second timothy

Background

Author.   See the Background of 1 Timothy.

Date of composition.   See the Background of 1 Timothy. This letter was apparently not long before Paul’s presumed martyrdom. Date the epistle about 66–68.

Addressee.   See the Background of 1 Timothy.

Purpose.   Where 1 Timothy focused on Timothy’s ministry of providing for the defense of the church, so that the church could in turn defend the truth, 2 Timothy presents Timothy as a vital link in the chain of Christian ministry to whom Paul ‘passes the torch,’ or to use another metaphor, on whom Paul casts his mantle.

Argument

The faithful minister does not find his ‘hope’ in temporal things; hence the important note from this aging apostle to “the promise of life in Christ Jesus” (1:1). The salutation also includes the subtle note of Paul’s special affection for Timothy, “my beloved son” (1:2).

The appeal of the letter is to faithful service once Paul is gone, regardless of the hardships. Paul begins by noting the reality of Timothy’s faith, prerequisite for Christian service (1:3–5). He then reminds Timothy of the spiritual equipment God has supplied, urging him to cultivate it (1:6–7). The effective and useful servant must have a confidence of his calling both to salvation (1:9–10) and to ministry (1:11), and of the ultimate divine reward (1:12) to bolster him when his service brings suffering (1:8). Performance of the service to which he is called will also demand of him a determination to defend the apostolic message (1:13–14). This call is then reinforced by negative and positive examples (1:15–18).

The introduction to the call to faithfulness is next elaborated as to the requirement of endurance (2:1–13). The servant must maintain a singular focus on the work of training faithful men (2:1–2). That singular focus is illustrated by the metaphorical examples of the soldier, athlete, and farmer (2:3–7), and by the personal example of Paul (2:8–10), emphasizing the minister’s ability to retain his focused commitment to the gospel (8) in spite of personal hardships. The ‘hymn’ supports Paul’s charge by teaching that one’s reward or lack of it is according to one’s faithful service (2:12); while salvation is by identification with him, the perfectly faithful one (2:11, 13).

Since a saved person may be faithful or not in his service, Paul describes the approved workman as to his manner and character (2:14–26). He is first uncompromising in his integrity with which he handles the Truth (2:14–19). He is next morally clean, separated from sin and unto godliness (2:20–22). After that he is both gentle and insistent in confronting faithless teachers (2:23–26).

The faithful servant must be prepared to address an increasingly wicked world (3:1), characterized by the worst behaviors and attitudes man can produce (3:2–5). There will be willful deceivers and ready listeners, as bad as God’s people have ever faced (3:6–8). That their advance cannot continue (3:9) reminds the servant of his ultimate triumph.

The focus of the epistle now turns directly onto Timothy. As he has faithfully followed Paul’s example (3:10–11), so now he is to choose to be the persecuted (3:12) in a world of increasing wickedness (3:13). That will entail continuance in his lifelong commitment to the Scriptures (3:14–15) by which he can be equipped for good works (3:16–17). The letter reaches its climax in the next eight verses. With the greatest of solemnity the servant is charged to faithful ministry of the Word (4:1–2, 5), in spite of declining interest in people (4:3–4). He is further encouraged and challenged by the sense of succession to the work of such a faithful one as Paul, who looks forward not to more service, but to final reward (4:6–8).

It seems at times the only one who will always stand by the man of God is God himself (4:9–16). Fortunately his faithfulness never waivers (4:17–18).

Outline

I. Salutation  1:1–2

II. The call of the faithful to service  1:3–18

A. Timothy’s faith  1:3–5

B. Timothy’s call to service  1:6–14

1. The bases for service  1:6–7

a) Giftedness  1:6

b) Divinely inspired courage  1:7

2. The confidence of the servant  1:8–12

a) In spite of suffering  1:8

b) In view of his high calling  1:9–11

(1) To salvation  1:9–10

(2) To ministry  1:11

c) In view of God’s reward  1:12

3. The responsibility of the servant  1:13–14

C. Examples in service  1:15–18

1. The negative example of the Asians  1:15

2. The positive example of Onesiphorus  1:16–18

a) His work of mercy  1:16–17

b) His reward of mercy  1:18

III. The charge to be strong and to endure  2:1–13

A. The singular focus: faithful men  2:1–2

B. Metaphors of endurance  2:3–7

1. Soldier  2:3–4

2. Athlete  2:5

3. Farmer  2:6

4. Summary  2:7

C. Example of endurance  2:8–10

1. Paul’s gospel message  2:8

2. Paul’s gospel suffering  2:9

3. Paul’s unshakable gospel purpose  2:10

D. Creed of endurance  2:11–13

IV. The manner and character of approved workmen  2:14–26

A. Diligently insisting on the truth  2:14–19

1. With others and with oneself  2:14–15

2. Wary of the dangers of straying  2:16–18

3. With balance  2:19

a) Salvation from divine perspective  2:19a

b) Salvation from human perspective  2:19b

B. Cleansed for honored use  2:20–22

1. Illustrative metaphor of vessels  2:20

2. Application  2:21–22

C. Gently correcting for repentance  2:23–26

1. The wrong response  2:23

2. The right response  2:24–25

3. The goal  2:26

V. The challenge of wickedness in the last days  3:1–9

A. Summary introduction  3:1

B. Traits  3:2–5

C. Examples  3:6–8

1. Modern deceivers  3:6–7

2. Ancient deceivers  3:8

D. Frustrated results  3:9

VI. The challenge of faithful ministry  3:10—4:8

A. Exhortation to faithfulness  3:10–17

1. Paul’s example  3:10–11

2. Prophesied contrast between godly and evil men  3:12–13

3. Commitment to the Word of God  3:14–17

a) Timothy’s training  3:14–15

b) The Word’s value  3:16–17

B. Charge to fulfill ministry  4:1–5

1. Its solemnity  4:1

2. Its content  4:2

3. Its need  4:3–4

4. Its content reiterated  4:5

C. Testimony of Paul’s fulfilled ministry  4:6–8

1. His present transition  4:6

2. His past faithfulness  4:7

3. His future reward  4:8

VII. The experience of God’s faithfulness  4:9–18

A. Abandoned by men  4:9–16

1. Abandoned in confinement  4:9–13

2. Abandoned under opposition  4:14–16

a) Opposition by Alexander  4:14–15

b) Abandonment in trial  4:16

B. Defended by God  4:17–18

VIII. Greetings  4:19–22