Paul’s Charge, Part 3

Yesterday we looked at the second part of Paul’s charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2.  The last charge to Timothy is “remind”, 2 Timothy 2:14.  This paragraph is packed and I will begin to unpack it a little tomorrow.

Paul exhorted his spiritual son, first to consider, think, ponder, what he had said so that Lord would give Timothy understanding.  Then he refocused Timothy by exhorting him to remember why he was in Ephesus, to serve Christ.  Success was not understanding or numbers in ministry it was the worship of Christ and thankfulness for the grace of God dispensed through the sacrifice of His Son.

It is against that backdrop that Paul now commands Timothy – oh did I forget to mention that all three of these words are imperatives?  Yep.  He commands him to remind those in his care of what he has just shared.  Think of the commands thus far.  Consider what has been said about the multiplication of laborers who are able to teach and the unmatched importance of remembering why we are engaged in this battle it is to serve and worship Christ in thanksgiving for His saving work in our life.

In this one word Paul is calling to mind his charge to the leadership of the Ephesian church both in Acts 20:25 – 35 and Ephesians 4:11 – 16.  As a leader of the body in Ephesus, Timothy has to pass on what he has learned, equip those whom he has taught to do the same, and remind them that their purpose, like his, is to serve and worship the Lord.

There is so much more here especially in this last paragraph.  As I said I will start on this tomorrow.  In the meantime see how many imperatives you can identify in 2 Timothy 2:14 – 26.

Paul’s Charge, Part 2

Yesterday we began looking at Paul’s charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2.  We looked in some detail at the first charge, “consider” in 2 Timothy 2:7.  The next word is Remember, 2 Timothy 2:8.

Paul has exhorted his spiritual son to consider, think, ponder what he has said to him.  The result will be, as Chuck pointed out in his comment yesterday that we will understand what Paul is saying.  The charge is ministry heavy.  Paul reminds Timothy that this is a hard assignment.  He compares the propagation of the gospel to military service, athletics, and farming.  Those can be all consuming.

The next word then is, remember.  Remember what?  Jesus.  Resurrected.  He is the reason for what needs to be considered.  All too often those of us who are engaged in ministry of any kind become consumed with that ministry.  Paul is reminding Timothy, and by extension us – well me at least – that the real issue is Jesus.  We have to focus on Him.

It is for Jesus that Paul is suffering hardship.  It is not for the ministry.  In the midst of all that he is doing, his primary focus is Christ.

There are many who have been on the mission field and have been on hard ground.  They work for years without seeing results.  If they are doing that for the ministry they will become depressed and discouraged.  If for their love for Christ, they will endure.

We need to remember what is important.

Paul’s Charge

Over the years I have spent a significant amount of time in 2 Timothy 2.  2 Timothy 2:2 is the first passage I studied using the verse analysis study in 1973.  It is one of the passages I use with men in the four week one on one meetings.

This morning I heard a message in a series on the Pastoral Epistles, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus.  The message focused on the second paragraph of 2 Timothy 2.  Since I studied the Pastoral Epistles as a unit in the past year I have my study on my iPad.  So, I have that open and am following along with the speaker as he is working through the passage.  While he was speaking I noticed a connection that I had missed or did not think through well.

2 Timothy 2 breaks into three paragraphs, 1 – 7, 8 – 13, and 14 – 26.  I noticed a key word in each paragraph:

• Consider – 2:7
• Remember – 2:8
• Remind – 2:14

This was Paul’s charge to his spiritual son.  He told him to consider what he had told Timothy.  The Greek word is νοεω, noeo.  It shows up 14 times in the New Testament and is translated understand, see, perceive, understood, think, and consider.  Paul is telling Timothy to think about what he has told him, to ponder it, to process it, it is in that effort that the Lord will give Timothy understanding.

Often we forget or tend to downplay the truth that the Lord gave us a mind.  He gave us the ability to think, reason, evaluate, ponder.  I have heard and experienced those who have reacted to a passage without really considering what it says.  That leads, as Prof said, to abomination.  One cannot understand what Paul said if one does not consider, observe, what was said.

This may seem overly obvious.  But I assure you in working with people on 5 continents observation gets short shrift on each.  Paul is telling us that we need to pay attention to what he wrote.  That is good advice not only for his letters but for the rest of the Scripture as well.

I was going to share my thoughts on the other two but I will save that for tomorrow and possibly the next day.