2 Timothy 2.4-Paul Uses Military Metaphor to Emphasize with Timothy He Must Remain Dedicated and Devoted to Pleasing the Lord
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday April 1, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 2:4-Paul Uses Military Metaphor to Emphasize with Timothy He Must Remain Dedicated and Devoted to Pleasing the Lord
Lesson # 28
2 Timothy 2:4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (NASB95)
Once again, the apostle Paul employs the figure of “asyndeton” in order to stress with Timothy the need for him to keep himself free from distractions in order that he might remain faithful to his apostolic teaching and execute the Father’s will for his life.
“No soldier in active service” is composed of the following: (1) nominative masculine singular form of the adjective oudeis (οὐδείς), “no” (2) nominative masculine singular present middle participle form of the verb strateuomai (στρατεύομαι), “solider in active service.”
The adjective oudeis functions as a substantive as a negative reference to an entity, which in context are human beings and means “absolutely no one.”
Here it is used of soldiers serving the military and is emphatically negating the idea that any soldier engaged in military service entangling himself in the affairs of civilian life.
The verb strateuomai is also used by Paul in a metaphorical or figurative sense but this time it is not used in reference to spiritual combat with the kingdom of darkness but rather it is used in a metaphor of a soldier in the natural realm.
Thus the word means “to engage in military activity as a soldier, to serve in the military.”
Therefore, this verb here in Second Timothy 2:4 indicates that Paul is reminding Timothy that no soldier “engaged in military activity as a soldier” or “serving in the military” entangles himself in the affairs of civilian life.
The middle voice of this verb is a direct middle meaning the subject acts on himself or herself.
This would indicate that Paul is saying to Timothy that absolutely no one “who has chosen for himself” to serve in the military becomes involved in the affairs of civilian life.
“Entangles himself” is the third person singular present passive indicative form of the verb emplekomai (ἐμπλέκομαι), which means “to become involved in some activity so as to experience distraction or severe restrictions as to what one can do, to become involved in some activity to the point of interference with some other activity.”
Here in Second Timothy 2:4, the verb emplekomai is used in a military metaphor by the apostle Paul and is used of a soldier in the natural realm.
The word speaks of a soldier becoming involved in some activity to the point that this activity interferes with his military service.
The present tense of the verb is a futuristic present used to describe an event that is wholly subsequent to the time of speaking, although as if it were present.
Here it emphasizes the certainty that absolutely no one serving in the military would become involved in the affairs of civilian life to the point where it interferes with their military service.
The present tense can also be interpreted as a gnomic present which is used to make a statement of a general, timeless fact and says that something does happen.
Here it would indicate that absolutely no one serving in the military does, as a general timeless fact become involved in the affairs of civilian life to the point where it interferes with their military service.
The gnomic present is expresses the axiom related to military service.
The passive voice is a causative or permissive passive which indicates that absolutely no one serving in the military does as a certainty “allow themselves” to become involved in the affairs of civilian life to the point where it interferes with their military service.
“In the affairs of everyday life” is composed of the following: (1) dative feminine plural form of the definite article ho (ὁ), “the” (2) articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun bios (βίος), “life” (3) dative feminine plural form of the noun pragmateia (πραγματεία), “affairs.”
The noun bios means “life” and refers to daily human existence and since it is used in a military metaphor, the word refers to the activities and affairs and daily functions of everyday civilian life.
The noun pragmateia means “activities, pursuits” since it pertains to activities involved in one’s behavior or conduct and here it is found in a military metaphor and refers to the “activities” or “affairs” of civilian life.
“So that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier” presents the purpose of a soldier not becoming involved in those activities which are a part of civilian life.
Second Timothy 2:4 Certainly, absolutely no one who has chosen for himself to serve in the military does become involved in those activities which are a part of civilian life in order that he would please his commanding officer. (My translation)
In Second Timothy 2:3, Paul employed a military metaphor and he continues this metaphor here in verse 4.
In verse 3, the apostle solemnly charges Timothy to accept his share of suffering as an excellent solider of the Christ who is Jesus.
Now, here in verse 4, he teaches in emphatic terms that absolutely no one who has chosen for himself to serve in the military does become involved in those activities which are a part of civilian life in order that he would please his commanding officer who recruited him.
The point would be clear to Timothy, namely he is to keep himself free from distractions in order that he would please his commanding officer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He must not permit himself to be distracted from fulfilling his responsibilities to study, teach, pray and exemplify godliness.
An excellent soldier is totally and completely devoted to fulfilling his duties as a soldier and thus pleasing his commanding officer.
In the same way, Paul is reminding Timothy that he must be totally and completely dedicated and devoted to fulfilling his duties to his commanding officer, the Lord Jesus Christ and to whom he must give an account of his service at the Bema Seat.
Now, we must balance this, the apostle is not telling Timothy that he must devote every single moment of every single day to studying and teaching the Word of God to the exclusion of fulfilling any responsibilities such as a job of some sort.
Rather, he means that Timothy should never let other responsibilities distract him from fulfilling his primary responsibility as a soldier of Jesus Christ.
In other words, his first priority is to study and teach the Word of God.
Entertainment or a job or any human relationships are never to distract him from this primary responsibility.
So Timothy was to keep himself free from conflicting interests.
Therefore, here in Second Timothy 2:4, the apostle Paul is continuing the military metaphor from verse 3.
He is reminding Timothy that just as a soldier in the Roman military is totally dedicated and devoted to serving and pleasing his commanding officer so he must do the same and be totally dedicated and devoted to serving and pleasing his commanding officer, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as the Roman soldier does not permit himself to become distracted by the activities of civilian life, so Timothy was not to permit himself to become distracted by the activities in life which are not related to his duties as a pastor-teacher.
Although Paul is speaking of Timothy as a pastor in relation to his duties, his instruction is applicable to all Christians.
Every Christian is to be totally dedicated and devoted to pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ and are not to permit the cares of this life and responsibilities distract them from this type of devotion.
The implication is that both the pastor and the members of his congregation must have discernment in prioritizing their activities in life.
If serving and pleasing the Lord is not the Christian’s first responsibility then they are not fulfilling the command to love the Lord God with all one’s heart, soul, mind and strength.
Instead they are committing idolatry.
The other implication is that Timothy and the Ephesian church must discipline themselves if they are to please the Lord.
This is true of the pastor and his congregation today in the twenty-first century.
Now, in First Corinthian 9, Paul teaches that pastors should make their living from the gospel and not have to get a job in order that they might devote themselves wholeheartedly to studying and teaching and praying (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; cf. Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18).