2 Timothy 2:23 Avoid quarrels

2 Timothy 2:23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

Here is another of those verses warning against useless quarrels. (See 1 Timothy 1:4, 4:7, 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:14, 16; Titus 3:9, etc). The warning is not against all argument but against getting involved in foolish and stupid arguments that is arguments where moral perversity and sheer ignorance drive the agenda. The reason they are to be avoided is because they produce quarrels or more literally fights. It is important for the minister to know where he is going to take his stand. There will inevitably be some things that he will not budge on and some things that he lives with. Deciding which is which is quite a skill. If he is not careful he will get into needless quarrels. Proverbs 26:4, 5 tells us that on one hand we must not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him and on the other that we must Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. The skill is to be wise enough to judge which applies in which case. If the argument is foolish or stupid or both then it is the first proverb that applies.

2 Timothy 2:17 Spiritual Gangrene

2 Timothy 2:17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

This verse is about the godless chatterers around at this time, people who Paul says had departed from the truth. They said that the resurrection has already taken place and no doubt they taught other heresies too. The verse tells us the tendency of such heresies and names two ring leaders. The names no doubt meant something to Timothy and others in that time but they mean nothing to us. Hymenaeus is presumably the man mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20 alongside Alexander, both of whom Paul had handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. (Alexander is presumably the one mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:14 - Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.) Gangrene can be described as a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies (necrosis). It may occur after an injury or infection, or when a person has problems with blood circulation. The primary cause of gangrene is apparently reduced blood supply to the affected tissues, which results in cell death. False teaching can be thought of as serious and potentially life-threatening. It arises when a part of the body of Christ turns out to be dead in sin. False teaching can arise by direct attack or a misunderstanding of the truth. False teachers fail to supply the body with the life blood it needs.

2 Timothy 2:7 Reflection, Insight

2 Timothy 2:7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

This verse is one of those verses that is able to bring together the human and the divine almost seamlessly. Paul wants Timothy to reflect on what he is saying.  He wants him to turn it over in his mind. The context is Timothy being strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and passing on the message from Paul to reliable witnesses who can then teach others. He is to suffer as a soldier does, compete as an athlete does ... according to the rules and be like a hard working farmer waiting for the crop. Paul does not suppose, however, that mere reflection on Timothy's part is the answer. He believes the Lord will give Timothy insight into or understanding of all this. When we read Paul's words and other parts of Scripture we also ought to reflect on what we read. It is as we reflect that the Lord will give us insight into all this. Here is a good hermeneutical rule then - Reflect long and hard on Scripture and look to the Lord to give you insight into what he means.

2 Timothy 1:7 The Spirit

2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Having exhorted Timothy to fan into flame his ministerial gifts, Paul goes on to remind him what effect the gift of God and of the Spirit of God should be having on him. Negatively, God's Spirit does not make us timid. The man who has the Spirit is ultimately afraid of nothing. Rather, positively, the Spirit gives us at least three things power, love and self-discipline. It is the Spirit who gives us the power to live godly lives, to preach the Word and to do all our other duties. It is the Spirit who enables us to love our fellow believers and all who we meet, even our enemies. He also enables us to be self-disciplined so that we want to pray and read the Word and deny ourselves and be godly and so that we live orderly and productive lives. Without the Spirit we are timid wrecks without power, unloving and lacking self-discipline. With the Spirit, there is the hope that we may boldly live energetic, loving and self-disciplined lives that bring glory to God. How thankful we should be for the Holy Spirit and his work within us whether we are ministers or not.

2 Timothy 1:6 Fanning Embers

2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

After a brief introduction, Paul begins his second letter to Timothy by giving thanks for Timothy, who he regularly remembers in prayer. He longs to see Timothy again and remembers his tears and his sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. It is in the light of these things then - his own love for Timothy and the godly heritage that belongs to Timothy - that he gives the exhortation he gives, which is for Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. When Paul laid hands on Timothy at his ordination it was not simply a symbolic act. As an apostle he was able to impart the gift of God, the gift to be a minister. Timothy now had that gift from God. He also had a responsibility, however, to fan into flame that gift. When a fire is burning it can begin to burn low and be in danger of going out. Fire lives on oxygen and so one obvious way to get the flame to rise again is to fan it. In a similar way, ministerial gifts can begin to fade if the minister is not careful to fan it into flame by giving it the oxygen of his prayers and his efforts. The work of fanning into flame is chiefly a private work but its effects are seen far and wide.

1 Timothy 5:9, 10 Widows List

1 Timothy 5:9, 10 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

It appears that the early churches kept a list of widows. These widows were not only supported financially (there being no state support) but served the church by helping in the practical work. Here Paul gives three qualifications, the last one being dealt with under five heads. The first qualification was an age one. Widows under sixty were expected to fend for themselves. Faithfulness to her dead husband is also required. The third qualification is that such a woman should be well known for her good deeds - so not just a do gooder but one well known for it. Five examples are given of the sorts of things in mind. These are bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people (which would mean showing hospitality in particularly needy situations where needed), helping those in trouble and a final catch all devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. These are the sorts of activities ministers should be encouraging in the women of the congregation. Not all will be bringing up children, though many will be. Hospitality, sometimes hospitality to very needy people, will be typical. People who help those in trouble and do good deeds are the sort of people that are wanted in a church that seeks to help others.

1 Timothy 2:8 Men, Pray

1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

Because he wants prayer to be made for all men, especially for rulers, Paul calls for prayer everywhere. He asks especially that the men should pray. It is not that he is necessarily saying women should not pray but that men should take a lead in this. It is a fair inference to say that in the average prayer meeting it is the men who are to take the lead in addressing God. As they lead in prayer, men are to do two things. Paul speaks of lifting up holy hands. The normal stance for prayer was to lift up the hands and Paul insists these hands be holy, which is achieved not by washing them but by using them to do what is holy. The second thing Paul insists on is the forsaking of anger and disputing a theme that is often in the background in the pastoral letters (eg 1 Timothy 1:4, 6, 6:4, 5, 20; 2 Timothy 2:14, 16, 23; Titus 3:9-11). These two things are likely to hinder prayer - lack of holiness (Psalm 66:18, Proverbs 15:29, James 4:3) and anger or disputing (1 Peter 3:7, Matthew 5:23, 24, 6:12, 15; Mark 11:25). Ministers then must pray and they must encourage especially the men in their congregations to lead in prayer too. A church that is unholy or where there is strife and division will fail to be effective in prayer.