A.T. Robertson Commentary 2 Timothy 2:11

"Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:" — 2 Timothy 2:11 (ASV)

Faithful is the saying (πιστος ο λογος). The saying which follows here though it can refer to the preceding as in 1 Timothy 4:9. See 1 Timothy 1:15. It is possible that from here to the end of 13 we have the fragment of an early hymn. There are four conditions in these verses (11-13), all of the first class, assumed to be true. Parallels to the ideas here expressed are found in 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 7:3; Romans 6:3–8; Colossians 3:1–4. Note the compounds with συν (συναπεθανομεν,

we died with , from συναποθνεσκο as in 2 Corinthians 7:3; συνζησομεν,

we shall live with , from συνζαω as in 2 Corinthians 7:3; συμβασιλευσομεν,

we shall reign with , from συμβασιλευω as in 1 Corinthians 4:8). For υπομενομεν (we endure) see 1 Corinthians 13:7 and for απιστουμεν (we are faithless) see Ro 3:3. The verb αρνεομα, to deny (αρνησομεθα, we shall deny, αρνησετα, he will deny, αρνησασθα, deny, first aorist middle infinitive) is an old word, common in the Gospels in the sayings of Jesus (Matthew 10:33; Luke 12:9), used of Peter , and is common in the Pastorals (1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:12; 2 Timothy 3:5). Here in verse 13 it has the notion of proving false to oneself, a thing that Christ "cannot" (ου δυνατα) do.