Verse of the Day 8.24.17 — 2 Timothy 4:2
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.1
2 κήρυξον τὸν λόγον, ἐπίστηθι εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως, ἔλεγξον, ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον, ἐν πάσῃ μακροθυμίᾳ καὶ διδαχῇ.[/note]Michael W. Holmes, The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Lexham Press; Society of Biblical Literature, 2011–2013), 2 Ti 4:2.[/note]
C4C Translation: Preach the word; be at hand in season and out of season; reprove, rebroke, and exhort with great forbearance and instruction.
- The verb ἐφίστημι (ephistēmi) “means ‘to stand by, be at hand.”2
- In season and out of season refer to both opportune and inopportune times.
- The adjective μακροθυμία (makrothymia) refers to having “long-suffering, patience”3 and forbearance. It is often an adjective ascribed to God who, in His loving forbearance, patiently endures our sins and delays His rightful wrath — demonstrating His loving mercy (Rom 3:25-26; 5:6-8, etc.).4 In our culture, patience, at least primarily, often merely entails waiting for a duration of time. I believe the word forbearance stresses the fact that Christian patience is one that also endures wrongdoing during such a duration.
Paul’s charge to Timothy (2 Tim 4:1-5) is applicable to all followers of Christ today. In our society, we are unsurprisingly often more concerned with what is “politically correct” instead of what is biblically correct. We are told it is “intolerant” to tell someone how to live their own lives — though by telling someone not to do this amounts to doing what one is telling them ought not be done (self-refuting logic).
Yet, as ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20), armed with the truth, we have to be unafraid to forbearingly, carefully, and lovingly reprove, rebuke, and exhort — especially those within our own church. For love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (1 Cor 13:6).
To love someone does not mean affirming everything they want to do. A loving parent does not give their child everything they desire. A loving friend does not let another walk into danger unawares. A loving neighbor does not allow another to make a bad choice without advising to the contrary. In fact, as many have said, to do so would be unloving.
Memorization
Memorize 2 Timothy 4:2 after watching a brief video tutorial demonstrating the How To Memorize Any Bible Verse in Less Than Five Minutes method below:
Sources
- The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Ti 4:2.
- “hence the meaning here seems to be that the Christian minister must always be on duty. He must take every opportunity to serve, whether the occasion seems opportune or not. This reference to being prepared applies not only to preaching but also to the many other responsibilities.” Donald Guthrie, Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 14, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 185.
- Henry George Liddell et al., A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996), 1074.
- Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider, Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–), 380-81.