The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
Commentary by Nick Boork
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October 25 – 2 Timothy 4
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. 21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this final portion of Paul’s letter to Timothy he charges him to continue to preach the word of God faithfully. He uses three words that represent different types of preaching:
Convince – means to persuade people to believe in Jesus Christ. Convincing people through expounding the Scriptures on how Christ fulfilled the promises of God as the Savior and sharing his personal testimony of salvation appealing to hearers to make a decision to follow Christ.
Rebuke – means to confront sin and false teachings bringing correction according to the word of God. This aspect of preaching is not the easiest as it may offend the hearers but preachers are to be the prophetic voice of God declaring this is the right way walk in it.
Exhort – means to encourage people to apply the word and bring assurance. Everyone needs encouragement and preachers should lift and inspire people to believe God and grow spiritually.
He tells him that there will come a time when people will turn away from listening to the truth and turn to fables. In other words, many would become selective hearer’s and only choose to listen to preachers that make them feel good and that’s why he says they will heap-up for themselves teachers having itching ears. There is a tsunami of false teachers and prophets that do not preach Jesus Christ as Lord. Despite the challenges, Paul encourages Timothy to keep going, preaching the truth, to do the work of an evangelist and fulfill his ministry.
Paul discerned that his days were numbered and that he would be departing this world soon to go to be with the Lord. He looks back on his life and confidently writes that he has fought a good fight and that he finished his course and he’s kept the faith. The Lord called Paul to be his ambassador and he preached the gospel all over the Gentile world and planted many churches. He also developed a multitude of spiritual leaders. Truly he did the work of an apostle. This is why he could say that he finished his course, the race that the Lord gave Paul to run and he could see the finish line just ahead of him! Church history tells us that in 64 AD Paul was beheaded in Rome under the emperor Nero. Paul’s race was finished but before he reached the finish line he handed the baton to Timothy.
Timothy continued his ministry and enjoyed a long fruitful life serving the Lord. He lived till he was 80 years old and according to church history Timothy became the first Bishop of the church in Ephesus. He died in 97 AD as a martyr for Christ being first clubbed then dragged through the streets and finally stoned to death by an angry mob that reacted to his preaching against Pagan worship of the goddess Diana. Timothy remained faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ until his departure from this world. Timothy also finished his course having fought a good fight and he kept the faith. I can only imagine the apostle Paul greeting him at the entrance of heaven along with a multitude of other martyrs and faithful servants of Christ that had already passed into the glory of God. One day we will meet them all but not yet, not yet my friends we still need to finish the race and the ministries God has called us to fulfill.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) This was the apostle Paul’s final charge to Timothy to preach the gospel.
2) Paul knew that his days were numbered so he was passing the baton to Timothy.
3) We all need to follow the example of both Paul and Timothy.
4) Three things we must do fight the good fight of faith, finish our course and keep the faith.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association.
Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute.
Enroll free today! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. 21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this final portion of Paul’s letter to Timothy he charges him to continue to preach the word of God faithfully. He uses three words that represent different types of preaching:
Convince – means to persuade people to believe in Jesus Christ. Convincing people through expounding the Scriptures on how Christ fulfilled the promises of God as the Savior and sharing his personal testimony of salvation appealing to hearers to make a decision to follow Christ.
Rebuke – means to confront sin and false teachings bringing correction according to the word of God. This aspect of preaching is not the easiest as it may offend the hearers but preachers are to be the prophetic voice of God declaring this is the right way walk in it.
Exhort – means to encourage people to apply the word and bring assurance. Everyone needs encouragement and preachers should lift and inspire people to believe God and grow spiritually.
He tells him that there will come a time when people will turn away from listening to the truth and turn to fables. In other words, many would become selective hearer’s and only choose to listen to preachers that make them feel good and that’s why he says they will heap-up for themselves teachers having itching ears. There is a tsunami of false teachers and prophets that do not preach Jesus Christ as Lord. Despite the challenges, Paul encourages Timothy to keep going, preaching the truth, to do the work of an evangelist and fulfill his ministry.
Paul discerned that his days were numbered and that he would be departing this world soon to go to be with the Lord. He looks back on his life and confidently writes that he has fought a good fight and that he finished his course and he’s kept the faith. The Lord called Paul to be his ambassador and he preached the gospel all over the Gentile world and planted many churches. He also developed a multitude of spiritual leaders. Truly he did the work of an apostle. This is why he could say that he finished his course, the race that the Lord gave Paul to run and he could see the finish line just ahead of him! Church history tells us that in 64 AD Paul was beheaded in Rome under the emperor Nero. Paul’s race was finished but before he reached the finish line he handed the baton to Timothy.
Timothy continued his ministry and enjoyed a long fruitful life serving the Lord. He lived till he was 80 years old and according to church history Timothy became the first Bishop of the church in Ephesus. He died in 97 AD as a martyr for Christ being first clubbed then dragged through the streets and finally stoned to death by an angry mob that reacted to his preaching against Pagan worship of the goddess Diana. Timothy remained faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ until his departure from this world. Timothy also finished his course having fought a good fight and he kept the faith. I can only imagine the apostle Paul greeting him at the entrance of heaven along with a multitude of other martyrs and faithful servants of Christ that had already passed into the glory of God. One day we will meet them all but not yet, not yet my friends we still need to finish the race and the ministries God has called us to fulfill.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) This was the apostle Paul’s final charge to Timothy to preach the gospel.
2) Paul knew that his days were numbered so he was passing the baton to Timothy.
3) We all need to follow the example of both Paul and Timothy.
4) Three things we must do fight the good fight of faith, finish our course and keep the faith.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association.
Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute.
Enroll free today! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll