2 Timothy 1 - what does "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you" imply?
2 Timothy 1 New International Version (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanksgiving
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
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. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty
15 You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
Observation Questions
Who is Paul? (verse 1)
Who is this letter from? (verse 1)
Who is this letter to? (verse 2)
Who does Paul extend grace, mercy and peace from? (verse 2)
Thanksgiving
How does Paul thank God? (verse 3)
Who does Paul serve? (verse 3)
Who does Paul remember in his prayers? (verse 3)
What does Paul recall in verse 4? (verse 4)
What is Paul reminded of? (verse 5)
Who had faith, first, in Timothy's family? (verse 5)
Who was the second to have sincere faith? (verse 5)
Who now has sincere faith? (verse 5)
What is Paul reminded of? (verse 5)
Who had faith, first, in Timothy's family? (verse 5)
Who was the second to have sincere faith? (verse 5)
Who now has sincere faith? (verse 5)
Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
What does Paul remind Timothy to do? (verse 6)
How was gift of God given? (verse 6)
What does the Spirit God gave us give us? (verse 7)
What does Paul say to not be ashamed of? (verse 8)
How does Paul say to join in the suffering for the gospel? (verse 8)
Has God saved us and called us to a holy life because of anything we have done? (verse 9)
When was the grace given us in Christ Jesus? (verse 9)
How has immortality and life been brought to light? (verse 10)
Who has brought immortality and life been brought to light? (verse 10)
Who has destroyed death? (verse 10)
What was Paul appointed as a herald and an apostle and a teacher of? (verse 11)
Why is Paul suffering as he is? (verse 11-12)
What does Paul say to keep as the pattern of sound teaching? (verse 13)
How does Paul say what Timothy has heard from him can be kept as the pattern of sound teaching? (verse 13)
Who helps to guard what is entrusted to us? (verse 14)
Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty
Who left Paul? (verse 15)
Who often refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of Paul's chains? (verse 16)
Who searched hard for Paul until he was found? (verse 16-17)
Where did he also help Paul? (verse 18)
Who often refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of Paul's chains? (verse 16)
Who searched hard for Paul until he was found? (verse 16-17)
Where did he also help Paul? (verse 18)
Interpretation
What does verse 6 imply?
What does verse 7 imply?
What did Paul entrust to God?
What does verse 13-14 imply?
What does verse 15 imply?
Thoughts
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. - verse 3
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. - verse 6
How does one fan into flame the gift they are given by God?
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." - verse 7
The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid.
What gives us power, love and self-discipline?
"So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God." - verse 8
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, - verse 9
Why has God called us to a holy life?
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. - verse 10
How has God's grace been revealed?
And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. - verse 11
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. - verse 12
Who is able to guard what is entrusted to him?
How does one fan into flame the gift they are given by God?
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." - verse 7
The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid.
What gives us power, love and self-discipline?
"So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God." - verse 8
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, - verse 9
Why has God called us to a holy life?
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. - verse 10
How has God's grace been revealed?
And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. - verse 11
herald
ˈhɛr(ə)ld/
noun
- 1.an official employed to oversee state ceremonial, precedence, and the use of armorial bearings, and (historically) to make proclamations, carry official messages, and oversee tournaments.
synonyms: messenger, courier, bearer of tidings; More - 2.a person or thing viewed as a sign that something is about to happen."they considered the first primroses as the herald of spring"
synonyms: harbinger, sign, indicator, indication, signal, prelude, portent, omen, augury, forewarning, presage, announcer; More
verb
- 1.be a sign that (something) is about to happen."the speech heralded a change in policy"
synonyms: signal, indicate, announce, point to, spell, presage, augur, portend, promise, prefigure, foreshadow, foretell, usher in, show in, pave the way for, open the way for, be a harbinger of, be a forerunner, be a precursor of; More
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame,because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. - verse 12
Who is able to guard what is entrusted to him?
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. - verse 14
What is to be kept as the pattern of sound teaching? (verse 13)
If this is given to Timothy, that means that Paul saw that it was possible for other things to become the patterns of sound teaching. Have you ever made a mold of something before? Then when you make a cast of that mold to make another mold... it loses it's definition. Over time it becomes more and more "well rounded". There are few hard edges after the fifth of sixth casting and by the end, you have something that may barely resemble what was first modeled.
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. - verse 14
With verse 12 in mind, how is what we have been given guarded?
What is to be kept as the pattern of sound teaching? (verse 13)
If this is given to Timothy, that means that Paul saw that it was possible for other things to become the patterns of sound teaching. Have you ever made a mold of something before? Then when you make a cast of that mold to make another mold... it loses it's definition. Over time it becomes more and more "well rounded". There are few hard edges after the fifth of sixth casting and by the end, you have something that may barely resemble what was first modeled.
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. - verse 14
With verse 12 in mind, how is what we have been given guarded?
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