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2Timothy 1:8-18

Thursday Evening Bible Study

April 19, 2018

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid to die?  Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Target 3300 words   Video = 75 wpm

The history recorded in the book of Acts ends around AD 60, with Paul being confined under house arrest in his own apartment in Rome.

We believe that Paul was released after a couple of years, and would travel to Ephesus, Macedonia, Crete, Nicopolis, and then be rearrested in Troas and taken back to Rome.

It was in AD 64 that Nero burned Rome, blamed it on the Christians, and began a period of persecution.

This time, Paul would be confined in the Mamertine Prison.

Everyone has abandoned Paul except for his friend Luke the physician.
(2 Timothy 4:11 NKJV) Only Luke is with me.
It’s from here that Paul writes this letter, his final letter somewhere around AD 66-67, just prior to his death.
Paul is hoping that Timothy would come to him, but that isn’t going to happen.
Paul will shortly be taken outside the city of Rome where he will be beheaded.

We left off two weeks ago with this encouragement to Timothy:

(2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

feardeilia – timidity, fearfulness, cowardice

1:8-12 Unashamed

:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

:8 do not be ashamed of the testimony

ashamed epaischunomai to be ashamed

from aischuno – to disfigure; to dishonor; to suffuse with shame

testimonymarturion – testimony

Remember back in vs. 7, that God has not made us cowards, but He has made available to us power, love, and a sound mind to overcome our cowardice.

Paul doesn’t want Timothy to be a coward when it comes to talking about Jesus, or admitting his relationship with Paul.

Timothy would indeed live up to this – being bold in his testimony about Jesus, even dying a martyr’s death in about thirty years.
Illustration
This is from Fox’s Book of Martyrs (pg.7)

Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the Church until AD 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner that he expired of the bruises two days after.

:8 share with me in the sufferings for the gospel

share with me in the sufferings sugkakopatheo (“with” + “bad” + “suffer”) – to suffer hardship together with one

Paul is in prison again, suffering. 
Paul has spent a lot of his life as a believer suffering for what he preached.
He invites Timothy to be willing to suffer with him.
Paul isn’t asking Timothy to do anything he isn’t already doing.

:8 according to the power of God

power dunamis – strength, power, ability

Lesson

Strength to suffer

We often think of this dunamis power as being able to make us into some kind of Superman, able to conquer every bad guy with a super punch.
But sometimes God’s power is meant to simply help us make it through the times of pain, even if the situation doesn’t change.
Jesus said,

(Acts 1:8 NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Sometimes that “power” to be witnesses is the strength or ability to keep going, even when it’s difficult.

This is the “filling” or “baptism” of the Holy Spirit.

God wants all of us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Warren Wiersbe writes,
“Years ago, I read about a Christian who was in prison because of his faith. He was to be burned at the stake, and he was certain he would never be able to endure the suffering. One night, he experimented with pain by putting his little finger into the candle flame. It hurt, and he immediately withdrew it. “I will disgrace my Lord,” he said to himself. “I cannot bear the pain.” But when the hour came for him to die, he praised God and gave a noble witness for Jesus Christ. God gave him the power when he needed it, and not before.”
Beloved, there are going to be times when we go through difficulty.
Don’t be surprised when trouble hits.
Learn to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit.

:9 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 given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

savedsozo – to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

calledkaleo – to call; to call i.e. to name, by name

purposeprothesis – a setting forth of a thing, placing of it in view, the shewbread; a purpose

gracecharis – grace; good will, loving-kindness, favour

before the world began – literally, “before time eternal”.

timechronos – time either long or short

eternalaionios – without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be

:10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

been revealedphaneroo – to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way

appearingepiphaneia – an appearing, appearance

brought … to light photizo – to give light, to shine; to enlighten, light up, illumine; to bring to light, render evident

I think of a darkened theater with a single spotlight on the stage.  Something is dragged out of the surrounding shadows and put into the spotlight to the whole audience can see what it is.  Jesus has put “life” and “immortality” into the spotlight so we can see what these things really are.

life zoe – life; of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic "logos" and to Christ in whom the "logos" put on human nature; life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.

This was the same word used by Paul in 1:1, “the promise of life”.

immortality aphtharsia – incorruption, perpetuity; purity, sincerity, incorrupt.  Paul is talking about our new bodies, which will be “incorruptible”.  Our new bodies won’t get old, sick, or break down.

In the Greek, these two verses are written out in almost poetic form, as if these two verses might have been part of an early Christian worship song, meant to teach the basics of the gospel.

Broken up into each line of the song, it would look like this:

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 given to us in Christ Jesus

before time began,

but has now been revealed

by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ,

who has abolished death

and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

That would be an interesting project for a song writer to take these concepts and put them to music – as a teaching tool for the church about the basics of the gospel.

:9 not according to our works

Our salvation and our “holy” calling are not based on us being good enough.

They are based on God’s purpose and God’s grace.

:9 given to us in Christ Jesus before time began

God’s plan of salvation wasn’t a hastily cooked up plan, figured out in AD 33, or maybe in AD 35 after Jesus died (like the disciples needed to make an excuse…)

God had planned our salvation “before time eternal” (literally).

Last night at our elders’ meeting, we were reading this from Revelation 13, talking about the world worshipping the coming antichrist …

(Revelation 13:8 NKJV) All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Jesus is the “Lamb” who was already considered “slain” before the world was created.

:10 but has now been revealed

Even though God’s plan was made before eternity, the details of the plan weren’t made clear until Jesus came.

:10 who has abolished death

has abolishedkatargeo – to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative

Jesus has conquered death through His resurrection. 
Even though we may still experience physical death (a separation between our body and spirit), we will no longer have to experience eternal spiritual death (a separation between us and God).

:10 brought life and immortality to light

This is what the gospel does – it shines a light into a dark room, and exposes the truth about life and immortality.

That’s why it’s so important for us to be sharing the gospel – the truth that Jesus came to die for our sins, and we can now enter into a relationship with God with forgiveness and eternal life.

:11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

appointedtithemi – to set, put, place; fix, establish

preacherkerux – a herald or messenger vested with public authority, who conveyed the official messages of kings, magistrates, princes, military commanders, or who gave a public summons or demand, and performed various other duties. In the NT God’s ambassador, and the herald or proclaimer of the divine word.

apostleapostolos – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

teacherdidaskalos – a teacher

:11 to which I was appointed a preacher …

It’s for the sake of the gospel that Paul was appointed by God to proclaim the message (preacher), to be sent out as a messenger (apostle), and to teach even the Gentiles the truth about God.

:12 For this reason 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 what I have committed to Him until that Day.

:12 For this reason I also suffer these things

Paul uses courtroom language.

reasonaitia – cause for which one is worthy of punishment, crime; charge of crime, accusation

Paul is saying that the reason he’s in prison is that he’s been charged with being a preacher of these things.

:12 nevertheless I am not ashamed

ashamedepaischunomai – to be ashamed

This is the same word Paul used to say to Timothy, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…” (vs. 8)
Paul now shares with Timothy why HE isn’t ashamed.

:12 I know whom I have believed

Paul’s confidence is in Jesus.  Paul “knows” Jesus.

knoweido – to see; to know; understand, perceive

I have believedpisteuo – to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in

Paul doesn’t say, “I know what I believe”, but he says, “I know whom I have believed”.

Perhaps the courage to not “be ashamed” comes from the depth of our relationship with Jesus.
Some people are real confident in “what” they believe, and then beat people over the head with it.
Paul’s confidence was in “whom” he believed, not that he didn’t know “what” he believed.

:12 He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day

that which I have committedparatheke – a deposit, a trust or thing consigned to one’s faithful keeping

What has Paul entrusted Jesus with?  His life.

to keepphulasso – to guard; to guard a person (or thing) that he may remain safe

he is abledunatos – able, powerful, mighty, strong; to be able (to do something)

This word is based on the word dunamai, as is the word dunamis.
He has the power to guard us and to see us safely through until the day that we see Him face to face.
This is where Paul gets his “courage”.

This next video is from the movie “Paul, The Apostle”.

The fictional movie is based on Paul’s last days, the days of 2Timothy.
It’s a scene where Luke is in prison with other believers, and he warns them that they will be facing martyr’s deaths at Caesar Nero’s games.  One of the ways Nero killed Christians was making them face wild animals in the Colosseum.
Notice how Luke reminds them of how death will happen, and what follows death.
Video:  Paul the Apostle – Games Tomorrow

Lesson

He hasn’t forgotten

Sometimes we can get to thinking that God has forgotten us, and we have to face the difficulties in our lives all by ourselves.
Not so.
He knows what’s going on.
He promises to be with us until the end and take us through to the end.
I have to confess that there’s something in my head that keeps thinking that if I am doing this Christian life right, that I will have no problems in life.
And then problems hit.
Problems aren’t necessarily a sign that you’ve done something wrong.
Problems are an opportunity to trust God and see Him work.

They are often the times when we can grow the most.

He is worthy of your “trust”.  Commit yourself to Him.

Illustration
At the Men’s retreat last weekend, things were going pretty good and smooth through Saturday morning.  The fellowship was sweet.  The food was good.  The messages were great.
And then the afternoon came.

A group of guys went to play paintball.  Some of us watched the first game, then drifted off to do other things.

Later that afternoon we found out that things didn’t end so well with the paintball.  Guys got mad.  Feelings were hurt.

I think in previous years I would have felt that Satan was trying to destroy the weekend.  But this year I felt like God was allowing difficulty to teach some lessons.

Real life is full of problems.

The big question is how are you going to react?

Do you now in whom you believe?

Do you find peace in knowing that He is able to protect you right to the end?

Let Him use each situation to teach you something.

1:13-18 Faithfulness

:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words

the pattern hupotuposis (from the word tupos, “type”) – an outline, sketch, brief and summary exposition; an example, pattern

It’s based on the word tupos, which means to strike something and leave a mark.
Paul’s words have left a mark on Timothy, and Paul is encouraging Timothy to hold to what Paul has taught him.

hold fastecho – to have, i.e. to hold; to have i.e. own, possess; to hold one’s self to a thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to

soundhugiaino – to be sound, to be well, to be in good health

Paul’s words have been “healthy” words.

Lesson

Write it down

We’ve got Paul’s words as well, and they are “healthy” words.
God’s word ought to “leave a mark” in our lives.
Illustration
In this video clip from “Paul the Apostle” …

Paul and Luke are in prison, having a discussion about how to handle the intense persecution the church is beginning to face.

Paul is the old man.  Luke is the guy that looks like Jesus.

Video:  Paul the Apostle – Write It Down

Did you notice how all of Paul’s dialogue came from various letters of Paul.

Even though we don’t have record of their actual conversations in prison, I have no doubt that Paul was saying the same kinds of things he had already written in his letters.

We ought to work at “writing it down” as well.
We need to “hold fast” to what’s healthy.

:14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

:14 That good thing which was committed to you

good thingkalos – beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable

which was committedparakatatheke – a deposit, a trust or thing consigned to one’s faithful keeping; used of the correct knowledge and pure doctrine of the gospel, to be held firmly and faithfully, and to be conscientiously delivered unto others

What is the good thing that has been committed to Timothy?

The gospel.
God’s Word.
His ministry in Ephesus.

:14 keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us

keepphulasso – to guard

dwells inenoikeo – to dwell in; metaph. to dwell in one and influence him (for good)

Back in vs. 12, Paul said,

(2 Timothy 1:12 NKJV) …for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Paul was talking about how he, Paul, had “committed” his own life to Jesus, and that Jesus was able to “keep” or “guard” it.
Now here in vs. 14, using the same words, it’s God that has committed ministry to Timothy, and Timothy is supposed to guard (keep) it.

The only way he can guard what God has given him is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The only way I can do what God has called me to do is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I need to yield my life to the Holy Spirit.  It’s the only way I can do this Christian stuff.

:15 This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

:15 all those in Asia have turned away from me

turned awayapostrepho – to turn away; to turn him away from allegiance to any one

Asia in the Bible refers to “Asia Minor”, or modern Turkey.

What’s one of the major cities of Asia Minor?
Ephesus.  The city where Timothy is.

We’re going to see hints through this last letter of Paul that he is very much alone.  Only Luke is with him.

:15 among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes

We don’t know anything about these fellows other than this – they abandoned Paul.

Phygellus – “a little fugitive”

Hermogenes – “lucky born or born of Mercury (Hermes)”

How would you like to have it recorded for all eternity that you were the guy who abandoned Paul?

:16 The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;

:16 mercy to the household of Onesiphorus

Onesiphorus – “bringing profit”

Onesiphorus was a believer from Asia, from Ephesus.

:16 he often refreshed me

oftenpollakis – often, frequently

refreshed anapsucho – to cool again, to cool off, recover from the effects of heat; to refresh (one’s spirit); to recover breath, take the air, cool off, revive, refresh one’s self

In ancient days, prisons didn’t feed and take care of the physical needs of the prisoners.

That was left to family and friends.
Onesiphorus had come to take care of Paul, and he did a good job.

:16 was not ashamed of my chain

ashamedepaischunomai – to be ashamed

There’s that same exact word for “ashamed” again.

Onesiphorus was not ashamed to go visit Paul in prison.

Sometimes there are people around us that others are “ashamed” of.

Video: Values - Locker
Are you going to be that person that shuns those that others snub, or are you going to be the person who is “not ashamed” to hang around the “not-cool” person?

:17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.

:17 when he arrived in Rome

Onesiphorus had come from Ephesus apparently for the sake of ministering to Paul.

:17 he sought me out very zealously and found me

very zealouslyspoudaioteron – very diligently

from spoudaioteros – active, diligent, zealous, earnest
a “comparative” form of a word derived from spoude: haste; earnestness, diligence

or … “very hasty”, or “very earnestly”, or “very diligently”

Onesiphorus wasn’t half-hearted in his attempt to help Paul.  He didn’t stop looking for Paul until he found him.

:18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.

:18 he ministered to me at Ephesus

Onesiphorus had history with Paul.  On one of Paul’s trips to Ephesus Onesiphorus had spent time helping Paul.

ministereddiakoneo – to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon

very wellbeltion – better

Onesiphorus is no longer with Paul, he has gone back to Ephesus.

At the end of his letter, Paul tells Timothy, who is in Ephesus…

(2 Timothy 4:19 NKJV) Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
This is what Timothy was to do when he got the letter in Ephesus.

So Paul prays God’s blessings on Onesiphorus for all the help that he gave to Paul.

Wouldn’t you like it if Paul prayed a blessing on you?