This section has three scriptures
2 Timothy 1:12-14
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against
that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou
hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus.
14 That good thing which was committed unto thee
keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
TRUST HUMAN AND DIVINE
2 Timothy 1:12–14
The verses paraphrased:
And that is the reason why I am going through these
things I am going through. But I am not ashamed, for
I know him in whom my belief is fixed, and I am
quite certain that he is able to keep safe what I
have entrusted to him until the last day comes. Hold
fast the pattern of health-giving words you have
received from me, never slackening in that faith and
love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard the fine trust
that has been given to you through the Holy Spirit
[which] dwells in you.
THIS passage uses a very vivid Greek word in a
significant double way which is full of meaning.
Paul talks of that which he has entrusted to God,
and he urges Timothy to safeguard the trust God has
placed in him. In both cases, the word is
parathe¯ke¯, which means a deposit committed to
someone’s trust. A man might deposit something with
a friend to be kept for his children or his loved
ones; or he might deposit his valuables in a temple
for safe-keeping,for the temples were the banks of
the ancient world. In each case, the thing deposited
was a parathe¯ke¯. In the ancient world, there was
no more sacred duty than the safe-guarding of such a
deposit and the returning of it when in due time it
was claimed.
Paul says that he has made his deposit with God. He
means that he has entrusted both his work and his
life to him. It might seem that he had been cut off
in mid-career; that he should end as a criminal in a
Roman prison might seem the undoing of all his work.
But he had sowed his seed and preached his gospel,
and he left the result in the hands of God. Paul had
entrusted his life to God; and he was sure that in
life and in death he was safe. Why was he so sure?
Because he knew in whom he had believed. We must
always remember that Paul does not say that he knew
what he had believed. His certainty did not come
from the intellectual knowledge of a creed or a
theology; it came from a personal knowledge of God.
He knew God personally and intimately; he knew what
he was like in love and in power; and to Paul it was
inconceivable that he should fail him. If we have
worked honestly and done the best that we can, we
can leave the result to God, however meager that
work may seem to us. With him in this or any other
world, life is safe, for nothing can separate us
from his love in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Barclay
commentary [on the concept of "doing the
best you can" see sermon, "Transcendent"]
Now to the other commentaries. Let us begin with the
Matthew Henry Concise. The commentary covers verses
6-14 and I am going to read only that which covers
verses 12-14.
Those who cleave to the gospel, need not be ashamed,
the cause will bear them out; but those who oppose
it, shall be ashamed. The apostle had trusted his
life, his soul, and eternal interests, to the Lord
Jesus. No one else could deliver and secure his soul
through the trials of life and death. There is a day
coming, when our souls will be inquired after. Thou
hadst a soul committed to thee; how was it employed?
in the service of sin, or in the service of Christ?
The hope of the lowest real Christian rests on the
same foundation as that of the great apostle. He
also has learned the value and the danger of his
soul; he also has believed in Christ; and the change
wrought in his soul, convinces the believer that the
Lord Jesus will keep him to his heavenly kingdom.
Paul exhorts Timothy to hold fast the Holy
Scriptures, the substance of solid gospel truth in
them. It is not enough to assent to the sound words,
but we must love them. The Christian doctrine is a
trust committed to us; it is of unspeakable value in
itself, and will be of unspeakable advantage to us.
It is committed to us, to be preserved pure and
entire, yet we must not think to keep it by our own
strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit
dwelling in us; and it will not be gained by those
who trust in their own hearts, and lean to their own
understandings. ~Matthew
Henry Concise
Regarding the word, "Ashamed":
1. feeling shame; distressed or embarrassed by
feelings of guilt, foolishness, or disgrace.
2. unwilling or restrained because of fear of shame,
ridicule, or disapproval.
3. Chiefly Midland U.S. (especially
of children) bashful; timid.
We can see that the word, "ashamed" is speaking to
the emotions of guilt, foolishness, disgrace, and
fear of shame or disapproval. We must examine
ourselves to see if any of these emotions are
present in our hearts and take appropriate spiritual
action.
Now the regular Matthew Henry and the commentary on
verses 11 and 12:
Consider the example of Paul, 2 Timothy 1:11-12. He
was appointed to preach the gospel, and particularly
appointed to teach the Gentiles. He thought it a
cause worth suffering for, and why should not
Timothy think so too? No man needs to be afraid nor
ashamed to suffer for the cause of the gospel: I am
not ashamed, says Paul, for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep
that which I have committed unto him against that
day. Observe,
[1.] Good men often suffer many things for the best
cause in the world: For which cause I suffer these
things; that is, “for my preaching, and adhering to
the gospel.”
[2.] They need not be ashamed, the cause will bear
them out; but those who oppose it shall be clothed
with shame.
[3.] Those who trust in Christ know whom they have
trusted. The apostle speaks with a holy triumph and
exultation, as much as to say, “I stand on firm
ground. I know I have lodged the great trust in the
hands of the best trustee.” And am persuaded, etc.
What must we commit to Christ? The salvation of our
souls, and their preservation to the heavenly
kingdom; and what we so commit to him he will keep.
There is a day coming when our souls will be
enquired after: “Man! Woman! thou hadst a soul
committed to thee, what hast thou done with it? To
whom it was offered, to God or Satan? How was it
employed, in the service of sin or in the service of
Christ?” There is a day coming, and it will be a
very solemn and awful day, when we must give an
account of our stewardship (Luke 16:2), give an
account of our souls: now, if by an active obedient
faith we commit it to Jesus Christ, we may be sure
he is able to keep it, and it shall be forthcoming
to our comfort in that day.
~Matthew Henry Main
Quoted verse:
Luke 16:2
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that
I hear this of thee? give an account of thy
stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
Now to the specific commentaries. First Barnes
Notes:
For the which cause I also
suffer these things - That is, I suffer on
account of my purpose to carry the gospel to the
Gentiles; see the notes at Colossians 1:24.
Quoted verse:
Colossians 1:24
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill
up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ
in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the
church:
Nevertheless I am not ashamed
- see Romans 1:16.
Quoted verse:
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For I know whom I have
believed - Margin, “trusted.” The idea is,
that he understood the character of that Redeemer to
whom he had committed his eternal interests, and
knew that he had no reason to be ashamed of
confiding in him. He was able to keep all that he
had entrusted to his care, and would not suffer him
to be lost; see Isaiah 28:16.
Quoted verse
Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in
Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a
precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that
believeth shall not make haste.
Oh the word, "Haste" notice the dictionary:
1. urgent need of quick action; a hurry or rush: to
be in haste to get ahead in the world.
2. unnecessarily quick action; thoughtless, rash, or
undue speed: Haste makes waste.
3. flurry, bustle or ado.
From the biblical dictionary, it has to press, hurry
or withdraw. The word is rendered, "be narrow."
We do not want to have to take flurried action or
have to rush regarding our beliefs or status in the
gospel. We do not want to be rash or thoughtless or
making waste. We want to avoid being too narrow in
our approach to the elements of salvation or our
duties in it. We never want God to seeing us
withdrawing from the gospel message. This would be
part of the backsliding or even the falling away
process.
And am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have committed unto him
- That is, the soul, with all its immortal interests
[meaning our interests in
eternal life in the Kingdom]. A man has
nothing of higher value to entrust to another than
the interests of his soul, and there is no other act
of confidence like that in which he entrusts the
keeping of that soul to the Son of God. Hence,
learn:
(1) that religion consists in committing the soul
to the care of the Lord Jesus; because:
(a) We feel [know]
that we cannot secure the soul’s salvation
ourselves.
(b) The soul is by nature in danger [if
it neglects or refuses the gospel or salvation.]
(c) If not saved by him [God],
the soul will not be saved at all.
(2) that the soul is a great and invaluable
treasure which is committed to him.
(a) No higher treasure can be committed to another;
(b) In connection with that the whole question of
our happiness on earth and in [the
Kingdom] is entrusted to him, and all
depends on his fidelity.
(3) it is done by the true Christian with the
most entire confidence, so that the mind is at rest.
The grounds of this confidence are:
(a) what is said of the mighty power of the Saviour;
(b) his promises that he will keep all who confide
in him (compare the notes
at John 10:27-29)
(c) experience - the fact that those who have
trusted in him have found that he is able to keep
them. [see sermon,
"Assiduity"]
Quoted verse:
John 10:27-29
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than
all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hand.
On the phrase, "they follow me."
- Christians not only obey Christ, but they imitate
him; they go where his Spirit and providence lead
them; they yield themselves to his guidance, and
seek to be led by him. ~Barnes Notes
(4) this act of committing the soul, with all its
interests, to the Saviour, is the true source of
peace in the trials of life. This is so because:
(a) having done this, we feel that our great
interests are secure. If the soul is safe, why need
we be disturbed by the loss of health, or property,
or other temporal comforts? Those are secondary
things. A man who is shipwrecked, and who sees his
son or daughter safe with him on the shore, will be
little concerned that a casket of jewels fell
overboard - however valuable it might be:
(b) All those trials will soon pass away, and he
will be safe in [the
Kingdom].
(c) These very things may further the great object -
the salvation of the soul. A man’s great interests
may be more safe when in a prison than when in a
palace; on a pallet of straw than on a bed of down;
when constrained to say, “Give us this day our daily
bread.”
Against that day - The
day of judgment - called “that day,” without
anything further to designate it, because it is the
great day; “the day for which all others days were
made.” It seems to have been so much the object of
thought and conversation among the early Christians,
that the apostle supposed that he would be
understood by merely referring to it as “that day;”
that is, the day which they were always preaching
about, and talking about, and thinking about.
~Barnes Notes
Note: That day
of judgment is the day Christ returns when judgment
is now over.
Now to the Adam Clarke
I am not ashamed -
Though I suffer for the Gospel, I am not ashamed of
the Gospel; nor am I confounded in my expectation;
his grace being at all times sufficient for me.
Note: Any
firstfruit immersed in the Word of God is not going
to be confounded.
For I know whom I have
believed - I am well acquainted with the
goodness, mercy, and power of Christ; and know that
I cannot confide in him in vain.
Note:
on the phrase, "I cannot confide in Him in vain" we
are speaking to the concept of Christ working in and
through us and even guiding us in our prayers.
That which I have committed
unto him - This is variously understood. Some
think he means his life, which he had put, as it
were, into the hands of Christ, in order that he
might receive it again, in the resurrection, at the
great day. Others think he means his soul. This he
had also given into the hands of his faithful
Creator, knowing that although wicked men might be
permitted to take away his life, yet they could not
destroy his soul, nor disturb its peace. Others
think that he is speaking of the Gospel, which he
knows will be carefully preserved by the great Head
of the Church; for, though he shall be soon called
to seal the truth with his blood, yet he knows that
God will take care that the same truth shall be
proclaimed to the world by others, whom God shall
raise up for that very purpose.
~Adam Clarke
For the which cause
I also suffer these things - The present
imprisonment and bonds in which he now was; these,
with all the indignities, reproaches, distresses,
and persecutions, came upon him, for the sake of his
being a preacher of the Gospel; and particularly for
his being a teacher of the Gentiles: the Jews hated
him, and persecuted him, because he preached the
Gospel, and the more because he preached it to the
Gentiles, that they might be saved; and the
unbelieving Gentiles were stirred up against him,
for introducing a new religion among them, to the
destruction of their idolatry and superstition; and
the sufferings which he endured were many; and he
was appointed to them, as well as to the Gospel,
which he preached.
Nevertheless I am not ashamed
- neither of the Gospel, and the truths and
ordinances of it, for which he suffered; but he
continued to own and confess it constantly, and to
preach it boldly; none of these things moved him
from it: nor of the sufferings he endured, for the
sake of it; since they were not for murder, or
theft, or sedition, or any enormity whatever, but in
a good cause; wherefore he was so far from being
ashamed of them, that he took pleasure in them, and
gloried of them. Nor was he ashamed of Christ, whose
Gospel he preached, and for whom he suffered; nor of
his faith and hope in him. For it follows,
For I know whom I have
believed - A spiritual knowledge of Christ is
necessary to faith in him: an unknown Christ cannot
be the object of faith, though an unseen Christ, as
to bodily sight, may be, and is. Knowledge and faith
go together: they that truly know Christ, believe in
him, and the more they know him, the more strongly
do they believe in him: such who spiritually and
savingly know Christ, have seen the glories of his
person, and the fulness of his grace; and they
approve of him, as their Saviour, being every way
suitable to them, and disapprove of all others; they
love him above all others, and with all their
hearts; and they put their trust in him, and trust
him with all they have [assiduity];
and they know whom they trust, what an able,
willing, suitable, and complete Saviour he is. This
knowledge which they have of him, is not from
themselves, but from the Father, who reveals him to
them, and in them; and from himself, who gives them
an understanding that they may know him; and from
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of him: and be it more or less, it is practical, and
leads to the discharge of duty, from a principle of
love to Christ; and is of a soul humbling nature,
and appropriates Christ to a man's self; and has
always some degree of certainty in it; and though it
is imperfect, it is progressive; and the least
measure of it is saving, and has eternal life
connected with it: and that faith which accompanies
it, and terminates on the object known, is the
grace, by which a man sees Christ in the riches of
his grace; goes to him in a sense of need of him;
lays hold upon him as a Saviour; receives and
embraces him; commits its all unto him; trusts him
with all; leans and lives upon him, and walks on in
him till it receives the end of faith, even eternal
salvation.
Note: The next
phrase is going to have the commentary essentially
listing all the possible elements the phrase could
be indicating. It is accurately referring to all of
them.
And I am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have committed unto him
against that day - By that which he had
committed to him is meant, not the great treasure of
his labours and sufferings for Christ, as if he had
deposited these in Christ's hands, in order to be
brought forth at the great day of account to his
advantage; for though his labours and sufferings
were many, yet he always ascribed the strength by
which he endured them to the grace of God; and he
knew they were not worthy to be compared, nor made
mention of, with the glory that was to be revealed
in him. Rather this may be understood of the souls
of those he had been instrumental in the converting
of, whom he had commended to Christ, hoping to meet
them as his joy and crown of rejoicing another day;
though it seems best of all to interpret it either
of his natural life, the care of which he had
committed to Christ, and which he knew he was able
to preserve, and would preserve for usefulness until
the day appointed for his death; or rather his
precious soul, and the eternal welfare and salvation
of it: and the act of committing it to Christ,
designs his giving himself to him, leaving himself
with him, trusting in him for eternal life and
salvation, believing he was able to save him to the
uttermost; even unto the day of death, when he hoped
to be with him, which is far better than to be in
this world; and unto the day of the resurrection,
when both soul and body will be glorified with him;
and to the day of judgment, when the crown of
righteousness will be received from his hands. And
what might induce the apostle, and so any other
believer, to conclude the ability of Christ to keep
the souls of those that are committed to him, are,
his proper deity, he having all the fullness of the
Godhead, or the perfections of deity dwelling in
him; his being the Creator and upholder of all
things; his having accomplished the great work of
redemption and salvation, by his own arm; his
mediatorial fullness of grace and power; and his
being trusted by his Father with all the persons,
grace, and glory of the elect, to whom he has been
faithful. And now the consideration of all this, as
it was a support to the apostle, under all his
afflictions, and sufferings for the Gospel, and in a
view of death itself, so it may be, as it often has
been, a relief to believers, under all the sorrows
of this life, and in a prospect of death and
eternity. ~John Gill |