Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Timothy 4

Here Paul speaks of Christ Jesus as the one who will “judge the living and the dead”—a clause found in all the early creeds of the church (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Using language reminiscent of a legal setting, Paul solemnly charges Timothy to be governed in his thinking, not just by the present life, but also by the coming judgment and the eternal kingdom of Christ.

The basic charge is: “Preach [GK 3062] the Word.” Preachers are not to air their own opinions but to proclaim God’s eternal, authoritative Word of truth as contained in the Scriptures. The minister has to be on duty constantly, ready for any emergency at any time. In addition to preaching the Word, Timothy is to “correct” (GK 1794) or reprove, “rebuke” (GK 2203) or admonish, and “encourage” (GK 4151) or comfort and exhort. That is, both the positive and the negative must be included. But preachers must do these things with great “patience” (GK 3429) and careful “instruction” (GK 1439).

Timothy is now warned that the time will come when people will not be able to tolerate “sound doctrine” (a key phrase in the Pastorals; cf. 1 Timothy 1:10; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:1). Timothy’s major task in Ephesus is to defend and proclaim doctrines in accord with the truth of God’s Word (v.2). He must do this constantly, since the time will come when people will not listen to the truth. Instead, “to suit their own desires, they will gather around them” many teachers who will say what they want them to say, in order to gratify their self-willed hearts.

People like this will “turn away” (GK 693; cf. 1:15) their ears from the truth and will “turn aside” (GK 1762; see 1 Timothy 1:6; 5:15; 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16–18) to senseless “myths” (see 1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7).

“Keep your head” (GK 3768) is from a verb that often means “be sober, abstain from wine.” But in the NT (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 8; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8) it has the metaphorical sense of being self-controlled or self-possessed—Timothy is to keep his self-control under all circumstances. He is then again urged to “endure hardship” (GK 2802; cf. 2:3). He must do the work of an “evangelist” (cf. Acts 21:8; Ephesians 4:11), which means to announce the good news of salvation in Christ. This word may well refer to an itinerant preacher, but the established pastor must also be an evangelist, pointing sinners to Christ. The summary of Paul’s solemn charge to Timothy is this: “Discharge all the duties of your ministry.” He is to fulfill his calling by packing his ministry to the full with the things Paul has been exhorting him to do in these two letters.