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  • I have finished my course – the Apostle Paul

    I have finished my course – the Apostle Paul

    The Apostle now closes his final letter to Timothy noting that his course redirected by Christ on a road to Damascus so many years before — his marathon race of missions into all the world — indeed even the end of the Apostle’s mortal life is at hand.

    δρόμος – I am spent

    communion - the Blood of Christ
    in the N. T. σπένδεσθαι, to be offered as a libation, is figuratively used of one whose blood is poured out in a violent death for the cause of God

    Paul, with Timothy about five years earlier, had written to the church in Philippi:

    Do all things without grumbling or disputing, so that you will be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to boast because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

    But even if I am being poured G4689 out G4689 as G4689 a G4689 drink G4689 offering G4689 upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

    And you also, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

    Epistle of Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus,

    To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi 2:14-18 LSB

    The Apostle had then sent Timothy and Epaphroditus to the church at Philippi.

    ~ A.D. 66

    And now Paul again writes to Timothy:

    ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἀναλύσεώς μου ἐφέστηκεν

    For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

    2 Timothy 4:6 – Greek NT, LSB:

    Roman Coin with profile of Nero Caesar Augustus

    Although Paul was formerly housed in Rome for some time as a citizen having appealed to Caesar, the Apostle is now imprisoned with many others awaiting the whim of a merciless new Caesar Nero.

    I have fought the good fight,
    I have finished the race,
    I have kept the faith.

    Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy 4:7 NKJV

    I have fought the good fight

    ἀγωνίζομαι – agōnizomai –

    • to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something):—fight, labor fervently, strive.

    That would be the Apostle Paul alright. Every saint of the church recognized his example which the Apostle expected them to follow, as they would Christ, who said:

    “Strive G75 to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

    Gospel of Luke (the physician who traveled with Paul who had written his Gospel while accompanying the Apostle) 13:24 LSB

    Paul had written to the saints in Corinth [~A.D. 55] some ten years ago:

    Now everyone who competes G75 in G75 the G75 games G75 exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

    Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

    1 Corinthians 9:25-27 LSB

    I have finished the course

    However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

    Acts of the Apostles 20:24 NIV – Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

    Paul, since his conversion by Christ on the road to Damascus is, if nothing else, consistent in his persistence for the Gospel, even though the Apostle’s mortal life seems always in peril.

    I have fought a good fight,
    I have finished my course..

    2 Timothy 4:7a KJV

    τελέω – teleō – finish

    • to bring to a close, to finish, to end
      • to do just as commanded, and generally involving the notion of time, to perform the last act which completes a process, to accomplish, fulfill

    Luke recounts what Jesus had told the Twelve prior to His crucifixion:

    “I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how it consumes me until it is finished [or accomplished – teleō]!

    Do you think that I came here to bring peace on the earth?

    No, I tell you, but rather division.

    Gospel of Luke 12:49-51 CSB

    And in his second account Paul’s physician reports of Christ’s crucifixion, where the Lord Himself spoke, “It is finished,”

    When they had carried out [teleō] all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

    Acts of the Apostles 13:29-31 CSB – from Paul’s Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia

    I have kept the faith

    What does that mean to you?

    Do you have the Apostolic faith of Paul.. or Timothy?

    Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure,

    I am clean from my sin”?

    Proverbs 20:9 LSB

    “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love;

    just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love [agapē].

    These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you,

    and that your joy may be G4137 complete G4137.

    John 15:10 -11 LSB – JESUS

    And PAUL personally addressed Timothy earlier in this second letter:

    … I unceasingly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, having remembered your tears, so that I may be filled [plēroō ] with joy, receiving remembrance of the unhypocritical faith within you.

    Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy 1:3b-5a LSB

    At last the champion’s wreath

    Paul finishes his final epistle:

    Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day,

    and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV

    NEXT: Paul’s last personal pleas

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • 2 Timothy 1 – For this Gospel I was appointed

    2 Timothy 1 – For this Gospel I was appointed

    Google map of the Roman world with stops of the Apostle Paul including Lystra where Timothy joined Christ's mission

    For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

    Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy 1:11 RSV

    Paul’s Gospel of God and Christ

    The Apostle has begun his final pastoral epistle with encouragement of young Timothy as his beloved son appointed to continue in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    From Personal Sonship to Apostolic Responsibility for the Gospel

    Paul also identifies some of who fall away from Christ and others who remain faithful. (It remains a pattern for the ages.)

    What is Paul’s Gospel?

    And now - the Gospel The Logic of Paul's NEWS for the Corinthians 15:1-11 logic ethics emotion triangle

    εὐαγγέλιον

    euangelion

    Paul has written to the Romans, faithful saints in the city in which the Apostle is imprisoned and awaiting death:

    Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel G2098 of God,

    Romans 1:1 KJV

    To the Corinthian saints Paul writes:

    .. for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. G2098

    1 Corinthians 4:15b KJV

    and

    But if our gospel G2098 be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

    2 Corinthians 4:3 KJV 

    We could point to additional epistles of Paul to the saints of various churches.

    Paul refers to the GOSPEL 74 times in 68 verses in ‘The Pauline Epistles.’

    God’s Divine plan now revealed in Christ

    That’s the Apostles’ NEW Good News!

    In Paul’s earlier pastoral letter to Timothy the Apostle had written:

    As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

    1 Timothy 1:3 RSV 

    Certain saints supposedly committed to Christ had already wavered away from the Gospel Paul taught.

    Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane..

    and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God

    with which I have been entrusted.

    1 Timothy 1:8-11 excerpt RSV

    I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

    who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see.

    To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

    1 Timothy 6:14-16 RSV – charge of the Apostle Paul to Timothy

    Paul worships God and Christ, pointing to the promise of the eternal mystery now revealed in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

    Paul’s Gospel of SALVATION in JESUS

    manifested by the appearing of our Savior

    join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us

    and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,

    but according to His own purpose and grace

    which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

    but now has been manifested by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,

    who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

    2 Timothy 1:8b-10 LSB

    Jesus is now revealed as our Savior and it is death from which He has saved us.

    This is the gospel of Jesus as our saviour which Paul emphasizes throughout this last pastoral epistle to Timothy and saved saints of the Church.

    2 Timothy Commentary

    Retain the standard of sound words

    Hold to the standard of sound words that you heard from me and do so with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus

    2 Timothy 1:13 New English Translation

    Hold fast the form of sound words…

    2 Tim 1:13a KJV

    Retiens dans la foi..

    LS

    Retén la forma

    SE

    1:13 ὑποτύπωσιν ἔχε ὑγιαινόντων λόγων

    Retain – echō is the word Paul uses.

    The Apostle has used [ὑποτύπωσις]hypotypōsis  in his first epistle as well:

    Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern G5296 to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

    1 Tim 1:16 KJV

    And again Paul states here:

    Hold fast the form G5296 of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

    2 Tim 1:13 KJV

    His outline [or pattern] here is for Timothy and any pastor who will follow in the authority of Christ Jesus — the Apostolic faith which Paul, Peter and others have echoed.

    RETAIN THIS, insists Paul.

    Preachers, Apostles and Teachers

    This self-discipline [v.7] to which the Apostle has already pointed requires preachers and teachers to retain this pattern of Paul.

    Therefore do not be ashamed of either the witness about our Lord or me His prisoner..

    2 Tim 1:8a LSB 

    a brief reminder about apostles, preachers and teachers.. and then, saints:

    An Apostle is ‘sent out’ or set apart under the Authorithy through God and Christ.

    IF you address your preacher standing in a pulpit going nowhere but the stage of their church as Apostle So-and-so, you miss the Apostolic authority Paul calls for preachers and teachers to retain as our pattern in Christ Jesus.

    Paul points out that he was appointed [tithēmi ] to all these responsibilities. He is an apostle, a preacher and teacher.

    The Church often used a symbolic laying on of hands for such offices, but the true sign is of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Almighty God.

    Preachers

    kēryx is the same word Peter used of Noah calling him, ‘a preacher of righteousness.’ It’s a noun meaning: a herald or messenger vested with public authority.

    You’ll recognize Paul’s point from its verb meaning to preach or proclaim.

    From that time Jesus began to preach G2784 and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

    Gospel of Matthew 4:17 LSB

    and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed [ G2784] in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

    “You are witnesses of these things.

    Gospel of Luke 24:46-48 LSB – Jesus to the Apostles just prior to His ascension

    Paul reminds Timothy:

    That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.

    2 Timothy 1:12 NLT

    Teachers

    διδάσκαλος – in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man

    “A disciple is not above his teacher G1320, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher G1320, and the slave like his master.

    Gospel of Matthew 10:24-25a LSB  

    And a reminder that mathētēs is any student or disciple of a teacher. 

    Slave is doulos which we often gently translate, servant. 

    And again the significance of the teacher (whether Paul or Jesus or a teaching Elder of your church) is that relationship — 

     of Teacher-Student or Master-Servant — kyrios - the same word often used for the Lord JESUS points to the authority of God.

    “You call Me Teacher G1320 and Lord  G2962; and you are right, for so I am.

    Gospel of John 13:13 LSB – Jesus to His Disciples

    a duty of the saints and pastors

    Now if any one says that we need not direct men how or what they should teach, since the Holy Spirit makes them teachers, he may as well say that we need not pray, .. or that the Apostle Paul should not have given directions to Timothy and Titus as to how they should teach others.

    And these three apostolic epistles ought to be constantly before the eyes of everyone who has obtained the position of a teacher in the Church.

    ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE – AD 397 & 426 – translated JF Shaw, book IV, ch xxxiii excerpt – ST. AUGUSTINE of Hippo

    Augustine, an elevated father of the early Church, presents sound reasons why all saints of Christ ought to dutifully follow their teachers and why all pastors can only lead their sheep of Christ’s pasture in diligence of prayer, obeying the Holy Spirit and keeping in Scripture, including these pastoral epistles.

    Guard the Truth

    guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

    Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy 1:14 RSV 
    * SUMMARY OF THIS GOSPEL:
    Christ alone is the good shepherd...
    Christ’s sheep know only Christ’s voice 
    and follow it.

    God knows well who are his as Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:19:
    “Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.”

    It is not a congregation of Christ that strives for the honor of this world and desires to be esteemed great in the eyes of the world…

    ~ AD 1520 – Sermons of MARTIN LUTHER – a theologian, Catholic priest, reformer and former Augustinian friar – Vol 3, Pg 340 [translated Lenker]

    NEXT: 2 Timothy 2 – STRONG Teachers and FALSE Preachers

  • Letters to the saints of the First Century Church

    Letters to the saints of the First Century Church

    An Introduction to the Epistles

    TalkofJESUS.com would like to introduce you to an overview of some of the letters of the New Testament.

    • We have recently finished a SERIES from 1 Corinthians and will soon study three more epistles.

    What’s an Epistle? 

    Here's a general sense of it from Scripture:

    So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

    Acts of the Apostles 15:20 KJV

    [Soldiers] Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle [from the chief captain of the centurions] to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

    Acts 23:26 KJV

    ἐπιστολή –

    epistolḗ, ep-is-tol-ay’; from G1989; a written message:—”epistle,” letter.

    • to send one a message, command
    • to write a letter
    • to enjoin by letter, to write instructions

    BlueLetterBible.org

    Historical Context in the Early Church

    During the first century AD, written communication held a central role in connecting communities separated by great distances. It was common for Christian leaders to address the fledgling groups of believers through written correspondence, ensuring consistent teaching and doctrinal guidance. These epistles were often circulated among multiple churches (see Colossians 4:16) and copied for preservation and further dissemination.

    The Greco-Roman practice of public reading of letters provided an effective way to convey instructions and encourage unity. Such letters were seen as authoritative instructions from established leaders, which enabled early Christians to remain steadfast in their beliefs and practices.

    BibleHub.com

    The New Testament generally indexes Epistles by the place of its recipients, i.e. Philippians, but occasionally by the name of the letter writer, i.e. James.

    Older translations like the King James Version use Epistle or Letter from the same Greek word most translations simply title, ‘Letter.’

    How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?

    photo of earth from the moon
    Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

    PAUL and Twelve Apostles had been sent into all the world by the risen Lord Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel.

    ~ A.D. 30 – Beginning with the Twelve Disciples responding to the command of the risen Lord Jesus:

    But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

    Acts of the Apostles 1:8 ESV

    A diaspora of the Gospel (Good News) of the risen Christ began with more than five-hundred witnesses of Jesus after the crucifixion of Israel’s Messiah.

    See: 1 Corinthians 15:6 [context 1 Cor 15:3-8]

    It began, as Jesus commanded, in Jerusalem — Simon Peter and John as Christ’s first vocal witnesses in the Temple — the Gospel then spreading throughout Judea and Galilee, and with Philip in Samaria, Gaza and Caesarea.

    Followers of The Way of Jesus Christ establish many churches in person and later write to church leaders (elders) to build up the saints of these churches during difficult times of several decades of the first century.

    And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: Acts 19:11 ASV graphic map of Third Missionary Journey of Paul

    Acts of the Apostles (including some letter writing)

    Acts is an account of FIRST-HAND WITNESS written for saints of every era — AS SCRIPTURE AND TRUTH of the GOSPEL of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

    When did the Apostles write their LETTERS? 

    ALL dates approximate
    • AD 49 – James (half-brother of Jesus) writes a letter sent to several churches
    • Paul writes a letter to the near-by churches in Galatia (during his first missionary journey)
    • AD 50 – During his second missionary journey, Paul writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica (which he had established), then later a second letter.
    • AD 55 – Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians (where the Apostle had established this church during his previous mission) and then will write a second letter to these saints a year later.

    A contemporary analogy

    Need a context to our Common Era? 

    Taking that the Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified, buried and rose from the grave before ascending into heaven some 25 years ago, WE would be witnessing this HISTORY as if it had occured in about 2000 CE. 

    (And much has happened with the church since then..)

    First Corinthians Featured Series

    TALK OF JESUS .COM LINKS to each Chapter of Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians

    What did Paul write in Second Corinthians? 

    a year later...
    Although we will not include 2 Corinthians in our current series of Second (or 3rd) Epistles, TAKE A LOOK at the focus of Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians written in ~ A.D. 56.

    Key Themes [partial] Endurance through difficulty and Christlike behavior are made possible by the grace of God and are modeled by Paul himself.

    The Spirit transforms believers into the image of God, which is seen in Christ.

    Christ, as Savior, is also the universal Judge.

    ESV Global Study Bible
    INTRODUCTION TO
    2 CORINTHIANS

    We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word - Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians 4:2 and photo of Bible

    Theme: Strength in Christ

    But He said to me,
    “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.”
    Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses,
    so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
    —
    2 Corinthians 12:9

    BibleHub .com 2 Corinthians

    MORE of the TIMELINE of the Apostolic Epistles

    First Century YEARS of continuous Letters (Epistles) to the Church

    • AD 57 Paul writes to the Romans
    • AD 60-62 While in Rome, writes three Epistles to the churches
      • in Ephesus in Asia,
      • Philippi in Macedonia and
      • Colossae near Laodecia east of Ephesus
      • and a personal plea to Philemon, leader of a house church in or near Colossae concerning his fellow escaped slave Onesimus.
    • AD 62-64 After his release from prison in Rome, Paul writes his First pastoral epistle to Timothy, the Apostle’s protege and successor as pastor to the church in Ephesus.
    • AD 62-64 The Apostle Paul writes a pastoral Epistle to Titus, between his first and second Roman imprisonments, from either Corinth or Nicopolis.
    • AD 64 The Apostle Peter writes his First Epistle to ‘the strangers [or pilgrims] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, from Rome at the time Nero burns it, referring to it as ‘Babylon.’
    • AD 66 – Christians flee Jerusalem rather than join a Jewish revolt against Rome.
      • Some historians estimate the dates of these Epistles and martyrdoms of Peter & Paul earlier around A.D. 64
    • AD 66-67 SECOND PASTORAL LETTER OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY
      • (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
    • AD 67-68 SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER
      • (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
    • AD 60’s Epistle to the Hebrews

    AD 70 Rome destroys Jerusalem

    terrors of death of Jerusalem's defenders and destruction temple by Rome in A.D. 70
    Burning of Jerusalem AD70
    Do you need a contemporary compasspoint again? 

    It's now been 40 years since AD 30, our pivotal point in HISTORY. 
    Think back now forty contempory years to AD 1985. How has YOUR church changed?
    • AD 70’s Epistle of Jude (the younger half-brother of Jesus.)
    • AD 85-95 The Apostle John writes his Gospel and THREE EPISTLES
      • (2 John & 3 John included in our NEXT Featured SERIES)
    map of the seven churches of revelation
    John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne,

    Epistles for a Common Era church

    Once again – a paradigm shift ahead to 2025 of the Common Era.


    Our pivotal HISTORY of ACTS of the Apostles and the Gospel began back in the AD 30’s

    and the Apostle John writes to the churches in the AD 90’s.

    Sixty-some years ago — in the years of our Lord the 1960’s.

    Once again, I will ask YOU, my fellow saints of the Lord Jesus Christ:

    How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?

    Even in these last days of the Common Era let us proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world with a remnant of souls yet to be saved from the wrath to come.

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel