One is struck in reading the second epistle to Timothy, by the way in which Paul goes back from dispensational glory, and down to natural and Jewish relationships of private and personal character: “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers, with pure conscience,” and, “When I call to mind the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice,” &c.
There is nothing he insists on more, than not to lose personal courage in a time of ruin; no matter how great the ruin may be: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” It is always thus. “In nothing terrified by your adversaries.” “Be not thou, therefore, ashamed of the testimony of our Lord (i.e., the gospel and the testimony generally), nor of me his prisoner,” &c. Satan is to be met with confidence as a beaten enemy. This gives steady firmness to the soul. One has the truth, and knows one has it; and this gives quiet consciousness, and keeps one in the midst of the attacks of the enemy in an evil day. He is to be thoroughly courageous when all the evil was coming in, and was there. To “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” To “endure hardness.” It was when the power of evil had come in that he expects courage.
It is not the tide of blessing which carries on others; but when the end had come, and individuals were standing and stemming it, and carrying on the testimony of the truth. It was not like the tide of the gospel at the first— “a great door and effectual opened;” but, “be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God.” It is then we require the power of God and personal courage more than ever. All this is “truth for the times” in which we live. There is truth for eternity as well. Chapter 1:9,10: “Not according to our works,” i.e., our responsibility. The history of the responsible man ended with the Cross. There atonement was made, and God’s eternal purposes came out. The Cross maintained the responsibility of man and the authority of God. Through it, we get out by redemption, into the state where it was His purpose and grace to put us before the world began. The Church has nothing to do with this earth except to go through it.
The tide of the Gospel had gathered a crowd of people into this wonderful calling, but the tide began to ebb, and all were going back again (v. 15). Positive power is needed in such a time, as well as having the truth. There are two things that are worthy of notice. 1St, That we now have only the power of good in the midst of evil, but the evil is never set to rights till the Lord comes; and the instant the power of good is not there, you get away down the stream; and 2nd, How the good that God set up failed so fast. But this has always been so. The counsels of God as to what He set up were made known, and the power of evil came in at once to frustrate the counsels.
Verse 12. “For the which cause,” &c. He was a prisoner for having carried the testimony to the Gentiles. But he had entrusted his happiness to Christ, and He would keep it for him against that day.
Verses 13, 14. He passes on the testimony to Timothy, who would commit “the truth” to faithful men, who could teach it to others. The Church had ceased to be a guarantee for “the truth,” i.e., the doctrines of Christianity and of Christ. It is never said that God is “the truth.” He tells the truth. Christ is said to be “the truth.” “The Spirit is the truth.”
Verse 15. Defection was the order of the day; and in view of such, as of the general state of things, Timothy was to be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (c. The Apostle now takes up the case of a soldier, an athlete, and a husbandman. He must not be entangled with the affairs of this life, but be entirely at the disposal of Him who had called him to be a soldier. Striving in the games, he must do so lawfully; and laboring, first be a partaker of the fruits of it.