Having greeted Timothy, Paul reminded him of the faith that he, his mother, and grandmother all had. Reminding him of that, Paul now transitions to the main premise of this entire letter.
Fan into Flame
Paul now tells Timothy what needs to take place so he can endure the suffering that may come with being an “overseer” in Christ’s Church. Within Paul’s words is the implication that Timothy wasn’t fulfilling his pastoral duties as he should have because Timothy’s fear and timidity.
Read 2 Timothy 1:6-7
- What does Paul tell Timothy to do?
“fan into flame”: Greek, anazopureo, meaning to rekindle, kindle afresh, or kindle into flame. In Timothy’s case, he already had the “gift of God.” So, this wasn’t kindling into flame something that wasn’t there, but bringing to a full blaze that “gift of God.”
Paul used a present-tense infinitive verb, denoting that this “fanning into flame” was something that was to be ongoing in Timothy’s life.
This is the only place where the New Testament uses anazopureo. In the Old Testament, we only find two uses of this verb:
- Genesis 45:27 (Septuagint): Anazopureo describes Jacob’s change of heart when he learned that his son, Joseph, was no longer dead but alive.
- 1 Maccabees 13:7: After Israel had lost its military leader, Jonathan, the people became despondent, with a large foreign army at its borders. A new leader arises, Simon, who gave hope to the people, reviving their spirits. Anazopureo describes that change.
This “fanning into flame” is a dramatic change from the despondency of “why bother” into knowing that everything will be all right.
- What was the “gift of God” that Paul tell Timothy to “fan into flame”?
- How did Timothy get that gift? (See also 1 Timothy 4:14)
- What do we call that?
Excursus: “spirit” or “Spirit”
If Paul meant “spirit,” then Timothy received an attitude of “power, love, and self-control.” If Paul meant “Spirit,” then Timothy received the Holy Spirit, a divine source of “power, love, and self-control.” Grammatically, one cannot make the case for one meaning over the other.
The Biblical Background of “Fanning into Flame”: Jacob was revivified, “fanned into flame,” when something outside of himself came to him—news that his son, Joseph, was alive! The people of Israel moved from despondency to hope, “fanned into flame,” when a new leader arose and gave them hope. “Fanning into flame” took place when something external came to someone, causing such a change. Both biblical uses of “fanning into flame” show something external that brought that about, which supports the meaning of “Spirit,” not “spirit.”
Immediate Context: If Timothy needed to “fan into flame” an attitude that he had received, then he would have to turn inward to fan this attitude into flame. This would provide him little consolation, for it would tell him what he needed to do (the Law) but not give him the ability to do that. “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
However, if this “fanning into flame” was something that came to Timothy, outside of himself, that enabled him to do that, then he would have hope in his despondency. The immediate context of these two verses supports “Spirit” over “spirit.”
Intra-Chapter Context: Within the context of 2 Timothy, chapter 1, we find that Paul clearly meant the Holy Spirit. In the next verse, 2 Timothy 1:8, Paul says that Timothy can endure, not by an attitude within him (“spirit”), but by “the power of God.” That’s the Holy Spirit. Even more, still referring to the pastoral tasks that Timothy had to do, Paul wrote, “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (1 Timothy 1:14).
New-Testament Context: In the New Testament, we find no place where someone receives an attitude or attribute through the laying on of hands. But we do find instances where someone does receive the Holy Spirit through such an act: Acts 8:17 (confirmation), 13:2-3, 19:4-6 (confirmation).
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- Discuss: Since Timothy is to “fan into flame” the gift of the Holy Spirit that he received through the laying on of hands, what does that say about the dynamic nature of the Holy Spirit?
- Discuss: Where and how would Timothy “fan into flame” the gift of the Holy Spirit that He received to serve as an “overseer”?
Do not be Ashamed; instead, Suffer and Guard the Deposit
Read 2 Timothy 1:8
“testimony about our Lord”: Greek, marturion, that which someone saw or experienced first-hand.
- Timothy was not old enough to see Jesus with his own eyes. How then did he receive the “testimony about our Lord”?
- Paul was a prisoner in Rome when Nero was emperor. Yet, whose prisoner does Paul say He is?
- What does that say about Paul’s understanding of:
- What God has given him to do, even in prison?
- How God works even in the bad events of someone’s life?
- How does this help us understand the nature of what we believe “about our Lord”?
- Why was Timothy to “share in suffering”?
- What enabled Timothy to persevere?
Read 2 Timothy 1:9a
- Paul said that God in His power not only saved them [Paul and Timothy], but also did what?
- If God called Timothy to be a pastor/“overseer,” then what was the big deal about Timothy receiving the gift of the Spirit through the laying on of hands? Discuss.
- Why is a man not a pastor? Why is he a pastor?
Read 2 Timothy 9b-12a
- God not only “saved” someone “before the ages began,” but even chose whom He would call to serve as a pastor (vs. 9b). How would this truth help bolster Timothy and all pastors in their travails?
- Why did Paul say that he suffered as he did? (vs. 10-12a)
- Although Christ Jesus “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light,” how does what Jesus did become someone’s salvation? (vs. 10b-11)
- Discuss Paul’s understanding as pastors as “the means for the means of grace”?
Read 2 Timothy 1:12b
- In whom does Paul trust?
- What has God entrusted to Paul?
- Who will guard or preserve what God has entrusted to Paul? Until when?
- If God is the one who is preserving the Gospel, who has entrusted it to those whom He has called, ordained, and appointed to preach and teach it, what comfort does that give to Timothy and the pastors who follow?
- When will the Gospel no longer be needed?
Read 2 Timothy 1:13-14
- What is the deposit that Timothy is to guard?
- What will enable him to do that?
“Follow… guard”: Exo, to hold on to something and not let it go. This is an imperative verb, a command. Phulasso, watch, guard, defend. This in another imperative verb, a command.
An Example of Those Who Were Ashamed of Paul
Read 2 Timothy 1:15
- Based on what Paul write about Phygelus and Hermogenes, what had he experienced?
Read 2 Timothy 1:16-17
- Unlike Phygelus and Hermogenes, how did Onesiphorus treat Paul?
