Take Courage: You Have Followed My Teaching (2 Timothy 3:10–13)

Having explained where pastoral activity ought to be directed, holy Paul now encourages holy Timothy to carry it out with zeal—having in view, of course, chiefly the pastors who would come after. As he had shown three directions for pastoral activity, corresponding to the three gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed through ordination, so he also adapts his exhortations toward the same directions. This can be seen even in the external flow of the speech, which divides into three subsections by the uniformly repeated turns of phrase: “but you” (verse 10),—“but you” (verse 14),—“but you” (2 Tim. 4:5). In a) the first (verses 10–13)—he enjoins: take courage; in b) the second (3:14–4:4): be zealously unwearying for the salvation of others; in c) the third (4:5–8): conduct soberly and wisely the work of the evangelist, as my representative.

g) Take courage (2 Tim. 3:10–13)

Take courage: aa) for you and I have not entered upon labors and suffering for the first time (verses 10–11); bb) and indeed there is no rest to be expected by us—it is not appointed for us (verses 12–13).

2 Tim. 3:10. But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience.

“But you”—grammatically connects the speech now beginning with what precedes; but its content is evidently directed toward something else. This something else is summed up chiefly in the word: “you have followed.” What was followed is enumerated only by way of example. From the very beginning until now you have shown such constancy, courage, and patience. Abide therefore as such to the end. The encouragement is given in this very reminder of what has been shown, as if saying: see to it that none of this is lost in vain—for the end crowns the work. Holy Chrysostom says: “you did not simply receive the teaching, but also: ‘you have followed.’ Here he expresses that many years have passed since the conversion (of holy Timothy). Therefore he says: be firm.” Blessed Theophylact explains: “you did not simply attach yourself to me, but also: ‘you have followed’—me, that is, remaining at length and sharing everything with me, you attended to all that is mine and became habituated to it. Be therefore steadfast.” Oecumenius adds: “as one who has acquired the habit, it befits you to remain likewise unchanged.”

“Doctrine”—he followed “the word of the gospel” (holy Chrysostom, blessed Theophylact)—“the truth communicated to you in the preaching” (blessed Theodoret)—“the dogmas” (Oecumenius). Here is laid the foundation of all that follows. Convictions received with all the ardor of a youthful heart gave movement to the whole of life.

“Manner of life,” αγωγη — conduct—“that manner of life which was shown in deeds” (blessed Theodoret)—“the way in which I acted in various relations with others and in different circumstances” (Oecumenius).

“Purpose,” προθεσει — the disposition of my will. “This is said of zeal and the inclination of the soul” (holy Chrysostom) or “of the aims that holy Paul had in view” (blessed Theodoret). You saw this and followed “my zeal, presence of spirit, and courageous animation with which I did all things” (Oecumenius, blessed Theophylact). “I myself also, he says, did not only teach, did not only pursue wisdom in words, but also fulfilled it in deed” (holy Chrysostom). And outward deeds and inward dispositions answered one another—and all was according to God and before God.

“Faith”—not dogmatic faith only, but rather living faith, or confidence in God that He will never forsake those who labor for His glory. Blessed Theodoret writes: “you took from me the disposition which I have toward the Master.” And blessed Theophylact defines it directly: “he says, you followed faith, that is, the firmness and unchangeable constancy in the true dogmas (in the true teaching), or the faith that does not allow one to fall into despair in extreme dangers, but to trust in God that He will deliver from them” (the same in Oecumenius).

“Longsuffering”—at the encounter of obstacles that hindered the favorable course of the labors of our zeal (Oecumenius), as well as in cases of the falling of the brethren, whether into sins (blessed Theodoret) or into some heterodox view (holy Chrysostom, blessed Theophylact). “Nothing of the kind troubled me” (holy Chrysostom); “no temptation and no obstacle cooled my zeal or made me lazy; nor did those who thought differently trouble me, but I received them too with equanimity and with meekness brought them to reason” (blessed Theophylact). “And toward heretics I showed great longsuffering” (holy Chrysostom).

“Love”—“the compassion with which I have always been disposed toward all” (blessed Theodoret). “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn?” (2 Cor. 11:29). “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again” (Gal. 4:19).

“Patience”—“in persecutions” (holy Chrysostom)—“the way in which I courageously endure the attacks of adversaries” (blessed Theodoret).

2 Tim. 3:11. Persecutions, afflictions, which came to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

It is said that holy Timothy followed the virtues of holy Paul—because he manifested them in himself, imitating his teacher; and that he followed him in persecutions and sufferings is said because he endured them together with the Apostle. Persecutions are external deprivations; sufferings presuppose beatings and wounds—painful things. Holy Paul endured both everywhere—and moreover in such a way that holy Timothy was almost always with him. But why does he mention only these cities? Perhaps because it was the homeland of holy Timothy, and because what they endured there made the most striking impression on him—and the deliverance was therefore all the more consoling. If we understand here the persecutions and sufferings of holy Paul during his first preaching in these places, then for holy Timothy at that time only the first fruits of faith were being laid, and the sufferings—if he shared in them to some degree in deed and not only in heart—steeled him for all subsequent sufferings. Having mentioned this beginning or this foundation, the Apostle also recalled what came after. “He had no need to enumerate everything separately—because he was not vain or ambitious, and spoke not to glorify himself, but to console and encourage the disciple” (holy Chrysostom). But perhaps holy Paul speaks here not of the initial persecutions and sufferings in those regions, but of recent ones, when, on returning from Rome through Crete and Phrygia, he again visited these regions as well, making his way toward Antioch. Thus, among others, holy Chrysostom supposes: “and perhaps (he mentioned only these) because he speaks of recent events, not ancient ones.” The same is repeated by holy John of Damascus, and by Oecumenius together with Theophylact.

The purpose for which the persecutions and sufferings are recalled was to encourage toward unflagging courage when encountering the unpleasantnesses inseparable from the work of evangelism; and for this it sufficed briefly to mention in general terms what had happened and been endured. This is what holy Paul does in the words: “what persecutions I endured.” What persecutions indeed I have endured! You need not enumerate them: you know them yourself. By this single brief word holy Paul directed the thought of holy Timothy to all that had been suffered. But wherein lies the source of encouragement? In the fact that: “the Lord delivered me from all of them.” “Then the Apostle mentions what and how much he has suffered, in order to reveal also how great and near is God’s help, by which He defends and makes secure His servants against the shamelessness of Satan—and thereby to arouse courage and readiness to meet always fearlessly the attacks of the faithless and treacherous” (Ambrosiaster). The direct conclusion from this is: take courage therefore! The Lord will deliver you also. Conduct therefore the work of an evangelist, paying no heed to the unpleasantnesses connected with it—and more than just not being troubled by them. “A twofold (here for you) consolation and encouragement: both in the fact that I showed courageous readiness for all things, and in the fact that I was not forsaken” (holy Chrysostom). “Be you also ready for all things—and in like manner you will never be forsaken” (blessed Theophylact).

2 Tim. 3:12. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Neither should we expect better. Such is already the lot on earth of all people of the same kind as us. Those who have resolved to live godly in Christ Jesus do not have their paradise on earth but in heaven. Earth gives them nothing but deprivations, sorrows, and persecutions. For the principles that guide the followers of Christ are altogether different from those that govern those who live for the earth and hope to find their paradise on earth. These two classes of people cannot dwell together; and the earthly ones, as masters, press upon those who seek heaven, as strangers and sojourners. So, says the Apostle, do not expect better, and do not occupy your thoughts with that. That is good for us—that the goodness of God turns all these tribulations into eternal good for us, so that we can call out with confidence and equanimity: Glory to God!

Holy Chrysostom says: “every one who desires to live godly will be persecuted. By persecutions he here understands sorrows and griefs. It is truly impossible for a man walking the path of virtue to be without grief, lamentation, sorrow, and temptations. For how is this possible for one who goes the narrow and afflicted way, for one who has heard: ‘in the world you will have tribulation’ (Jn. 16:33)? If Job in his time said: ‘is not the life of man upon earth a warfare?’ (Job 7:1)—how much more so now? Such is already the order of things. From my own example you can see that it is impossible for a man who struggles with evil not to experience sorrows. It is impossible for a wrestler to give himself over to ease, impossible for a soldier in battle to feast. Therefore let no one who is in the struggle seek repose or give himself to pleasures. The present time is a time of struggle, fighting, sorrows, and sighs—it is the arena of contests. The time of repose will come after; but now is the time of efforts and labors. No one who has stripped and anointed himself for wrestling thinks about repose. But if you desire repose, why then did you strip?”

2 Tim. 3:13. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

This is a contrast to what precedes. But to what precisely? Immediately before this stands the general proposition about the earthly lot of the devout—set forth to intensify the motivation to courage in the work of evangelism and the ordering of the Church of believers—toward which this entire small section (10–13) is directed. It is toward this, one may suppose, that the present contrast is also directed. Take courage, he says, in the work of evangelism, or the establishing of truth, despite your own lot of deprivation; for such is already the earthly portion of the devout. But do not look at the prosperity of the opponents of truth and do not be troubled by it. Their advance is not to their good, and does not occur because truth is on their side, but because, as on earth all earthly goods are illusory, among those who have become earthly the phantoms of truth are more valued than truth itself. To these, therefore, they hold fast—or therefore they still exist, that is, deceiving those who love deception.

“Wicked men”—not exclusively evil-natured people, but especially those who know how to deceitfully present falsehood as truth—as is evident from the word attached to them here: “sorcerers”—by which one must understand not wizards and magicians, but persons who enchant by presenting falsehood as beautiful and draw others after it. The occasion for inserting this word here was provided by what was said in verse 8 about the sorcerers who withstood Moses. But as those are presented there as opponents of the truth, so the word taken from them here must be understood as pointing to persons who preach falsehood contrary to the truth. “Wicked men and sorcerers”—will therefore mean: deceitful and seductive preachers of falsehood.

“Will advance”—by contrast with what precedes—they will prosper. You, as befits a godly man, will be persecuted, while the spreaders of falsehood will prosper. Of course, their preaching of falsehood will not be without success either; but that is not what the Apostle had exclusively in mind here—rather, it is chiefly their outward well-being. The Apostle did not foretell the success of their preaching, as is evident from what was said above (verse 9).

“To the worse”, επι το χειρον,—they will advance not toward good but toward evil for themselves; they will not advance in any good sense—so that this advancing will only appear to be advancement, while in reality it is the most extreme deterioration.

“Deceiving and being deceived”—the cause of their success, or the source of their prosperity. They themselves are in a state of delusion, and therefore they also deceive others—who, having become earthly-minded toward earthly and alluring things, readily yield to every deception, as something akin to their own disposition. Being in such a condition, they encounter not opposition but every kind of favor; hence they prosper and advance.

“Be not at all troubled,” he says, “if they prosper while temptations befall you” (St. Chrysostom). “For the destroyer of men aids his own, and like some instructor trains them in vice” (blessed Theodoret). But know that “they only appear to be advancing; in reality, however, the fact that they are favored in their deception is not advancement. For the Apostle, defining what ‘the worse’ is, said: to deceive and to be deceived” (blessed Theophylact). “Advancement is a middle term—since it occurs both in a better and in a worse sense. Therefore he says: these advance toward the worse” (Oecumenius).