ACC ~ 2 Timothy 1 v8 - 18

OVERVIEW:

Paul urges Timothy to accept without curious questioning the divine mysteries that have been entrusted to him, recognizing that God’s free grace calls for human co-operation. Paul has handed on the precious teaching to Timothy, so that by their relationship Timothy may be refreshed in brotherly affection as Paul had been by Onesiphorus (CHRYSOSTOM). Timothy must realize that he and Paul enjoy communion as fellow believers, and communion with the Lord himself, through their sufferings, so that, through the Spirit entrusted to them, they may already taste the joys of the life to come (THEODORE). In the incarnate life of the Son, Jesus hands on to us the mystery of his passion and death, so that we may share in the power of this saving event, which has been prepared from all eternity and bequeathed to us by the Spirit (THEODORET).

God becomes visible in the sufferings and humility of the faithful disciple. This manifestation is the power of grace at work in believers, assuring them of the free gift of salvation (AMBROSIASTER). In themselves death and imprisonment are matters of shame, but when the end time mystery is viewed rightly, they will appear full of dignity (CHRYSOSTOM). God foreknew those who would be reborn in response to the offer of grace (PELAGIUS). Subsequent grace assists humanity’s good purpose, but the purpose itself would not exist if grace did not precede (AUGUSTINE). This grace, of which we were all unworthy (AMBROSIASTER), was prepared even before we came into being (ATHANASIUS, THEODORE, THEODORET). Christ is lamb and lion both in his suffering and his resurrection (AUGUSTINE). We now commend to God’s keeping those things which we pray he will preserve, especially our faith (AUGUSTINE). Follow this pattern of sound words (CHRYSOSTOM), we are to let no weeds of heresy invade the heavenly seed of the truth committed to us (JOHN OF DAMASCUS). If we offer glory to God in the Spirit, we mean that the Spirit enables us to fulfill the requirements of true religion (BASIL).

1:8 | Do Not Be Ashamed of Testifying to Our Lord

GLORY IN THE ECONOMY OF THE CROSS. CHRYSOSTOM: Observe … how Marcion, and Manes, and Valentinus, and others who introduced their heresies and pernicious doctrines into the church of God, measuring divine things by human reasonings, became ashamed of the divine economy. Yet it was not a subject for shame but rather for glorying; I speak of the cross of Christ. … For in themselves death and imprisonment and chains are matters of shame and reproach. But when the cause is added before us and the mystery viewed aright, they will appear full of dignity and a matter for boasting. For it was that death on the cross that saved the world when it was perishing. That death connected earth with heaven; that death destroyed the power of the devil and made men angels and sons of God; that death raised our nature to the kingly throne. Those chains enabled the conversion of many. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 2.

1:9a | He Called Us with a Holy Calling

RELATIVE WORTHINESS. AMBROSIASTER: When Paul says that we are not called according to our works, he means that all who are called are sinners, though by comparison with others some were found to be more worthy. With regard to God’s own grace, however, all were totally unworthy. COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

1:9b | Not Our Works but God’s Purpose

CO-OPERATING GRACE. CHRYSOSTOM: If then he is mighty in calling us, and good, in that he has done it of grace and not of debt, we ought not to fear. For he who, when we should have perished, saved us, though enemies, by grace, will he not much more co-operate with us, when he sees us working? “Not according to our own works,” he says, “but according to his own purpose and grace,” that is, no one compelling, no one counseling him, but of his own purpose, from the impulse of his own goodness, he saved us. This is the meaning of “according to his own purpose.” HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 2.

THE ELECT FOREKNOWN. PELAGIUS: God foreknew those who would be reborn in response to the offer of grace. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

PRECEDING GRACE. AUGUSTINE: Why, then, is it that, in what follows, where they mention what the Pelagians themselves think, they say they confess that “grace also assists the good purpose of every one, but that yet it does not infuse the desire of virtue into a reluctant heart”? They say this as if man of himself, without God’s assistance, has a good purpose and a desire of virtue, hence this preceding merit is supposedly worthy of being assisted by the subsequent grace of God. For they think perhaps that the apostle thus said, “For we know that he works all things for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to the purpose,” so as to wish the purpose of man to be understood. This purpose is then viewed as a good merit that the mercy of the God who calls might follow. They are ignorant that it is said, “Who are called according to the purpose,” so that this may be understood as the purpose of God, not man. Thus those whom he foreknew and predestinated as conformed to the image of his Son, he elected before the foundation of the world. … This then is the purpose of God, in relation to which it is said, “He works together all things for good for those who are called according to his own purpose.” Indeed subsequent grace assists man’s good purpose, but the purpose itself would not exist if grace did not precede. AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 2.10.22.

1:9c | The Grace Given Us in Christ Jesus

THE ECONOMY OF THE FLESH. ATHANASIUS: Here again allusion is made to the economy according to the flesh. For the grace which came to us from the Savior appeared, as the apostle says, just now, and has come when he sojourned among us. Yet this grace has been prepared even before we came into being. … The God of all then created us by his own Word, and knowing our destinies better than we, God foresaw that even though we were made “good,” we should be transgressors of the commandment and be thrust out of paradise for disobedience. Being loving and kind, he prepared beforehand in his own Word, by whom also he created us, the economy of our salvation. Though by the serpent’s deceit we fell from him, we would not remain wholly dead, but having in the Word the redemption and salvation which was earlier prepared for us, we might rise again and abide immortal. DISCOURSES AGAINST THE ARIANS 2.75.

1:10a | Now Manifested Through the Appearing

OLD, YET NEW. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The gospel is ancient in the will of the Giver, even if new in the chain of events. God has demonstrated his eternal will in Christ. COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY.

FULFILLMENT. THEODORET OF CYR: Indeed, the God of all preformed these things from the beginning and before the ages. Now he has brought about a conclusion to all that was decreed. The incarnation is that in which the eternity of the Son is finally manifested. INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

1:10b | Our Savior Abolished Death and Brought Life

NO LONGER DYING. ATHANASIUS: “From Adam to Moses death reigned”; but the presence of the Word abolished death. No longer in Adam are we all dying. In Christ we are all reviving. AGAINST THE ARIANS 1.59.8.

LAMB AND LION. AUGUSTINE: Is he not at the same time a lamb and a lion in both his suffering and his resurrection? Let us discern the lamb in the suffering. “He was,” as we just reminded you, “mute as a lamb before its shearer, and he opened not his mouth.” Let us discern the lion in the suffering. Jacob has said, “Thou hast risen: resting thou hast slept as a lion. Let us discern the lamb in the resurrection. When the Apocalypse is speaking of the everlasting glory of virgins, it says, “They follow the lamb wherever he goes.” Let us discern the lion in the resurrection. The Apocalypse also says, “The lion of the tribe of Judah has overcome to open the scroll.” Why is he a lamb in his suffering? Because, although he was innocent, he suffered death. Why is he a lion in his suffering? Because he slew death when he himself was slain. Why is he a lamb in his resurrection? Because his innocence is everlasting. Why is he a lion in his resurrection? Because his power is everlasting. SERMONS 4.1.

1:12a | I Know Whom I Have Believed

WE COMMEND OUR FAITH TO GOD’S KEEPING. AUGUSTINE: Paul says [elsewhere], “I have kept the faith,” but the same apostle also says, “For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have deposited with him against that day.” “That which I have deposited with him” means: What I have commended to him, for some [Latin] copies do not have the word depositum but commendatum, which is clearer. Now what do we commend to God’s keeping save those things which we pray he will preserve? Is not our very faith among these? For what did the Lord commend for the apostle Peter, by his prayer for him, when he said to him, “I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith shall not fail”? This means that God would preserve his faith and that it would not fail by giving way to temptation. PROCEEDINGS OF PELAGIUS 14.35.

1:12b | To Guard Until That Day

THE DEPOSIT. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The “deposit” is the pledge of the Spirit given to Paul that he may be preserved. COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY.

THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. THEODORET OF CYR: The “deposit” is the power and grace offered to Paul by the Spirit for serving the Lord. INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

1:12c | What Has Been Entrusted to Me

THE FAITH PREACHED OR THE FAITHFUL PEOPLE. CHRYSOSTOM: What is “that which has been entrusted to me”? The faith, the preaching of the gospel. God, who committed this to us, will preserve it unimpaired. I suffer everything, that I may not be despoiled of this treasure. I am not ashamed of these things, so long as the faith is preserved uninjured. Or by “that which is entrusted to me” he may be referring to the faithful people who God has committed to him. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 2.

1:13 | The Pattern of the Sound Words

AN IMPRESSED IMAGE. CHRYSOSTOM: After the manner of artists, Paul is saying, I have impressed on you the image of virtue, fixing in your soul a sort of rule and model and outline of all things pleasing to God. Hold fast to these things, whether you are meditating on any matter of faith or love or of a sound mind. Form your ideas from this pattern in the future. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 3.

1:14a | The Truth Entrusted to You

PRESERVE THE HEAVENLY SEED. JOHN OF DAMASCUS: Before all things, keep that truth which is committed to your trust, the holy Word of faith by which you have been taught and instructed. And let no weeds of heresy grow up among you, but preserve the heavenly seed pure and sincere, that it may yield a great harvest to the master, when he comes to demand account of our lives. He shall reward us according to our deeds, when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, but darkness and everlasting shame shall cover the sinners. BARLAAM AND IOASAPH 36.335.

1:14b | The Holy Spirit Dwells Within Us

THE SPIRIT IN ME. BASIL THE GREAT: If we offer glory to God in the Spirit, we mean that the Spirit enables us to fulfill the requirements of true religion. According to this usage, then, we say we are in the Spirit, but it is not objectionable for someone to testify, “the Spirit of God is in me, and I offer glory because his grace has given me the wisdom to do so.” The words of Paul are appropriate: “I think that I have the Spirit of God,” and “guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.” ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 26.63.

1:15 | All Who Are in Asia Turned Away from Me

MOST TURNED ASIDE. CHRYSOSTOM: It seems that there were then in Rome many persons from the regions of Asia. “But no one stood by me,” he says. No one acknowledged me. All were alienated. Take note of what his soul loves. He only mentions their conduct. He does not curse them, but he praises him who showed kindness to him and invokes a thousand blessings upon him, without any curse on them. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 3.

HIS CONCERN FOR TIMOTHY. THEODORET OF CYR: Paul was then at Rome. Many had wandered away, some for money, others for other reasons. Some of the Asian converts abandoned Paul there on account of the fear of Nero. Paul is afraid that they might be a problem to Timothy, and he wants him to be aware of them. INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

1:16 | Grant Mercy to the Household of Onesiphorus

ENCOURAGING FELLOW COMBATANTS. CHRYSOSTOM: Such ought the faithful to be—like Onesiphorus. Neither fear nor threats nor disgrace should deter them from assisting one another, standing by them and succoring them as in war. For they do not so much benefit those who are in danger, as themselves, by the service they render to them, making themselves partakers of the crowns due to them. … For as in the service of kings, not only those who fight the battle but those who guard the baggage share in the honor. Even more, they frequently even have an equal portion of the spoils, though they have not soaked their hands in blood, nor stood in array, nor even seen the ranks of the enemy. So it is in these conflicts. For he who relieves the combatant, when wasted with hunger, who stands by him, encouraging him by words and rendering him every service, is not inferior to the combatant. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 3.