Survey of the Letters of Paul back to the top     back to main page for this verse 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. This section has two verses: 2 Timothy 2:1-2 1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. We will begin with the Barclay: THE CHAIN OF TEACHING The verse paraphrased: 1.As for you, my child, find your strength in the grace which is in Christ Jesus; 2. And entrust the things which you have heard from me, and which are confirmed by many witnesses, to faithful men who will be competent to teach others too. HERE we have in outline two things – the reception and the transmission of the Christian faith. (1) The reception of the faith is founded on two things. It is founded on hearing. It was from Paul that Timothy heard the truth of the Christian faith. But the words he heard were confirmed by the witness of many who were prepared to say: ‘These words are true – and I know it, because I have found it so in my own life.’ It may be that there are many of us who do not have the gift of expression, and who can neither teach nor expound the Christian faith. But even those among us who do not have the gift of teaching are able to witness to the living power of the gospel. (2) It is not only a privilege to receive the Christian faith; it is a duty to transmit it. All Christians must look on themselves as the link between two generations. In his commentary, E. K. Simpson writes on this passage: ‘The torch of heavenly light must be transmitted unquenched from one generation to another, and Timothy must count himself an intermediary between apostolic and later ages.’ (3) The faith is to be transmitted to faithful men and women who in their turn will teach it to others. The Christian Church is dependent on an unbroken chain of teachers. When the letter known as 1 Clement was sent to the church at Corinth, the author sketched that chain. 'Our apostles appointed the aforesaid persons (that is, the elders) and afterwards they provided a continuance, that, if these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed to their ministry.’ The teacher is a link in the living chain which stretches unbroken from this present moment back to Jesus Christ. These teachers are to be faithful. The Greek for faithful, pistos, is a word with a rich variety of closely connected meanings. A person who is pistos is someone who is believing, loyal and reliable. All these meanings are there. Falconer said that these believing people are such ‘that they will yield neither to persecution nor to error’. The teachers’ hearts must be so set on Christ that no threat of danger will lure them from the path of loyalty and no seduction of false teaching cause them to stray from the straight path of the truth. They must be steadfast both in life and in thought. ~Barclay Commentary Now to the rest of the commentaries. We will begin with the general and proceed to the specific. Timothy must count upon sufferings, even unto blood, and therefore he must train up others to succeed him in the ministry of the gospel, 2 Timothy 2:2. He must instruct others, and train them up for the ministry, and so commit to them the things which he had heard; and he must also ordain them to the ministry, lodge the gospel as a trust in their hands, and so commit to them the things which he had heard. Two things he must have an eye to in ordaining ministers: - Their fidelity or integrity (“Commit them to faithful men, who will sincerely aim at the glory of God, the honour of Christ, the welfare of souls, and the advancement of the kingdom of the Redeemer among men”), and also their ministerial ability. They must not only be knowing themselves, but be able to teach others also, and be apt to teach. Here we have, 1. The things Timothy was to commit to others - what he had heard of the apostle among many witnesses; he must not deliver any thing besides, and what Paul delivered to him and others he had received of the Lord Jesus Christ. Note: This phrase especially caught my eye.  First, it is an underlying theme of these two letters to Timothy and all our lessons in both letters so far--"avoid false doctrines and refuse going into 'vain jangling' [1 Timothy 1:6].  Second, the concept has guided my entire ministry these last sixteen years.  I preach a one-note ministry, namely, the Salvation Process.  In doing so, I am entirely in the Word of God and our stated and posted doctrinal statements that originate in that Word.  Indeed, a number of my sermons are scripted right out of the doctrinal statement and/or the use of, "point/Scripture; point-Scripture" which is the safest for any minister and quite easy for you to prove quickly and efficiently. See 1 Timothy 1:6, 4:1-5, 6:3-5, 20-21; 2 Timothy 4:3 and Romans 16:17 [all written by Paul]. 2. He was to commit them as a trust, as a sacred deposit, which they were to keep, and to transmit pure and uncorrupt unto others. 3. Those to whom he was to commit these things must be faithful, that is, trusty men, and who were skilful to teach others. 4. Though men were both faithful and able to teach others, yet these things must be committed to them by Timothy, a minister, a man in office; for none must intrude themselves into the ministry, but must have these things committed to them by those already in that office. ~The Matthew Henry Main Quoted verses from my Note above: 1 Timothy 1:6 [See Lesson] From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 1 Timothy 4:1-5 [See Lesson] 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 [See Lesson] 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Timothy 6:20-21 [See Lesson] 20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana. 2 Timothy 4:3 [See Lesson] 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; Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Now to the specific commentaries; The commentaries break up the verse in different ways so I will present the parts this way: 1] And the things that thou hast heard of me. 2] Among many witnesses. 3] The same commit thou to faithful men. 4] Who shall be able to teach others also. 1] And the things that thou hast heard of me. And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses - Margin, “by.” Before, or in the presence of, many witnesses. Perhaps he refers to a solemn charge which he gave him, in the presence of the church, when he was ordained. It is by no means improbable that such a charge was given then to a newly ordained minister, as it is now. On such an occasion, the apostle would be likely to state a summary of Christian doctrine, and to exhort Timothy to a faithful adherence to it. ~Barnes Notes The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses - ‘Of’ in the sense of from as in 2 Timothy 1:13; ‘among,’ i.e. ‘in the presence of according to the well-known use of the same preposition in Galatians 3:19 ‘(the law) ordained through angels,’ i.e. ‘in the presence of,’ ‘amid the pomp of.’ Cf. Winer iii. § 47 i., ‘intervenientibus multis testibus.’ We are most probably to understand the presbyters who assisted at Timothy’s ordination. See 1 Timothy 4:14; and note the similar form of the statement there ‘amid the pomp of prophesying’ with the similar use of the preposition. ~Cambridge Commentary Quoted verses: 2 Timothy 1:13 [See Lesson] Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 1 Timothy 4:14 [See Lesson] Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. The things that thou hast heard of me - Those doctrines which I have preached the most publicly, and which many persons can attest. But he seems to refer here to the doctrines delivered to him when, in the presence of many witnesses, he laid his hands upon him; see 1 Timothy 6:12. Then the apostle gave him the proper form of sound words which he was to teach; and now he tells him to commit those truths to faithful men in the same way that they were committed to him, that the truth might be preserved in the Church, and holy men appointed successively to preach it. These truths are still continued in the Church, and still there are faithful men who proclaim them. But where is the uninterrupted apostolical succession! Who can tell? Probably it does not exist on the face of the world. All the pretensions to it by certain Churches are as stupid as they are idle and futile. He who appeals to this for his authority as a Christian minister, had best sit down till he has made it out; and this will be by the next Greek kalends. ~Adam Clarke Quoted verse: 1 Timothy 6:12 [See Lesson] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. And the things that thou hast heard of me - Meaning the doctrines of the Gospel, the form of sound words. The Arabic version renders it, "the secrets, or mysteries that thou hast heard of me"; the mysteries of the grace of God, which he had often heard him discourse of, unfold and explain: ~John Gill 2] Among many witnesses. Among many witnesses - or by them; which some understand of the testimonies out of Moses, and the prophets, with which the apostle confirmed what he delivered; for the doctrines of justification, pardon of sin, &c. by Christ, were bore witness to by the prophets; though rather the many persons, who, with Timothy, heard the apostle preach, and were and would be sufficient witnesses for Timothy, on occasion, that what he preached and committed to others were the same he had heard and received from the Apostle Paul; unless reference should be had here to the time of imposition of hands upon him, when he received some ministerial gifts, or an increase of them; at which time the apostle might deliver to him the form of doctrine he was to preach, and that in the presence of the presbytery, who joined in the action, and so were witnesses of what was said to him: ~John Gill 3] The same commit thou to faithful men. The same commit thou to faithful men - In the same way as those things have been committed to you. The reference is undoubtedly to ordination to the ministerial office. Timothy was to see that those only were admitted to the ministry who were qualified to understand the truths of religion, and to communicate them to others. This is a clear warrant for ministers to set apart others to the same sacred office. Those in the ministry are to set apart others to the same office with themselves. There is, doubtless, to be a “succession” of ministers in the church; but the true line of the “succession” is to be found in good men who are qualified to teach, and who have the spirit of Christ, and not merely in those who have been ordained. ~Barnes Notes Note: Understand that in the truest meaning here, God is the one calling and bringing to ordination the firstfruits He chose to be ministers of Jesus Christ before the foundation of the earth was laid. God leads true ministers to ordain new and true ministers He has chosen for this servant duty position. The same commit thou to faithful men - who not only have received the grace of God, and are true believers in Christ, but are men of great uprightness and integrity; who having the word of God, will speak it out boldly, and faithfully, and keep back nothing that is profitable, but declare the whole counsel of God, without any mixture or adulteration; for the Gospel being committed to their trust, they would become stewards, and of such it is required that they be faithful; and therefore this is mentioned as a necessary and requisite qualification in them; and not only so, but they must be such. ~John Gill 4] Who shall be able to teach others also. Who shall be able - or sufficient ~John Gill To teach others also. - No man is sufficient for these things, of himself, but his sufficiency is of God; it is he who makes men able ministers of the word, by giving them gifts suitable for such work; so that they have a furniture in them, a treasure in their earthen vessels, an understanding of the sacred Scriptures, a gift of explaining them, and a faculty of speaking to edification; and so are apt to teach men, to their profit and advantage, The Ethiopic version renders it, "who are fit to teach the foolish". ~John Gill What does the Bible have to say about faithful men and/or how firstfruits become/remain faithful? How to be faithful Luke 16:10-12 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 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. Hebrews 2:1-3 1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; Faithful Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Colossians 1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; God on the faithful 1 Samuel 2:35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. Psalm 101:6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Parting verse: Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Be faithful; for this is the lesson of verse 2. back to the top     back to main page for this verse