Let's Go Back to the Bible

Are You Passing it On?

It seems it is difficult to be a father and not use stories or examples to pass on moral codes and life lessons. There are those stories that are intended to teach children to appreciate what they have. They typically start out, “When I was your age…” There are those stories that are conveniently remembered in the moment to enforce a truth or life lesson. They start out like, “You know, that reminds me of…” A similar style is used by Paul with Timothy.

We have two letters that were written to Timothy from Paul. They were written toward the end of Paul’s life and could have been the last letters he wrote. In them, he encourages Timothy to keep on with the charge that was given him—to strengthen the churches and not neglect the gift that was given to him (2 Tim. 1:6). There is an overall theme with these two books that speaks to the encouragement of Paul to Timothy. “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Tim. 2:1-7).

Paul breaks down the work that Timothy was to do with some analogy. He addresses Timothy with love, “my child.” He reminds him of the strength that can be found in the grace of Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 12:9; Phil. 4:13; Heb. 4:16). These same concepts and teachings that he has heard from Paul and heard him publicly proclaim, he is to pass them onto other men who would teach them also. Much of Timothy’s work was a work of replication and repetition. Finally, we are given the three analogies of service. As a soldier, one is to serve with dedication, steadfastness and resolution—not being distracted by the things that would cause one to deviate from the course laid out by the Commander or “the one who enlisted him.” The athlete was to compete according to the rules. In much the same way, we are to live according to the form and pattern that is laid out before us (Rom. 6:17; Phil. 3:17). Finally, the “hard-working farmer” is able to receive fruit from the service that he renders. Paul was possibly eluding to the right that one has to receive material recompression for the service rendered (1 Cor. 9:3-12; Phil. 4:15).

So Paul, like a father, teaches using these analogies to pass on to Timothy what he should know in his service to God. We also should make every effort to do the same.