_{Rembrandt van Rijn, St. Paul in Prison, 1627. Staatsgalerie Stuttgart. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.}

2 Timothy Chapter 2 opens with the phrase “You, therefore.”

Many of us might be tempted to begin our study of this passage with the famous question: “What’s the ‘therefore’ there for?” Or, if you’re feeling particularly nerdy, as I do at times, you might instead ask “Wherefore is the ‘therefore’?”

This is a good question to ask, but I’m afraid asking it may lead us away from this opening phrase a little too soon. After all, Paul uses two words here, not just one.

If Paul had opened only with the word ‘therefore,’ then we’d have a simple conjunction linking context to the following passage. But since he instead leads with the word, “you,” this phrase comes across to me much more as a contrasting conjunction.

Paul seems to be contrasting the “you,” in this case Timothy, with some other guy. In my study, that made me wonder, just who is this “other guy,” and what exactly is the contrast being made.

Paul’s Opening Contrast

In the previous chapter Paul mentions some “other guys” starting in verse 15. The first two, Phygellus and Hermogenes, are said to be among those in Asia who turned away from Paul. The third,however, Onesiphorus, is said to have not been ashamed of Paul’s chains, but instead sought him out even in the face of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.

In fact, as we look back at that, it almost seems like the real contrast here is between Onesiphorus and those other men, specifically in that he was not ashamed of Paul’s persecuted state and sought him out.

Whereas they turned away from Paul, Onesiphorus continued with him.

Follow Onesiphorus’ Good Example

As we come back to chapter two, we now see that Timothy is faced with a choice: He could turn away from Paul, as those others did, or he could continue with him despite the potential for persecution as Onesiphorus did.

In verse 1, we see Paul’s desire for Timothy considering these two ways. He says: “You therefore, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

But Paul doesn’t leave it at that. If he did, this would come across as a pretty steep command- “Be strong, even in the face of intense persecution, Timothy. Just man up like Onesiphorus did.”

Instead, Paul calls Timothy “my child.” Those two little words impact the feeling of this entire letter, and they change this verse from being a difficult command into a strong encouragement. It feels like a father encouraging his son.

“You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Does Paul Want Us To Suffer?

I’m going to skip verse 2 for now. It’s very important, so I’ll come back to it.

Paul continues in verse three with an odd instruction. At first glance it seems like Paul is telling the reader to suffer with him.

I sometimes realize that I, in almost no way suffer like Paul did. And I wonder if I should seek suffering out. After all, Paul commands here that we should suffer with him. Imagine if someone interpreted this verse to mean that they should go looking for pain.

There are those out there who do just that… They seek out the suffering.

While I admire the dedication of some, that sort of thing leads to the exact form of strangeness you get when you take a verse like this out of its context. In fact, it’s from the context that I can say I don’t think Paul intends for the reader to focus on the suffering at all.

Look at Onesiphorus. He is not praised by Paul for his own suffering, but because he was not ashamed of Paul’s suffering.

Now, Paul goes on to list three more types of people who are not known for their suffering, but instead to do what they do despite their suffering.

1. The soldier who is dedicated to his mission, forsaking his own needs.
2. The athlete who competes to receive a crown, even though he must strive to get it.
3. The farmer who works hard to receive the fruits of his labor, even though he’ll be hungry before the harvest.

These three endure suffering to achieve their goals.

So why does Paul endure suffering? What’s his goal?

He tells us in verse 10 that he endures all these things so that the elect may obtain salvation. He wants others to hear the gospel.

We Should Endure Suffering In Order To Share The Gospel

This brings me back to verse 2. Verse 2 is what seems to tie the whole thing together as I read it. Here, Timothy is told to entrust what he’s heard to faithful men who will teach others also.

Paul is not simply telling Timothy to suffer with him, but to be strong and endure hardship to reach others with the gospel, teaching them to do the same.

Today, 2000 years later, on the other side of the world, we sit and study the words which Timothy heard from Paul. He must have been at least moderately successful at adhering to Paul’s message. After all, we were all taught the gospel by someone else, who was taught by someone else, and so on; like a chain extending all the way back to its source. Some of those teachers suffered greatly to bring us the gospel so that we might believe and be saved.

Now we find ourselves as the next link in this chain. And just as we were taught, we ought also to teach others.