2 Timothy 2:2

Contextual Overview

¹You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ Listen Timothy, you are like a son to me and you must be strong in the grace that is found in Christ Jesus. ¹ So then, my child, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. ¹ Thou therefore, my child, be strong in the grace which [is] in Christ Jesus. ¹ You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ You therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ¹ Thou therefore, my son, be strong through the grace which is by Jesus Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the things: 2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 3:10, 2 Timothy 3:14

among: or, by

many: 1 Timothy 4:14, 1 Timothy 6:12

the same: 2 Timothy 1:14, 1 Timothy 1:18, 1 Timothy 5:22

faithful: Numbers 12:7, 1 Samuel 2:35, Nehemiah 7:2, Psalms 101:6, Proverbs 13:17, Jeremiah 23:28, Matthew 24:25, Luke 12:42, Luke 16:10-12, 1 Corinthians 4:2, Colossians 1:7, 1 Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 3:2, Hebrews 3:3, Revelation 2:10-13

who: 2 Timothy 2:24, 2 Timothy 2:25, Ezra 7:10, Ezra 7:25, Malachi 2:7, Matthew 13:52, 1 Timothy 3:2-9, 1 Timothy 4:6, Titus 1:5-9

Reciprocal: Leviticus 14:42 - General Leviticus 21:24 - Aaron 2 Kings 22:7 - they dealt faithfully 1 Chronicles 15:16 - chief Proverbs 15:7 - lips Ezekiel 44:15 - the sons Matthew 24:45 - is John 15:16 - ordained John 20:21 - as Acts 13:2 - Separate Acts 13:3 - General Acts 14:23 - they had Romans 12:7 - or he 1 Corinthians 4:17 - faithful Colossians 4:17 - the ministry 1 Thessalonians 2:4 - to be 1 Timothy 1:11 - which Titus 1:9 - fast Hebrews 13:9 - it is 2 Peter 1:15 - I will

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God sawe euery thyng that he had made: and beholde, it was exceedyng good. And the euenyng & the mornyng were the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made. And he saw that everything was very good. There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God seiy alle thingis whiche he made, and tho weren ful goode. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, the sixte day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw euery thing that hee had made: and behold, it was very good. And the euening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the things that thou hast heard of me,.... Meaning the doctrines of the Gospel, the form of sound words. The Arabic version renders it, "the secrets, or mysteries that thou hast heard of me"; the mysteries of the grace of God, which he had often heard him discourse of, unfold and explain:

among many witnesses; or by them; which some understand of the testimonies out of Moses, and the prophets, with which the apostle confirmed what he delivered; for the doctrines of justification, pardon of sin, c. by Christ, were bore witness to by the prophets though rather the many persons, who, with Timothy, heard the apostle preach, and were and would be sufficient witnesses for Timothy, on occasion, that what he preached and committed to others were the same he had heard and received from the Apostle Paul; unless reference should be had here to the time of imposition of hands upon him, when he received some ministerial gifts, or an increase of them; at which time the apostle might deliver to him the form of doctrine he was to preach, and that in the presence of the presbytery, who joined in the action, and so were witnesses of what was said to him:

the same commit thou to faithful men; who not only have received the grace of God, and are true believers in Christ, but are men of great uprightness and integrity; who having the word of God, will speak it out boldly, and faithfully, and keep back nothing that is profitable, but declare the whole counsel of God, without any mixture or adulteration; for the Gospel being committed to their trust, they would become stewards, and of such it is required that they be faithful; and therefore this is mentioned as a necessary and requisite qualification in them; and not only so, but they must be such

who shall be able or sufficient

to teach others also. No man is sufficient for these things, of himself, but his sufficiency is of God; it is he who makes men able ministers of the word, by giving them gifts suitable for such work; so that they have a furniture in them, a treasure in their earthen vessels, an understanding of the sacred Scriptures, a gift of explaining them, and a faculty of speaking to edification; and so are apt to teach men, to their profit and advantage, The Ethiopic version renders it, "who are fit to teach the foolish".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses - Margin, “by.” Before, or in the presence of, many witnesses. Perhaps he refers to a solemn charge which he gave him, in the presence of the church, when he was ordained. It is by no means improbable that such a charge was given then to a newly ordained minister, as it is now. On such an occasion, the apostle would be likely to state a summary of Christian doctrine, - (compare the notes at 2 Timothy 1:13), - and to exhort Timothy to a faithful adherence to it.

The same commit thou to faithful men - In the same way as those things have been committed to you. The reference is undoubtedly to ordination to the ministerial office. Timothy was to see that those only were admitted to the ministry who were qualified to understand the truths of religion, and to communicate them to others. This is a clear warrant for ministers to set apart others to the same sacred office. It does not prove that the people are not at liberty to choose their own pastor, but only that those in the ministry are to set apart others to the same office with themselves. There is, doubtless, to be a “succession” of ministers in the church; but the true line of the “succession” is to be found in good men who are qualified to teach, and who have the spirit of Christ, and not merely in those who have been ordained.

Who shall be able to teach others also - On the qualifications of ministers, see the notes at 1 Timothy 3:2-7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Timothy 2:2. The things that thou hast heard of me — Those doctrines which I have preached the most publicly, and which many persons can attest. But he seems to refer here to the doctrines delivered to him when, in the presence of many witnesses, he laid his hands upon him; see 1 Timothy 6:12. Then the apostle gave him the proper form of sound words which he was to teach; and now he tells him to commit those truths to faithful men in the same way that they were committed to him, that the truth might be preserved in the Church, and holy men appointed successively to preach it. These truths are still continued in the Church, and still there are faithful men who proclaim them. But where is the uninterrupted apostolical succession! Who can tell? Probably it does not exist on the face of the world. All the pretensions to it by certain Churches are as stupid as they are idle and futile. He who appeals to this for his authority as a Christian minister, had best sit down till he has made it out; and this will be by the next Greek kalends.