II Timothy 2:8-15

II Timothy 2:8-15 (NRSV)

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he will also deny us;

¹³ if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

¹⁴ Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

II Timothy 2:8-15 focuses upon some reminders.

II Timothy 2:8-13 has the theme of encouragement in facing hardship. He is urging Timothy to remain faithful to the gospel, to the confession of faith, and to the word of truth. This will keep him from harmful speech that will primarily distract him from the gospel. The author continues the theme of one generation handing off the ministry of proclamation of the gospel to the next. This passage is part of the urgent appeal the author makes.

⁸ Remember (Μνημόνευε) Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David —that is my gospel. A statement like this could lead to a discussion of the varieties of gospels offered today. There are plenty of gospels out there that seek to be "relevant" and accommodate the prevailing culture's worldview. The resurrected Christ is the source of the gospel. The author reminds them of the heart of the gospel preached. He must give a positive presentation of the Word. He is to remind the people of the gospel Paul preached. Many scholars suggest that this verse contains the fragment of an early creed derived from Romans 1:3-4. The church united in this affirmation of faith. The creeds of the church today do not include the reference to David. Yet, this reference to Israel is significant and will inform the understanding of God’s faithfulness in verse 13. Ignatius often referred to it. He further defines the gospel as that ⁹ for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. The only other time the New Testament uses the word is as Luke refers to the crucifixion. But the word of God is not chained. Government authorities can chain people, but not the gospel. Paul is a model in the suffering that accompanies faithfulness to the gospel.  Paul here shows himself to be an example of the lengths a Christian can go to suffer for Christ’s sake. In addition, the author here alludes to Philippians, in which he specifically rejoices in his imprisonment. There, he rejoices not only for his opportunity to witness to the guards (Philippians 1:13), but also for the courage it has given other Christians to preach the gospel even more boldly (Philippians 1:14). These words may very well be in view as he writes to Timothy. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The suffering of the apostle is part of the plan of salvation.  He endures the suffering for the sake of others.  Part of the reminder concerning the gospel is that Paul suffered and endured hardship to bring the gospel to others. One can expect that such suffering will be part of the faithful presentation of the gospel for the next generation as well. Christian salvation is a glorious one, in contrast to the present suffering.

II Timothy 2: 11-13, for many scholars, are a liturgical hymn or solemn confession for the occasion of baptism. The point is that there are wonderful things for which to look forward, even if hardship is their present lot. The author writes whole segment to encourage ministers to be faithful in their vows, recalling their baptism. ¹¹ The saying is sure, reminding the reader that certain truths flow from this salvation. If we have died with him, we will also live with him. Paul has a parallel thought in Romans 6:3-8, where he stresses that baptism means baptism into the death and even the burial of Jesus. Yet, as God raised Jesus, God will raise us. We unite with Christ in his death and resurrection. ¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him. The reference to endurance is a reminder that baptism is a beginning, not the end. Such endurance while suffering is crucial to participating more fully in the proclamation of the gospel, both in carrying out present ministry and in trusting the promise of future life in Christ. If we deny him, he will also deny us. Jesus said that whoever denies him before others, he will also deny before his Father in heaven (Matthew 10:33). ¹³ If we are faithless, he remains faithful—It may suggest that even if the believer is faithless, fails to keep vows, etc., God will be merciful. For he cannot deny himself. The point is not a charter to sin or consolation to the frightened conscience. Paul already, in verse 8, had brought Israel into the reader’s view, through his reference to David. Much of Pauline literature wrestles with the conundrum of Israel: Theirs is the covenant with God, and yet they seem not to recognize Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. Although Paul is convinced of the status and place of Jesus, he wrestles with the status and place of Israel. Romans 9–11 is the most poignant and extensive of his thinking through Israel’s place. Ultimately in Chapter 11, Paul concludes that Israel’s unfaithfulness was the cause of the Gentile inclusion, and the Gentile inclusion will cause Israel to become jealous and ultimately come to faith. Paul is entirely committed to the fact that God’s covenant with Israel stands, and it is God’s mercy that also includes salvation for Gentiles.

II Timothy 2: 14-15 is part of a segment that concludes at verse 26 that involves false teachers, making this passage part of a dire warning to the next generation of those who proclaim the gospel. To ¹⁴ Remind  (ὑπομίμνῃσκε) is integral to the initial appeal to remember the gist of the gospel is the imperative that Timothy must remind others of it. Receiving the good news is not solely a matter of personal edification. With the blessing of the gospel comes the responsibility of sharing it to edify the community. He is to remind them of this, and warn (διαμαρτυρόμενος, witness or testify) them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins (καταστροφῇ, bringing on a catastrophe) those who are listening. He refers to false teachers. They do not deal with substance. Paul shifts from broad theological claims to specific advice. The warning contained here is a matter of conducting oneself in a manner that does not tear down the community. We sense the urgency in the following advice. 

Christians are notorious for engaging in stupid arguments about minor points in the faith. We get into arguments over doctrine and polity, modes of baptism, ways to serve the sacraments and to whom. Indeed, Christians are some of the most contentious people in the world. Rather than fighting, Paul urges Timothy to correct opponents with gentleness so that "God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth" (v. 25). 

We should measure the value of our words by their impact on others. Paul says we should avoid the unnecessary chatter of Ephesus for two reasons: It does no good, and it ruins those who listen to it. In Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius encouraged a process of self examen founded on the idea of listening for how our deepest feelings and yearnings would impact us. The discipline is to look for what he called “consolation” and “desolation.” Simply put: Consolation is whatever helps us connect with ourselves, others, and God. Desolation is whatever disconnects us. Ignatius’ ideas of consolation and desolation can be a helpful assessment to apply not just to our interior conversations but to our exterior ones. As we speak words or hear words from others, do they create connection or disconnection within us, between us and/or between us and God? The reality is that our words are often unnecessary, or at best, they are just empty. Thomas à Kempis pondered why we are so eager to chatter and gossip with each other. Such behavior leads to a damaged conscience. Idle chit-chat seeks comfort from each other. It hopes to lighten our distracted hearts. We chatter about our favorite topics, such as what we would like to have and things we most dislike.^[1]

 

Before you speak, Listen.

Before you write, Think.

Before you pray, Forgive.

Before you quit, Try.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

 

¹⁵ Do your best (or be diligent, Σπούδασον). The writer urges Timothy to focus his attention. Yet, we live in a time when multi-tasking is of high value.  If much of your work is on the computer, you have grown accustomed to having more than one window up at the same time. As you work, you may get email notifications that you need to check, a notification from Messenger, and the phone may ring with an important call. If your boss shows up at the door, you stop what you are doing and focus. You may feel exhausted at the end of the day. You might think you did not accomplish much. However, you are a multitasking champion. Such is life in the 21^st century. Are you able to multitask? Answering such a question positively on a job resume will help. Some people have suggested that multitasking is good for the brain.

Studies of the human brain have long fascinated me. Some of you might remember studies of the Left and Right brain. On the physical side, I find it fascinating that we can do so much with the firing of the neurons in the brain. Is multitasking good for the brain? Sandra Bond Chapman^[2], director of the Center for BrainHealth, does not think so. In fact, it is quite the opposite. She thinks it is a brain drain that exhausts the mind, zaps cognitive resources, and condemns us to early mental decline and decreased sharpness. Chronic multi-taskers have increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can damage the memory region of the brain. It looks as if the brain has a design that involves doing one thing at a time. What feels like" multitasking" is more like mentally switching from one thing to another since it is impossible for us to do two things at once. If you are talking while driving, whether with someone in the car or the phone, you might blow past your exit or drive 20 miles without remembering how you got there. That frequent switching back and forth from task to task makes you less efficient, less focused and less productive because you are only thinking about those things on a surface level. 

The solution, according to Dr. Chapman, is to focus on one thing at a time. She calls getting things done sequentially "Single-tasking," focusing completely on one task before moving on to another. When we can filter our thinking to focus only on what is most important at that moment, we can experience increased productivity and enhance our ability to think strategically. Our brains can become more efficient and our output of higher quality when we devote all our mental resources to what really matters. 

We may multitask because we are not able to set priorities for the use of our time and energy. It requires some attention to yourself and to your situation to assess what truly matters most right now and do that. This process begins to sound like much that we learn in spiritual formation. 

In any case, if the design of the brain is toward focusing on one thing at a time, we might expect this principle to show up in our spiritual formation as well. After all, we are often prone to spiritual multitasking. We can slip into thinking that keeping busy and gathering more information in matters related to church and Bible are signs of spiritual maturity. Some devout people feel like they are failing spiritually if they are not involved in multiple programs for learning and mission. It is easy for us to become distracted, exhausted and burned out trying to multitask great things for God. 

Dr. Chapman offers her advice for getting your brain back in shape after being an exhausted multitasker: 

1. Give your brain some downtime. Step away from a challenging task periodically for a few minutes to give your brain room for the next inspired idea. 

2. Focus deeply without distraction. Turn off the phone, shut down all those open windows on your computer and give your full attention to one task at a time. Work for shorter periods of intense focus, giving yourself a mental break in between. 

3. Make a to-do list. Identify your top priorities for the day and check those tasks off the list first. Moving from one task to another in an intentional sequence makes for better productivity. 

 

I would suggest that our text offers advice for getting the spirit back in shape after spiritual distractions have exhausted us spiritually. I have been thinking of how easy it can be to confuse busyness with meaningfulness. If we commit ourselves to conflicting concerns, surrender to many demands, and commit to too many projects, we could do some damage to what matters most. We may harm our capacity for a peaceful heart and life. Equally important, we may harm our ability to offer liberation from sin and healing to a spiritually sick world. Our work may not be fruitful because we have cut ourselves off from the wisdom that makes Christian life fruitful.^[3]  In other words, we might need some time to step back from the pressing demands of the moment, re-focus our energy, and re-consider priorities. We may need to focus deeply and without distraction.

Timothy is to do his best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, Paul varies between broad and specific advice, from once-for-all declarations about Jesus to specific courses of action and the results these will bring us. The gospel may bring hardships, even imprisonment, but Paul, as an example to Timothy and the church, endures it for the sake of others’ salvation. So, too, Timothy ought to present himself to God as one approved. In doing so, in enduring, there is the assurance that one day he will reign with Christ. 

We are called to say yes

That the kingdom might break through

To renew and to transform

Our dark and groping world.

 

We stutter and we stammer

To the lone God who calls

And pleads a New Jerusalem

In the bloodied Sinai Straights. ...

 

We are called to say yes

That black may sing with white

And pledge peace and healing

For the hatred of the past. ...

 

We are called to say yes

So that rich and poor embrace

And become equal in their poverty

Through the silent tears that fall.

 

We are called to say yes

That the whisper of our God

Might be heard through our sirens

And the screams of our bombs.

 

We are called to say yes

To a God who still holds fast

To the vision of the Kingdom

For a trembling world of pain.

 

We are called to say yes

To this God who reaches out

And asks us to share

His crazy dream of love.^[4]

 

Timothy is to do his best by being a worker who has no need to be ashamed. Paul was not "ashamed" of the gospel, and we should not be either. It is the power of God for the salvation of the world (Romans 1:16). In verses 9 and 10, we read that Paul endured hardship for the sake of bringing the good news of salvation in Christ to others. Regardless of our occupations, the gospel ought not to be a secondary consideration. The gospel is not something you practice in the privacy of your home. The gospel touches every part of your private and corporate life. The gospel brings our lives in alignment with the way of Christ. That is why our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Timothy is to do his best by rightly explaining (or keeping the word of truth straight on course, ὀρθοτομοῦντα, coming from the root word "orthos" which means to make straight) the word of truth. The competent minister expounds the gospel faithfully. Since the author refers to “rightly explaining,” I offer a word of caution. I have read the Church Dogmatics of Karl Barth several times, as well as other works. As massive as his writing is, he did not have much interest in explaining or defending the Bible. He was a witness to the truth and life he found there. His exposition of the Bible was as theological reading of his understanding of the narrative of the Bible. God has revealed who God is Jesus Christ, in the written word of God, and in the preaching of the church. The massive amount of writing suggests he cared about getting it “right,” but in so doing, he wanted to get it lived far more.^[5] To put it differently, an obsession with getting it right is a form of perfectionism that will damage life. 

I started taking the Bible seriously when I was around 15 years old. The Bible is our sacred book. It has formed and shaped Jews and Christians over the centuries. This text comes under attack from scholars and preachers. The secular culture will naturally attack it. Too many people have a superficial reading of the book. They come across they do not like or understand, and they dismiss it. I received my respect for this book from Pastor Joe and my SS teacher Earl. I had good professors in college and Seminary who continued that respect, even as we wrestled.

As Christians, we read from the standpoint of trustful confidence that the words of the Bible lead us to God and to the fullness of life. We let it define and transform our lives. One comes to trust the Bible because we have come to trust in the God to which the direct us, to lead the life it advises, and to be part of a community designed to be faithful witnesses in this world. We find ourselves trusting without being able to present the logical steps it took for us to do so. It was in part the witness of others, our personal reading of the Bible, the relationships we form, and the way we have lived. Even a systematic presentation of Christian teaching does not explain it all. Thus, if we trust the Bible, we do not do so because of a doctrine about it. We do so because of the faithful witness of others, the work of the Holy Spirit, and even because of Trinitarian relations. To trust the Bible in this way is to let its language slowly transform us. Such trust does not make reading the Bible easy. Yet, such trustful confidence in the witness of the Bible is necessary for the church to have openness to the fresh winds of the Spirit.^[6] We need to come to the Bible realizing that its world is strange to us, and therefore, we should almost expect surprise. Leaders in teaching within the church need to help people feel the surprise, even when reading passages that have become familiar. One of the faithful marks of a faithful reading of the Bible may well be that it keeps surprising us.^[7] The Bible will open new truths to us as our lives and needs change, and as the Holy Spirit works with the words of the Bible to help us encounter a new truth. We need to be aware of the uniqueness of each moment in our lives and the uniqueness of this historical moment, even as we read the ancient words of the Bible. These words are not like the dead letter but receive a new reading with each reader and in each historical moment, as the Holy Spirit works. For that reason, the understanding of scripture is a task that will never end. One we think we have understood, the threat is that it becomes a dead letter, no longer open to the fresh insights of the Spirit. The Spirit inspired writers to write these words, but these words must remain living words that open us anew to the Spirit. If not, they become a dead letter. The letter, the word, must become Spirit for us in this moment. One formation of our understanding of scripture becomes the letter out of which the Spirit comes to bring us to the next stage.^[8] The focus of the Bible is upon the covenant God has made, first with a family, then with a people, and finally with humanity. Through its words, we learn what God says to us and that God has found us It takes time, but reading and studying the Bible can become a great delight as we learn a new way of living our lives and viewing our world.^[9] Reading the Bible is like launching our little boat onto an unpredictable, uncontrollable sea. We depend upon the Holy Spirit to enliven our reading, and therefore a proficient reading of the Bible is a gift of God. The more we read the Bible, the greater grows the mystery. Imagine a scene with me. One sets out to sea in a small boat. If one is near the land, one has little fear. However, when one advances little by little into the deep, lifted high by the waves and brought down again, fear can arise. One can develop such temerity as we, who are small in ability, dare to enter so vast sea of mystery to which the Bible opens us. However, our prayerfulness in reading may well allow a favorable breeze of the Spirit that will lead us safely to the port of our salvation.^[10]

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[1] Kempis, Thomas à. The Imitation of Christ. Notre Dame, Ind.: Ave Maria Press, 2000.

[2] Chapman, Sandra Bond. "Why single-tasking makes you smarter." Forbes Website. May 8, 2013. forbes.com. Retrieved April 1, 2016.

 

[3] Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander (Crown, 2009), 81.

 

[4] Edwina Gateley, excerpted from “Called to Say Yes,” in There Was No Path So I Trod One (Source Books, 1996). journeywithjesus.net. Retrieved April 2, 2019.

[5] Eugene Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir (HarperCollins, 2011). Kindle Loc. 1491-98.

[6] William C. Placher inspires these comments, as quoted in Carnegie Samuel Calian's Survival or Revival [Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998].)

[7] Inspired by Karl Barth saying that the epistles, come to us as, "Letters From a Stranger." 

[8] Gerhard Ebeling, Luther: An Introduction to His Thought, Philadelphia: Fortress, 1972, pp. 97-100. 

[9] Karl Barth, The Word of God and the Word of Man, Douglas Horton, trans., New York: Harper & Bros., Harper Torchbooks, 1957, p. 43

[10] The further we progress in reading, the greater grows the accumulation of mysteries for us. And just as if some one should embark on the sea borne by a small boat, as long as he is near the land he has little fear. But when he has advanced little by little into the deep and has begun either to be lifted on high by the swelling waves or brought down to the depths by the same gaping waves, then truly great fear and terror permeate his mind because he has entrusted a small craft to such immense waves. So we also seem to have suffered, who small in merits and slight in ability, dare to enter so vast a sea of mysteries. But if by your prayers the Lord should see fit to give us a favorable breeze of his Holy Spirit we shall enter the port of salvation with a favorable passage of the word. (Origen, Sermons on Numbers 23.4.)