Hold Fast Sound Words; Guard the Good Deposit (2 Timothy 1:13–18)

2 Tim. 1:13. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

“Pattern,” υποτυπωσιν — sketch, norm, archetype. “Of sound words”—of sound doctrine. I have set before you, he says, the sound teaching concerning salvation; hold it in your mind and heart as a model, and proclaim the gospel according to it. “As painters do, so I also have sketched for you the image of virtue and all that is pleasing to God, and have placed in your soul as it were a rule, an archetype, and a sketch” (holy Chrysostom). “Like a painter, I have painted and drawn for you an icon and archetype, so that, looking upon it, you too may paint from it the same sketch of my words (in the minds and souls of believers, as on a canvas). Keep this archetype within you, and when you need to paint something, take from it and paint—for everything is contained in it” (blessed Theophylact). “Imitate painters. As they, looking attentively at the originals, copy from them the images with exactness, so you also hold as your original the teaching on faith and love that I have imparted to you” (blessed Theodoret).

“Which you have heard from me.” “The Apostle instilled in his disciple what he ought to do not only by letters, but also by word of mouth. He expresses this in many other places as well—for example, when he says: ‘whether by word or by our letter’ (2 Thess. 2:15); but here it is much clearer. Therefore let us not think (judging by the written epistles) that the teaching he imparted was insufficient; he taught his disciple much also without writing, of which he now reminds him” (holy Chrysostom).

“In the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

“In faith and love”—this phrase may be combined in various ways: either—hold the pattern of my sound words, my teaching, in faith and love, keeping them as in a storehouse, in a believing and loving heart; or—keep the pattern of my teaching that embraces both faith and love; or—whether you are proclaiming about faith or love, take it from my pattern of sound doctrine set before you. The first may be seen in the words of holy Chrysostom cited above: “the archetype and pattern I have placed in your soul.” The second—there in the same Chrysostom: “I have sketched for you the image of virtue and of all that is pleasing to God”; in the words of blessed Theodoret cited above: “hold as your original the teaching on faith and love that I have imparted to you”; and in these words of blessed Theophylact: “my words contain teaching both on faith and on love—that is, on doctrine, and on the life required of us.” The third—in these words of holy Chrysostom: “whether you need to take counsel on faith, or love, or self-control—draw your models from there, that is, from my pattern; you will have no need to seek a model elsewhere, for everything is contained there.” And in similar words of blessed Theophylact: “whether you need to give instruction on what is right, or to speak, or to act—from there you ought to take everything.” There is yet a fourth understanding—that of Oecumenius—namely, that the Apostle uttered his words moved by faith and love. “His words,” he writes, “and teachings were in the faith and love given to him by Christ.” There is no necessity to insist on any one understanding, since all of them are admissible and were assuredly realized in practice. It was not otherwise than moved by faith and love that the Apostle imparted the teaching, and teaching about faith and love; not otherwise than by faith and love did the holy Timothy receive this teaching, and keep it, and impart it to others—and proceeding from his lips, it was about nothing other than faith and love.

“That are in Christ Jesus”—grammatically refers to love, but in the nature of things not to love alone, but to faith as well. It seems one should understand it thus, without being constrained by the form of expression. This phrase indicates both the source and the characteristic feature of faith and love: faith and love bestowed by the Lord and Saviour and sustained in His spirit.

2 Tim. 1:14. Guard the good deposit by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

“The good deposit,” παραθηκη — the tradition, what has been entrusted to you and committed to your keeping—is the same as “the pattern of sound words”—or what he expressed above when he said: “He is able to guard my deposit,” την παραθηκην. This deposit is “good” because it is good in itself, proceeds from a good—divine—source, is given for good, leads to good, and will be crowned with a good end. “Guard” it, he says, unchanged and whole, ordering thereby both the manner of your convictions and the manner of your conduct and life. “Keep what I have commanded you, both in regard to faith and in regard to life by faith” (blessed Theophylact). Keep it as my successor, and having kept it whole, hand it on to your successors, teaching them likewise to hand it on to those who will come after them. So until the end. In the word “guard”—said to the holy Timothy—may all who have received the grace of apostolic succession hear the lesson for themselves: to keep unchanged what has been received from their predecessors, introducing and admitting no novelty whatsoever.

“‘By the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.’ “But how shall you keep this? Not by human strength, but by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us by virtue of baptism. If we preserve Him in ourselves and do not drive Him away by our carelessness and evil conduct, He too will preserve in us everything we have from God. Therefore, strive to preserve the Spirit, and He will preserve in you what has been entrusted to you” (blessed Theophylact, Oecumenius). Holy Chrysostom explains this more fully: ‘Guard the good deposit.’ How? ‘By the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.’ The human soul and human strength are not of themselves capable of preserving such great goods entrusted to them. Why? Because around us are many robbers, deep darkness, the devil stands and plots, and we do not know at what hour, at what moment he will attack us. How then can we preserve them? By the Holy Spirit—that is, if we keep the Spirit in ourselves; and He will be present with us if we do not drive away His grace. For ‘unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain’ (Ps. 127:1). He is our wall, He is our fence, He is our refuge. You will say: but if He dwells in us and Himself keeps us, why then the instructions? So that we may hold Him, preserve Him, and not drive Him away from us by evil deeds.”

“In us”—in whom and how? In whom? One may say: in you and me; or in all the Apostles and their close disciples, also called Apostles; or in the Apostles and all their successors, past, present, and future. How then? Upon the Apostles the Holy Spirit descended directly; but their successors received and receive Him through ordination. Blessed Theophylact, in saying that we have the Holy Spirit through baptism, suggests that by the Holy Spirit he understands the common Christian grace—and consequently by “in us” he means in Christians generally. But since a little above, speaking of παραθηκη and saying that this means the commandments on faith and life imparted to the holy Timothy, he added: “or the Apostle wishes to say: the gift you received, as he said above (that is, in verse 6)”—it cannot be denied that he understood here also the Holy Spirit received through ordination.

Having set forth his own example for the encouragement of the holy Timothy to suffer for the gospel without shame, the holy Paul sets forth another example—that of Onesiphorus, a person closer in standing to the holy Timothy, and even inferior to him in rank—all with the same purpose of enkindling enthusiasm. He suggests by this: if this man was not ashamed, who is below you—then all the more should not you be ashamed. But as a bright thing appears brighter when placed beside something dark, the Apostle, in order to heighten the value of Onesiphorus’s lack of shame, records how everyone had abandoned him—most likely out of shame and fear. He says as it were: all were frightened by the threatening danger and were ashamed to confess their faith; Onesiphorus alone held firm. Here is an example for you! Act as he did.

2 Tim. 1:15. You know this: that all in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

“You know.” Perhaps the Apostle was also communicating this to the holy Timothy for his information: for he, as the overseer of the Asian Churches, ought to know what the Asians were like, or what they were capable of showing themselves to be in the face of dangers. So says blessed Theodoret. But more likely, it is to be supposed, for the purpose already noted—to enkindle the holy Timothy, thereby strengthening the significance of the example of Onesiphorus, and not only his, but even the Apostle’s own—as the same blessed Theodoret further writes: “By this the Apostle persuades Timothy to bear with manfulness the troubles that come his way”—and as holy Chrysostom explains: “The Apostle speaks of temptations not to strike down (dishearten) the disciple, but to stir him up (enkindle him)—so that if at some point he himself should be subjected to similar temptations, he might not be troubled, looking to his teacher and remembering what befell him.”

“All have turned away from me.” They did not abandon the faith, but they withdrew from the Apostle. Surely the danger was great. The Apostle’s earlier imprisonments—both in Rome and elsewhere—had been lighter and less dangerous. Those who plotted against him were for the most part Jews, who sometimes incited the Gentiles; but the authorities took him under the protection of the law. But now Nero himself is against him. Those who showed themselves to be on his side could not expect mercy either. The danger of death looked them in the face, and all the Apostle’s acquaintances withdrew from him. Holy Chrysostom says: “He was then, most likely, taken into custody and abandoned by everyone—he saw no kindness, no mercy, no help from anyone, but was left by the very believers and friends. ‘All turned away from me,’ he says, ‘who are in Asia.’ In Rome there were then, most likely, many people from the Asian provinces; perhaps they even accompanied the Apostle to Rome (Oecumenius); but no one, he says, came to me, no one acknowledged me, all became estranged.” Blessed Theodoret adds: “They avoided meeting the Apostle, fearing Nero.”

“Among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” The course of the discourse gives this sense: even Phygellus and Hermogenes. They were probably closer to the Apostle, in greater contact with him, and better known both to him and to the holy Timothy. For after these words there naturally suggests itself the supplement: those known to you, who stood out so much from the others, who showed themselves such zealots—yet it turned out that even they were among those who in times of peace show themselves as believers, but when danger confronts them, they hide. Yet in the Apostle’s words there is no trace of reproach or condemnation, but rather something like compassion is heard. So holy Chrysostom: “And observe how philosophically the Apostle’s soul acts! He said only what happened, but reproached them not at all; the one who did him good he praised and wished him countless blessings, while on them he wished no evil whatsoever.” In any case, however, it is natural to see here also a hint to the holy Timothy: take care that you too do not prove the same; or—do not look at them, but at me, enduring this and not being ashamed—and at Onesiphorus, of whom I shall speak presently.

2 Tim. 1:16–17. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he sought me out diligently and found me.

He set forth the example not to be imitated, and now sets forth one that is to be imitated. The purpose of both, however, is one—to enkindle the spirit not to be ashamed of the gospel and not to fear its enemies. Onesiphorus, he says, was not ashamed of me and was not afraid of those persecuting me, but sought me out and refreshed me many times. For this the Apostle surrounds him with a prayer for the mercy of the Lord upon him—both in this life and all the more at the judgment of God. Here is whom to imitate! Blessed Theodoret writes: “He is admirable, worthy of emulation, and thrice-blessed who rendered so many services to the Apostle and received such a blessing from the Apostle’s lips. For those whom the Apostle mentioned above, even when they were with him, turned away from him; but this man came from Asia to Rome, neither wearied by the length of the journey, nor afraid of the most savage of emperors, and counted the Apostle worthy of every service. Therefore the Apostle did not to him alone, but to his entire household, repay with the mercy of God.”

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus.” Onesiphorus rendered service, but the prayer for mercy is for his whole household. This is either because for the head of a household the welfare of the household is dearer than anything, and a good wish for the household is the most pleasant good wish for himself personally; or because the members of his household also together with him refreshed the Apostle, and were, moreover, worthy in themselves of every attention and respect, both for the sincerity of their faith and for their virtues. “Such were they (the members of the household). So Onesiphorus raised them” (blessed Theophylact).

“For he often refreshed me. — He refreshed me,” ανεψυξεν — cooled, revived. The Apostle presents himself as scorched by grief and burdens, both on account of the chains and on account of being abandoned by everyone. The sympathy of Onesiphorus and his services to the Apostle were, in the midst of his grief, like water to one who thirsts and coolness to one oppressed by the heat. “He, he says, refreshed and strengthened me in my sufferings, as one might refresh an athlete exhausted by the heat” (holy Chrysostom).

“And was not ashamed of my chains”—he did not consider it degrading to have close and friendly fellowship with one who was held in bonds as a criminal. His conviction of the divine dignity of the Gospel proclaimed by the Apostle surrounded in his mind, heart, and conscience—as with a heavenly halo—the very countenance of the Apostle himself, and gave him strength to rise above ordinary human opinion concerning prisoners: he did not blush when entering the prison and leaving it to comfort the prisoner—the Apostle.

“But when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me.” At that time there were many prisons; for it seems that in those days they were private houses whose owners served as their keepers. Thus, anyone who wished to see a prisoner had first to find him. Onesiphorus, upon arriving in Rome and learning of the holy Paul’s imprisonment, immediately began to search for him—and to search σπουδαιοτερον — most zealously—and did not rest until he had found him. He was not afraid of Nero’s wrath: “Although the circumstances were full of danger, for the Apostle had then incurred the anger of Nero by converting someone close to him. But Onesiphorus, upon arriving in Rome, not only did not avoid meeting me, but sought me out with utmost zeal and found me (what courage! what faith! [cf. blessed Theophylact]). Such should all believers be (and especially pastors)—held back neither by fear, nor by threats, nor by shame” (St. Chrysostom).

2 Tim. 1:18. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And how much he served me in Ephesus you know very well.

Mercy for mercy. “Onesiphorus, says the Apostle, showed me mercy, and for this he will receive his recompense on that dread and terrible day, when we shall all stand in great need of mercy” (St. Chrysostom). “On that day much mercy will be needed by all, even by the saints themselves. If Onesiphorus, who exposed himself to manifest dangers for Christ’s sake, is to be saved by mercy—how much more we?” (blessed Theophylact). The Apostle desires the most needful thing; for if we find no mercy there, all is lost—and lost forever.

“May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord.” Lord from Lord. “Are there then two Lords? By no means; ‘for to us there is one Lord Jesus Christ and one God’ (1 Cor. 8:6). Those infected by the Marcionite heresy appeal to this expression, but let them know that it is quite common in Scripture. In many other places one can often encounter this expression—for instance, when it is said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord’ (Ps. 109:1); and again: ‘The Lord rained from the Lord’ (Gen. 19:24). This demonstrates the consubstantiality of the Divine Persons, not a difference of essence; and the Apostle speaks thus not so that we might conceive of two essences distinct from each other, but of two Persons sharing one and the same essence” (St. Chrysostom).

“And how much he served me in Ephesus you know very well.” — This is high praise indeed! For in Ephesus, to show one’s closeness to the Apostle was no less dangerous and no less exposed one to mockery from others. Yet Onesiphorus is always the same. As he believed, so he became devoted to the faith and to those who teach it, neither ashamed of anyone nor afraid of anyone. “This manner of conduct had become habitual with him. He did not display it merely once. But as he was in Ephesus, as you yourself know, so he is here as well” (blessed Theophylact, Oecumenius). “Such ought every zealous and vigilant Christian to be—to do good not once, nor twice or three times, but throughout one’s whole life. Just as our body is not nourished once to sustain it for all of life, but requires daily food, so too here, in godliness, we daily stand in need of the assistance that comes from good works” (St. Chrysostom).