2nd Timothy: Chapter 1-Part 2
2nd Timothy Chapter 1-Part 2
Last week we spent quite a bit of time talking about Inner and Outer Realities; today we explore the Faith vs Good Works controversy.
This 2nd Timothy presentation begins with a long meditation on my
favorite hymn lyrics:
“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”.
There is much to be pondered here, but, to get straight to the point, this text suggests a doctrinal paradox that ought to be addressed, to whit:
1. The law of Karma is clearly referenced here; Paul is saying that everything he has done for Jesus will pay him dividends in the afterlife—fair is fair, what goes around comes around. However, Karma and the law were done away with through the sacrifice of Jesus-- thus Paul’s belief in his ultimate reward because of his works contradicts a basic premise of Jesus’ teaching.
2. Therefore, since Paul expects to be rewarded in Heaven for his belief AND his ACTIONS, we have an example of “Salvation through Faith and Good Works”, NOT “Salvation through Faith alone”.
Here are three articles about this scripture:
- •Adam Clarke Commentary
“For I know whom I have believed - I am well acquainted with the goodness, mercy, and power of Christ; and know that I cannot confide in him in vain.
That which I have committed unto him - This is variously understood. Some think he means his life, which he had put, as it were, into the hands of Christ, in order that he might receive it again, in the resurrection, at the great day. Others think he means his soul. This he had also given into the hands of his faithful Creator, knowing that although wicked men might be permitted to take away his life, yet they could not destroy his soul, nor disturb its peace. Others think that he is speaking of the Gospel, which he knows will be carefully preserved by the great Head of the Church; for, though he shall be soon called to seal the truth with his blood, yet he knows that God will take care that the same truth shall be proclaimed to the world by others, whom God shall raise up for that very purpose.”
- This next entry is rather catechismic—it is quite laborsome, but it is also very complete, in its detailed explication of every phrase of the scripture:
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible
“For I know whom I have believed - “trusted.” The idea is, that he understood the character of that Redeemer to whom he had committed his eternal interests, and knew that he had no reason to be ashamed of confiding in him. He was able to keep all that he had entrusted to his care, and would not suffer him to be lost.”
And am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him - That is, the soul, with all its immortal interests. A man has nothing of higher value to entrust to another than the interests of his soul, and there is no other act of confidence like that in which he entrusts the keeping of that soul to the Son of God. Hence, learn:
(1) that religion consists in committing the soul to the care of the Lord Jesus; because:
(a)We feel that we cannot secure the soul‘s salvation ourselves.
(b)The soul is by nature in danger.
(c)If not saved by him, the soul will not be saved at all.
(2) that the soul is a great and invaluable treasure which is committed to him.
(a)No higher treasure can be committed to another;
(b)In connection with that the whole question of our happiness on earth and in heaven is entrusted to him, and all depends on his fidelity.
(3) it is done by the true Christian with the most entire confidence, so that the mind is at rest. The grounds of this confidence are:
(a)what is said of the mighty power of the Saviour;
(b)his promises that he will keep all who confide in him;
(c)experience - the fact that those who have trusted in him have found that he is able to keep them.
(4) this act of committing the soul, with all its interests, to the Saviour, is the true source of peace in the trials of life. This is so because:
(a)having done this, we feel that our great interests are secure. If the soul is safe, why need we be disturbed by the loss of health, or property, or other temporal comforts? Those are secondary things. A man who is shipwrecked, and who sees his son or daughter safe with him on the shore, will be little concerned that a casket of jewels fell overboard - however valuable it might be:
(b)All those trials will soon pass away, and he will be safe in heaven.
(c)These very things may further the great object - the salvation of the soul. A man‘s great interests may be more safe when in a prison than when in a palace; on a pallet of straw than on a bed of down; when constrained to say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” than when encompassed with the wealth of Croesus.
Against that day - The day of judgment - called “that day,” without anything further to designate it, because it is the great day; “the day for which all others days were made.” It seems to have been so much the object of thought and conversation among the early Christians, that the apostle supposed that he would be understood by merely referring to it as “that day;” that is, the day which they were always preaching about, and talking about, and thinking about.”
My favorites are the following paragraphs by the famous David Wilkerson, taken from the World Challenge website:
David Wilkerson
(David Wilkerson (1931–2011) was a renowned Christian evangelist, the founder of the addiction recovery program Teen Challenge, and the senior pastor of the nondenominational Times Square Church in New York. He wrote more than 30 books, including the bestselling The Cross and the Switchblade and Knowing God by Name.)
“Fully Persuaded
May 25, 2009 (two years before his death)
“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”.
Here are the words of a dying man. The apostle Paul was addressing his pupil, the young minister-in-training, Timothy. Later in the same letter, Paul confides to Timothy these difficult words: “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”.
Although Paul directed these words to Timothy, his message speaks to every servant of Christ who is facing a great affliction. Consider the context: At the height of his own excruciating trials — at the very point of death — Paul was fully persuaded of God’s love for him. Moreover, he was convinced of the Lord’s ability to “keep that which I have committed unto him” in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
Beloved, Paul’s counsel here is meant for all who are buffeted daily by satanic forces, engaged in fierce spiritual warfare, enduring great hardships as good soldiers. How was Paul able to speak so confidently of God’s faithfulness through his every trial? What exactly was he persuaded of about the Lord that gave birth to such faith?
Paul never does spell out the things he had “committed unto (God) against that day.” We can only speculate as to what those things were. Yet, like Paul, we too must be fully persuaded of God’s faithfulness to keep those things we have committed to him.”
I love Wilkerson’s take on the positive side of suffering, but right now I want to focus on the Karmic implications here. As we will continue to remind you, Paul was an exponent of the “sola fide” idea, salvation through faith alone; and yet so many of his words of encouragement hinge on ACTIVE adherence to Karmic LAW. The foregoing authors have all emphasized the faith that allows us to endure the trials of life; however, that faith is somehow linked to the idea that it, faith itself, merits some kind of future Karmic reward. “He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”—against that day: like money in the bank—the longer you leave it in, more interest you make. Such a deal. I’m not complaining, but it just doesn’t sound like “sola fide” to me.
Going on with the Wikipedia summary of Chapter 1:
“1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”
This is the first clear-cut declaration, in the book, of the “Salvation through Faith Alone” doctrine. The Apostle Paul must have had a deeply personal relationship with Jesus to put so much stock in His saving Grace; notice the Word was given to Paul “before the world began”.
Going on, Paul claims the role of teacher, and upholds his sufferings as the authority through which He transmits his Divine Knowledge:
“1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
This is followed by what Paul is courageous about:
“1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1:14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”
The expression, “Hold fast the form of sound words” holds a tantalizing attraction for someone like me, who is obsessed with gauging the limits of rational thought. Here are some comments on this subject:
Pulpit Commentary
“Verse 13. - Hold for hold fast, A.V.; pattern for form, A.V.; from for of, A.V. Hold (ἔχε). This use of “Hold” in the pastoral Epistles is somewhat peculiar. In 1 Timothy 1:19, ἔχων πίστιν, "holding faith;" in 1 Timothy 3:6, ἔχοντας τὰ μυστήριον, "holding the mystery of the faith; ' and here, "hold the pattern," etc. It seems to have a more active sense than merely "have," and yet not to have the very active sense of "hold fast." It may, however, well be doubted whether “hold” here is used in even as strong a sense as in the other two passages, inasmuch as here it follows instead of preceding the substantive. Here and in 1st Timothy 1:16, it manifestly means a "pattern," not a "form." The word signifies a "sketch," or "outline." St. Paul's meaning, therefore, seems to be: "For your own guidance in teaching the flock committed to you, and for a pattern which you will try and always copy, have before you the pattern or outline of sound words which you have heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Sound words (ὑγιαινόντων λόγων), in faith and love; translates either as “hold the pattern in faith and love”, or “which you have heard in faith and love”.”
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
“Hold fast the form of sound words,.... By "words" are meant, not mere words, but doctrines; for the servants of the Lord should not strive about words, to no profit, or be too tenacious of them. Indeed when words have long obtained, and have been very useful to convey just ideas of truth to the mind, they are not to be easily parted with, though they are not syllabically expressed in Scripture, unless other and better words can be substituted in their room; and especially they are to be tenaciously abode by, when the apparent design by dropping or changing them is to set aside the truths signified by them; such as trinity, unity, essence, person, imputed righteousness, satisfaction, &c.
But here words design doctrines, the words of faith and good doctrine, the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ; and which are said to be "sound", in opposition to the words and doctrines of false teachers, which are corrupt and unsound, and are pernicious, and eat as do a canker; and because they are so in themselves; they are not only sweet and pleasant, but salutary and nourishing; they are milk for babes, and meat for strong men; they are food for faith, and nourish up to eternal life. The "form" of them either intends the manner of teaching them, which should be it, apt and acceptable words, plain and easy to be understood, and not with the enticing words of men's wisdom; or a brief summary, a compendium of Gospel truth.
It was usual with both Jews and Christians to reduce the principles of their religion into a narrow compass, into a short form or breviary. The Jew had his "form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law", Romans 2:20, which was a rule to himself, and an instruction to others; and such a form, or Jewish creed, may be seen in Hebrews 6:1.”
[Sidebar: Just to drive home a point: the reduction of “principles of their religion into a narrow compass, into a short form or breviary” is the reason d’etre for the Gospel of Philip, a catechesis; it is also the main weakness of the philosophy of Paul: he attempts to take all spiritual knowledge and wisdom and compress it into a few well-chosen (I should say VERY well-chosen) bumper stickers. Although this gives the common man something he can learn by heart and recite, it cuts the legs out from under the ultimate truth which defies the power of doctrine to contain it.
Back to Gill’s Exposition:]
“The Apostle Paul gives a summary of the Gospel, which he preached, and which he reduces to two heads; repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, and an excellent compendium and abridgment of the Gospel, and a glorious form of sound words, we have in Romans 8:29 and such an one Timothy had heard and received from the apostle, as a "pattern" for him hereafter to preach by, as this word signifies; and as it is rendered in 1 Timothy 1:16.
There seems to be an allusion to painters, who first make their outlines, and take a rough draught before they lay on their colours and beautiful strokes; and which rough draught and first lines are the rule and pattern of their after work; and which they never exceed, but keep within the compass of: so there is a set of Gospel truths, which may be called the analogy or proportion of faith, which are a rule and pattern, as for hearers to judge by, so for ministers to preach according to, 1 Timothy 6:3
And such a form or pattern was the apostle's doctrine to Timothy, and which he full well knew: and this form includes the doctrines concerning the trinity of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit, and the proper deity and distinct personality of each of them; concerning the everlasting love of the three Persons to the elect, the covenant of grace, and the transactions in it relating to them; their personal and eternal election in Christ, and his suretyship engagements for them; the state and condition of men by the fall, and through, sin, as that Adam's sin is imputed to all his posterity, and a corrupt nature propagated from him, and that man is altogether impure, and entirely impotent all that is spiritually good; as also such doctrines as concern particular redemption by Christ, satisfaction for sin by his sacrifice, free and full pardon by his blood, and justification by his imputed righteousness: regeneration and sanctification by the powerful and efficacious grace of the Spirit of God; and the final perseverance of the saints to eternal glory, as the free gift of God.
And this is a form never to departed from, but to be held fast, as Timothy is exhorted; which supposes that he had it, as he had, not only in his head, but in his heart; and that there was danger of dropping it through the temptations that surrounded him, the reproach and persecution the Gospel lay under, and through the sleight of false teachers, who lay in wait to deceive, and to take every opportunity of wringing it out of his hands; and therefore it became him, as he had it, not only to hold it forth, and publish it, but to hold it fast, in opposition to any wavering about it, or cowardice in it, or departure from it in any degree.”
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
“(13) Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me.--It was not sufficient for Timothy to renew his fainting courage and to brace himself up for fresh efforts; he must do something more--in his teaching he must never let those solemn formularies he had once received from him be changed. Perhaps in the heart of St. Paul lurked some dread that the new glosses and specious explanations which the school of false teachers, so often referred to in these Pastoral Epistles, chose to add to the great doctrines of Christianity would be more likely to be listened to by Timothy when the hand of his old master was cold and the heart had ceased to beat; so he urged upon him to hold fast those inspired formularies he had heard from St. Paul's lips--such, for instance, as those "faithful sayings" which come before us so often in these Epistles to Timothy and Titus.
In faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.--Timothy, in days to come, must mould and shape his teaching after the pattern of the teaching of his master St. Paul, and he must do it in that faith and love which alone comes from a life passed in communion with Christ.
The very frequent reference to the "sound, healthy words" in these Epistles by St. Paul, and from which he urges his disciples and successors never to depart, indicate to us the deep importance St. Paul and the first generation of believers attached to the very words and expressions used by the apostles and those who had been with the Lord.
False doctrines so easily might creep in, and loose forms of expression respecting great truths were an ever-present danger; a lax life, too, St. Paul knew, was the almost invariable accompaniment of false doctrine, hence these repeated exhortations of his to these representative teachers, Timothy and Titus, of the second generation of Christians, to hold fast the form of sound, healthy words--such words as these had again and again been heard from the lips of apostles and hearers of the Lord--"words which thou hast heard of me," St. Paul. Timothy thus is exhorted to be brave in his ministry in the face of opposition—themes which will recur throughout this short letter.”
[Sidebar: Don’t look now, but this adherence to “solemn formularies” signifies Paul’s ingrained Jewish allegiance to THE LAW peeking out from behind the curtain. This devotion to the precise wording of doctrine was one of the turn-offs to Paul that I have always felt. I see here a man determined to be RIGHT, and we spell RIGHT like THIS—no other way. But, to me, the fear of false prophets is as much of the devil as any other fear, and Paul’s stubborn refusal to accept alternate versions of the truth seems to me a spiritual limitation. However, as minister to a people struggling against social pressures to adopt a new outlook on life, clear simple rules might have been the only way to ensure solidarity. My watchword in this matter is simple: it is more important to be good than right.
Going on with Wikipedia:]
“This first section is concluded with a heart-wrenching explanation of Paul’s present situation. When he was arrested in Asia Minor, no one came to his aid—since they apparently were ashamed of his imprisonment. And when he got to Rome he was locked up and kept out of circulation so that only with difficulty could he be found. But one man, Onesiphorus, was faithful and searched until he found Paul.”
Back to 2nd Timothy:
“1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
1:17 But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
1:18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.”
The story of Onesiphorous is not without interest, taken from Wikipedia:
“According to Orthodox tradition, Saint Onesiphorus was one of the seventy disciples chosen and sent by Jesus to preach. They were chosen some time after the selection of the Twelve Apostles. St Onesiphorus was bishop at Colophon (Asia Minor), and later at Corinth. Both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches hold that he died a martyr in the city of Parium (not far from Ephesus) on the shores of the Hellespont.
The persecution of Christians during Nero’s reign made Rome a dangerous city for Christians. Paul praises Onesiphorus for his hospitality, kindness, and courage. Onesiphorus is contrasted with the other Christians in Asia who have deserted Paul at this time. In 2 Timothy 1:16-18, Paul sends greeting to the man’s household in Ephesus and makes reference to the help he showed Paul earlier in Ephesus. Timothy, who led the Ephesian church is apparently familiar with these acts. Paul's praise of Onesiphorus is significant because it was written shortly before Paul's death as a final encouragement to Timothy.
But now, at the time of correspondence, only "Luke alone is with (Paul)". Because Paul speaks of Onesiphorus only in the past tense, wishes blessings upon his house (family), and mercy for him "in that day", some scholars believe that Onesiphorus had at this point died. Towards the end of the same letter, in 2 Timothy 4:19, Paul sends greetings to "Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus", again apparently distinguishing the situation of Onesiphorus from that of the still living Prisca and Aquila. Paul's reference to Onesiphorus, along with 2 Maccabees 12:40-45, is cited by Catholics as one of the early examples of prayer for the dead, while some Protestants opposing this practice reject such an interpretation.”
The referenced section from 2nd Maccabees is of interest:
“2 Maccabees 12:40-45
40 Then under the tunic of every one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jam′nia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was why these men had fallen.
41 So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous Judge, who reveals the things that are hidden;
42 and they turned to prayer, beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out. And the noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen.
43 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection.
44 For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.
45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”
After this intensely personal introduction, Paul now proceeds to exhort Timothy in his own ministry with some specifics, dealt with in the next chapter.
Encouragement toward Ministry 1:6-18
Remember the gift of God 1:6-7
Do not be ashamed 1:8-12
Hold fast to sound words 1:13
Keep the good thing 1:14
Know those who have departed 1:15
Remember the faithful 1:16-18”
The foregoing summary shows the 1st chapter of 2nd Timothy is a nicely shaped message that is meant to encourage the faint-hearted from giving in to the hostile pressures of both Roman and Jewish opposition. This encouragement is both by example and by doctrine. Never mind that the doctrine made of air and light is carved in stone, we all need that once in a while. Let us pray:
Jesus thank you for the guidance and example of the passionate man on fire with the spirit and servant of the people. Amen.
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