Wednesday, March 6, 2013

2 Timothy (The beginning of apostasy)

Here are a few excerpts from my study of 1 Timothy. The complete study, along with other Bible book studies, can be found at http://www.graceevangel.org/Other/BibleBooks.htm



All were turned away (1:15)

Of this you are aware, that all those in the province of Asia were turned from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. This passage should shock us! Is not Paul considered the missionary apostle, who took Christianity to the nations … planting and nurturing churches? Is it not the understanding of modern-day Christianity that Paul’s work continued to flourish and grow into the churches of our day? Yet we see here that Paul’s work took a huge step back near the end of his life and ministry. There was an apostasy … a falling away. All in Asia had turned from him and from the truth he taught. Looking again at 1:13, when Paul said: Have a pattern of sound words, which you hear from me … we see that as the majority turned away from Paul they were turning away from the sound words proclaimed by Paul.

At what point did the organized church recover from this setback? At what point following Paul’s life did the majority of believers finally get it right, and stand for the truth. In Paul’s day truth is apparently in the hands of the minority, like Timothy and a select few … with the majority having turned from the truth. I would contend that since Paul’s day the organized church has continued in apostasy from the truth. Yes, there are believers that can be found in the pews of churches around the world … but the preachers, teachers, scholars, authors and other leaders within the organized church cannot be trusted for understanding and teaching the truth. Brothers and sisters, we are on our own. We cannot trust the organized church that is in apostasy from the truth, regardless of the denomination. All those in the province of Asia were turned from me. We must seek truth from the Scriptures, properly and carefully handled, with a focus on having a pattern of sound words.


Correctly cut the word of truth (2:15)

Endeavor to present yourself to God qualified, an unashamed worker, correctly cutting the word of truth. This goes beyond memorizing Scripture and applying it in superficial ways, ignoring the context. It is to know in which situations a Scriptural reference applies, and when it does not. As an example, to correctly cut the word of truth means we cannot take a Scripture directed to Israel and assume that it applies to the body of Christ. It may have been a word intended for a particular group of people at a particular point in time.


Come quickly (4:9)

Paul pleads with Timothy to come to him quickly, for he has been forsaken and abandoned by Demas, Crescens and Titus … and only Luke remains with him. Those forsaking Paul were loving the current eon more than the evangel and the things of God. Timothy is asked to bring with him Mark … and to bring the travelling cloak which I left in Troas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the vellums. (4:13) Travelling cloak could be a reference to a covering for the scrolls and vellums … writings Paul wished to preserve knowing his death was imminent, and knowing that the majority were already turning away from correct doctrine. How could truth be preserved after Paul’s death?

Ernest Martin, in his book, The Original Bible Restored, argues that when Paul wrote to Timothy his primary goal was that sound doctrine be preserved after his death. Therefore it was necessary for the apostles to leave behind an official documentation of truth. It would not make sense that the apostles would simply die and allow “church leaders” to set Scriptural standards. If they couldn’t trust the doctrines of many in their midst while they still lived, how could they depend on them to preserve correct doctrine in the future?

We know that many in Paul’s day were writing “gospels” (see Luke 1:1 and note the many publications in our present day that purport to be “lost scriptures”). There was a danger of losing the truth altogether if the apostles did not act to leave behind some official documentation.

Martin notes that Paul wanted John Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark, to come with Timothy to perform a “service.” John Mark was at times an associate of Paul, but he was more closely tied to Peter who refers to him as “my son” (1 Peter 5:13). When asking Timothy to bring Mark, he also asks him to bring the traveling cloak which I left in Troas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the vellums (4:13). Cloak could refer to a receptacle for the scrolls and vellums (or parchments), much like the cover for a book, or a case. Martin hypothesizes that knowing his death was approaching, Paul asks Timothy and Mark to come to Rome with certain specific writings (the scrolls and vellums), and the “service” Paul intended for Mark was perhaps to take Paul’s inspired writings to Peter for inclusion in the Scriptural canon.

In light of the apostasy growing within the ecclesia, Paul’s impending death, and his concern for the preservation of truth, Martin’s hypothesis seems to make great sense. And while we cannot be sure that Martin is correct on all counts, one thing is certain … Paul sees the preservation of correct doctrine as essential.


SUMMARY.
_________

Consider the change that has taken place between the writing of 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. In 1 Timothy there were false teachers in the midst of the ecclesia (1:3-7), but Paul still emphasized the leadership of the body by supervisors and servants … bishops and deacons in the Authorized Version (chapter 3). Paul warned that in latter times some would depart from the faith (4:1). But still, elders that ruled well were to be honored (5:17).

But in 2 Timothy we hear that all in Asia had turned away (1:15). Instead of mentioning supervisors, servants or elders within the ecclesia, Timothy was instructed to commit the truth fo faithful men (2:2). Leaders such as Hymenaeus and Philetus were leading some astray, teaching that the resurrection had already occurred (2:18). Whereas 1 Timothy provided characteristics to be found within supervisor and servants who would lead the ecclesia, in 2 Timothy we simply read that a servant of the Lord was to be gentle and meek (2:24). Deceit and apostasy within the ecclesia were growing. In the last days, perilous times were to come (3:1). There would be a form of godliness that denied the power (3:5). Evil men would grow worse … and this referred to men within the ecclesia who would be deceiving and being deceived (3:13). The time would come when “they” (those within the ecclesia) would not endure sound doctrine (4:3). Demas, Crescens and Titus forsook Paul, preferring the present world (4:10).

And so we note the transition between a somewhat organized structure within the ecclesia in 1 Timothy … with an emphasis on supervisors and servants (bishops and deacons) … and the absence of structure in 2 Timothy where we see an emphasis on the individual servant of the Lord, and committing the truth to faithful men. And in the midst of this growing apostasy within the ecclesia … even within the leadership of the ecclesia … Paul knew his death was drawing near (4:6). So he makes provision for Timothy and Mark to gather his writings and to bring them to him, where he would make arrangements for these writings to be preserved after his death, in order that the truth might be preserved in the midst of growing apostasy (4:12).


With all of this in mind, does it not cause us to question the teachings propagated by the leaders within the organized church today? At what point following Paul’s death did the apostasy cease? At what point was spiritual truth, as proclaimed by Paul, finally recognized and taught by the majority within the church?


Charles Welch (Christian theologian and writer 1888-1967) observed that 2 Timothy reveals a church in ruins, and the discipline that was possible when the church was intact was no longer effective. So Timothy is instructed to exercise discipline upon himself, not upon others. (See 2:19; 3:5) Beware of the organized church. Seeks truth from the Scriptures, questioning doctrine being taught by the majority. Remember that even in Paul’s day, near the end of his life, the majority had rejected the truth and were in apostasy.

1 comment:

  1. Bob, I think your studies are well presented, and I hope readers will go on to read more of what you write on your website. I too favor a general reading centering around doctrines like right division, God becoming All in All and the importance of purging ourselves from the contemporary dishonor presenting itself today.

    While I would agree with what you share about the "organized church" and I continue to use the term myself; I have begun to think that the organized church itself is more of a revered outgrowth of the apostasy grown through the peddling motives spoken to in 2 Cor. 2:17. These peddling networks certainly compromise doctrine, but also promote a positional, clergy caste vs laity caste thinking. Dubious titles are appropriated so the peddler can credential himself with the church structure of Paul's early ministry that you mentioned.

    So I've thought that well intentioned otherwise sincere people might enter service to the organized church with the heady promise of becoming religious professionals. But perhaps in time find they must spin certain insincerities to sustain the advantage the institutions bring them. They tend to become minor local celebrities and social engineers, appending a requisite religious message aimed at promoting their denomination, paycheck and continued relevance as ordained elites.

    So even among those inheriting some of the best expressions of the Word of God (right division, UR etc), one finds these doctrines too can be packaged up into various peddled commodities and plied to satiate the marketing goals of a clever peddler. But that the teachings, in these cases, might be actually helpful, seems more an ancillary effect of the views they've inherited from others, rather than the apex of intent. But I think in some cases we can thank God for the happy accident.

    The insincerity of these peddlers -- outside the organized church -- can be just as crass and shameless in their self-credentialing schemes as those within. Online, I've watched a few of them encourage their followings to a near bloodlust of excitement as they unkindly stomp on the infirmed in the faith... within the 'organized church'. I don't believe God calls us to jump on any such bandwagons or validate dishonorable leaders like these; whether they are hid within the larger peddler's network of the Organized Church, or are better suited to being freelance frauds outside of it.

    The sincere recognize when God has taken them to a better understanding, even if they are only moving from one corrupting peddler, to a peddler with better wares (or doctrines). Attempting to take on a celebrity peddler's insincerity before the infirmed just makes them martyrs; and mobilizes their followers to an indignation that has them styling you as an enemy of "THE TRUTH" (they, of course, as the peddlers 'chum' have 'arrived'). Bob I think your bible studies are helpful. And I hope many come to see the truth in the scriptures you present.

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