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When Paul was near his departure, he directs his last letter to Timothy, his companion in warfare. He deeply saw that his departure was near, just as the decadence or decline of the church in Ephesians, where Timothy lived. There is an expression that we want to emphasize in this letter; Paul says: "Remember... Jesus Christ...” (2nd Tim. 2:8). How can we remember Jesus? Had Timothy forgotten Jesus? He had not. The verse then continues: “...of the seed of David, raised from the dead according to my gospel...” In times of decadence or decline, we have to be encouraged to remember the kingdom. God promised David that there would always be one of his descendants on the throne. When God made this promise, he was speaking of Jesus (Psalms 132:11). What Paul tells Timothy is: "Remember that the promise, of the eternal throne and the kingdom to David, was made for Jesus, and that, without doubt, it will happen, so much that God gave testimony by raising him from the dead." Paul encourages Timothy and us, by reminding us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the majesty in the heavens, but that in the determined day, He will come to reign and the over-comers will reign with Him. There is still a kingdom and a throne to be established by God, and this encourages us to persevere to the end,to be over-comers. Paul is also teaching Timothy that the pure gospel and the word of truth can only be preserved if they are passed from generation to generation through faithful men. Blessed be the Lord for those faithful and suitable men, that from generation to generation, were able to transmit the word to others until it reached our days. That this may also serve us as comfort and encouragement, to continue persevering and growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. In order to do that, in His mercy, we can be faithful and suitable to transmit to others what we have received, so that the Word of Truth –the gospel of our salvation– be preserved to the end. Thanks be to God that he himself is who preserves this. He is careful and has shown, in every century, the supreme wealth of his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Ef. 2:7). (Translation: Betsy Calvo, USA). |
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