p. 13 | The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 27, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 21.

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON XI.—SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 1897.

PAUL'S ADVICE TO TIMOTHY

NOTE.—The lesson section includes the whole of Second Timothy and Acts 16: 1-5. Commit 2 Tim. 3: 14-17. The teacher should learn all he can about the life and works of Timothy, and impress upon the scholar the exceeding and eternal worth of a character such as his. This epistle to Timothy is the last recorded words of Paul. He has finished his course; he realizes that there is awaiting him a crown of life, and, well knowing the dangers surrounding the life of his son in the faith, writes this last epistle as his dying counsel to his youthful colaborer. And the Spirit gives it to all laborers in God's vineyard thereafter. 2 Tim. 2: 2. The epistle was written from Rome, and was received by Timothy at Ephesus. Timothy was born about A.D. 31 or 32, and joined Paul in A.D. 51. This epistle was written in A.D. 67.

Lesson Scripture, 2 Tim. 1: 1-7; 3: 14-17, R. V.

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 'I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remembrance of thee in my 4 supplications, night and day longing to see thee, remembering 5 thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in thee; which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and, I am persuaded, in thee also. 6 For the which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee 7 through the laying on of my hands. For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.' 14 'But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired of God is 16 also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for in- 17 struction which is in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.'"

Golden Text.—'From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.' 2 Tim. 3: 15.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) By whom is the epistle written? (2) What position does he rightfully claim in the work? (3) By what authority and approval? (4) By what promise was his work made effectual? Verse 1. Note 1. (5) What was the spiritual relation existing between Paul and Timothy? (6) What was his benediction upon Timothy? Verse 2. Note 2. (7) For what particular fact does Paul thank God? (8) What testimony does Paul bear to his own religious life? Verse 3. (9) What did Paul desire? (10) What remembrance would add to his joy? Verse 4. Note 3. (11) What testimony does Paul hear to Timothy's sincerity? (12) What is his early training? Verse 5. (13) What admonition does he give to Timothy? Verse 6. Note 4. (14) What spirit does God give to all his children? Verse 7. (15) What does Paul exhort Timothy to do in contrast with the course of those mentioned in the first thirteen verses of the third chapter? Verse 14. (16) How early had Timothy been made acquainted with the teachings of the Old Testament? (17) What were these sacred writings able to do for him? (18) What makes this knowledge of the Scriptures a saving power? Verse 15. Note 5. (19) Who is the Author of all Scripture? (20) For what is it profitable? Verse 16. Note 6. (21) What will the Scriptures do for the man in whom they are permitted to work out their object? Verse 17.

NOTES.

1. Paul, an apostle.—That is, one sent out, having a commission directly from Christ, being a witness of the resurrection, and having apostolic authority, oftentimes accredited by miracles. Paul had been chosen by the Lord himself, and in a miraculous manner. No assaults of the enemy could ever shake his faith in his divine commission. The miracle wrought in his conversion was of such a nature that it could not be questioned.

2. To Timothy.—The name comes from two Greek words, "timo" and "theos," which together mean "honored of God." His father was a Greek and his mother Eunice, a devout Jewess, as was also his grandmother, Lois. There is no doubt that his early training contributed largely to his Christian character and future usefulness.

3. Remembering thy tears.—The remembrance of Timothy's tears shed during the trials through which Paul had passed, shed from sympathy with Paul in those trials, was a great source of joy to Paul in his loneliness. Even the remembrance of sympathy is sweet. The blessings of sympathy do not cease when the act which showed the sympathy has ceased; but they live as long as the person lives to whom they were given.

4. Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee.—It is also rendered "stir into flame." One translator expresses it, "Kindle the glowing embers of the gift of God." The figure is probably drawn from the old Roman law, "Let them watch the eternal flame of the public hearth." "It is the swift ship that is pressed in the race. It is the good man of whom greater good is expected."—Peloubet.

5. Thou hast known the Sacred Writings.—In the common version, Holy Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament. That was the sum of the Scriptures in those days. The New Testament was then unwritten. There was truth enough in the Old Testament to make one wise unto salvation, to save those who knew what it contained. The Old Testament is not supplanted by the New. "The Old Testament is the New foreshadowed; the New Testament is the Old unfolded."

6. Every scripture inspired of God.—The King James version reads, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God;" and the best linguists claim that such a rendering is correct. While the rendering of the Revised Version is not incorrect, an incorrect meaning may be read into it. It might be claimed that there was Scripture which was not inspired of God, and that this verse assumed such to be the case. The Authorized Version is the better, in that it is not only correct but also expresses the truth in such a way that there can be no questioning in regard to what the true meaning of the language is.