2 Timothy 3.17-The Old Testament Makes the Christian Competent By Equipping Them For Every Good Work
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday August 12, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 3:17-The Old Testament Makes the Christian Competent By Equipping Them For Every Good Work
Lesson # 83
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB95)
Second Timothy 3:17 presents the purpose of the Old Testament Scriptures possessing the characteristic of being useful for teaching, conviction, correction, training with regards to righteousness.
“The man of God” is composed of the following: (1) nominative feminine singular form of the definite article ho (ὁ), which is not translated (2) articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός), “of God” (3) nominative masculine singular form of the noun anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος), “man.”
The noun anthrōpos is a generic term denoting a “person, a human being” without any indication of the race or gender of that person which must be determined by the context.
Here in Second Timothy 3:17, the word is used with reference to the Christian without reference to gender or race.
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.
This word functions as a genitive of possession indicating that the Christian “belongs to” the Father through regeneration.
“May be adequate” is composed of the following: (1) third person singular present active subjunctive form of the verb eimi (εἰμί), “may be” (2) nominative masculine singular form of the adjective artios (ἄρτιος), “adequate.”
The verb eimi means “to possess a particular characteristic, to be characterized” and this characteristic is identified by the adjective artios which means “competent” since it pertains having the requisite or adequate ability to perform a particular action or function.
It pertains to having the capacity to function in a particular manner.
Therefore, these two words indicate that the Old Testament Scriptures are useful for teaching, convicting, correcting the body of Christ and training them with regards to righteousness in order that the Christian “would possess the characteristic of being competent.”
“Equipped” is the nominative masculine singular perfect passive participle form of the verb exartizō (ἐξαρτίζω), which means “to equip” since it pertains to furnish for service or action by appropriate provisioning.
Here the word denotes that the Old Testament furnishes the Christian for every good work by giving them appropriate provision for doing so.
The verb exartizō is functioning as a nominative in simple apposition and is thus serving to define specifically how the Christian is competent as a result of being taught the Scriptures and being convicted, corrected and trained with regards to righteousness by them.
This would then indicate that the Scriptures make the Christian competent “specifically by” equipping them for every good work.
The participle form of this verb exartizō is a participle of means which explains or defines for the reader how the Scriptures make the Christian competent.
They make them competent “by” equipping them for every good work.
The intensive perfect indicates the Christian being equipped for every good as a result of being taught the Old Testament Scriptures.
The passive voice of the verb indicates that the Christian as the subject receives the action of being equipped for every good work by being taught the Old Testament.
“For every good work” is composed of the following: (1) preposition pros (πρός), “for” (8) accusative neuter singular form of the adjective pas (πᾶς), “every” (2) accusative neuter singular form of the noun ergon (ἒργον), “deed” (3) accusative neuter singular form of the adjective agathos (ἀγαθός), “good.”
The noun ergon is in the singular and means “work, action” since it pertains to actions performed by the Christian while in fellowship with God and are produced by the Holy Spirit through him when they exercise faith in the Word of God.
This faith results in obedience to the will of the Father, which is revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God.
It speaks of the works or actions that the Holy Spirit performs through the Christian as a result of the Christian’s obedience to the commands and prohibitions in the Word of God, which are inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The noun ergon is modified by the adjective agathos which means “divine good in quality and character.”
It describes this work or action as good in the sense that it is divine in quality and character because it is in accordance with the Father’s will.
It is in accordance with the Father’s will because it is the direct result of a person being influenced by the Spirit.
This word agathos describes this work or action as being intrinsically valuable, intrinsically good, inherently good in quality but with the idea of good which is also profitable, useful, benefiting others, benevolent because it is based upon and motivated by the teaching of the Spirit in the Word of God.
It describes this work or action as being intrinsically valuable, intrinsically good, inherently good in quality but with the idea of good which is also profitable, useful, benefiting others.
The adjective pas denotes everything belonging, in kind, to the class designated by the noun and means “every kind of” and is modifying the noun ergon.
It is used in a distributive sense since it denotes “every kind of” divine good work of intrinsic quality and character.
It emphasizes various types of acts that benefit others and are motivated by the Spirit and in obedience to the Spirit.
The noun ergon is the object of the preposition pros, which is a marker of purpose indicating that the Scriptures make the Christian competent by specifically equipping them “for” or “for the purpose of” performing every kind of action which is divine good in quality and character.
Second Timothy 3:16 Each and every portion of Scripture does possess, as an eternal spiritual truth the characteristic of being God-breathed. Consequently, it does possess, as an eternal spiritual truth the characteristic of being useful for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for training which is related to righteousness. 17 The purpose of which is that the person belonging to God (the Father) would possess the characteristic of being competent, specifically, by equipping for every kind of action which is divine good in quality and character. (My translation)
Second Timothy 3:17 presents the purpose of the Old Testament Scriptures possessing the characteristic of being useful for teaching, conviction, correction, training with regards to righteousness.
It thus indicates that the purpose of the Old Testament Scriptures being useful for teaching, conviction, correction, training with regards to righteousness is so that the Christian would be competent by equipping them for every good work.
Therefore, Paul is teaching Timothy that the purpose for which the Old Testament Scriptures are useful for teaching, convicting, correcting the body of Christ and training them with regards to righteousness was so that the Christian would be competent by making them fully equipped for every good work.
The expression ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, “the person belonging to God” in Second Timothy 3:17 does not refer to Timothy.
Some see a connection with this expression and the expression Σὺ...ὦ ἄνθρωπε θεοῦ, “you man of God” in First Timothy 6:11 but there is no connection since the latter explicitly makes clear that Paul is addressing Timothy and he is not doing that in Second Timothy 3:17 which indicates he is speaking of every Christian.
Specifically, he is stating that the purpose for which the Old Testament Scriptures are useful for teaching, convicting, correcting the body of Christ and training them with regards to righteousness was so that the Christian would be competent.
They make the Christian competent by making them fully equipped for every good work.
In other words, this applies to every Christian and not just Timothy.
Paul’s comments in Second Timothy 3:16-17 are designed to encourage Timothy to cling to his Old Testament and not just Paul’s apostolic teaching or gospel since one fulfills the other.
These verses are supported by his teaching in Second Timothy 3:10-15 since all these verses are designed to encourage Timothy to continue to remain faithful to the gospel.
All of these verses are designed to aid Timothy in fulfilling his task of being Paul’s delegate to the Christian community in the Roman province of Asia which was filled with apostasy among pastors and lay people.
The apostle is teaching in verses 16-17 that the Old Testament must be the instrument the pastor uses in serving the church.
He serves the church by teaching the Old Testament as well as the New.
The Old Testament is more than adequate to equip the Christian to serve God.
So the Old Testament is essential for the pastor to do his job and essential for the Christian if they are to do the work of God.
So in Second Timothy 3:16-17, Paul is teaching that the Old Testament equips the Christian whether they are a pastor or not, to do God’s work.
Good works which are pleasing to God and will be rewarded by Him at the Bema Seat can only be performed by obedience to the Word of God, both Old and New Testaments.
