2 Timothy 1:1

2 Timothy 1:1

 

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

 

a. NLT: This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

 

b. NIV: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

  

c. YLT: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, according to a promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Worrell Translation: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus [Copyright 1904 by A.S. Worrell. Copyright assigned to the Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO. This edition was published 1980 by the Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802. Printed in the U.S.A.]

 

f. Wuest Translation: Paul, an ambassador of Christ Jesus through the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus. [The New Testament: An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. Euest. © Copyright Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1961. All rights reserved.]

 

1. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God…”

 

a. Paul [Strong: 3972 Paulos pow'-los of Latin origin; (little; but remotely from a derivative of 3973, meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle:--Paul, Paulus.]

 

b. an apostle [Strong: 652  apostolos ap-os'-tol-os from 649; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers):--apostle, messenger, he that is sent.] [Zodhiates: Used as a substitute, one sent, apostle, ambassador. The Lord chose the term apostoloi to indicate the distinctive relation of the Twelve Apostles whom he chose to be His witnesses…it designates the office as instituted by Christ to witness of Him before the world. It also designates the authority which those called to this office possess. It was the distinctive name of the Twelve Apostles originally. However, the denomination seems from the very beginning to have been applied in a much wider sense, to…Paul and Barnabas Acts 14:4, 14, of Andronicus and Junia, Romans 16:7.]

 

1). The Apostle is one of the five fold ministry.

 

a). Ephesians 4:8, 11, 12 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors; and teachers;”

4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 

b). Since there are still Pastors and Teachers and Evangelists, why not Prophets and Apostles? There are! God is in the process of reinstituting these offices to the Church.

 

2). Paul was called to be an apostle.

 

a). Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.

 

3). The apostle to the Gentiles.

 

a). 2 Timothy 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

 

4). Every Gentile who ever got saved through the New Covenant and by reading and understanding the 14 letters of Paul, became established in who they are in Christ. This was accomplished because of the ministry of the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.

 

a). 2 Timothy 4:17 “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear…”

 

5). His calling was given before he was born.

 

a). Galatians 1:15, 16 But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,

1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I may preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

 

c. [of] Jesus [Strong: 2424 Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

 

d. Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

 

e. by [Strong: 1223 dia dee-ah' a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

 

f. the will [Strong: 2307 thelema thel'-ay-mah from the prolonged form of 2309; a determination (properly, the thing), i.e. (actively) choice (specially, purpose, decree; abstractly, volition) or (passively) inclination:-- desire, pleasure, will.]

   

g. [of] God [Strong: 2316 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). Paul’s specific Apostleship to the Gentiles was mentioned to Paul by Christ Jesus when he was initially called on the road to Damascus. Notice closely the wording of Acts 26:17, 18.

 

a). Acts 26:13-18 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

 

2. “…according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus.”

 

a. according to [Strong: 2596 kata kat-ah' a primary particle; (prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined):--about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered, (dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from ... to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), ... by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where(-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity.]

 

b. [the] promise [Strong: 1860  epaggelia ep-ang-el-ee'-ah from 1861; an announcement (for information, assent or pledge; especially a divine assurance of good):--message, promise.]

 

1). The promise of eternal life was promised before the world was created.

 

a). Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

 

b). 1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 

2). This promise of eternal life is in Jesus Christ and only in him.

 

a). 1 John 5:11, 12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life.

 

c. [of] life [Strong: 2222 zoe dzo-ay' from 2198; life (literally or figuratively):--life(-time).]

 

d. which [Strong: 3588. [tēs] ὁ 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.] [Thayer: [tēs] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, ‘Hē  hē, hai, tas.]

 

e. [is] in [Strong: 1722 en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

 

f. Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

 

g. Jesus [Strong: 2424 Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]