2 Timothy 2:15

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

a. ASV: Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.

b. Young’s Literal Translation: Be diligent to present thyself approved to God -- a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the word of the truth;

c. Amplified Bible: Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved tested by trial, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and dividing reightly handling and skillfully teaching the Word of Truth.

1. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God…”

a. study [Strong: 4704 spoudazo spoo-dad'-zo from 4710; to use speed, i.e. to make effort, be prompt or earnest:--do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.  ] [Zodhiates: To be diligent, earnest, eager.]

1). The word translated “study” in 2 Timothy 2:15 is translated “labor” in Hebrews 4:11; “give diligence” in 2 Peter 1:10; and “will endeavor” in 2 Peter 1:15. The word was translated “study” by the KJV translators I believe, because of the association with the phrase, “rightly dividing the word of truth”, and there is room for it. Personally I believe the blessing of “rightly dividing the word of truth”, is pending upon “showing ourselves approved unto God.”  The context will bear this out. In light of that, the rendering of spoudazo to the idea of “diligence” is more precise.

b. to shew [Strong: 3936 paristemi par-is'-tay-mee, or prolonged paristano par-is-tan'-o from 3844 and 2476; to stand beside, i.e. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid:--assist, bring before, command, commend, give presently, present, prove, provide, shew, stand (before, by, here, up, with), yield.] [Zodhiates: To place or set before someone, present, exhibit.] [Strong: to stand beside, i.e. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid:--assist, bring before, command, commend, give presently, present, prove, provide, shew, stand (before, by, here, up, with), yield.]

1). Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2). Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.   

3). Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

a).  In light of these uses, whoever we are consistently obeying, to them we are presenting ourselves as “living sacrifices”, “servants”, and as “weapons”. In the use here in 2 Timothy 2:15 we can also add we are “showing” or “proving” ourselves as such to either God or the devil.

c. thyself [Strong: 4572 seautou seh-ow-too', genitive case from 4571 and 846, also dative case of the same, seautoi seh-ow-to', and accusative case seauton seh-ow-ton', likewise contracted sautou sow-too', sautoi sow-to', and sauton sow-ton', respectively of (with, to) thyself:--thee, thine own self, (thou) thy(-self).]  

d. approved [Strong: 1384 dokimos dok'-ee-mos from 1380; properly, acceptable (current after assayal), i.e. approved:--approved, tried.] [Zodhiates:Proved, tried as metals by fire and thus purified. Hence to be approved as acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. Approval does not mean self-commendation, but the commendation of the Lord.]

e. [unto] God [Strong: 2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

1). This principle of “showing ourselves approved unto God” in our behavior has nothing to do with our salvation. This principle is referring to after salvation and the Lord being able to depend upon us to be used by Him after He has witnessed our faithfulness.

2. “…a workman…”

a. a workman [Strong: 2040 ergates er-gat'-ace from 2041; a toiler; figuratively, a teacher:--labourer, worker(-men).] [Zodhaites: A laborer, primarily in farming. In 2 Timothy 2:15, a spiritual workman or laborer.] [Strong: a toiler; figuratively, a teacher:--labourer, worker(-men).]

1). Our salvation is the gift of God, we cannot work our way to heaven.

a). Ephesians 2:8, 9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2). Yet in this verse we are called “workman”. Why? Because we are co-laborers with God, we are to labor, yield and grow within our covenant relationship with him, yielding and cooperating with the Spirit and word of God on a daily basis as we pursue Him. The following passages will bear that out.

a). 2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

b). Colossians 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

c). Philippians 2:12, 13 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

(1) Working out our own salvation is this: When we get born again whoever we are, because of the New Birth we are all delivered, we are forgiven, made righteous and set free from our sin, but we have to walk it out. When I got saved the desire to get high left me, I had a filthy mouth, and it also left me. After I got saved I had no trouble with profanity coming out of my mouth, it stopped completely. There were other things though that I had to work through or walk out requiring constant vigilance. I quit smoking on the third day after I got saved and though they were never again picked up, the desire to smoke dogged me for about three months, the desire diminished little by little until there was no desire. None. I was also delivered from the bondage of alcohol. But because I live in this flesh body I have to be in constant vigilance to yield to the Spirit of God, to walk free from the law of sin and death that dwells in me. I have to work out or walk out my own salvation.

       

3. “…that needeth not to be ashamed…”

a. that needeth not to be ashamed [Strong: 422 anepaischuntos; a-without; epi-on, upon; aischuno-shame, an-ep-ah'-ee-skhoon-tos; a presumed derivative of the compound word 1909 epi & 153 aischuno; not ashamed, i.e., by implication irreprehensible:-- that needeth not to be ashamed.]

1). The following two passages contain the Greek word for shame, aischuno, of which the word in 2 Timothy 2:15 is a derivative.

a). 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

b). Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or death.

2). The next two passages contain the Greek word, epaischunomai, [1870], [Zodhiates: To bring shame upon oneself, to be ashamed of.]

a). 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

b). Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

3). I believe the implication is obvious. The choice of whether or not we are going to be ashamed when we stand before Christ rests solely on us. If we choose to be obedient to his word, no matter what the cost, when we stand before Jesus we will not be ashamed. However, if we allow yielding to the law of sin and death to keep us from being obedient to his words and we are ashamed to do them, Jesus will be ashamed of us, and we will be ashamed when we stand before Him.

4. “…rightly dividing the word of truth.”

a. rightly dividing [Strong: 3718 orthotomeo or-thot-om-eh'-o from a compound of 3717 and the base of 5114, to make a straight cut, i.e. (figuratively) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message):--rightly divide.] [Vines: The meaning passed from the idea of cutting or dividing, to the more general sense of rightly dealing with a thing. Teaching Scripture accurately.] [Zodhiates: orthotomeo; ortho-straight; temno-to cut; To handle correctly, skillfully; to correctly teach the word of truth.]

1). I am fully persuaded that our ability to receive the Spirit led revelation/interpretation, and then to Spirit lead teach the Scriptures, is greatly affected by our free will to either diligently walk in the light revealed to us, or to entertain sin in our lives. I believe 2 Timothy 2:15 touches on it. We can see it also in 2 Peter 3:16.

a). 2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

2). Institute Of Creation Research Daily Devotional 7/31/2013 The key is to "rightly divide" the Scriptures. The Greek word orthotomeo, only used this one time, has several shades of meaning: to cut straight, to cut straight ways; to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course; to make straight and smooth; to handle aright; to teach the truth directly and correctly. Two passages emphasize the way to "divide" the Scriptures. When Isaiah asked rhetorical questions about how to learn and understand biblical knowledge, the answer was "precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:9, 10). Thus:  Find the major pieces first. Find the supporting elements next. Find the pieces throughout the text.  Solomon, as the "wise preacher," noted that one who would teach the people knowledge must have given "good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs" (Ecclesiastes 12:9). Pay attention to the words (meanings, context). Penetrate (research) the teaching (text first, then books). Organize the information for teaching purposes. This kind of study preparation requires a "workman"—one who is willing to give the "diligence" necessary to produce the powerful sayings built on the "word of truth." If properly prepared, the workman will never be "ashamed." HMM III

b. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

c. word [Strong: 3056 logos log'-os from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):--account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.]

d. of truth [Strong: 225 aletheia al-ay'-thi-a from 227; truth:--true, X truly, truth, verity.]