Life Of Timothy (Part 12 of 0)

“Do Thy Diligence To Come Shortly” – Part 12

Paul was arrested in Jerusalem at the end of the Third Missionary Journey. He was ultimately taken to Rome where Timothy joined him and assisted him in his work of strengthening and encouraging ecclesias through correspondence. Paul’s Epistles to Titus and his Second Epistle to Timothy reveal that he was released from prison for a time and was able to move about freely.1

Paul’s situation (and that of all the Christians) changed dramatically in 64 A.D., however. On the night of July 19, the Great Fire of Rome occurred. It damaged or destroyed 70 percent of the city of Rome. The Roman historian Cassius Dio claimed that while the fire raged, the Emperor Nero put on a stage costume and played a dirge for the burning city on his lyre.2Regardless of whether that was part of his reaction,3the Roman populace was enraged at Nero because they believed he started the fire.4,5Seeking to shift their fury away from him, he blamed the fire on the Christians and began a savage persecution of them. The historian, Tacitus, who was young boy at the time, describes what happened as follows:

“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians [or Chrestians] by the populace … an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed.”6

As part of Nero’s persecution, the Romans apprehended and imprisoned Paul. He wrote 2nd Timothy from prison in about 67 A.D. Timothy was approximately 37 at the time and was most likely in Ephesus.

“my dearly beloved son”

Many Christians were absolutely terrified by Nero’s ferocious persecution and distanced themselves from Paul. Paul wrote to Timothy: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Tim 1: 5). Even Timothy, who had stood for the Truth in very dangerous situations in the past, needed to be encouraged not to be afraid: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Tim 1: 6-8). It was a frightening time, and Timothy needed to be a good example to others.

Paul anticipated that he was going to be executed. He longed to see Timothy before he died.7

He wrote: “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me” (2 Tim 4: 9). His great affection for Timothy is shown by the fact that he repeated his urging just several verses later: “Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren” (2 Tim 4: 21). Those were among the last inspired words that Paul wrote.

Paul wanted Timothy to come to him quickly, but the guidance Paul gave in 2nd Timothy was not just for immediate application. Some of the Epistle’s content was for the time after Paul’s death when Timothy would return to Ephesus to lead the ecclesia, and would no longer have Paul available to advise him. It is a testimony to Paul’s love for Timothy that he was thinking of Timothy’s needs (and those of other brothers and sisters) as his own execution was approaching.

Paul told Timothy that there were false doctrines that he needed to resist. One of them was the teaching that the resurrection had past: “And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some” (2 Tim 2: 17-18). Paul also told Timothy that he needed to avoid the bickering over unimportant matters that was taking place among certain brethren: “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes” (2 Tim 2: 23). It is truly remarkable that during a time of crisis when believers were being arrested and killed with the utmost cruelty, and when some brothers and sisters were fleeing the meeting in terror, that some of those who remained in the ecclesia were quarreling with each other over unimportant matters. Why weren’t they helping those whose lives had been devastated by the persecution — who had lost homes, livelihoods, parents, spouses, and children? Why weren’t they busy reaching out to those who had become overwhelmed by fear and forsaken the meeting?

In these last days, as the ecclesia is being threatened in a different way — not by Roman persecution but by the influence of the world — we need to make sure that we are doing the hard work of not being ashamed of the Lord Jesus and of helping our brothers and sisters. Let us ensure that we are not being distracted from that work by striving with one another. There are parts of 2nd Timothy that are quite sad. Paul wrote about fighting in the meeting, the spread of false doctrine, brethren forsaking him in his time of need, and his impending death. But there are also parts of 2nd Timothy that are quite stirring in their beauty. Paul calls Timothy “my dearly beloved son,” for example (2 Tim 1:2). It must have been so wonderful for Timothy to have known that he had a father who truly loved him and who appreciated him for the spiritual man that he was, especially given the Bible’s indication that he and his natural father were not close. Timothy had probably longed for the acceptance of a father figure. He got that from Paul.

As for Paul, in Timothy he had a son that he could cherish. Timothy shared Paul’s love of the Truth and the Brotherhood, and he possessed many of Paul’s spiritual qualities (Phil 2:20). At the end of his life, when so many people had deserted him and he had never had a natural family of his own, Paul must have been so thankful that God had given him Timothy. Their relationship is an illustration of the blessings of the Truth in this life.

“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus”

Paul was executed in about 68 A.D. Timothy must have felt his loss keenly. The Bible does not state anything more about Timothy directly following Paul’s death. But his continuing effort in the work of the Truth is clearly indicated. The evidence of his leadership through service and his relentless determination to do right — despite the obstacles — appear in the last book of the Bible.

When Paul wrote 2nd Timothy, the ecclesia at Ephesus was beset with doctrinal problems. Thirty years later, when the Apocalypse was written, Ephesus was a successfully laboring ecclesia, which was commended for its doctrinal soundness.

Tradition has it that Timothy made Ephesus his base and was the leader of the ecclesia there for the rest of his life. Some have suggested that Timothy was “the angel of the ecclesia at Ephesus” to whom the Lord’s message in Revelation was directed. That is an interesting conjecture, but nothing more. Regardless of whether he was even alive at the time that Revelation was written, the Lord Jesus’ commendation of the Ephesians is, in part, a legacy of Timothy’s service to the Truth there: “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (Rev 2: 1-2). In Timothy, the Ephesians had seen a wonderful example of doctrinal soundness and tireless labor in service to the Truth. They had done well in choosing to be like him.

In his last letter to him, Paul told Timothy that there was a need for him to commit the Gospel to “faithful men” who would continue his work in the Truth (2 Tim 2:2). Today there continues to be a need for faithful men, women, and young people to step forward and live and speak as those godly people once did. Meditating on the life of Timothy, who was valued of God, and trying to bring his characteristics to life in our lives can help us to be a part of that group of faithful individuals both now and, God willing, as kings and priests in the future.

  1. See, for example, Titus 3:12 and 2 Tim 4:20.
  2. Cassius Dio. Roman History LXII.18.
  3. Tacitus wrote that Nero opened public buildings and his private gardens during the fire to shelter people who had been made homeless. He stated that the charge that Nero had played on the lyre while the city was in flames was “a rumor” that “had gone forth everywhere.” See The Annals. Book 15. Section 39.
  4. The Annals. Book 15. Section 44.
  5. The fire permitted Nero to rebuild sections of the city according to his design and to purchase land that he wanted cheaply. See E. Knox. “Julio-Claudian Emperors: Fires, Friends, Foes.” History of Western Civilization.
  6. The Annals. Book 15. Section 44.
  7. Great courage would be required on Timothy’s part to visit Paul in Rome. Paul was a well-known Christian during a time in which followers of the Lord were being routinely appre­hended and executed. It appears that visiting Paul in prison had cost a brother from Ephesus named One siphorus his life. Paul mentioned One siphorus’ faithful service in 2nd Timothy.