2 Timothy 2.7-Paul Commands Timothy to Meditate Upon Verses 1-6 and Affirms the Lord Will Give Him Insight In Regards to This Teaching
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday April 8, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 2:7-Paul Commands Timothy to Meditate Upon Verses 1-6 and Affirms the Lord Will Give Him Insight In Regards to This Teaching
Lesson # 31
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (NASB95)
Once again, the apostle Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to emphasize with Timothy the solemn nature of his command here in verse 7 for him to consider what he communicated to him in verses 1-6.
“What I say” refers to Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 2:1-6.
“Consider” is the second person singular present active imperative form of the verb noeō (νοέω), which means “to understand, comprehend on the basis of careful thought and consideration.”
The verb means “to think over a matter with care, to think about carefully, to consider well.”
Therefore, the verb indicates that Paul is commanding Timothy to “think carefully about” his statements in verses 1-6 so as to make personal application of these statements to his own life and service on behalf of the Lord and the body of Christ.
The present imperative form of the noeō is an ingressive-progressive present imperative whose force is to begin and continue an activity.
Therefore, the present imperative indicates that Paul is commanding Timothy to begin to think carefully about his statements in verses 1-6 and continue doing so in order to make personal application of these statements to his own walk with the Lord and service on behalf of the Lord and the body of Christ.
“For the Lord will give you understanding in everything” advances upon and intensifies the previous command for Timothy to begin to carefully consider Paul’s statements in verses 1-6 and continue doing so.
The advancement and intensification is that Paul goes from commanding Timothy to carefully consider his statements in verses 1-6 to telling him that the Lord will give him understanding with regards to these statements.
In other words, Timothy cannot understand these statements on his own but rather by the power of the Lord since these statements are inspired by the Holy Spirit whom the Lord Jesus Christ gave to Timothy at the moment of his conversion.
There is some disagreement with regards to the referent of the noun kurios, “the Lord” since some argue that the word is a reference to the Father, others to the Son, Jesus Christ.
So far the word has appeared four times already up to this point in Second Timothy and in each instance (1:2, 8, 16, 18), except for one (1:18), the Lord Jesus Christ is the referent.
The word is used of the Father in Second Timothy 1:18 and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The first time the word is used in this verse, it was used of the Son and the second time, it is used of the Father.
Thus, the Father would be the nearest antecedent of this word kurios in Second Timothy 2:7.
The Holy Spirit could also be the referent here since John 14:26 and 16:13-15 teach that the Father sends the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to indwell believers so as to give believers understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching.
Paul mentions the Spirit in Second Timothy 1:7 and he reminds Timothy that the Father by no means gave the Christian a Spirit who produces cowardice but rather power, divine-love and self-discipline.
In Second Timothy 1:14, Paul commands Timothy to guard the gospel (“excellent deposit”) by means of the Holy Spirit’s power who lives in him.
Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 2:1-6 were inspired like the rest of Scripture by the Holy Spirit and were designed to empower Timothy to execute the Father’s will for his life.
They were designed to produce love for God and men in him as well as self-discipline.
These statements were also designed to enable Timothy to guard the excellent deposit, i.e. the gospel.
Therefore, even though the noun kurios was last used of the Father in Second Timothy 1:18, Paul’s statements in Second Timothy chapter one coupled with the purpose of Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 2:1-6 would indicate that the noun is being used of the Holy Spirit here in Second Timothy 2:7.
Therefore, when the noun kurios is used of the Holy Spirit it indicates the Spirit’s equality with the Father and the Son.
“Understanding” is the accusative feminine singular form of the noun sunesis (σύνεσις), which means “insight, understanding” since it pertains to the result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively.
It pertains to the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure, skill in discerning, and the power to see what is not evident to the average mind.
Therefore, it refers to understanding with regards to this teaching in the sense that the Spirit will enable Timothy to grasp and comprehend this teaching which is obscure to the unregenerate mind or regenerate mind out of fellowship with God.
It speaks of understanding this teaching so as to make personal application in Timothy’s life.
“In everything” is referring to each and every one of Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 2:1-6.
Second Timothy 2:7 Begin to carefully consider what I am communicating and continue doing so. Indeed, the Lord will give you understanding with regards to each and every one of these things. (My translation)
Therefore, in Second Timothy 2:7, the apostle Paul wants Timothy to carefully consider what he communicated to him in Second Timothy 2:1-6 and continue doing so.
The purpose of such meditation was for Timothy to make personal application of these statements to his own life.
Therefore, we can see that this command calls for Timothy to meditate upon these statements in verses 1-6.
Biblical meditation involves repetitive, reflective and reverential reading of the Word of God and making application to one’s own life.
Meditation means “the act of focusing one’s thoughts, thus to ponder, think about” and consists of reflective thinking or contemplation, usually on a specific subject to discern its meaning or significance or a plan of action (Joshua 1:8).
J.I. Packer gives the following definition of meditation in his book, Knowing God: “Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways, and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. Its purpose is to clear one’s mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let His truth make its full and proper impact on one’s mind and heart. It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself; it is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God’s power and grace. Its effect is to ever humble us as we contemplate God’s greatness and glory, and our own littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage and reassure us—“comfort” us in the old, strong Bible sense of the word—as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of divine mercy displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Biblical meditation consists of reflective thinking or contemplation on the Word of God in order to discern its meaning for the purpose of making personal application (Philippians 4:8-9).
Biblical meditation is an expression of rejecting self-sufficiency in favor of the sufficiency of God’s Word.
The goal of Christian Biblical meditation is to adopt the attitude or thinking of Christ, which is expressed in the infallible, inerrant Word of God.
The purpose of Christian Biblical meditation is to develop the character of Christ in the believer.
Psalm 119:15 I will meditate on Your precepts [piqqudhim, meaning, “commands, ordinances”] and regard Your ways. (NASB95)
Psalm 119:27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders [verb, pala, meaning, “wonderful extraordinary works upon the earth and in the lives of men and women”]. NASB95)
Psalm 119:48 And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes. NASB95)
Psalm 119:148 My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word [noun, `imrah, meaning, “divine authoritative word”]. NASB95)
Biblical meditation consists of reflective thinking or contemplation on the Word of God in order to discern its meaning and make personal application (Philippians 4:8-9).
The objectives of Biblical meditation: (1) Fellowship: communicating with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). (2) Worship: responding to the Word of God (John 4:24). (3) Instruction: learning the will of the Father (Proverbs 23:23). (4) Motivation: inspiring the believer to courageous service (Romans 12:1). (5) Transformation: having divine viewpoint and perspective (Romans 12:2).
Biblical meditation should take place day and night.
Note that meditation does not have to be a separate action from prayer, but it should take place in prayer.
While this generation perceives meditation as a solitary—sitting on the floor, cross-legged—action, biblical meditation is to be accomplished in prayer by simply concentrating and contemplating spiritual phenomena for the purpose of making application.