1 : 7-9
“For God gave us a Spirit of not of fear but of power and love and sound mind. Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 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.”
2 : 11-13
“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
He cannot deny Himself. If you live with Him, like Him, you cannot be denied.
2 : 2
“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
We have a generational call to discipleship, to pass on your faith. To your children, to your neighbors. Not with your words but with the way in which you live your life. The disciples that walked with the Lord did not simply speak the scripture, they lived it, they travelled and committed and walked with Christ. Walk by Him, let people see Him this way, THROUGH YOU.
| Notes: | Paul had mentored Timothy for many years and knew that he was timid in nature. It’s essentially Paul reminding Timothy of the legacy we are called to carry on, a legacy that we are still called to carry on now, all of this time later. Most of the Christians that were executed by the Romans were crucified, but Paul was beheaded as a Roman citizen. |
|---|---|
| Who wrote this passage, and who was it written for? | 2nd Timothy was written as a letter from Paul to his spiritual son, Timothy. Paul had been imprisoned in Rome for the second time. The first time, he had small freedoms, similar to what house arrest would be. This time, he was awaiting execution in the Mamertine Prison. |
| What historical events or cultural factors influenced its meaning? | Paul had been imprisoned in Rome for the second time, he was awaiting execution in the Mamertine Prison. Timothy was leading a church in Ephesus, which was struggling with false teachings of the Bible, persecution and had internal conflict within the congregation. The Christian population was being heavily persecuted by the Romans; they were blamed for the Great Fire of Rome. Everybody was afraid. |
| Are there significant words or phrases in the original language? | 2nd Timothy is often referred to as Paul's farewell letter, as he was beheaded shortly after writing it. |
I pray that my mind is open enough to be shown the messages of assurance in my life. I pray for the deliverance of divine motivation, I pray to maintain the discipline that carries me through my day. God please keep my heart open to you, allow my mind to be open, so that I may both deliver and receive the good messages of your grace.
AMEN