This section of II Timothy contains what is likely the most quoted verse in the book, that being 3:16 and the famous describer of scripture. Notice as you read the verses how Paul really does put himself out there. I have inserted ‘my’ in front of each noun, although be advised in the Greek New Testament in only appears once, I front of teaching in verse 10. However, the way I understand the usage, the ‘my’ should be understood for each of them.
The biggest challenge in translating these was choosing the word ‘abide’ in verse 14. Abide is such a spiritualized word that I fear it has little actual impact on the reader. ‘Stay’, or ‘remain’ could work. But ultimately there is no word that means precisely what abide means. I almost rendered it as, ‘live in what you learned and trusted.’
II Timothy 3:10-17
10. But you, stick to my teaching, my way of life, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,
11. my persecutions, my sufferings, such as what happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured, and the Lord rescued me from all of it.
12. Everyone desiring to live a godly life in Messiah Jesus will be persecuted.
13. But evil people and charlatans will grow worse and worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.
14. You must abide in what you learned and trusted, knowing from whom you learned it.
15. For you’ve known the sacred writings since an infant; these are able to make you wise unto salvation in Messiah Jesus.
16. All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correction, and for discipline in righteousness
17. so that a person of God may be capable, prepared for every good work.
Verse 12 jumps up and down and shouts to use while waving its arms. Yet we breeze right on by thinking surely it means someone else. Read it slowly: everyone desiring to live a godly life in Messiah Jesus will be persecuted. Who? Everyone. Doing what? Desiring to live for Jesus. What will happen? Persecution.
It is a negative proof; if there is no persecution can a person rightly claim to be living for Jesus? Regardless of how you answer it, Paul has already made up his mind.
In verse 10, I went with a colloquialism, ‘stick’ as in ‘stay near’ or ‘follow my lead.’ The New Testament word means to ‘follow closely.’ It is a different feel than watch or observe. It has the feeling of ‘put your feet in the same spot I put mine.’
The role of scripture in discipleship highlights the last part of the passage. Scripture is the key to everything. In verse 15 Paul calls them sacred writings (sacred or holy letters). In verse 16 he calls them scripture (writing). He is of course talking only about the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament. He tells us it is God-breathed, a beautiful compound word that calls to mind God breathing life into Adam. Adam was just a form until God breathed into it. Words are just words and stories are just stories until God breathes it, and then they become alive! These living words are then key to wisdom.
These writings are useful, Paul says. Useful for four key things. The first is teaching. I’ve argued the Bible should be so familiar to us that the idioms, phrases, and vocabulary should flow out of our mouth. The second is rebuking, which has an apologetics character to it. It is as much about refutation as it is behavior. In other words, this is about bad ideas not just bad behavior. The third is correction, a word denoting ‘straightening out.’ This would be the use of the scripture as a moral guide. And finally, bring up children in the the right way. That fourth one is about discipleship, yes, but the language insinuates childhood instruction.
A word on that idea of teaching children the Bible. All the Bible is helpful, but not at the same stages of life. I am not certain an eight-year-old should be taught about David and Bathsheba in any context. A fifteen-year-old definitely should. Likewise, the destruction of Ai or the killing of the firstborn in Egypt should probably not be introduced to ten-year-olds. My point is the Bible is useful, but not all the Bible is useful at all stages of life. We have the whole Bible for the completion of our education, but just as a kindergartener should not be engaged in advanced calculus but rather outside playing with bugs, so too we must be wise in our use of the Bible in children’s discipleship. And yes, this includes at what ages we begin to teach them about a bloody cross and Jesus dying for our sins.
Are you sticking to Paul?
Are you experiencing or have you experienced persecution for your faith?
Is the Bible leading you into wisdom?