For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Paul writes shut away in a dark Roman dungeon in chains, brought again before Nero and expecting condemnation and death at any moment at the close of his ministry, declaring that his life is about to be poured out as a willing sacrifice and his death is near. He speaks as a faithful witness after a life of toil, self-sacrifice and faithful service, testifying that he has fought a good fight, finished his course and kept the faith in endurance to the death. He faces execution without doubt or despair but with sublime faith, courage and triumphant joy, steadfast in integrity with his heart stayed upon God and his faith grasping eternal things as a conqueror upheld by Christ. His approaching death is joined to the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give at His appearing, laid up not for him only but for all faithful overcomers who love His appearing. His words seal his solemn dying charge before God and Christ who shall judge the living and the dead to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with longsuffering and doctrine, endure afflictions and make full proof of the ministry against the time when men will not endure sound doctrine.
Paul's Final Imprisonment
Paul was shut away from light and air in a dark dungeon in Rome, bound in chains as a criminal and cut off from active labor in the gospel. He had been brought a second time before Nero to witness with his life to the faith he held, and he was expecting condemnation and the sentence of death at any moment. His faith and steadfastness in that dark trial were the same as when he had preached before the Areopagus in better circumstances, for faith reaches beyond what is seen and grasps eternal things.
The words were written to Timothy, the first bishop of the church at Ephesus, at the close of Paul's ministry and warfare when he declared his warfare was drawing to a close and his death was at hand. They mark a point about two years after he wrote Ephesians, in about A.D. 64.
To be offered means his life was about to be poured out in sacrifice as a willing offering for the cause he loved more than life, and his departure being at hand means his death was near. He knew this with firm assurance and settled faith, as one who had faithfully served God and finished his course.
Faithful Witness Rewarded
The words present a man at the end of toil and self-sacrifice and faithful service, standing as a faithful witness for God's word and for Jesus Christ, whose coming death would magnify Christ and serve the saving of others. He is ready to be poured out, knowing his departure is near.
He meets that end without doubt or despondency or despair, but with sublime faith and courage and triumphant joy. That steadfast assurance is the result of sanctification after a life of toil and sacrifice for the truth, a faith in God's word grown into firm certainty that the end is at hand after faithful service and that the promised reward awaits. His testimony in that hour strengthens Christ's witnesses and gives triumphant joy and hope to sorrowful hearts, and it has inspired saints and martyrs in all succeeding ages.
He is exactly the same in the dark trial as in better days, undaunted by circumstances and steadfast in integrity. His heart is as true as steel, stayed upon God in the hour of most afflicting trial and most discouraging surroundings just as in prosperity, the same when awaiting the sentence of Nero in chains as a criminal as when he preached before the Areopagus and before Felix and Agrippa. His faith reaches beyond what is seen and grasps eternal things. As he seals his testimony with his blood he glorifies God and gives thanks and rejoices as a conqueror, upheld by the Holy Spirit through persecution by Christ's sufficient power in every need, showing how trust in God's word stays steadfast and victorious even when helpless before worldly power and evil.
The saying belongs inseparably to the testimony that follows it, that he has fought a good fight and finished his course and kept the faith, meaning a life of faithful endurance to the death. That endurance is set as a constant incentive before all, especially those entrusted with sacred trust. Approaching death is joined to awaiting the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give at His appearing and His kingdom. It is laid up not for him only but as promised reward of righteousness and eternal life for all faithful overcomers who love His appearing.
Charge to Preach Onward
The words seal a solemn dying charge given before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom, to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist and make full proof of the ministry. The charge was laid upon Timothy and through him upon every minister of the gospel, and it stands as the seal upon Paul's own declaration that he was ready to be offered and that the time of his departure and death was at hand at the close of his ministry. It was given because a time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine but would heap to themselves teachers with itching ears and turn from truth to fables. That time belongs to the perils of the last days, marked by self-sufficiency and by false plans and false theories taught as truth, and the instruction in 2 Timothy 3-4 is to be heeded against them. The charge binds with great importance not ministers only but physicians and all who minister to the sick to faithful evangelistic labor, to turn those led astray back from fables to the truth.
Faithful ministry under this charge requires men of prayer, for whom standing in the desk to give an exposition of the Scriptures is only the beginning of most solemn work in opening the Scriptures to others. There remains pastoral work to reprove and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine and to show wherein there is deficiency, without lording over God's heritage. Dealing with human minds is the nicest work ever committed to mortals, requiring prejudice and undisciplined hearts to be met with the mind of Christ and with humble walking with God, valuing every soul as the purchase of Christ's blood given opportunity for trial and eternal life. Such workers are not to show partiality for prophecies and argumentative portions only but are to teach most of all the lessons given by Jesus Christ Himself, abiding in Christ with His Word abiding within, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, growing continually in grace and knowledge and efficiency and power in prayer, reflecting the image of Jesus and living practical godliness as partakers of the divine nature. The same plan requires studying His Word with prayerful diligence under the Holy Spirit speaking in warnings and reproof, with consecration to God's Word, presenting obedience, virtue, prudence and piety from the Scriptures as the obligation and accountability to God of every human being, to be urged upon conscience beginning with the duty of parents to educate their children as the foundation stone of character. It calls ministers to preach the Word to tempted souls wrestling with the adversary in order to strengthen them for the conflict, while keeping the gospel elevated in its sacred character.
For a commandment-keeping people facing malicious falsehoods and the long-cherished error that Sunday is the Sabbath, the charge directs aggressive work on Bible principles with Christlike simplicity, patience, forbearance and love. The aim is to convince, not to condemn, by standing on eternal truth, uplifting Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away sin, and exalting the law of God while loving the souls for whom Christ died. Satanic weapons and personal passion against unreasonable and wicked men are to be avoided. Paul's steadfastness sets the pattern for under-shepherds to follow closely the Chief Shepherd amid skepticism, apostasy, trial and gloom, undaunted by circumstances and steadfast in integrity with faith reaching to the unseen to grasp eternal things. It encourages believers who pass over the same ground, when some who were once teachers deny the faith and work against the truth they once advocated, not to lose faith and confidence in God but to hold the same trust in deliverance to His heavenly kingdom, and its testimony of sublime faith and courage in the face of expected condemnation has inspired saints and martyrs in all succeeding ages. It teaches also that a worker may be called to lay down his work at any time, so that readiness and faithful conduct while life and service continue are essential.
Paul writes shut away in a dark Roman dungeon in chains, brought again before Nero and expecting condemnation and death at any moment at the close of his ministry, declaring that his life is about to be poured out as a willing sacrifice and his death is near. He speaks as a faithful witness after a life of toil, self-sacrifice and faithful service, testifying that he has fought a good fight, finished his course and kept the faith in endurance to the death. He faces execution without doubt or despair but with sublime faith, courage and triumphant joy, steadfast in integrity with his heart stayed upon God and his faith grasping eternal things as a conqueror upheld by Christ. His approaching death is joined to the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give at His appearing, laid up not for him only but for all faithful overcomers who love His appearing. His words seal his solemn dying charge before God and Christ who shall judge the living and the dead to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with longsuffering and doctrine, endure afflictions and make full proof of the ministry against the time when men will not endure sound doctrine.
Paul's Final Imprisonment
Paul was shut away from light and air in a dark dungeon in Rome, bound in chains as a criminal and cut off from active labor in the gospel. He had been brought a second time before Nero to witness with his life to the faith he held, and he was expecting condemnation and the sentence of death at any moment. His faith and steadfastness in that dark trial were the same as when he had preached before the Areopagus in better circumstances, for faith reaches beyond what is seen and grasps eternal things.
The words were written to Timothy, the first bishop of the church at Ephesus, at the close of Paul's ministry and warfare when he declared his warfare was drawing to a close and his death was at hand. They mark a point about two years after he wrote Ephesians, in about A.D. 64.
To be offered means his life was about to be poured out in sacrifice as a willing offering for the cause he loved more than life, and his departure being at hand means his death was near. He knew this with firm assurance and settled faith, as one who had faithfully served God and finished his course.
Faithful Witness Rewarded
The words present a man at the end of toil and self-sacrifice and faithful service, standing as a faithful witness for God's word and for Jesus Christ, whose coming death would magnify Christ and serve the saving of others. He is ready to be poured out, knowing his departure is near.
He meets that end without doubt or despondency or despair, but with sublime faith and courage and triumphant joy. That steadfast assurance is the result of sanctification after a life of toil and sacrifice for the truth, a faith in God's word grown into firm certainty that the end is at hand after faithful service and that the promised reward awaits. His testimony in that hour strengthens Christ's witnesses and gives triumphant joy and hope to sorrowful hearts, and it has inspired saints and martyrs in all succeeding ages.
He is exactly the same in the dark trial as in better days, undaunted by circumstances and steadfast in integrity. His heart is as true as steel, stayed upon God in the hour of most afflicting trial and most discouraging surroundings just as in prosperity, the same when awaiting the sentence of Nero in chains as a criminal as when he preached before the Areopagus and before Felix and Agrippa. His faith reaches beyond what is seen and grasps eternal things. As he seals his testimony with his blood he glorifies God and gives thanks and rejoices as a conqueror, upheld by the Holy Spirit through persecution by Christ's sufficient power in every need, showing how trust in God's word stays steadfast and victorious even when helpless before worldly power and evil.
The saying belongs inseparably to the testimony that follows it, that he has fought a good fight and finished his course and kept the faith, meaning a life of faithful endurance to the death. That endurance is set as a constant incentive before all, especially those entrusted with sacred trust. Approaching death is joined to awaiting the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give at His appearing and His kingdom. It is laid up not for him only but as promised reward of righteousness and eternal life for all faithful overcomers who love His appearing.
Charge to Preach Onward
The words seal a solemn dying charge given before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom, to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist and make full proof of the ministry. The charge was laid upon Timothy and through him upon every minister of the gospel, and it stands as the seal upon Paul's own declaration that he was ready to be offered and that the time of his departure and death was at hand at the close of his ministry. It was given because a time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine but would heap to themselves teachers with itching ears and turn from truth to fables. That time belongs to the perils of the last days, marked by self-sufficiency and by false plans and false theories taught as truth, and the instruction in 2 Timothy 3-4 is to be heeded against them. The charge binds with great importance not ministers only but physicians and all who minister to the sick to faithful evangelistic labor, to turn those led astray back from fables to the truth.
Faithful ministry under this charge requires men of prayer, for whom standing in the desk to give an exposition of the Scriptures is only the beginning of most solemn work in opening the Scriptures to others. There remains pastoral work to reprove and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine and to show wherein there is deficiency, without lording over God's heritage. Dealing with human minds is the nicest work ever committed to mortals, requiring prejudice and undisciplined hearts to be met with the mind of Christ and with humble walking with God, valuing every soul as the purchase of Christ's blood given opportunity for trial and eternal life. Such workers are not to show partiality for prophecies and argumentative portions only but are to teach most of all the lessons given by Jesus Christ Himself, abiding in Christ with His Word abiding within, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, growing continually in grace and knowledge and efficiency and power in prayer, reflecting the image of Jesus and living practical godliness as partakers of the divine nature. The same plan requires studying His Word with prayerful diligence under the Holy Spirit speaking in warnings and reproof, with consecration to God's Word, presenting obedience, virtue, prudence and piety from the Scriptures as the obligation and accountability to God of every human being, to be urged upon conscience beginning with the duty of parents to educate their children as the foundation stone of character. It calls ministers to preach the Word to tempted souls wrestling with the adversary in order to strengthen them for the conflict, while keeping the gospel elevated in its sacred character.
For a commandment-keeping people facing malicious falsehoods and the long-cherished error that Sunday is the Sabbath, the charge directs aggressive work on Bible principles with Christlike simplicity, patience, forbearance and love. The aim is to convince, not to condemn, by standing on eternal truth, uplifting Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away sin, and exalting the law of God while loving the souls for whom Christ died. Satanic weapons and personal passion against unreasonable and wicked men are to be avoided. Paul's steadfastness sets the pattern for under-shepherds to follow closely the Chief Shepherd amid skepticism, apostasy, trial and gloom, undaunted by circumstances and steadfast in integrity with faith reaching to the unseen to grasp eternal things. It encourages believers who pass over the same ground, when some who were once teachers deny the faith and work against the truth they once advocated, not to lose faith and confidence in God but to hold the same trust in deliverance to His heavenly kingdom, and its testimony of sublime faith and courage in the face of expected condemnation has inspired saints and martyrs in all succeeding ages. It teaches also that a worker may be called to lay down his work at any time, so that readiness and faithful conduct while life and service continue are essential.