I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

1) To whom are the commands in this passage given?
When studying the Bible, we look for the original intent of the author to make sure that we don’t misunderstand or misapply what is written. 2 Timothy is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to his spiritual son, Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus. So the commands were given directly to Timothy, but can also be understood to apply to current-day pastors and overseers. Those of us who are not pastors can still apply the universal principles to our own lives.

2) What do Paul’s words in verse 1 tell us about the command he is about to give?
Verse one contains strong language that shows just how important the following command is. This isn’t just a suggestion, but a charge, and Paul is reminding Timothy that God and Christ Jesus are present, powerful, and coming back to finish their work. This would have encouraged Timothy to take seriously the task set before him, and to consider the magnitude of such a command.

3) What exactly does it mean to preach? Be ready? Reprove? Rebuke? Exhort?
The word translated “preach” here means to herald or proclaim. And the emphasis is on preaching the word, not just preaching whatever people want to hear. “Be ready” means to be prepared to take opportunities to preach the word (1 Peter 3:15). The dictionary defines “reprove” as to criticize or correct (when someone is in error), and rebuke means to express sharp, stern disapproval. To exhort is to urge someone to do or believe something. All these commands are related to helping people know and understand the truth of God’s word, and to reject falsehood.

4) What does it mean that people will have “itching ears”? What is Paul’s command that contrasts with this type of person?
When something itches, it wants to be scratched. When someone’s ears “itch,” there is something specific that they want to hear that will satisfy that “itch,” regardless of whether it is truth or myth. People with itching ears don’t necessarily want to hear the truth of God’s word, and they will seek out any teacher who will tell them what they want to hear. In contrast, Paul commands Timothy to be sober-minded. He is to be disciplined and watchful, preaching the truth even if he suffers, and to fulfill his ministry.

1) To whom are the commands in this passage given?
Not every believer is a pastor, but we can all apply the commands in these verses to our own lives by being ready to defend the truth of the gospel to those around us. We think of pastors “preaching the word” on Sundays, but the truth is that our lifestyle is what preaches the word and shares the gospel. The way we live out Christ’s love, the way we treat people, the way we intentionally share the gospel…in all of those things, we have the opportunity to proclaim Christ.

2) What do Paul’s words in verse 1 tell us about the command he is about to give?
What a huge, weighty task our pastors and leaders have! I am grateful for those who have submitted themselves to God’s call on their lives to lead. Understanding the magnitude of the calling that they bear makes me want to support them through prayer and encouragement. Commit to praying for your leaders, that they will fulfill the commands in these verses with joy. And write them a note or an email to let them know you are praying for them.

3) What exactly does it mean to preach? Be ready? Reprove? Rebuke? Exhort?
All of these commands involve using the Bible to communicate truth. Just a couple of verses before these is 2 Timothy 3:16, which says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Women, lets resolve to know our Bibles better, so we can use it to speak truth to ourselves and to others!

4) What does it mean that people will have “itching ears”? What is Paul’s command that contrasts with this type of person?
Lord, may I not be a woman with “itching ears.” May I desire to hear truth, whether it is convenient and easy, or difficult and painful. You are Truth, and I desire to know you, truly. Help me to be sober-minded and to fulfill the ministry that you have called me to.

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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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