2 Timothy Chapter 1 Questions 1-3 (11/9/20)

 1. The mood of 2 Timothy.

Paul was clear about good and bad examples. He was intimate and personal, eager to encourage warning and pass on truth. The latter was rich in advice. The tone of the letter is sometimes formal (4:1), sometimes reflective (4:6), sometimes sad/lonely (4:9). He wrote as one leader to another, yet also as a father to a beloved child (1:2). He longed (4:9, 21) with a sense of urgency for Timothy. he was fully confident in the truths of the gospel he had served and suffered, yet sad and lonely.

Paul was behind bars and his associates were mostly not with him. Some had deserted the faith (Demas, 4:10) , others had other assignments (Cresecens, Titus, Tychicus, Erastus, 4:10, 20) and some were ill (Trophimus, 4:20).

2. Repetition in 2 Timothy - this sets out some of the main themes of the letter for us.

• 1:3-6 'remember' 'reminded' 'remind'
• 1:8, 12; 2:3,9; 3:11-12 'suffering' 'persecution'
• 1:8, 12,16 'not ashamed' 
• 1:11, 2:2; 3:10, 16; 4:2 'teach' 'teaching' 
• another word that is repeated in the letter is 'avoid' (2:16, 3:5)

We looked at the idea of  'shame' We associate shame with the ideas of 'guilt' and 'loss of honour'. Shame can be defined as:

• The painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another. (Dictionary.com)
  
• Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion typically associated with a negative evaluation of the self; withdrawal motivations; and feelings of distress, exposure, mistrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. (Wikipedia)
• Shame is the painful emotion caused by a consciousness of guilt or shortcoming or impropriety (Piper)
  

Shame is a complex emotion. It need can be simple embarrassment for a social faux pas, or when we are rebuked even when we have done our best. So it is not always because of sin.  2 Timothy teaches us that we are not to be ashamed of the gospel, suffering for the gospel, of people who suffer for the gospel. So there are instances when shame is misplaced (when there is no good reason to feel it) and some instances when it is well-placed (shame we should have). We should not be ashamed of something is not dishonoring to God or something we did not have any sinful hand in.  

Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mk 8:38)

I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.  (Rom 1:16)

What would it mean to not be ashamed of the gospel? Probably it means that we do not fear testifying to it or its theological content (the offense of the Cross and the Resurrection).

On the other hand well-placed shame (the kind we ought to have) should be present when we are involved in something dishonoring to God. This shame can be redemptive, leading us to repentance (1 Co 5:1, 6:5, 15:34, Ez 43:10)

 3. Background information about

• Timothy: sincere faith. His mother and grandmother also had a sincere faith, acquainted with Jewish writings.
• Paul's feeling for timothy: beloved child longs to see him, wants by his side
• Paul's circumstances (1:812, 15-18, 4:6-18) He is abandoned, cold, lonely and in need of reading material.
  
• Paul's view of Timothy in Phil 2:19-24: He had 'no one like Timothy','genuinely concerned about the welfare of the church, unlike others who seek their own interests' (i.e. there are leaders who pretend to be concerned for the church but just serve with themselves first in mind), someone of 'proven worth, who has served with (not under) Paul as a son with a father,

We should ask ourselves what we feel ashamed about in our daily life. There are temptations to not be ashamed of sinful behaviours and attitudes, and temptations to be ashamed of what we are called not to be ashamed of. This is a good pastoral issue. I also feel that it would be such a joy and privilege for us to be 'Timothys' and 'Pauls' in this kind of relationship. We often have an impression of Timothy as a timid and insecure person (because of 1:7), but this may not be fair to him. Paul's praise of him was unstinting.

Winnie shared about a recent encounter with her student n a busy time and needing to be sensitive to divine appointments. May we likewise be responsive as the Lord leads us in the coming week!

Add caption