2 Timothy 4 Commentary
The second letter to Timothy is a detailed picture of the last days. Not only do we have wicked teachers, who teach falsely, but we also have students who itch for wrong teachings. The combination results in increased wickedness, reaching unimaginable levels!
But never mind, Christ Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Verse 1. Death doesn’t absolve you from blame. You are not judged posthumously; you are brought back to life to face the music you danced in the presence of the Judge.
Verse 1 may also refer to the fact that some people will live and go about their normal lives when Christ comes. Others will be dead. Both will have to face the Judge. At the same time, it may also refer to the fact that even here, the living aren’t unaffected by the judgment of Christ. A life of wickedness has its own unending cycles of terror, fear, and emptiness. A life of godliness has its own package of love, joy, peace,… amidst persecution. You never find sad and depressed saints!
The saint is ordered: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.
While fear and terror await the wicked, the mood in Paul’s camp is different. They face death knowing they have fought a good fight, kept the faith, and have finished the race. A reward awaits Paul and his like! Who wouldn’t want to face his own death in this mood?
The mention of Mark in verse 11 is interesting. Now Mark is helpful! Remember how Paul and Barnabas quarreled over Mark? This is Christianity at its best! Mark’s earlier unreliability wasn’t a permanent fixture of his life, neither was Paul’s misgivings about Mark a personal vendetta written on tablets of stone! People who rebuke you in righteousness aren’t to be loathed permanently. And the people you rebuke in righteousness aren’t permanent villains!
In Paul and Barnabas, we see the two sides of the LORD Jesus Christ. One rebukes and ejects you out of love. The other welcomes you and stays with you in affection. How these exist and combine at the same time in the person and character of Jesus is a mystery humans cannot understand. Our lives are compartmented: You are both good and promoted or bad and out!
Luke is still with Paul in Rome towards the end of his earthly pilgrimage. You wonder why Luke ended his work, the Book of Acts, without these details! The holy script features one hero, the LORD Jesus Christ. There is no space for any other greatness, not even for a faithful servant like Paul! He transitions in silence – probably saving us from idol worship.
Verse 18 is a declaration of victory. If Paul transitions in death, the LORD has willed it. Evil won’t have a say. The saint lives with this knowledge. Even when evil finally strikes, it isn’t exactly the doing of evil but rather the LORD Jesus allowing it to happen – and it is always to the glory of His name. The saint isn’t left abandoned but rather, safely taken care of. Always a happy ending!
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