The apostle no sooner introduces himself and his appointed place in service than he names those sufferings of his which were at least as wonderful as his labors.
“For which cause also I suffer these things; yet I am not ashamed; for I know Whom I have believed; and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have entrusted [or, my deposit] against that day. Have an outline of sound [words] which, thou heardest from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. The good thing entrusted [or, the good deposit] keep through the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in us” (ver. 12-14).
No one was more remote from superstitious penalties or self-righteous pains; yet where was ever such a life-long endurance in the most varied ways for the testimony of Christ? “In stripes beyond measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Five times from Jews I received the forty stripes save one thrice I was scourged with rods; once I was stoned: thrice I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I spent in the deep; in journeyings often; in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from Gentiles, in perils in town, in perils in wilderness, in perils at sea, in perils among false brethren; in labor and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” And this is but the mere external part in what he calls his “folly,” that is, speaking of himself instead of Christ, extorted from him as it was by the detractors at Corinth. But what a life of love such sufferings indicate, what devotedness to Him Who had appointed him a herald and apostle and teacher!
Was he “ashamed” then? Rather did he boast of what humanly speaking is a humiliation. If it is needful to boast, says he, “I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity,” “most gladly therefore will I rather boast of my infirmities [not faults or sins assuredly], that the power of the Christ may dwell upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in straits, for Christ; for when I am weak, then am I strong.” As that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God, so to the spiritual mind there is nothing so glorious for a saint here below as reproach, rejection, and suffering for Christ's sake and His testimony. This was the cause for which Paul was suffering then as all through his course, since the Lord said, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name” (Acts 9:16). But it was also great grace that, instead of complaining like Jeremiah, he should abound in courage, joy, and triumph, NOT shame. Was he then a man of iron constitution, a heart of oak, which threw off all blows and wounds, as if unfelt? “Ye know,” said he to some who should have known him well, “that in weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first; and my temptation which was in my flesh ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.” His circumstances were as trying as his health was infirm; yet went he on for years, night and day, admonishing each with tears, coveting no one's silver or gold or clothing, but his hands ministering to the wants of others as well as his own. Truly in nothing was he ashamed; but with all boldness of grace, as always, so now also magnifying Christ in his body whether by life or by death.
What sustained him? “For I know Whom I have believed.” It is faith, but it is the person believed, and a real inward knowledge thereby formed. No other knowledge has such sterling value for eternity; yet there is communion with God in it now, as now the Holy Spirit communicates it through the word. The voice of Christ is heard and believed and known; for there is, though the channels may be many, but that One, and the voice of any other is only the voice of a stranger. His words are spirit, and they are life; and that life depends on Him Who is its source; Who draws out confidence the more He is known without enfeebling dependence. In Him we have redemption through His blood; and as He is, so we are in this world: acceptance is complete and perfect, according to the glory of His person and the efficacy of His work.
Hence the apostle adds, “and I am persuaded that He is able to keep my deposit—that which I have entrusted unto Him—against that day.” By “my deposit” is to be understood all that I as a believer entrust to the safe-keeping of God, not only the security but the blessedness of the soul and the body, of the walk and the work, with every question conceivable to be raised in the past, present, or future. As responsibility is clearly in question, the reference is as usual to “that day,” which will declare the measure of every saint's fidelity when each shall have his praise from God. The coming or “presence of the Lord,” as is well-known, is the aspect of pure grace when all shall be caught up in the likeness of the Lord to be with Him forever.
This leads the apostle to impress on his fellow-laborer an all-important exhortation for his own service of Christ with others. “Have an outline of sound words which thou heardest from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (ver. 13). “Hold fast” goes far beyond the force of the first word, as “the” form is also unwarranted. Timothy had been used to hear the things which are freely given us by God spoken in words, not which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the spirit teacheth, or, as they are here described, “sound words.” But there had been no formula which he was called and bound to keep; simply the truth conveyed in divinely taught expressions, which, heard before from Paul, he was to heed jealously now that the end of that mighty testifying was near.
For man is not competent to set the truth in new forms without trenching on it and thus impairing if not corrupting the testimony of God. It is not enough to have the things of the Spirit; the words in which they are conveyed need to be of the Spirit also, in order to communicate God's mind in perfection; and hence, to be a rule of faith, we must have God's word. Now that the inspired authorities no longer exist, scripture only is this; and it is as distinct from ministry on the one hand as from the assembly on the other.
Ministry is the regular service of Christ by gift to communicate the truth, whether to the world in the gospel, or to the saints in the truth generally. But even if not a word were amiss (which is rarely the case—indeed far otherwise), it is not inspiration and in no way therefore a rule of faith.
Still less can the assembly be rightly so viewed. It is responsible to receive and reflect the word of God. It is the pillar and stay of the truth, the responsible keeper and corporate witness of holy writ; as Israel of old was of the law and the prophets, the living oracles committed to them. But itself scripture abides the rule of faith.
And hence in this last Epistle of Paul the reiterated forms in which the urgent duty of taking heed to the sound words heard from the apostle. Outline or sample of such words he was to have the authority of which was imprinted on them from God; for Timothy was no such authority, and less if possible the saints who were to profit by them. But Timothy's state of soul was much for their happy use with others; and therefore “with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” has its importance. Memory, however exact, would not suffice. Faith and love, which have their power in Jesus Christ, would make them so much the more impressive.
The verse that follows appears to me to summarize that which its predecessor exhorts to in detail: “Keep the good deposit through the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in us” (ver. 14), but this, not without a sort of antithetical reference to ver. 12. There it was the apostle resting with holy satisfaction on God's keeping what he had entrusted to Him. Here is the other side, in which Timothy is called to keep what he was entrusted with, for which God provides in the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. For the Spirit given abides with us forever. He may be grieved by our sins and folly; but He does not abandon the saint since redemption. He is there, when self-judgment corrects the hindrance, to act in His own gracious power to the glory of Christ Who sent Him down for this very purpose.
It will be noticed that it is not said “in thee,” but “in us.” So it is in scripture habitually, and incomparably better than if predicated of Timothy alone, On him had been conferred by apostolic prerogative a special gift; but he or any other saint shared the unspeakable boon, for which it was expedient that even Jesus should go away. This is the common and characteristic power of the Christian; and therefore it was fitting that, while Timothy should be reminded of One so competent to help our infirmity, he should have it clearly before his soul that the saints at large have the divine Spirit no less truly dwelling in them. It was well for both him and them to have the comfort and the stimulus of so blessed, yet solemn, a fact indelibly before them. We cannot too strongly urge that the precious privileges with which God's grace in Christ has invested believers are standing facts, and not mere ideas or transient feelings. They are indeed calculated to exercise the mind and fill the mind to the full; and wretched is his state, who, possessing what so transcends human thought or affection, seems to estimate them less than the passing things of the day or the trifling objects on which man spends his care. But the life of Christ, His death and resurrection, redemption through His blood, union with Him on high, His intercession at God's right hand, are facts on which the soul can rest, no less than His Deity and His humanity in one person. Just so is it with the presence of the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, and His varied operations in the assembly and the individual. The believer stands in living present relationship with them all, which are as certain and infinitely more important than the links of natural kin or country, which nobody in his senses disbelieves. What a reproof to the thoughtless saint! and what solid cheer to the trembling heart! We have only to reflect on what grace has made ours in Christ to run over with thanksgiving and praise.