Let’s start digging into this wonderful letter from God to us. For every lesson, we will begin with reading the whole passage to get the big picture before we study the verses more closely. Sometimes, we will include verses from the previous lesson to show continuity.
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-7. Ask the Lord Jesus to teach you through His Word.
If possible, print out the verses we are studying. Use your own method (colored pencils, lines, shapes) to mark 1) anything that grabs your attention, 2) words you want to understand, and 3) anything repeated in this passage. Draw arrows between thoughts that connect. Put a star next to anything you think relates to being faithful or staying faithful.
1. What grabbed your attention from these verses?
2. What verses or specific words do you want to understand better?
3. What topics are repeated in this passage or continue an earlier discussion in this letter?
4. What verses illustrate or help you understand what staying faithful looks like?
5. From this lesson’s passage, choose one verse to dwell upon all week long. Write it in the space below. Ask God to teach you through this verse.
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-7. Ask the Lord Jesus to teach you through His Word.
Historical Insight: Who is Timothy? Timothy was born and reared in Lystra (central Turkey). His mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, were devout Jews who became believers in Christ. Timothy’s father was a Greek. There is no mention of him beyond that. Timothy first heard Paul preach the gospel on Paul’s first visit to Lystra and trusted in Christ. In essence, Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father. When Paul came back to Lystra, Timothy joined Paul on the rest of his 2nd missionary journey.
During that time, Timothy helped to establish churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. When Paul left Berea to go to Athens, Timothy and Silas stayed behind before later joining Paul in Corinth. Timothy was sent to Thessalonica to strengthen the faith of believers there. He also traveled with Paul to minister to churches in both Greece and Asia (western Turkey).
Six of Paul’s epistles to churches include Timothy in the salutations meaning Timothy was with him when Paul wrote the letters. Acts does not tell us whether Timothy was with Paul during Paul’s two-year imprisonment at Caesarea. But, he was with Paul during his house arrest in Rome. After Paul’s release (around 62 A.D.), Timothy and Paul traveled to Ephesus where Timothy was left to care for the church. Paul wrote 1st Timothy around 64 A.D. from Rome or Macedonia.
Paul wrote 2nd Timothy (~ 67 A.D.) while Timothy was still in Ephesus. The area surrounding Ephesus probably had a number of young churches, not just one, with each church led by elders. Timothy was sent as an “apostolic representative,” that is, as Paul’s substitute. He had the authority to order worship and appoint elders and deacons as well as maintain the teaching of truth and sound Christian doctrine.
According to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, which was written several centuries later (originally published in 1563), Timothy remained in Ephesus until 97 A.D. During a pagan celebration of a feast called “Catagogion,” Timothy severely reproved the people in the procession for their ridiculous idolatry. This, of course, antagonized the partygoers who beat him with clubs “in so dreadful a manner that he expired of the bruises two days later.” (The above information is gathered from Acts 16-20, most of Paul’s letters, and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs)
6. After identifying himself as Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God (a declaration common to all his letters), what does he say next in v. 1? Why would this be an important truth to him at this time?
7. Looking at vv. 2-7, what words and phrases reveal the depth of Paul’s relationship with Timothy?
8. Based on what you read in the “Historical Insight” above, why is their relationship so meaningful to Paul?
9. In 2 Timothy 1:3, Paul says he serves God with a clear conscience as his forefathers did. Read Hebrews 11:17-40. What sort of spiritual heritage did Paul’s Jewish forefathers leave him?
Focus on the Meaning: To have a good, or pure, conscience does not mean that we have never sinned or do not commit acts of sin. Rather, it means that the underlying direction and motive of life is to obey and please God, so that acts of sin are habitually recognized as such and faced before God. (Dr. Constable’s Notes on 2 Timothy 2017 Edition, p. 8)
10. According to 2 Timothy 1:5, who were Timothy’s primary spiritual mentors as he was growing up? What gift did they impart to him? See also 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
Historical Insight: Timothy’s mother Eunice was Jewish, but her own father was apparently not very orthodox. He violated one of the clear commands of the Law in arranging a match for his daughter with a Gentile (Acts 16:1). Later, when Timothy was born, he wasn’t circumcised (16:3). So, it seems that neither Eunice’s father nor husband were observant of Judaism. But Eunice was. Paul praised her for her “genuine faith,” which she shared in common with her own mother Lois. Eunice imparted that faith to her son, Timothy, and…equipped him for a lifetime of usefulness for God. Eunice is an encouragement for every woman faced with the daunting task of nurturing the spiritual life of her children. (The Word in Life Study Bible, p. 746)
11. Consider the role of mentoring / discipling in your life.
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-7. Ask the Lord Jesus to teach you through His Word.
12. According to 2 Timothy 1:5, we know that Timothy possessed sincere faith, which is a precious treasure especially in a church leader. He also had been given a spiritual gift for leadership and teaching.
From the Greek: The Greek word translated as “fan into flame” or “kindle afresh” literally means to “kindle up, inflame one’s mind.” The word picture is that of a pair of bellows used on burning embers to invigorate a flame.
13. Read 1 Corinthians 16:10 and 1 Timothy 4:12. The implication in these verses is that Timothy had a tendency to be timid or be afraid when facing challenges.
From the Greek: Let’s define those words. “Power” comes from dynamis, meaning “the power of God to make you strong and able.” It is God’s power manifested in us. “Love” is agape, meaning unconditional love, God’s kind of love. “Self-control” comes from sophronismos, meaning “soundness of mind, moderation, self-control, disciplined mind.” It is the opposite of hysteria.
14. Why are these three qualities so important for those who want to serve Christ with their lives?
15. If God’s spirit within us is one of power, love, and discipline, what should (or could) characterize our response towards life’s hardships? Glean the following verses for your answer:
Think About It: “Craving, cringing, panicky fear is one of the devil’s greatest weapons. I have a better chance of solving problems if I deal with them in a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. (Tim Stevenson, Mind Games)
16. About “fanning into flame” your spiritual gifts:
At the end of this lesson, you will find a list of spiritual gifts with descriptions of each and a link to an online assessment that will help you to discover your gifts. Most of the spiritual gifts are described in Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-30 and Ephesians 4:11.
17. Timothy may have had a tendency to be timid and fearful when faced with a challenge. What specific fears or inabilities tend to get in the way of your service to Christ? How can you apply 2 Timothy 1:7 to your life?
Every believer in Jesus Christ is gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve the Body of Christ. A spiritual gift is a supernatural capacity for service to God in the Body of Christ. All believers receive the same gift of the Holy Spirit but individually receive spiritual gifts that differ, according to the will of God, to be used for the common good.
Although opinions differ on the actual number of spiritual gifts, the Bible clearly indicates a variety of gifts understood from such key passages as Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. Listed below are some of the gifts and how they are beneficial to the Body of Christ, especially the local church body.
The following list is adapted from “The Gifts of the Spirit,” an article by Kenneth Boa, accessed at www.bible.org.
Various spiritual gift assessments are available to further help you understand how you have been gifted. We recommend the online spiritual gifts analysis freely provided by “Ephesians Four Ministries” of the Church Growth Institute at the following website: www.churchgrowth.org.
Allow yourself at least 15 minutes to take this assessment (or any other assessment you have available to you). At the end, you will receive a detailed description of what may be your main spiritual gift. Often, a second gift is evident, and that description will be displayed as well. If possible, print these descriptions for future reference.
Primary gift: _____________________
Secondary gift (if applicable): _____________________
What did you discover about yourself regarding your spiritual gift(s) and how they could benefit your local community of believers?
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