| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: 2 Timothy |
Rusty's Notes
2 Timothy 4
1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom:
Title Reason Reference
9 Make every effort to come to me soon, 10 for Demas has deserted me, because he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Benediction
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
“Understanding the Spirits role, how would you communicate this message if your eighteen-year-old son had made up his mind to walk away from everything you have taught him, morally ethically and theologically, unless he had a compelling reason not to?”
[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (2 Ti 4:1–22). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom:
- “Before God and Jesus Christ” – they are watching you
- Judge the living – Judgment Seat of Christ
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.
- “good” = righteousness or “bad” = self righteousness
- Judge the dead – Great White Throne Judgment
- Revelation 20:11-15 - Then I saw a great white throne and One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. [12] I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, *(Rev 3:5) and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. [13] Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. [14] Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. [15] And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
- “his appearing” – Everything had to be prepared to perfection.
- “proclaim” – aloud, publicly in all seasons
- “rebuke” those in sin (an appeal to the mind).
- “correct” (point out) those in error (an appeal to the emotions).
- “encourage” those living in harmony with God's will (an appeal to the will).
- Christian reproof without the grace of long-suffering has often led to a harsh attitude intensely harmful to the cause of Christ.
- Who is “they” – those who are following his teaching now. (believers)
- In the future “they” would only listen to speakers who told them what they wanted to hear (false doctrine, entertainment, etc.).
- They would choose to believe myths rather than the truth (e.g., evolution, humanism, reincarnation, legalism, etc.)
- JOB OR MINISTRY?
- A job is one you choose;
- A ministry is one Christ chooses for you.
- A job depends on your abilities;
- A ministry depends on your availability to God.
- In a job you expect to receive;
- In a ministry you expect to give.
- A job done well brings you self-esteem;
- A ministry done well brings honor to Jesus Christ.
- In a job you give something to get something;
- In a ministry you return something that has already been given to you.
- A job well done has temporal remuneration;
- A ministry well done brings eternal rewards.
- Paul believed that he would die very soon.
- "poured out" - like the daily drink offerings in Judaism
- After the Jewish priest offered the lamb, ram, or bull in this ritual, he poured wine beside the altar.
- Symbolized the dedication of the believer to God in worship.
- The apostle believed that Nero would not release him from prison but would execute him.
- Christian tradition confirms that Paul died as a martyr in Rome.
- Paul probably meant that he had run in the noblest race of all, namely, the ministry of the gospel
- NOT that he had done his best in the contest.
- This reward will go to all Christians like Paul who, by the way they lived, demonstrated a longing for the Lord's return.
- Not all Christians are anxious for the Lord to return since some know they need to change their way of living.
Title Reason Reference
- An Imperishable Crown For leading a disciplined life 1 Cor. 9:25
- A Crown of Rejoicing For evangelism and discipleship 1 Thess. 2:19
- A Crown of Righteousness For loving the Lord's appearing 2 Tim. 4:8
- A Crown of Life For enduring trials James 1:12; Rev. 2:10
- A Crown of Glory For shepherding God's flock faithfully 1 Pet. 5:4
9 Make every effort to come to me soon, 10 for Demas has deserted me, because he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
- The constitutional method of inflicting capital punishment on a Roman citizen was by the lictor's (emperor’s bodyguard) axe.
- The criminal was tied to a stake; cruelly scourged with the rods, and then beheaded."
- Luke is most likely transcribing for Paul
- Mark had just previously left Paul & Barnabas.
- Mark had caused division between Paul & Barnabas.
- This is a statement of encouragement & affirmation after the incident.
- Tychicus was sent to relieve Timothy who Paul was requesting and his cloak… winter was coming… he was frail… looking for some comfort.
- Parchments – OT, or even his own writings… still wanted to study.
- Possible reference to 1 Timothy 1:20 – Turned him over to satan.
- Not a salvation issue.
- Customarily under Roman law accused prisoners underwent a preliminary hearing before their trial.
- At this hearing, witnesses could speak on behalf of the accused.
- In Paul's case no one had come to his defense.
- This was probably because when Rome burned in July of 64 AD
- Nero blamed the Christians.
- From then on it was dangerous to be a known Christian in Rome.
- Neither local Christians nor Paul's fellow workers were willing to stand with the apostle.
- Paul hoped the Lord would not hold their failure against them.
- Evidently Paul was able to give a word of witness at his hearing that furthered his mission to the Gentiles.
- He had so far escaped death, though he was ready to die as a martyr.
- The "lion's mouth" may be a reference to the lions in the Roman Coliseum that were then devouring Christians.
- However the Romans would have beheaded Paul rather than thrown him to the lions since he was a Roman citizen.
- More a general allusion to Satan's instruments of evil that have always sought to destroy God's faithful servants.
- Paul knew he would die a martyr's death (vv. 6-8) but he saw death as God's vehicle to deliver him from an evil deed (his execution) and to bring him into his Lord's presence.
- For this prospect he glorified God.
Benediction
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
- Greetings to his old friends Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquila who then lived in Ephesus.
- He also greeted the loyal family of Onesiphorus of whom he had written earlier (1:16).
- Erastus and Trophimus were old associates of Timothy
- Winter severely restricted travel in some parts of the Roman world.
- Timothy needed to leave Ephesus soon so he could reach Rome without undue difficulty.
- Paul relayed the greetings of four other brethren, probably local, who Timothy evidently knew, as well as the greetings of all the local Christians.
- Paul first wished the Lord's ministry of grace on Timothy's spirit, perhaps to encourage him to remain faithful.
- Paul’s last recorded written words.
- Then he wished God's grace for all the readers (plural "you" in the Greek text) of this epistle.
- Paul avoided indulging his disappointments.
- Paul could rejoice in the victory won in the life of Mark.
- Paul found no room for vindictiveness toward those who hurt or opposed him."
“Understanding the Spirits role, how would you communicate this message if your eighteen-year-old son had made up his mind to walk away from everything you have taught him, morally ethically and theologically, unless he had a compelling reason not to?”
[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (2 Ti 4:1–22). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
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