EXEGESIS AND EXPOSITION OF SECOND TIMOTHY 3:14-15

Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr. WENSTROM MINISTRIES Marion, Iowa

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries

Exegesis and Exposition of Second Timothy 3:14-15

Second Timothy 3:14

Timothy Must Continue in the Things He has Learned

2 Timothy 3:14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them. (NASB95) “You, however, continue in the things you have learned” is composed of the following: (1) nominative second person singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “you” (2) conjunction de (δέ), “but” (3) second person singular present active imperative form of the verb menō (μένω), “continue” (4) preposition en (ἐν), “in” (5) dative neuter plural form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), “the things” (6) second person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb manthanō (μανθάνω), “you have learned.” The post-positive conjunction de is introducing a statement that stands in contrast with Paul’s previous statement in Second Timothy 3:13 which asserts that evil people as well as charlatans will become progressively worse while regularly deceiving as well as regularly being deceived. Therefore, the contrast is between Timothy’s faithfulness to Paul’s apostolic teaching and the unfaithfulness of these unrepentant apostate pastor-teachers in the Roman province of whom Paul describes in Second Timothy 3:13 as “charlatans.” The apostle Paul does not use the strong adversative conjunction alla here in Second Timothy 3:14 but rather the post-positive conjunction de since he is not contrasting two fundamentally different groups of people but rather the same group, namely pastor-teachers in the Roman province of Asia. Timothy was faithful to Paul’s apostolic teaching but many were not. The personal pronoun su means “you” referring of course to Timothy. The word functions as a nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the menō, “continue.” It is used for emphasis by Paul and involves a contrast. Here the word emphasizes Timothy’s faithfulness to Paul’s apostolic teaching in contrast with those pastors in the Roman province of Asia who were unfaithful and charlatans. The verb menō is employed in a figurative sense and means “to live in, to be active in, to abide in, to conform to” and is used in relation to Paul’s apostolic teaching as well as the teaching from the Old Testament which he received from his grandmother and mother Eunice. Therefore, the verb denotes Timothy “conforming” to the standard of those teachings which he had learned from Paul’s teaching and exemplifying the and the teaching of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice from the Old Testament which they exemplified. Thus, Timothy was to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 teachings which he received learned through instruction and observation from Paul as well as his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. The present imperative form of the verb menō is a “customary present imperative” whose force is for Timothy to simply continue making it his habit of conforming to the teaching which he had learned from Paul and his mother and grandmother through instruction and observation. The present imperative is a command for action to be continued, action that may or may not have already been going on. It is often a character building command to the effect of “make this your habit,” “train yourself in this, discipline yourself.” This is the use of the present imperative in general precepts. The present imperative of menō means, “to continue making it your habit of” conforming to the code of those teachings which he had received from Paul and his mother and grandmother through instruction and observation. The active voice of the verb menō is a simple active indicating that Timothy is the recipient of this command and is to perform the action of making it his habit of conforming to the code of conduct which he had learned from Paul and his mother and grandmother through instruction and observation. The relative pronoun hos is in the plural and means “those things which” referring to the instruction Timothy received from both Paul and his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois with regards to living a godly life. This word is the object of the preposition en, which is a marker of a standard meaning this word is specifying the rule or code of conduct. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that Timothy was to continue making it his habit of conforming to the code of those teachings which he had learned from Paul and his mother and grandmother through instruction and observation. The verb manthanō means “to learn” since it pertains to acquiring information as the result of instruction, whether in a formal or informal context as well as through observation. The word is used here with regards to the code of those teachings which Paul and Timothy’s grandmother and mother communicated to Timothy. Therefore, the word speaks of Timothy learning how to live a godly life through instruction from Paul and his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as well as through observing them put their teaching into practice. The aorist tense of this verb is a constative aorist describing in summary fashion Timothy learning how to live a godly life by being instructed by Paul, his grandmother and mother as well as observing them put their teaching into practice. The active voice indicates that Timothy as the subject performed the action of this verb in learning how to live a godly life by being instructed by Paul, his grandmother and mother as well as observing them put their teaching into practice. The indicative mood of the verb is declarative presenting this assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement.

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Timothy Must Continue in the Things He has Become Convinced of

2 Timothy 3:14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them. (NASB95) “And become convinced of” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (2) second person singular aorist passive indicative form of the verb pistoō (πιστόω), “become convinced of.” The conjunction kai is emphatic meaning it is introducing the verb pistoō, “become convinced of” which is advancing upon and intensifying Paul’s previous assertion that Timothy received instruction from Paul. The advancement and intensification is that not only did Timothy learn through instruction and observation the code of those teachings from Paul and his mother and grandmother but he also had a conviction regarding this code of these teachings. In other words, he was convinced by what he learned from Paul’s example as well as the example of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. The verb pistoō means “to become convinced of” and is used in reference to Timothy learning from the apostle Paul and his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice through instruction and observation as to how to live a godly life. Therefore, the word denotes that Timothy “became convinced of” the code of those teachings which he received through instruction from Paul and his mother and grandmother by observing them put their teaching into practice. In other words, he entered into the state of being convinced of the way a Christian should live from Paul’s example and his mother and grandmother. Thus, it speaks of conviction regarding Paul’s teaching and his grandmother and mother teaching from the Old Testament as a result of observing them put this teaching into practice. The aorist tense of this verb is an ingressive aorist which is used to stress the beginning of an action or the entrance into a particular state. Here it speaks of Timothy entering into the state of being convinced by what Paul and his mother and grandmother taught him as a result of observing all three put this teaching into practice in their lives. The passive voice of the verb pistoō is a “divine passive.” The passive voice means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. The subject here is Timothy and the object is the godly conduct of Paul, his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice which was the result of applying their teaching. The unexpressed agency is the Holy Spirit. Thus, the passive voice of the verb pistoō indicates that Timothy received the action of entering into the state of being convinced by the Holy Spirit that the teaching of Paul, his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice was the truth as a result of observing all three put their teaching into practice.

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The indicative mood of the verb is declarative presenting this assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement. At this point in the verse, Paul is employing the figure of ellipsis meaning he is deliberately omitting the dative neuter plural form of the relative pronoun hos, which is clearly implied from the previous command. The word refers to the instruction that Timothy received from Paul as well as his grandmother and mother. It is functioning as an dative direct object meaning that Timothy as the subject is receiving the action of being convinced by the teaching of Paul, his mother and grandmother. The word would be used in the dative case to emphasize the personal relationship between Timothy and the teaching of Paul and his mother and grandmother.

Timothy Was Taught by Paul

2 Timothy 3:14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them. (NASB95) “Knowing from whom you have learned them” is composed of the following: (1) nominative masculine singular perfect active participle form of the verb oida (οἶδα), “knowing” (2) preposition para (παρά), “from” (3) genitive masculine plural form of the interrogative pronoun tis (τις), “whom” (4) second person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb manthanō (μανθάνω), “you have learned.” The verb oida means “to know for certain, to know without a doubt” since it pertains to having knowledge of something to the extent of having no doubt about the matter. Here it is used with Timothy as its subject and the example of Paul, his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as its object. Therefore, this word indicates that Timothy “knew first-hand” from whom he learned how to live a godly life. The perfect tense of the verb oida is a “perfect with a present force” demonstrating little distinction between the act and its results since the verb is a “stative” verb emphasizing a state. It emphasizes Timothy’s state of certainty of knowing without a doubt from whom he learned to live a godly life. The active voice is a stative active indicating that the subject is existing in the state indicated by this verb. This would mean that Timothy existed in the state of knowing first-hand from whom he learned to live a godly life. The participle form of the verb is a causal participle meaning it indicates the cause or the reason or basis of the action of the finite verb which in our context is the second person singular present active imperative form of the verb menō. Therefore, the verb oida presents the basis or the reason for the previous command for Timothy to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard or code of those teachings which he had learned from Paul, his grandmother Lois and

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4 mother Eunice and indeed had become convinced of through their example. Thus Timothy should obey this command “because” he knew first-hand from whom he received this instruction on how to live a godly life. This participle must be interpreted in light of Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 1:5 and Second Timothy 3:10-11. Therefore, Timothy was to continue making it his habit of conforming to the code of conduct which he had learned from Paul and his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice and indeed had become convinced of because he knew first-hand from whom he learned through instruction and observation this code of conduct. The genitive masculine plural form of the interrogative pronoun tis, which means “whom” referring to the apostle Paul as well as Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. It is the object of the preposition para, means “from” since it is functioning as a marker of source. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that Paul’s example as well as the example of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice was the source from which Timothy knew first-hand how to live a godly life. Once again we have the verb manthanō which as it did the first time in this verse means “to learn” since it pertains to acquiring information as the result of introduction and observation. The word is used here with regards to the code of conduct which Paul and his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice exemplified for Timothy. Therefore, the word speaks of Timothy learning how to live a godly life by receiving instruction from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as well as Paul. It also speaks of learning how to live a godly life from their example. The aorist tense of this verb is a constative aorist describing in summary fashion Timothy learning how to live a godly life by instruction from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as well as Paul and from their example. The active voice indicates that Timothy as the subject performed the action of this verb in learning through instruction and observing his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as well as Paul. The indicative mood of the verb is declarative presenting this assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement.

Translation of Second Timothy 3:14

Second Timothy 3:14 You however in contrast to them continue making it your habit of conforming to the standard of those things which you have learned through instruction and observation, indeed have become convinced of, because you certainly know from whom you have learned through instruction and observation. (Author’s translation)

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Exposition of Second Timothy 3:14

The command Paul issues Timothy here in Second Timothy 3:14 stands in contrast with his previous statement in Second Timothy 3:13 which asserts that evil people as well as charlatans will become progressively worse while regularly deceiving as well as regularly being deceived. These evil people are a reference to the apostate Christians living during the last days during the church age who Paul describes in detail in Second Timothy 3:2-5. The charlatans are a reference to the unrepentant apostate pastor-teachers living during the church age whose character and actions are described by Paul in Second Timothy 3:6-9. Paul in Second Timothy 3:5 orders Timothy to continue disassociating himself from these men. Now, here in Second Timothy 3:14 Paul commands Timothy to making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation and indeed had become convinced of because he knew first-hand from whom he had learned through instruction and observation. Therefore, the contrast is between Timothy’s faithfulness to Paul’s apostolic teaching and the unfaithfulness of these unrepentant apostate pastor-teachers in the Roman province of Asia. Specifically, the contrast is between the godly conduct of Timothy and the ungodly conduct of the unrepentant apostate pastor-teachers in the Roman province of Asia. Here in Second Timothy 3:14, Paul commands Timothy to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those teachings which he had learned from Paul’s teaching and exemplifying the gospel. He was not only to conform to Paul’s teaching and example but also continue to make it his habit of conforming to the teaching of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice from the Old Testament and which teaching they exemplified for Timothy. Thus, Timothy was to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those teachings which he had learned through instruction and observation from Paul as well as his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. As we noted, the relative pronoun hos is in the plural and means “those things which” referring to the instruction Timothy received from both Paul and his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. This word is the object of the preposition en, which is a marker of a standard meaning this word is specifying the rule or code of conduct. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that Timothy was to continue making it his habit of conforming to the code of those teachings which he had learned from Paul and his mother and grandmother through instruction and observation. Timothy learned how to live a godly life through instruction from Paul and his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as well as through observing them put their teaching into practice.

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Paul then advances up this by asserting that Timothy had become convinced of the code of these teachings which he received through instruction from Paul and his mother and grandmother by observing them put their teaching into practice. In other words, he entered into the state of being convinced of the way a Christian should live from Paul’s example and his mother and grandmother. Thus, Paul is speaking of Timothy having a conviction regarding Paul’s teaching and the teaching of his grandmother and mother from the Old Testament as a result of observing them put this teaching into practice. Timothy received this conviction from the Holy Spirit as a result of observing all three put their teaching into practice. The apostle Paul then presents the basis or the reason for the previous command for Timothy to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard or code of those teachings which he had learned from Paul, his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice and indeed had become convinced of through their example. Timothy should obey this command because he knew first-hand from whom he received this instruction on how to live a godly life. This causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14 must be interpreted in light of Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 1:5 and Second Timothy 3:10-11. Therefore, Timothy was to continue making it his habit of conforming to the code of conduct which he had learned from Paul and his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice and indeed had become convinced of because he knew first-hand that from these three he learned through instruction and observation this code of conduct. Timothy thus knew first-hand from these three as to how to live a godly life. Paul’s example as well as the example of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice was the source from which Timothy knew first-hand how to live a godly life. Timothy learned how to live a godly life by receiving instruction from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice as well as Paul. He also learned from their example. The command in Second Timothy 3:14 and the reason for it are designed to encourage Timothy to continue to remain faithful to Paul’s apostolic teaching or gospel which is in line with the teaching of the Old Testament he received from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. The teaching Timothy received from these three was reliable as demonstrated by the godly character of these three which stands in contrast to the character of the apostate pastor-teachers in the Roman province of Asia and Judaizers. The false teaching of the Judaizers and those pastors who adhered to their teaching was not reliable and lies since it produced ungodly character. Thus, Timothy was to continue to remain faithful to the teaching he received from Paul, his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice since these three demonstrated through their conduct and character that what they taught him was truth from God. He was to continue to reject the false teaching of the Judaizers and apostate pastor-teachers in the Roman province of Asia because the

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Second Timothy 3:15

Timothy Learned the Old Testament as a Child

2 Timothy 3:15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in . (NASB95) “And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (2) conjunction hoti (ὅτι), “that” (3) preposition apo (ἀπό), “from” (4) genitive neuter singular form of the noun brephos (βρέφος), “childhood” (5) accusative neuter plural form of the adjective heiros (ἱερός), “sacred” (6) accusative neuter plural form of the noun gramma (γράμμα), “the writings” (7) second person singular perfect active indicative form of the verb oida (οἶδα), “you have known.” The conjunction kai is introducing an assertion which advances upon and intensifies the previous causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14. It is explaining the previous reason which is ambiguous because Paul is not specific as to the other person or persons who gave Timothy instruction and an example as to how to live a godly life. Paul employs the conjunction kai to introduce another assertion that advances upon and intensifies this causal clause in verse 14. It introduces an assertion which states that from childhood Timothy was familiar with the Old Testament. This interpretation of kai is indicated by the fact that the hoti clause in verse 15 is explaining in greater detail the previous ambiguous causal clause in verse 14. By affirming that Timothy knew the Old Testament Scriptures from childhood, Paul is making clear that the people he mentions in verse 14 as learning through instruction and observation about how to live a godly life was not only him but also his mother and grandmother since the latter two instructed him in the Old Testament and provided him an example as to live a godly life by obedience to the Old Testament. Therefore, the advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s conviction regarding the Word of God whether Paul’s gospel or the Old Testament goes all the way back to his youth when he was taught the Old Testament by his mother and grandmother. The advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s faith in Paul’s gospel has a firm foundation since it is built upon Timothy’s faith in the teaching of the Old Testament and which teaching he received from his mother and grandmother. The conjunction hoti is employed with the indicative mood of the verb oida, “you have known” in order to form a causal clause which explains the causal

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8 clause in Second Timothy 3:14. Timothy certainly knew from whom he had learned this code of conduct through instruction and observation. The reason in verse 14 is ambiguous in the sense that Paul does not identify who the individuals were that gave him instruction on how to live a godly life and an example to follow. It is obvious that Paul was one of these individuals but it is not clear who else he is referring to since the relative pronoun hos in verse 14 is in the plural. Therefore, here in verse 15, Paul is instructing Timothy that he should obey the command to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation because from childhood he had knowledge of the Old Testament. The mention of his childhood instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures is alluding to his mother and grandmother since they raised him in the Scripture. The genitive neuter singular form of the noun brephos means “childhood” since it pertains to the period of time when one is very young. The word is the object of the preposition apo, which means “from, since” since it is a marker of an extent of time from a point in the past. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that from or since childhood Timothy had knowledge of the Old Testament. The verb oida means “to know for certain, to know without a doubt” since it pertains to having knowledge of something to the extent of having no doubt about the matter. It affirms the certainty of one possessing knowledge. Here it is used of course in relation to Timothy’s knowledge he possessed of the Old Testament or information that he possessed regarding the Old Testament. Paul is saying to Timothy with this word that from childhood he certainly knew his Old Testament. The perfect tense of the verb oida is a “perfect with a present force” demonstrating little distinction between the act and its results since the verb is a “stative” verb emphasizing a state. It emphasizes that from childhood Timothy existed in a state of certainly knowing the Old Testament. The active voice is a stative active indicating that the subject is existing in the state indicated by this verb. This would mean that Timothy emphasizes that from childhood Timothy existed in a state of certainly knowing the Old Testament. As we noted earlier, the indicative mood of this verb is employed with the conjunction hoti in order to form a causal clause which presents the reason for the previous emphatic and causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14. The noun gramma is in the plural and means “writings, Scriptures” since it pertains to a written document, whether in book or manuscript form, with focus upon the content. Here it refers of course to the Old Testament Scriptures. The noun gramma is modified by the adjective heiros which means “holy” since it pertains to something which is set apart for God’s use exclusively. It pertains to something that is devoted exclusively for the worship of God. Here it denotes that the Old Testament Scriptures are “holy” or “sacred” in the sense that

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9 they are devoted exclusively for the worship of God. They are set apart exclusively to facilitate the worship of God. The noun gramma is functioning as an accusative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb oida indicating that the Old Testament Scriptures received the action of being certainly known by Timothy.

The Old Testament Gives Wisdom

2 Timothy 3:15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (NASB95) “Which are able to give you the wisdom” is composed of the following: (1) articular accusative neuter plural present middle participle form of the verb dunamai (δύναμαι), “are able” (2) accusative second person singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “you” (3) aorist active infinitive form of the verb sophizō (σοφίζω), “to give wisdom.” The verb dunamai means, “to have the capacity, to be able to do something, to have the power to do something.” The word’s subject is the Old Testament Scriptures and its object is Timothy. Therefore, the word denotes that the Old Testament Scriptures are “able” or “have the ability” to give Timothy wisdom which leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. The word denotes that the Old Testament Scriptures have the power to give Timothy wisdom. The articular construction of this word is substantiver meaning it is converting this participle into a substantive. The article is referring back to the noun gramma and thus refers to the Old Testament Scriptures. Thus, the article should be translated with the relative pronoun “which.” The participle form of this verb is in the accusative case and is functioning as an accusative of simple apposition meaning it stands appositive to the accusative form of the noun gramma and is describing or defining one of the purposes of the Old Testament Scriptures. The present tense of the verb dunamai is a “gnomic” present used to make a statement of a general, timeless fact indicating that the Old Testament Scriptures are “as an eternal spiritual truth” able to give Timothy wisdom for the purpose of experiencing salvation. The present tense of this verb is also a customary present signaling an ongoing state indicating that the Old Testament Scriptures are “existing in the state of” being able to give Timothy wisdom which leads to salvation. The middle voice of the verb dunamai is a deponent middle meaning that although the word has a middle voice form, it has an active meaning. This active voice meaning would be stative indicating that the subject exists in the state

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10 indicated by the verb. Therefore, this would mean that the Old Testament Scriptures exist in the state of being able to give Timothy wisdom for the purpose of experiencing salvation. The verb sophizō means “to give wisdom” since it pertains to causing a person to have wisdom and understanding. It pertains to causing a person to develop understanding to a relatively sophisticated degree. Here the word’s subject is the Old Testament Scriptures and its object is Timothy. Therefore, the word denotes that the Old Testament Scriptures are able “to impart or give wisdom” to Timothy in the sense that they can cause him to develop understanding to a relatively sophisticated degree for the purpose of experiencing salvation. The infinitive form of this verb is a complementary infinitive meaning it is completing the thought of the verb dunamai and is thus identifying for the reader specifically what the Old Testament Scriptures have the ability to do. The aorist tense of the verb is a constative aorist describing in summary fashion the Old Testament Scriptures ability to impart wisdom to Timothy for the purpose of experiencing salvation. The active voice of this verb sophizō is a simple active indicating that the Old Testament Scriptures are able to perform the action of imparting wisdom to Timothy for the purpose of experiencing salvation. The personal pronoun su is in the singular and means “you” referring of course to Timothy. The word functions as an accusative direct object meaning that the word is receiving the action of the verb sophizō indicating that Timothy is receiving the action of being given wisdom by the Old Testament Scriptures.

Salvation Through Faith in Christ Jesus

2 Timothy 3:15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (NASB95) “That leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” is composed of the following: (1) preposition eis (εἰς), “that leads to” (2) accusative feminine singular form of the noun soteria (σωτηρία), “the salvation” (3) preposition dia (διά), “through” (4) genitive feminine singular form of the noun pistis (πίστις), “faith” (5) genitive feminine singular form of the definite article ho (ὁ), “which” (6) preposition en (ἐν), “in” (7) dative masculine singular form of the noun Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” (8) dative masculine singular form of the proper noun Iesous (Ἰησοῦς), “Jesus.” The noun sōtēria means “deliverance, salvation” and is used with reference of course to Timothy. It contains the figure of metonymy meaning that salvation is put for experiencing salvation. It is also the object of the preposition eis which is a

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11 marker of purpose which indicates that this prepositional phrase is presenting the purpose for which the Old Testament is able to give wisdom to Timothy. It indicates that the Old Testament Scriptures are able to give wisdom to Timothy “in order that” he might experience salvation or his deliverance from sin and and his cosmic system. There are three basic meanings for pistis in the . There is first the active usage meaning “faith.” There is also a passive usage meaning “that which is believed, the body of faith, doctrine” (Gal. 1:23; 2 Pt. 1:5; 1 Tm. 1:19; 4:1, 6; 6:10; 2 Tm. 2:18; 4:7; Heb. 11). Lastly, the noun pistis is used as an attribute meaning “faithfulness, reliability” (Gal. 3:22; 2:10; 2 Th. 1:4). Here in Second Timothy 3:15, the noun pistis is used in an active sense referring to Timothy’s post-conversion faith in the Word of God and specifically the Old Testament and Paul’s apostolic teaching since Timothy was already declared justified through faith in Jesus Christ. The noun pistis is the object of the preposition dia which means “by means of, through” since it is functioning as a marker of means which indicates that the Old Testament Scriptures are able to give wisdom to Timothy for the purpose of his experiencing his salvation or deliverance from sin and Satan and his cosmic system “by means of” appropriating by faith his union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session. The genitive feminine singular form of the definite article ho functions as a substantiver meaning it nominalizes (i.e. converts to a noun) and conceptualizing the prepositional ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, “in Christ Jesus” and thus we can translate the article with the noun phrase “which is.” It is emphasizing with Timothy that in order for him to experience salvation or deliverance from sin, Satan and his cosmic system the object of his faith must be his union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session. The article functions as a “genitive of simple apposition” meaning that it stands in apposition to the genitive form of the noun pistis, “faith.” This construction indicates that the prepositional phrase ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, “in Christ Jesus” is identifying for Timothy how he would enter into experiencing salvation. He would experience this deliverance by appropriating by faith his union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session. The proper name Christos is a technical word designating the humanity of our Lord as the promised Savior for all mankind who is unique as the incarnate Son of God and totally and completely guided and empowered by the Spirit as the Servant of the Father. The word denotes the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth, thus He is the Deliverer of the human race in three areas through His death, resurrection, ascension and session: (1) Satan (2) Cosmic System (3) Old Sin Nature.

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Christos signifies that Jesus of Nazareth served God the Father exclusively and this was manifested by His execution of the Father’s salvation plan which was accomplished by His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross. The word also signifies that Jesus of Nazareth has been given authority by God the Father to forgive sins, give eternal life, and authority over all creation and every creature as a result of His execution of the Father’s salvation plan. Furthermore, it signifies that Jesus of Nazareth was perpetually guided and empowered by God the Holy Spirit during His First Advent. Lastly, Christos signifies that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised deliverer of the human race from the bondage of Satan, his cosmic system and the old Adamic sin nature. Christos contains the figure of metonymy meaning that the person of Christ is put for Timothy’s union and identification with Him in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father. This word is the object of the preposition en which is a marker of close personal association and means, “in union with.” Therefore, the proper name Christos functions as a dative association indicating that Timothy was “in union with” or “in a close personal relationship with” the Christ. The proper name Iesous refers to the impeccable human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. This word functions as a “dative of simple apposition” meaning that it stands next a noun in the same case and clarifies who is mentioned. Therefore, the proper name Iesous, “Jesus” stands in apposition to the proper noun Christos, “Christ” and clarifies for the reader that Jesus is the Christ since there were many in the first century who claimed to be the Messiah, the Christ, Paul clarifies for us who He is, namely, Jesus of Nazareth.

Translation of Second Timothy 3:14-15

Second Timothy 3:14 You however in contrast to them continue making it your habit of conforming to the standard of those things which you have learned through instruction and observation, indeed have become convinced of, because you certainly know from whom you have learned through instruction and observation. 15 Yes, because from childhood you certainly know the holy Scriptures which are able to give you wisdom for the purpose of experiencing salvation by means of faith in your union and identification with the Christ, who is Jesus. (Author’s translation)

Exposition of Second Timothy 3:15

Paul’s statement in Second Timothy 3:15 advances upon and intensifies the previous causal clause in Second Timothy 3:14. It is explaining the previous reason

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13 which is ambiguous because Paul is not specific as to the other person or persons who gave Timothy instruction and an example as to how to live a godly life. In verse 14, Paul issued Timothy a command which required that the latter continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation and indeed had become convinced of. “The standard of those things” refers to the code of Christian conduct. Then, he presents the reason for the command, namely that Timothy knew first-hand from whom he had learned this code of Christian conduct through instruction and observation. “From whom” should be interpreted in light of Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 1:5 and Second Timothy 3:15. The former affirms the faith of Timothy’s mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois whereas the latter affirms that from childhood Timothy knew for certain the Old Testament Scriptures. A comparison of these statements would indicate that Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. In Second Timothy 3:10-11, Paul affirms that Timothy had faithfully followed as a his teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, divine-love perseverance as well as all of his persecutions and sufferings. The Lord had rescued Paul from all of these persecutions and sufferings. Thus, Timothy came to the conviction that Paul was teaching him truth from God by observing Paul put his teaching into practice while he was experiencing persecution and undeserved suffering. Therefore, “from whom” in Second Timothy 3:14 is speaking of Paul as well as Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. Consequently, the causal in Second Timothy 3:14 would indicate that Timothy was to obey the command because he knew first-hand this code of conduct by not only learning it from these three but he also was convinced that what they taught him was truth by observing their conduct. Now, here in Second Timothy 3:15, Paul makes another assertion that advances upon and intensifies this causal clause in verse 14. Paul states that from childhood Timothy was familiar with the Old Testament. This interpretation is indicated by the fact that the hoti clause in verse 15 is explaining in greater detail the previous ambiguous causal clause in verse 14. By affirming that Timothy knew the Old Testament Scriptures from childhood, Paul is making clear that the people he mentions in verse 14 as learning through instruction and observation about how to live a godly life was not only him but also his mother and grandmother since the latter two instructed him in the Old Testament and provided him an example as to live a godly life by obedience to the Old Testament.

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Therefore, the advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s conviction regarding the Word of God whether Paul’s gospel or the Old Testament goes all the way back to his youth when he was taught the Old Testament by his mother and grandmother. The advancement and intensification is that Timothy’s faith in Paul’s gospel has a firm foundation since it is built upon Timothy’s faith in the teaching of the Old Testament and which teaching he received from his mother and grandmother. So the reason in verse 14 is ambiguous in the sense that Paul does not identify who the individuals were that gave him instruction on how to live a godly life and an example to follow. It is obvious that Paul was one of these individuals but it is not clear who else he is referring to since the relative pronoun hos in verse 14 is in the plural. Therefore, here in verse 15, Paul is instructing Timothy that he should obey the command to continue making it his habit of conforming to the standard of those things which he had learned through instruction and observation because from childhood he had knowledge of the Old Testament. The mention of his childhood instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures is alluding to his mother and grandmother since they raised him in the Scripture. Paul goes on to assert that the Old Testament Scriptures are able to give Timothy wisdom. He is communicating a spiritual axiom. In other words, the Old Testament Scriptures are “as an eternal spiritual truth” able to give Timothy wisdom for the purpose of experiencing salvation. They are able to impart or give wisdom to Timothy in the sense that they can cause him to develop understanding to a relatively sophisticated degree for the purpose of experiencing salvation. The apostle then presents the purpose for which the Old Testament is able to give wisdom to Timothy. The Scriptures are able to give wisdom to Timothy in order that he can have the capacity to experience salvation or his deliverance from sin and Satan and his cosmic system. Understanding that Timothy is already a believer is critical to understand how Paul is using this word “salvation.” Therefore, since Timothy is already a believer, this noun is referring to Timothy experiencing salvation. In other words it refers to him experiencing the deliverance from personal sins the sin nature, Satan, his cosmic system, condemnation from the Law, spiritual and physical death and of course eternal condemnation. This deliverance was accomplished through the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session of the Lord Jesus Christ and which deliverance was appropriated by the Holy Spirit for Timothy at the moment of his conversion. The baptism of the Spirit at his conversion identified Timothy with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session. Thus, he is positionally identified with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session which provides him the guarantee of being perfected in a resurrection body and sets up the potential for Timothy to experience this

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15 deliverance in time prior to being perfected. He can experience this deliverance by appropriating by faith his identification with Jesus Christ which is accomplished by Timothy considering himself dead to the sin nature and alive to God. The Old Testament Scriptures would provide Timothy many examples of Old Testament saints who appropriated the power or omnipotence of God to experience deliverance from their enemies. By appropriating by faith his union and identification with Jesus Christ, Timothy would appropriate the power of God in his life and thus be able to experience his deliverance or salvation in time prior to being perfected in a resurrection body. A comparison of Second Timothy 1:5 and his statement in Second Timothy 3:15 indicate that Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice gave him instruction in the Old Testament and provided him an example of how to walk by faith in the Old Testament Scriptures. Traditionally, Jewish boys were instructed in the law by their fathers; however, since Timothy’s father was Greek (:1), his Jewish mother and grandmother served as examples of faith.1 At least in pious Palestinian Jewish homes, boys were normally taught the “sacred writings” from around the age of five; teaching Scriptures to the children was commanded in the Old Testament (Deut 6:7; cf., e.g., Ps 71:17; 78:5–7). Other peoples were often amazed at how well instructed Jewish children were in their ancestral traditions.2 If you recall, on his second missionary journey Paul met Timothy at (Acts 16:1-5). Timothy, who may have been converted as the result of Paul’s first visit to Lystra, was highly regarded by the royal family at Lystra and Iconium. His Jewish mother had become a believer with his grandmother (2 Tm. 1:5) but yet his father is described as a Greek (Acts 16:1) and thus would have belonged to the small elite class of Lystra who had been educated in the Greek language and culture. There is no reference to his father being a believer hence he would have been considered a heathen by both Jews and Christians. This mixed marriage would have been viewed by Jewish law as illegal and would have been opposed by the Christian church (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14). The marriage thus took place while his mother was not strictly observing and before she became a Christian. This “mixed” marriage between a Jew and a Gentile would place their offspring (Timothy) on all but the lowest step in the Jewish scale of precedence, yet this was not uncommon in the later periods of Jewish history. Even though Timothy’s mother married a Gentile he was considered a Jew by the Jews and was therefore liable to be circumcised. In Jewish law, a child takes

1 Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (2 Ti 1:5). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software. 2 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (2 Ti 3:14–15). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16 the religion of its mother; so Timothy should have been circumcised and raised a Jew. But in Greek law the father dominates the home. Apparently the Jewish community at Lystra was too weak or lax to interfere with Greek custom. The absence of any personal allusion to the father in Acts or the suggests the inference that he must have died or disappeared during his son’s infancy. The care of the boy thus devolved upon his mother Eunice and her grandmother Lois. The fact that he had not been circumcised implies either that his mother was not a practicing Jew or that his Gentile father had refused to allow the sign of the covenant to be performed on his son. Under the training of Eunice and Lois, Timothy’s education was emphatically Jewish. :5 speaks of the sincere Jewish faith of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and of his mother Eunice, and 2 Timothy 3:15 speaks of Timothy’s early instruction in the Hebrew Scriptures. His mother Eunice is identified as a Jewess as well as a Christian believer in Acts 16:1 who had probably believed on the Lord Jesus Christ during Paul and ’ first visit to Lystra (Acts 14:20-23). Timothy’s mother and grandmother obeyed Paul’s apostolic command in Ephesians 6:4 to bring up children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Christian women demonstrate their love for their children by training them in the Word of God. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul taught Christian fathers to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Thus, since a Christian woman is under husband’s authority, she like her husband must obey this command as well. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (NASB95) Paul issues a similar prohibition to the Colossians. Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. (NASB95) “Discipline” refers to systematic training and educating the child in the Lord’s ways. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. (NASB95) Fathers and mothers are to train their children by means of the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB95) “Instruction” is used here in contrast to provoking children and means, “to encourage” your children. God designed Christian fathers to be the vehicles or the channels of His discipline and instruction.

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The phrase “of the Lord” is a “subjective” genitive meaning it is the Lord Himself who produces the discipline and instruction. In other words, the authority of the discipline and instruction is the Lord’s and not the fathers. Therefore, Christian parents are to be the Bible teachers in the home especially the men. Parents must stop passing the buck to Sunday school teachers and Christian day school teachers and start fulfilling their responsibility before the Lord to train them and educate them in the Word of God. The child’s knowledge of the Lord should be received primarily in the home from the parents and not in public school or even Sunday school. Deuteronomy 6:1 Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it 2 so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!” 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (NASB95) Now, we must remember that Paul’s apostolic teaching or in other words, the gospel which he communicated was consistent with the teaching of the Old Testament because the gospel presents Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises (cf. Rom. 1:1-4). The gospel’s presentation of the character and nature of God is consistent with that of the Old Testament. The emphasis upon faith in God’s Word in the Old Testament is consistent with the gospel, i.e. the teaching of Jesus and His apostles. The teaching in the Old Testament that the believer is to love God with their entire being and neighbor as oneself is consistent with that of the teaching of Jesus and the apostles since they affirmed this teaching. Also, the Old Testament provides many examples where God has delivered His people from adversity and persecution as a result of their exercising faith in Him. This would be very helpful for Timothy since he was facing persecution and undeserved suffering because of remaining faithful to Paul’s apostolic teaching. Next, in Second Timothy 3:15, Paul presents the means by which Timothy could experience salvation or deliverance from sin and Satan. It was by means of faith or appropriating by faith his union and identification with Jesus Christ in His

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18 crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session. Therefore, “faith” is used here in an active sense referring to Timothy’s post-conversion faith in the Word of God and specifically the Old Testament and Paul’s apostolic teaching since Timothy was already declared justified through faith in Jesus Christ. The word speaks of Timothy’s post-conversion faith in the Word of God or in other words, his faith in the Spirit’s teaching that is revealed through the communication of the Word of God whether it be the teaching of the Old Testament or the gospel. It does not refer to saving faith or justifying faith in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation but rather the Christian’s faith in the Word of God after their conversion since in context Paul is speaking of Timothy experiencing salvation after his conversion. Paul is emphasizing with Timothy that in order for him to experience salvation or deliverance from sin, Satan and his cosmic system the object of his faith must be his union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session. He must appropriate this deliverance by appropriating by faith his union and identification with Jesus Christ.

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