Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: March 13, 2005
“PREACH THE WORD”
An Examination of 2 Timothy 4:1-5 – # 2
Ben Justice
[NOTE: CONTINUATION OF LAST WEEK’S ARTICLE.]
2 Timothy 4:1-5 was Paul’s final charge to Timothy. The carrying out of this sacred
charge was crucial in that there will be a day of judgment (v. 1). Timothy was
charged with preaching the Word. The word of God must be preached, for it is by
the Word that all men will be judged (John 12:48; Rev. 20:12).
Paul begins 2 Tim. 4:1, by saying, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, . . .” The term “therefore” is employed in this passage. It always
functions as a “conclusion” word. This verse, therefore, must be connected to what
was said in the previous chapter. In 2 Tim. 3:14-17, Paul wrote to Timothy and
said, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them; (15) And that from a child thou hast known the
holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” It was based upon the
fact that Timothy knew the scriptures from a child (v. 14-15) and the fact that the
scriptures were all-sufficient (v. 16-17) that he would be able to carry out the
charge of preaching the word. In other words, Timothy had all he needed to carry
out this obligation. The Scriptures have been given; they are perfect; they are all-
sufficient. Preachers today must realize that they are to preach the scriptures, for
it is the scriptures that “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.” One can see why Paul would employ the
conclusion term “therefore” as he began chapter 4.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 may be outlined as follows:
I. THE CHARGE — V. 1-2, 5
A. The Charge Involves A Manifestation —
v. 1:
B. The Charge Involves A Message — v. 2a:
C. The Charge Involves A Mode — v. 2b:
D. The Charge Involves A Three-Fold
Method — v. 2c:
E. The Charge Involves The Proper Manner
— v. 2d:
E. The Charge Involves A Four-Fold
Mission — v. 5:
II. THE CORRUPTION — V. 3-4
A. The Corruption Is Based Upon A Time —
v. 3a:
B. The Corruption Is Based Upon Teachers
— v. 3b:
C. The Corruption Is Based Upon A
Turning Away & A Turning To — v. 4:
We wish now to expand upon the above outline in careful examination.
THE CHARGE — V. 1-2, 5
The Charge Involves A Manifestation — verse 1:
In v. 1, Paul spoke about the manifestation of Jesus. It is interesting to note how
Paul connects the actual charge of preaching the word with the manifestation of
Jesus. The allusion, of course, is to the great judgment day, when Jesus “shall
judge the quick (lit. living) and the dead.” This judgment will occur “at his (Jesus’)
appearing and his kingdom.” The word “appearing” means “manifestation” and is
used quite frequently to describe the Lord’s coming, both to his first and second
advent. In 2 Tim. 1:10, Paul used the term “appearing” to refer to the first advent
of Jesus. In I Tim. 6:14, 2 Tim. 4:8, Titus 2:13, and 2 Thess. 2:8 the term
“appearing” is used to refer to the second advent of Jesus. [NOTE: The Greek word
is translated as “brightness” in 2 Thess. 2:8.] The actual Greek term is epiphaneia
and functions as a noun. We get our English word “epiphany” from it, which
basically means, “manifestation.” There are two other words used in the NT that
refer to the coming of Jesus. There is the word parousia, which denotes a
“coming.” Also, there is the word apokalupsis, often translated as “revelation.” The
NT often speaks of the “revelation” of Jesus Christ, referring to his second coming
(I Pet. 1:13).
What does the expression “and his kingdom” mean? It can’t possibly mean that
Jesus will come to earth and establish his kingdom and reign for a literal thousand
years in the literal city of Jerusalem upon David’s literal throne. This is the
fanciful doctrine known as premillennialism. Premillennialists deny that the
kingdom is presently here and is one and the same as the church. The Scriptures
teach, however, that the kingdom and the church are one and the same
institutions (Matt. 16:18-19) and that the kingdom was established on the Day of
Pentecost in Acts 2. Many scriptures speak of the kingdom as actually existing in
the First Century (Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28; Rev. 1:9).
Note that this kingdom is “his” kingdom, that is, “Christ’s” kingdom. Hence, Jesus
will return back as King, not to become King, as Premillennialists advocate. There
is no justification for making the kingdom here anything other than the church, for
the church and kingdom are one and the same. The NT speaks quite frequently to
what will happen to the Lord’s kingdom when he returns. Note the following:
—> I Cor. 15:24 — “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom
to God, even the Father; . . .” When the end comes, the kingdom will not be “set up”; it
will be “delivered up.”
—> Matt. 25:34 — “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:”
The NT teaches that there are two phases to the kingdom. There is the earthly
phase and there is the eternal phase. When the end comes and Jesus delivers the
kingdom to the Father, the eternal phase of the kingdom will begin. Note the
following:
—> 2 Tim. 4:18 — “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve
me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
—> 2 Pet. 1:11 — “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Those who have been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the
kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13) will be a part of that everlasting kingdom in
heaven when Jesus delivers that kingdom back to the Father when the end comes
(I Cor. 15:24). What a blessing that will be! But, as Paul said in 2 Tim. 4:8, these
blessings will only be realized in those who “love his appearing.”
At this point, let’s back up in v. 1 and concentrate upon the expression, “I charge.”
The term “charge” is from the Greek word diamarturomai. The root word is
marturomai. The prefix dia strengthens and intensifies the word. Vine defines the
word as, “to testify through and through, bear a solemn witness; hence, to charge
earnestly” (Pg. 96). The word is found a total of 15 times in the NT. It is most
often translated as a form of “testify.” In the books of 1 & 2 Timothy, the word is
always translated as “charge.” These would be I Tim. 5:21 and 2 Tim. 2:14 in
addition to 2 Tim. 4:1.
This charge was “before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The term “before” carries
the sense of “in the sight of.”