KEEPING THE ‘SUCCESSION’ – 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on November 5, 2014 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; November 5, 2014

2 Timothy 1:15-18

Theme: Paul exhorts Timothy to faithfully pass on to others what Paul had passed on to him.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

In the tradition of some branches of the Christian faith, the doctrine of ‘apostolic succession’ is taught. This doctrine is usually based on the primacy of the apostle Peter; and holds to the maintenance of apostolic authority from Peter to the present through an unbroken line of succession of ‘bishops’ by means of the laying on of hands. Dr. Charles Ryrie wrote, “To be sure, there is a legitimate facet to apostolic succession in that the doctrine of the apostles is what all succeeding generations should teach . . ., but that is a succession of doctrine, not of ordination” (Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology [Chicago: Moody Press, 1999], p. 472).

This morning’s passage teaches us the only true ‘apostolic succession’. Timothy was urged to faithfully pass on to others what Paul had passed on to him. Paul writes, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2). It is the duty of every pastor; and it is also the duty of every faithful Christian.

Note that . . .

I. TIMOTHY RECEIVED A HERITAGE OF GRACE IN CHRIST.

A. Paul speaks to him in a way that expresses that Timothy had received a heritage from him when he writes, “You therefore, my son . . .” (v. 1). The word “therefore” points us back to the call to be faithful to the entrustment that Timothy had been given of “the pattern of sound words” which he heard from Paul, and the call to “keep” what had been committed to him (1:13-14). To reinforce this, Paul reminded him of the examples that had been set before him—both of faithfulness and of unfaithfulness (vv. 15-18). And the fact that Paul calls him “my son” (see also 1:3) reminded Timothy that it was through Paul that Timothy was instructed in the faith (see Acts 16:1-5), and called into the ministry (2 Timothy 1:6). It may be that it was through Paul that Timothy was first led to trust Christ.

B. In verse 2, Paul mentions “the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses . . .” Timothy had first hand experience in learning from Paul. He had “carefully followed” Paul’s “doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions . . .” (3:10-11). But it may be that Timothy didn’t learn all the things he learned from Paul ‘first hand’. Paul’s reference to “many witnesses” may speak of the fact that others passed on to Timothy the things that he learned from them about Paul. It could be, though, that this speaks of the fact that what Paul had taught Timothy was confirmed by other witnesses who could testify to the truth of the grace of God, and could affirm Paul’s integrity in what he taught. In either case, the heritage of the Christian faith that Timothy had received was the work of many—all being used by God to pass on to him the fullness of the life in Christ.

C. Before we go any further; have you ever stopped to considered the people that God has used in your life to pass on a heritage of faith? You may be able to point to one or two key people that God has used—a pastor, or godly parents, or a Bible teacher, or a good friend. But if you examine things carefully, you may find that there were actually many, many others—some who passed on the grace of God to you in a direct way, and others who confirmed and bore witness of what had been passed on to you. Praise God for the way He uses others in our lives to give us a heritage of grace in Christ!

II. HE WAS MAKE SURE HE WAS FAITHFULLY EMPOWERED IN THAT GRACE.

A. Having received this heritage, however, was not enough. Timothy had to build on it. Paul told Timothy, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus . . .” The word for “strong” is one that means “to empower”; and it is here put in the passive voice; meaning that Timothy was not to ‘empower’ himself in the Christian faith; but rather to allow himself to “be empowered” in it by the grace of God in Christ.

B. Paul is about to tell Timothy to be sure to pass that grace on to others. But it’s vital to notice that he first tells him to be sure to allow himself to be made strong in it. This highlights Timothy’s responsibility to himself that stands as the basis of his responsibility to others. A pastor or a preacher cannot give to anyone what he does not himself have first. And the same is true for every faithful Christian. We must be faithful to maintain the ‘disciplines’ of the faith—daily Bible study, a faithful life of prayer, regular confession and repentance from sin, evangelism and discipleship, regular attendance to church, participation in the Lord’s supper. We must do these things for ourselves—always mindful that we don’t to them for ourselves only! Our faithfulness in these things helps us to be empowered in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ so that—in addition to our own growth—we will also be able to pass that heritage of grace on to others. Do we want the coming generation to be strong in the grace of Christ? Then we must be strong in it ourselves—because they receive the heritage of that grace from us; and we cannot give to them what we ourselves do not possess!

III. HE WAS TO FAITHFULLY PASS WHAT WAS GIVEN HIM ON TO OTHERS.

A. That leads Paul to speak to Timothy about his responsibility to others. He writes, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (v. 2). This is the only true ‘apostolic succession’. Note that just as Paul had carefully sought out Timothy, and trained him, so that he could pass on the vital entrustment of the gospel message to him, Timothy needed to seek out ‘faithful men’ that he could ‘commit’ that same gospel to. This took some thought, and a careful evaluation of the qualifications of those Timothy would invest his life into. They needed to be ‘able’ (or more accurately, ‘sufficient’ or ‘qualified’) to teach others also. A good pastor seeks to build into the lives of all those that God has entrusted to him. But a truly wise pastor also recognizes that some are qualified’ for the fullest possible level of investment. They won’t allow what had been given to them to lay dormant, but will grow in it and invest in it themselves and will pass it on to others. When Timothy found such men, he was to invest in them—just as Paul had invested in him.

B. Timothy was to do this with an eye beyond himself. Just as Paul was about to depart from this earth and go to be with the Lord and would no longer be able to preach and protect that gospel, there would come a time when Timothy had to depart also. He needed to make sure that those who he built into will go on to build into the lives of others, just as Timothy had built into their lives. He was to seek to do with the truths of the gospel what it says in Psalm 78:6-7; “That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments . . .” (Psalm 78:6-7).