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The Letters · New Testament

2 Timothy 2

2 Timothy 2: hand on what you heard, and avoid word fights

General context

Timothy is told to be strong in grace and to commit what he heard among many witnesses to faithful men able to teach others. Three short comparisons follow: a good soldier of Jesus Christ who does not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, a competitor who is not crowned unless he strives lawfully, and the husbandman that laboureth who must be first partaker of the fruits. The writer tells him to consider what is said, and to remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which the writer suffers trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds, adding that the word of God is not bound and that he endures all things for the elect's sakes. A faithful saying follows in four conditions, about dying and living with him, suffering and reigning, denying and being denied, and a last clause that breaks the pattern: if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. Timothy is then to charge people before the Lord not to strive about words, to study to shew thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth, and to shun profane and vain babblings, whose spread is compared to a canker. Hymeneus and Philetus are named as saying that the resurrection is past already and overthrowing the faith of some. Against that the foundation of God standeth sure with a two-part seal. A great house holds vessels of gold, silver, wood and earth, and a man who purges himself becomes a vessel unto honour. The chapter closes by telling Timothy to flee youthful lusts, avoid foolish and unlearned questions, and instruct opponents in meekness.

Cited passages: 2 Timothy 2:1, 2 Timothy 2:2, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 2:4, 2 Timothy 2:5, 2 Timothy 2:6, 2 Timothy 2:7, 2 Timothy 2:8, 2 Timothy 2:9, 2 Timothy 2:10, 2 Timothy 2:11, 2 Timothy 2:12, 2 Timothy 2:13, 2 Timothy 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:17, 2 Timothy 2:18, 2 Timothy 2:19, 2 Timothy 2:20, 2 Timothy 2:21, 2 Timothy 2:22, 2 Timothy 2:23, 2 Timothy 2:24, 2 Timothy 2:25, 2 Timothy 2:26

2 Timothy 2 (KJV)

1Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

5And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

7Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

8Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

9Where in I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

10Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

12If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

13If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he can not deny himself.

14Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

18Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

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Historical context

The chapter establishes that the writer is imprisoned, stated as suffering trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds, with no charge, court or place named here. It describes a chain of teaching without naming anyone in it: what Timothy heard of me among many witnesses is to go to faithful men, and neither the witnesses nor the men are identified. Two opponents are named, Hymeneus and Philetus, and their teaching is given in one clause, saying that the resurrection is past already, which is more than the letter says about most opponents. The first letter to Timothy names a Hymeneus paired with Alexander rather than Philetus, and neither letter says whether the same man is meant. The seal quoted in this chapter is given as two lines without naming any source for them.

Cited passages: 2 Timothy 2:2, 2 Timothy 2:9, 2 Timothy 2:17, 2 Timothy 2:18, 2 Timothy 2:19, 1 Timothy 1:20

Literary context

Three trades are set out in a row, soldier, competitor and farmer, each in a single sentence and none of them explained, and the reader is left with an instruction instead of an application, Consider what I say. The faithful saying then runs as four matched conditions, and the fourth refuses the symmetry the first three build: after if we deny him, he also will deny us comes if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. Images of spreading and containing organize the rest. Bad teaching eats as doth a canker, while the foundation of God standeth sure, and the great house of mixed vessels turns the argument from doctrine to what a person makes of himself. Three verbs of refusal carry the closing instructions, shun, avoid and Flee, set against being gentle unto all men.

Cited passages: 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 2:5, 2 Timothy 2:6, 2 Timothy 2:7, 2 Timothy 2:12, 2 Timothy 2:13, 2 Timothy 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:17, 2 Timothy 2:19, 2 Timothy 2:20, 2 Timothy 2:22, 2 Timothy 2:23, 2 Timothy 2:24

Key moments

  1. Commit it to faithful men (2 Timothy 2:2). Timothy is told to pass on what he heard to those who can teach.
  2. A good soldier (2 Timothy 2:3). Endurance is compared to soldiering.
  3. The word is not bound (2 Timothy 2:9). The writer contrasts his own chains with the message.
  4. A faithful saying (2 Timothy 2:11). Four conditions about dying, suffering, denying and believing follow.
  5. Rightly dividing (2 Timothy 2:15). Timothy is told to handle the word of truth as an approved workman.
  6. Hymeneus and Philetus (2 Timothy 2:17). Two men are named for saying the resurrection is past already.
  7. Vessels in a great house (2 Timothy 2:20). Honour and dishonour are compared to different household vessels.

For reflection

The chapter tells Timothy both to correct error sharply and to instruct opponents in meekness. Which of those is harder to keep when you are sure you are right?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here:

  • Hymenaeus
  • Philetus