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Discussion Questions (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, (verse 1 ESV)

and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. (verse 2 ESV)

Why? (to each of these verses)

Let’s start out by asking the same short question (“Why?”) for each of the first two verses of this chapter. God is giving these commands through Paul to Timothy, so let’s ask “why” for each of these verses individually.

Verse 1

Timothy is told to be strengthened in the grace in Jesus Christ. Looking at the context of the previous chapter and this whole letter provides some of the answers on why it is important to be strengthened in this way. Timothy is likely going to continue to face challenges, similar to those mentioned in 1 Timothy. There can be a danger of his gift being suppressed, fear, shame, and a likelihood of suffering with this calling (2 Timothy 1:6-12). He may very well be deserted by certain folks (2 Timothy 1:15). His mentor (Paul) is currently in prison, and based on this letter being a farewell discourse, it seems like Paul and Timothy may never see each other again this side of eternity. Being strengthened at all is valuable in the face of these circumstances - and specifically being strengthened by the grace in Christ Jesus is important to be strengthened in the right way that is conducive to fulfilling the calling of the Gospel here on earth (and not deserting like some people seemed to do in 2 Timothy 1:15 but instead being able to diligently continue).

Verse 2

Looking at the context of this letter, with Paul in prison and likely going to die soon, it is important for their to be faithful and well-equipped teachers of the Gospel. And even if Timothy has some more time here on this earth, there will still come a time when he has to depart as well, so it is important that others be able to proclaim the Gospel as well. This passing down of the Gospel is important for us and future generations to be able to have its message until Christ ultimately returns.

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Discussion Question (2 Timothy 2:3-7)

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. (verses 3-4 ESV)

An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. (verse 5 ESV)

It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. (verse 6 ESV)

What can we learn about the Christian life

from these comparisons?

2 Timothy 2:7 exhorts us to think over, consider the things Paul is writing about, and God will give us understanding. While continued meditation on these things is something we should do, we can at least spend a little time doing so directly in class today.

In verses 3-6, Paul basically outlines for Timothy 3 different ways he (and I think by extension, us) can think about our Christian lives. He compares our lives to that of a solder, an athlete, and a hard-working farmer. What is meant by these comparisons, and what can we learn from them?

Soldier

From the soldier, I think we can see a focus for pleasing the one who enlisted him (https://biblehub.com/greek/4758.htm). The word often translated as “civilian” (https://biblehub.com/greek/979.htm) is interesting - it seems to relate to “livelihood” of this physical life on earth. This seems to suggest to me a dedicated focus to pleasing Christ without being distracted (entangled - https://biblehub.com/greek/1707.htm) in other matters. There is also the very real fact that soldiers engage in warfare, and that is something we as Christians certainly do in the spiritual realm (https://biblehub.com/greek/4754.htm; 2 Corinthians 10, Ephesians 6).

Athlete

I think Paul has the concept of disciplined training in mind of athletes based on other writing in 1 Corinthians 9. But based on “competes according to the rules”, that may suggest competing with honesty, integrity. In the face of difficulties, there may be temptations to try and cheat, “bend” the rules, or try and find alternative ways to do something. As Christians, not only should we work and strive according to what God has set up and ordained for us for the sake of witnessing to others or for love of God, but there is also an aspect of how it is important for ourselves - in order to be crowned, we need to be blameless.

Hard-Working Farmer

For farmers (https://biblehub.com/greek/1092.htm), I think there are a few things. Particularly compared to the previous two comparisons, farming may be considered more mundane...and it also requires diligence - hard work spread out over what is likely a long time with seemingly slow-growth. But that diligence pays off in a reward of the crops. Also see James 5:7 (ESV): Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

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Somewhat Similar Comparisons Elsewhere

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?...For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop...Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. - 1 Corinthians 9:7-27 (ESV)

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Reading

2 Timothy 2:8-13

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2 Timothy 2:8-10

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. - 2 Timothy 2:8-10 (ESV)

A few things to point out from these verses:

First, Timothy is told to remember Jesus Christ. Remembering the “founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) is always good, as that helps keep our focus on the right things rather than forgetting the core of our mission. But Paul also mentions some specific characteristics of Jesus - being risen from the dead and being the offspring of David. The resurrection of Christ is incredibly important as it serves as confirmation of our hope of being resurrected as well (Paul even mentions how we would be the people to be most pitied if Christ were not raised from the dead - 1 Corinthians 15:12-18). The offspring of David has a few potential significances - further reinforcing Christ’s humanity (important - see the book Hebrews) and being of the kingly line according to God’s promises made previously to the Jews.
Next, even though Paul is bound as a prisoner, that does not mean that the word of God is. I think it is important to notice just how real this was to Paul (and thus should be to us). He wrote many of the letters we have in the New Testament while he was in prison, having enormous impact through history all the way to us today. This conviction seems to form some of the basis for why Paul is willing to endure everything.
Finally, one of the key motivations behind why Paul is willing to endure suffering and everything - so that people may obtain salvation with eternal glory. He is resolutely focused on his mission.

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Advancement of the Gospel Through Imprisonment

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. - Philippians 1:12-14 (ESV)

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Discussion Questions (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

...If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself. - 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV)

What do the different parts of this mean,

and why are they important?

These few verses in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 form what could be considered an early Christian creed or hymn. Some of the statements here may not be super clear, so I want to spend some time unpacking them. What to the different parts mean, and why are they important?

I have specifics l listed a bit below, but the quick summary of the entire thing is that we can trust God to be faithful to Himself (and thus His promises) - and this forms the entire basis of the trustworthiness of this statement (which the last verse gets to). We can have confidence in all of the promises and words God has given us - the good things of eternal life and reigning with Him...but we also need to keep in mind that He is faithful to His word of being the only Way, Truth, and Life, so we cannot deny Him and expect Him to go against His Word - any faithlessness on our part does not negate or alter God’s faithfulness. The entire set of statements in this saying is something we can have confidence in as being true.

If we have died with him, we will also live with him

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. - Romans 6:3-8 (ESV)

If we endure, we will also reign with him

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12 (ESV)
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” - Revelation 5:10 (ESV)
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:4-6 (ESV)
And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. - Revelation 22:5 (ESV)

If we deny him, he also will deny us

but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 10:33 (ESV)

https://biblehub.com/greek/strongs_720.htm

If we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” - Romans 3:3-4 (ESV)
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. - Luke 12:42-46 (ESV)
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”...The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:5-8 (ESV)

See https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=ESV&quicksearch=faithful&begin=47&end=73&resultspp=250 on “faithful”

See the following more more on the immutability of God:

https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/2-13.htm (cross references)
Job 23:13
Psalm 102:27
Malachi 3:6
James 1:17

https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/if-we-are-faithless-he-remains-faithful

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/he-cannot-deny-himself

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If we have died with him, we will also live with him

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. - Romans 6:3-8 (ESV)

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if we endure, we will also reign with him

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12 (ESV)

And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. - Revelation 22:5 (ESV)

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if we deny him, he also will deny us

but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 10:33 (ESV)

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if we are faithless, he remains faithful

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” - Romans 3:3-4 (ESV)

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for he cannot deny himself

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? - Numbers 23:19 (ESV)

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. - Malachi 3:6 (ESV)

in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began - Titus 1:2 (ESV)

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Reading

2 Timothy 2:14-21

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Discussion Question (2 Timothy 2:14-19)

What are all of the effects of the bad words/speech

described in this section?

Key points related to the above question are highlighted below:

Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” - 2 Timothy 2:14-19 (ESV)

Gangrene...is certainly not a pleasant disease and involves tissue death, communicating the seriousness of what is going on here.

“Upsetting” in verse 18 may be a bit more tame compared to the underlying Greek word - https://biblehub.com/greek/396.htm - which has more of a meaning of overturning, overthrowing, subverting, destroying, corrupting.

But notice what is not an effect - God’s firm foundation is not disrupted. God knows those who are His, and those who really are God’s should depart from iniquity. The confidence of those truly in the church should remain strong because God’s foundation is firm.

Also see John 10, Luke 13:27.

As a follow-up question, how might saying that the resurrection has already taken place ruin someone’s faith? (verse 18)

Philetus is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, but Hymenaeus was in 1 Timothy:

holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. - 1 Timothy 1:19-20 (ESV)

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2 Timothy 2:20-21

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (ESV)

This is a bit of a trickier passage in some sense. If the metaphor is to extend to the entire “earthly” church for the house, then it is possible (given the previous context of false teachers), that the “dishonorable” vessels here could be false teachers being mixed in with true believers (see parable in Matthew 13). But if the metaphor is specifically for those that are truly believers in the church, then the meaning may follow more along the lines of one who is “saved, but only through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15). In other words, it would be more a state about opportunity cost and the potential loss of reward for believer (something we have talked about before) - any time you sin, you are losing out on the potential good God could bless you with.

Regardless, I think the main point of this section is that we as Christians should not be pursuing the lesser things. We should depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19) and seek to be able to be used by God in as many good ways as possible (something we should be desiring).

Somewhat similar (but still different) metaphors in Romans 9:

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— - Romans 9:20-23 (ESV)

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Reading

2 Timothy 2:22-26

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Discussion Question (2 Timothy 2:22-26)

How should we deal with [potentially]

quarrelsome situations?

This section largely deals with how Timothy (and by extension us) should be seeking to deal with quarrelsome (or potentially quarrelsome) situations. What does this section suggest about how we should deal with those situations?

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. - 2 Timothy 2:22-26 (ESV)

We see that God’s servant should reject these kinds of foolish, ignorant controversies (given the context of other similar passages in 1-2 Timothy, it seems likely that these kinds of things likely come from opinions, rather than being based in someone “rightly handling the word of truth”, thus making it easier for quarrels to be bred since there is no underlying standard of truth with which to resolve issues). When responding to these kind of quarrelsome people and situations, there should be an avoidance of quarrels, kindness, teaching, patience, and correction - with gentleness. We see that God may grant them repentance leading to knowledge of the truth - which we should therefore want as well and informs how we should treat people. We may not be able to ultimately “correct” false beliefs...but God can, and we are talked to accurately and gently teach His word. We should keep in mind that the devil has deceived them and they need salvation (just as we did - Titus 3:3 ESV - For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.).

To conclude, as I look back at this chapter, I think a lot of the instruction here is useful for understanding how we can best present ourselves to God as approved workers, ready for every good work (2 Timothy 2:15, 21).