The first section of Chapter 4 consists of five
verses:
2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions,
do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry.
Let us begin with the Barclay
Paul’s Grounds of Appeal
|
2 Timothy 4:1–5
…paraphrased
I charge you before God and Christ Jesus,
who is going to judge the living and the
dead – I charge you by his appearing and by
his kingdom – herald forth the word; be
urgent in season and out of season; convict,
rebuke, exhort, and do it all with a
patience and a teaching which never fail.
For there will come a time when men will
refuse to listen to sound teaching, but,
because they have ears which have to be
continually titillated with novelties, they
will bury themselves under a mound of
teachers, whose teaching suits their own
lusts after forbidden things. They will
avert their ears from the truth, and they
will turn to extravagant tales. As for you,
be steady in all things; accept the
suffering which will come upon you; do the
work of an evangelist; leave no act of your
service unfulfilled. |
As Paul comes to the end of his letter, he
wants to encourage and to challenge Timothy to his
task. To do so, he reminds him of three things
concerning Jesus.
(1) Jesus is the judge of the living and the
dead. Someday, Timothy’s work will be tested, and
that by none other than Jesus himself. Christians
must do every task in such a way that they can offer
it to Christ. They are not concerned with either the
criticism or the verdict of others. The one thing
they long for is the ‘Well done!’ of Jesus Christ.
If we all did our work in that spirit, the
difference would be incalculable. It would save us
from being so touchy that we are offended by
criticism; it would save us from the self-importance
which is concerned with personal rights and personal
prestige; it would save us from being self-centered
and demanding thanks and praise for everything we
do; it would even save us from being hurt by
people’s ingratitude.
(2) Jesus is the returning conqueror. ‘I
charge you’, says Paul, ‘by his appearing.’ The word
is epiphaneia. Epiphaneia was used in two special
ways. It was used for the clear intervention of some
god, and it was especially used in connection with
the Roman emperor. His accession to the throne was
his epiphaneia, and in particular – and this is the
background of Paul’s thought here – it was used of
his visit to any province or town. Obviously, when
the emperor was due to visit any place, everything
was put in perfect order. The streets were swept and
decorated, and all work was brought up to date so
that the town might be fit for epiphaneia. So, Paul
says to Timothy: ‘You know what happens when any
town is expecting the epiphaneia of the emperor; you
are expecting the epiphaneia of Jesus Christ. Do
your work in such a way that all things will be
ready whenever he appears.’ Christians should order
their lives in such a way that at any moment they
are ready for the coming of Christ.
(3) Jesus is king. Paul urges Timothy to
action by the remembrance of the kingdom of Jesus
Christ. The day comes when the kingdoms of the world
will be the kingdom of the Lord; and so Paul says to
Timothy: ‘So live and work that you will have an
honorable place on the roll of its citizens when the
kingdom comes.’
Our work must be such that it will stand the
scrutiny of Christ. Our lives must be such that they
will welcome the appearance of the King. Our service
must be such that it will demonstrate the reality of
our citizenship of the kingdom of God.
~Barclay Commentary
Now to the other commentaries.
We will begin with the general and go to the
specific.
I want you to take notice that verse 1 is but one
part of a longer sentence. This sentence is verses 1
and 2. Let us read it as one sentence:
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word;
be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
I want you to have the entire sentence in your mind
as we study the first part of the sentence.
Let us start now with the Matthew Henry and its
commentary that covers verses 1-8. We will discuss
here what it says on verse 1.
Observe,
I. How awfully [in a manner
inspiring awe] this charge is introduced
(2 Timothy 4:1): I charge thee before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the
dead at his appearing and his kingdom. Observe, The
best of men have need to be awed into the discharge
of their duty. The work of a minister is not an
indifferent thing, but absolutely necessary. Woe be
to him if he preach not the gospel, 1 Corinthians
9:16. To induce him to faithfulness, he must
consider,
Quoted Verse:
1 Corinthians 9:16
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to
glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is
unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1. That the eye of God and Jesus Christ was upon
him: I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus
Christ; that is, “as thou tenderest the favour of
God and Jesus Christ; as thou wilt approve thyself
to God and Jesus Christ, by the obligations both of
natural and revealed religion; as thou wilt make due
returns to the God who made thee and the Lord Jesus
Christ who redeemed thee.”
2. He charges him as he will answer it at the great
day, reminding him of the judgment to come [the
moment of judgment], which is committed
to the Lord Jesus. He shall judge the quick and the
dead at his appearing and his kingdom, that is, when
he appears in his kingdom. It concerns all, both
ministers and people [members-firstfruits],
seriously to consider the account that they [are
giving now] to Jesus Christ of all the
trusts reposed in them. Christ shall judge the quick
and the dead, that is, those that at the last day
shall be found alive, and those who shall be raised
to life out of the grave. Note,
(1.) The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and
the dead. God hath committed all judgment unto the
Son, and hath appointed him the Judge of quick and
dead, Acts 10:42.
Quoted Verse:
Acts 10:42
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and
to testify that it is he which was ordained of God
to be the Judge of quick and dead.
(2.) He will appear; he will come the second time,
and it will be a glorious appearance, as the word
epiphaniea signifies.
(3.) Then his kingdom shall appear in its glory: At
his appearing and kingdom; for he will then appear
in his kingdom, sitting on a throne, to judge the
world. ~Matthew Henry
We will now go to an item in the Biblical
Illustrator:
An ordination
charge
I. Where faithful ministers stand—“Before God and
the Lord Jesus Christ.”
1. Before God.
(1) As a sinner saved by grace [calling
to the Salvation Process]. Once far off,
but brought nigh by the blood of Christ.
(2) As a servant. In prayer, how sweet to kneel at
His footstool, no veil, no cloud between the soul
and God. In preaching, how sweet to say, like
Elijah, when he stood before Ahab, “I stand before
the Lord God of Israel.”
2. Before Jesus Christ.
(1) The faithful minister has a present sight of
Christ as his righteousness. He, like Isaiah, saw
“His glory and spake of Him.”
(2) The faithful minister should feel the presence
of a living Saviour (Jeremiah 1:8; Acts 18:10).
Quoted verses:
Jeremiah 1:8
Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to
deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Acts 18:10
For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to
hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
(3) Within sight of judgment.
II. The grand business of the faithful minister.
1. Preach the Word.
(1) Not other matters [outside
the gospel].
(2) The most essential parts especially [doctrine
and the Salvation Process].
(3) More in the manner of God’s Word.
Note: On item
(1) and the idea of "other items", we are speaking
of sermons and Bible studies entirely without focus
on the Word of God. Clearly reference can be made to
history, science and several secular subjects.
2. Reprove, rebuke, exhort. Most ministers [speaking
of worldly ministers for the most part]
are accustomed to set Christ before the people. They
lay down the gospel clearly and beautifully, but
they do not urge men to enter in. Now God says,
exhort; not only point to the open door, but compel
them to come in [this is
what we do in God's true church.]
III. The manner.
1. With long-suffering. There is no grace more
needed in the Christian ministry than this. This is
the heart of God the Father towards sinners—“He is
long-suffering to usward, not willing that any
should perish.”
We just had a sermon on this subject: "Longanimity"
[long-guh-nim-i-tee]
2. With doctrine—the clear and simple statement of
the truth preceding the warm and pathetic [puh-thet-ik]
exhortation.
3. With urgency. If a neighbour’s house were on
fire, would we not cry aloud and use every exertion?
If a friend were drowning, would we be ashamed to
strain every nerve to save him?
4. At all times. Satan is busy at all times—he does
not stand upon ceremony—he does not keep himself to
Sabbath-days or canonical [kuh-non-i-kuh
l] [authorized;
recognized; accepted] hours. Death is
busy. Men are dying while we are sleeping. The
Spirit of God is busy [that
is, God is using His power continually].
~Biblical Illustrator
Now to the specific commentaries:
The commentaries I went to break the verse out in
many different ways. We will use only Barnes Notes
tonight.
I charge thee therefore before God
I charge thee therefore before
God - See the notes on 1Timothy 5:21 [See
Lesson]. ~Barnes
Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 5:21
I charge thee before
God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect
angels, that thou observe these things without
preferring one before another, doing nothing by
partiality.
Who shall judge the quick and the
dead.
Who shall judge the quick and
the dead - That is, the Lord Jesus; for he is
to be the judge of men; Matthew 25:31-46; 2
Corinthians 5:10. The word “quick” means “living”;
and the idea is, that he would be alike the judge of
all who were alive when he should come, and of all
who had died; see the notes on 1 Thessalonians
4:16-17. In view of the fact that all, whether
preachers or hearers, must give up their account to
the final Judge, Paul charges Timothy to be
faithful; and what is there which will more conduce
to fidelity in the discharge of duty, than the
thought that we must soon give up a solemn account
of the manner in which we have performed it?
~Barnes Notes
Note:
Understanding in the commentary text that judgment
for everyone is in the Salvation Process.
Firstfruits now and everyone else in the Millennium
and Second Resurrection period.
Quoted verses:
Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon
the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and
he shall separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but
the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was
thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and
ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye
visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying,
Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or
naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came
unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them,
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left
hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I
was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked,
and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye
visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a
stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did
not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting
punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ; that every one may receive the things done
in his body, according to that he hath done, whether
it be good or bad.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall
rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.
At his appearing
At his appearing - That
is, the judgment shall then take place [the
moment of judgment]. This must refer to a
judgment yet to take place, for the Lord Jesus has
not yet “appeared” the second time to men; and, if
this be so, then there is to be a resurrection of
the dead. On the meaning of the word rendered
“appearing,” see 2 Thessalonians 2:8. It is there
rendered “brightness”; compare 1 Timothy 6:14; 2
Timothy 1:10; Titus 2:13.
~Barnes Notes
Note: With the
appearing of Jesus on Earth, the remaining judgment
is assured.
Quoted verses:
2 Thessalonians 2:8
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the
Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
1 Timothy 6:14 [See
Lesson]
That thou keep this commandment without spot,
unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ:
2 Timothy 1:10 [See
Lesson]
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and
hath brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel:
Titus 2:13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ;
And his kingdom
And his kingdom - Or,
at the setting up of his kingdom. The idea of his
reigning, or setting up his kingdom, is not
unfrequently associated with the idea of his coming;
see Matthew 16:28. The meaning is, that, at his
second advent, the extent and majesty of his kingdom
will be fully displayed. It will be seen that he has
control over the elements, over the graves of the
dead, and over all the living. It will be seen that
the earth and the heavens are under his sway, and
that all things there acknowledge him as their
sovereign Lord. In order to meet the full force of
the language used by Paul here, it is not necessary
to suppose that he will set up a visible kingdom on
the earth, but only that there will be an
illustrious display of himself as a king, and of the
extent and majesty of the empire over which he
presides: compare the Romans 14:11 note; Philippians
2:10 note. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Matthew 16:28
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here,
which shall not taste of death, till they see the
Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Romans 14:11
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every
knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess
to God.
Philippians 2:10
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth;
Every firstfruit has been charged before God and the
Lord Jesus Christ regarding every aspect and element
of the Salvation Process and this is the lesson of
verse number 1. |