Fragments on 2 Timothy
Fragmenta in epistulam ii ad Timotheum
Command and Promise in the Epistles§1
1In the first epistle, intending to hand over ecclesiastical canons, he spoke by command; but in the second, by promise, he said: for the apostleship indeed ordains the things that are profitable by the command of God, but to those who hear it, it promises life, not of the present, but of the eternal, that which is in Christ Jesus. In the first epistle, by command, he says he is intending to ordain, but in the second epistle, by promise: for the apostleship indeed ordains, but on the hope of obtaining eternal life, it promises those who obey.
He does not say 'not the ceasing of life,' but 'of the faith toward God.'
Because the trial against those preaching the gospel was making a cutting off of the gospel, because of this he says: suffer hardship for the gospel. And he brought forward: according to the power of God, because the very suffering itself needs the help of God, the one having abolished death and having enlightened life and incorruption through the gospel. There was life also in Adam and among those after him, but by the death of disobedience it was darkened. It was therefore enlightened now by the resurrection of Christ; it was darkened by death, it is being enlightened through Christ. And how is it possible to test the gospel? As...
Greek · §1
Fragmenta in epistulam ii ad Timotheum (in catenis) 2 Tim 1,1 Ἐν μὲν τῇ προτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ μέλλων ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς κανόνας παραδιδόναι, εἶπε κατ' ἐπιταγήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν ἔφη· ἡ γὰρ ἀποστολὴ ἡ μὲν κατ' ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ θεοῦ διατάττει τὰ συμφέροντα, ἡ δὲ τοῖς ἀκούουσι ἐπαγγελίαν ζωῆς, οὐ τῆς νῦν ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀϊδίου, τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐπιστολῇ κατ' ἐπιταγὴν λέγει μέλλων διατάττειν, ἐν δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἐπιστολῇ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν· ἡ γὰρ ἀποστολὴ διατάττει μέν, ἐπ' ἐλπίδι δὲ τοῦ τυχεῖν αἰωνίου ζωῆς τοὺς ὑπακούοντας. 2 Tim 1,3 Οὐ τὸ ἀπαράλειπτον λέγει τοῦ βίου, ἀλλὰ τῆς εἰς θεὸν πίστεως. 2 Tim 1,8®10 Ἐπειδὴ ὁ κατὰ τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων πειρασμὸς ἐκκοπὴν ἐποίει τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· συγκακοπάθησον τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ. ἐπήγαγε δέ· κατὰ δύναμιν θεοῦ, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸ τὸ κακοπαθεῖν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δεῖται βοηθείας, τοῦ καταργήσαντος μὲν τὸν θάνατον, φωτίσαντος δὲ ζωὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου. ἦν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ζωὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μετ' αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ τῷ θανάτῳ τῆς παρακοῆς ἐζοφώθη. ἐφωτίσθη οὖν νῦν τῇ ἀναστάσει τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐζοφώθη τῷ θανάτῳ, φωτίζεται διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ πῶς οἷόν τε πειράζεσθαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον; ὡς
Exegesis of 2 Timothy§2
2The preachers were attempting to deceive. But because the trial against those preaching the good news was making a cut into the good news, for this reason he says these things.
—Having enlightened life. The being is being enlightened. Because indeed life was given before the hearing of Adam, but by death it was darkened, again by the resurrection of the savior the life is being enlightened. Regarding 2 Timothy 1:12, what deposit? The healthy teaching taught him.
Regarding 2 Timothy 2:4, because he said beforehand, it is not necessary for the one serving in battle to entangle himself in the affairs of life; moreover, it was being sought how, without entangling himself, one possesses the things toward the need. He showed that it is necessary to live from the good news. Regarding 2 Timothy 2:17, gangrene is a disease, spreading and easily running through the bodies.
Regarding 2 Timothy 4:1, he does not testify as one condemning a laggard, but so that in the testimony he might guard for himself through all his own purpose. I testify before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the one about to judge the living and the dead, according to his appearance and his kingdom.
Greek · §2
ἐπειράζοντο οἱ κηρύττοντες. ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὁ κατὰ τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων πειρασμὸς ἐγκοπὴν ἐποίει τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτά φησιν. –Φωτίσαντος δὲ ζωήν. τὸ ὂν φωτίζεται. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἐδόθη μὲν πρὸ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡ ζωή, θανάτῳ δὲ ἐζοφώθη, πάλιν τῇ ἀναστάσει τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡ ζωὴ φωτίζεται. 2 Tim 1,12 Ποίαν παραθήκην; τὴν ὑγιῆ διδασκαλίαν ἐδίδαξεν αὐτόν. 343 2 Tim 2,4 Ἐπειδὴ προεῖπεν, οὐ δεῖ τὸν στρατευόμενον ἐμπλέκεσθαι τῆς τοῦ βίου πραγματείας, ἐζητεῖτο δὲ λοιπὸν πῶς μὴ ἐμπλεκόμενος ἔχει τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν. ἐνέφηνεν ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου δεῖ ζῆν. 2 Tim 2,17 Πάθος ἐστὶν ἡ γάγγραινα, κατασήπων καὶ εὐχερῶς κατατρέχων τοῖς σώμασιν. 2 Tim 4,1 Οὐχ ὡς καταγινώσκων ῥᾳθυμοῦντος μαρτύρεται, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἐν τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ φυλάξῃ αὐτῷ δι' ὅλου τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πρόθεσιν. διαμαρτύρομαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ μέλλοντος κρίνειν ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ,
The Timing of Reproof and Instruction§3
3Instead of the phrase 'that when the Son of Man comes, I may have a defense that I said these things,' he says these things so that he might give him boldness for preaching the word. For through this command he intends that at all times the teacher should stand near the disciples, revealing the reminder after sin at an opportune time; for then it seems how it is opportune to reprove the one who has sinned.
Since this was established as a preventive help, he says that the teacher, correcting the word, should wait for the man to sin first, and then reprove him and turn him toward repentance, not only at an opportune time but also at an inopportunous time, so that the inopportunous time might bring into action that which was before the sin. For it is considered superfluous and not in season for the many to engage in dialogue with those who do not even protest. But to distinguish this superfluous and inopportunous action is very necessary and opportune for those who know. For the one acting with prudence should discourse about sexual immorality, so that he may not be caught by the slackness of the passion.
Greek · §3
ἀντὶ τοῦ ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἔχω ἀπολογίαν ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον. ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, ἵνα παρρησίαν αὐτῷ δῷ πρὸς τὸ κηρύττειν τὸν λόγον. 2 Tim 4,2 Βούλεται γὰρ διὰ τούτου τοῦ παραγγέλματος κατὰ πάντα καιρὸν τοῖς μαθητευομένοις ἐφίστασθαι τὸν διδάσκαλον τοῦ μὲν εὐκαίρως δηλοῦντος τὴν μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ὑπόμνησιν· τότε γὰρ δοκεῖ πῶς εὔκαιρον εἶναι τὸ διελέγξαι τὸν ἁμαρτήσαντα. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς προφυλακτικῆς ἔξω τοῦτο βοηθείας καθέστηκε, τὸ ἀναμένειν ἁμαρτεῖν πρῶτον τὸν ἄνθρωπον, εἴθ' οὕτως ἐλέγχειν αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπιδιορθούμενος τὸν λόγον φησίν, οὐ μόνον εὐκαίρως ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀκαίρως, ἵνα ᾖ τὸ ἀκαίρως τὸ πρὶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εἰς ἔργον ἐλθεῖν. περιττὸν γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ καιροῦ νομίζεται τοῖς πολλοῖς τὸ τοῖς μήπω διαμαρτοῦσι προσδιαλέγεσθαι. τοῦτο δὲ τὸ περιττὸν καὶ ἄκαιρον τοῖς εἰδόσι διακρίνειν λίαν ἐστὶν ἀναγκαῖον καὶ εὔκαιρον. καὶ τῷ σωφρονοῦντι γὰρ διαλεκτέον περὶ πορνείας, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς τοῦ πάθους λίνοις
On Greed and the Ministry's Duty§4
4Let him fall into it, yet it is fitting for one who honors self-sufficiency and equality to dismiss the arguments of those concerning greed and the love of money, lest he unguardedly receive a plant from the root of evils. For the love of money is the root of all evils. Paul the apostle distinguished this.
The fullness and unceasingness of the ministry's instruction demonstrates those words which he made his own regarding the high priesthood, and that they fulfill from every place the needs of the rational flock so that all the members may possess them properly, both in priests and in ministers. For those who inherited the dignity of the episcopate were prepared for building up and for fleeing, even if suffering evil should happen through this. Therefore, in the things previously mentioned, the apostle set forward the suffering of the work; for he said: Suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist.
I am being poured out. Instead of being taken away, I am being sacrificed so as to pour out my blood upon the earth.
Greek · §4
ἐμπέσοι, καὶ τῷ τὴν αὐτάρκειαν τιμῶντι καὶ τὸ ἶσον, καὶ δίκαιον τοὺς περὶ πλεονεξίας καὶ φιλαργυρίας λόγους διεξιέναι προσήκει, μή 344 πως ἀφυλάκτως τῆς ῥίζης τῶν κακῶν βλάστημα παραδέχηται. ῥίζα γὰρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία. Παῦλος ὁ ἀπόστολος διωρίσατο. 2 Tim 4,5 Ἡ τῆς διακονίας πληροφορία τὸ πλῆρες καὶ ἀνελλειπὲς ὑποφαίνει τῶν λόγων ὅσα τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης καθέστηκεν ἴδια, καὶ τὸ πανταχόθεν τὰς τοῦ λογικοῦ ποιμνίου χρείας ἀναπληροῦν ὡς πᾶσι τοῖς μέλεσιν ἀρτίως ἔχειν ἔν τε ἱερεῦσι καὶ λειτουργοῖς· εἰς γὰρ τὸ ἀνοικοδομεῖν καὶ φυγεύειν ἐτάχθησαν οἱ τὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀξίωμα κληρωσάμενοι, καὶ εἰ κακοπαθεῖν διὰ τοῦτο συμβαίη. διὸ καὶ ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις τὴν κακοπάθειαν τοῦ ἔργου προέταξεν ὁ ἀπόστολος· ἔφη γάρ· κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ. 2 Tim 4,6 Σπένδομαι. Ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀναιροῦμαι, σφάζομαι ὥστε ῥάναι τὸ αἷμά μου τῇ γῇ.