Be Not Ashamed of the Gospel—Pentecost 17C/Proper 22 (2 Timothy 1)

2 Timothy 1:1-14  New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

⁸ Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, and this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, ¹² and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard the deposit I have entrusted to him. ¹³ Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

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                Having spent three Sundays with 1 Timothy, we now move on to 2 Timothy. This letter, at least here in the beginning, takes on a tone of encouragement, as an experienced pastor (said to be Paul) offers words of encouragement to a younger pastor (Timothy). We hear a call to not be ashamed of the Gospel or of Paul. Rather, Paul encourages Timothy to join him in this holy calling to which he had been called. Indeed, gifting and calling were imparted to him through the laying on of hands. It is a word that can serve as an encouragement to contemporary pastors. I know that I am grateful for those pastors who helped guide me during my early years, and I hope I can be of similar support to those pastors who are now arriving on the scene.

                As with the other two Pastoral Epistles, most scholars believe the letter was written several decades after Paul’s death by his followers. Such a practice was common in the first century. While I generally agree with that assessment, that’s a conversation for another context. For our purposes, I’ll once again speak of Paul when speaking of the author. The same is true for the recipient who, according to the letter, is Paul’s former co-worker Timothy, who apparently is now leading a community of his own.

Whether the letter was written by Paul or not, the opening lines of the letter carry a very personal tone. Paul offers the typical opening greeting in verses 1-2, with a very intimate address to Timothy whom he calls his “beloved child.” As he opens the letter Paul tells Timothy he notes his gratitude to God as he offers constant prayers for Timothy. After telling Timothy that he prays day and night for him, he also takes note of Timothy’s tears, perhaps when they had parted. Therefore, Paul longs to be with him so he can be filled with joy. Then Paul speaks of the larger family relationship that binds him with Timothy. He acknowledges Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, both of whom imparted a strong faith to Timothy. We first meet Timothy in Acts 16, where we’re told that Timothy is the son of a Jewish woman who is a believer. Thus, Luke writes of Paul’s encounter with Timothy at Lystra, “where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.  He was well spoken of by the brothers and sisters in Lystra and Iconium.  Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:1-3). Though not named in Acts 16, this mother of Timothy would be Eunice, who was Jewish but married to a Gentile. After Paul has Timothy circumcised, Timothy joins Paul’s missionary band. What we read in Acts 16 can stand behind what we read here.

                Having acknowledged that first engagement with the ministry, Paul asks that Timothy rekindle “the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands.” You can see the origins of ordination in this passage, even if it isn’t the full-blown version that will develop with time. But, this act of laying on of hands seems to fit within Paul’s own self-understanding as an apostle of Jesus. Paul follows up this affirmation of Timothy’s calling, by reaffirming the nature of that call, an affirmation that goes together with Paul’s encouragement that he not be ashamed either of Paul or the Gospel. Thus, he tells Timothy that “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline” (vs. 7). In other words, don’t be afraid, be bold because you are filled with “a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.”

                So, if there is this strong bond of love between the two men, why might Timothy be ashamed of Paul? Could it be Paul’s imprisonment that is an embarrassment? In context, to be imprisoned would be seen as shameful in an honor-shame culture. After all, as is revealed in verse 15, some believers had already turned away from Paul. Would Timothy be next? While that might be a temptation, Paul wants Timothy to join him in a work that involved suffering for the Gospel. On the surface that’s not a very attractive offer, but Timothy is a believer and a pastor. Likely he knows that suffering is a possibility. After all, it’s a common occurrence for Paul. At the same time, Paul reminds Timothy that they are not saved (made whole in their relationship with God) by way of their works. This isn’t a matter of human effort. Instead, their place in God’s realm is due to an act of grace on God’s part. This grace that comes through Christ has been available from the beginning of time. While available earlier it’s now being revealed through the person of Jesus Christ “who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” That message is what Paul has been called to proclaim as apostle and herald. It’s also a ministry he invites Timothy to share in. Again, this is a calling that involves suffering. It just goes with the territory.  

                When Paul speaks of the grace that had been made available to them, he connects it with the appearance of the savior Christ Jesus. He notes that Christ has abolished death and brought to light the promise of life and immortality connected to the Gospel. Again, Paul claims to be an apostle and herald of this gospel that connects the abolishment of death with Christ’s incarnation. With an apocalyptic note, Paul puts his trust in Christ, having the assurance that Christ can guard what Paul had entrusted to Christ.

                With Paul’s own confession of faith as a foundation, he offers a final word (at least in our reading) to Timothy: “Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me.”  Perhaps the message here is clearer in Eugene Peterson’s translation of verse 13: ^“So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me” (2 Tim 1:13 Message). When you get discouraged, and pastors do get discouraged, just keep on plugging. Stay the course knowing that the message Paul had delivered hadn’t changed. It’s still good enough to sustain him. So, Paul tells Timothy to “guard the good treasure entrusted to you.” The good news is that Holy Spirit is there to help! So be strong.