II Timothy 1 · The Lantern

Paul’s Greeting to Timothy

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

What is the reason of his writing this second Epistle to Timothy? He had said, "I hope to come unto thee shortly" (1 Tim. iii. 14), and as this had not taken place, instead of coming to him, he consoles him by a letter, when he was grieving perhaps for his absence, and oppressed by the cares of the government, which he had now taken in hand.

He wrote to him while he was hindered and bound in Rome. And therefore he urged him for a second letter. He begins by praising the student, that he is a slave to Christ who dwells above.

This epistle is divided into the greeting and the message, at I give thanks to God (2 Tim 1:3). In the greeting are mentioned first, the person who sends the greeting; second, the person greeted; third, the good he wills them.

to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Faithfulness under Persecution

I am thankful to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience, as unceasingly I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day,

longing to see you, having recalled your tears, so that I may be filled with joy —

having taken remembrance of the sincere faith within you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I have been persuaded that it is in you also.

Now concerning those bishops which have been ordained in our lifetime, we let you know that they are these: ... Of Ephesus, Timotheus, ordained by Paul; and John, by me John. Of Smyrna, Aristo the first; after whom Strataeas the son of Lois; and the third Aristo.

Taking reminder of the sincere faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that it is also in you. reminder of the sincere faith. I remembered you, Paul says, in my prayers, recalling both your tears and your sincere faith. first in your grandmother.

Likewise being mindful of your faith in God: first, he recalls to mind his faith; second, he shows that it was derived from his parents and was not a novelty. Hence he says, calling to mind that faith which is in you unfeigned. Faith is necessary to a prelate who is its guardian: without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

For this reason I remind you to kindle anew the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.

I have become acquainted with your greatly-desired name in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Christ Jesus our Saviour. Being the followers of the love of God towards man, and stirring up yourselves by the blood of Christ, you have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming to you.

For this reason, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For this reason. Since I am conscious of these things, Paul says. you to rekindle the gift of God. Timothy had received the spiritual gift, and Paul urges that it be carried out with readiness of mind, attention, and vigilance more vehemently and effectively.

Above, he commended him on his gratuitously given qualities; here he urges him to put them to good use especially by preaching the Gospel: first, he advised him in a general way to use the gifts granted him; second, he specifies how grace should be used, at do not be therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of self-control.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,

who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before eternal times,

Here again allusion is made to the economy according to the flesh. For the grace which came to us from the Savior appeared, as the apostle says, just now, and has come when he sojourned among us.

Why, then, is it that, in what follows, where they mention what they themselves think, they say they confess "That grace also assists the good purpose of every one, but that yet it does not infuse the desire of virtue into a reluctant heart"?

This strength is manifested by two things: first, in its effect, because we are freed from evils; hence he says, who has delivered us: the hand of God delivered us from the hand of the enemies, and of such as lay in wait by the way (1 Ezra 8:31); if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36).

and has now been made manifest through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and incorruptibility to light through the gospel,

The priests indeed are good, but the High Priest is better; to whom the holy of holies has been committed, and who alone has been trusted with the secrets of God. He is the door of the Father, by which enter in Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, and the apostles, and the Church. All these have for their object the attaining to the unity of God.

Is he not at the same time a lamb and a lion in both his suffering and his resurrection? Let us discern the lamb in the suffering. "He was," as we just reminded you, "mute as a lamb before its shearer, and he opened not his mouth." Let us discern the lion in the suffering. Jacob has said, "Thou hast risen: resting thou hast slept as a lion.

But this predestination was first hidden, but is now manifest. And how? As the thoughts of the heart are manifested through works, hence now in the doing of the work, a choice is manifested by the illumination. He is speaking precisely, because to manifest is to bring to light: the hidden things he has brought forth to light (Job 28:11).

for which I myself was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.

"Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an Apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles." Why does he so constantly repeat this, and call himself a teacher of the Gentiles? Because he wishes to persuade them that they also ought to draw close to the Gentiles. Be not therefore dismayed at my sufferings. The sinews of death are unstrung.

Why did the apostle now call himself a teacher of the Gentiles? To impress upon Timothy that he must proclaim the word of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and not lose heart, but imitate him, who was bound for the sake of the evangelical teaching.

Above, he urged Timothy to preach Christ earnestly; here he sets himself before him as an example: first, he gives the example; second, he urges him to follow it, at hold the form; third, he states why he must follow this example, at you know this.

For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have believed, and I have been persuaded that he is able to guard what I have entrusted for that day.

"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." "I am not ashamed," he says. For are chains, are sufferings, a matter for shame? Be not then ashamed! Thou seest how he illustrates his teaching by his works.

The "deposit" is the power and grace offered to Paul by the Spirit for serving the Lord.

Then when he says, for which cause I also suffer these things, he shows what he is suffering as a result of being faithful to his office, saying, I suffer these adversities, namely, chains and ennui, and this for the faith of Christ: I labor even unto bands (2 Tim 2:9).

Holding to Sound Teaching

Retain the pattern of sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Not by letters alone did Paul instruct his disciple in his duty, but before by words also which he shows, both in many other passages, as where he says, "whether by word or our Epistle" (2 Thess. ii. 15.), and especially here. Let us not therefore suppose that anything relating to doctrine was spoken imperfectly. For many things he delivered to him without writing.

As a painter, I have written and drawn for you an icon and prototype, so that, looking at it, you too would paint from it the same outline of my words. Keep this prototype within yourself, and when it is necessary to paint something, take from it and paint: for everything is combined in it. Not only through epistles, but also orally.

Then when he says, hold the form, he exhorts him to follow his example. And there are two versions: one says, hold and the other, holding. If we accept holding, then first, he states why it is fitting for Timothy to imitate the Apostle's example; second, he urges him to imitate him, at keep the good thing committed to your trust.

Keep the good deposit entrusted to you, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

But here is, as we have said, the same madness, in their allowing indeed that the apostles were ignorant of nothing, and preached not any (doctrines) which contradicted one another, but at the same time insisting that they did not reveal all to all men, for that they proclaimed some openly and to all the world, whilst they disclosed others (only) in secret and to a few, because…

Before all things, keep that truth which is committed to your trust, the holy Word of faith by which you have been taught and instructed. And let no weeds of heresy grow up among you, but preserve the heavenly seed pure and sincere, that it may yield a great harvest to the master, when he comes to demand account of our lives.

Therefore, having these things, keep the good thing committed to your trust, namely, which I have entrusted to you, namely, the office of preaching, and never depart from the truth or give up the office of preaching at any time because of fear: with all watchfulness keep your heart (Prov 4:23); O Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust (1 Tim 6:20).

You know this, that all those in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

What archangel's voice, (I wonder), what trump of God is now heard, except it be, forsooth, in the entertainments of the heretics? For, allowing that the word of the gospel may be called "the trump of God," since it was still calling men, yet they must at that time either be dead as to the body, that they may be able to rise again; and then how are they alive?

You know this, that all who are in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. Paul is tested not to be overcome, but to teach endurance in similar trials. For when he was arrested by Nero, his friends in Asia abandoned him. There were many in Rome from Asia who followed Paul or were otherwise faithful.

Then when he says, you know this, he shows why it was necessary to give this admonition, both because some are slackening and some are progressing.

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain,

Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom we have received as the manifestation of your love to us, hath in all things refreshed me, and "hath not been ashamed of my chain," as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will also refresh him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom I have, as to love, beheld all of you.

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for he often restored me, and was not ashamed of my chains. May the Lord grant mercy. Notice Paul's eagerness. He did not curse those who abandoned him, but only recounted what they did against him; but he prays much for the one who helped him, and not only for him alone, but also for his household.

Then when he says, the Lord gives mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, he shows the progress others are making, and especially a certain Onesiphorus, stressing in particular the good works he performed for the Apostle in Rome and then in Asia.

but having arrived in Rome he sought me out earnestly and found me —

may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord in that day. And how much he served in Ephesus, you yourself know very well.

Ye have done well in receiving Philo, and Gaius, and Agathopus, who, being the servants of Christ, have followed me for the sake of God, and who greatly bless the Lord in your behalf, because ye have in every way refreshed them. None of those things which ye have done to them shall be passed by without being reckoned unto you.

(may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day); and you yourself know how many things he ministered to me at Ephesus better than I do. may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord. Those who hold the opinions of Marcion leap over [ἐπιπηδῶσι]3 the Scripture, as if there were two Lords, but it says the Lord elsewhere.

He wishes him mercy in the age to come, when he says, in that day in which the Lord will judge us all, when mercy will be needed, not only in Rome, but at Ephesus. For this he is deserving of God's mercy.

II Timothy1

Paul’s Greeting to Timothy

Faithfulness under Persecution

Holding to Sound Teaching