Introduction
Overview
Whereas Paul’s first Roman imprisonment was a house arrest, his second imprisonment seems more severe—in a cold, damp, hard-to-find place (2 Tm 1:17; 4:13), deserted by some (1:15; 4:10), opposed by others (2:17–18; 4:14), with a sense that death is at hand (4:6–8, 18). Second Timothy is Paul’s intensely personal farewell to his lifelong coworker, a kind of last will and testament. Paul exhorts Timothy to stay faithful, proclaims the victory of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and calls Timothy to his side.
Authorship and Date
The same issues of authorship are present in each of the Pastoral Epistles (see the more detailed discussion in the introduction to 1 Timothy). The style and vocabulary of these letters, theological tone, and addressees (i.e., individuals instead of churches) are unique in comparison to the other Pauline Letters. This has been argued by some scholars as indicating these letters were written after Paul’s death by one of his followers or were forgeries written by someone pretending to be Paul to advance their own theological agenda.
While these explanations are possible, other factors are worth consideration. Since Paul is addressing individuals (Timothy and Titus) instead of congregations, one may expect the style and tone to be different. Personal letters and collective letters are in many ways different. Further, since many ancient authors, including Paul by his own admission elsewhere (e.g., Rm 16:22), used scribes to compose their letters, the stylistic and vocabulary differences may reflect that the letter came from a different “hand” than some of Paul’s other letters, but not from a different “mind” (i.e., Paul was still responsible for the message being communicated). If written near his death, 2 Timothy would have been composed around AD 66.
Second Timothy parallels 1 Corinthians in three striking ways. In both churches, believers’ final resurrection was being denied. In both churches, Paul warns against excesses of the flesh. In both cases, Paul emphasizes courage—at 1 Co 16:13 through the direct command, “be courageous”; and at 2 Tm 1:7 through the indirect observation of what God’s Spirit does and does not produce in us.
Occasion and Structure
In 2 Timothy, Paul calls Timothy to his side as he faces probable martyrdom (4:9, 13, 21) and at the same time urges his young protégé to be courageous in ministry in his teacher’s absence. Many of the issues Paul addressed in 1 Timothy are repeated in this letter, including dealing with the false teachers, admonishing Timothy to remain faithful, and ultimately calling Timothy to come to him before his impending death (cf. 4:9–11, 21).
The letter opens with a rather customary Pauline greeting (1:1–2), followed by expression of and thanks for Timothy’s spiritual history (1:3–7). Paul then exhorts Timothy to share in his sufferings for the gospel and to hold fast and guard the deposit of the faith (1:8–18). Paul again encourages Timothy to remain steadfast and specifically admonishes him by summarizing the content of the gospel (2:1–13). He then instructs Timothy to remind his hearers of these things and to stand firm in the gospel against the false teachers, both in doctrine and in character (2:14–26). Paul reminds Timothy that standing for the truth will not be without opposition, but persecution is inevitable for those who pursue godliness (3:1–17). Paul concludes with a charge to Timothy to proclaim the word, be self-controlled, and fulfill his ministry, even as Paul is fulfilling his as the end draws near (4:1–8). Paul then gives personal instructions to Timothy to come to him quickly (4:9–18) and concludes with a greeting to Timothy’s fellow workers (4:19–22).
Outline
1. Salutation (1:1–2)
2. Thanksgiving and Appeal (1:3–7)
A. Thanksgiving (1:3–5)
B. First Appeal: Rekindle the Gift and Be Courageous (1:6–7)
3. Examples to Emulate and to Teach Others (1:8–2:13)
A. Christ’s Victory: A Gospel Worth Suffering For (1:8–10)
B. Paul’s Life: A Life Worth Emulating (1:11–14)
C. One Other Life to Emulate, Contrasted with Counterexamples (1:15–18)
D. Second Appeal: Teach Others (2:1–7)
E. Remember Christ Jesus (2:8–13)
4. False Teaching (2:14–3:9)
A. Why to Resist False Teachers: Their Influence Is Corrupting (2:14–21)
B. How to Resist False Teachers: With Mature Gentleness (2:22–26)
C. The False Teachers Put in Their Last-Days Context (3:1–5)
D. The False Teachers and the Gullible Women (3:6–9)
5. Paul’s Teaching (3:10–4:8)
A. Third Appeal, Part One: Stay with What You Know . . . (3:10–17)
B. Third Appeal, Part Two: . . . and Preach the Gospel (4:1–5)
C. Paul’s Final Testimony (4:6–8)
6. Final Greetings (4:9–22)