Christ Has Abolished Death; I Know Whom I Have Believed (2 Timothy 1:10–12)

2 Tim. 1:10. But now made manifest through the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel.

“Now made manifest,” φανερωθεισαν — revealed, made apparent. How? “Through the appearing of our Saviour,” δια της επιφανειας — through the appearing of our Saviour, the Son of God in the flesh. Grace was decreed, allotted, and given to us before all eternity; but until now it remained hidden. The Prophets knew of it, yet they knew only that it would surely come—what it would actually be, they could only conjecture. And the angels of God did not know what it would be, but only strained to penetrate into it. Yet no one apprehended what it was until the Saviour appeared—the Son of God made incarnate. Only now has it been made manifest. Ambrosiaster writes: “The grace of God was from eternity hidden in mystery; it was openly revealed through the Incarnation and coming of Christ the Saviour.” Blessed Theodoret explains the appearing as fulfilment: “From of old and before the ages, the God of all foreordained this; but now He has brought that which was foreordained to fulfilment.” Oecumenius links the appearing with the proclamation: “From eternity God foreordained that we should be saved; this was announced when it became known through the Incarnation of our Saviour God. For the counsel of God—that the world should be saved through faith—was announced now, and not at any earlier time.”

In the word “made manifest”—revealed—both elements are combined: both the fulfilment and the proclamation of it. The fulfilment itself was already a revelation and proclamation. But since the fulfilment of the plan of the economy of salvation was accomplished not merely to be seen, but in order that, having seen and heard, men might believe and through faith become partakers of the very grace concealed within the incarnate economy—therefore it is openly proclaimed to all; so that proclamation is inseparable from the appearing of the Saviour.

“Who has abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel.” How, and by what means, did the incarnate Son of God make manifest the grace that had been hidden from eternity? Thus, and by this: He “abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light.” Both were accomplished by the single act of the Resurrection, in which both death was abolished and incorruptible life shone forth; for the Lord and Saviour, having risen, rose manifestly through victory over death and its abolishment; but He who has conquered and abolished death no longer dies, and death has no dominion over Him—therefore in Him incorruptible life is brought to light. Both were accomplished in fact only in the person of the Saviour; in Him death was abolished, and incorruptible life shone forth; for the general abolition of death and the shining forth of incorruptible life, there was only laid a firm foundation and concentrated a perfecting power, which shall in due time accomplish this. The Lord and Saviour abolished death and shone forth incorruptible life in Himself not for His own sake, but for ours, for the human race. And we truly become partakers of this through a mystical yet living bond with the Lord by grace, by which also in us is laid the firm foundation both of the abolition of death and the shining forth of incorruption. But now this is accomplished in hidden fashion; it will come to light openly at the end of the ages; now only the seed of it is sown, but the tree of life will spring from that seed in due time. Yet as the grace of the economy of our salvation, previously hidden, is truly and effectively manifested in the Lord and Saviour, so also the power of the abolition of death and the shining forth of life, now hidden in us through communion with the Saviour, will undoubtedly be made manifest in due time. Holy Chrysostom says: “In the body of Christ both (life and incorruption) are already present, but in ours they will yet be. This is the object of our hope.” “Brought to light,” φωτισαντος, can convey two thoughts: both “having manifested in Himself” (Oecumenius)—having brought into the open, into the light, into view by all—and having enlightened through the teaching of it and faith in it. Thus blessed Theodoret writes: “The Only-begotten Word, having become man, put an end to the dominion of death and granted us the promise of eternal life; this the Apostle expressed by saying: ‘brought to light’—in place of: having pointed the way in advance.” Blessed Theophylact combines both—that is, that He both manifested it in Himself and enlightened us with hope; for the latter is believed on the basis of the former: “In His own body the Saviour by actual deed abolished death, rendering it incorruptible; and us He enlightened by the gospel—to hope for life and incorruption. For we are not yet incorruptible in actual deed, but we shall be so, and in this hope the gospel establishes us.”

“Through the gospel,” δια του ευαγγελιου — should, however, be referred to everything said about the economy of salvation. This great grace was appointed from eternity but was hidden; it was made manifest now in the Lord and Saviour. In Him is the entire fullness of the economy of salvation, and we can become partakers of it only through living communion with the Lord. This communion begins with faith, is at work in the sacraments, and comes to perfection and completion through life by faith in grace. But without a beginning and an end, there can be no expectation of it. Since the beginning is faith, and faith is the fruit of the gospel proclamation, the Apostle added: δια του ευαγγελιου — as the absolutely necessary means for participation in the grace of the economy of salvation.

Let us return a little. All this depiction of the grace of God in the ordering of our salvation—foreordained from eternity, set in motion through the Incarnation of the Lord, and extending in its operation through all eternity—this depiction of God’s benevolent work toward us, so majestic, all-encompassing, and joyful, has been made by the Apostle for the purpose of enkindling the holy Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony concerning the Lord and Saviour, and willingly to give himself to suffering for the gospel, saying as it were: there is for what to suffer; “see what power, see what a gift has been sent down to us” (holy Chrysostom). “Therefore do not be ashamed, but share in suffering for the gospel.” Next the Apostle strengthens and warms that same enthusiasm by his own personal example. And I, he says, suffer for the gospel, but am not ashamed.

His own example the holy Paul presents briefly but fully, recalling: α) how the gospel was entrusted to him (verse 11), β) how fearlessly and undisturbed he fulfils this commission (verse 12, first half), and γ) how he nurtures the hope that his labor will not be in vain (verse 12, second half)—directing all this so that from it there may flow to the holy Timothy enthusiasm for sharing in suffering for the gospel (verses 12–14).

2 Tim. 1:11. For which I was appointed a herald and an Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.

The Apostle is persuading the holy Timothy not to be ashamed, but to bear suffering for the gospel with readiness. The chief source of enthusiasm for such an exploit is the assurance that both the work of the gospel and its content come directly from God, and that he who labors in it is directly serving God—not fulfilling human orders. For the holy Paul, this assurance was impressed directly by the Lord Himself; but the holy Timothy believed this through the holy Paul. Although he knew how the holy Paul became an Apostle and how he received from the Lord Himself the commandment to preach, it was not superfluous to renew this in his soul by recollection—just as it is never superfluous to renew the recollection of all the mysteries of the faith, which naturally become covered over by new knowledge and impressions and pushed to the background of attention. This is what the holy Paul now does. Having said: “for which I was appointed,” he revived in the mind of the holy Timothy the vivid history of the conversion of the holy Paul, drawing to this the recollection also of the repeated appearances of the Lord to him with the direct command: go to the Gentiles. And by all this there could not but be revived the assurance that, in laboring in the gospel under the guidance of the holy Paul, he was continuing the work entrusted to Paul by the Lord, and therefore was himself serving the Lord. And the fruit of the revival of such an assurance could not but be the revival and enkindling of enthusiasm to proclaim the gospel boldly, without shame, with readiness also to suffer for it. This is precisely what the Apostle wished to produce by these words. Blessed Theophylact writes: “Why did the holy Paul call himself here a teacher of the Gentiles? In order to suggest to the holy Timothy that he too must proclaim the word of the gospel to the Gentiles, and not lose heart when meeting with opposition.” The words “herald, Apostle, teacher” are in meaning synonymous. Yet a certain distinction may be seen in them. “A herald” comes into the midst of a people unknown to him and not knowing him, and proclaims the gospel. To arouse faith, he, as an Apostle, assures those who hear that he does not speak of himself, but has been sent by the Lord and announces His will to them. Then he takes those who have believed under his care and instructs them both in knowledge and in life, as a guardian, entering into the circle of their life with direct oversight.

2 Tim. 1:12. For which cause I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed.

This should have enkindled still more strongly. Without this, cooling thoughts might have come after the first: it is easy for you to speak thus, being in honor and at rest. But when he who urges to suffering without shame is himself suffering and not ashamed, the reminder of this is like adding wood to a fire already kindled. If we call to mind in addition the strong love of the holy Timothy for his father and teacher, we shall be even more assured that it was so with him too. His enthusiasm, raised by the first reminder, grew and was inflamed still more. The Apostle says to him as it were: “imitate me, who am in bonds for the teaching of the gospel” (blessed Theophylact). “Do not be troubled at the thought of my sufferings. I suffer not as an evildoer, but for the instruction of the Gentiles. Are such bonds disgraceful? Are such sufferings disgraceful? Do not, therefore, be ashamed either” (holy Chrysostom). “See how he himself also shows by deeds what he urges upon the holy Timothy—that is, not to be ashamed of suffering” (blessed Theophylact).

2 Tim. 1:12. For I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him against that Day.

A new source of enthusiasm for suffering for the gospel without shame—namely, that nothing borne and done in this regard will be forgotten, but will be wholly preserved and presented to its bearer on the day of judgment, to be laid upon the scales of righteousness and for the determination of the recompense merited by one’s life. Here he expresses his hope concerning this—and consequently that by which his enthusiasm is nourished and sustained. But as before, when he said: I suffer and am not ashamed, he was suggesting: do not be ashamed to suffer yourself either—so here also, speaking of the hope that enkindles him, he has in view the same purpose of reviving this same hope in the holy Timothy, so as to kindle in him an enthusiasm like his own—to suffer and not be ashamed.

“What I have entrusted,” παραθηκη — signifies everything that is deposited with someone for safekeeping. Consequently, it is not right to assign one single fixed meaning to this word everywhere; its meaning must be found in the flow of the discourse. In the present passage it must signify all the labors and sufferings of the holy Paul for the proclamation of the gospel. To me, he says, the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles has been entrusted; and I labor in this, and although I suffer for it, I do not lose heart, being assured that nothing of what I have borne and done on that account will perish fruitlessly. The underlying thought is that no good deed done for the glory of God and the good of one’s neighbors perishes fruitlessly, but is kept in the memory of God, in the book of life, with the Lord and Saviour, and on the day of judgment will be taken into account in determining the lot of him who did it. The Lord instils this assurance through the parable of the unjust steward. The Apostle has made it his own and expresses it here. Everything, he says, that I deposit with the Lord remains and shall remain safely in His treasury until the day of His appearing for judgment. And what is all this? Everything done by him for the gospel—both the labor of preaching, and all the sufferings for it, and all its fruits—the founding and building up of so many Churches throughout the whole world.

By “what I have entrusted” one may understand also the very content of the gospel—the faith in Christ, in so far as it has been placed by the Apostle into the souls of believers, or entrusted for safekeeping to the Church of God, whose head is Christ. The Lord placed this faith into his soul, and it became his own possession; therefore he says: what I have entrusted. I pass on or entrust to others what the Lord passed on and entrusted to me—the unchangeable faith of God. This faith is not such that it stands today and will change tomorrow. No; it will abide until the end of the age and will appear at the judgment, determining the lot of each. There is, therefore, something for which to suffer, without shame.

Upon what does the Apostle’s such hope rest? Upon the fact that the Lord is able to accomplish what he hopes from Him. When someone deposits something for safekeeping with a powerless man, who cannot even protect and guard himself, he cannot be at ease for a single moment regarding his property. But when he deposits his property with a powerful man, whom no one will dare even to approach, he is in perfect peace regarding his property. So too here with the Apostle. God is able, he says, to preserve both the faith and my labors in proclaiming it. I know whom I have believed. That is the Lord; and face to face He has spoken to me more than once—both assuring me of the truth of the faith so tangibly, and sending and enkindling me to the labors of preaching. But the Lord is almighty—“He is God, the Creator and Lord of all things” (blessed Theodoret)—therefore I am convinced that He will both preserve His faith forever, and will not leave my labors without recompense. “See what boldness! What an unshakeable hope! I know, he says, and I am most firmly convinced” (blessed Theodoret).

Thus our commentators understand “what I have entrusted” and its preservation. Holy Chrysostom says: “What does ‘what I have entrusted’ mean? The faith, the preaching. He Himself who entrusted it, he says, will keep it unchanged. I endure all things that this treasure may not be plundered, and I am ashamed of nothing, so long as it is kept intact. Or by ‘what I have entrusted’ he means the believers, whom God entrusted to him or whom he entrusted to God, as he says elsewhere: ‘and now I entrust you to God’ (Acts 20:32).” “As if he were saying this,” blessed Theophylact continues upon holy Chrysostom, “I am not ashamed, hoping that I shall lead many to God, and He will preserve them, in order to glorify them for my sake. Or by ‘what I have entrusted’ the Apostle understands the future recompense: for everyone who does something good deposits it with God for safekeeping, so as to be crowned for it in due time.”

Verses 13 and 14 seem as though inserted into the flow of the discourse. But they only seem so; in reality they constitute the natural conclusion or application of what was said from verse 8 through verse 12. Do not be ashamed of the gospel, he said, but share in suffering for it; then, having sufficiently disposed and enkindled enthusiasm for this—by the beneficence of the economy of our salvation, of which the gospel speaks, and by his own personal example—he now adds in conclusion: proclaim the gospel without shame and without fear of suffering for it, but proclaim it according to the pattern that I have set before you; keep the testament or tradition I have bequeathed to you. This is applied for the purpose of both the First and this Second Epistle—to prevent entanglement in disputes with heretics, lest one absorb empty and false ideas and corrupt the pattern of sound words. Moreover, fearless proclamation of the gospel is nothing other than keeping the pattern of sound words and the apostolic testament—keeping it by implanting it in the souls of those who hear and believe. In view of this thought, these verses may be considered a continuation of what was said in verse 12 about the Apostle’s hope that his deposit will be preserved to that Day. The keeper is the Lord; the instruments are the Apostle’s successors, of whom is not the holy Timothy the first? To him it is said: keep it and hand it on intact to those who follow; and thus it will be preserved until the end.