Exposition on 2 Timothy

Contents

1. 0Pelagius's argument: imprisoned at Rome, Paul urges Timothy not to fear or be ashamed and to avoid heretics.
2. 1.1Paul is an apostle by God's will, not his merit.
3. 1.2Paul greets his dearest son with the blessings of Father and Christ.
4. 1.3Paul gives thanks and reminds Timothy that God gave a spirit of power, love, and sobriety, not fear.
5. 1.8Timothy must not be ashamed of Christ or of Paul's chains but share in the gospel's labour.
6. 1.9God freely purposed to save us through Christ, in his foreknowledge before the ages.
7. 1.10Christ destroyed sin and death by teaching and example, showing the way to life without compelling anyone.
8. 1.11Compared with Christ, no one is truly a teacher.
9. 1.12Paul suffers unashamed for Christ, sure that God will guard what is entrusted.
10. 1.13Timothy must live and teach by the pattern of faith and love he received.
11. 1.14Timothy must guard the deposit, since many in Asia have deserted Paul.
12. 1.16Paul praises loyal Onesiphorus to encourage good example.
13. 1.17Lemma of 2 Tim 1:17.
14. 1.18Onesiphorus found Paul because he sought earnestly; careless seekers do not find.
15. 2.1Lemma of 2 Tim 2:1.
16. 2.2Timothy must hand on the teaching to faithful men who can teach others.
17. 2.3Christians are soldiers fighting real enemies.
18. 2.4Like soldiers, Christians must keep free of worldly business to please Christ.
19. 2.6Only those who strive fully are crowned; the teacher may live from the people's first fruits.
20. 2.7Paul spoke in comparisons because of those looking for occasions against him.
21. 2.8Christ's resurrection in the flesh refutes those who deny the resurrection or his coming in the flesh.
22. 2.9Paul is chained, but God's word is not.
23. 2.10Paul stays alive for the elect; only those who die to vice with Christ will live with him.
24. 2.12Endurance leads to reigning with Christ; denial leads to being denied.
25. 2.13God keeps his word whether we believe or not, since truth cannot deny itself.
26. 2.14Timothy must avoid disputes without Scripture and confirm his teaching by example.
27. 2.16Heretics who deny the resurrection remove the fear of judgment and lead to every crime.
28. 2.17Heresy spreads like a cancer, so conversation with heretics must be avoided.
29. 2.18Hymenaeus and Philetus said the resurrection was past, perhaps reading Ezekiel's bones as the return from exile.
30. 2.19Those grounded in faith stand firm, as those who left Dathan and Abiram were spared.
31. 2.20The "great house" is the world, not the spotless church, which cannot contain those who deny the resurrection.
32. 2.21Separating from heretics leads to belief in judgment and to good works.
33. 2.22Youthful desires belong to any who lack gravity; Timothy must pursue virtue with those who truly call on the Lord.
34. 2.23Questions not governed by the law's discipline are foolish.
35. 2.24The Lord's servant must imitate Christ's gentleness toward all.
36. 2.25Opponents must be taught patiently, in hope that God gives them repentance.
37. 2.26Gentle correction may bring heretics to repentance, against the Novatians who deny pardon.
38. 3.1Worsening times in the last days should not surprise Timothy.
39. 3.2In the last days people will be self-loving, greedy, proud, and ungrateful.
40. 3.3The list of last-days vices continues.
41. 3.4Such people love pleasure more than God and have only the appearance of godliness.
42. 3.6False teachers capture sin-laden souls by promising impunity.
43. 3.7Those who chase conflicting traditions never reach the truth.
44. 3.8Heretics resist the truth as Pharaoh's magicians resisted Moses, who taught the truth, against the critics of the Old Testament.
45. 3.9These false teachers will soon be exposed, as the magicians confessed the finger of God.
46. 3.10Timothy knows Paul's life and sufferings, from which the Lord delivered him.
47. 3.12All who live godly suffer persecution; those who suffer nothing should fear.
48. 3.13Flatterers and heretics will grow worse, deceiving and deceived.
49. 3.14Timothy must continue in what God taught him through Paul.
50. 3.15The Scriptures instruct for salvation, but only with faith in Christ.
51. 3.16All inspired Scripture, the law included, teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains in righteousness.
52. 3.17The law was given so that we may do just things justly.
53. 4.1Paul adjures Timothy by Christ the judge of living and dead.
54. 4.2Timothy must preach always, correcting with patience and according to the law.
55. 4.3People will seek teachers who let them sin in comfort.
56. 4.4They will prefer reasonings that God will not punish over the law that condemns vice.
57. 4.5Timothy must fulfil his episcopal ministry, confirming his word by deeds.
58. 4.6Paul calls his coming death a sacrifice, to encourage Timothy toward martyrdom.
59. 4.7At life's end Paul has kept faith with his office.
60. 4.8The crown is owed not to persons but to labour, and awaits all who love Christ's coming.
61. 4.9Lemma of 2 Tim 4:9.
62. 4.10Demas, loving the world, left Paul, who did not.
63. 4.11Lemma of 2 Tim 4:11.
64. 4.12The ministry for which Mark is useful is of the word or of any need.
65. 4.13The cloak was perhaps a convert's gift laid at Paul's feet to be sold.
66. 4.14Alexander, who resisted God's words, must answer to God.
67. 4.15Timothy must beware of Alexander.
68. 4.16All deserted Paul at his first defence.
69. 4.17The Lord stood by Paul so that the gospel might reach all nations.
70. 4.18The Lord who rescues Paul now will bring him into his kingdom.
71. 4.19Lemma of 2 Tim 4:19, bracketed by Souter.
72. 4.20Lemma of 2 Tim 4:20.
73. 4.21Paul's not healing Trophimus shows that the apostles' healings were signs, not merely cures.
74. 4.22Paul's closing blessing is on Timothy's spirit.