Lesson 12
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us to students, teachers, and preachers of the word. Help us be ready to share our testimony, to teach, and preach the gospel in season and out of season, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
2 Timothy 4: 1-22, preach the gospel, come before winter, farewell
VV 1-2, 1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Greek for appearing is “epiphanes”, which refer to Christ’s second coming. The three Greeks words used for Christ’s second coming in the Bible are “parousia”, “apokalupsis”, and “epiphanes”. At His second coming, Christ will judge the living and the dead at the great white throne judgment, Rev 20:11-12. Paul charged Timothy to be ready to preach the word on any occasion, whenever and wherever an opportunity arose, to convict, correct, encourage, and teach with patience.
Rev 20:11-12, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books”.
VV 3-5, 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
In the last days, people will not listen to sound doctrine. They will listen only to false teachers who will say what they want to hear. They will turn away from the truth and turn towards heresy. Paul encouraged Timothy to be vigilant, endure hardships, and evangelize to fulfil his God-ordained ministry,
VV 6-8, 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
In his goodbye address, Paul predicted that his life would end as a drink offering for God. He had fought the spiritual battle of faith, and he had run the spiritual race of faith. There was nothing more that he could do except to wait for the crown of righteousness from Christ on the Day of His second coming.
VV 9-16, 9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica, Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
Paul singled out Demas who left the faith for the world. Paul singled out Alexander the coppersmiths who had betrayed him. He mentioned those who were faithful to him by name, Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, and Tychicus. He instructed Timothy to bring along John Mark, his books, and his cloak. John Mark was the writer of the Gospel of Mark and the cousin of Barnabas. He had abandoned Paul on his first missionary journey but Paul had reconciled with him.
VV 17-18, 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
The Lord was with Paul, strengthening, protecting, preserving, and delivering him into His heavenly kingdom. Paul gave glory to Christ in a doxology.
VV 19-21, 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. 21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.
Paul acknowledged and mentioned Prisca, Aquila, the family of Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia by name.
V 22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
In closing, Paul pronounced a blessing of grace to Timothy from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Application:
As Christians. We should be ready to preach the Word of God in season and out of season. Time is running out. The dispensation of grace will soon be over as the second coming of Christ is imminent. We should do the work of an evangelist to share the gospel whenever and wherever there is an opportunity.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us be diligent students and teachers of Your Word. Help us be ready to teach and preach Your Word in season and out of season to anyone, anywhere and at any time, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Verse-by-Verse into the WORD 