2 Timothy 3.15a-Paul Affirms Timothy's Knowledge of Old Testament From Childhood
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday August 4, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 3:15a-Paul Affirms Timothy’s Knowledge of the Old Testament From Childhood
Lesson # 79
2 Timothy 3:14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (NASB95)
“And” is the conjunction kai (καί), which is introducing an assertion which advances upon and intensifies the previous causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14.
It is explaining the previous reason which is ambiguous because Paul is not specific as to the other person or persons who gave Timothy instruction and an example as to how to live a godly life.
Paul employs the conjunction kai to introduce another assertion that advances upon and intensifies this causal clause in verse 14.
It introduces an assertion which states that from childhood Timothy was familiar with the Old Testament.
This interpretation of kai is indicated by the fact that the hoti clause in verse 15 is explaining in greater detail the previous ambiguous causal clause in verse 14.
By affirming that Timothy knew the Old Testament Scriptures from childhood, Paul is making clear that the people he mentions in verse 14 as learning through instruction and observation about how to live a godly life was not only him but also his mother and grandmother.
The latter two instructed him in the Old Testament and provided him an example as to live a godly life by obedience to the Old Testament.
Therefore, the advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s conviction regarding the Word of God whether Paul’s gospel or the Old Testament goes all the way back to his youth when he was taught the Old Testament by his mother and grandmother.
The advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s faith in Paul’s gospel has a firm foundation since it is built upon Timothy’s faith in the teaching of the Old Testament and which teaching he received from his mother and grandmother.
“That” is the conjunction hoti (ὅτι), which is employed with the indicative mood of the verb oida, “you have known” in order to form a causal clause which explains the causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14.
Timothy certainly knew from whom he had learned this code of conduct through instruction and observation.
The reason in verse 14 is ambiguous in the sense that Paul does not identify who the individuals were that gave him instruction on how to live a godly life and an example to follow.
It is obvious that Paul was one of these individuals but it is not clear who else he is referring to since the relative pronoun hos in verse 14 is in the plural.
Therefore, here in verse 15, Paul is instructing Timothy that he should obey the command to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation because from childhood he had knowledge of the Old Testament.
The mention of his childhood instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures is alluding to his mother and grandmother since they raised him in the Scripture.
“You have known” is the second person singular perfect active indicative form of the verb oida (οἶδα), which means “to know for certain, to know without a doubt” since it pertains to having knowledge of something to the extent of having no doubt about the matter.
It affirms the certainty of one possessing knowledge.
Here it is used of course in relation to Timothy’s knowledge he possessed of the Old Testament or information that he possessed regarding the Old Testament.
Paul is saying to Timothy with this word that from childhood he certainly knew his Old Testament.
“The sacred writings” is composed of the following: (1) accusative neuter plural form of the adjective heiros (ἱερός), “sacred” (2) accusative neuter plural form of the noun gramma (γράμμα), “the writings.”
The noun gramma is in the plural and means “writings, Scriptures” since it pertains to a written document, whether in book or manuscript form, with focus upon the content.
Here it refers of course to the Old Testament Scriptures.
The noun gramma is modified by the adjective heiros which means “holy” since it pertains to something which is set apart for God’s use exclusively.
It pertains to something that is devoted exclusively for the worship of God.
Here it denotes that the Old Testament Scriptures are “holy” or “sacred” in the sense that they are devoted exclusively for the worship of God.
They are set apart exclusively to facilitate the worship of God.
Second Timothy 3:14 You however in contrast to them continue making it your habit of conforming to the standard of those things which you have learned through instruction and observation, indeed have become convinced of, because you certainly know from whom you have learned through instruction and observation. 15 Yes, because from childhood you certainly know the holy Scriptures which are able to give you wisdom for the purpose of experiencing salvation by means of faith in your union and identification with the Christ, who is Jesus. (My translation)
Paul’s statement in Second Timothy 3:15 advances upon and intensifies the previous causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14.
It is explaining the previous reason which is ambiguous because Paul is not specific as to the other person or persons who gave Timothy instruction and an example as to how to live a godly life.
In verse 14, Paul issued Timothy a command which required that the latter continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation and indeed had become convinced of.
“The standard of those things” refers to the code of Christian conduct.
Then, he presents the reason for the command, namely that Timothy knew first-hand from whom he had learned this code of Christian conduct through instruction and observation.
“From whom” should be interpreted in light of Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 1:5 and Second Timothy 3:15.
The former affirms the faith of Timothy’s mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois whereas the latter affirms that from childhood Timothy knew for certain the Old Testament Scriptures.
A comparison of these statements would indicate that Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois.
In Second Timothy 3:10-11, Paul affirms that Timothy had faithfully followed as a disciple his teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, divine-love perseverance as well as all of his persecutions and sufferings.
The Lord had rescued Paul from all of these persecutions and sufferings.
Thus, Timothy came to the conviction that Paul was teaching him truth from God by observing Paul put his teaching into practice while he was experiencing persecution and undeserved suffering.
Therefore, “from whom” in Second Timothy 3:14 is speaking of Paul as well as Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois.
Consequently, the causal in Second Timothy 3:14 would indicate that Timothy was to obey the command because he knew first-hand this code of conduct by not only learning it from these three but he also was convinced that what they taught him was truth by observing their conduct.
Now, here in Second Timothy 3:15, Paul makes another assertion that advances upon and intensifies this causal clause in verse 14.
Paul states that from childhood Timothy was familiar with the Old Testament.
This interpretation is indicated by the fact that the hoti clause in verse 15 is explaining in greater detail the previous ambiguous causal clause in verse 14.
By affirming that Timothy knew the Old Testament Scriptures from childhood, Paul is making clear that the people he mentions in verse 14 as learning through instruction and observation about how to live a godly life was not only him but also his mother and grandmother.
The latter two instructed him in the Old Testament and provided him an example as to live a godly life by obedience to the Old Testament.
Therefore, the advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s conviction regarding the Word of God whether Paul’s gospel or the Old Testament goes all the way back to his youth when he was taught the Old Testament by his mother and grandmother.
The advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s faith in Paul’s gospel has a firm foundation since it is built upon Timothy’s faith in the teaching of the Old Testament and which teaching he received from his mother and grandmother.
So the reason in verse 14 is ambiguous in the sense that Paul does not identify who the individuals were that gave him instruction on how to live a godly life and an example to follow.
It is obvious that Paul was one of these individuals but it is not clear who else he is referring to since the relative pronoun hos in verse 14 is in the plural.
Therefore, here in verse 15, Paul is instructing Timothy that he should obey the command to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation because from childhood he had knowledge of the Old Testament.
The mention of his childhood instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures is alluding to his mother and grandmother since they raised him in the Scripture.