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| 2 Timothy 1:9 |
| Who hath saved us, and called us
with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, |
This section has 4 verses:
2 Timothy 1:8-11
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of
our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou
partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according
to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy
calling, not according to our works, but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in
Christ Jesus before the world began,
10 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:
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an
apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
A GOSPEL WORTH SUFFERING FOR
So, then, do not be ashamed to bear your witness to
our Lord; and do not be ashamed of me his prisoner;
but accept with me the suffering which the gospel
brings, and do so in the power of God, who saved us,
and who called us with a call to consecration, a
call which had nothing to do with our own
achievements, but which was dependent solely on his
purpose, and on the grace which was given to us in
Christ Jesus: and all this was planned before the
world began, but now it stands full-displayed
through the appearance of our Saviour Christ Jesus,
who abolished death and brought life and
incorruption to light by means of the good news
which he brought, good news in the service of which
I have been appointed a herald, and an apostle and a
teacher.
IT is inevitable that loyalty to the gospel will
bring trouble. For Timothy, it meant loyalty to a
man who was regarded as a criminal, because as Paul
was writing he was in prison in Rome. But here Paul
sets out the gospel in all its glory, something
worth suffering for. Sometimes by implication and
sometimes by direct statement, he brings out element
after element in that glory. Few passages in the New
Testament have in them and behind them such a sense
of the sheer grandeur of the gospel.
(1) It is the gospel of power. Any suffering which
it involves is to be borne in the power of God. To
the ancient world, the gospel was the power to live.
That very age in which Paul was writing was the
great age of suicide. The highest-principled of the
ancient thinkers were the Stoics; but they had their
own way out when life became intolerable. They had a
saying: ‘God gave men life, but God gave men the
still greater gift of being able to take their own
lives away.’ The gospel was, and is, power – power
to conquer self, power to take control of
circumstances, power to go on living when life is
unlivable, power to be a Christian when being a
Christian looks impossible.
(2) It is the gospel of salvation. God is the God
who saves us. The gospel is rescue. It is rescue
from sin; it liberates people from the things which
have them in their grip; it enables them to break
with the habits which are unbreakable. The gospel is
a rescuing force which can make bad people good.
(3) It is the gospel of consecration. It is not
simply rescue from the consequences of past sin; it
is a summons to walk the way of holiness.
(4) It is the gospel of grace. It is not something
which we achieve, but something which we accept. God
did not call us because we are holy; he called us to
make us holy. If we had to deserve the love of God,
our situation would be helpless and hopeless. The
gospel is the free gift of God. He does not love us
because we deserve his love; he loves us out of the
sheer generosity of his heart.
(5) It is the gospel of God’s eternal purpose. It
was planned before time began. We must never think
that God was once stern law and that only since the
life and death of Jesus has he been forgiving love.
From the beginning of time, God’s love has been
searching for us, and his grace and forgiveness have
been offered to us. Love is the essence of the
eternal nature of God.
(6) It is the gospel of life and immortality. It is
Paul’s conviction that Christ Jesus brought life and
immortality to light. The ancient world feared
death; or, if it did not fear it, regarded it as
extinction. It was the message of Jesus that death
was the way to life, and that far from separating us
from God it brought us into his nearer presence.
(7) It is the gospel of service. It was this gospel
which made Paul a herald, an apostle and a teacher
of the faith. It did not leave him with the
comfortable feeling that now his own soul was saved
and he did not need to worry any more. It laid on
him the inescapable task of wearing himself out in
the service of God and of other people. This gospel
laid three obligations on Paul.
(a) It made him a herald. The word is ke¯rux, which
has three main lines of meaning, each with something
to suggest about our Christian duty. The ke¯rux was
the herald who brought the announcement from the
king. The ke¯rux was the one who was sent when two
armies were opposed to each other, who brought the
terms of or the request for truce and peace. The
ke¯rux was the person whom an auctioneer or a
merchant employed to advertise the wares and invite
people to come and buy. So, the Christian is to be
the one who brings the message to others; the one
who brings men and women into peace with God; the
one who calls on others to accept the rich offer
which God is making to them.
(b) It made him an apostle, apostolos, literally one
who is sent out. The word can mean an envoy or an
ambassador. The apostolos did not speak for himself,
but for the one who sent him. He did not come in his
own authority, but in the authority of the one who
sent him. Christians are the ambassadors of Christ,
whose task is to speak for him and to represent him
to the world.
(c) It made him a teacher. There is a very real
sense in which the teaching task of Christians and
of the Church is the most important of all.
Certainly, the task of the teacher is very much
harder than the task of the evangelist. The
evangelist’s task is to appeal to people and
confront them with the love of God. In a vivid
moment of emotion, someone may respond to that
summons. But a long road remains. That person must
learn the meaning and discipline of the Christian
life. The foundations have been laid, but the main
structure still has to be built. The flame of
evangelism has to be followed by the steady glow of
Christian teaching. It may well be that people drift
away from the Church after their first decision, for
the simple yet fundamental reason that they have not
been taught about the full meaning of the Christian
faith.
Herald, ambassador, teacher – here is the threefold
function of all Christians who would serve their
Lord and their Church.
Now back to the list of what the gospel is...
(8) It is the gospel of Christ Jesus. It was fully
displayed through his appearance. The word Paul uses
for appearance is one with a great history. It is
epiphaneia, a word which the Jews repeatedly used of
the great saving manifestations of God in the
terrible days of the Maccabaean struggles, when the
enemies of Israel were deliberately seeking to
obliterate God.
In the days of the high priest Onias, a certain
Heliodorus came to plunder the Temple treasury at
Jerusalem. Neither prayers nor pleading would stop
him carrying out this sacrilege. And, so the story
runs, as Heliodorus was about to set hands on the
treasury, ‘the Sovereign of spirits and of all
authority caused so great a manifestation
[epiphaneia] . . . For there appeared to them a
magnificently caparisoned [harnessed] horse with a
rider of fighting mien . . . it rushed furiously at
Heliodorus and struck at him with its front hooves .
. . When he suddenly fell to the ground and deep
darkness came over him’ (2 Maccabees 3:24–7). What
exactly happened, we may never know; but in Israel’s
hour of need there came this tremendous epiphaneia
of God. When Judas Maccabaeus and his little army
were confronted with the might of Nicanor, they
prayed: ‘O Lord, you sent your angel in the time of
King Hezekiah of Judah, and he killed fully 185,000
in the camp of Senacharib [cf. 2 Kings 19:35–6]. So
now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel
to spread terror and trembling before us. By the
might of your arm may these blasphemers who come
against your holy people be struck down.’ And then
the story goes on: ‘Nicanor and his troops advanced
with trumpets and battle songs, but Judas and his
troops met the enemy in battle with invocations to
God and prayers. So, fighting with their hands and
praying to God in their hearts, they laid low at
least 35,000, and were greatly gladdened by God’s
manifestation [epiphaneia]’ (2 Maccabees 15:22–7).
Once again, we do not know exactly what happened;
but God made a great and saving appearance for his
people. To the Jews, epiphaneia denoted a rescuing
intervention of God.
To the Greeks, this was an equally great word. The
accession of the emperor to his throne was called
his epiphaneia. It was his manifestation. Every
emperor came to the throne with high hopes; his
coming was hailed as the dawn of a new and precious
day, and of great blessings to come.
The gospel was fully displayed with the epiphaneia
of Jesus; the very word shows that he was God’s
great, rescuing intervention and manifestation into
the world.
~Barclay Commentary
Let us go to the other commentaries now.
First to the Matthew Henry and its commentary on
verses 9 and 10:
Mentioning God and the gospel, he takes notice what
great things God has done for us by the gospel, 2
Timothy 1:9-10. To encourage him to suffer, he urges
two considerations: -
The nature of that gospel which he was called to
suffer for, and the glorious and gracious designs
and purposes of it. It is usual with Paul, when he
mentions Christ, and the gospel of Christ, to
digress from his subject, and enlarge upon them; so
full was he of that which is all our salvation, and
ought to be all our desire. Observe,
[1.] The gospel aims at our salvation: He has saved
up, and we must not think much to suffer for that
which we hope to be saved by. He has begun to save
us, and will complete it in due time; for God calls
those things that are not (that are not yet
completed) as though they were (Romans 4:17);
therefore he says, who has saved us.
Quoted verse:
Romans 4:17
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many
nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who
quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which
be not as though they were.
[2.] It is designed for our sanctification: And
called us with a holy calling, called us to
holiness. Christianity is a calling, a holy calling;
it is the calling wherewith we are called, the
calling to which we are called, to labour in it.
Observe, All who shall be saved hereafter are
sanctified now. Wherever the call of the gospel is
an effectual call, it is found to be a holy call,
making those holy who are effectually called.
[3.] The origin of it is the free grace and eternal
purpose of God in Christ Jesus. If we had merited
it, it had been hard to suffer for it; but our
salvation by it is of free grace, and not according
to our works, and therefore we must not think much
to suffer for it. This grace is said to be given us
before the world began, that is, in the purpose and
designs of God from all eternity; in Christ Jesus,
for all the gifts that come from God to sinful man
come in and through Christ Jesus.
[4.] The gospel is the manifestation of this purpose
and grace: By the appearing of our Saviour Jesus
Christ, who had lain in the bosom of the Father from
eternity, and was perfectly apprised of all his
gracious purposes. By his appearing this gracious
purpose was made manifest to us. Did Jesus Christ
suffer for it, and shall we think much to suffer for
it?
[5.] By the gospel of Christ death is abolished: He
has abolished death, not only weakened it, but taken
it out of the way, has broken the power of death
over us; by taking away sin he has abolished death
(for the sting of death is sin, 1 Corinthians
15:56), in altering the property of it, and breaking
the power of it. Death now of an enemy has become a
friend; it is the gate by which we pass out of a
troublesome, vexatious, sinful world, into a world
of perfect peace and purity; and the power thereof
is broken, for death does not triumph over those who
believe the gospel, but they triumph over it. O
death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy
victory? 1 Corinthians 15:55.
Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin
is the law.
1 Corinthians 15:55
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?
[6.] He has brought life and immortality to light by
the gospel; he has shown us another world more
clearly than it was before discovered under any
former dispensation, and the happiness of that
world, the certain recompence of our obedience by
faith: we all with open face, as in a glass, behold
the glory of God. He has brought it to light, not
only set it before us, but offered it to us, by the
gospel. Let us value the gospel more than ever, as
it is that whereby life and immortality are brought
to light, for herein it has the pre-eminence above
all former discoveries; so that it is the gospel of
life and immortality, as it discovers them to us,
and directs us in the ready way that leads thereto,
as well as proposes the most weighty motives to
excite our endeavours in seeking after glory,
honour, and immortality.
~Matthew Henry Main
Now to specific commentaries:
The verse is broken down into 6 parts:
1] Who hath saved us.
2] And called us.
3] With an holy calling.
4] Not according to our works.
5] But according to his own purpose and grace.
6] Which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the
world began.
1] Who hath saved us.
Who hath saved us. -
See Matthew 1:21. He has brought us into a state in
which salvation is so certain, that Paul could speak
of it as if it were already done.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from
their sins.
Who hath saved us. -
From sin; the spirit of bondage, and all tormenting
fear. This is the design of the Gospel.
~Adam Clarke
2] And called us.
And called us. - see
Romans 8:28 and Romans 8:30.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified:
and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
And call us. - Invited
us to holiness and comfort here; and to eternal
glory hereafter. ~Adam
Clarke
Who hath saved us, and called
us. - Salvation was not only resolved upon,
but the scheme of it was contrived from eternity, in
a way agreeable to all the divine perfections, in
which Satan is most mortified, the creature abased,
and the elect effectually saved; nay, salvation is
obtained before calling, Christ being called to this
work, and having undertook it, was in the fullness of
time sent to effect it, and is become the author of
it: the thing is done, and all that remain are the
application of it, which is in the effectual
calling, and the full possession of it. The calling here spoken of is not to
an office, nor a mere call by the external ministry
of the word, but a call by special grace, to special
privileges, to grace and glory; and is an high and
heavenly one, and is here called holy. ~John Gill
3] With an holy calling.
With an holy calling. -
A calling which is in its own nature holy, and which
leads to holiness. ~Barnes
Notes
With an holy calling. -
The author of it is holy; it is a call to holiness,
and the means of it are holy; and in it persons have
principles of grace and holiness implanted in them;
and are influenced to live holy lives and
conversations. ~John Gill
4] Not according to our works.
Not according to our works.
- Titus 3:5, Ephesians2:8-9. The idea is, that our
own works have nothing to do in inducing God to call
us. As, when we become Christians, he does not
choose us because of our works, so the eternal
purpose in regard to our salvation could not have
been formed because he foresaw that we would perform
such works as would be a reason why he should choose
us. The whole arrangement was irrespective of our
deserts. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost [Spirit];
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Not according to our works.
- We have not deserved any part of the good we have
received; and can never merit one moment of the
exceeding great and eternal weight of glory which is
promised. See the notes on the parallel passages.
~Adam Clarke
Not according to our works.
- neither salvation nor calling are according to the
works of men: not salvation; works are not the
moving cause of it, but the free love and favour of
God; nor the procuring cause of it, but the Lord
Jesus Christ; nor the adjuvant or helping cause of
it, for his own arm brought salvation alone: nor
calling; which must be either according to works
before, or after; not according to works before
calling, for such are not properly good works, being
destitute of faith in Christ, and proceeding neither
from a right principle, nor to a right end; not
according to works after calling, as they are after
it they are the fruits of calling grace, and cannot
be the cause, or rule, and measure at it:
~John Gill
5] But according to his own
purpose and grace.
But according to his own
purpose and grace. - See the Romans 9:11-13,
16; Ephesians 1:4-5.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Romans 9:11-13, 16
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither
having done any good or evil, that the purpose of
God according to election might stand, not of works,
but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the
younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Ephesians 1:4-5
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to
the good pleasure of his will,
6] Which was given us in Christ
Jesus, before the world began.
Which was given us in Christ
Jesus, before the world began. - That is,
which he intended to give us, for it was not then
actually given. The thing was so certain in the
divine purposes, that it might be said to be already
done; compare the notes at Romans 4:17.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Romans 4:17
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many
nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who
quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which
be not as though they were.
Before the world began
- Before the Mosaic dispensation took place, God
purposed the salvation of the Gentiles by Christ
Jesus; and the Mosaic dispensation was intended only
as the introducer of the Gospel. The law was our
schoolmaster unto Christ, Galatians 3:24.
~Adam Clarke
Before the world began
— Greek, “before the times (periods) of ages”; the
enduring ages of which no end is contemplated.
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Recap of this Verse 9 lesson:
1] The Bible is the gospel of power, salvation,
consecration, grace, eternal purpose, life &
immortality, service and Jesus Christ.
2] Every word of the gospel shows that God is great.
3] The gospel is God's great rescuing intervention
and manifestation into the world.
4] We will suffer for the gospel but there are
glorious and gracious designs and purposes for it.
5] God acts as if the event or accomplishment has
been completed and fulfilled.
6] We were called with a holy calling.
7] We were called to sanctification; to holiness.
8] The Salvation Process was created by the will of
God.
9] The gospel is a manifestation of God's will and
purpose.
10] Jesus Christ on earth is the ultimate
manifestation of God and His will.
11] Jesus suffered for the gospel. We must be
willing to do so too.
12] Death is in the process of being abolished. It
is accomplished by taking away sin.
13] The gospel shows us life eternal and a new
world, the Kingdom of God.
14] The motivations of the firstfruit are glory,
honor and eternal life.
15] Jesus came to save us from our sins.
16] We are justified in the Salvation Process.
17] We were called with a holy calling and that
calling leads us to holiness.
18] We were not called because of our works. We do
not even deserve the calling. It is a gift of God.
19]
20]
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