THE MAN OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD.
2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-8, 2 Timothy 4:16-18.
2 TIMOTHY 3:14. Timothy is encouraged to continue (to remain, to abide) in the things which he has learned: things about which he has “felt sure belief.” After all, he knows from whom he has learned them.
2 TIMOTHY 3:15. Furthermore, even before Paul came on the scene, Timothy had learned the Scriptures (from his mother and grandmother- cf. 2 Timothy 1:5). ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it’ (cf. Proverbs 22:6).
The sacred writings are able to make us wise unto salvation “through faith in Christ Jesus.” The risen Lord Jesus opened up to His disciples ‘in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself’ (cf. Luke 24:27; Luke 24:45). Other things are taught in the Bible, but only incidentally. Its main purpose is to infuse us with ‘the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ’ (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6).
2 TIMOTHY 3:16. “ALL Scripture is out-breathed by God AND is profitable…”
Without suspending the individuality of the human authors, THE Author is God Himself: ‘The mouth of the LORD has spoken it’ (cf. Isaiah 1:20);
AND it is useful for teaching truth, and for reproving error; for correcting wrong conduct, and for instruction in the right way.
2 TIMOTHY 3:17. The title “man of God” may signify Christian workers, but ultimately the ‘everyman’ of thoroughgoing Christianity: the man or woman who belongs to God. None of us is going to reach our full potential in Christ Jesus unless we apply ourselves to the diligent study of Scripture. Only then will we be “complete, fully equipped” for whatever work the Lord has for us.
2 TIMOTHY 4:1. “I charge you therefore before God,” continues Paul. This is an emphatic exhortation, such as we might hear in a court room: ‘I adjure you by God.’
Paul reinforces the solemnity of what he is saying by adding the name of “the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.” What great motivations to preaching: not only the commission of God, but also the prospect of Christ’s appearing and kingdom.
2 TIMOTHY 4:2. Against a background of false teachers, and hypocritical hearers who will not endure sound teaching, Paul exhorted Timothy to urgently “Preach the word.” The young minister was to do this both when it seemed comfortable and seasonable (to the preacher) to do so, and when it seemed incredibly difficult.
To “preach the word” is to proclaim the message that God has already spoken. ‘The Word’ is a name for Scripture: but ‘the Word’ is also a name for Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:1). If we are truly preaching the Bible, then ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified’ will be at the very centre of our message (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:2).
Preaching involves reproof, rebuke, and exhortation.
“Reproof” is an act of persuasion, exposing wrong thinking in a call to true repentance and amendment of life.
“Rebuke” is sterner, confronting those who rebel against the word of God.
“Exhortation” draws alongside and encourages.
All this is to be done with patience, and above all with “doctrine” = sound teaching. The preacher is also to be a teacher, whether in challenging the unconverted, or in building up believers in their most holy faith.
2 TIMOTHY 4:3. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” The time has come, and has long been present, when even in the churches sound gospel preachers have been marginalised, and teachers of ideas more palatable to the modern ‘ear’ are sought after.
2 TIMOTHY 4:4. The fact of the matter is that people cannot bear to hear the truth. “And they shall turn their ears away from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” In other words, people shall perish for the lack of pure gospel preaching!
2 TIMOTHY 4:5. “But you,” says Paul to the preacher.
“Watch in all things.” In other words, be steady. Dare to be different, to fly in the face of modern trends.
“Endure afflictions.” Persevere in sound teaching, even when people have a bad reaction to it.
“Do the work of an evangelist.” Make the gospel known, without watering it down.
“Make full proof of your ministry.” Keep at it, until your life’s work is done!
2 TIMOTHY 4:6. “For,” says Paul - an important little word not to be missed - you are to do this because I am now ready to be “poured out.” You do your work because I am drawing to the close of mine. My life has indeed been poured out, and is being poured out as a libation to the Lord - but there will come a time, and that right soon, when I will have nothing left to give.
“The time of my departure is at hand.” The word for “departure” here speaks of his “release.” The old soldier is about to break camp. The Apostle is about to be loosed from his earthly chain, and his little ship is about to set sail for another shore.
2 TIMOTHY 4:7. Paul could say, confidently and honestly, that he had “fought the good fight” with all his might.
“I have finished my course,” declares Timothy’s teacher.
“I have kept the faith.”
2 TIMOTHY 4:8. Even now as the old soldier drew towards the end of his course, he caught a glimpse of the laurel wreath, the garland with which he was to be crowned. It was a crown of justice and righteousness. The Apostle’s assurance reached beyond himself, to “all who love the Lord’s appearing.”
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2 TIMOTHY 4:16a. “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me.” Paul’s ‘first defence’ before Nero with no-one to stand by him replicated Jesus’ experience when ‘they all forsook Him and fled’ (cf. Mark 14:50).
2 TIMOTHY 4:16b. At such a time, Paul was able to find in his heart a spirit of forgiveness, just like Jesus before him (cf. Luke 23:34). And also like Stephen, for whose execution a lifetime ago a young Saul of Tarsus (= Paul, in his pre-conversion days) had watched the coats of those who had stoned the fledgling church’s first martyr (cf. Acts 7:60).
2 TIMOTHY 4:17a. Men may fail us, but the LORD stands with us, and strengthens us.
2 TIMOTHY 4:17b. And Paul was empowered, even in such an inopportune time (cf. 2 Timothy 4:2), to preach the gospel to the Gentiles As Paul said elsewhere, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (cf. Philippians 4:13).
2 TIMOTHY 4:17c. And before the face of this defence, the “mouth of the lion was closed” - whether this represents Nero, the counsel for the prosecution, or some other human opponent - or perhaps even the devil himself (cf. 1 Peter 5:8).
2 TIMOTHY 4:18a. For a moment, evil may appear to prevail in the lives of the faithful servants of the Lord. Yet Paul knew that the Lord would deliver him, drawing him away from the evil towards Himself. And would “preserve” him (literally, ‘save’ him) “unto His heavenly kingdom.”
2 TIMOTHY 4:18b. “To whom be glory for ever and ever.” To which we add our own, ‘Amen.’
