“At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth” (2Tim 4:16-17).
Life Comes at You Fast
It can change in a flash. One minute there’s simply not enough time to take the calls, answer email, or interact with all the great stuff people say about on social media. Your head swells a couple of hat sizes. Maybe I really am pretty cool. Have I gone viral?
But before you can set up your Facebook fan page, the whole deal goes south. The atta-boys come to a screeching halt. The once constant encouragement quickly turns into crickets. In the blink of an eye, what appears to be a cheering crowd are simply cockroaches on the run. The commercials are right. Life comes at you FAST!
Paul’s Resume
It would be easy to look at the life of the Apostle Paul and think this is exactly what happened to him. For several years, he had it all going on. Personally handpicked by Jesus. God’s lead spokesman to the Gentile world. Globetrotter. Church planter. Miracle worker. Leader of his own growing posse. Writer of a huge chunk of the New Testament. Not a bad resume, don’t you think?
But there’s another side to Paul’s story. A dark side. A lonely side. While God gave him a front row seat to see the message of Jesus radically transform lives, not everybody wanted any part of that change. A growing number of people hated what he was doing. They even put out a hit on him. He was attacked and beaten. Run out of town if he was lucky. Stoned and left for dead if he wasn’t.
There was a time when his preaching attracted overflow crowds in cities around the Mediterranean Rim. There was a time when he rolled with a personal traveling party of eight supporters from various churches he started (Acts 20:4-5). He mentored the best and the brightest names in the early church. We’re talking about dudes like Barnabas, John Mark, Silas, Titus, and Timothy.
The Darkness of the Dungeon
We pick up Paul’s story in 67 AD. He’s behind bars in Rome’s Mamertine Prison (2Tim 1:12, 16; 2:9). This joint is Death Row for those Caesar condemns to die (2Tim 4:6-7). It’s here in this darkness of the dungeon that the Light of the World specializes in shining the brightest. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Before we get to that, we need to remember the reason Paul’s writing in the first place. He’s finishing one last letter to Timothy, a young pastor leading the church the apostle planted in Ephesus (1Tim 1:3; 2Tim 1:2). Paul pulls no punches in passing the baton of ministry to his spiritual son (2Tim 2:1-4:5). He also begs Tim to hit the road and get to Rome for one last visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21).
Legal Speak
At this point the epistle, Paul updates Tim on his current legal situation. “At my first defense no one came to stand by me” (v16). He refers to his “defense” by using a little lawyer speak (Gr. απολογια/apologia). It describes the response to official charges or speaking on behalf of yourself or others in the face of an accusation.
If you’re familiar with the apostle’s story, you know he’s had his fair share of appearances in court for telling people about Jesus. So which time does he mean when he refers to “my first defense” (v16)? Let’s be honest. The guy’s seen the inside of countless courtrooms between Jerusalem and Rome. Which one? Which time?
The Roman Two-Step
According to John MacArthur, the Roman court system had a two-step process. The first hearing was called the prima actio (or “first action”). This was much like an arraignment which established the charges and need for a trial. The second proceeding was the secunda actio (or “second action”) where a judge reaches a verdict and hands down a sentence.
So what Paul describes here is that “first action.” In other words, this is the most recent “first defense” (v16). He probably appeared before Nero himself. If not, it was a judge or panel of judges made up of Caesar’s toadies.
Arson Charges?
What exactly did Roman authorities charge the apostle with? That’s a great question that’s not found anywhere in the New Testament. But when we flip open the pages of history, we find clues that go along way to unlock this mystery. Just a three years before in July of 64 AD, a massive fire began in Rome’s southern slums and burned for three days.
This raging inferno totally torched three of Rome’s 14 districts and damaged much of the city. It killed hundreds and left thousands homeless. While there’s no hard evidence blaming Nero for the blaze (or that he fiddled away while watching the flames from the palace), there is one fact we do know. He blamed those annoying followers of Jesus for the disaster.
Some Bible scholars believe Roman authorities implicated Paul with a role in setting the fire. While we’re not sure if Caesar charged the apostle in connection with arson, we do know the emperor unleashed an unprecedented persecution and pain on believers throughout the empire.
Following Jesus Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Before the fire, it was certainly hazardous to your health to claim the name of Christ before the fire. After Rome burns, the state-sponsored terrorism against disciples was on like Donkey Kong. With targets on their backs as imperial scapegoats, the followers of Jesus scatter and go underground.
This would explain why Paul describes that his first court appearance “no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (v15). He stood alone against Roman legal machine. No attorney. No public defender. When he looked over his shoulder for support in the court, it was nothing but crickets and tumbleweeds.
A Public Show of Support
The man from Tarsus tells Tim how nobody wanted to be seen with him. The phrase the ESV translates as “came to stand” is actually one word in the original language (Gr. παραγινομαι/paraginomai). It means to show up publicly at a place for a distinct purpose, whether helpful or hostile. The term can describe making a public appearance with someone in order show your support.
Matthew tells us how “Jesus came (Gr. παραγινομαι/paraginomai) from Galilee” to endorse his cousin John the Baptist’s campaign of repentance and baptism (Mt 3:14). The writer of Hebrews points out that “Christ appeared (Gr. παραγινομαι/paraginomai) as a high priest” to publicly demonstrate God’s blessings to come (Heb 9:11).
At that first hearing, Paul flew solo. Just in case we’re not paying attention, he goes out of his way to call the roll of his courtroom supporters. “All deserted me” (v16). In doing so, he drops the same term (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkateleipo) he used to describe being ditched by Demas a few verses back (2Tim 4:10). Is it at this court appearance that “Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm” (2Tim 4:14)?
Paul’s Roman Friends
So who were the “all” he’s describing who bailed on him? Well, the apostle wrote to believers in Rome ten years before, around 56-57 AD (Rom 1:7). It’s in this letter we call the book of Romans where Paul beautifully unpacks how God has come to our cosmic rescue through His sinless Son.
Near the end of the letter, he says “hello” to 24 people by name, as well as two full families, some unnamed brothers and sisters in the Lord, and then “all the saints who are with them” (Rom 16:3-15). This probably includes many of the same followers of Jesus who greeted him when he arrived in custody just a few years back in 61 AD (Acts 28:15-30).
The Fact of Loneliness
Six years later, they were gone. All gone. Gone except for his good friend Dr. Luke (2Tim 4:11). Paul will mention a few other folks he has some interaction with a bit later (2Tim 4:21). But on at that first appearance in court, he was alone. You could easily translate this as “at my first defense no one came to my defense.” Nobody dared be seen in public with him.
Author Thomas Wolfe writes that “loneliness…is the central and inevitable fact of human existence.” Paul knew what it was like to be abandoned by his closest friends. So did our Savior. Jesus’ agony on the cross included His friends running from him like scared rabbits and His Heavenly Dad turning away from Him. Paul takes comfort that our Lord knew loneliness so that we would never really be alone.
Grace Giver
Rather than throw those folks under the bus or fire up the social media flame thrower, he does just the opposite. “May it not be charged against them!” (v16). Paul understood the danger. He fully realized the circumstances. He tells Tim not to hold it against them.
Sound familiar? It brings back Jesus’ words to His Dad as He hung on a Roman cross. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:24). When a mob of religious bullies fired rocks at Stephen, he prayed to Jesus, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).
Instead of requiring revenge, Paul gives grace. Can we be honest here? Forgiveness for folks who ditched me when I needed them most is probably not be at the top of my to-do list. But the apostle knows that we really need to forgive others since God in Christ has forgiven us of so much more (Eph 4:32).
No Day at DisneyWorld
Who needs your mercy? Who needs your grace? Who’s deserted you in your time of need? Who’s hurt you…either intentionally or unintentionally? Let’s follow Paul’s lead and not hold it against them. If you need to, tell your friends where you stand. Tell them that there’s no reason to be angry about what somebody has done to you.
Let’s cut to the chase. There’s a pretty good chance your friends didn’t bail on you in court at a hearing that could result in a death sentence. Relax, I’m not saying what we’ve been through has been a day at DisneyWorld. Let’s take to heart Jesus’ words just before He headed home to Heaven. “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).
His Presence and His Power
It’s because of this promise that the apostle can write these amazing words. “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (v17). Despite the absence of everybody else, Jesus was personally there with him and gave him the power and ability to face any and every situation (Phil 4:13). Christ does that by giving us both His presence and His power.
That includes when it appears you’re flying solo in court. ESPECIALLY when you’re flying solo in court! Paul makes that point by using a term (Gr. παριστημι/paristemi) translated “stood” (v16). It describes standing together, appearing side-by-side, or coming alongside to help someone. Like before, the word is another legal term. It means to prove to be true or present evidence of truth.
Dr. Luke tells his friend Theophilus how Jesus proved His resurrection and “presented (Gr. παριστημι/paristemi) Himself alive” to His personal posse (Acts 1:3). When religious bullies call Peter and John on the carpet for healing a man with a birth defect, the apostles tell them that this miracle is powerful proof of who Jesus is. “By Him this man is standing (Gr. παριστημι/paristemi) before you well” (Acts 4:16).
The Indwelling Dynamo
The Lord not only gives us His presence but His power. Paul describes to Him how He “strengthened me” (v16). This is the Greek verb ενδυναμοω/endumano’o, which means to empower, make strong, or cause someone to have the ability to do or experience something they otherwise could not have done.
This compound word literally describes an “inner (Gr. εν-/en-) power (Gr. -δυναμοω/-dumano’o).” The core term is where we get the word “dynamo.” Through the power supply of the indwelling Holy Spirit, God allows every believer to tap into His unlimited strength. Iron Man’s arc reactor is a hamster on a wheel compared to what He’s given you and me.
This the third time in his two letters to Timothy where Paul credits Jesus as His source of supernatural strength. He thanks the Lord “who has given me strength (Gr. ενδυναμοω/endumano’o)” to serve Him (1Tim 1:12). He encourages Tim to “be strengthened (Gr. ενδυναμοω/endumano’o) by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 2:1).
The God Who Is ALWAYS with Us
Just as He did Paul, our Savior gives each one of us who follows Him His presence and His power. When everybody else bails and leaves you all alone, He is there. Remember, Jesus is God who is with us (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23). He promises to the God who is ALWAYS with us (Dt 31:6-8; Josh 1:5, 9; Mt 28:20; Heb 13:5). We may not see Him or feel Him, but our Lord is right there wherever we are, giving us His strength when our tank is on E.
Jesus doesn’t just randomly throw some supernatural strength Paul’s way for him to use as he sees fit. The apostle He does it “so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed” (v17). In other words, the Lord powers up Paul to spread the word about the salvation God is offering through His one and only Son.
Search and Rescue
Ever since his amazing encounter with the resurrected Jesus outside Damascus, the apostle formerly known as Saul has made God’s message his personal mission. What exactly is this Good News? Our gracious God created a perfect universe and put our first parents in it. We broke it all through our rebellion and disobedience.
But our Creator didn’t just throw in the towel and turn His back on us. He sends His Son on the most breathtaking search and rescue mission in history. Jesus leaves the comforts of the heavenly palace to dive into the disgusting dumpster of our sin.
Taking Our Place
By taking on human flesh, Christ lives the life of perfect obedience to the Father we’ve failed to live. He dies the brutal death for our rebellion that we should have died. But that’s not all! He rises to a glorious new life that we certainly didn’t earn.
We place our trust in Who Jesus is and what He has done that we could never do for ourselves. We also place our trust in His commands. He wants God’s best for us. Obedience to God’s Word not only gives Him glory but also unlocks the overflowing, unlimited life that our Savior promises (Jn 10:10). This is the Gospel which Paul tells Tim has been “fully proclaimed” (v17).
An Invitation to God’s Party
Then the apostle reminds his spiritual son how God has thrown the doors open to His kingdom for every people group on the planet to the party. Jesus personally handpicked Paul so that “the Gentiles might hear it” (v17). “Gentiles” is actually the Greek noun εθνος/ethnos. It’s the source of our word “ethnic.”
The term describes a people group, tribe, a multitude of people with something in common. It’s the largest unit into which the people of the world are divided based on their social or cultural community.
Paul’s Supernatural Assignment
Writers of the NT use this when talking about outsiders. Specifically, those outside the Jewish race and faith. For centuries, the Hebrew people expected God to send Messiah just for them. After all, they are God’s chosen people. But much to their surprise, He sent Messiah through the Jews to the entire world! There’s a big meeting at the home office in Jerusalem to hash this out (Acts 15:1-35).
Jesus picked Paul as His spokesman to non-Jews around the world (Acts 9:15; Rom 1:5; 15:8-12). Over and over and over again, the apostle reminds people of his supernatural assignment “the Gentiles (Gr. εθνος/ethnos)” (Rom 11:13; 15:16; Gal 1:16; 2:2; Eph 3:1, 7-8; 1Tim 2:7). If you’re a non-Jewish follower of the Jewish Messiah, you’ve got Paul to thank!
From Outsiders to Insiders
Think of Gentiles as people NOT like you. Foreigners. Outsiders. You know, THOSE people. People who speak a different language and wear weird clothes. Should we be building walls? I don’t know. But there’s one thing Jesus makes clear through Paul. He came to make outsiders insiders.
You can bet the apostle sees his various legal proceedings as a chance to spread the Gospel. He’s done it before (Acts 24:14-15, 24-25; 25:12-23). Paul leverages every opportunity he has to spread the message of grace. That’s because everybody needs a Savior (Rom 3:10-12; 3:23). You. Me. Us. Them. Only Jesus transforms outsiders into insiders.
From the Courtroom to the Circus
Paul then seems to jump from the courtroom to the circus when he says, “I was rescued from the lion’s mouth” (v17). What in the name of Barnum and Bailey is he talking about? Remember, I’m not lion when I say Rome has made the followers of Jesus the target of terror. (Yeah, you’re right. That was awful.)
This could be a literal rescue from being used as bait for the big cats in some gruesome performance. God famously saved Daniel in the lion’s den back in the day (Dan 6:26-27). Maybe he’s referring to Nero specifically or his Roman authorities in general. While we can’t be sure from the text, it is clear that God had brought the apostle through a slew of close calls and brushes with death (2Cor 4:8-12; 11:23-28).
From the Penthouse to the Outhouse
Has your life been a series of wild swings? One moment you’re in the penthouse and the next in the outhouse. One moment folks give you the key to the city and the next their locking you up. One moment you’re surrounded by friends and the next you’re all alone.
No matter your situation, Jesus is there. He stands by you. He stands with you. He gives you His presence. He gives you His power. Just ask Paul.
Life Comes at You Fast
It can change in a flash. One minute there’s simply not enough time to take the calls, answer email, or interact with all the great stuff people say about on social media. Your head swells a couple of hat sizes. Maybe I really am pretty cool. Have I gone viral?
But before you can set up your Facebook fan page, the whole deal goes south. The atta-boys come to a screeching halt. The once constant encouragement quickly turns into crickets. In the blink of an eye, what appears to be a cheering crowd are simply cockroaches on the run. The commercials are right. Life comes at you FAST!
Paul’s Resume
It would be easy to look at the life of the Apostle Paul and think this is exactly what happened to him. For several years, he had it all going on. Personally handpicked by Jesus. God’s lead spokesman to the Gentile world. Globetrotter. Church planter. Miracle worker. Leader of his own growing posse. Writer of a huge chunk of the New Testament. Not a bad resume, don’t you think?
But there’s another side to Paul’s story. A dark side. A lonely side. While God gave him a front row seat to see the message of Jesus radically transform lives, not everybody wanted any part of that change. A growing number of people hated what he was doing. They even put out a hit on him. He was attacked and beaten. Run out of town if he was lucky. Stoned and left for dead if he wasn’t.
There was a time when his preaching attracted overflow crowds in cities around the Mediterranean Rim. There was a time when he rolled with a personal traveling party of eight supporters from various churches he started (Acts 20:4-5). He mentored the best and the brightest names in the early church. We’re talking about dudes like Barnabas, John Mark, Silas, Titus, and Timothy.
The Darkness of the Dungeon
We pick up Paul’s story in 67 AD. He’s behind bars in Rome’s Mamertine Prison (2Tim 1:12, 16; 2:9). This joint is Death Row for those Caesar condemns to die (2Tim 4:6-7). It’s here in this darkness of the dungeon that the Light of the World specializes in shining the brightest. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Before we get to that, we need to remember the reason Paul’s writing in the first place. He’s finishing one last letter to Timothy, a young pastor leading the church the apostle planted in Ephesus (1Tim 1:3; 2Tim 1:2). Paul pulls no punches in passing the baton of ministry to his spiritual son (2Tim 2:1-4:5). He also begs Tim to hit the road and get to Rome for one last visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21).
Legal Speak
At this point the epistle, Paul updates Tim on his current legal situation. “At my first defense no one came to stand by me” (v16). He refers to his “defense” by using a little lawyer speak (Gr. απολογια/apologia). It describes the response to official charges or speaking on behalf of yourself or others in the face of an accusation.
If you’re familiar with the apostle’s story, you know he’s had his fair share of appearances in court for telling people about Jesus. So which time does he mean when he refers to “my first defense” (v16)? Let’s be honest. The guy’s seen the inside of countless courtrooms between Jerusalem and Rome. Which one? Which time?
The Roman Two-Step
According to John MacArthur, the Roman court system had a two-step process. The first hearing was called the prima actio (or “first action”). This was much like an arraignment which established the charges and need for a trial. The second proceeding was the secunda actio (or “second action”) where a judge reaches a verdict and hands down a sentence.
So what Paul describes here is that “first action.” In other words, this is the most recent “first defense” (v16). He probably appeared before Nero himself. If not, it was a judge or panel of judges made up of Caesar’s toadies.
Arson Charges?
What exactly did Roman authorities charge the apostle with? That’s a great question that’s not found anywhere in the New Testament. But when we flip open the pages of history, we find clues that go along way to unlock this mystery. Just a three years before in July of 64 AD, a massive fire began in Rome’s southern slums and burned for three days.
This raging inferno totally torched three of Rome’s 14 districts and damaged much of the city. It killed hundreds and left thousands homeless. While there’s no hard evidence blaming Nero for the blaze (or that he fiddled away while watching the flames from the palace), there is one fact we do know. He blamed those annoying followers of Jesus for the disaster.
Some Bible scholars believe Roman authorities implicated Paul with a role in setting the fire. While we’re not sure if Caesar charged the apostle in connection with arson, we do know the emperor unleashed an unprecedented persecution and pain on believers throughout the empire.
Following Jesus Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Before the fire, it was certainly hazardous to your health to claim the name of Christ before the fire. After Rome burns, the state-sponsored terrorism against disciples was on like Donkey Kong. With targets on their backs as imperial scapegoats, the followers of Jesus scatter and go underground.
This would explain why Paul describes that his first court appearance “no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (v15). He stood alone against Roman legal machine. No attorney. No public defender. When he looked over his shoulder for support in the court, it was nothing but crickets and tumbleweeds.
A Public Show of Support
The man from Tarsus tells Tim how nobody wanted to be seen with him. The phrase the ESV translates as “came to stand” is actually one word in the original language (Gr. παραγινομαι/paraginomai). It means to show up publicly at a place for a distinct purpose, whether helpful or hostile. The term can describe making a public appearance with someone in order show your support.
Matthew tells us how “Jesus came (Gr. παραγινομαι/paraginomai) from Galilee” to endorse his cousin John the Baptist’s campaign of repentance and baptism (Mt 3:14). The writer of Hebrews points out that “Christ appeared (Gr. παραγινομαι/paraginomai) as a high priest” to publicly demonstrate God’s blessings to come (Heb 9:11).
At that first hearing, Paul flew solo. Just in case we’re not paying attention, he goes out of his way to call the roll of his courtroom supporters. “All deserted me” (v16). In doing so, he drops the same term (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkateleipo) he used to describe being ditched by Demas a few verses back (2Tim 4:10). Is it at this court appearance that “Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm” (2Tim 4:14)?
Paul’s Roman Friends
So who were the “all” he’s describing who bailed on him? Well, the apostle wrote to believers in Rome ten years before, around 56-57 AD (Rom 1:7). It’s in this letter we call the book of Romans where Paul beautifully unpacks how God has come to our cosmic rescue through His sinless Son.
Near the end of the letter, he says “hello” to 24 people by name, as well as two full families, some unnamed brothers and sisters in the Lord, and then “all the saints who are with them” (Rom 16:3-15). This probably includes many of the same followers of Jesus who greeted him when he arrived in custody just a few years back in 61 AD (Acts 28:15-30).
The Fact of Loneliness
Six years later, they were gone. All gone. Gone except for his good friend Dr. Luke (2Tim 4:11). Paul will mention a few other folks he has some interaction with a bit later (2Tim 4:21). But on at that first appearance in court, he was alone. You could easily translate this as “at my first defense no one came to my defense.” Nobody dared be seen in public with him.
Author Thomas Wolfe writes that “loneliness…is the central and inevitable fact of human existence.” Paul knew what it was like to be abandoned by his closest friends. So did our Savior. Jesus’ agony on the cross included His friends running from him like scared rabbits and His Heavenly Dad turning away from Him. Paul takes comfort that our Lord knew loneliness so that we would never really be alone.
Grace Giver
Rather than throw those folks under the bus or fire up the social media flame thrower, he does just the opposite. “May it not be charged against them!” (v16). Paul understood the danger. He fully realized the circumstances. He tells Tim not to hold it against them.
Sound familiar? It brings back Jesus’ words to His Dad as He hung on a Roman cross. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:24). When a mob of religious bullies fired rocks at Stephen, he prayed to Jesus, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).
Instead of requiring revenge, Paul gives grace. Can we be honest here? Forgiveness for folks who ditched me when I needed them most is probably not be at the top of my to-do list. But the apostle knows that we really need to forgive others since God in Christ has forgiven us of so much more (Eph 4:32).
No Day at DisneyWorld
Who needs your mercy? Who needs your grace? Who’s deserted you in your time of need? Who’s hurt you…either intentionally or unintentionally? Let’s follow Paul’s lead and not hold it against them. If you need to, tell your friends where you stand. Tell them that there’s no reason to be angry about what somebody has done to you.
Let’s cut to the chase. There’s a pretty good chance your friends didn’t bail on you in court at a hearing that could result in a death sentence. Relax, I’m not saying what we’ve been through has been a day at DisneyWorld. Let’s take to heart Jesus’ words just before He headed home to Heaven. “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).
His Presence and His Power
It’s because of this promise that the apostle can write these amazing words. “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (v17). Despite the absence of everybody else, Jesus was personally there with him and gave him the power and ability to face any and every situation (Phil 4:13). Christ does that by giving us both His presence and His power.
That includes when it appears you’re flying solo in court. ESPECIALLY when you’re flying solo in court! Paul makes that point by using a term (Gr. παριστημι/paristemi) translated “stood” (v16). It describes standing together, appearing side-by-side, or coming alongside to help someone. Like before, the word is another legal term. It means to prove to be true or present evidence of truth.
Dr. Luke tells his friend Theophilus how Jesus proved His resurrection and “presented (Gr. παριστημι/paristemi) Himself alive” to His personal posse (Acts 1:3). When religious bullies call Peter and John on the carpet for healing a man with a birth defect, the apostles tell them that this miracle is powerful proof of who Jesus is. “By Him this man is standing (Gr. παριστημι/paristemi) before you well” (Acts 4:16).
The Indwelling Dynamo
The Lord not only gives us His presence but His power. Paul describes to Him how He “strengthened me” (v16). This is the Greek verb ενδυναμοω/endumano’o, which means to empower, make strong, or cause someone to have the ability to do or experience something they otherwise could not have done.
This compound word literally describes an “inner (Gr. εν-/en-) power (Gr. -δυναμοω/-dumano’o).” The core term is where we get the word “dynamo.” Through the power supply of the indwelling Holy Spirit, God allows every believer to tap into His unlimited strength. Iron Man’s arc reactor is a hamster on a wheel compared to what He’s given you and me.
This the third time in his two letters to Timothy where Paul credits Jesus as His source of supernatural strength. He thanks the Lord “who has given me strength (Gr. ενδυναμοω/endumano’o)” to serve Him (1Tim 1:12). He encourages Tim to “be strengthened (Gr. ενδυναμοω/endumano’o) by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2Tim 2:1).
The God Who Is ALWAYS with Us
Just as He did Paul, our Savior gives each one of us who follows Him His presence and His power. When everybody else bails and leaves you all alone, He is there. Remember, Jesus is God who is with us (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23). He promises to the God who is ALWAYS with us (Dt 31:6-8; Josh 1:5, 9; Mt 28:20; Heb 13:5). We may not see Him or feel Him, but our Lord is right there wherever we are, giving us His strength when our tank is on E.
Jesus doesn’t just randomly throw some supernatural strength Paul’s way for him to use as he sees fit. The apostle He does it “so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed” (v17). In other words, the Lord powers up Paul to spread the word about the salvation God is offering through His one and only Son.
Search and Rescue
Ever since his amazing encounter with the resurrected Jesus outside Damascus, the apostle formerly known as Saul has made God’s message his personal mission. What exactly is this Good News? Our gracious God created a perfect universe and put our first parents in it. We broke it all through our rebellion and disobedience.
But our Creator didn’t just throw in the towel and turn His back on us. He sends His Son on the most breathtaking search and rescue mission in history. Jesus leaves the comforts of the heavenly palace to dive into the disgusting dumpster of our sin.
Taking Our Place
By taking on human flesh, Christ lives the life of perfect obedience to the Father we’ve failed to live. He dies the brutal death for our rebellion that we should have died. But that’s not all! He rises to a glorious new life that we certainly didn’t earn.
We place our trust in Who Jesus is and what He has done that we could never do for ourselves. We also place our trust in His commands. He wants God’s best for us. Obedience to God’s Word not only gives Him glory but also unlocks the overflowing, unlimited life that our Savior promises (Jn 10:10). This is the Gospel which Paul tells Tim has been “fully proclaimed” (v17).
An Invitation to God’s Party
Then the apostle reminds his spiritual son how God has thrown the doors open to His kingdom for every people group on the planet to the party. Jesus personally handpicked Paul so that “the Gentiles might hear it” (v17). “Gentiles” is actually the Greek noun εθνος/ethnos. It’s the source of our word “ethnic.”
The term describes a people group, tribe, a multitude of people with something in common. It’s the largest unit into which the people of the world are divided based on their social or cultural community.
Paul’s Supernatural Assignment
Writers of the NT use this when talking about outsiders. Specifically, those outside the Jewish race and faith. For centuries, the Hebrew people expected God to send Messiah just for them. After all, they are God’s chosen people. But much to their surprise, He sent Messiah through the Jews to the entire world! There’s a big meeting at the home office in Jerusalem to hash this out (Acts 15:1-35).
Jesus picked Paul as His spokesman to non-Jews around the world (Acts 9:15; Rom 1:5; 15:8-12). Over and over and over again, the apostle reminds people of his supernatural assignment “the Gentiles (Gr. εθνος/ethnos)” (Rom 11:13; 15:16; Gal 1:16; 2:2; Eph 3:1, 7-8; 1Tim 2:7). If you’re a non-Jewish follower of the Jewish Messiah, you’ve got Paul to thank!
From Outsiders to Insiders
Think of Gentiles as people NOT like you. Foreigners. Outsiders. You know, THOSE people. People who speak a different language and wear weird clothes. Should we be building walls? I don’t know. But there’s one thing Jesus makes clear through Paul. He came to make outsiders insiders.
You can bet the apostle sees his various legal proceedings as a chance to spread the Gospel. He’s done it before (Acts 24:14-15, 24-25; 25:12-23). Paul leverages every opportunity he has to spread the message of grace. That’s because everybody needs a Savior (Rom 3:10-12; 3:23). You. Me. Us. Them. Only Jesus transforms outsiders into insiders.
From the Courtroom to the Circus
Paul then seems to jump from the courtroom to the circus when he says, “I was rescued from the lion’s mouth” (v17). What in the name of Barnum and Bailey is he talking about? Remember, I’m not lion when I say Rome has made the followers of Jesus the target of terror. (Yeah, you’re right. That was awful.)
This could be a literal rescue from being used as bait for the big cats in some gruesome performance. God famously saved Daniel in the lion’s den back in the day (Dan 6:26-27). Maybe he’s referring to Nero specifically or his Roman authorities in general. While we can’t be sure from the text, it is clear that God had brought the apostle through a slew of close calls and brushes with death (2Cor 4:8-12; 11:23-28).
From the Penthouse to the Outhouse
Has your life been a series of wild swings? One moment you’re in the penthouse and the next in the outhouse. One moment folks give you the key to the city and the next their locking you up. One moment you’re surrounded by friends and the next you’re all alone.
No matter your situation, Jesus is there. He stands by you. He stands with you. He gives you His presence. He gives you His power. Just ask Paul.
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