“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2Tim 2:2)
Journalists must trust their sources. It’s critical to the accuracy of any report. Where would Woodward and Bernstein be without the legendary “Deep Throat”? When a reporter can rely on his or her source, the public can have confidence in the story.
Okay, I realize the news media is not exactly seen as a great bastion of credibility these days. I get that. Too many overzealous journalists so fired up to break the big story that they lean on dubious sources and play fast and loose with the facts. But back in the day, you could take it to the bank if you read it in the New York Times or heard it from Walter Cronkite. Not any more.
Long before Spotlight or Watergate made headlines, Paul wanted Timothy to have the utmost confidence in the news he was passing along. “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to to faithful men who will be able to teach others” (v2). Tim can trust the news he’s heard from the apostle. He can trust the source. Now he’s to keep his eyes and ears out for folks he can rely on to keep the message moving forward. When it comes to the Good News, it’s critical that we can trust our sources.
When we understand the context of this verse, we’ll see that it’s vital that the message moves forward. Paul is in Rome, locked up in Caesar’s SuperMax, otherwise known as the Mamertine Prison. He’s writing a letter to his young protege Timothy while he sits on Death Row. The apostle knows his time is rapidly running out (2Tim 4:6-7). While he desperately hopes for one last visit from his good buddy (2Tim 4:9, 21), Paul encourages Tim to lean on the power of God’s grace as he continues telling people about Jesus (2Tim 2:1).
First of all, the former Pharisee reminds the young pastor that he can trust his source. He can rely on “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses” (v2). Tim has had a front row seat for Paul’s teaching so many times that he’s probably lost count. He first hooked up with the apostle several years ago when the Gospel tour made a stop in his hometown of Lystra (Acts 16:1-5). Before Tim knew what hit him, he was studying under the dude the Lord personally picked to tell non-Jews everywhere the Good News.
Every place they stopped, Paul talks about the grace of God expressed in His Son Jesus. He lets them know that Christ is the answer to the problem religion has been trying to solve for thousands of years. Religion is our futile attempt to get to God. It’s futile because we can’t get there without 100% obedience to God’s rules. Break one and we’ve broken them all, according to Jesus’ kid brother James (James 2:10).
But placing your faith in our Savior is does just the opposite. Instead of trying to work our way to God, He comes to us. Christ does for us what we could never do…even when our lives depend on it. He lived the perfect life for us, died in our place, and strolled right out of the empty tomb. I don’t care what kind of mad skills you have up your sleeve. You can’t pull off anything that awesome.
The most amazing thing about Jesus is that He gives you and me credit for everything He does and takes our hot mess off our hands (2Cor 5:21). That’s the message Tim has heard Paul spread in city after city around the Mediterranean Rim. Timothy can trust his source. The apostle heard it straight for Jesus Himself (Gal 1:12). It doesn’t get any better than that.
A couple of important things we don’t want to miss about what Tim has heard. First of all, Paul uses words. Well, duh! Okay, work with me here. The apostle makes a point of speaking about Jesus out loud. You may have heard the old saying, “Preach the Gospel constantly. Use words when necessary.” I appreciate the sentiment. We SHOULD let our actions speak for us. We should live lives of love. But at some point words ARE necessary for others to know the Good News. No one will ever understand why you do what you do without an explanation.
The other subtle point Paul makes is that he consistently helps folks understand what he’s talking about. He explains what it means to place your trust in Jesus. He unpacks what the life of a Christ follower looks like and feels like. The apostle has a great way of putting the cookies on the bottom shelf. That does NOT mean he waters down the Gospel. But he illustrates and helps folks apply the grace of Jesus.
How about you? Don’t feel like you need to tote a ten-pound theological textbook with you to explain the Good News. It doesn’t take a slew of impressive sounding five syllable words to do the trick. If you’re like me, chances are you don’t know what they mean anyway. All you need to do is understand the concepts behind them. And when in doubt, go back to the basics. God made a perfect universe. We jacked it all up. Jesus came to our rescue.
Paul mentions to Tim about “the presence of many witnesses” (v2) he’s had the privilege of speaking to. The Greek word for “witness” (Gr. martus) has a couple of meanings. It can describe one who testifies to facts in a legal setting. When the religious bullies railroaded Jesus, He boldly announced He was indeed Messiah and would soon take a seat next to His Heavenly Dad. That’s when the high priest blew a gasket. “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses (Gr. martus) do we need?” (Mt 26:65).
It can possibly a person who tells others something they know directly and personally. In other words, somebody with firsthand knowledge. Just before He headed home to heaven, the resurrected Christ told His followers how He would give them His Holy Spirit so that “you will be My witnesses (Gr. martus) in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When Judas Iscariot broke bad, the apostles had an opening on their roster. A key requirement for his replacement was that he be “a witness (Gr. martus) to the resurrection” (Acts 1:22).
It can also be used when talking about a martyr. In this context, it’s one who tells what he knows even though it may result in death. Our Savior gave His buddy John a sneak peek at the end of the story and gave him a glimpse of a nasty prostitute dripping with “the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs (Gr. martus) of Jesus” (Rev 17:9). So the meaning of the word also carries the idea of someone so impacted by the grace of God that they are willing tell others about Christ even though it could well be fatal.
As a follower of Jesus, I’m a witness. More than a fan in the stands. More than a spectator. I’m actively involved in what He’s doing. I have the privilege of telling others what I’ve seen Him do in my life and through my life. How about you? What’s He been up to in your life? I know, I know. You don’t want to brag. But remember, this isn’t about you. It’s about Him. And it’s ALL about Him! This isn’t meant to put you on a guilt trip but a witness who doesn’t testify isn’t of any value to anyone else. While people may not be able to swallow some of the stuff in the Bible, they have a heard time doubting what’s happened in your life. They can trust the source.
While Paul certainly doesn’t want Tim to limit the audience of the Gospel, he wants him to keep an eye out for people who with a very special set skills. No, we’re not talking about Liam Neeson’s character from “Taken.” The apostle wants his spiritual son to “entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (v2). These folks need to be trustworthy and reliable. It’s important to keep the Good News good. One hundred percent grace. A zero tolerance policy against works. Those who teach must have a figure-four leg lock on the core of the message. People must be able to trust the source.
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