Spurgeon's Notes on 2 TIMOTHY
Chapter 1 Verses 1-8
2 Timothy 1:1-2. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dearly beloved son:
There is the greatest possible affection between the preacher and his convert. This is a relationship which even death will not destroy. They neither marry nor are given in marriage in the Heavenly Kingdom, but this fatherhood and sonship shall endure forever.
2 Timothy 1:2. Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
It is not a little remarkable that, when the apostle writes to churches, he usually wishes them "Grace and peace"; but when he writes to a minister, he generally prays for "Grace, mercy, and peace", as if we needed more mercy than other Christians. Having so great a work to do, and falling into such great sin if we are unfaithful in it, we may well ask that we may have special mercy showed unto us by the God of mercy.
2 Timothy 1:3. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day;
At that time, Timothy was very specially laid upon the apostle’s heart and he did not seem to think of anything without young Timothy’s image rising up before him "night and day."
2 Timothy 1:4. Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Paul had seen Timothy’s tears when he parted from him. He remembered, perhaps, his tears when under conviction of sin, his tears of joy when he found the Savior, and the tears he shed in his early preaching, when the gracious youth touched the hearts of others because he so evidently spoke out of his own heart.
2 Timothy 1:5. When I call to remembrance the sincere faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in you also.
There is no transmigration of souls, but there is a kind of transmigration of faith, as if the very form and shape of faith, which was in Lois and Eunice, afterwards appeared in Timothy. Truly, there are certain idiosyncrasies which may pass from some Christian people to others; and when those idiosyncrasies are of a high and noble kind, it is a great mercy to see them reproduced in children and children’s children. "I thought I heard your mother speak," said one, when she heard a Christian woman talking of the Savior, "you speak in just the way in which she used to tell out her experience, and describe the love of Christ."
2 Timothy 1:6. Wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands.
The fire needs stirring every now and then; it is apt to die out if it is not stirred.
2 Timothy 1:7-8. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not you therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be you partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God;
Timothy, never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, and never be ashamed of Paul when he is put in prison for the sake of the gospel; but ask to partake, not only of the gospel, and of the power of it, but even of the afflictions which come for its sake, for this is one of the highest honors that can be put upon us, that we may suffer with God’s saints for the truth’s sake. Paul, in the 3rd chapter, goes on to tell Timothy of the danger of his times.
This exposition consisted of readings from 2 Timothy 1:1-8; 2 Timothy 3; and 2 Timothy 4:1-6
Verses 1-182 Timothy 1:1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
Paul takes high ground. He is not an apostle by the will of the Church, but an apostle by the will of God. God’s will is the great motive power in the Church of God. Some talk a great deal about man’s will. What think you of God’s will, the will of the Almighty? Surely that shall stand. Paul felt that he had that at the back of him. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God." Hence he always speaks very boldly. He never asks leave of anybody. If he is an apostle by the will of God, he exercises his office without fear.
2 Timothy 1:2. To Timothy, my dearly beloved son:
Son in the faith. When all the ties of natural descent shall be forgotten. sonship in Christ will continue. I do not doubt that in Heaven Timothy is still Paul’s son; Paul is still father to Timothy, for the relation is of the Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:2. Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I think I have called upon you to notice that when Paul writes to a church, it is "Grace and peace." Whenever he writes to a minister, it is "Grace, mercy, and peace." I have sometimes wondered whether we ministers need mercy more than other people, and I suppose that we do, or else the Apostle would not have said, "Grace, mercy, and peace." Oh! if a minister gets to Heaven, it will be a wonder. His responsibilities are so great. "Who is sufficient for these things?" It will be a marvelous display of mercy if any of us shall be able to say at last, "I am clear of the blood of all men"; for we have not only our own blood, but the blood of others to look to in this matter.
2 Timothy 1:3. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day;
For this Paul thanks God. He never forgot to pray for Timothy, and it is a matter of thankfulness. When we feel moved to pray, though it be for another, the spirit of prayer is essentially the same, whatever its object; and we ought to be thankful when we feel continually able to pray for a friend. "I thank God," says he, and he says that he had served God with a pure conscience all his days. So he had, but it was a blind conscience. At first, when he was a Pharisee, he still served God, though he then persecuted ignorantly the people of God. Oh! but it is a good thing sincerely to follow after God. May we be helped to do so. "I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day."
2 Timothy 1:4. Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
What were those tears? Tears of holy men and women are as precious as diamonds. Paul had noticed the tear twinkling in brother Timothy’s eye — the tear of repentance, the tear of gratitude, the tear of fervent desire. He had noticed that, and, being mindful of all this, he wished to see that dear face again. Christianity does not make us unsociable. It gives us new ties of love, fresh brothers, fresh sons.
2 Timothy 1:5. When I call to remembrance the sincere faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in you also.
Happy son who has grandmother and mother before him in the faith. Unhappy young man who has left the faith of his fathers, and has turned altogether aside. If such be here, we would remember them in our prayers, but we cannot say that we can remember them with joy.
2 Timothy 1:6. Wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands.
Stir up your gifts like a fire. It will not burn without poking sometimes. Stir it up. And every now and then it is a good thing to have our heart stirred up, aroused, quickened, brought to a higher diligence. We must try to do this. Perhaps there are some dear friends here who have a large measure of latent gift, dormant faculty. Stir up the gift that is in you.
2 Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Neither Paul, nor Timothy had a craven spirit. They were none of them afraid. God had taught them his truth, and they knew it, and they held it, defying all opposition.
2 Timothy 1:8. Be not you therefore ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me his prisoner:
What! were people ashamed of Paul? Oh! yes, dear friends. The great Apostle, because he was persecuted, found himself despised by some of the very people who owed their souls to him. It is the lot of those who are faithful to Christ to find even good men sometimes turning against them. But what of that? They are responsible to their Master, not to their fellow-servants. Yet it is a hard thing when any come to be ashamed of you — ashamed of you, though you know that you have done right. I do not wonder that he puts it even to Timothy, "Be not you, therefore, ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner." Some of us know what it is to have trained and brought up these about us, who were to us what Timothy was to Paul, who have been ashamed of us, and of the testimony of our Lord.
2 Timothy 1:8. But be you partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
You will want the power of God to do it, and mind you do it. Take your full share in whatever affliction the gospel brings upon Christians. "According to the power of God."
2 Timothy 1:9. Who has saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
How plain it is that he earnestly believed in the eternal election of believers — in their being in Christ, and in their possession of grace in Christ. "Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." God’s love to his people is not a thing of yesterday. He loved them before the world was made, and he will love them when the world has ceased to be. "It was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."
2 Timothy 1:10-12. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Paul knew that grace could keep his soul, but I think that he here means that he could keep his own gospel. Paul had kept it, kept the faith, but he committed it now into the hand of the greater One, who would keep it when every apostle was dead, and every faithful witness had passed away. "He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
2 Timothy 1:13. Hold fast the form of sound words,
Many say they have no creeds, and there is hardly an Epistle in which there is not a distinct mention of a creed.
2 Timothy 1:13. Which you have heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Hold fast the truth. Hold fast the very form and shape of it. If you are to keep the life that is in an egg, you must not even break the shell. Take care of it all, and take care of it all the more when with specious reasoning they say, "We will hold the same truth, only in a different form." Why a different form at all, if they do not wish to hold a different doctrine altogether? Nay, my brethren, especially you that are like young Timothy, take this passage to heart. "Hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 1:14. That good thing which was committed unto you keep by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us.
This is what we want. If the Holy Spirit be in us, we shall never trifle with the truth. He is the lover and revealer of truth, and we shall press the doctrines of the Word of God itself nearer and nearer to our hearts in portion as the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
2 Timothy 1:15. This you know, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me;
What! turned away from Paul? Some people think it is an awful thing because certain people turn away from a minister of Christ. It is not an awful thing at all, except for them. Paul stands fast; even he, the bravest of the brave, and they all turn aside from him. What of that? Does Paul flinch? Nay, not he. "This you know, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me."
2 Timothy 1:15. Of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Two men who ought to have known better. Paul evidently fixed his eye upon them — more bitter than others, more perverse, more cruel, more willfully guilty in turning aside from him.
2 Timothy 1:16-17. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
You could not tell in Rome where a prisoner was. The registers were not open to investigation. You had to go from prison to prison, and fee the guards to get admission, or to be told who might be there, and Onesiphorus was determined to find out Paul. I suppose that he went to the Mamertine, a dungeon in which some of us have been — one dungeon under the bottom of another. The first one has no light, except through a round hole at the top, and the second has a round hole through which you drop into the lower one. We think that Paul was there. And then there is the Palatine prison, which was at the guard-house of the Praetorian guards, near the palace on the Palatine Hill. There Paul certainly was, and Onesiphorus went from one jail to another. "Have you seen a little Jew with weak eye?" I daresay that was his description of him. "He is a friend of mine. I want to speak with him." "What! that Paul? — the man that is chained to one or another of us every morning? We have twelve hours of it, and he preaches to us most of the time." "Oh! that is the man," said Onesiphorus. "That is the man. Does he talk about Jesus Christ?" "Oh! nothing else but that. He will not let any soldier go from being bound to him without hearing about Jesus Christ." "That is my man," said Onesiphorus. He sought him out very diligently, and he found him.
2 Timothy 1:18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, you know very well.
Chapter 2 Verses 1-13
2 Timothy 1:1-2. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
This is the true apostolical succession,-one minister brings another to Christ, and then charges that other to train other preachers and teachers to carry on the blessed work of evangelization.
2 Timothy 1:3-4. You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
The man who has given himself wholly to the service of Christ must not undertake any other business that would prevent his giving his whole strength to his Master’s work.
2 Timothy 1:5-8. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The gardener that labors must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to My gospel:
The resurrection of Christ is the corner-stone of the glorious temple of truth, the key-stone of the arch of revelation. Paul tells us, in that great chapter, 1 Corinthians 15, how hopeless our case would be if Christ was not "raised from the dead; "but he also proves most conclusively that he was raised "the third day, according to the Scriptures."
2 Timothy 1:9. Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Thank God that it is not yet bound though many have tried to fetter it. When they think that they have manacled it, it breaks loose again, and so it always will. However low this heavenly fire may burn, it soon blazes up again, and so it shall to the world’s end. Immortal as the Christ who is the sum and substance of it is the everlasting gospel of the blessed God.
2 Timothy 1:10-13. Therefore I endure all things from the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: if we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.—
Blessed truth, God grant us the grace to mediate upon it until we also shall become faithful to him and to his truth!
This exposition consisted of readings from 2 Timothy 1; and 2 Timothy 2:1-13.
Verses 1-142 Timothy 2:1. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Is an exhortation to every one of us, not only to have grace, but to be strong in it. There are many professors who, so long as they are just saved, are content. We are not content with being barely alive spiritually; we do not wish to have our life shivering with cold, but we seek after comfort as well as existence, and we seek to be in health, as well as to be in life. So should it be with the Christian. He should pray, "Lord, make me strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Oh! that these words might be, not merely an exhortation, but a divine fiat, that as God said, "Let there be light," so he may say to his children, "Be you strong," and then oh! how soon shall the weakest of us leap into immortal strength!
2 Timothy 2:2. And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
So, then, there is to be a succession of teachers in the church, and these do ill who are always speaking against the ministry of God. Timothy receives his ministry of Paul; he is to commit it to faithful men, and these are to hold it in custody to teach to others also. But there are some who say that all Christians should be teachers. To which we answer, if the whole body were a mouth, where were the ear. The mouth is, after all, but a vacuum; if the whole body be mouth, there will be no body at all. If all are to be shepherds, where are to be the sheep? If all are to sow, where are we to find the ground? Nay, brethren, we must be careful to pray God to continue the ministry in our midst, for without it we miss many blessings. "The same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."
2 Timothy 2:3. You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
If you desire delicacy, join not the army. A soldier’s calling is not to be linked with softnesses, and if you desire ease and comfort, join not the army of Christ, for a Christian’s profession and these go not together.
2 Timothy 2:4. No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
So Timothy, as a Christian minister, is to act as the Roman soldier did. It was a law in Rome that no soldier was to plead in court for another as a lawyer, or to act in business for another as a bailiff, or to have anything to do, while a soldier, with either husbandry or merchandise. And so should it be with the men of God who strove to break the Word, and every Christian indeed, though he meddles with common things, is to take care that he be not entangled by them, not to be caught, as it were, as game is entangled in a net. There is a way, you know, of making the actions of common life subservient to the purposes of divine grace. This is the Christian’s business; let him take care that ‘he be not entangled with the cares of this life.
2 Timothy 2:5. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
There were rules in the Grecian games. When they struck each other, the blow was not to be given except upon a certain part of the body, and if a man fought unlawfully, he could not get the prize. So there are laws, too, for the Christian ministry, and also holy regulations for the great wrestling of Christians.
2 Timothy 2:6. The gardener that labors must be first partaker of the fruits.
This is a law. No man has any right to be a partaker at all until he has first tasted of the fruits of the field. Until we have first tasted that the "Lord is gracious," we cannot effectively or properly minister the things of God.
2 Timothy 2:7-9. Consider what I say; and the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doers; even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
See how the apostle comforts himself. Here he is in prison, but the truth is free. He sits with the chains about his wrists, but the Word of God travels from nation to nation, from continent to continent, like the free spirit that dwells in it.
2 Timothy 2:10. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Not that the sufferings of Paul had anything meritoriously to do with the salvation of the elect, but that by his earnest strivings and sufferings the word of the gospel was brought to their hearing; faith then came by hearing, and so they were saved.
2 Timothy 2:11-13. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Glory be to God, the unbelief of man cannot make God break his promises. Christian, all your unbelief has not made God unfaithful to you: and sinner, though you cast out the promise of God as being good for nothing, yet he will not therefore raise the recompense of reward, for Jesus will save others if he save not you. "He abides faithful."
2 Timothy 2:14. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
There are some Christians who need this exhortation given to them in these days, for they are always striving about words to no profit. Beware of these men, if you would not have your faith staggered.
Verses 15-262 Timothy 2:15. Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
This is a metaphor taken from the action of the priest at the sacrifice. The priest cut up the bullock, and then laid it in its different pieces according to order. Or, as some think, it is taken from the part of the father at the table, when he carves the meat and gives to every child its portion. Old Master Trapp says that "there are some ministers who are only fit to be Gibeonites and certainly not to be Levites, for they hardly understand the cutting of wood, much less the art of cutting up the sacrifice of God." Brethren, it is well so to handle the word as to be able to give rebuke when rebuke is wanted, exhortation when it is needed, and comfort when consolation is required, for otherwise we do mischief. As it is said in the old fable of the simpleton, that he gave to the donkey a bone and to the dog hay, so there are some who give wrong exhortations, not because they are wrong in themselves, but because they are wrong in their application.
2 Timothy 2:16-17. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as does a canker:
Now, there are some people who can never be content except they make their religion a sort of wrangling match. They get a-hold of a word in Scripture, and away they go with it. Here shall be another opportunity for finding fault with all the church of God; here shall be another occasion for railing against all the preachers of the truth. How delighted they are when they can do this! Shun profane and vain babblings. Martin Luther said that there were some in his day so nice and precise about the letter of Scripture that when one of them had delivered an exposition upon the Book of Job, Luther said that by the time the man had got to the tenth chapter Job had been a thousand times more plagued by the expositors than he had ever been by the losses which he suffered upon the dunghill, and doubtless there are many truths of Scripture which are turned to mischief because men will be forever making them opportunities for strife, and not bonds of love. Brethren, hold the five points of the Calvinistic doctrine, but mind you do not hold them as babbling questions. What you have received of God do not learn in order to fight with it, and to make contention and strife, and to divide the church of God, and rail against the people of the Most high, as some do. But, on the contrary, love one another as brethren, and hold the truth in love, and seek after the unity of the Spirit and the perfect bond of charity. The word of those who raise these questions will eat as does a cancer, which eats until it gets to the bones, and turns the sound flesh into rottenness. Oh! there are many contentions which have done this mischief in the church of Christ.
2 Timothy 2:17-19. Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his.
How careful the apostle is lest we should think that any have turned aside who were the Lord’s people. He says the faith of some was overthrown, but nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure. Oh brethren, whenever we see apparent apostasy, let us not therefore think that any of God’s people have perished. Oh, no; for the Lord knows them that are his.
2 Timothy 2:19-21. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
When Mr. Philpot the martyr, was addressing a young man about to die for Christ, he said to him, "Brother, you are a vessel in the great house of your Master, and this day he will scour you, scour you hard, but remember you shall soon stand upon the shelf, shining bright and glorious." Well, sometimes pains, and troubles, and tribulations do have this effect of scouring the vessels of God to make them bright for Heaven. We must all be purged and scoured from sinful lusts, from all the contamination of the flesh and of the creature, and then we shall be fit for the Master’s use.
2 Timothy 2:22. Flee also youthful lusts:
Run away from them; it is no use contending with them. Fight with the devil. Resist the devil, and make him flee, but never fight with the flesh. Run away from that. The only way to avoid the lust of the flesh is to keep out of its way. If you subject yourself to carnal temptations and fleshly lusts, remember it is almost certain that you will be overcome by them. "Flee youthful lusts", and as you must keep going and have something after which to follow —
2 Timothy 2:22-23. But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
It is generally a good thing to avoid all questions that gender strife, except they be upon vital and important matters. For, oh! brethren, it is so important to keep the unity of the Spirit, it is such a blessed thing to preserve love among Christian brethren, and there be some who in order to create disunion, go about the land, and tear, and rend the body of Christ as much as ever they can. Beware of such; seek not their company; come not near unto them, lest their canker pollute you also.
2 Timothy 2:24-26. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
We have here laid down, then, the duty of the Christian minister, and the duty of each Christian, too, and let us seek, in the Holy Spirit’s grace, to carry it out, being at once firm, and gentle, and loving of heart, and yet honest for the truth as it is in Jesus.
Chapter 3 Verses 1-6
2 Timothy 3:1-7. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sin, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
This is the photograph of the present age, and I do not doubt that Paul spoke of it when thus the spirit of prophecy was upon him. This is the very motto of the present age, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." It glories in knowing nothing; and its great boast is in its continual progress, "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
2 Timothy 3:8-9. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their’s also was.
For, when God was with Moses and Aaron, Jannes and Jambres were soon, by the power and wisdom of God, proved to be fools.
2 Timothy 3:10-12. But you have fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecution I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
The world does not love Christ, or his gospel, an atom more today than it did in Paul’s day. "The carnal mind is" still "enmity against God."
2 Timothy 3:13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
We may look for even worse days and darker days than we have at present.
2 Timothy 3:14-17. But continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-6. I charge you therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry for I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
This exposition consisted of readings from 2 Timothy 1:1-8; 2 Timothy 3; and 2 Timothy 4:1-6
Chapter 4 Verses 1-11
2 Timothy 4:1-2. I charge you therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word;
We are not to use such strong language as this, unless there is some sufficient reason for it. We must not be too hot upon cold matters, but even this is better than to be cold upon matters that require heat. When John Calvin wished to leave Geneva to complete his studies elsewhere, that man of God, Farrell, knowing how necessary it was for the Church that Calvin should remain at Geneva, charged him before God that he dared not go, and hoped that a curse might light upon all his studies, if for the sake of them he should forsake what he held to be his duty. So sometimes, like the Apostle, we may before the Judge of quick and dead, charge men not to forsake their work and calling.
2 Timothy 4:2. Be instant in season, out of season;
The Greek word means, "Stand up to it;" as when a man is determined to finish his work, he stands right up to it. Stand over your work, putting your whole strength into it up-standing over it. "In season, out of season," because the Gospel is a fruit which is in season all the year round. Sometimes these "out of season" sermons, preached at night or at some unusual time, have been of more service than the regular ordinances of God’s house. Mr. Grimshaw used to ride on horseback from village to village throughout the more desolate parts of Yorkshire, and wherever he met with ten or a dozen people, he would preach on horseback to them, preaching sometimes as many as four and twenty sermons in a week. That was being instant "out of season" as well as "in season." So should God’s Timothys be, and, indeed, all of us.
2 Timothy 4:2. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
That is, do not exhort with mere declamation, but put some argument into your exhortation. Some men think it quite enough to appear to be in earnest, though they have nothing to say. Let such exhorters remember that they are to exhort with doctrine, with solid teaching.
2 Timothy 4:3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
When men have not good preachers, they are sure to have a great many of them. Those nations which have the worst priests always have them in swarms. So let us be thankful if God sends us a glowing and zealous minister, for even those who count it an affliction to have a minister, would be more afflicted if they had not a good one. But how evil is it when men get itching ears, when they want someone to be perpetually tickling them, giving them some pretty things, some fine pretentious intellectualism. In all congregations there is good to be done, except in a congregation having itching ears. From this may God deliver us.
2 Timothy 4:4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
When a man will not believe the truth, he is sure before long to be a greedy believer of lies. No persons are so credulous as skeptics. There is no absurdity so gross but what an unbeliever will very soon be brought to receive it, though he rejects the truth of God.
2 Timothy 4:5-6. But watch you in all things, endure affliction, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
How complacently he talks about it! It is only a departure, though Caesar’s sword might smite his head from his body. And truly death to the believer is no frightful thing. "Go up," said God to Moses, and the prophet went up, and God took away his soul to him, and he was blessed. And so, "Come up," says God to the Christian, and the Christian goes up, first to his chamber, and then from his chamber to Paradise.
2 Timothy 4:7-8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
This seems, then, to be a distinguishing mark of a true child of God, he loves the appearing of Christ. Now there are some professors who never think of the Second Advent at all. It never gives them the slightest joy to believe that —
"Jesus the king will come,
To take his people up To their eternal home."
Truly they are mistaken and are surely wrong, for was not this the very comfort that Christ gave to his disciples: "If I go away, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also." I trust, dear friends, we are among those "who love his appearing," and if we are, it is a sure prophecy that we shall have a crown of righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:9-10. Do your diligence to come shortly unto me: for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;
Demas was once almost a martyr, he was upon the very edge of suffering, but now you see he goes back to the world again; he is not content to lie in the dungeon and rot with Paul, but will rather seek his own ease. Alas! Demas, how have you dishonored yourself forever, for every man who reads this passage as he passes by, flings another stone at the heap which is the memorial of one of cowardly spirit who fled from Paul in danger.
2 Timothy 4:10. Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
It is likely that Paul had sent Crescens and Titus away upon a mission but now, from certain intimations, the Apostle is sure that his time of death is coming on, and so indeed it was, for his head was struck off by Nero’s orders a few weeks after the writing of this Epistle, and now he somewhat laments that he had sent them away. And would not you and I want the consolation of kind faces round about us, and the sweet music of loving voices in our ears, if we were about to be offered up?
2 Timothy 4:11. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
That is one of the prettiest verses in the Bible, because you will remember that the Apostle Paul quarreled with Barnabas about this very Mark, because John Mark would not go into Bithynia to preach the Word, but left Paul and Barnabas, therefore Paul would not have Mark with him any more, because he had turned in the day of trouble. But now Paul is about to die, and he wishes to be perfectly at peace with everyone. He has quite forgiven poor John Mark himself for his former weakness; he sees grace in him, and so he is afraid lest John Mark should be under some apprehensions of the Apostle’s anger, and so he puts in this very kind passage, without seeming to have any reference at all to the past, but he gives him this great praise — "for he is profitable to me for the ministry."