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Second Letter to Timothy - Chapter 2

1 Be strong - you will be given the grace needed to be so.
2 As distinct from the other pastoral letters, Timothy is given the role of passing the faith to men who will teach others - clearly a bishop's role to select and develop teachers of the faith and ensure its accurate transmission through a chain of faithful witnesses. This needs men who are both faithful and can teach.
3 But this will involve suffering, as all soldiers must. Training & discipline do not allow time for civilian pursuits.
4 Do not be distracted from your main work. Suggests that Timothy must be a full-time leader. But also that he should not be distracted by matters not relevant to spreading the faith. All too easy to become entangled in marginal activities, especially those which help us to put off tackling the important tasks we know we must do.
5 Of course you must keep within the rules - do not take short cuts, eg giving in to a relativist or easy-going environment - cf Pope's speeches! You may appear to reach the end this way, but it will not be a real success.
6 Rewards come only from hard work. Absentee landlords do not get the benefits.
7 Meditate carefully on all this - in your new role you will be given additional gifts of understanding to assist you. Bishops and teachers need to be chosen who will "keep" the true gospel - preserving and passing on whole the Christian tradition - which is radical enough - in a conservative way, not inventing new ideas or trimming off the bits we don't like. (Yet we have to explain it in terms which relate to our own time and culture - the same truths but expressed in an understandable way today). Are we in danger of avoiding essential parts of the gospel message?
8 Constantly remind yourself that the fundamental Christian creed is not a religious system or just a message about how to be saved: it is that Jesus is the Christ, the expected Davidic Messiah, and he rose from the dead. The resurrection is key, confirming that Jesus is God's Son, and that rising from the dead into a new body is possible - not just an immortal spirit, but real, bodily resurrection.
9 This is the gospel I preached, and for which I am in prison. You have to be prepared to stand up for the gospel and challenge assumptions of your culture in the face of opposition and opprobrium. But the gospel words cannot be chained.
10 I endure these chains for the sake of those called by God to be the people of God, so that they may obtain Christ's salvation, which leads to eternal (bodily) glory - triumph over sin & death. "Suffering ... makes present in the history of humanity the powers of the Redemption" (John Paul II, Salvifici doloris).
11 probably a creedal hymn, possibly from a Baptism liturgy, A frequent expression of Paul's: dying to Christ, we shall live in him. In Baptism we share in Christ's passion, death and burial, and also in his resurrection.
12 Suffering with him, we shall join him to reign in his kingdom - not just be in his kingdom, but join him in reigning over the new creation - we shall have new tasks to do - resurrected bodies are not meant for lazing around any more than our earthly bodies. But if we deny him, he will deny us (Mt 7:23, 10:33, 25:12; Mk 8:38). A real problem for the early church when some members gave up their faith under torture, and even betrayed other Christians.
13 But the regularity of the verses is disrupted - possibly by Paul himself: even if we falter in our faith, Christ's faith in us will not falter, it is his nature to believe in us. He continues to give us the grace we need.
14 Preach God's love, and don't spend time disputing about the precise meaning of words. It makes sense for scholars to seek accurate meanings, but it is a waste of time for most Christians to debate detailed meanings of the mysteries - and, what is worse, it can easily lead to acrimony and hatreds. Even today our creed contains phrases noone can explain ("eternally begotten", "proceeds from the Father").
15 Acquire the skills you need to understand and explain the gospel - and get qualifications confirmed by others. Then you will do good work, worthy of your calling, able to stand before your Master without shame, having done your best, clearing a straight path to the truth, giving certainty of meaning where it is needed.
16 Again, avoid pointless chatter - it will put people off and lead them astray.
17 False teaching is like a canker, leading to gangrene.
18 The only clear example Paul gives of the false teachings which worry him so much: holding that the resurrection has already happened, ie there is no future bodily resurrection (Cf 1 Cor 15:12). Perhaps not surprising that Paul's teaching about "dying to Christ and already rising to new life" should be misunderstood. But our new life in Christ in this world is a foretaste of the eternal life to come. By his bodily resurrection Christ promises us bodily resurrection, not just spiritual immortality (Cf Rom 14:10, 12; 1 Tim 6:12-16). Salvation means bringing creation to its intended state - which includes us as God intended us to be.
19 God's building is firmly based: Num 16:5 - the earth swallowed up those who rebelled against God. And Is 26:13 + Sir 17:21: God calls whom he wills, but Men must show their acceptance of his call by their pure behaviour. Faithful Christians should keep away from such false teachers, especially those who seek to water down fundamental truths such as bodily resurrection.
20 There is great variety in the pots & pans in a big house - members of the church. Some can be put (or put themselves) to shameful use, which depends on their own use/behaviour, not on their makeup. Do not be surprised to find sinners in the Church. (So the Church as a whole cannot sin - which makes it difficult for the Pope to apologise for the sins of some of its senior members.)
21 Any of them, gold or crock, can be purified and used - by the Lord - for good purposes. Paul has confidence that any vessel (member) who is misused (leads himself and others astray) can be purified and put to good use - including correct onward transmission of the gospel. Even though all our strength comes from God, it is up to us to use it - or not. We have our part to play in choosing the moral life.
22 So run away from the "wayward impulses of youth" and aim for the virtues. Your behaviour expresses your deepest convictions.
23 Again: ignore senseless controversies, which lead to quarrels and disunity. The truth is not religious speculation or splitting hairs over dogma, but the revelation of God's loving, redemptive purpose in Jesus Christ.
24 Even though you might understand the issues more clearly, because of your studies and training, you must show the Lord's kindness to everyone, even the most obstreperous. Match your care and teaching to all your hearers, bearing evil with forbearance.
25 Use gentleness in giving correction: note, still give correction, but gently (cf Pope Benedict!). Don't give up explaining the truth - they may come to accept it eventually, with God's help - it is God who forms relationships with people, we are only the channels of communication.
26 Even after seeming to be captured by evil, their escape may still be possible, they may "come to their senses", so persevere.

Paul's Letters to Timothy

Second Letter to Timothy - Chapter 2