2 Timothy 1.3-Paul Encourages Timothy By Telling Him He Repeatedly Remembered Him When Intereceding in Prayer for Him
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday February 4, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 1:3-Paul Encourages Timothy By Telling Him He Repeatedly Remembered Him When Interceding in Prayer for Him
Lesson # 6
2 Timothy 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. (NASB95)
In 2 Timothy 1:3, the apostle Paul is employing the figure of “asyndeton” in order to emphasize his statement in verse 3 which would encourage Timothy in that it was make him aware that Paul appreciated him and was interceding in prayer for him as he was attempting to fulfill his duties in Ephesus.
“I thank God” is composed of the following: (1) accusative feminine singular form of the noun charis (χάρις), “I thank” (2) first person singular present active indicative form of the verb echō (ἒχω), which is not translated. (3) articular dative masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός), “God.”
The verb echō means “to express a particular emotion or characteristic,” which is identified by the noun charis as “gratitude” which refers to Paul’s gratitude or thanksgiving to the Father for Timothy.
The present tense of the verb echō is a customary present signaling an action that regularly occurs indicating that Paul “habitually” or “made it his habit of” expressing his gratitude to the Father for Timothy.
The noun theos refers to the Father which is indicated by the word’s articular construction which in the New Testament commonly signifies the first member of the Trinity unless otherwise indicated by the context.
The noun theos functions as a “dative direct object” emphasizing Paul’s personal relationship with the Father.
“With a clear conscience” is composed of the following: (1) preposition en (ἐν), “with” (2) dative feminine singular form of the adjective katharos (καθαρός), “clear” (3) dative feminine singular form of the noun suneidēsis (συνείδησις), “a conscience.”
The noun suneidēsis means “conscience” and speaks of that aspect of the human soul where the Christian’s norms and standards reside, which are to be based upon the teaching of the Spirit in the Word of God.
The word is the object of the preposition en, which functions as a marker of manner and denotes that a clear conscience was the manner in which Paul served God just as the progenitors of the Jewish race, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The adjective katharos modifies the noun suneidēsis and means “clear” referring to the fact that Paul had confessed his sins to the Father and as a result was experiencing fellowship with God and was filled with the Spirit or more accurately is influenced by means of the Spirit.
It implies that Paul was obedient to the Word of God without guilt meaning he was living his life in accordance with the standards of the Christian faith.
“The way my forefathers did” is composed of the following: (1) preposition apo (ἀπό), which is not translated (2) genitive masculine plural form of the noun progonos (πρόγονος), “the way my forefathers did.”
The adjective progonos is in the plural and means “the progenitors, the forefathers” referring to any ancestor in the direct line of descent and thus, it refers to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who were the progenitors of the Jewish race from which Paul descended.
The word is the object of the preposition apo which expresses source as a pattern of behavior indicating that Paul is telling Timothy that he served God “in the same way” or “as” his Jewish progenitors or forefathers.
“As I constantly remember you” is composed of the following: (1) preposition hōs (ὡς), “as” (2) accusative feminine singular form of the adjective adialeiptos (ἀδιάλειπτος), “constantly” (3) first person singular present active indicative form of the verb echō (ἒχω) (4) accusative feminine singular form of the definite article ho (ὁ) (5) preposition peri (περί) (6) genitive second personal singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “you” (7) accusative feminine singular form of the noun mneia (μνεία), “I remember.”
The conjunction hōs means “when” since it is functioning as a temporal marker indicating when Paul made his habit of expressing his gratitude to the Father for Timothy.
The verb echō means “to bring about” something since it functions as a marker of a causative relation indicating that Paul made it his habit of expressing his gratitude to God the Father when he “brought” Timothy into remembrance during his intercessory prayer requests during the day as well as during the night.
The present tense of the verb echō is a customary present used to signal a regularly occurring action indicating that Paul is informing Timothy that he made it his habit of bringing him into remembrance during his intercessory prayer requests during the day as well as during the night.
The adjective adialeiptos is modifying the verb echō and means “always” since it pertains to doing something at all times or not ceasing from some habitual activity.
This would indicate that Paul is informing Timothy that he “always” made it his habit of bringing him into remembrance during his intercessory prayer requests during the day and night.
The noun mneia does not mean “mention” but rather “remembrance” since it refers to recalling information from memory but without necessarily the implication that a person or persons has been forgotten.
Here it refers to Paul recalling information about Timothy from his memory while offering up prayers of thanksgiving to the Father for him day and night.
“In my prayers night and day” is composed of the following: (1) preposition en (ἐν), “in” (9) articular dative feminine plural form of the noun deesis (δέησις), “prayers” (10) genitive first person singular form of the possessive personal pronoun egō (ἐγώ), “my” (11) genitive feminine singular form of the noun nux (νύξ), “night” (12) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (13) genitive feminine singular form of the noun hemera (ἡμέρα), “day.”
The noun deesis is in the plural and means “intercessory prayer requests” referring to Paul offering up to the Father intercessory prayer requests on behalf of Timothy.
This noun is also the object of the preposition en which means “during” since it functions as a marker of a period of time indicating that Paul remembered Timothy and expressed his gratitude to the Father for him “during” his specific intercessory prayer requests for him.
Second Timothy 1:3 I make it my habit of expressing gratitude to God (the Father), whom I make it a habit of serving with a clear conscience as the forefathers, when I always make it my habit of bringing you into remembrance during my intercessory prayer requests during the day as well as during the night. (My translation)
Paul informs Timothy that he made it his habit of expressing his gratitude to God for him when he always made it his habit of bringing him into remembrance during his intercessory prayers during the day and night.
This was to encourage his young disciple, delegate and close friend.
Paul is following the protocol for prayer set by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
First and foremost in God’s protocol for prayer, the believer-priest must address God the Father in prayer (John 14:13-14; 16:23-27; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18; 3:14; 5:20; Col 1:3, 12; 3:17; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 1:6).
The apostle Paul taught the churches, throughout the Roman Empire, to address the Father in prayer (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; 3:14; Col 1:3; 1:12).
Second Timothy 1:3 also presents the apostle Paul employing one of the most important aspects of the Christian way of life, namely that of expressing thanksgiving to God.
Thanksgiving to God is the response in the believer’s soul, which expresses itself in love and appreciation for who and what God is and what He has done for the believer through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6).
In Second Timothy 1:3, Paul tells Timothy that he was always making it his habit of bringing him into remembrance during his intercessory prayer requests during the day and night.
This is simply expressing the apostle’s devotion to Timothy and to intercessory prayer and also expresses the fact that Paul was committed to Timothy and concerned about him and so was God.
Paul did not continually pray for Timothy every moment of the day but rather when the apostle prayed, he always remembered Timothy and thanked God for him and interceded in prayer for him.
In Second Timothy 1:3, we see Paul describing himself as serving the Father with a clear conscience which means that he was living in agreement with the norms and standards of the Christian faith.
It means that he was characterized as adhering to the standards of the gospel, i.e. sound doctrine so that his conduct was characterized as reflecting the standards of the gospel.
In Second Timothy 1:3 the apostle tells Timothy that he served God with a clear conscience “as the forefathers” which means that he followed the example of Old Testament saints from the nation of Israel such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David.
Second Timothy 1:3 also reveals that Paul was dedicated and devoted to intercessory prayer since he tells Timothy that he was always making it his habit of bringing him into remembrance during his intercessory prayer requests during the day and night.
Intercessory prayer refers to praying for both the temporal and spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers, friends and enemies (Luke 23:34; Eph 1:16-23; 3:14-19; 6:18; 1 Ti 2:1-4).
In Second Timothy 1:3, the apostle Paul does not identify specifically what he prayed for in regards to Timothy.
However the rest of the epistle indicates that he was interceding in prayer for him in order that he would be able to fulfill his responsibilities in Ephesus.
He was praying that he would receive strength and wisdom and remain faithful in carrying out his duties in Ephesus.