The book of 2 Timothy
The Book of 2 Timothy
What is the book of 2 Timothy about?
The book of 2 Timothy is the second of three "pastoral letters." What differs in his writing of 2 Timothy is that he was imprisoned under Emperor Nero at the time of writing. This imprisonment is in stark contrast to his first because he was in a cold dungeon, chained like a common criminal. As described in Ac28:30, Paul's first imprisonment was in a "...rented house and welcomed all who came to see him." These differing scenarios tell you how serious the second imprisonment is.
Paul had three reasons for writing to Timothy at this time:
- Paul was lonely. He said "...everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes." (1:15)
- Paul was concerned about the welfare of the churches under the persecution of Nero. He urged Timothy to guard the gospel (1:14), to persevere in it (3:14), to keep on preaching it (4:2) and to suffer for it if necessary (1:8; 2:3).
- Paul wanted to write to the Ephesian church through his letter to Timothy. "The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all." (4:22)
Who wrote the book of 2 Timothy?
The author of the book of 2 Timothy is the apostle Paul.
Who is the audience?
Paul's disciple Timothy, who was ministering in Ephesus
Timeframe 2 Timothy was written:
Written sometime around AD 66-67.
"In short" (One sentence summary):
Facing imminent death, Paul encourages his beloved disciple Timothy to carry on the ministry and faithfully guard the gospel.
Fun facts about 2 Timothy/Did you know?
Paul' friends had a hard time finding him (1:17) and mentions that he knew his work was done and that his life was coming to an end in 4:6-8.
