Reliable Sources

“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.

Here’s a cool observation I ran across when digging into this verse. John MacArthur points out that from Paul to Tim to faithful men to those would they tell covers FOUR generations! If Paul is Timothy’s spiritual son (1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 1:2), then the faithful folks he finds are the next generation. And once they pass along the story of Jesus, the apostle has great grandchildren in the faith! Talk about leaving a legacy that lives on!! All because of reliable sources.

Motives and the Message

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice” (Philippians 1:15-18).

TV journalists come in all shapes and sizes. They have all sorts of motivations. Some have a spotless reputation and are totally trustworthy. For these men and women, the story is the star. They get out of the way in order to get the message out. Edward R. Murrow is the poster boy. On the other end are those whose motivations are, shall we say, not so pure. They’re out to make a buck. They want to make themselves the star, not the story. But here’s the deal. In the end, the basic message gets out despite the motivation. The folks watching at home don’t know what’s driving the anchors, reporters, videographers, and producers.  

Stuck behind bars in Rome, Paul sees the same thing going on. No, he’s not critiquing Scott Pelley and Brian Williams on the network news. He’s watching God use the various messengers tell others about Jesus. Some are greedy. Some are hucksters. Some are conmen. Others broadcast the Good News because it’s the greatest news anyone will ever hear. They make it the lead story because Jesus is the real Hero and His story is truly the star. From his spot in the cellblock, the apostle can see something crazy. As long as the truth about Christ is the central part of the message, the motivation  doesn’t matter. He doesn’t care if they have mixed motives. He’s excited because they’re making Jesus famous!

Let’s quickly take a look inside these two news operations. Paul tells his friends back in Philippi, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry” (v15). These preachers are more concerned about beating other preachers. They see other churches and ministers as rivals and the competition. They define winning by having more success than the church down the street. These knuckleheads don’t understand that sharing the message of Jesus is a team sport. They miss the point that we’re all playing for the same squad. This isn’t Duke-Carolina. It’s not Cubs-Cards. Same team. Same Jesus. Same message. 

Paul also understands that on one end of the spectrum some “proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict my imprisonment” (v27). They might be telling the world about Jesus but their intentions are, shall we say, less than honorable. They’re selfish. A little bit later, the apostle makes it clear that the followers of Jesus are to “do nothing from selfish ambition” (Phil 2:3). That’s exactly the opposite of the kind of life Christ calls us to live. His amazing grace motivates us to lead a “me third” life. God first. Others second. Me third. When you’re hoping that Jesus’ handpicked apostle stays in jail even longer, you’ve got issues.

The man from Tarsus wants his readers to know that these greedy preachers have a hidden agenda. They preach “in pretense” (v18). The Gospel is just a front for their con. Ultimately, it’s just a scam. But they’re not pulling a fast one on the Sovereign God of the universe. He knows EXACTLY what they’re up to. And He’s using grift to spread the Gospel. 

Here’s where Paul’s 2,000-year-old letter gets rather personal. This sort of rivalry and competition still goes on today among churches. We measure our success by our individual size. There’s this crazy idea that megachurches compete against each other in some sort of MMA octagon. The other church is NOT the enemy! We can’t let Satan dupe us into fighting our teammates. We’re playing for the same team! We’re following the same Lord! Stop trying to rustle sheep from the other flock and start sharing the love of Jesus with a lost and dying world. Don’t you think this was a big reason why Christ told His boys that our love for one another will announce to the world that we’re His followers (Jn 13:34-35). We’re not loving each other when we’re trying to defeat each other. 

Let’s take a quick look at those who have Paul’s endorsement. They’re broadcasting the Good News “from good will” (v15). They want God’s best for others (note the “God first, others second, me third” priority!). These preachers “do it out of love” (v16). Robertson encourages us to shine the flashlight of 1st Corinthians 13 on this verse for a better idea of what these folks did. They share the Gospel with patience and kindness, without arrogance and pride. Ultimately, these men and women pursue their mission “in truth” (v18). This is in stark contrast to the con of the greedy preachers. These folks are transparent, open, and honest. They’re willing to share their own shortcomings, failures, and sins. That’s because their message is about Jesus, not about how cool and together they are. 

What’s my motivation for sharing the Good News? Is it so I can add another notch to my Gospel gun belt? Or do I tell others about our Hero out of “good will” (v15)? Am I inspired “out of love” (v16), my love for Jesus and my love for others? Finally, do broadcast the Gospel to those around me “in truth” (v18)? Am I honest and open about my own struggles and battles? Am I transparent about who I am without Jesus? 

In the end, motivations don’t matter to those receiving the message. As long as Jesus is the point of the story, that’s what matters. God will see to that. Twice Paul uses the Greek verb kataggello in this passage (translated proclaim in verses 17-18). It means to announce, declare, make known, or report. It literally describes speaking a message from or about something or someone. In this case, that something is the Gospel and that Someone is Jesus. Dr. Luke uses this word when describing how Paul and his posse announce story of Christ all around the Mediterranean rim. On the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:5). At Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:38). On his second tour (Acts 15:36). In Philippi (Acts 16:17, 21). Over in Thessalonica (Acts 17:3). Down the road in Berea (Acts 17:13). On Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:23). Even before King Agrippa (Acts 26:23).

No matter the motive, God is going to use the message being preached. When folks tell others that Jesus is our Hero and our only means of rescue, that’s what matters the most. Some of these messengers may be motivated by greed, status, or power. Others burn with a deep and passionate desire for everyone to hear the life-changing and life-saving grace of Christ. For the listener, motive doesn’t matter. It’s all about the message.