the lack of confidence. If you are unsure of you successor then you have fail the job.
Paul knew Timothy for more than a decade (AD 52-64). They were together for two missionary journeys (Acts 16:1, 19:22) and co-wrote six epistles together (2 Cor 1:1, Phil 1:1, Col 1:1, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1, Philem 1). It was high time to pass on the baton, to take it to the next level and to involve not only the subsequent generation but the successive generations. The letter was probably written before Paul’s death in A.D. 67, which means around 15 years after they first met (Acts 16:1). If you are not producing fruit and multiplying ministry after 15 years, you are not ripe but rotten. There must be something wrong with the fertilizer, the water or the soil.
Be Enduring in Suffering
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. (2 Tim 2:3-7)
A wise woman was once asked, “What has helped you overcome the great obstacles of life?”
“The other obstacles,” she replied. Bits and Pieces 3/27/97
“Endure hardship” (sugkakopatheo) is understated and underwhelming, literally it means “endure evil with me.” Hardship is neutral, evil is negative. Hardship is a test, evil is a temptation. Paul uses three powerful analogy of what it means to endure evil. The three has something in common with the work “field.” The first is in the battlefield, the second is in track and field, and the third is in the agriculture field. First, as a good soldier of Christ. Not just any soldier, but a good soldier – a distinguished, decorated and dedicated soldier of Christ, not average, mediocre. A good solider of Christ doesn’t involve himself in others practices (pragmateia) for the purpose of pleasing his enlister. Not engaged in unprofitable, unwarranted, unnecessary practices. Some athletes’ contract forbids them from dangerous sports such as any form of diving, skiing, climbing, jumping, fighting, biking, racing, flying, competing.
The same word “involved” (empleko) occurs one other time in the Bible and is also translated as “entangle” in 2 Peter 2:20. The root of the word, the verb part (pleko), describes how soldiers “twisted” together a crown of thorns and put it on the head of Jesus (Matt 27:29, Mark 15:17, John 19:2). Other translations include plaiting (RSV) and platted (KJV). Like having loose clothes, it means to be caught in the crosshair, to twist and turn, to be in the locks. It means to be single-minded. The only person he has to please is his Captain. To please means make a person proud, happy. A soldier in service has one thing to do, which is to make his officer happy, happy not just a feeling, but a knowledge you are ready. To please means to make your time, talents, the training count.不睦正業
“Gump! What's your purpose in this Army?” Forrest knew the drill and had the answer down pat. Without missing a beat, he answered: “To do whatever you tell me, Drill Sergeant!”
The second example is that of an athlete (athleo). The Bible athlete is competitor, a challenger and contender for medals, a champion a, one who is clear in thinking and clear-cut in focus, to be crowned (stephanoo), not merely to be at the starting line but to be at finishing line, not make up the numbers but to be number one, not cheered by men but crowned by God. Unlike an amateur athlete whose goal is to exercise, a professional athlete’s goal is to be crowned, to make his country proud, his master proud, and his preparation count or pay off.
The goal of the farmer or earth-worker is to obtain fruits, not sweat in futility. Hardworking is also translated as tired (John 4:6). What is to “receive a share,” or afterwards receive in Greek. It is also translated as eat (Acts 2:46, 27:33). Fruits is plural.
All three have to be disciplined and not distracted, to be determined and not drifting or deviating, to be dutiful and not disoriented or disorganized. One is to be pleasing to his master, the second is to be placed at the podium, and the third is to be participating of the fruits.
Be Excited About Salvation
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. (2 Tim 2:8-10)
On a 13-hour flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, I was excited that Dark Knight 3 was a feature movie because we rarely go to the movies in Hong Kong.
In part three, Batman has become a recluse, retiring to his bat cave for eight years since the city of Gotham has misunderstood him for the villain who killed the district attorney instead of the hero who saved the city. On top of that, his wife was killed in the last episode. For the last eight years, he never attended a social function. He was pressed into action because of an evil gang threatened to use the nuclear fusion he invested project in to blow up the whole city. Trained by the same mentor, Batman’s nemesis crippled the superhero and thrown him into an inescapable dungeon well, where he could not escape without the medical treatment and personal insight from fellow prisoners. Bruce Wayne saves Gotham again before faking his death.
Paul talks about his suffering (v 9) - the persecution, unto bonds - the place, and as a criminal, the person, KJV as “evil doer.” Most people think of Philippians, Ephesians and Colossians when they think of Prison Epistles and seldom refer to 2 Timothy but the “chains” (v 9) also appear in 2 Timothy as well as those three books (Phil 1:7, Col 4:18). Suffering and criminal are from the same root “evil.” So I can imagine the mistreatment, punishment, persecution and the price he paid in prison. Imprisonment in those days means bonds or chains (Jude 6), sometimes hand and foot, in ball and chain, sometimes shackles and fetters, sometimes even standing.
Endure (hupomeno) means to under remain literally, to bear, persevere, persist undergoing pressure, pain or persecution. Other translations for “endure” are stand firm (Matt 24:13), patient (Rom 12:12), persevere (1 Cor 13:7) and stand your ground (Heb 10:32). “Endure all” is the exactly the clause from 1 Corinthians 13:7, “always perseveres,” or endureth all things in Greek, so you can see Paul did not exaggerate his affliction, agony or anguish.
Paul kept the purpose of his endurance in mind, which is for the elect to obtain salvation. Obtain is from a nature’s analogy, to produce (from seed, as a mother, a plant, the earth, etc.), literally or figuratively. We have a clear focus, the salvation of sinners, not for fun. The most precious thing in this world is a person’s soul and salvation, his conversion and change, repentance and return to and reconciliation with God.
Isn’t it great that we do all things to see others saved? All things? Criticism, castigation, cruelty, just to see others enjoy Christ. What would you give to see others saved? Money, time, talents, treasures?
Conclusion: Are you easily disappointed, disheartened and discouraged? Trust in the Lord Almighty. He is strong and mighty, mighty in battle (Ps 24:8) and mighty to save. The Lord is our refuge, a strong tower against the foe (Ps 61:3), our rock and my fortress (Ps 71:3). Ministry is about having appropriating power, appreciating patience and applying purpose.
