Replies

RSV

From: 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-14

Greeting

[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, [2] To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [3] I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.

Response to Grace

[6] Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; [7] God did to give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

St Paul, Herald of the Gospel

[8] Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but take your share of suffering for the gospel in the power of God, [9] who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, [10] and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. [11] For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, [12] and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. [13] Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard
from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; [14] guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

***********************************************************************
Commentary:

1-2. The greeting is like that of 1 Timothy, although now St Paul adds a specific reference to the purpose of his God-given call to the
apostolate—”according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus”. Christ fulfills all the promises of happiness given to Abraham and the other Old Testament patriarchs. The purpose of the Gospel message is to let men know that they have been called to enjoy a new life in Christ, that is, the divine life whose germ we receive at Baptism. That sacrament initiates the life of grace in the soul, and ultimately that life will blossom into eternal life (cf. 1 Tim 1:16; 6:12; Tit 1:2; 3:9).

On the exact meaning of the expression “in Christ Jesus”, see the note on 1 Tim 1:14.

3. “I thank God”: this is not a spontaneous expression of gratitude but rather a permanent disposition of Paul’s soul.

St Paul makes the point that his attitude of service and worship is the same as that of his ancestors, the righteous of the Old Testament, for although the Gospel is something new it does not involve a break with the earlier revelation; rather it brings that revelation to fulfillment. The Apostle pays tribute to the chosen people, not hiding his satisfaction at being a Jew himself (cf. Rom 9:3; 11:1; Gal 2:15). “The Church of Christ acknowledges”, Vatican II states, “that in God’s plan of salvation the beginning of her faith and election is to be found in the patriarchs, Moses and the prophets [...]. The Church cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Old Testament by way of that people with whom God in his inexpressible mercy established the ancient covenant [...]. She is mindful, moreover, that the Apostles, the pillars on which the Church stands, were of Jewish descent, as were many of those early disciples who proclaimed the Gospel of Christ to the world” (”Nostra Aetate”, 4).

6. “The gift of God” is the priestly character which Timothy received on the day of his ordination. St Paul is using very graphic and precise language: by the sacrament of Order a divine gift is conferred on the priest; it is like an ember which needs to be revived from time to time in order to make it glow and give forth the warmth it contains. St Thomas Aquinas comments that “the grace of God is like a fire which does not flow when it is covered by ashes; the same thing happens when grace is covered over in a person by sluggishness or natural fear” (”Commentary on 2 Tim, ad loc.”).

The gifts which God confers on the priest “are not transitory or temporary in him, but stable and permanent, attached as they are to an
indelible character, impressed on his soul, by which he is made a priest forever (cf. Ps 109:4), in the likeness of Him in whose priesthood he has been made to share” (Pius XI, “Ad Catholici Sacerdotii”, 17).

“The laying on of my hands”: see the note on 1 Tim 4:14.

7. The gift of God, received in the sacrament of Order by the laying on of hands, includes sanctifying grace and sacramental grace, and the actual graces needed for performing ministerial functions in a worthy manner. The Council of Trent uses this text (vv. 6-7) when it solemnly defines that Priestly Order is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ (cf. “De Sacram. Ordinis”, chap. 3).

The minister, then, must be courageous in performing his office: he should preach the truth unambiguously even if it clashes with the
surroundings; he should do so with love, and be open to everyone despite their faults; with sobriety and moderation, always seeing the good of souls, not his own advantage. Since the days of the Fathers the Church has urged priests to develop these virtues: “Priests should be compassionate”, St Polycarp warns; “they should show mercy to all; they should try to reclaim those who go astray, visit the sick, and care for the poor, the orphan and the widow. They should be concerned always to do what is honorable in the sight of God and men. They should avoid any show of anger, any partiality or trace of greed. They should not be over-ready to believe ill of anyone, not too severe in their censure, being well aware that we all owe the debt of sin” (”Letter to the Philippians”, chap. 6).

9-10. There is a theological basis for courageously confronting the difficulties the Gospel brings with it—the fact that we have been
called by God, who has revealed himself as our Savior. As elsewhere in these letters (cf. 1 Tim 3:15ff; Tit 3:5-7). St Paul here speaks a succinct hymn in praise of salvation, probably using expressions based on some liturgical hymn or confession of faith.

The salvation which God brings about is viewed in this passage as it applies to Christians (v. 9) and is manifested in the incarnation of
Christ (v. 10). Four essential aspects of salvation are identified: 1) God has already accomplished salvation for everyone; 2) it is God,
too, who calls all men to avail of it; 3) it is entirely a gift: man cannot merit it (cf. Tit 3:5, Eph 2.8-9), and 4) God’s plan is an eternal one (cf. Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:11).

“The appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 10) refers in the first place to his incarnation (cf. Tit 2:11; 3:4) but it includes his entire
work of redemption which culminates in his appearing in glory and majesty (cf. 1 Tim 6:14; 2 Tim 4:1, 8). The Redemption has two wonderful effects—victory over death (physical and spiritual) and the abundant and luminous gift of everlasting life. “He is the true Lamb who took away the sins of the world. By dying he destroyed our death; by rising he restored our life” (”Preface of Easter”, I).

“Ages ago”: literally, “from the times of the ages”, a primitive expression meaning the same thing as “eternity”.

12. “I know whom I have believed”: through the virtue of faith we assent to the truths God has revealed, not on the intrinsic evidence they provide but on the authority of God, who can neither deceive nor be deceived (cf. Vatican I, “Dei Filius”, chap. 3). The response of faith is basically a trusting abandonment of oneself into God’s hands: “By faith man freely commits his entire life to God, making ‘the full submission of his intellect and will to God who reveals’, and willingly assenting to the Revelation given by him. Before this faith can be exercised, man must have the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior helps of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes of the mind and ‘makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth”’ (Vatican II, “Dei Verbum”, 5).

“What has been entrusted to me”: some commentators think that this “deposit” is the sum total of the good works and merits the Apostle has built up over his lifetime. However it is more likely that he is referring to the body of doctrine which he strives to guard and to teach to others. It is in that sense that St John Chrysostom interprets it: “What does this ‘deposit’ mean? Faith, preaching. He himself who has entrusted the deposit to me knows how to keep it intact. I suffer as may be to ensure that this treasure is not snatched away from me. I do not try to escape whatever evils I have to undergo; I am happy as long as the deposit is preserved pure and intact” (”Hom. on 2 Tim, ad loc.”). See also the note on 1 Tim 6:20.

“That Day”: the day of judgment, when he will be called to give an account to God. It can refer to both the particular judgment and the
last judgment.

13-14. In guarding what has been entrusted to him (cf. notes on 1 Tim 6:20 and 2 Tim 1:12), Timothy, like all the pastors of the Church, receives the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit. “Guiding the Church in the way of all truth (cf. Jn 16:13) and unifying her in communion and in the works of the ministry, (the Spirit) bestows upon her varied hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in this way directs her; and he adorns her with his fruits (cf. Eph 4:11-12; 1 Cor 12:4; Gal 5:22)” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 4).

The Holy Spirit has been with the Church since the day of Pentecost, ever-active in the sanctification of all believers. His action
includes guaranteeing the faithful transmission of the entire body of teaching revealed by God, ensuring that it be unchanged in any way. The First Vatican Council teaches that the Holy Spirit “was not promised to the successors of St. Peter so that they by their own
revelation might make known some new teaching; he was promised so that by means of his help they might reverently guard and faithfully expoundthe revelation transmitted by the Apostles, that is, the deposit of faith” (”Pastor Aeternus”, Chap. 4).