Matthew

II Timothy

LeRoy Eims

This letter to Timothy was written while Paul was in a Roman jail awaiting martyrdom. The great fire of Rome had occurred and the people suspected that it had been set by Nero. Historians have commonly regarded as fact the idea that he was the perpetrator of the crime. In order to divert suspicion from himself he accused the Christians of burning the city. Somebody had to be made the scapegoat for the Emperor's crime.

Here was a new and despised sect of people, mostly from the more humble walks of life, without prestige or influence, many of them slaves. He ordered them to be punished for their crime. In and around Rome multitudes of Christians were arrested and put to death in the most cruel ways.

Many were crucified. Others were tied in skins of wild animals, and thrown into the arena to be killed by wild dogs for the entertainment of the people. Sometimes they were tied to stakes in Nero's gardens, pitch poured over them, and their burning bodies used to light the gardens at night while he exhibited the agonies of his victims to the public and gloated over them. At night he drove around in his chariot, naked, indulging himself in his midnight revels and laughing at the agonies of these men and women of God.

This persecution continued for many decades and every attempt on the part of the mighty power of Rome was used to wipe out Christianity; but the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church. During these many years the church passed through its fiery trial for the sake of Him who purchased them with His own blood.

Paul's trial had proceeded far enough to show him that there was no hope of escape. While waiting in the Roman dungeon for the time of his departure he wrote this last letter to Timothy, his closest friend and trusted co‑laborer. He charged him to be faithful as a minister of Christ and to hurry to Rome before winter. Why? Winter was coming and the old apostle was cold. He needed his coat. He and Luke were alone.

Paul's final shout of triumph is one of the noblest in all of scripture. "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (II Timothy 4:6‑8)

Now try to understand this: he was being executed for a crime he didn't commit. His friends forsook him and left him to suffer alone. The cause for which he had given his life was in trouble in the west through persecution, and in the east through apostasy. But there is no hint or doubt but that it would eventually be triumphant. He knew that he himself would soon be in the presence of the One he had loved and served with all his heart. The battle‑scarred old warrior of the cross looked back over a long, hard, and bitter fight and said, "we won!"

Knowing that his service was drawing to a close, he turned to Timothy and said: "Carry on - I charge thee, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be diligent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long‑suffering and doctrine." (II Timothy 4:1,2)

Timothy's great business was to preach the Word and this could be done in a true and effective manner only by diligent and prayerful study of the Word. Through Paul, the Holy Spirit told Timothy to: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2:15)

It was a tremendous thing for Paul to have men like Timothy whom he had faithfully trained and who could now carry on. Success without a successor is failure. Paul's ministry continued through his men. This last letter rings with victory.

Study it to gain insight into the victorious Christian life.