2 Timothy 4:6-22 Leader Guide

2 Timothy 4:6–8 ESV

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth 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.

V5, As for you, now in verse 6, For I, this is an intentional contrast. Why? Passing of the torch?? I’m done, it’s time for you??I am already being poured out, a figure of speech, meaning what? A drink offering poured out was a form of sacrifice, to God, implying of his impending death. This was the final form of sacrifice in the OT system, implying that Paul’s death was his final offering. His life was a sacrifice offering and now finally fully in his death. And the time of my departure has come. Clearly from this world. But the word translated departure (analysis in Greek) triumphantly expresses the apostle’s view of the end; it is a ‘loosing, e.g. of a vessel from its moorings or of a soldier striking his tent’ (Abbott-Smith). What might seem the end to Timothy appears to the apostle as a glorious new era when he will be released from all his present restrictions. The noun is used nowhere else in the New Testament, but the cognate verb is used by Paul in the same sense in .V7, here now comes a list. Paul has; fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, all in the perfect tense indicating finality in action but continuing in results. fought the good fight, the fight is over, in the sense of the soldier in chapter 2, Paul was devoted to his commanding officer, eyes on the battle, executed orders, stayed in the battle and struggle, doesn’t say he won the fight, it’s not a competition for him because Jesus has already won the fight, just that he fought the fight that God gave him to fight, he finished the fight. finished the race, the race is over, in the sense of the athlete in chapter 2, he trained, was focused, competed with all he had, and finished the set course, the race is over, he doesn’t say he won the race, not a competition, he ran the race God gave him, and he stayed the course and completed it. kept the faith, in the sense of a farmer? he never lost hope, never lost belief, God would do His part, even the “failures” were good bc by God. He cultivated soil, planted seeds, nurtured growth, produced a harvest. He did his part and God did His, he kept the faith. Maybe also as a guardian of what was entrusted to him, faith and the gospel. All three of these metaphors rely on faith, first in your commanding officer and your oath to serve, secondly in the rules given by the man in charge and your commitment to abide by them, lastly in God to do only what He is capable of doing. Also, in the guarding the deposit language and the entrusting of faith and the good deposit, Paul has done it, he hasn’t lost faith and he’s entrusted it to faithful men. V8, Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, the award is waiting in heaven for Paul, it’s there, Paul isn’t yet. He has accomplished verse 7, now 8 looks to the near future. The crown is his award for his honorable service rendered. Crown of righteousness-the crown of the righteous, for the righteous, we aren’t awarded righteousness for what we do or have done, we are righteous and therefore awarded. The indication here is that this glorification, is the final form of righteousness to be attained, 3 aspects of salvation, Justification, Sanctification, Glorification. Justification-Salvation past, getting Christ’s imputed righteousness, His holy and perfect record and all the good He did, and losing our imperfect record. Also, getting Christ’s righteousness within us, imparted to us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Legal term, not guilty, just as if I’d never sinned and also done all things right, this is a crown of righteousness awarded upon placing faith and lordship in Jesus. It’s a gift of God. , Sanctification-Salvation past and present, declared holy once and for all, you have been sanctified, awarded to us in the part of Christ’s righteousness imparted to us, but also the process of becoming what God has already declared us to be. This is ongoing until we leave this earth, in the process of sanctification, ongoing. , , , Glorification-Salvation past and future. Once placed faith in Jesus we are now seated with Him in the heavenlies, but not really and fully until we depart from this earth to be with Him in heaven. This is the final crown of righteousness awarded to us as we finally finish sanctification and are transformed into the likeness of Jesus. , , :6Not only to me but to all who loved His appearing, the lost will fear His appearing because it means judgement, but the saved will long for it, for it means life eternal and rewards for all who believe.

V5, As for you, now in verse 6, For I, this is an intentional contrast.

Why is Paul shifting to himself in verse 5?

Passing of the torch?? I’m done, it’s time for you??

I am already being poured out, a figure of speech, meaning what? A drink offering poured out was a form of sacrifice, to God, implying of his impending death. This was the final form of sacrifice in the OT system, implying that Paul’s death was his final offering. His life was a sacrifice offering and now finally fully in his death.

And the time of my departure has come. Clearly from this world. But the word translated departure (analysis in Greek) triumphantly expresses the apostle’s view of the end; it is a ‘loosing, e.g. of a vessel from its moorings or of a soldier striking his tent’ (Abbott-Smith). What might seem the end to Timothy appears to the apostle as a glorious new era when he will be released from all his present restrictions. The noun is used nowhere else in the New Testament, but the cognate verb is used by Paul in the same sense in

Do we view our death as a departure?

V7, here now comes a list.

Paul has; fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, all in the perfect tense indicating finality in action but continuing in results.

fought the good fight, the fight is over, in the sense of the soldier in chapter 2, Paul was devoted to his commanding officer, eyes on the battle, executed orders, stayed in the battle and struggle, doesn’t say he won the fight, it’s not a competition for him because Jesus has already won the fight, just that he fought the fight that God gave him to fight, he finished the fight.

finished the race, the race is over, in the sense of the athlete in chapter 2, he trained, was focused, competed with all he had, and finished the set course, the race is over, he doesn’t say he won the race, not a competition, he ran the race God gave him, and he stayed the course and completed it.

kept the faith, in the sense of a farmer? he never lost hope, never lost belief, God would do His part, even the “failures” were good bc by God. He cultivated soil, planted seeds, nurtured growth, produced a harvest. He did his part and God did His, he kept the faith. Maybe also as a guardian of what was entrusted to him, faith and the gospel.

All three of these metaphors rely on faith, first in your commanding officer and your oath to serve, secondly in the rules given by the man in charge and your commitment to abide by them, lastly in God to do only what He is capable of doing. Also, in the guarding the deposit language and the entrusting of faith and the good deposit, Paul has done it, he hasn’t lost faith and he’s entrusted it to faithful men.

We are no different than Paul, we have a fight, a race, and a faith, are we doing what God has set before us?

V8, Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, the award is waiting in heaven for Paul, it’s there, Paul isn’t yet. He has accomplished verse 7, now 8 looks to the near future. The crown is his award for his honorable service rendered.

Crown of righteousness-the crown of the righteous, for the righteous, we aren’t awarded righteousness for what we do or have done, we are righteous and therefore awarded. The indication here is that this glorification, is the final form of righteousness to be attained, 3 aspects of salvation, Justification, Sanctification, Glorification.

Justification-Salvation past, getting Christ’s imputed righteousness, His holy and perfect record and all the good He did, and losing our imperfect record. Also, getting Christ’s righteousness within us, imparted to us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Legal term, not guilty, just as if I’d never sinned and also done all things right, this is a crown of righteousness awarded upon placing faith and lordship in Jesus. It’s a gift of God. ,

Sanctification-Salvation past and present, declared holy once and for all, you have been sanctified, awarded to us in the part of Christ’s righteousness imparted to us, but also the process of becoming what God has already declared us to be. This is ongoing until we leave this earth, in the process of sanctification, ongoing. , , ,

Glorification-Salvation past and future. Once placed faith in Jesus we are now seated with Him in the heavenlies, but not really and fully until we depart from this earth to be with Him in heaven. This is the final crown of righteousness awarded to us as we finally finish sanctification and are transformed into the likeness of Jesus. , ,

Not only to me but to all who loved His appearing, the lost will fear His appearing because it means judgement, but the saved will long for it, for it means life eternal and rewards for all who believe.

9-16 Final Arrangements

Do your best to come to me soon, echo’s back to 1:4 and 4:6. Info on certain people:

For Demas has loved this world and deserted (forsake, abandon in a dire situation) me and gone to Thessalonica (possibly a safe haven), personal offense by Demas, Paul is hurt by this. mentions Demas as a close associate of Paul, but maybe by this time, he’s had enough of beatings and prison sentences.

In love with this present world (, ) could be an indication he’s defected from the faith, left the struggle, left the persecution, maybe he hasn’t completely left the faith, but he has definitely left Paul. It’s a dangerous game to decide completely if someone is or isn’t a believer. But there is a clear contrast to V8.

Crescens to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia, both seem to have been sent for ministry purposes, not abandoned Paul.

Luke () alone is with Paul, the writer of the gospel of Luke and Acts and Acts ends with Paul in Rome and seemingly free to preach and teach, and not near death. Maybe Luke sent off his letter of Acts as Paul was imprisoned the first time, and we don’t have the continuation of the story that ends here.

Mark or John Mark, author of the gospel of Mark, cousin of Barnabas (), missionary companion of Paul and Barnabas.

Tychicus, a messenger of Paul’s and deliverer of letters (, , ?) and possibly one who covers ministry while Timothy or Titus would leave. Bring my heavy cloak, doubles as a blanket,

Carpus?, documents, maybe legal papers.

Alexander, did great harm to Paul, opposed Paul’s message, see and could be same man?? Alexander is an opposer of the gospel.

2 Timothy 4:16–18 ESV

At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:16-18

Paul finishes, this section with verses not meant as a guilt trip, but rather reveal his godly character and belief and hope. Even though Paul was deserted and alone, Jesus was with him, He rescued Him, and will do so again. Paul does not mean he will be spared death, but even in death he has already been rescued from the ultimate death, separation from God for all eternity. He knows confidently that his last breath here on earth means shortly after his first breath in the presence of Jesus, and to him be all the glory and honor.