The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (242 page)

1:7 spirit of power
Timothy is urged to yield himself to the supernatural strength of the Spirit, and this in order to be an effective teacher and shepherd. 
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1:8 his prisoner:
Paul is nearly alone (4:10-11) and chained up like a criminal (2:9), suggesting this does not refer to his first Roman imprisonment, where he lived more comfortably under house arrest and was surrounded by friends and crowds eager to listen to him (Acts 28:16-31). Most likely, this refers to his second Roman imprisonment, which is attested by early traditions that supply details about the end of Paul's life. See introduction:
Date.
 
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1:9 a holy calling:
Salvation is a process initiated by God, so that the grace we receive is entirely free and unmerited by our efforts (Rom 6:23; Tit 3:5). At the same time, God calls us to cooperate with his grace in order to become holy and reach our heavenly home (Phil 2:12; Heb 12:14) (CCC 1996, 2008).
ages ago:
The plan of salvation, now manifest through the historical events of Christ's life, was formulated in the hidden counsel of God before creation came into being (Jn 17:3-5; Eph 1:4). 
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1:12 whom I have believed:
Christ, whom Paul calls his "Savior" (1:10).
that Day:
An abbreviated reference to the Day of Judgment (1:18; 4:8).
entrusted to me:
Paul did not invent the gospel, nor did he receive it from the original band of apostles. It was given to him directly from the risen Jesus (Gal 1:11-12). 
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1:14 guard the truth:
The gospel that Paul received from Jesus is a sacred deposit now entrusted to Timothy for safekeeping (1 Tim 6:20). His highest responsibility is to preserve it from corruption, to defend it from attack, and to pass it along complete and intact to his successors (2:2) (CCC 84, 256). See introduction:
Themes and Characteristics.
 
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1:15 Asia:
A Roman province in what is today southwestern Turkey. Its leading city, Ephesus, is the city where Timothy is presently stationed as bishop (1 Tim 1:3). Nothing specific is known of the cowardly Asian Christians who abandoned Paul for fear of persecution.
Phygelus and Hermogenes:
Otherwise unknown, but presumably known to Timothy. 
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1:16 Onesiphorus:
He and his family may have lived in Ephesus (1:18). His diligent search for the imprisoned Paul was an expression of loyalty and courage, especially since Christians in Rome were at this time targets of fierce persecution (1:17). Some commentators infer that Onesiphorus died before 2 Timothy was written, since
(1)
Paul does not indicate that Onesiphorus is with him any longer;
(2)
he prays that the Lord will grant him mercy at the final Judgment (1:18); and
(3)
he asks Timothy to greet the household of Onesiphorus, but not Onesiphorus himself (4:19). If, in fact, Onesiphorus had died before Paul wrote this letter, then the apostle's prayer in 1:18 would be an early example of the Christian practice of praying for the dead. 
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2:1 my son:
Paul is Timothy's spiritual father in the faith.
See note on 1 Cor 4:15
. 
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2:2 entrust to faithful men:
Timothy is the second link in a chain of succession that stretches from the apostles of the first century to the bishops of the present day. Having received Paul's authority and mission, he is charged with passing on both the priestly ministry and the apostolic faith to the next generation. Timothy must transmit these traditions in the same way he received them from Paul: through public instruction, the sacramental imposition of hands, and the witness of his life (1:6, 13-14; 3:10; 1 Tim 5:22; 6:20). • Apostolic succession takes place through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, when bishops receive and then transmit to others the fullness of their apostolic ministry. In this way, the authority that Jesus gave his apostles to preach, teach, administer the Sacraments, and govern the Church is passed on to successive generations until his glorious return (CCC 861-62, 1576). 
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2:3 share of suffering:
Timothy must be brave and steadfast under trial, especially since the gospel he preaches will inevitably spark opposition from those offended by the Cross and uncomfortable with the harsh reality of sin (3:12; Gal 6:12). The commitment expected of him is exemplified in the soldier (2 Tim 2:4), the athlete (2:5), and the farmer (2:6), all of whom receive rewards for their toil and dedication. 
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2:8 Remember Jesus:
Christ is the center of Paul's gospel. Through his natural birth in the line of King David and his miraculous rebirth in the Resurrection, the Jesus that Paul preaches is none other than the Messiah (CCC 436-37). • In Paul's mind, Jesus fulfills God's covenant oath to raise up the Messiah from David's descendants and enthrone him over an eternal kingdom (2 Sam 7:12-16; Ps 89:3-4; 110:1; Lk 1:32-33).
See note on Rom 1:3-4
. 
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2:9 the word . . . not chained:
Paul himself is shackled in prison, but his saving message continues to spread through trustworthy preachers such as Timothy. In this context, the "word of God" is equivalent to the gospel proclaimed by word of mouth (1 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:25). 
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2:10 eternal glory:
Everlasting life in heaven, where the saints enter the fullness of their inheritance (Mt 25:34; Col 3:23-24). 
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2:11-13
Possibly an excerpt from an ancient Christian hymn (CCC 2641). It sets forth in conditional propositions the blessings and curses that await us at the Judgment: those who persevere in faith will live and reign with Christ, but those who deny him will be disowned and disgraced in the end. Our ultimate certainty is that Christ will follow through on his promises and threats and so exercise his justice and mercy in perfect faithfulness to the terms of the New Covenant. Several of these statements echo Jesus' teaching in the Gospels (Mt 25:31-46; Mk 8:38; 13:13). 
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2:11 If we have died:
Refers
(1)
to Baptism, where we die to sin and are filled with new life (Rom 6:2-4; CCC 1262-64),
(2) 
to the Christian life, where we struggle with God's help to put to death our selfish and sinful inclinations (Rom 8:13), and
(3) 
to death itself, which admits us into the presence of Christ our Judge (Phil 1:21) (CCC 1010). 
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2:14 avoid disputing:
Timothy must silence errant teachers who are fascinated with useless speculation and become contentious when it comes to defending their private opinions before others (2:23; 1 Tim 1:3-7; 6:3-5). This is a matter of urgency since their novelties are already spreading like an infectious disease (2 Tim 2:17). 
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2:15 the word of truth:
The gospel message, which is "heard" through preaching (Eph 1:13; Col 1:5). Uppermost in Paul's mind is the word of God orally proclaimed (1 Thess 2:13), not the word of God written in the Scriptures (Rom 15:4), though the latter is often central to Christian teaching and evangelism (2 Tim 3:16). 
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2:17 Hymenaeus:
Possibly the same person Paul had already excommunicated for blasphemy (1 Tim 1:20). His partner
Philetus
is otherwise unknown. 
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2:18 the resurrection is past:
The precise nature of this error is unclear. Perhaps false teachers affirmed a "spiritual resurrection" in connection with Baptism (Rom 6:3-4; CCC 1002) but denied the Pauline doctrine of a "bodily resurrection" of the whole person in the future (Rom 8:11; Phil 3:20-21; CCC 989). According to some, this denial smacks of early Gnosticism, an ancient heresy that reached its full development in the second and third centuries and was known to repudiate the body and the material world in general. 
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2:19 God's firm foundation:
The gospel message, or perhaps the Church, which upholds the truth (1 Tim 3:15).
this seal:
Of the two quotations that follow, the first is from the Greek version of Num 16:5, and the second is drawn from an unknown source, though its wording resembles parts of Sir 35:3 and Is 26:13. • The context of the first excerpt is Korah's rebellion against Moses and the Aaronic priesthood, for which he and his fellow dissenters are destroyed by the Lord. Paul hints that a similar crisis is afoot in Ephesus, where Timothy is the legitimate priest and shepherd of God's people, while the false teachers are doomed to face God's judgment.
names the name of the Lord:
An act of prayer and worship (Gen 4:26; Acts 9:14; 1 Cor 1:2), unless the divine name is taken in vain (Ex 20:7; Lev 24:10-16). 
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2:22 shun youthful passions:
Timothy is still a young man by ancient standards, probably in his mid-to-late thirties (1 Tim 4:12). Despite his age, he must flee from immaturity and pursue the virtues that befit a seasoned minister of the gospel. 
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2:24 forbearing:
Timothy must deliver the truth at all times and refute errors whenever they arise. There is hope that straying sheep will return to the fold, so long as his pastoral teaching is matched by a life of integrity and patience (2:25; Jas 5:19-20). 
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3:1-9
Paul cautions Timothy about the moral depravity that is rampant among false teachers. Although they operate behind the mask of religion (3:5), they themselves are captives of bitterness, greed, pride, and a host of vile practices that offend God. Special concern is expressed for certain women who have already been victimized by their deceptions (3:6-7). Despite apparent success, Paul insists that their mischief will be exposed for what it truly is (3:9) (CCC 1852). 
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3:1 the last days:
The final age of covenant history that began with the first coming of Jesus and will close with his Second Coming in glory (Acts 2:17; 1 Cor 10:11). Although the iniquity prevalent in these days will intensify as the end nears, it is already thriving here in the apostolic era (1 Tim 6:3-5). 
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3:8 Jannes and Jambres:
Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses and Aaron (Ex 7:11). They are not named in the OT but are identified as such in Jewish tradition (e.g., in the Dead Sea Scrolls, CD 5, 18-19, and in an apocryphal work titled
Jannes and Jambres
). 
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3:10-14
Paul contrasts his own ministry of suffering with the self-indulgence of the false teachers (3:1-9). Timothy is to model himself on the example set by Paul, both in word and deed, so that past memories of the apostle will help him through the struggles that lie ahead (1:13; 2:8-10). Once a disciple of Paul, Timothy must now carry the torch as his successor. 
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3:11 Antioch . . . Iconium . . . Lystra:
Cities in southern Asia Minor (modern Turkey) that Paul visited on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:14-14:23). Timothy, as a resident of Lystra, probably embraced the Christian faith at this time and may have witnessed the persecutions that Paul endured there (Acts 14:19; 16:1). 
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