Lesson One

Run Well. Finish Strong.

A Study of 2 Timothy

The Book of 2 Timothy is a letter written by Paul to Timothy. Bible scholars generally agree that
Paul personally led Timothy (see 2 Tim. 1:6) to the Lord during Paul’s first missionary journey,
which took Paul through Timothy’s hometown of Lystra. Timothy’s mother (Eunice) and
grandmother (Lois) were believers. Scholars believe Timothy’s father was a Greek and, most
likely, unconverted.

Paul reconnected with Timothy when Paul passed back through Lystra on his second missionary
journey. Hearing of Timothy’s rapid spiritual growth and passion for the things of the Lord, Paul
enlisted the young man and ordained him in the ministry. The two men quickly became dear
friends and partners in ministry. During the time of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, Timothy was
in Ephesus overseeing the work of the churches there.

Paul had been imprisoned under the reign of the Roman emperor, Nero. Nero had ascended to
the throne in A.D. 54 at the age of sixteen. The early years of his reign were marked with peace.
A bright future for the teen king’s reign seemed inevitable. However his marriage to a woman
named Poppaea changed all that. Nero became brutal and ruthless, killing his own mother and
his chief advisers. He orchestrated the deaths of many of the noble class in order to seize their
fortunes. Nero’s wickedness and debauchery allegedly knew no bounds. His thirst for notoriety
led him into excessive acts of decadence and brutality. Nero instituted blood sports. Gladiators
battled to the death. Prisoners were thrown into the arena with wild beasts to the delight of the
crowds that thronged to these gory spectacles.

In A.D. 64 a fire destroyed a large part of Rome. Nero was suspected of ordering the fire to make
room for a new palace. Nero deflected blame by accusing the Christians for the inferno. This
began the terrible persecution of the church. Random acts of violence were directed towards
believers. Nero used the public execution of Christians for entertainment in the Coliseum. It was
during this reign of terror that Paul was taken prisoner for the last time. His earlier imprisonment
had been similar to house arrest. He was under Roman guard but he was able to welcome
numerous visitors and live in relative comfort. In contrast, this imprisonment was in a dark,
damp, dirty cell with no windows and no creature comforts. He was under the sentence of death
and he longed to see his dear friends, Timothy and John Mark (2 Tim. 4:11), before he stepped
into eternity.

The Book of 2 Timothy is Paul’s final letter. It is estimated to have been written around A.D. 67,
just prior to Paul’s execution which most Bible scholars place in the spring of A.D. 68. Paul
wrote the letter from his cell in the infamous Mamertine Prison where he was awaiting
sentencing at the hand of the madman Nero. Paul rose above the downward pull of his present
misery to reflect on his past and contemplate his glorious future. His letter contains some
Run Well, Finish Strong – Passing the Baton of Faith to the Next Generation
A study in the book of 2 Timothy
instructions for the church at large, but it is primarily a personal letter addressed to Timothy.
Paul’s tender letter serves as an exhortation to Timothy personally and the church corporately to
continue in the things of the Lord.

As I read Paul’s words, my mind conjures up images of the aged apostle as he pens his final
letter. Using my sanctified imagination, I see Paul sitting cross-legged on the floor of his dank
cell. His back is pressed against the damp wall of his subterranean dungeon. He draws the thin
layer of his garment across his emaciated body in a vain attempt to generate some warmth. A
deep cough rattles in his chest due to the constant exposure of the damp air. He pauses long
enough to push the grey lock of unkempt hair back from his face. He tugs at his matted beard. He
pauses and looks off into the distance at the unseen world and a smile flickers across his face.
For a moment he pauses, pondering his entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

With only the flickering light of a single candle to light his page, I see his battered and bent
frame leaning over his work. His eyes give him trouble and I think I can see him squint as he
writes. The candlelight dances across his parchment, casting eerie shadows on the page. I can see
the quick pen strokes of his quill as he pours out his heart to his beloved Timothy. He wrote,
And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to
faithful men, who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). God is entrusting His Truth to
us. We are to faithfully hand them down to our children and our children’s children. A
generational faith is God’s plan for His people (see Deut. 6:4-23)

I. Paul’s Introduction-2 Timothy 1:1

Paul introduced himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the
promise of life in Christ Jesus. Without question, Paul is the human author is this letter. The fact
that Paul confirms his God-given apostolic authority in his opening indicates that Paul intended
for his letter to be more far-reaching than a personal correspondence with Timothy.

II. Paul’s Affection-2 Timothy 1:1-2

To Timothy, Paul writes, my beloved son. In 1 Timothy 1:2 Paul referred to Timothy as his
beloved son and his true child in the faith. Paul’s affection for Timothy was evident. More than a
tender farewell, Paul wrote to encourage Timothy and the church as a whole to remain faithful to
the Lord, especially as persecution against believers escalated. Paul believed God could deliver
him from the executor if He sovereignly chose to do so. If not, Paul was pleased to see Jesus.
Soon Timothy would be running without his faithful mentor. It was important for Paul to give
him some final words of encouragement to enable Timothy to continue to run well and finish
strong.

III. Paul’s Intention-2 Timothy 1:1-2

Paul intention for his letter is obvious in his opening. Paul, as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the
will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus. Paul served at the pleasure of his
King Jesus by the will of God. Paul lived (and would die) according to the will of God. At his
death, Paul was confident he would step into the eternal life promised by Jesus Christ-forever in
His presence. Paul wrote, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the
faith (2 Tim. 4:7). His hope was that Timothy, the church corporately, and all believers
individually, would follow his example. Run Well! Finish Strong!

Run Well, Finish Strong – Passing the Baton of Faith to the Next Generation
A study in the book of 2 Timothy
Run Well, Finish Strong – Passing the Baton of Faith to the Next Generation
A study in the book of 2 Timothy