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2 Timothy 2: 19-22
– Reconsidered
The traditional interpretation of 2 Timothy 2: 19-22, from JND down, among those walking in separation, is that:
- though we may not be able to discern them, the Lord knows all those in Christendom who belong to Him;
- if we confess the name of the Lord, we should
- separate from the iniquity of the religious systems or unrepentant individuals who have dishonoured the Lord's name,
- and pursue – or continue to pursue – righteousness, etc., with brethren who call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart.
This is a just application of the passage, for which I am thankful. It was this very application that convicted me, as a young man, to separate from the ecclesiastical iniquity of the open system.
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Comparison with Numbers 16 indicates that Paul is drawing on that passage. Therefore, we should refer to it for help in the primary interpretation.
Confirmation of the comparison with Numbers 16 has subsequently
come to light in several remarks in
CAC's Outline of 2 Timothy, Vol. 9: 400-401 and JT 32: 234. |
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Paul's selections are not word for word, but this presents no difficulty for there are many such quotations in the New Testament.
- Surely the Spirit of God who inspired the Scriptures – and who is Himself the assurance of their accuracy – has the right to use quotations in a form to serve His purpose in meeting current needs.
Kurios – i.e., Lord, without the definite article
– as in the LXX – usually stands for "Jehovah". |
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- " [The] Lord knows those that are His" is taken from "And he spoke to Korah and to all his band, saying, Even to-morrow will Jehovah make known who is His, and who is holy; and He will cause him to come near to Him; and him whom He has chosen, him will He cause to come near to Him", Numbers 16: 5.
- Such is Moses' answer to those who set themselves against God's chosen servants – Moses and Aaron. God will positively declare who are His servants.
- "Let every one who names the name of [the] Lord withdraw from iniquity" is taken from "Speak unto the assembly, saying, Get you up from about the habitation of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram … And he spoke to the assembly, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye perish in all their sins", Numbers 16: 24-26.
- Departure or withdrawal is the way of practical salvation from God's judgment upon wickedness.
Just as Moses names the opposers in Numbers 16, so Paul – contrary to his practice in 1 and 2 Corinthians and Galatians – names his main opposers in Asia, "Phygellus and Hermogenes", as well as certain false teachers, "Hymenæus and Philetus", 2 Timothy 1: 15; 2: 17.
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It is commonly held that all the brethren in Asia – the seven assemblies – had turned away from Paul.
- It is inconceivable that Onesiphorous, Philemon, Onesimus, Epaphras, Archippus, Tychicus and Trophimus – all of Asia – could all have turned away from Paul. Certainly, Timothy and the "faithful men", to whom he was to commit the truth, had not turned away.
- However, by naming "Phygellus and Hermogenes" it is far more likely that Paul is pointing out the leaders of his opposers, who had an outward place as the Lord's servants.
- Such had turned away from Paul, the Lord's chosen servant, just as Korah (who was of the Kohathites, the leading family of the Levites) and Dathan and Abiram (who assumed importance because they were of the tribe of Reuben, the discredited firstborn) had risen up against Moses and Aaron, the Lord's chosen servants.
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All this suggests as the interpretation:
- that the Lord both "knows" and "will make known" and support those who are His chosen servants in the face of their opposers – who are really His opposers.
Those who take His name upon them, i.e., profess obedience to Him, as the Israelites did and as we do, are then to "withdraw from iniquity", to "depart … from the tents of these wicked men" –
- to have nothing to do with the leaders of opposition to the Lord through their attacks on His approved servants, or with the followers of such wicked men.
That being done, we are to identify ourselves fully with the Lord's chosen servants in pursuit of His interests.
- The exhortation to "pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart"
- would also seem to apply primarily to the Lord's chosen servants:
- "Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name: they called unto Jehovah, and He answered them", Psalm 99: 6.
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In our times there has been much controversy over authoritative
ministry.
- After JT's death some refused it altogether and pursued their own course.
- Others falsely claimed it to harass and oppress other servants, and the brethren in general. Compare Matthew 24: 45-51.
- Both were wrong. As of old, so in the recent recovery of the truth, "when Jehovah raised them up judges, then Jehovah was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge", Judges 2: 18.
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But the present day is like Malachi:
- "Then they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another; and Jehovah observed it, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name", Malachi 3: 16.
It may seem unlikely that the Lord will again raise up – as He did in the last great revival – any as specially chosen and approved by Him. If, and while, that is the situation we are not left at a loss:
- "Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, the statutes and ordinances", Malachi 4: 4.
- We can still separate from evil teachers and their supporters, we can go back to the Scriptures – and especially to Paul's ministry – and to the ministry of JND, JBS, FER, CAC, JT and the many others who laboured with them, and take up the great truths they set out and stand by them.
- Thus, even though those distinctive servants of the Lord are no longer with us, we can still "pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart", 2 Timothy 2: 22.
Thy servants die; O grant it, Lord,
That we, who have their teaching stored
Within our hearts, may now step forth
To fill the ranks with heavenly worth.
Grant unto us who still remain
To walk before Thee without stain,
To serve Thy church with faithful love,
Until we too are called above.
Miss J. Wickens,
Hymn 424: 4-5, 1973 Hymn Book.
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