Second Timothy - Chapter 1 Summary

PRECIOUS MEMORIES

2ND TIMOTHY 1:1-18

Application: 

The student will be refreshed in his commitment to stand for the truth as he remembers past spiritual blessings.

1ST TIMOTHY WAS WRITTEN FROM MACEDONIA AROUND 65 a.d. 

2ND TIMOTHY WAS WRITTEN AROUND 68 a.d. AND WAS WRITTEN FROM THE DARKNESS OF A ROMAN DUNGEON.

ONE HALF OF ROME HAD BURNED AND THE EMPORER NERO DECIDED TO BLAME THE FIRE ON THE CHRISTIANS WHO HAD BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE AND SOME HAD COME TO ACTUALLY SERVE IN THE ROMAN SENATE.

NERO BROUGHT FORTH A TERRIBLE TIME OF PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS IN ROME AND THESE ACTUALLY CONTINUED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER UNTIL EMPORER CONSTANTINE WAS GRANTED A VISION OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST IN THE SKY BEFORE HIS GREAT BATTLE ALMOST 250 YEARS LATER IN 315 a.d.

HE WON THE BATTLE AND CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY AND MADE OUR FAITH THE FAITH OF THE EMPIRE.

PAUL HAD BEEN PLACED UNDER ARREST BY NERO AND CONDEMNED TO DIE BY BEHEADING.

WHILE AWAITING HIS EXECUTION, PAUL FOUND HIMSELF ALONE EXCEPT FOR LUKE WHO REMAINED FAITHFUL TO HIM.

THE STRUCTURE OF THIS 2ND LETTER IS:

CHAPTERS 1-2:

FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER & SERVICE, SOUNDNESS OF DOCTRINE & ENDURANCE.

CHAPTER 3:

COMING PERILOUS TIMES & BLOODSHED.

CHAPTER 4:

CLOSING THOUGHTS FOR TIMOTHY AND LAST WORDS OF PAUL TO THE GENTILES.

PAUL HAD HOPED TO CONTINUE HIS MISSIONARY WORK IN SPAIN AS WE SEE FROM HIS NOTE IN ROMANS 15:24.

BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD OTHER PLANS. 

RATHER THAN SEND PAUL TO SPAIN, THE SPIRIT SENT PAUL TO A ROMAN PRISON & HIS DEATH.

PAUL'S STRUGGLE IN THE PRISON WAS INTERNAL.

HE HAD SURVIVED SO MUCH, FLOGGINGS, SHIPWRECKS, STONING, HUNGER & THIRST, ROUGH TIMES OF NO PHYSICAL COMFORT.

HE IS HAUNTED NOW BY THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST HORRIBLE DEEDS OF CAPTURE AND MURDER OF THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN JESUS.

HE WONDERS IF HE HAS YET THE STRENGTH TO FINISH THE FAITH JOURNEY WELL, AND HE KNEW WELL THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD LED HIM TO THIS PLACE AND THIS FATE.

HE HAD BEEN STRONGLY LED BY THE SPIRIT FOR ALL OF HIS SERVICE, ONCE IN ACTS 16:6 BEEN COMMANDED BY THE SPIRIT NOT TO ENTER ASIA MINOR & INSTEAD GO TO MACEDONIA.

HE HAD ALSO DECIDED TO IGNORE THE ELDERS OF EPHESUS WHO TOLD HIM IN ACTS 21 THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD TOLD THEM TO WARN HIM NOT TO GO TO JERUSALEM BECAUSE THE SPIRIT HAD NOT SPOKEN TO HIM IN HIS SERVICE THROUGH OTHERS BUT ONLY DIRECTLY.

VERSE 1 IS A FAIRLY STANDARD GREETING BY PAUL, INTRODUCING HIMSELF AS AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE WILL OF GOD.

HE ALSO USES THE TERM “ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE OF LIFE” WHICH BECAUSE OF HIS PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE NOW MEANT LIFE ETERNAL FOR HIS EARTHLY LIFE WAS SOON TO END AND HE KNEW IT.

IN VERSES 2-5 PAUL FINISHES HIS GREETING AND BEGINS HIS HAPPY REMEMBERANCE.

HE SAYS TIMOTHY IS A BELOVED SON (MEANING A SPRITUAL SON).

HE SENDS HIM HOPES OF GRACE, MERCY, & PEACE.

SPURGEON SAYS THIS VERSE PROVED THAT MINISTERS NEED MORE MERCY THAT OTHERS BECAUSE IF THEY ARE NOT FAITHFUL, THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED GREATER SINNERS AS SOULS WILL BE LOST FOR ETERNITY.

PAUL SAYS HE PRAYS FOR TIMOTHY BOTH NIGHT & DAY.

HE IS MINDFUL OF THE TEARS OF TIMOTHY, THAT HAD BEEN SHED AT THEIR LAST PARTING.

HE IS FILLED WITH JOY WHEN HE BRINGS TO REMEMBERANCE THE GENUINE FAITH THAT TIMOTHY HOLDS AND HE REMINDS TIMOTHY THAT THIS FAITH WAS FIRST SEEN IN TIMOTHY'S MOTHER & GRANDMOTHER, EUNICE & LOIS.

PAUL HAD MET TIMOTHY IN LYSTRA IN BOTH HIS 1ST & 2ND MISSIONARY JOURNEYS.

HE TOOK TIMOTHY WITH HIM AND BEGAN THE TEACHER/STUDENT RELATION WITH HIM THAT LASTED FOR LIFE.

PAUL'S REFERENCE TO THE GENUINE FAITH OF TIMOTHY WAS EVEN DESCRIBED MORE STRONGLY IN THE GREEK AS IT MEANS “FAITH OF NO HYPOCRISY”.    IT WAS REAL, NOT AN ACT OR IN APPEARANCE.

IN VERSES 1-6 PAUL BEGINS TO EXHORT TIMOTHY TO BE BOLD.

HE REMINDS HIM TO STIR UP THE GIFT OF GOD, WHICH HAD ARRIVED UPON TIMOTHY BY THE LAYING ON OF THE HANDS OF PAUL.

HERE IS DEEP & ABIDING LOVE FROM PAUL REMINDING TIMOTHY NOT TO SHRINK FROM EXPRESSING THE GOSPEL STRONGLY.

IN THE TWO LETTERS TO TIMOTHY THERE ARE 25 DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE PAUL ENCOURAGED TIMOTHY TO BE BOLD, NOT TO SHY AWAY, TO STAND UP FOR THE LORD'S MESSAGE.

NOTICE HERE THAT PAUL WAS QUITE SURE THE GIFT OF GOD WAS ALREADY WITHIN TIMOTHY BUT MAY NEED TO BE STIRRED UP TO BRING IT MORE FORWARD TOWARD THE SURFACE OF HIS PREACHING.

THIS THOUGHT IS NOT UNIQUE TO PAUL.

2ND PETER 1:13 & 3:1 BOTH SPEAK OF THE VERY SAME MATTER.

SOMETIMES FAITH IS LIKE A FIRE THAT HAS BURNED DOWN SLIGHTLY AND NEEDS TO BE STIRRED AGAIN TO MAKE IT FLAME AGAIN.

IN VERSE 7 PAUL BRINGS FORTH ONE OF HIS MOST PRECIOUS TEACHINGS.

HE SAYS GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER & LOVE.

OF ALL THE REMINDERS OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE THIS ONE REMINDER IS THE MOST USED.

365 TIMES IN BOTH TESTAMENTS WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO “FEAR NOT”.

NO OTHER INSTRUCTION EVEN COMES CLOSE IN USAGE.

THE POWER WE ARE GIVEN IS THE POWER OF THE LORD, NOT OF OURSELVES AS WE HAVE NONE THAT IS NOT GIVEN BY HIM.

HOW DOES HE GIVE US HIS POWER? IN LOVE.

IF WE RESIDE IN FEAR, WE WILL NOT USE THE POWER WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AS HIS FOLLOWERS. WE CANNOT BE AFRAID TO WITNESS FOR HIM, EVEN IF OUR WITNESS BRINGS REJECTION.

IN VERSE 8, PAUL EXPANDS THE VERSE 7 TEACHING AND TELLS TIMOTHY NOT BE BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY HE HAS BEEN GRANTED, NOR OF PAUL WHO IS NOW IN PRISON BECAUSE OF IT.

HE CHALLENGES TIMOTHY TO SHARE IN THE SUFFERINGS THAT ARE SURE TO ARRIVE WHEN THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED.

WE NOTICE PAUL IS VERY CLEAR IN THIS VERSE TO SAY HE IS THE PRISONER OF THE LORD, NOT OF THE ROMANS.

IN VERSES 9-10 PAUL TEACHES TIMOTHY NOT TO BE ASHAMED OF GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION.

THE LORD HAD SAVED THEM AND GRANTED THEM A HOLY CALLING NOT ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN WORKS BUT ONLY OF HIS PURPOSE AND GRACE.

NOTICE PAUL CLEARLY TEACHES HERE THAT THIS PLAN WAS IN PLACE BEFORE TIME BEGAN, AND WAS REVEALED BY THE APPEARING OF THE SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WHO BROUGHT AN END TO DEATH AND GIVES LIFE & IMMORTALITY THROUGH HIS GOSPEL.

WE CANNOT LEAVE THIS VERSE WITHOUT REMEMBERING EPHESIANS 1:4 WHICH IS SO VERY CLOSE TO THIS TEACHING:

“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

PAUL IS GIVING US A GREAT LESSON IN THESE TWO VERSES.

THE PLAN WAS MADE BEFORE BEFORE THE EARTH AND MAN WERE CREATED.

THE LORD JESUS, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THE FATHER ALL EXISTED TOGETHER AS THREE PERSONS BUT ONE ESSENCE IN ETERNITY PAST.

THOSE WHO BELIEVE WILL EXIST WITH THEM IN ETERNITY FUTURE.

AND FOR NOW, WE EXIST WITH THEM IN PRESENT TIME.

HERE IS THE TRUE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL

IN VERSES 11-12 PAUL SPEAKS OF HIS APPOINTED WORK AND HIS CONFIDENCE THAT GOD WOULD KEEP HIM CLOSE FOR HE HAS BEEN GRANTED A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BOTH PREACH & SUFFER FOR CHRIST.

HE KNOWS WELL WHY HE IS SUFFERING.

ANANIAS HAD TOLD PAUL WHAT GOD HAS SAID WHEN HE WAS SENT TO BRING PAUL HIS SIGHT, THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS BAPTISM.

ACTS 9:16 SAYS JESUS TOLD ANANAIS THAT HE WOULD SHOW PAUL HOW GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST.

PAUL SAYS HE KNOWS IN WHOM HE BELIEVES AND HE TRUSTS HIM WITH HIS VERY LIFE WHICH WILL END SOON AND HE KNOWS THAT AS WELL.

IN VERSES 13-14 PAUL EXHORTS TIMOTHY TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE TRUTH.

HE TELLS HIM TO HOLD FAST TO THAT WHICH PAUL HAS TAUGHT HIM.

PAUL TELLS HIM TO REMEMBER THAT HE SHOULD KEEP BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT INDWELLS US THIS GOOD THING HE HAS BEEN GIVEN.

NOW IN THE VERSES LEFT, PAUL REVEALS THAT THERE ARE SOME UNFAITHFUL MEN WHO HAVE TURNED AWAY AND DID NOT HOLD FAST.

PAUL ACTUALLY NAMES TWO OF THOSE WHO HAD TURNED AWAY,

MENTIONING PHYGELLUS & HERMOGENES.

THESE PEOPLE  WERE BELIEVERS THAT HAD COME TO ROME TO TESTIFY AT THE TRIAL OF PAUL IN HIS DEFENSE BUT WHEN THEY SAW HOW BADLY HIS TRIAL WAS GOING AGAINST HIM AND MAY END IN A DEATH SENTENCE FOR PAUL, FEARED FOR THEMSELVES & TURNED AWAY.

WE NEVER HEAR THESE TWO NAMES AGAIN IN SCRIPTURE. 

PAUL STRIVES TO BALANCE HIS LETTER HERE BY NAMING ONE WHO HAD BEEN FAITHFUL, A MAN NAMED ONESIPHOROUS.

HE HAD REFRESHED PAUL, WAS NOT SHAMED BY PAUL'S CHAINS, AND HE SOUGHT PAUL OUT TO HELP HIM AND PAUL'S PRAYER IS THAT THIS MAN WOULD FIND MERCY IN THE DAY OF THE LORD.

VERY INTERESTINGLY THE DIRECT TRANSLATION OF THIS MAN'S NAME IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK IS “BRINGER OF HELP”.

THIS MAN HAD TRAVELED TO ROME TO FIND PAUL AND WHEN HE FOUND HIM IN CHAINS IN THE ROMAN JAIL, HE STAYED CLOSE BY, HELPING PAUL, SEEING TO HIS NEEDS, MAKING SURE PAUL NO LONGER FELT ALONE.

HE WAS UNASHAMED OF PAUL'S STATUS, AND STAYED FAITHFUL TO HIM.

THIS MAN WAS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS AND HAD DONE MUCH FOR PAUL WHILE PAUL WAS THERE ESTABLISHING THE CHURCH.

PAUL MENTIONS HIM TO REMIND TIMOTHY NOT TO BE ASHAMED AND TO REMAIN FAITHFUL BY GIVING HIM  AS AN EXAMPLE FOR TIMOTHY TO FOLLOW.

THE MESSAGE HERE OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY WAS A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO STAND FOR THE GOSPEL NO MATTER WHAT THE COST.
HE GIVES TIMOTHY BOTH NEGATIVE & POSITIVE EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO HAVE DONE SO.

HIS MESSAGE IS AS CLEAR TODAY AS IT WAS THEN.

THERE IS NO COMPARISON TO THE REWARD OF THINGS TO COME WITH SUFFERINGS OF TODAY FOR THE GOSPEL.