A gospel powerful and unbound: enduring the test of time (… if we pass on its treasures)
“Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.” (2 Timothy 1:14)
I am a lover of words, a love apparent in my early childhood and remaining with me today. When presented with the opportunity to engage with a new theological teaching style and explore a provocative text in church history, my heart was sold. Not entirely knowing what this would entail, I took a leap of faith and booked session one of “Pop-up Theology.”
Fearful and somewhat self-reliant on a Saturday morning, armed with my trusted Bible study guide and prepared notes in my satchel, I was met by an apt teacher, patient and correcting with gentleness (as in 2 Timothy 2:24-25), who lovingly guided us to the words on the page step by step. I realised that, like those who had deviated from the truth in Ephesus, I too fall all too easily into subtle self-reliance, forgetting to leave space for the “help of the Holy Spirit living in us” (2 Timothy 1:14) and to learn in communion with others.
I’d, unknowingly, relied upon the stoic principle of self-sufficiency, or in other words the false teachers Paul warns will continue to be present in Greece in the ages to come (2 Timothy 3). The second century Greek philosopher Epictetus is a good example of how Stoicism presents no spiritual solution and stagnates in the limits of reason:
“If a person gave away your body to some passerby, you’d be furious. Yet you hand over your mind to anyone who comes along, so they may abuse you, leaving it disturbed and troubled – have you no shame in that?” (Epictetus, The Enchiridon 28)
Yet Christ and Paul are two figures who do precisely what Epictetus warns the Greeks against; sacrificing their body in full awareness of the abuse and suffering, yet “have no shame.”
Our journey commenced by reviewing the brief climactic timeline of events in Acts and 1 Timothy. Collectively, we were primed for the high drama preceding 2 Timothy and the situations the letter responds to.
Adam Curtis set the scene of a church in trouble: false teachers running amok, both inside and outside the church, Paul’s imprisonment, imminent trial, and death, people fleeing the church and their reasons for doing so, the persecution of early Christians, and the seemingly impossible question of how Timothy and the elders or overseers can lead in such despairing times while continuing the work of the gospel.
Given Paul’s persecution and imprisonment, I might be forgiven for wondering if he felt shame, hopelessness, and personal failure regarding the situation in Ephesus. Yet Paul immediately rebukes this notion:
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” (2 Timothy 1:7-8)
I was struck by the thought “I don’t know how he does it,” yet Paul provides a clear answer and an invitation to Timothy, and to us today, to actively partake in the gospel. Highlighting repeated words such as “I,” “we,” “you,” and “my” helped reveal that, despite Paul’s imprisonment, the power of the gospel and communion prevails:
“This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.” (2 Timothy 2:8b-9)
The invitation and image of a man chained in prison yet made free through the word of God and Christ Jesus became a source of inspiration for me and others.
Paul provides multiple references to those who have deserted him in the face of persecution and have been drawn into false teaching. Instead of leading others to eternal life through the “sound doctrine” of the gospel, they lead them into spiritual sickness and death, destroying faith:
“Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.” (2 Timothy 2:17-18)
I couldn’t help but reflect on my own departure from the truth which I don’t want to confront in times when challenges present themselves and when the light of faith and Christ Jesus is momentarily forgotten.
We highlighted lines and words that were commands or instructions; there were so many I cannot attempt to contain them here. Every time we returned to key verses, we found additional instruction.
Paul makes clear that the teachings are to be shared by Timothy with those who can be relied upon to respond to the tall order of guarding the treasure of the gospel:
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2)
In reflecting on 2 Timothy, we uncovered a wealth of insights, and how this was accomplished in 120 minutes remains a mystery to me. I was inspired by group members’ comments on the shared similarities between Paul’s suffering and that of Christ Jesus. Paul, as someone who walked with Christ, becomes an enduring example of spiritual leadership in the face of suffering.
Pop-up Theology, St Mary’s own new-found treasure, transformed me in a way my mind couldn’t possibly anticipate. This tends to occur when the Holy Spirit is involved. I’d encourage anyone and everyone to book a session that speaks to them—and do so with haste, as each session has only 10 spaces. Long may St Mary’s new-found treasure of Pop-up Theology (and St Mary’s current best-kept secret) continue for ages to come, God-willing.