PAUL'S SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY

Final Appeal and Personal Business

2 Timothy 4:1-22

FINAL APPEAL (4:1-8)

Introduction

Even though Timothy is being assaulted on 2 different fronts--physical persecution and heretical teachers, it is imperative that he stand firm in his commitment to Christ and to the ministry Christ has called him to. In this passage Paul is issuing one final appeal to Timothy to remain faithful and loyal to Christ in both these areas.

Basis for Final Appeal (4:1)

Paul bases his appeal on the fact that Timothy is to live his life and conduct his ministry in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus. Our society today is so desperate to eliminate any mention of God or of Jesus Christ. By doing so it is deluding itself that it can live life anyway it wants to. The stark reality though is that whether we admit it or not, we do everything in the presence of God and of His Son, Jesus. Paul reminds Timothy of this so that it will affect the way he conducts his ministry and live his life.

Paul elaborates on the significance of living life in the presence of Jesus: "who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom." When Christ returns, He will come in judgment. This judgment is not restricted to non-Christians; it will also involve Christians as well. Moreover, although each Christian will ultimately experience final salvation, he will not necessarily have a positive experience during the time of judgment. According to Paul, Christ is the foundation for each and every Christian. After Christ has laid down the foundation, it is up to us to build upon that foundation. If we follow Christ, we will build upon this foundation a structure of gold, silver, and precious stones. If we refuse to follow Christ, we will build upon that foundation a structure of wood, hay, and straw. The day of judgment will be a day in which fire will test the structures we have built. If we have built the first structure, what we have built will be refined. If we have build the second, what we have built will go up in smoke. In the second instance the Christian is still saved, yet as if by fire (1 Cor. 3:15).

Don't be deceived. Paul is not painting a pretty picture for the second kind of Christian. My dad admitted as much right before he died. He told my brother that even though he was saved and was going to go to heaven, he was going to have to give an account for certain things he had done wrong in his life. He had squandered the opportunities God had given him, and now it was time to give an account to God. Timothy is not being given the option of laying low, dying, and then skipping right on to heaven. He is going to have to face the judge of all flesh on Judgment Day for the way he has conducted himself during those trying times.

Paul also bases his appeal to Timothy upon the appearing of Christ and His kingdom. Paul is saying that the future should determine Timothy's present. As I think about the war in Iraq, I ask: "Why bother about all of this since Christ is going to return one day and make everything right?" That is the point though. Because He is going to return and make everything right, I need to try to make everything right at the present time. If I truly believe that righteousness is coming, then I need to live righteously right now. If I truly believe that love and peace are the future, then I need to live lovingly and peaceably right now. In the same way if Timothy truly believes that Jesus is coming back as King of kings and Lord of lords, then he should live beneath that lordship and kingship in the here and now, even if it means losing his own life. Our response to the future in the here and now shows us what we truly believe about the future in the here and now.

The Appeal (4:2, 5)

The primary appeal Paul makes to Timothy is that he preach the Word. By this he does not mean that Timothy is just to select some harmless OT passage that won't offend anybody. Under the leadership of the Spirit, Timothy is to select those passages which apply specifically to the situation the churches find themselves in. Anything else and Timothy is being a sham as a pastor/leader. He might get to enjoy a "long, successful" ministry in a church; however, he has defrauded the church into thinking they really had a minister. (The sad thing is also true that after a period of time he would have started believing he was a good minister.)

Paul continues by saying that Timothy is to preach the Word "in season and out of season." In other words, Timothy is to preach God's Word when it is convenient and when it is inconvenient. He is to preach God's Word whenever the crowds are applauding him and whenever they are ready to string him up.

Preaching the Word dictates that "reprove, rebuke, [and] exhort." Reprove may deal more with the intellect, showing somebody intellectually and rationally how their deeds are wrong, while rebuke may deal more with the conscience, leading that person to feel guilt over his acations. Exhort though may deal more with the will, leading that person to will the things of God that He has revealed to him.

This reproving, etc., is not to be done in a harsh manner. Rather it is to be done "with great patience and instruction." We're to teach people, not browbeat them. We're to do it with great patience, not blow up at them. The way we do things is as critical as what we do. Many people cannot hear the words we speak because they are so turned off by the way we deliver those words.

Paul concludes the appeal by urging Timothy: "Be sober, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Another Basis for the Appeal (4:3-4)

Paul now bases his appeal upon what is about to happen: "For 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 with their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." Up until this time people for the most part have been receptive to the gospel in Ephesus. It was such a fertile ground that Paul was able to stay there for 3 years, a period longer than he had spent in other areas (Acts 20:31). Yet that was changing. People were going to want to have their ears tickled. In other words, they were wanting to be intellectually stimulated, even if it is at the expense of the truth. (The Athenians of Paul's day were such people--Acts 17:21.)

The sad thing is that when people turn from the truth, they invariably turn to myths. The spiritual element in a person is so important that even when he rejects the truth, he must have the spiritual element tended to, even if he is turning to myths. It is so ironic that people reject the truth of Christ (His deity, His resurrection, the life He has given us) and then turn right around believe that they are gods, that astrology give insight to the meaning of life, or that an atheist (Buddha) is God Himself.

The people then scrounge up teachers who will meet this need in a false manner. Too often church is nothing more than a bunch of people who attach themselves to a pastor or minister who will tell them what they want to hear instead of what God is actually trying to say to them. That minister makes it about them, not about Jesus. It is precisely this kind of pastor/minister Paul warns Timothy not to become.

The Ultimate Reason for the Appeal (4:6-8)

Paul last listed several reasons or bases for his appeal. The primary reason Paul is appealing to Timothy to remain faithful to the Lord is that Paul is about to die: "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come." Paul is about to lay down his mantle and desires that Timothy pick it up and resume Paul's ministry.

Paul pictures his imminent death as a sacrifice and as ship setting out for sea: "I am being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come." Paul had consistently viewed his Christian life as one of offering himself up as a sacrifice to the Lord (Rom. 12:1; Phil. 2: ). If he has consistently offered himself up to the Lord as a sacrifice, it is only natural then that at the end of his life when he has nothing else to sacrifice except for his own physical life that he then offer up even that physical life to the Lord.

Paul then evaluates the ministry the Lord had entrusted to him: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." In the wrestling arena, he has strained with every spiritual muscle God has given him to win the match. He did not drop out during the middle of the course God had given him to run for Christ. Like a business entrusts its money (faith) to a banker, so God had entrusted the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles (faith) to Paul. Like a good banker, Paul had made good with what the Lord had entrusted him with. From a human perspective Paul ends up a dismal failure; however, from heaven's perspective he has ended up a raging success.

In fact, unlike what Timothy MIGHT face, Paul is looking at a glorious reception from the Lord on Judgment Day: "In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will award to me on that day." There are 2 interpretations for the phrase "crown of righteousness": (1) it is a crown given to people because they lived a righteous life and (2) the crown or reward is righteousness itself. Whereas #1 looks the most promising, #2 is probably the better interpretation. Elsewhere Paul speaks about a crown of joy. If #1 were right, then Paul would be saying that God was going to reward him because he was joyful. Well, he actually in this passage is calling the Thessalonians themselves a "crown of joy."

There is no benefit to wearing crowns in heaven as rewards when the streets of heaven themselves are paved in gold. Rather, the better reward is that we enjoy righteousness or joy to a greater degree as a reward. "But won't we all be righteous and joyful?" Yes, but like one person said: "Although all our cups will be full, some people's cups will be larger than others'."

This glorious future is not reserved for Paul alone. This promise holds true for Timothy and also for us as well. If we can look back upon our lives and say we have fought the good fight, we have finished the course, and we have kept, then we can also say that a crown of righteousness awaits us.

PERSONAL BUSINESS (4:9-22)

Paul in Dire Straits

The last verses of chapter 4 have got to be some of the saddest in the entire Bible. Although Paul is not indulging in self-pity, his description of his circumstances breaks the heart. Here is the man who loved Jesus and who loved Jesus' people. It was one thing to be persecuted by the Romans; the treatment though he received at the hands of the church is thoroughly unconscionable. God brings some of His most incredible people into our lives, and the only appropriate response to Christ when these people suffer is to remain loyal to them regardless the consequences. Anything less disgraces us.

Paul is Alone

First, for various reasons Paul has been left alone in the prison in Rome. Demas has deserted Paul, having loved this present world more than the world to come. I don't know if Paul is accusing Demas of apostasy; it might just be that Demas could not take Paul's circumstances any longer and that he just wanted to go home. In either case his deserting Paul is unjustifiable; it has brought upon him shame for the past 2000 years.

For unknown reasons Crescens, another of Paul's associates, has gone to Galatia, east central modern-day Turkey. Titus has gone to Dalmatia (the area northwest of modern-day Greece, in former Yugoslavia). Only Luke is with Paul at the present time. This does not mean that none of the Roman Christians are around him. It's just that Paul had a group of associates who ministered to his daily needs so that he could concentrate on his work as an apostle and who also served as liaisons between Paul and the churches he had established. Of this group of associates only Luke is with him. Tychicus is on his way to Ephesus, most likely to relieve Timothy so that Timothy will be free to come minister to Paul in Rome.

Just a side note on Paul's life. It is wonderful that by the end of Paul's ministry he and John Mark have been reconciled. Mark's deserting Paul and Barnabas had seriously soured Paul's relationship with Mark. In fact it had created so many problems that it even seriously harmed Paul's relationship with Barnabas. Now at the end of his ministry these 2 giants of Christianity have been reconciled. It is quite likely that because of this reconciliation that Mark comes to Rome and continues Paul's ministry in that city after Paul's death. As a result of that ministry Mark writes the Second Gospel which most NT scholars believe is the foundation for Matthew and Luke.

Paul is in Dire Physical Straits

Next Paul asks Timothy to stop at Troas on his way to Rome and pick up the cloak which he had left with Carpus. This cloak would resemble our ponchos. It would have been a large woolen cloak with a hole cut out in it for the head without any openings for sleeves and which would have reached down to Paul's feet. Paul is imprisoned most likely at this time in the Marmitime prison in Rome just off the Roman forum. It was not like the house he lived in during his first Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:16, 30). It was a dark, dank, cold, underground prison. Winter was fasting approaching (4: ), and Paul needed protection from the winter cold.

Paul's Persecution at the Hand of Alexander

Paul instructs Timothy to beware of Alexander. Much speculation has been made about Alexander, much of which we cannot verify. It is interesting though that the words translated "he did me much harm" are actually used elsewhere in the sense of "he informed against me." In other words, during times of Christian persecution, many Jews would inform against Christians, leading to their arrest and punishment. It appears that Alexander was the leading figure in having Paul arrested, leading to his eventual execution. Paul informs Timothy to be on guard against him. Although we are never to deny Christ during times of persecution, we are to be wise and avoid it if possible.

Paul's Being Deserted During His Trial

Next, Paul informs Timothy about the trial he had just undergone. This part of the trial was probably more like a grand jury investigation in which information was gathered to be presented at the more formal trial. Who supported Paul during this phase of the trial? No one. Many who would have supported Paul probably could not--Luke, Tychicus, etc. Those who could support him--influential Roman Christians--refused to step up to the plate and support him. Paul does not list these people; however, whoever they were, they did not support him.

The Note of Triumph

It is tragic the way the church failed to support Paul. Yet Paul is not a tragic figure, wallowing in self-pity. He more than balances out each negative description of his circumstances with what the Lord is doing in and through him. Yes, he's in a prison facing certain death; however, the things he wants most are the books, especially the parchments. The books were most likely scrolls of papyrus, while the parchments were book-like codices made of animal skin, considered more highly valuable than the papyrus parchments. On these books and parchments were most likely the OT Scriptures. At the very end, when all seems lost from a human perspective, Paul wants the Scriptures. If you want to see what's important to a person, see what he gathers around him at the time of his death: spouse, family, friends. As his death approaches, Paul too is gathering around him his closest friends--Timothy, Luke, and Mark. Along with them though he wants the Scriptures. What a testimony this is to Paul that God's Word is still one of the most important things in his life, even at the time of death.

Next, Paul is confident in the Lord that although Alexander has done Paul great harm, the Lord will repay Alexander according to his deeds. There is within each of us a real streak of justice. Most of the time we don't want justice applied to us; nevertheless when it is all said and done we want justice done. Well, the day of justice is coming for Alexander. There is a God and He is just; Alexander is going to have to pay the piper. Paul will be vindicated to be sure; yet even more importantly Alexander's judgment will flow from the justice which will one day reign supreme.

Although Paul was alone in his defense before Caesar (or his magistrates), he has fulfilled Christ's commission to him. Jesus had designated Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles. If he was going to fulfill this ministry, then he was going to have to preach the gospel to every strata of Gentile society, including the emperor himself. Even though he was preaching the gospel under negative circumstances, he nevertheless was still getting to preach it before Caesar. It is so ironic that the vindictive Alexander and the unwitting Romans actually helped Paul fulfill God's mission and purpose for his life. Paul can now look back upon his life with deep joy and satisfaction as having fulfilled God's purpose for him.

Although Paul had no one to support him during the grand jury phase of the trial, he was not alone: "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." For Paul that was paramount. To be sure we all like to have our friends surround us during times of crises; yet it is even more important that Christ Himself be with us. It's the same attitude Jesus expressed in the Garden of Gethsemane: "An hour has come for you to be scattered, each to his home and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me" (John 16:32).

(This response to circumstances is what prevented Paul and Christ from becoming bitter. Too many of us rely way too much upon others. When we pray to God for help, we expect Him to help us through such and such a person. God though always comes through but not necessarily in the way we spelled out for Him. He may use this person or that person, or He just might work directly without using anybody else. He wants to do it in such a way though so that He will receive the praise and honor, and not the person He used.)

Finally, Paul ends this letter on a note of ultimate triumph: "The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom" (4:18). Throughout life we have seen Christ come through and save us during dire circumstances. Maybe we thought we would never have a child or have a spouse. Maybe we thought our business was going to go under--even though we had been faithful to Him. Then God steps in and rescues us. This is the way God operates most of the time. But there does come a point in which God does not operate this way. A loved one does die an untimely death. Has God failed us? No. Rather He has come through in an ultimate sense. We prayed that a sick loved one would live; now that one is living life to the fullest in the presence of God. We have asked God to take care of our financial needs; we wake up walking on streets of gold and through gates of pearl. The challenge to us is to live out what we believe. Not to wallow in self-pity and despair because things are rough, but rather to live lives of triumph based upon a realistic faith. A realistic faith which produces lives of joy (not giddiness) and love. The kind of life Paul was experiencing even when in the depths of a Roman dungeon facing certain death.