The Testimony of the Lord's Prisoner

‘... This thou knowest,
that all they which are in Asia
be turned away from me; ..
. ... ‘

Hello there,

I have been considering 2 Timothy 2:15 and it’s context, in the light of the words of Paul in 2 Tim. 1:15 (above).

Timothy was in Ephesus, a city in Asia, carrying on Paul’s work there, so does this explain the reason for the strife of tongues surrounding Timothy at the time of Paul’s writing. Had they turned away from Paul's message as well as himself? Had the un-searchable nature of the revelation given to Paul, hidden as it had been, in God, since the beginning of the world, been a stumbling block to the believers in Ephesus and elsewhere in Asia?

Paul exhorted Timothy to, ’endure hardness’ (2: 3), as one engaged in ‘warfare’ and labour’ (2:3,4), ‘suffering’ (v.12) ‘strife about words to no profit’, ‘subversion’ (v.14), ‘profane and vain babblings’, error regarding the truth, and the overthrow of faith: these are the context of 2 Timothy 2:15.

This verse, so precious to each one us, is designed to lift Timothy above this conflict and ensure that he, himself, will not be ashamed, but a workman whose sole purpose was to shew himself approved unto God.

This was achieved by rightly dividing the Word of Truth in the light of 'the form of sound words' delivered to Timothy by Paul, which was the deposit of truth concerning the dispensation (fellowship) of the mystery (Eph. 3:9), and the Joint Body described in Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians. Titus and Timothy had received this truth and were walking in the light of it, in the face of rejection and apostasy, as they looked for the appearing of their God and Saviour.

Isn’t this a word for us today? As we face equally dangerous times, to hold fast the form of sound words which have been delivered to us, as it was to Timothy, via the written Word, delivered by the Steward of that good deposit, the Apostle Paul.

'Hold fast the form of sound words,
which thou hast heard of me,
in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.'

( 2 Tim.1:13 )

In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
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