2TIMOTHY 4 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
THE PEOPLE’S DEFENSE AGAINST APOSTASY: ORTHODOX PREACHING & PAUL’S EXAMPLE – (2Timothy 4:1-8)
4 I charge you [a]therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead [b]at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
NOTES
4:6: A DRINK OFFERING is a wine, water, or oil offering poured over animal or grain sacrifices at the conclusion of both Jewish and pagan rites …
4:7: THE RACE is the life and work that God gave Paul … The comparison of the spiritual life to an athletic contest – (see 1Corinthians 9:24-27) is common in the writings of the ascetic Fathers …
REQUEST TO SEE TIMOTHY – (2Timothy 4:9-15)
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
NOTES
4:10: DEMAS provides a sobering footnote to Paul’s ministry … He was Paul’s companion in Rome, his co-laborer in apostleship, and a close friend of Luke – (Colossians 4:14; Philemon v. 24) … Yet Demas – after these great and glorious years of service with the Apostle – forsook Paul, HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD … It is in the face of tragedies such as this that the Scriptures, the Fathers, the prayers, and hymns of the Church together call us repeatedly to a life of humility and repentance – that we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought …
4:11: PAUL IS NOW reconciled with (John) Mark – (see Acts 15:37-40) … The sharp strife between Barnabas and Paul is forgotten, and the true love of Christ reigns …
FAREWELL – (2Timothy 4:19-22)
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.
21 Do your utmost to come before winter.
Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.
22 The Lord [a]Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
NOTES
4:21: “The blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, having founded and established the Church of Rome, handed over the office of bishop to LINUS – of whom Paul makes mention in his second letter to Timothy” (IREN) … Eusebius, writing in the fourth century, says the same …
PSALM 55 (56) STUDY & BREAKDOWN
NOTES
PSALM 55 (56): Describes the war between Christ – (THE END) and the devil – (he, v. 2) … Christ fought and won this war as a Man on behalf of the Church, and this victory in inscribed like a PILLAR in the Church’s memory – (v. 1) … Through this inscription, the Church can wage a successful war against this same enemy … (This same phrase, PILLAR INSCRIPTION, is used to introduce PSALM 55-59, in v. 1 of each of them …) Now this war is not only against the devil but also against his angels – (THOSE WHO WAR AGAINST ME FROM ON HIGH, v. 3; see also Ephesians 6:12) … Verse 4-14 tell the Church how to fight the enemy; for example, the faithful will not fear death when facing the enemy – (vv. 4, 5, 12, 14) …
CLOSING …
PSALM 119:59
I considered Your Ways, and I turned my feet toward Your testimonies …
I liked this verse from PSALM 119 it made me think about how I got started on my path following the true teachings and ways of Jesus Christ … The truth is found in Scripture and wisdom, protection and guidance come from prayer … The great falling away is happening because people have chosen to ignore true doctrine and have chosen to live their greedy and disobedient ways over the ways of living in peace and love for all, but I chose to keep teaching the truth and I will never quit doing it … The Lord provides everything I need He also provides these lessons and studies …