Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible 1995 Ed. (NASB95), published by The Lockman Foundation

Paul the apostle was, for his time, an aged man. Doubtless, his face was filled with stress lines, as well as some from smiling. But the only way one could see these was with the aid of a small lamp that Paul used to write his letters. He sat at the bottom of a dark dungeon, enduring the putrid stench of his own waste and sweat.

He had traveled the great stretch of the northern Mediterranean coastlands, preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus for decades. On his body he carried the numerous scars of beatings and whippings, which he had suffered because of the name of his blessed Lord and Savior. And now he anticipated the short time it would take before he would be spiritually present with Jesus in heaven. After his final missionary journey, which much evidence shows was in Spain, he was arrested by the Roman authorities, convicted of treason against the Emperor for proclaiming Jesus as Lord, and sentenced to execution.

And now he awaited the time when he would appear before the Roman government officials for the last time, and be forced to suffer the wicked sword for his faith in Jesus. But he didn’t merely confine himself to his inevitable fate, and do nothing practical. He thought of his young friend and student, Timothy, who was serving as a preacher, teacher, and overseer of assemblies across the Mediterranean. Before he was led to execution, he had to reach out to him one last time.

There were various reasons for this. First, Paul had to ask Timothy to visit him. Secondly, Timothy was suffering from cowardice, and the fear of people. He had to be encouraged. Lastly, Paul had to remind Timothy of the essential truths he had taught him, and warn him of the falling away from the faith that so many of their former missionary workers had committed, and was only to worsen.

This was Paul’s final letter — his final effort to summon his spiritual son to himself, and to remind him of what mattered most. If you were writing your last message to your son or daughter, what would you tell them?

With Paul, he knew exactly what Timothy needed to read. And he began the letter with what Timothy needed to remember urgently. Paul, through his example, gives us several instructions on what we need to do when we’re fearful of boldly promoting the gospel of Christ, as well as what we must do before our spiritual leaders pass on into eternity. In a little more than the first chapter of the letter, Paul provides the most important actions that any spiritual leader needs to take in order to honor the legacy of the apostles, and of what they’ve given to us in the New Testament.

While he looked forward to his death, Paul encouraged spiritual leaders to

  1. Pray for best friends.
  2. Empower your bestowed flame.
  3. Promote the blessed testimony.
  4. Ponder your blessed calling.
  5. Persevere in bearing contempt.
  6. Protect your beloved treasure.
  7. Appreciate your trustworthy brethren.
  8. Appropriate the strength of grace.
  9. Pass down the truth to the next generation.

Pray for Best Friends

This should go without saying, but the more you love someone, the more you’ll pray for them. Even while Paul was languishing in wretched misery in his dungeon, he had concern for his “beloved son” (v. 2), that he couldn’t help praying constantly for him, and praising God for his character. Paul describes his praying for Timothy like this:

“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day . . . ” (2 Ti. 1:3)

As Paul so often expresses in his letters, even in his worst physical and emotional sufffering, he gave thanks to God. Why? Because he remembered his dear spiritual son, as he prayed for him constantly. He wasn’t obsessed with his suffering, but with the suffering of his best friend who was absent from him. Paul goes on to explain why Timothy was suffering so, and urges him to take the remedy for what ailed him.

Empower Your Bestowed Flame

Timothy’s problem was that his spiritual fire was only dimly burning, and this was because he had let cowardice and fearfulness take control of him. This is why Paul first reminds him of his true faith, urges him to strengthen his giftedness from God, and then reminds him that the Spirit who lives inside him produces power, rather than fearfulness:

“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you . . . For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (vss. 5-7)

What is the gift of God that’s in Timothy? Well, it has to be evidence that he has “sincere faith.” This means that the gift he received through Paul’s hands couldn’t be some special gift of serving as Paul’s represetative, but an essential gift that was given when Timothy put his faith in the Lord. And since Paul’s argument for stirring up God’s gift is that believers don’t have a spirit of fear, but a spirit of “power and love and discipline,” it only makes sense that the gift Timothy was given through Paul was the Spirit Himself. This is consistent with multiple accounts in Acts of God giving the Spirit to new believers through the instrument of an apostle’s hands.

The question is, how was Timothy to “fan into flame” (ESV) God’s gift within him? Paul explains next by urging pride in the gospel, and remembrance of God’s blessing through Christ.

Promote and Ponder Your Blessed Calling

The first thing Paul tells Timothy is simply to stop being ashamed of the gospel, so he can suffer for it:

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God . . .” (v. 8)

What is “the testimony of our Lord” and of Paul? It’s the witnessed message that Timothy needed to suffer for — the gospel. But how would he suffer for it if he wasn’t ashamed of it? By being proud of it, as Paul describes himself in Romans 1:16. And the main way to be proud of the gospel is to speak it. Just as today, if Timothy preached and taught the gospel to unbelievers, he would be persecuted for it. Such suffering can’t be endured by ourselves, but only through the power of God, which comes to us through the Spirit who empowers us to love God and people, and to discipline ourselves to be godly.

Paul doesn’t stop with these simple commands. He motivates Timothy to rely on the Spirit, and to boast in the gospel by reminding him of their blessed calling from God,

“. . . who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel . . .” (vss. 9-10)

In these verses, we find the most assuring truthts of the gospel that a believer can rely on in the most trying times. First of all, God “saved” and “called” believers. What He’s saved us from is His own righteous punishment, and our sinful corruption and condemnation that earns it. And He saved us by calling us, or granting us understanding of, and faith in, the gospel. Second, God’s salvation and calling aren’t as a result of our “works,” or actions, but rather “according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” That is to say, before He created the universe, and before we had done anything good or bad, God purposed through Christ to grant us the grace, or favor, of salvation and calling to holiness.

Finally, this message gives the believer assurance and boldness to suffer for the gospel because the grace that God purposed to give us in eternity has now been revealed by the Savior’s appearance. Through His appearance, death, resurrection, and ascension, He destroyed death, and “brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (v. 10). Notice that Paul ends by declaring that true life and immortality are now shone through the gospel itself, the message that is to be boldly communicated. If anyone wants to know how to live forever and fully, they must understand the gospel of Christ Jesus.

But the gospel isn’t only to be preached and remembered, but also protected. And Paul now explains how this happens.

Protect Your Beloved Treasure

Paul begins this section by affirming God as the ultimate Guardian of the gospel, and then explains to Timothy how he’s to guard the gospel and its teachings:

“For this reason [of being a preacher of the gospel] I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what [has been entrusted to me (ESV)] until that day. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” (vss. 12-14)

There are two alternate manuscript readings of what Paul wrote in verse 12. While the NASB speaks of what Paul has entrusted to God, the ESV speaks of what God has entrusted to him. I take this trust to be that which God gave to Paul, since the subject matter of the sentence is the gospel that Paul has been preaching. Further, his faith in the Lord is what entrusted him with the gospel as an apostle. Lastly, the treasure that’s been entrusted to Timothy is clearly the teaching from and about Jesus, which consists mainly of the gospel. Therefore, I believe that Paul is saying that the gospel the Lord entrusted to him will be protected by him as well, so that Paul’s testimony of the gospel won’t die with him, but will continue on through believers like Timothy.

But Timothy’s charge is more than the simple gospel message, since Paul calls it the “standard of sound words.” As well as the gospel, this includes the apostles’ teaching based on the gospel, which Timothy heard from Paul. In addition, there are two characteristics that Timothy must exercise as he “retains,” or “holds on to,” the apostles’ teaching. He’s to do so “in the faith and love . . . in Christ Jesus.” In other words, the way he’s to remember, preserve, and teach the truth is through the faith and love that can only come from the Lord. If Timothy does this, then he’ll be able to “guard,” or “protect” the treasure of truth he possesses “through the Holy Spirit.” Once again, Paul reminds Timothy that it’s only the Spirit who can empower him to be faithful to the Lord, as Paul has been throughout his service as a missionary apostle. But Paul has had the experience of seeing that faithfulness to the gospel is now decreasing, since he next describes his abandonment by many of his friends, and his appreciation for one uniquely faithful brother.

Appreciate Your Trustworthy Brethren

By pointing out one faithful brother out of many who deserted him because of his persecution for the gospel, Paul gives us a warning against being too trusting of our professing brethren, and an encouragement to cherish brethren who are loyal friends. He reminds Timothy,

“You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away form me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains; but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me . . .” (vss. 15-17)

When it’s actually dangerous to preach the gospel, and the most famous spokesperson for has been condemned, and shamed, it’s harder to stand by him. But by deserting the preacher to fend for himself, and defend his righteousness on his own, you’re also deserting the message that brought him into the situation. That’s why Paul praises Onesiphorus, who shared in the reproach and shame of Paul by helping him in his need. Such love is the only thing that shows you actually are devoted to the gospel when you’re tested because of it. And this testing, which Timothy was experiencing, required one more resource for being a faithful spiritual leader.

Appropriate the Strength of Grace

To apply all that he has said in chapter 1, Paul gives Timothy one of the most important encouragements in all of Scripture, especially for a man:

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2:1)

Because Timothy was tempted to be afraid of teaching and promoting the gospel; because God had given him salvation and eternal life in Christ; because he had to guard the apostolic teaching; because many professing Christians had turned their backs on Paul, and thereby the gospel, Timothy had to be strong to hold up against the assaults of his spiritual foes. And what is the most important power that provides us with the strength to hold fast to the truth, and its teachings? God’s “grace that is in Christ Jesus.” This is God’s undeserved favor, or kindness, and it’s only found in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s only by relying on Him, by loving Him, and imitating Him, that any believer can have the strength to actually walk worthy of the gospel. But if we trust in the Lord, believing and practicing the teaching of His apostles, we’ll be strong through His Spirit. As a spiritual leader, Timothy was to rely on this strength to fulfill the greatest aspect of his calling – training and teaching future leaders.

Pass Down the Truth to the Next Generation

The last primary responsibility that Paul demonstrates for spiritual leaders is the development of future leaders and teachers. He conveys this neglected necessity in this command:

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2:2)

These “things” that Timothy heard are the truths of “the standard of sound words” that Paul mentioned earlier. They are the essential teachings from the Lord and His apostles. And Timothy must entrust them to “faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Why does Paul specify that these teachers must be “faithful”? Because, as he’d just demonstrated, and will later elaborate on, there are an abundance of men claiming to be Christians, but really have no spiritual trust in Jesus. Thus, Timothy had to make certain that his students were clearly faithful to the Lord, to His Word, and to the brethren.

Also, Timothy had to ensure that such men were “able to teach.” In other words, Timothy was to train, equip, and encourage future teachers of Scriptural truths, so that he wouldn’t be the only teacher in his area. Paul wanted the leadership-teaching that he’d given to Timothy to be multiplied, so that the truth would spread, more believers would learn, and they would grow in Christlikeness, and win more sinners to Christ through their testimony.

Prayerfully and Proudly Promote, Protect, and Prove the Gospel

Questions for reflection:

  1. Do you consistently pray for your closest Christian friends?
  2. Are you proud of the gospel?
  3. Do you daily remind yourself of what God has done for you through Christ?
  4. Are you careful to defend and vindicate the teaching of the apostles through faith and love?
  5. Are you faithful to meet your brethren’s needs?
  6. Do you continually strengthren yourself through Christ’s grace?
  7. Are you entrusting your understanding of the essential truths of Scripture to brethren so that they’ll be able to do the same?