2 Timothy 1

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 1)

As you may recall, Paul endured two periods of imprisonment.…

The Book of Acts closes with Paul under house arrest in Rome. Although he was linked to a guard at all times, he lived in his own quarters and was able to have visitors. After his release from house arrest, Paul embarked on yet another missionary journey, probably into Spain. Upon his return to Rome, he was arrested a second time. This time, however, Paul was put in a dark, damp dungeon. Why? The reason most probably lies with the then-emperor of Rome—Caesar Nero.…

2 Timothy (1. A Letter from Paul (1))

ii. One can go to Rome today and see the place where they say Paul was imprisoned. It is really just a cold dungeon, a cave in the ground, with bare walls and a little hole in the ceiling where food was dropped down. No windows, just a cold, little cell that would have been especially uncomfortable in winter.

iii. Paul wrote this letter from his second Roman imprisonment, and he would be soon after the writing be condemned and executed in Rome at the command of Nero. Paul sensed this; therefore 2 Timothy is not only the last letter we have from Paul, there is a note of urgency and passion we might expect from a man who knew he would soon be executed.

According to historical evidence, such a megalomaniac was Caesar Nero that he desired to burn Rome in order to rebuild it and become known as the supreme architect of a rebuilt Rome. Thus, the majority of historians believe that Caesar Nero was the one who set the fire that did, indeed, burn the city in A.D. 64. Needing a scapegoat for the fire, Nero chose to blame Christians. “These Christians are always talking about being the light of the world,” he said, “but really they’re nothing but a bunch of arsonists and cannibals”—referring to Communion. Eventually, Caesar Nero would ride through his palace grounds, shrieking with glee, as he watched Christians lit as human torches.

Why did Nero descend to such depths of insanity? Historical evidence points to the fact that Nero went insane after he had a discussion with Paul the apostle. Church history indicates that Paul was indeed brought into a discussion with Nero before he was beheaded. Thus, it was at the point that Nero rejected the gospel that he seemingly lost his mind.

Awaiting trial before Caesar Nero, Paul picks up his pen for the last time.…

2 Timothy 1:1–2 Timothy 2 (NLT)

1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.

Awaiting trial before Caesar Nero, Paul picks up his pen for the last time.…

I love this opening salutation. Knowing he’s probably only days away from his death, Paul talks about life. What kind of life? Eternal life. He’s ready to pull up stakes and move on. He’s not downcast or depressed because he sees the bigger picture—the promise of life.

If you believe in Jesus, I have good news for you: You’re never going to die. You’re just going to “move” on to heaven. God is so good to allow these tents we inhabit to fall apart through the aging process because, in so doing, He’s getting us ready to move into the fabulous home He is preparing for us, and for the new bodies He will give us that are designed for eternity, custom-made for the cosmos.

2I am writing to Timothy, my dear son. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

In his usual fashion, Paul uses the traditional Greek greeting of charis, or “grace,” coupled with the traditional Hebrew greeting of shalom, or “peace.” But he wisely adds mercy as he thinks of the vulnerabilities of young Timothy.

As noted in 1 Timothy, it seems Paul led Timothy to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ during his first missionary journey. On his second journey, Paul again encountered Timothy, and this time invited Timothy to travel with him.

I like that! We need to include younger people on the journey we’re on, in the ministry to which we’re called. Whatever might be your calling, say, “Lord, show me those who I can bring alongside me to travel with me”—and then begin to entrust to them an even greater degree of ministry. I’m so thankful there were people in my life who took chances with me when I was young.

But what if the younger Christians mess up? Sometimes they will, but, as Solomon said, “Although an empty stable stays clean, an empty stable brings no profits” (see Proverbs 14:4). We need to make way for those who are younger because along with the potential for an occasional mess in the stable, there is about them a vitality and an ability to relate sometimes lacking in those of us who are older. Paul took a chance on Timothy—and Timothy profited Paul greatly.

3Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

No doubt unable to sleep well in a dungeon, what did Paul do? Grumble? No. Complain? No. He saw his prison as a place of prayer.

Perhaps you feel imprisoned by past decisions. “I can’t believe I married him. The Lord could have used me on the mission field. I could have done great things for the kingdom. But here I am, stuck washing his underwear and socks.” What can you do? Do what Paul did. Use the opportunity of folding laundry to pray night and day, for that’s the most powerful ministry there is.

If you’re stuck in a boring job or difficult relationship, don’t try to find a way out. Instead, say, “The dungeon I’m in gives me opportunity to do what I might never have done were I in another place or another ministry: I can pray night and day.” Eternity will reward those who, because they are in seeming dungeons on earth, lift themselves and others up in prayer to the very gates of heaven.

Wouldn’t you love to have Paul praying for you night and day? But wait. Jesus Christ Himself is at the right hand of the Father, praying for you and me even now (Hebrews 7:25). And unlike me, unlike Paul, He never grows weary in prayer (Psalm 121:3). Oh, to truly believe and firmly embrace the fact that Jesus, our faithful High Priest, is at the right hand of the Father, saying, “Jon needs You desperately. Let’s bless him.”

2 Timothy 1:4

4I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.

One of the few called a “man of God” in the Bible (1 Timothy 6:11), Timothy was, nonetheless, sickly. He fought timidity. And he cried. Thus, he was not necessarily the kind of guy of whom I would have said, “Here’s my man.” But although he was sickly and timid, young and emotional, Paul saw in Timothy one who had a desire to serve the Lord with all his heart, one whose priority was the kingdom.

The Lord delights in using the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things to show up the strong because when He uses people like Timothy—people like you and me—He gets all the glory!

5I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

6This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.

“Your heritage is godly, Timothy. Now, stir up the gift within you,” says Paul. Why do people let their gifts go dormant? I’m convinced it’s because of fear.

• “If I share that word of prophecy—what if people don’t understand?”

• “If I give that utterance in tongues—what if there’s no interpretation?”

• “If I witness on my campus or at my job—what if people think I’m a Holy Joe?”

• “If I lay hands on that sick person and he’s not healed—people will think I’m a failure.”

My experience, however, has shown the opposite to be true. For example, in praying for healing, I’ve seen people healed immediately; I’ve seen people healed later on down the road; I’ve seen people get sicker; I’ve seen people die. But never once in the multiplied hundreds of times that I’ve prayed for Christians and non-Christians alike have I ever heard someone say, “I’m angry that you prayed for me.” People always say, “Thank you,” and mean it.

7For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 1)

This is a great verse to teach your kids at a young age. After all, if they have power, love, and a sound mind—they’re in pretty good shape!

8So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.

9For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 1)

Although we know we’re saved by grace, why is it that we have a tendency to think we can only be blessed through works? Yes, James says faith without works is dead (James 2:20). However, blessing comes neither from faith and works, nor from faith or works, but from faith that works in response to the grace God has already bestowed upon us.

10And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 1)

Where is the grace of God, the love of God, the goodness of God manifested? In Jesus Christ.

“I don’t need to go to church because I just go out into the woods on Sunday and feel really close to God,” some say. Or, “I sense God’s presence most clearly under the blue sky on a golf course.” I don’t doubt there is truth in that, for Psalm 19 says the heavens declare the glory of God, and Romans 1 declares that all of creation testifies of the ingenuity, power, and creativity of the Father. The heavens, trees, mountains, and oceans, indeed, speak of God’s power and creativity. But not of His love and grace.

“I’m going to walk on the beach tonight instead of going to church,” a Floridian might say—unaware that the biggest storm in thirty years is rumbling through the beaches of Pensacola. With winds blowing at one hundred nineteen miles per hour, roofs are blowing off houses and people are getting hurt.

Yes, nature gives witness to the reality of God, but it is a limited witness and can be a confusing message. That’s why pagan cultures tried to appease the god of nature with human sacrifices, hoping that they would not be swallowed up in earthquakes or burned up in lava floes.

The only way to understand the grace and goodness of God is not by going hunting on Sunday, but by remembering what Jesus did on Calvary, opening up the Scriptures with your brothers and sisters corporately, and worshiping Him in unity.

11And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.

12That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

“I’m a preacher,” said Paul, “but I’m also a teacher.” Preaching and teaching are different ministries. Preaching is proclaiming the Good News of the gospel to a world lost and headed for destruction. Teaching, on the other hand, is grounding believers in the full orb of Scripture.

Concerning marriage, Paul simply said, “In light of the times, let those that are married be as though they’re not.” In fact, he went on to say, “Let those that weep be as though they wept not; those that buy, be as though they possessed not” (see 1 Corinthians 7:29, 30). Thus, I find it interesting that the three subjects people most want to deal with in the church are marriage, emotions, and money matters—subjects Paul addressed very lightly.

What did Paul emphasize? The same themes Jesus did. He emphasized the huge, overarching themes of the kingdom—eternity, redemption, justification, sanctification, walking in the Spirit, the nature of the Father. Why does he emphasize those things? Because when they are understood, everything else falls into place (Matthew 6:33).

If I didn’t teach through the Bible, I would have a tendency to choose certain subjects and ride them indefinitely. But as I teach through the Word, I find subjects are addressed in the right proportion at precisely the right time. If you’re in ministry, teach the Bible from cover to cover. Avoid the temptation to talk about the issues people think they want to hear. Be like Paul, a preacher to non-believers, and a teacher of the full orb of Scripture to those who believe.

I know whom I have believed. Circle the word “whom.” Underline it. Meditate on it. Paul doesn’t say, “I know what I believe.” He says, “I know Who I believe.” That’s the key. What gets you through the dark, damp, dungeons of life? Not what you believe. It’s who you believe.

Many people know what they believe doctrinally. They know what they believe theologically. But they don’t know Jesus personally. Others may not be all that familiar with the theology, but they know Jesus intimately—and they’re a joy to be around.

“What” will never see you through dark, damp dungeon days. It will only say, “Wait a minute. This doesn’t figure in to my theology.”

But if you know Who you believe, you’ll join Paul in saying, “Lord, if You have me here in this dungeon, that’s okay with me. After all, when I remember what You did for me on the Cross, how could I not trust You?”

13Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.

14Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

15As you know, everyone from the province of Asia has deserted me—even Phygelus and Hermogenes.

I believe Paul models the principle of specifically identifying false teachers who knowingly and poisonously peddle heresy.

16May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains.

17When he came to Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me.

18May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ’s return. And you know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 1)

In contrast to Phygellus and Hermogenes, Paul writes of Onesiphorus as one who truly cared about him. Interestingly, all of Paul’s allusions to Onesiphorus are in the aorist, or past tense, including a reference at the end of this letter (4:19).[[The aorist is referred here as a past tense, but in one of the earlier books it was spoken of as a continuing tense once when referring to Romans 3:24 “being justified.”. Can they be the same?]] Therefore, we can conclude that Onesiphorus had died, “moved on” to his heavenly home. In this, we are given interesting insight into Paul’s heart for this one to whom he felt uniquely linked at a time when everyone else had abandoned him—a link that transcended the temporary separation that exists between we who are looking forward to the day when we will be in heaven and those who are already there.