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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Ti_4:1-5
1I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2Ti_4:1 "I solemnly charge you" Paul continues to lay out Timothy's task and admonishes him to action (cf. 1Ti_5:21; 1Ti_6:13; 2Ti_2:14; 2Ti_4:1). Remember this is Paul's last letter before being martyred (late a.d. 67 or early 68)!
▣ "in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus" The Father and Son are linked together in a grammatical form that emphasizes their equality (see hyperlink at Tit_3:6). Church leaders live and serve in the presence of God and His Christ.
▣ "who is to judge" This is an OT title and function for YHWH used here for Jesus. This shows His full deity (cf. Mat_25:31 ff; Act_10:42; Act_17:31; Rom_2:16; 1Pe_4:5); as Christ was the Father's agent in creation (cf. Joh_1:3; 1Co_8:6; Col_1:16; Heb_1:2), so too, will He be the Father's agent in judgment.
▣ "the living and the dead" This refers to Jesus' judgment of all conscious creation (cf. Php_2:10). The same phrase occurs in Act_10:42 and 1Pe_4:5. Some will be alive at the time of the Second Coming (cf. 1Th_4:13-18; some are with the Lord (cf. 2Co_5:8); and some (the wicked) are in Hades (cf. Rev_20:13; Mat_11:23; Luk_16:23).
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▣ "by His appearing" Literally this is epiphany. It conveys the idea of "brightness, radiance, splendor, or glory." It may reflect the OT concept of God's presence in the Shekinah cloud of glory during the Wilderness Wandering Period of Israel's history after the Exodus. This is the characteristic word in the Pastoral Letters for the Second Coming (cf. 1Ti_6:14; 2Ti_1:10; 2Ti_4:1; 2Ti_4:8; Tit_2:11; Tit_2:13; Tit_3:4; 2Th_2:8). See Special Topic at Tit_2:13.
Paul admonishes Timothy to do certain things in light of the reality of Judgment Day/Resurrection Day. The Second Coming is meant to encourage believers in every age, although it will be reality to only one generation. Believers should live each day as if it were, or might be, the last!
▣ "His kingdom" This refers to the reign of God in believers' hearts now that will be consummated over all creation (cf. Mat_6:10). Here again, God's kingdom is assigned to the Son. Jesus Christ is described in three eschatological functions: (1) Judge; (2) the coming One; and (3) the King.
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2Ti_4:2 "preach the word" This is the first in a series of nine aorist imperatives. Our message (logos) is Jesus (cf. Col_4:3). He is the gospel! He is the "Word" (Joh_1:1).
▣ "be ready in season and out of season" This is an aorist active imperative. Literally it is "seasonably" (eukairôs) and "unseasonably" (akairôs). This describes the "great commission" of Christianity (cf. Mat_28:18-20; Luk_24:46-47; Act_1:8). When in doubt share the gospel! It is always appropriate!
▣ "reprove" It is literally "to put on trial so as to prove" (cf. 1Ti_5:20; Tit_1:13; Tit_2:15).
▣ "rebuke" This is an another aorist active imperative (cf. Luk_17:3; Luk_23:40).
▣ "exhort" This is another aorist active imperative. This is the same root as "encourage." To reprove or rebuke without encouragement and patience is not Christian (cf. 2Ti_3:10; 1Ti_1:16).
▣ "with great patience" See note at 1Ti_1:16.
2Ti_4:3 "For the time will come" This reflects Paul's day, in some sense every day, and uniquely the last days (cf. 2Ti_3:1; 1Ti_4:1-2).
▣ "they will not endure sound doctrine" Many of the words in the Pastoral Letters are also found in Luke's writings. It is possible that Paul used Luke as a scribe to write these letters.
The term "sound" means "healthy" and was used often by Luke (cf. Luk_5:31; Luk_7:10; Luk_15:27, etc.). It is a very common description of doctrine and faith in the Pastoral Letters (cf. 1Ti_4:6; 1Ti_6:3; 2Ti_1:13; 2Ti_4:8; Tit_1:9; Tit_1:13; Tit_2:1-2; Tit_2:8).
▣ "but wanting to have their ears tickled" This phrase refers to the false teachers (cf. 2Ti_4:4) and their followers. They hear only what they want to hear!
▣ "they will accumulate for themselves teachers" They just want to hear
1. those who agree with them (cf. Jer_5:31)
2. those who teach new and speculative things
3. many different teachers (always a new seminar to attend)
2Ti_4:4 "turn away. . .turn aside" The first term is used of perversion in Tit_1:14 (cf. 2Th_2:11) or desertion in 2Ti_1:15.
The second term is used often in the Pastoral Letters (cf. 1Ti_1:6; 1Ti_5:15; 1Ti_6:20; 2Ti_4:4).
Both of these are a play on the OT concept of righteousness as a ruler (or straight edge); all the terms for sin are a deviation from the standard. These false teachers turn away from sound doctrine and turn to myths!
▣ "from the truth" See Special Topic: Truth at 1Ti_2:4.
▣ "myths" This concept is used often in the Pastoral Letters (cf. 1Ti_1:4; 1Ti_4:7; Tit_1:14; Tit_3:9; 2Pe_1:16). It possibly refers to
1. the Gnostic aeons (angelic levels between the high good god and lesser spiritual beings which would form matter)
2. Jewish Messianic genealogies
3. some non-canonical "gospels"
For a good discussion of the different meanings of "myth" and their connotations see G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible, pp. 219-242.
2Ti_4:5 This is another contrast between the actions of Timothy and the false teachers.
NASB "be sober in all things"
NKJV "be watchful in all things"
NRSV "always be sober"
TEV "keep control of yourself in all circumstances"
NJB "must keep steady all the time"
This is a present active imperative. This does not refer to abstinence from wine but to being even-tempered. See full note at 1Ti_3:2.
NASB "endure hardship"
NKJV "endure affliction"
NRSV, TEV "endure suffering"
There is a series of three aorist active imperatives in this paragraph. This term is used three times in 2 Timothy (cf. 2Ti_1:8; 2Ti_2:3; 2Ti_2:9; 2Ti_4:5). It refers to persecution and deprivation caused by being involved in the gospel ministry.
▣ "do the work of an evangelist" This is the second aorist active imperative in this paragraph. The noun "evangelist" is used only three times in the NT.
1. Phillip's seven daughters (cf. Act_21:8)
2. a gifted local church leader (cf. Eph_4:11)
3. and here
The term "gospel" (euangelion) literally means "good news"; an evangelist (euanelistçs) is one who shares the gospel.
An evangelist is a spiritual gift to the church (cf. Eph_4:11) and evangelism is the responsibility of every believer (cf. 1Pe_3:15; Col_4:6). Believers must not only affirm the mandate of Jesus (cf. Mat_28:18-20; Luk_24:47; Act_1:8) but live it out day by day!
▣ "fulfill your ministry" This is the third aorist active imperative. Gospel ministry without evangelism is not a full ministry (cf. Col_4:17). Evangelism is the heart of God, the purpose of Christ's sacrifice, and the initial task of the Spirit.