Second Timothy 2:1-26

II Timothy 2:1-7:

^2:1Therefore you, my child, must be enabled in the grace, the (grace) in Christ Jesus, ^.2and the-things-which you heard from me by means of many witnesses these-things you must put-beside believing men, the-people-who will be sufficient also to teach different-people. ^.3You must suffer-bad-things-together as a beautiful soldier of Christ Jesus – ^.4not-one-person serving-as-a-soldier weaves-himself-in to the materials of life in order that he may please the (one) collecting-soldiers; ^.5but if-ever also someone may contend he is not crowned except he may lawfully contend; ^.6it is necessary (for) the tiller laboring firstly to receive of the fruits. ^.7You must mentally-perceive that-which I say for the Lord will give to you understanding in all-things.

Paul again addresses Timothy as “child” as though he were a child born to/from himself emphasizing his affection for him by using this term of endearment (refer to I Timothy 1:2 and 18; II Timothy 1:2).

Following-on logically from what I have just written, emphatically you, my child, must be enabled in the grace (be caused to be made-able, to have able-power within, to be given-ability, empowered, made-capable within the unmerited, freely-bestowed favor), emphatically and specifically the grace within Christ Jesus (refer to II Timothy 1:7-10).

And, the things which you heard from me by means of many witnesses (you heard the words I spoke through a lot of people who have information, knowledge of what they are attesting to and can therefore confirm the things that I said on the strength of their own authority) – these things you must put-beside believing men (you must place these things alongside believers, pass these things on from you to those of mankind who are faithful, trusting relative-to God and the things of God), the men/women who will be sufficient also to teach different-people (those who will suffice enough, who will have come to enough, reached the point of satisfying sufficiency in this context of also instructing other people).

We should notice that Paul told Timothy to put the details of what Paul said beside believers (people adjectively described as believing, faithful, trusting relative-to God, and no mention is made about what particular function they may have within the one spiritual body of Christ, nor did he write ‘unbelievers’). Then after Timothy puts these things beside believers they will be sufficient to teach different people, i.e. people who don’t have or know it yet.

The good-message regarding the Lord Jesus Christ is to be taught to all people: to believers so that they can learn more and also to unbelievers so that they can choose if they want to believe and become believers.

Paul continues: you must suffer bad-things together (experience, be affected by things that do not issue from the only true God in conjunction with your teaching this to others with me) – how? – as a beautiful soldier of Christ Jesus (Christ Jesus’ soldier being in service to/for him soldiering during battle/war in military service with a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable goodness). The usage of military terminology draws attention to the truth that holy-people are in a battle/war against the opposing side which is under the leadership of satan, the devil.

Paul explains by giving illustrations to help Timothy to understand three aspects:

1. not one person serving as a soldier weaves-himself-in to the materials of life in order that he may please the one collecting-soldiers

• (nobody, no-one who is in service soldiering during battle/war plaits or braids himself in something, entangles himself, intertwines himself in to the dealings of matters, the handling of affairs, the procedures and doings pertaining to the course, mode, manner of our everyday living – why not?
  • for the purpose and result that he would be agreeable, acceptable or gratifying to the one who enlisted him into the soldiery, his military boss);

2. but if-ever also someone may contend he is not crowned except he may lawfully contend

• (if it should happen at any time that somebody would contend being an athlete for mastery of an event as in public games aiming at the finish-line, with the goal of being the one to receive the prize for winning that event –  
  • that person is not crowned with the prize of the garland, the victory-wreath that is only awarded to the victor of that event, unless with the condition being that he would contend in a lawful manner, according to the guidelines set-up and administered for that athletic event.
    • The garland that will be available for holy-people to receive at a future time will be our receiving the appropriate rewards from our Lord Jesus Christ when he will gather us together and we will be before his judgment seat. The usage of athletic terminology draws attention to the truth that holy-people are contending being athletes together moving in the direction of the same objective, being on the same team in the same contest, not a different one or on a different team.);

3. it is necessary for the tiller laboring firstly to receive of the fruits

• (it is binding, it must, it ought to happen that the cultivator, husbandman, the one who tills the soil preparing the garden making it ready for the plants to bear fruit, it is necessary for the tiller who is presently and actively exerting wearisome effort and toil carrying-out his responsibility –
  • to be the one who is the first to take-of, participate of what is given to him which are the fruits, the things produced, the results of his labor, and these fruits are also to be received in company and association with others but he is first).

You must mentally-perceive what I say (you Timothy must presently and actively observe with your mind, see to the end of knowing mentally the collection of words I lay out here for you) – in truth, the Lord will give to you understanding in all-things – who will give you understanding? – the Lord Jesus Christ.

To ‘give’ is an unforced presenting or yielding something which someone already has to someone else who does not have it yet. The Lord Jesus Christ will give to you the capacity to put it together in your mind gaining insight in all the things I have spoken and written down for you.

[Reference: Matthew 13:24, 31, and 27:29; Acts 9:22, 17:3; I Corinthians 3:11-15, 9:7, 24-27; II Corinthians 5:10, 10:3 and 4, 12:9; Ephesians 3:4, 20, and 6:10-18; Philippians 1:27, 4:1, and 3; I Thessalonians 2:19; I Timothy 1:7, 12-18, 2:2, 4:13; II Timothy 1:8, 12, and 13; II Peter 2:20; Revelation 19:14 and 19.]

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