2 TIMOTHY: INTRODUCTION

If I could only read five books of Bible for the rest of my life one of those books would be Paul’s second epistle to Timothy. Some may say this is a strange choice, but I think the richness found in this book warrants its place. My goal in writing about this wonderful epistle will be, not so much to teach it to others, but simply to come to a deeper knowledge of it in my own life. As John MacArthur often says, the best way he learns something is by teaching it. When you have to explain something to others, that is when you really need to know what you are talking about. Writing this ‘exposition’ on 2 Timothy will force me to not only study the book but to truly meditate on all its wonderful truths in the hopes that I can apply them to my life and in doing so become a better, more righteous man, one who is strong in faith and courage, obedient to the Lord, and steadfast in His word. Join me in what promises to be a fruitful experience for me and those who somehow stumble across this insignificant blog.

This is Paul’s final epistle, written while he was in the Mamertine prison in Rome, waiting to be beheaded under the orders of Nero. This is perhaps the most personal epistle in the New Testament, with Paul giving heartfelt instructions and encouragements to Timothy, his son in the faith. Included in these instructions are calls to strength, faithfulness, perseverance, suffering for the sake of Christ, holding steadfast to sound doctrine and personal holiness, and hard labour for ministers of the word. While this epistle was written to Timothy, the wider purpose is to encourage all believers in their own spiritual service. Knowing his time had come, the apostle left Timothy and us with those famous words, a summary of Paul’s life post conversion, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). This entire epistle serves to encourage us to live a life, that when finished, warrants us to say these words with the great apostle. May we all fight the good fight and keep the faith.