A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
1You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2and
what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust
to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6It is 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, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10Therefore
I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may
obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
A Worker Approved by God
20Now
in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also
of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21Therefore,
if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a
vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the
house, ready for every good work.
22So
flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and
peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Notes for Chapter 2
2:1-13
1.
Verse 1. Again, note the “my child.” This not only suggests that Timothy was significantly younger than Paul (who may have been in his 50’s or 60’s) but indicates a close, loving, intimate relationship. Timothy is more than an assistant in ministry.
2.
“Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” “Grace” may be used in two ways. In terms of justification, “grace” means God’s unmerited love, mercy, favor and blessings. In terms of sanctification, “grace” means the empowering God grants to us to grow and more than conquer. But here, Paul may have in mind both meanings! We ARE encouraged as we think of God’s unmerited, unmerited, unlimited love, mercy and favor! When we remember what God has done for us, we are encouraged and motivated to do for Him and others! Keeping HIS love before us is a powerful thing! But Paul is ALSO reminding Tim of the strength God supplies for his ministry. When times get challenging or tough, we need to remember His grace!
3.
Verse 2. Sound teaching and faithful teachers are critical to the church! What is ultimately important is not that a pastor is charming or a good dancer or even causes the church to grow and lots of money to come in. What matters, above all, is that he is a SOUND teacher of the TRUTH. His Word will not return to Him void.
4.
Verse 3. Roman soldiers were hated, feared and the enlisted at least (most slaves of dubious character) were near the bottom of respectability. Even Roman officers thought little of them and considered a BIG part of their job to control them. So, it’s a bit unusual that Paul here uses soldiers as a “model.” The character of most ROMAN soldiers aside, the illustration fits. We ARE at war! We DO have a commander! We ARE to fight the good fight of faith! This paradigm of Christian as solder is one of the oldest in Christianity, constant through the centuries. Many Christians consider themselves paying guests of a cruiseship, Paul says we are warriors on a battle ship.
5.
Verses 4-7. Paul uses 3 illustrations: the soldier, the athlete, the farmer – all to show that success requires focus, dedication, faithfulness.
6.
Verse 8. It’s called CHRISTianity because it’s all about CHRIST! HIS love, HIS mercy, HIS forgiveness! HIS work, HIS life, HIS death, HIS resurrection! HIS Cross, HIS Blood, HIS sacrifice. He is the alpha and the omega – the beginning and the end of the whole thing. It’s NOT about what I do. It’s NOT about some denomination. It’s not about hoops. It’s ALL about JESUS.
7.
Verse 10. Our objective may be to fill up heaven. It is unlikely we’ll have to “endure” much – unlike Paul who suffered much for the sake of Jesus – but like him, it is our objective, our mission. “GO and make disciples…..”
8.
Verses 11-13. This is a quote, of something obviously well known to Timothy. It is not claimed that it’s from Scripture (and it’s not), only that the words are sound. The words are in the form of a poem and so many think they are the lyrics of a VERY early Christian hymn!
9.
Verse 13. Is there something God CANNOT do? Not just WILL NOT do, but CANNOT?
2:14-26
1.
“Don’t quarrel over words.” “Avoid irreverent babble.” “Their talk spreads like gangrene.” On the one hand, words matter because TRUTH matters! On the other, people can easily fall in love with their own opinions, spins, theories, speculations. The early “Fathers” often warned of “saying too much” “confusing opinion with truth.” It has always been a problem among us. Word games. Falling in love with the brain of self. Confusing “I think” with “God says.” Causing divisions.
2.
Verse 15. Note the emphasis on “the word of truth” (probably a reference to Scripture). Make this our goal: to be faithful stewards of the word.
3.
Verse 17. Nothing is known of these two “teachers,” they are not otherwise mentioned in Scripture, history or tradition. We know that one of the major “issues” in the earliest church was the Return of Christ. People quite universally believed that Return would happen very soon – any day now – certainly within their lifetime. Paul is writing this letter a full generation after Jesus’ prophecy, some 30 or 35 years later. Already there was the cry, “What happened?” “Why hasn’t the Return and the resurrection of the dead not happened?” One view was that it did! It all happened! But in some spiritual, invisible sense. These two “teachers” appear to have been promoters of that view.
4.
Verse 19. The first (loose) quote is from Numbers 16:5, the source of the second is unknown although the POINT is a common Scriptural one. Paul does not claim either as Scripture, although the first clearly is. We believe that the church is the total corpus of all believers – all Christians throughout the centuries and continents. Of course, who – exactly – is a believer? Ultimately, we don’t “KNOW.” God knows who are His own. WE “operate” on the basis of what people CLAIM. God will sort this all out according to His perfect knowledge.
5.
Verses 20-21. Jesus spoke of throwing out a net and catching “fish” of every kind – God later sorting out the good from the bad. In the church, we cast the net – and haul in as many as we can. Of course, ALL of them are sinners but some of them aren’t Christians. Some will honor Christ and be useful to the Gospel, some will dishonor Him and His Gospel and Church. Life in this fallen world. But there is hope. Even those who are unfaithful, dishonorable, destructive can repeat and turn to God and become good and sound and faithful! We live in a fallen world, but we live in grace and mercy. Don’t be so focus on what we DID but on what we can now DO by His grace. Take the same attitude toward others.
6.
Rather than sinful passions and quarrels and divisions and prideful words, make this our goal, our passion: righteousness, faith, love, peace, purity, servanthood, kindness, gentleness, humility. Common themes for Paul – and indeed of Jesus and of Christianity.
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