2Ti 3:11
(11)
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
First let us start with this statement from Paul.
Paul mentions that he suffered persecution at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra.
Now here is a comment from Albert Barnes:
(Albert Barnes)
(2 Timothy 3:11
Persecutions - On the meaning of this word, see the notes at Mat_5:10.
Afflictions - Trials of other kinds than those which arose from persecutions. The apostle met them everywhere; compare the notes at Act_20:23.
Which came unto me at Antioch - The Antioch here referred to is not the place of that name in Syria (see the notes at Act_11:19); but a city of the same name in Pisidia, in Asia Minor; notes, Act_13:14. Paul there suffered persecution from the Jews; Act_13:45.
At Iconium; - notes, Act_13:50. On the persecution there, see the notes at Act_14:3-6.
At Lystra; - Act_14:6. At this place, Paul was stoned; notes, Act_14:19. Timothy was a native of either Derbe or Lystra, cities near to each other, and was doubtless there at the time of this occurrence; Act_16:1.)
Now I will mention 2 of these persecutions, side by side to each other, and let us see who Paul was preaching to:
Iconium
Act 13:51-52 (51) But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. (52) And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Act 14:1-6 (1) And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. (2) But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. (3) Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. (4) But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. (5) And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, (6) They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
| Lystra
Act 14:6-19 (6) They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: (7) And there they preached the gospel. (8) And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: (9) The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, (10) Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. (11) And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. (12) And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. (13) Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. (14) Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, (15) And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: (16) Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. (17) Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (18) And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. (19) And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
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In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas preached to unbelieving Jews and Gentiles in a Synagogue, which a multitude ended up believing the gospel.
But then unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and their minds were evil affected against the brethren, which may refer to Paul and Barnabas.
So we can see good seeds planted but evil men trying to corrupt the good seed.
And now we go unto Lystra which is evident Paul was not preaching to the church here, but rather to unbelievers.
He wanted then to turn to the living God, but here again certain Jews came to persuade the people, having stoned Paul.
So after Paul mentions his persecutions in Iconium and lystra, (which he came to preach the gospel to unbelievers here) he then proceeds to mention these next things to Timothy:
2Ti 3:12-14
(12) Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
(13) But
evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
(14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
So Paul shows an example of his preaching’s and persecutions, and tells Timothy that all who live godly shall suffer persecution, it was an encouragement to Timothy to keep on preaching the gospel regardless to what he might face.
And these evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse is no doubt referring to such people as these unbelieving religious Jews who were trying to persuade people contrary to the gospel.
These Jews were not believers.
And it may be referring to also any religious teacher that may try to stir someone in the wrong way, which some could arise from the church, but is not exclusive to the church since those unbelieving religious Jews were not part of the church.
Then we go to our next verses:
2Ti 3:15-17
(15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
(16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
(17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
So now with these verses in mind, we now go to chapter 4.
2Ti 4:1-5
(1) I charge thee
therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
(3) For the time will come when
they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
(5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
The word
therefore is referring to as a result of the things that we have mentioned in chapter 3, and as a result of these things, Paul now charged Timothy before God, and Jesus, who shall judge the quick and the dead…., to preach the word; be instant in season and out.
And then it says for the time will come that “
they” will not endure sound doctrine.
Who are they? The quick and the dead, or you can say believers and unbelievers.
The preaching of the word here is not restricted to just preaching it to believers, but rather preaching it to all, as Paul was doing in our previous chapter, in Lystra and so forth.
It does not specify a certain type of preaching but rather just preaching it, period.
Paul preached it in Lystra and Iconium, and in one of those cities some ended up believing, but others tried to take away that seed, but it did not deter Paul in going back to preach in these places, for this is what it says in the book of Acts:
Act 14:21-22
(21) And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many,
they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
(22) Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
This is truly what is meant by preaching it in season and out, whether in bad times, or in times of persecution, or in favourable times.
It has absolutely nothing to do with, preaching to believers vs preaching to unbelievers.
Now let us get back to our verses:
2Ti 4:1-5
(1) I charge thee
therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
(3) For the time will come when
they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
(5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
There is no doubt that Timothy was called into the ministry, and may even have been an evangelist.
Here is what the bible says of the office of an evangelist.
Eph 4:11-12
(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12)
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Evangelists are for the perfecting of the saints, and I think they are there to stir up the body of Christ to proclaim the gospel to people.
But now in what way does the book of Timothy mention doing the work of an evangelist, is it just referring to an evangelist preaching to the church behind the pulpit?
Or does it refer to evangelism of any kind?
Well we seen that Paul preached to unbelievers, so yes doing the work of an evangelist is both referring to the preaching of the word to the church, and evangelising the lost.
And I do not believe it is restrictive to just preaching in a pulpit, but it can be done as you exhort the brethren in fellowship, or just proclaiming the word to the lost.
It is not restrictive at all.
And this message of preaching the word, even though it was spoken to Timothy, the message of it itself, I do not believe was only being restrictive to a message to just the clergy, for we may not all be called to preach the word in a pulpit, but we surely are all called to preach the word, or proclaim the word as a witness.
Now of course as a Christian is able to proclaim the word, and rebuke , reproof , exhort, then he may do so, yet of course weaker Christians may not be able to properly do so.
It is according to were a person is at in the Lord, and to were you have attained, go thereby.
And of course there is that old saying that says: to not bite more than you can chew.
Now can an unbeliever be exhorted, or rebuked, or reproved etc ?
Well yes they can, but after a certain manner, but it would be more in the sense to where you are showing them their sin after a certain manner, to where they can see that they are a sinner in need of a savior.
A good example would be what Ray Comfort does.
Now of course we do not preach to an unbeliever in the sense to where we are trying to get them to walk like a Christian, for they are sinners, and sinners do not act like Christians, but nevertheless they need to be convicted of their sin.
And I personally believe that concerning sinners, you can also tell them of things such as creation science, end time prophecy, archaeology, or showing them proofs for Christ, such as what Lee Strobel does, through Christ’s prophecies and history.
Now I do not believe to create a format out of these things to where we say it has to be done such and such a way, but nevertheless, often times people need these things in order to believe that the word is actually true, and Paul said to be all to all, which has a few meanings, but all according to scripture.
There are some that without say creation science, they would not believe that the word of God is real, and if they do not believe that the word of God is real, then more than not they will reject the gospel message.
So I am all for these things to be used in evangelism, as long as we also preach the gospel message of course, and even some have been used to get Catholics out of the Catholic system, through showing her errors and showing forth the truth of the gospel.
I think in some cases, there are Christians who have come out of cultish places, and are being used of God to lead other members out.
Some diminish these methods, but the word of God does not, as long as we seek to be lead of the Spirit, then God will guide us, and it is important that we recognize each other’s ministry.
God bless and praise God.