C C 1-7. Charge.
D 8-13. The Good News.
C 14-16. Charge.
C E 1,2. Grace.
F c 3. The soldier.
d 4. Conditions of approval.
e 5-. The athlete.
f -5. Conditions of being crowned.
g 6-. The husbandman.
h -6. Conditions of partaking of fruit.
E 7. Wisdom.
2 Timothy 2)
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (Did Paul say to be strong in yourself? No. He said to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Continue to study the Word.)
2 And the things that you have heard of me by means of many witnesses, these commit you to faithful men (somebody that's interested in learning, someone that's hungry for the truth), such as shall be competent to teach others also. (No reference to bishops and other ecclesiastical organizations. All these have failed)
3 You therefore endure hardness (Lit. suffer evil), as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (Combat Spiritually. Again, don't pray that the affliction be taken away from you. You would be a useless soldier to God in the spiritual war. Pray for the strength to endure the affliction.)
4 No one that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life (don't get so involved in the world that you don't have time for God. Your Father must come first, if you are going to be a soldier for Him. Things of this life are insignificant.); in order that he may please Him who chose him to be a soldier. (The Master's "well done" is the reward)
5 And if any one contend in the games also,
yet is he not crowned (the crown was of wild olive or laurel leaves), if he not strive lawfully. (Cp. doing spiritual work for God, to move ahead, you can't break laws and please God)
6 The husbandman
that labors must be the first to partake of the fruits. (God's promise. Going will be tough, but their are much rewards. You may think of a husbandman as a farmer. If you labor in God's garden, you may expect the reward of the first fruits. That my friend is a double portion just as Job received when he had demonstrated his faith (Job 42:10))
7 Consider (you stop, open up your mind and let God pour this all the way down to the bottom and think, meditate, reason and absorb. Etymology of cow and cud. Don't be troubled by the things of this world when you study and pray for understanding.) what I say; and the Lord give you understanding in all things. (How could you go wrong?)
D j 8. Christ's death and resurrection.
k 9,10. Paul faithful unto bonds.
j 11,12. Death with Christ, life with Him.
h Christ faithful, though we be unfaithful.
8 Remember Jesus Christ (the thoughts of Timothy are directed to the person of Jesus Christ, as well as to His work) of the seed of David raised from the dead according to my good news: (Paul's gospel was the Word of God. As the Word promised, Christ was raised from the dead.)
9 In which I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even as far as bonds; but the word of God is not bound. (You can't put it in jail. Anytime someone is preaching to you from this word and puts you in bondage, you are listening to a liar! The truth will set you free. That is the beauty of Christianity, you're somebody, not a 2nd class citizen.)
10 On account of this I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 Faithful is the word (see 1 Tim. 1:15): "For if we died with Him (see 2 Cor. 7:3. The flesh must do this), we shall live also with Him: (See Rom. 6:8. Some would call taking care of business with Satan suffering. I don't. I like to "take names and kick dragon". Strength and faith overcome evil.)
12 If we suffer, we shall reign together also with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us: (See Luke 12:10)
13 If we are unbelieving, yet He abides faithful (Christ will always be faithful): He is not able to deny Himself."
C l 14. The aim of the enemy. Subversion.
m 15. The workman.
n 16. Exhortation. "Shun".
o 17,18-. Illustration. Gangrene.
p -18. Effect of error.
p 19. Effect of truth.
o 20,21. Illustration. Vessels.
n 22,23. Exhortation. "Flee, avoid".
m 24,25-. The bond-servant.
l -25,26. The aim of the enemy. Ensnaring.
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, earnestly testifying to them before the Lord that they strive not about words to nothing profitable, but to the subverting of the hearers. (Don't dump all your knowledge at one time. Don't strive over the words of men. That would be a disgrace, when you have the Word of God. The words of men won't save souls. The Word of God will save souls.)
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a workman without cause for shame, rightly dividing (who, what, when, where)w the word of truth. (How do you rightly divide God's Word? There are several questions you should answer as you study the Bible. Who is this written to? What is the subject? Which dispensation does this apply to? This is why I recommend the Companion Bible. The whole Bible is broken down into outlines, or structures that help you understand God's Word.)
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will advance to more ungodliness. (No one needs nonsense. It will get you in trouble.)
17 And their word will eat as does a gangrene: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 For they concerning the truth erred, saying that the resurrection has taken place;
and overturn the faith of some. (Teaching "rapture" will get same thing.)
19 Nevertheless God's firm foundation, having this seal, The Lord knew them that are His. And, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (Build your Christian on a solid foundation. Not babbling and nonsense.)
20 But in a great house (its His family) there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but of wooden also and of earth; and some to honor (flower), and some to dishonor (chamber-pot).
21 If a man therefore thoroughly purge himself from these (person of v.16), he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified, and useful for the Master's use, and prepared to every good work.
(You are fit for God's work. He can use to expand someones view on God's Word.)
22 Flee also the youthful lusts (wayward impulses): but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (Give them a little time. Be cautious. Be anchored in His Word.)
23 But the foolish and uninstructed (and so, trifling) questions reject (or refuse), knowing that they do beget strifes. (They cause quarrels. Find a diplomatic way to side-step it. Get to the important stuff. Don't nit-pick.)
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient [insurance], (Never force yourself off on somebody. If you're not comfortable with them, get away, write them off, you don't need it. Never force seed planting on anyone. You can't make it grow. It's a waste of time.)
25 In meekness instructing (which means to train a child, and so to chastise, chasten. Home education. Cp. Acts 22:3. 2 Cor. 6:9. Heb. 12:6.) the opposers themselves;
lest God at any time should give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
(Come to the truth and cast out babbling.)
26 And that they may recover themselves (lit. be sober against) out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him unto his will. (The pronoun "him" and "his" have not the same reference. The 1st refers to the servant, the 2nd to God, and the meaning of the passage is, the devil stirs up those he has ensnared to oppose, lest God should give them repentance, and lest, having been taken captive by God's servant, they should escape the snare, to do the will of God. Don't ever say please to the devil. Practice authority when its given to you.)