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BibleProject New Testament Series - Lesson 22

2 Timothy - BibleProject

In this lesson, you will learn about the background, authorship, purpose, literary genre, and major themes of 2 Timothy. You will also explore the outline and structure of the book. 2 Timothy is a pastoral letter written by the Apostle Paul to his young protégé Timothy. It emphasizes the importance of faithfulness, perseverance, sound doctrine, and godly living in the face of opposition and false teaching. The letter is structured around three main sections: an introduction and greeting, encouragement and exhortation, and warnings and instructions.

Taught by a Team
Taught by a Team
BibleProject New Testament Series
Lesson 22
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2 Timothy - BibleProject

Lesson Outline: 2 Timothy

I. Introduction to 2 Timothy

A. Background and Historical Context

B. Authorship and Purpose

C. Literary Genre and Style

II. Major Themes of 2 Timothy

A. Faithfulness and Perseverance

B. Sound Doctrine and Teaching

C. Godly Living and Ministry

III. Outline and Structure of 2 Timothy

A. Introduction and Greeting (1:1-5)

B. Encouragement and Exhortation (1:6-2:13)

C. Warnings and Instructions (2:14-4:8)

D. Personal Notes and Closing (4:9-22)


Lessons
Transcript
  • You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the literary design, purpose, themes, and messages of each book in the New Testament, including the four Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, epistles of Paul, general epistles, and the book of Revelation.
  • You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the book of Matthew 1-13 through this lesson, including the literary design of the book, the flow of thought in each chapter, and the key themes and events. The lesson highlights the importance of Jesus' role in bringing God's kingdom to earth and inviting his disciples into a new way of life.
  • You will gain knowledge and insight into the Gospel book of Matthew through an overview of the first 13 chapters. You will learn how Matthew presents Jesus as the king who brings God's kingdom to earth, and how his disciples are invited to participate in this new way of life through his death and resurrection. You will also discover the central theme of the kingdom of God in Matthew, its relationship with the Church, and the call to discipleship and obedience.
  • Gain insight into the book of Mark's literary design and flow of thought, as well as Jesus' role as Israel's Messiah, inaugurating God's kingdom through his suffering, death, and resurrection.
  • By studying the Gospel of Luke, you will gain knowledge of the authorship, purpose, themes, and literary features of the Gospel, as well as a deep understanding of Luke 1-2, which narrates the miraculous births of John the Baptist and Jesus and provides models of faith and obedience. You will discover how Luke emphasizes the universality of God's love and the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering Jesus and his followers.
  • Luke's Gospel portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises told in the Old Testament, bringing the good news of God's kingdom to the poor, teaching his disciples about prayer, trust, and generosity, continuing his mission to the poor and social outsiders, celebrating God's mercy for the lost and the tragic resistance of Israel's leaders, and ultimately dying on the cross as an embodiment of God's love and mercy.
  • In the Gospel of John, the first half of the book tells stories of Jesus performing miraculous signs that lead to controversy, culminating in the raising of Lazarus and his rejection by Israel's leaders, all of which prepare us to understand Jesus as the Messiah, teacher of Israel, and Son of God who offers a new quality of life through belief in Him.
  • You will gain insights into Jesus' ministry and teachings, including the seven signs of Jesus' public ministry and his private ministry, which include the washing of the disciples' feet, farewell discourse, and high priestly prayer.
  • This lesson provides comprehensive insight into the introduction and context of the book of Acts, the early church in Jerusalem, and the gospel going to the Gentiles.
  • You will learn about the book of Acts, covering chapters 13-28, which includes Paul's missionary journeys, the Jerusalem Council, and his journey to Rome, and learn about the debates and decisions made by the apostles and elders, as well as gain insights into Paul's ministry and travels.
  • In Paul's Letter to the Romans, he explains how the gospel reveals God's righteousness, creates a new humanity fulfilling God's promise to Israel, and unifies the church, with chapters one through four laying the foundation for understanding the rest of the letter, which emphasizes that all humanity is hopelessly trapped in sin and needs to be rescued through faith in Jesus.
  • In Paul's letter to the Romans, he explores the idea that all humanity is trapped in sin and needs to be rescued through Jesus' death and resurrection, and that being in the family of Abraham means being a part of a new humanity that God is creating through Jesus and the Spirit, with the purpose of rescuing and renewing all of creation.
  • Explore 1 Corinthians to gain insights into complex problems faced by the church and how Paul responds through the gospel. Learn about unity, sexual integrity, love, worship order, and the resurrection as the foundation of hope in the future. Understand the gospel's application to all aspects of life.
  • In 2 Corinthians, you will learn about Paul's efforts to reconcile with the Corinthians, address their forgotten generosity, and confront the "super apostles" who undermine his authority, revealing the paradox of the cross and its implications for a transformed life.
  • You will gain an understanding of the background, context, and content of Galatians, including the false teaching that prompted Paul's letter, his defense of his gospel and authority, the role of the law in God's promise to Abraham, and the importance of living by the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
  • Gain insights into the book of Ephesians, which emphasizes the creation of unified, ethnically diverse communities through devotion to Jesus and each other.
  • This lesson on Philippians will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of its background, authorship, themes, literary features, detailed analysis of each chapter, and significance in Christian theology and impact on the church.
  • By studying Colossians, you will gain understanding of the book's authorship, background, and theological themes such as Christology, spiritual maturity, and the new humanity in Christ and how to practically apply the teachings of Colossians to the church and daily life.
  • By studying this lesson on the book of 1 Thessalonians, you will gain understanding of its background, themes, purpose, literary features, and application. You will learn about the historical and cultural relevance of the book and its personal and spiritual significance for us today.
  • You will gain an understanding of the background, purpose, and themes of 2 Thessalonians, as well as an in-depth exegesis of the text. The application of the book to historical and cultural contexts, as well as its relevance for today, is also explored.
  • This lesson provides comprehensive insights into the book of 1 Timothy, including its background, themes, and significance in the New Testament, such as its contribution to understanding church leadership and worship, the historical context of the early church, and its application for modern church life.
  • In 2 Timothy, Paul writes to Timothy from prison, urging him to stay strong in the face of persecution and to confront corrupt teachers who are causing problems in the church in Ephesus.
  • This lesson on the book of Titus provides a comprehensive understanding of its background, authorship, purpose, structure, themes, and significance, enabling you to appreciate its contributions to the New Testament, its impact on the original audience, and its relevance to the Church today.
  • Gain insights into Paul's letter to Philemon about forgiveness and reconciliation with his runaway slave, challenging assumptions about social justice and inequality, and highlighting Paul's commitment to pastoral care and reconciliation.
  • This lesson on Hebrews covers the authorship, purpose, literary genre, Christology, eschatology, and theology of the book, providing insights into Jesus as the Son of God, High Priest, and Perfect Sacrifice, the concept of Rest, Warning Passages, and the Superiority of Christ and the New Covenant, the Importance of Faith and Obedience, and the Perseverance of the Saints.
  • In the Book of James, you will explore the wisdom of Jesus' teachings and the Book of Proverbs, examining themes such as faith and works, the power of words, wealth, poverty, and wisdom, ultimately learning to live according to the "Perfect Torah of Freedom."
  • Through participating in this lesson, you will learn about 1 Peter, including information on its authorship and date, recipients and purpose, theological themes, literary features, and application. The lesson covers the book's historical and cultural context, as well as its contemporary relevance, and provides insights into how it speaks to topics such as suffering and glory, holiness and ethics, and Christology and salvation.
  • You will gain understanding of the book of 2 Peter, including its authorship, date, and literary context, as well as its theological themes, interpretation, and application. By studying 2 Peter, you will learn about false teachers and their destruction, the day of the Lord, the second coming of Christ, the certainty of God's promises, and the importance of godly living in contemporary Christian life.
  • You will gain knowledge and insight into the letters of John, including their historical and cultural context, authorship, purpose, literary features, themes, and messages, as well as their significance in the New Testament.
  • The book of Jude emphasizes the importance of contending for the Christian faith and exposes corrupt teachers, using both biblical and non-biblical Jewish texts as examples, ultimately highlighting that obedience to Jesus is the true indicator of genuine belief.
  • You will gain a deeper understanding of the book of Revelation, including its historical and literary context, authorship, purpose, and genre, as well as its structure, themes, and images. Additionally, you will be introduced to different interpretive approaches and learn how to apply the book to your personal life, the church, and culture.
  • This lesson provides an understanding of the book of Revelation, including its structure, content, symbolism, interpretive approaches, message, and relevance, helping you to gain insight into the nature of God, the victory of Christ, the role of the church, and the end of history.

BP150-22 - 2 Timothy

Paul’s second letter to Timothy. This is Paul's final and most personal letter. He wrote it from yet another time in prison, and it's addressed to Paul's dear coworker and protege, the young Timothy. Now, we don't know how much time exactly has passed since he wrote First Timothy, but we can see that Paul's situation has changed and for the worse. He's imprisoned in Rome, which could refer to his time under house arrest. That was mentioned in Acts Chapter 28. Or it could be that he was released from that imprisonment, had another long season of ministry, and then was arrested again in TROs. Either way, Paul says he's in the middle of his court trial now and it is not going well. He's pretty sure he's not going to survive this one. And so out of this very dark situation, Paul appeals to Timothy, who it seems is still on assignment in Ephesus. He asked Timothy to come be with him in prison so Paul can pass on to him the church planting mission he started. The letters design is pretty simple. There are two large sections where Paul challenges Timothy first to accept his calling as a leader, and then before he comes to Paul to deal with the corrupt teachers that are still causing problems in Ephesus. After this, Paul concludes the letter. So Paul begins by thanking God for Timothy and his family, specifically for his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. They immersed the young Timothy in the story of the Old Testament scriptures. They instilled in him a deep faith in the Messiah Jesus. And so because of that firm faith, Paul offers his first challenge to Timothy. He calls him to reject any temptation to be ashamed of the good news about Jesus or of Paul, who's suffering in prison for announcing that good news. Now, the reason Paul needs to emphasize this is the negative stigma that he gained by his frequent times in prison. It made many of Paul's coworkers, in fact, doubt his calling as an apostle. He mentions two guys for Jealous and her. They deserted Paul because they were ashamed of being associated with Paul, who was an accused criminal now. So Paul asked Timothy to reject any fear of shame and to come see him. Now, Paul knows that this is a costly request. It could put Timothy at risk. And so he reminds Timothy that Jesus's grace is a source of power, which is really important. You're going to need it because following Jesus is not easy. It requires everything that you have. Paul likens following Jesus to enrolling as a soldier who's striving to please their commanding officer, Or it's like an athlete who's training their body for a competition, or it's like a hardworking, dedicated farmer. All three of these metaphors involve a person who's committed to something bigger than themselves and who's willing to sacrifice and endure challenges to accomplish a greater goal. And of course, the highest example of this is Jesus himself because of his commitment to the Father. He suffered crucifixion by the Romans. And similarly, Paul himself is now suffering in a Roman prison. Hardship and sacrifice are inherent to the Christian life, and this is why Jesus's resurrection is the foundation of Christian hope. Or, as Paul puts it in a short and very powerful poem. If we died with him, then we will live with him. If we endure, then we will reign with him. If we deny him, then he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he will remain faithful, for he's unable to deny his own nature. God's love for our world has opened up a new hope through the death and resurrection of Jesus. And so for those who will take the risk of trusting and following Jesus, God promises vindication and life for those who reject him. God will honor that decision and do the same. But people's faithlessness will never compel God to abandon his faithfulness. And so Paul calls Timothy to faithfulness, knowing that it may come with a cost. Paul moves into the second half of the letter calling Timothy to confront the corrupt teachers and ethicists before he comes to Rome. They're teaching a spreading in Effusion church like a cancer. They've targeted and corrupted a number of influential women in the church. These are likely the wealthy women the Paul had to deal with in his first letter to Timothy. He doesn't offer much detail about the teachers bad theology. Timothy already knows about it, but he does give us one hint. He says they teach that the resurrection has already taken place. Now, we don't know if the teachers are following a Greek philosophical rejection of the whole idea of bodily resurrection, and they think it's only really about spiritual experience. Or it could be that they've simply distorted Paul's teaching about the resurrection life that begins now through the power of the spirit. Either way, the problem is that they've abandoned the robust future hope of resurrection and of new creation, and they've embraced instead a private, hyper spiritualized Christianity that is disconnected from day to day life. And so Paul calls Timothy to raise up faithful leaders who are going to teach the real good news about Jesus. They should avoid senseless arguments. It result from debating the teachers? In contrast, Timothy and his leadership team are to keep the main thing the main thing. They should focus on the core storyline and message of the scriptures which impulse de ment, primarily the Old Testament. These scriptures, Paul says, are able to give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in the Messiah Jesus. He's saying the whole point of the Scriptures is to tell you a unified story that leads to Jesus and that has wisdom to offer the whole world. Then Paul talks about scriptures, nature and purpose. He says, All Scripture is divinely breathed, literally God spirited. It's a reference to the Spirit's role in guiding the biblical authors so that what they wrote is what God wanted His people to hear. And God speaks to His people in the Scriptures for a very practical purpose. He says they're useful for teaching. Telling me things I didn't know before. They're useful for challenging, getting in my face about the things I say I believe, but I don't actually live consistently with their useful for correcting me, exposing my messed up ways of thinking and behaving. And they're useful for training me in righteousness, showing me a new way to be truly human. And this is also that God's people will be prepared for doing good. Paul closes the letter by reminding Timothy that he's probably not going to make it out of prison alive. So he asked Timothy to come as soon as possible before winter. He doesn't want to freeze in his cell, and so he's going to need his heavy coat that he had to leave behind. And also, could Timothy please bring those personal documents that he left intro as likely when he got arrested? He also mentions Alexander, who's an especially dangerous man that Timothy should avoid. He's probably responsible for Paul's most recent arrest. Paul concludes by mentioning how nearly everyone's abandoned him in prison, and his only source of comfort now is the personal presence of Jesus, who stands with him and will deliver him even if he dies. And so the letter ends. The letter of second Timothy stands as a reminder that Paul's very influential life and mission were marked by persistent challenge and suffering and struggle. Following Jesus involves risk and sacrifice. It means inviting tension and discomfort into your life. And these things are not a sign of Jesus's absence. Rather, as Paul discovered with generations of Christians after him, that precisely in those dark and difficult moments, Jesus's love and faithfulness can become the most tangible and real. And that's what second Timothy Paul's final letter is all about.