Greetings! Not sure when you're reading this, but it is coming to you late Tuesday night. My nephew is in for a few days and we are leaving early for a Catskill trip- Slide Mountain- the highest Catskill peak at 4184'! It is going to be a good day!
Today we start 2 Timothy, written possibly around 63AD, by Paul in prison in Rome. 1 Timothy was written about 57- 58AD. This letter has a slightly different tone; Paul was in prison and he knew that he would be executed soon. We will be able to hear the urgency in Paul's words to Timothy to carry the torch onward.
Paul opens very similar as 1 Timothy with words of peace and grace and mercy to Timothy. Again, we hear Paul call Timothy "son" and we will see a beautiful bond between these two people. We have heard Paul talk about his prayers for Timothy and we see this still continues (v 3). We all know the power of prayer and I imagine Timothy was consoled by these prayers- especially knowing Paul was in a Roman prison waiting for his execution. Paul references Timothy's tears (v 4); there is a historical account that Timothy cried hard when he and Paul separated- evidence of the love and respect they had for each other. Paul mentions Timothy's family (we have heard this before in Acts). Timothy's mother and grandmother were believers, but his father was not (he was Greek and had multiple gods). Paul "adopted" Timothy at the beginning of his second missionary journey; Timothy was approximately 14 years old at that time.
Paul tells Timothy (in some translations) to "stir up the gift of God inside you" (v 6); keep those fires burning. Paul refers to a "small flame", indications that Timothy may have been timid and Paul is trying to encourage him here to be string and use the power of God through the Spirit. Who are those people in your life that are timid but have a gift from God to teach and need to be encouraged? Are you ding that?
Paul talks more saying "do not be ashamed" (v 8). When we look at Christ- we don't feel shame (do we?), but through the eyes of the early church- who would want to follow someone who was crucified, someone who said top be a slave, someone who sat with the lepers , the sick, the poor, the hungry? It was a really "shameful" person to be following if we put it in that context! In addition, Timothy' mentor is in prison (v 8)! How much shame is there in that! Paul even suggests that Timothy share with Paul the shame of prison- as we are asked to share a life with the poor, the hungry, the outcasts. Do we follow that model?
The thing that Timothy is especially not to be ashamed of is the grace and love of God that chose each one of us, not by what we did, not by our actions, but by the grace of God we were selected (v 9). It wasn't anything great that we did, it was God's mercy that invited us and saved us- even before we knew anything (v 9). The good news that Timothy is to continue sharing is that Christ destroyed death- death is no longer death, but a time of sleep until Christ comes again (v 10).
We can almost feel Paul's strength and commitment to the Gospel as he is writing these words (v 11) as being chosen to teach and preach! For Paul, it is a privilege to suffer for Christ. Do we feel that privilege? I can almost imagine Paul going through the sermons he preached, the churches he started, the people he baptized- as he writes these words to Timothy. The strength is evident as he continues with "I am not ashamed!" (v 12). Do we have the strength to say those words? Paul knew the words he preached were true words, but he also knew that those words would end him up in prison and likely executed. But he continued to preach anyway.
Paul urges Timothy to hold fast and fight the fight (v 14), continue teaching the words of hope and peace and love. People will be against it, Timothy will lose friends (and Paul lists the people he has lost in vv 15-16). By the end of Paul's life- he was alone- and he warns Timothy of that- but to continue to teach and be the person God called Timothy to be. Onesiphorus, on the other hand, continued to seek out Paul and support him in his ministry (vv 16-18). We don't know much about this person, other than he lived near Timothy in Ephesus and that he was a faithful person. Paul encourages Timothy to seek him out. Do we have faithful people in our lives that we are to seek out when we need support? The meaning of the name Onespihorus means "help-bringer"!
This was a great introductory chapter. You can feel the love Paul has for Timothy and the urgency that he feels. This continues throughout the letter. Watch for it!
Have a great day!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
In reading the introduction Paul warns Timothy to run from those temptations that often catch young people. I'm sure We have all as parents warned our children against making bad decisions and how it can affect their lives. For our family I do believe attending church and surrounding us with our church family was a positive influence.
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely feel Paul's love for Timothy in this chapter.
I hope you enjoyed your time with your nephew!
There are so many things that tempt our children- and us. So many things in the current world that were not here years ago. That was a big change I saw in my kids at school- the amount of pressures they were under to do "things". A strong family, including a church network is important! Kids do miss out on the social interaction with adults; that was a big plus with our kids- they knew how to interact with adults and could work with them!
DeleteThanks Cindy
I agree Cindy, you can feel Paul's love for Timothy. Anytime we're doing something important in our lives, whether it's personal or in your work life, it is easy to lose focus and become discouraged. It helps to have someone support you and your efforts. Sometimes just having another person encourage you - maybe say you're doing a good job- keep going- helps you to reenergize. I think this is what Paul has in mind with these letters to Timothy. I have to wonder what happens to Timothy after Paul's death.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things that draw our attention away from God and from faith. It is easy to get distracted. There is importance in accountability groups and other small groups so people know and have a network of friends to keep them focused and on track.
DeleteWe lose track of Timothy in later life. Some accounts (none are Biblical) report that Timothy stayed in Ephesus until he was martyred. There is an apocryphal text called the Acts of Timothy that reports he was killed by an angry mob when he tried to stop a festival to Dionysus where people dressed in costume and had rampant public sex and were allowed to murder people with no repercussions for a period of two days!
Good thoughts Clara!
This was such a different time for Paul - under arrest. Before it was always a house arrest and people came to visit. Now he is in a dungeon under dire conditions. I wonder why his being a Roman Citizen does not help him now? What a very sad time this must have been for Paul - knowing he would soon be executed. And I do agree with both of you, Cindy and Cathy, the love is so apparent. I do like the beginning of vs. 7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear...." - I sometimes forget that God does not give us anything negative. I hope that I remember that when I am doing something out of my comfort zone. I also feel that Paul asking Timothy not to be ashamed of him is so sad. It must have been so sad for Paul to know that he was appointed to be a preacher, an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles and his work on earth was soon to end - and that he did not have an opportunity to see Timothy one more time. And yet, this chapter is filled with only thoughts of Timothy and encouragement for him. I didn't realize that Paul adopted Timothy - but I understand now why it was important to Paul that Timothy be circumcised. Encouragement to each other is so very important!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a great day with your nephew!!!
Good question about Paul's Roman citizenship. I wonder if it was because he promoted Christianity?
DeleteGood points about God not giving us bad things. People will often comment that hardships are Go'd way of testing- but I like to counter- the hardships aren't from God!
Ooppss...when I said adopted I didn't mean it in a literal sense...sorry for the confusion! Timothy's dad,since he was Greek, wasn't of the Christian faith- so Paul "adopted" Timothy as a son to teach him and guide him in the faith that his mother and grandmother were part of.
Good thoughts Donna
Can feel Paul's love for Timothy but also sense Timothy's love for Paul. Paul encourages Timothy to keep the faith and minister to the people. I sense Paul's distress in prison as he says he is suffering and that Timothy should be prepared that he may suffer also. Is paul also somewhat fearful for what awaits him? Am I feeling some stress from Paul?? Just thinking
ReplyDeleteGood point- there is mutual love and respect between these two people. Not only was Paul an excellent mentor, bu a solid father-like figure for Timothy.
ReplyDeletePaul is not afraid of his fate after death- but I do think he might fear what the mechanism of death may be. Does that make sense? He knows that he will be in Paradise with Jesus- but just not exactly sure how he will get there! Paul is definitely stressed and we will see more urgency in his letters later.
Good points Clara