Second Timothy Chapter 4:1-8/Commentary

Second Timothy Chapter 4:1-8 2 Timothy 4:1-8 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. 5But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing”.

This chapter contains probably the last words that Paul wrote. “A great person’s last words are significant. They are a window that helps us look into his heart, or a measure that helps us evaluate what is important in his life” (Reese p. 516).

1

4:1 “I solemnly charge you”: “The idea of charging or commanding the passing on of Divine testimony is emphasized in outstanding Scriptures: Moses charged Israel (Deuteronomy 29:1,10; 20:11,16); Moses charged Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:7,8,23); Joshua charged Israel (Joshua 23:1,6; 24:1, 26, 27); Samuel charged Israel (1 Samuel 12:1-25); David charged Solomon (1 Kings 2:1-9); Ezra charged Israel (Nehemiah 8-10); Jesus charged the apostles (John 13:34; 14-17)” (Reese p. 516). The expression “solemnly charge” means to earnestly and religious charge.

To testify through and through, and to bear a solemn witness. Compare with 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:14.

4:1 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus”: This is a reminder to Timothy that God sees all and God will see whether Timothy remains true to this charge. Paul’s commands have heaven’s authority behind them (1 Corinthians 14:37). “The witnesses who are called upon to observe this testimony give it particular solemnity and awe. God the Father, who sent the Son to redeem sinners, is incomparably interested in the proclamation of the Gospel. So also is Christ Jesus, who not only died for sinners, but is the Judge of all” (Kent p. 291).

4:1 “Who is to judge the living and the dead”: Jesus noted that all judgment had been given to Him (John 5:22; Matthew 25:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Acts 17:31). Jesus will judge people by a standard and that standard is His word (John 12:48). “Is to judge”: Literally this expression means, “is about to judge”, which reminds us that this judge could appear at any time. “The living and the dead”: Everyone will stand before Christ (John 5:28-29).

4:1 “And by His appearing”: Jesus will indeed appear one day to judge.

“It means that something not visible to human eyes becomes visible, or manifest” (Reese p. 518). In the first century the term “appearance” was used when a new Emperor ascended to the throne. “Obviously, when the Emperor was due to visit any place, everything was put in perfect 2

order. The streets were swept and garnished; all work was up-to-date.

The town was scoured and decorated to be fit for the expected visit of the Emperor. Well, you are expecting the visit of Jesus Christ. Do your work in such a way that all things will be ready whenever He arrives” (Reese p. 518). “And His kingdom”: This does not mean that Jesus will establish an earthly kingdom when He arrives, for the kingdom is already here (Colossians 1:12-14; Revelation 1:5-6). In addition, when Jesus returns, the kingdom/church will be delivered up to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24). The term “kingdom” here probably refers to the rule of God (Luke 21:31), that certainly will be displayed at the Second Coming. In addition it can also refer to the future heavenly kingdom (Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:5; 2 Timothy 4:18).

4:2 “Preach the word”: The term “preach” means to publish, or proclaim openly. “The tense implies prompt action…This stands first as the very heart and center of his work. This is man’s supreme need and it is his highest and primary task” (Hiebert p. 104). “The word”: That is, the word of God and Christ (4:1). “Timothy is here commanded not to air his own opinions, but to proclaim God’s eternal, authoritative Word of truth” (Reese p. 519). The same truth is found in many other passages (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18; Galatians 3:15; Jeremiah 26:2). “The King of Heaven has committed His message to His messengers and it is their duty faithfully and with proper dignity to proclaim that message to men without alteration or falsification” (Hiebert p. 105). “To proclaim God’s Word involves all the themes of Scripture, not picking out some or ignoring others. The Word of God in its entirety is the basic material of the preacher’s message” (Kent p. 292). Nothing can truly take the place of preaching the word.

Human opinion cannot adequately rebuke, reprove, and exhort.

4:2 “Be ready”: To be at hand, to stand by, be present, and be on hand.

Thus it means to be on the spot, to be at one’s work. “Appears to mark an attitude of prompt attention that may at any moment pass into 3

action” (Hiebert p. 105). The preacher must be in constant readiness to do this. This also means that the child of God must use opportunities and make opportunities, as well, in preaching the word. “In season and out of season”: “When it is convenient and when it is inconvenient.

Whether or not the preaching comes at a convenient time for the hearers” (Arndt p. 321). “Do not await favorable moments, but create them” (Lipscomb p. 239). “It is easy to make excuses when we ought to be making opportunities” (Reese p. 520). The preacher must labor in spite of discouragement, apparent failure, persecution, threats, or apathy on the part of the audience. From God’s perspective it is always seasonable to preach the truth. “He who desires to wait until the occasion seems completely favorable for his work will never find it” (Huther).

4:2 “Reprove”: “Reprehend severely, chide, admonish” (Thayer p. 203).

“Generally with the idea of bringing the fault home to the offender” (P.P. Comm. p. 57). “Rebuke”: “Censure, speak seriously, warn in order to prevent an action or bring one to an end” (Arndt p. 303). A stronger word than “reprove”, implying more of authority and less of argument (Matthew 8:26; 17:18; Luke 19:39; Jude 9). “Exhort”: Admonish, to call a person to the side, to urge one to pursue some course of conduct. “To appeal to, urge, exhort, encourage” (Arndt p. 617). “Hand in hand with the conviction of the sinner and reprimanding him, must be the exhortation or encouragement that comes from love and concern. No rebuke, no conviction should ever be such that it drives a man to despair and takes the heart and the hope out of him” (Reese p. 520). As some have noted, the task of the preacher is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Please note that the word of God will always sound negative and harsh to the person who wants to remain close to their sins.

The faithful preacher must adhere closely to the Word of God so that he will rebuke and exhort the right people. Unfortunately, when preachers 4

go into error they typically begin making excuses for the unfaithful and rebuking those who want to remain faithful. The word of God must not be toned down; the sinner must be convicted if that person is going to be saved. The above verse offers a rebuke to those today who want to remove the sting from preaching for the sinner.

4:2 “With great patience”: “Every possible exhibition of longsuffering” (Vincent p. 320). “His work must be characterized by an attitude of the utmost longsuffering and self-restraint, resisting every temptation to impatient anger at the obstinacy and perverseness of those being dealt with” (Hiebert p. 105). The preacher must be patient! Patient with people who are slow to learn with and many other problems (2 Timothy 2:24). “And instruction”: Even when he rebukes or exhorts he must do so with sound doctrine. “Evil and falsehood are less effectually dispelled by controversy than by the presentation of the good and the true” (Bernard). “The preacher will not always see immediate results, but he goes right on teaching” (Reese p. 521).

4:3 “For”: The reason and urgency for the previous instruction. “The time will come”: The following is certain to happen. Paul is not overreacting here and neither does the Bible warn us about unreal or imaginative threats. There will be many times when Timothy will need to apply the previous verse. “Timothy will shortly have to deal with the difficulties this verse describes” (Reese p. 521). This verse also infers that these problems will arise in Timothy’s lifetime. “When they”: In this context, specifically the term “they” refers to members of the church, professing Christians. This is talking about an apostasy happening in the church (Acts 20:28ff). “Not endure”: To bear with, to listen to, in the sense of hear or listen to willingly, put up with. “Sound doctrine”: The term “sound” refers to healthy teaching, the truth, the word of God (2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Timothy 1:10; 6:3; 2 Timothy 1:13; Titus 1:9,13; 2:1-2).

5

4:3 “But wanting to have their ears tickled”: “The time comes when the preacher will find that his audience just wants to have their ears scratched. They do not want the preacher suggesting any changes they should be making in their lives, or any duties they should be pursuing” (Reese pp. 521-522). When people become hardened they look for teachers who will satisfy their own desires, rather than for teachers who will teach God’s word faithfully. Often these same people try to cover their motives by claiming that they simply are seeing Scripture differently and that they still want to follow God but they simply have another interpretation. Very few people in the above group will admit that they have actually have itching ears. Compare with Isaiah 30:10.

“This points to that incessant, unsatisfied craving for the new and the novel which dominates them. They yearn for pleasurable excitement by having their ears tickled by the latest fancies and speculations or ‘scholarship’. Hardly has the latest novelty been toyed with, that it is cast aside stale and frayed, and newer is sought” (Hiebert p. 106).

Today we see an unending parable of supposed “advanced” insights and professed discoveries by false teachers.

4:3 “They will accumulate”: “The verb accumulate is a contemptuous word implying the indiscriminate multiplication of such teachers” (Reese p. 522). “The demand creates the supply. The hearers invite and shape their own preachers. If the people desire a calf to worship, a calfmaker is readily found” (Vincent p. 321). They will not have a difficult time finding teachers who will satisfy their desires!

4:3 “In accordance to their own desires”: Compare with Hosea 4:8. Yet Timothy cannot get discouraged, he must continue to preach. This is a major reason that people listen to false doctrine, they like what is says about them. Error, as well as other sins, is rooted in selfishness. Please note again that the people who are turning away from the truth in this section are Christians. The Christian can fall away.

6

4:4 “And will turn away their ears from the truth”: Which is the word of God in verse 4:2 (John 17:17). The same message is the gospel, the word of God, sound teaching, and the truth. “And will turn aside to myths”: The term “myth” means a fiction, fable, invention, or falsehood, that which does not agree with the word of God is fiction.

We see the same contrast between truth and myth in 1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7; Titus 1:14. When the truth is rejected the human mind does create a substitute. Everyone worships or serves something or someone.

Everyone does have a religion, a faith, and a belief. Reese notes, “One cannot help but observe that America, having turned away from the truth of God, finds her popular literature and media filled with ‘myths’, such as Ufology (with flying saucers and space aliens having crashed at Roswell, New Mexico, and emphasis on ‘intelligent masters’ who would like to impart their advanced knowledge to our civilization” (p. 523). A sure fire way to end up believing myths is to allow your own desires to direct what you want to listen to, only listen to what sounds good to you, and spend little time in listening to what the Bible says.

4:5 “But you”: The Christian must travel a different road than the world.

This also reveals that man does have a choice. “Be sober”: To be calm, collected in spirit, circumspect, well balanced, self-controlled, clear, calm, steady and have moderation in all things. “The present tense denotes this as his standing duty, he must continue to do so. He must keep his mind and actions free from that mental and spiritual intoxication experienced by those with morbid cravings for that which is sensational and novel” (Hiebert p. 108). This would include the fact that Timothy must keep his head on straight and avoid things that would dull his thinking. He must resist the temptation to become the wrong kind of “popular” preacher. The same term “sober” is also found in the following passages (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; 5:8).

7

4:5 “Endure hardship”: Means to bear hardship patiently, which is a constant theme in this letter (1:8; 2:3; 2:9). In the context, “hardship” can tempt people to abandon the truth. Timothy will experience hardship in preaching the truth, but he must not allow such suffering to move him to compromise God’s word or to cloud his own thinking. “Do the work of an evangelist”: The term evangelist means a bringer of good tidings, a messenger of good and is also found in Acts 21:8 and Ephesians 4:11. There is a definite “work” for an evangelist and in this context that includes preaching the word (4:2). In spite of all the difficulties and hardships Timothy must not lose sight of his primary mission, to spread the good news.

4:5 “Fulfill”: To bear or bring full, to make full, to fully perform, to carry through to the end and accomplish. “Your ministry”: Which means service. Timothy’s area of service or ministry is to preach the word.

“He must carry it out to its end, complete all its demands and requirements” (Hiebert p. 108). Note that the term “ministry” simply means “service” and every Christian has an area of service to perform (Romans 12:9ff; 1 Peter 4:11). The term speaks to Christian work in general and does have reference to what people today call “the ministry”.

4:6 “For”: Timothy needs to continue to labor because Paul is reaching a point where he will not be able to do any more work. “It was because Paul could no longer minister and travel as he once did that Timothy would have to carry on” (Reese p. 525). “I am already being poured out as a drink offering”: The drink offering was a cup of wine, commonly poured on the sacrificial victim at the conclusion of the sacrifice. Paul viewed his entire life as a sacrifice he was offering to God (Romans 12:1-2). “Paul had dedicated every part of his being, his money, his scholarship, his energies, his mind, his service to the Lord” (Reese p. 525). In his first imprisonment he spoke of the possibility of this happening (Philippians 2:17 “if I am poured out”), now there is no 8

longer any “if”. “Already”: The process had already begun, that is his trial, and the final outcome was no longer in doubt. “Paul does not speak of it by the grim term of death but rather pictures it as an offering” (Hiebert p. 109). The expression, “being poured out” is a passive voice verb, indicating that others were taking Paul’s life from him.

4:6 “And the time of my departure has come”: That a beautiful word for death, “departure”. The same word was used for a ship about to weigh anchor and sail away, a soldier preparing to strike camp and move on and unyoking an animal from the tongue of the cart or the plow. “Death to Paul was rest from toil” (Reese p. 526). For the Christian death is simply nothing more than a departure to a far better life (Philippians 1:21,23), it is not the end, rather it is setting out for new lands and a new adventure. “Has come”: Is imminent. “His language is ample proof of how little he feared the approach of the hour of death” (Hiebert p. 110).

4:7 “I have fought the good fight”: Notice that the Christian can have confidence in their salvation; a Christian can know whether or not they are serving God faithfully. The term fought means to contend, struggle and is found in many other passages (1 Corinthians 9:25; Colossians 1:29; 4:12; 1 Timothy 6:12). Serving God and sharing the gospel with others is the “good fight” that is, the fight worth fighting. “His entire life as an apostle has been a ceaseless, strenuous conflict with Satan and his minions, with evil men and with forces of spiritual wickedness.

In contrast to the struggles in the games, this has indeed been a ‘good’, a noble, grand contest, the grandest contest in which man can engage” (Hiebert pp. 110-111). “I have finished the course”: Denotes a course of occupation (Acts 20:24). The “course” that had been given to Paul by God had been finished. Compare with Philippians 3:13-14, Hebrews 12:1. “His service for God was at an end. Paul’s ambition was to 9

complete his course with no regrets. He wanted to end as well as he had begun and now he had done so” (Kent p. 297).

4:7 “I have kept the faith”: He had guarded and thus preserved intact the gospel message that had been entrusted to him. In spite of opposition, fickle listeners, and false teachers, a Christian can keep the faith! Notice the expression I have, no one could keep the faith for him.

The term “keep” means to watch over, preserve, and the word “faith” refers to that which is believed, the body of faith, the sound doctrine (Jude 3). “Amid the countless dangers encountered from active foes and false friends he has unflinchingly held to that Gospel and has guarded it against perversion or adulteration. Now he is ready to render account to Him who entrusted it to him” (Hiebert p. 111).

4:8 “In the future”: There is a glorious future for the faithful Christian!

“There is laid up for me”: That is awaiting and reserved (1 Peter 1:4; Colossians 1:5). “The crown of righteousness”: The reward for being righteous, the crown that consists of being eternally right with God and is elsewhere referred to as the crown of life (James 1:12); the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4) and an incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:25).

“Which the Lord”: That is, Jesus (Acts 17:30-31; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

“The righteous Judge”: That judge that is impartial and fair in all His decisions. This judge will make no mistakes and commit no injustice.

“Will award to me on that day”: That is, the final day of judgment (Matthew 25:31; 2 Timothy 1:12,18). “And not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing”: Paul is eager to share this blessing with others as well. “The perfect tense ‘have loved’ denotes their habitual love and desire for His appearing. Of all the indications that one loves the Lord, this earnest longing for His return is one of the best…Paul’s words clearly exclude all those for whom the second coming of the Lord is a source of terror. Do we merely give assent to the doctrinal truth of His imminent return, or do we show by our daily life that we love, yearn for, and await His appearing?” (Hiebert p. 113).

10

The term appearing can refer to either the second coming or to Jesus’ first coming (2 Timothy 1:10). Do we love the fact that Jesus appeared on this earth to die for our sins or do we view God’s intervention into this world as an unwelcome event?

11