OVERVIEW:
Important reminders regarding faith, fear, and holding fast sound words in the last days (chapter 1); responsibilities of believers in the last days (chapter 2); the realities of living in the apostasy of the last days (chapter 3); the apostle Paul’s final charge to preach the word in the last days (chapter 4).
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
This second letter to Timothy records the last words that Paul ever communicated under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was written from a prison in Rome (Mamertine Prison) where Paul was being held as he awaited execution for preaching Christ during the reign of the cruel Roman Emperor, Nero, who hated Christians and Christianity!
Paul had obviously been arrested again since the writing of his first letter to Timothy in 65 A.D. The New Testament gives little detail as to Paul’s ministry between these two imprisonments, but what we can conclude from scripture is that he went to Nicopolis (Titus 3:12) and then to Troas (4:13), where he had left his cloak, some books, and the parchments (i.e. the scriptures) because of an apparent need for a quick exit. At the time of the writing of this final letter to Timothy, the time of his execution was drawing near. (2nd Timothy 4:6) Every one of Paul’s trusted companions, with the exception of Luke, had forsaken him. (2nd Timothy 4:11) He is lonely, but he is not in despair. (2nd Timothy 4:17; 2nd Corinthians 4:8-10) He has a longing in his heart to see his beloved son in the faith one last time, so he writes this letter to Timothy asking him to come to Rome as soon as possible. (4:9, 21). The thrust of this letter is Paul encouraging Timothy not to be afraid of stepping in to assume role of leadership in the ministry of the gospel and discipleship once he had been executed. (1:7-8; 2:2) We should all have at least one person to whom we could write such a letter when we are on our death bed!
Additional highlights from Paul’s second letter to Timothy:
- 1:7 – Any time we’re experiencing fear doing the work of the Lord, we can be assured that its source is not God! It’s either our own foolish insecurities and lack of faith, and/or the work of our adversary, Satan! (4:18)
- 1:12 – True believers are eternally secure because they know whom they have believed (Jesus Christ), and it is He who keeps them saved until that day, not themselves!
- 2:15 – We are commanded to “study” the word of God to make sure that we “rightly divide it.” Without diligent study, it is possible to make “wrong divisions” when interpreting the scripture, and end up twisting it to our own destruction. (Also see 2nd Peter 3:16)
- 2:24–26 – It is imperative that we display genuine meekness when seeking to reach lost people with the gospel, realizing that they have been taken captive by Satan himself and are being held in his snare. Their only hope is through the message of the gospel that has been committed to our trust. (Also see 1st Thessalonians 2:4)
- 3:15–17 – Paul clearly calls the Old Testament “scriptures” that Timothy had as a child “holy”, and even though they were not the “original manuscripts”, but obviously, copies of copies of copies, the “scriptures” Timothy held in his hands was the very inspired word and words of God that had the supernatural power to “perfect” and “throughly furnish” a man or woman of God “unto all good works”!
- 4:2–4 – We have many “TEACHERS” of the Bible all over the world today just as the Bible predicted, but so few “PREACHERS” of the WORD! What’s the difference between teaching and preaching? From a general standpoint it is simply this: the purpose of teaching is imparting “information”. The purpose of preaching is initiating “transformation”.
From a specific biblical standpoint, according to 2nd Timothy 4:2–4, true biblical preaching includes four key things:
- Preaching declares “THE WORD of GOD” to the listeners! (Preaching is not simply imparting information “from” the word, “using” the word, or “about” the word. It is imparting “THE WORD” itself! It has to do with the CONTENT of the message.)
- Preaching “REPROVES” the listeners! (Preaching is intended by God to be CONVICTING.)
- Preaching “REBUKES” the listeners! (Preaching is intended by God to be CONFRONTING.)
- Preaching “EXHORTS” the listeners! (Preaching is intended by God to be CHALLENGING.)
In a nutshell, we could say that biblical preaching in the 21st century is politically incorrect. May God give us a few fearless men to declare the light of His glorious word, even in these dark last days! And by God’s grace, may He empower us to be in that number!