Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 2nd Letter Volume 2

Paul thanks God for & Prays for & Longs to see Timothy

2 Timothy 1:3-4 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; KJV

The Apostle Paul had just completed his prophecy of grace, mercy, and peace being unto Brother Timothy and now he thanks God the Father for Timothy with these words written to him at the beginning of this second letter, "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;" (2 Timothy 1:3) (KJV). When Paul tells Timothy here at the begining of this verse 'I Thank God', he is using a phrase borrowed from Latin meaning literally 'I have thanks and gratitude to God the Father for you Timothy'. Brother Timothy perhaps became the most trusted and the most fellowship with Brother 'in Christ' that the Apostle Paul ministered with during his ministry on the earth after they met one another. Paul had ministered with many other Christians, including the faithful Dr. Luke who wrote the Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke, yet Paul mentioned Timothy more in his letters to the Churches than any other person. When Paul writes 'whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience', he means that his service to God the Father then was the same YAWEH that Abraham, Iassic, and Jacob served hundreds of years before he was born, including his very own parents, grand parents, great grand parents and so on. The little English phrase 'my forefathers' is translated by the Greek word progonos meaning  an ancestor, (grand-) parent: - forefather, parent. Paul served God the Father in spirit and in truth and this is what he means here by a 'pure conscience', because he was not diluting, debasing, or destroying the Gospel, but instead standing for it in the Power of the Holy Spirit, which is what has landed him in prison as he now is writing this last letter to Timothy.

Remember this encounter Paul had with some of the non-believing Jews as documented for us by Dr. Luke, "Then Paul, gazing earnestly at the council (Sanhedrin), said, Brethren, I have lived before God, doing my duty with a perfectly good conscience until this very day [as a citizen, a true and loyal Jew]. At this the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood near him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit as a judge to try me in accordance with the Law, and yet in defiance of the Law you order me to be struck? Those who stood near exclaimed, Do you rail at {and} insult the high priest of God? And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was a high priest; for the Scripture says, You shall not speak ill of a ruler of your people. But Paul, when he perceived that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, cried out to the council (Sanhedrin), Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; it is with regard to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am indicted {and} being judged." (Acts 23:1-6) (Amplified Bible). Here is what Adam Clarke had to say concerning Paul serving the God of his forefathers with a pure conscience, "Being born a Jew, I was carefully educated in the knowledge of the True God, and the proper manner of worshipping Him. Ever aiming to please Him, even in the time when through ignorance I persecuted the Church."

When Paul writes 'that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day', he is telling Timothy how much he loved and cared for him and he showed said love by praying to God the Father for Timothy's precaution, preparedness, and protection during his daily walk and sojourn here on the earth with our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul had done many battles with the devil and his principalities and powers and he knew Timothy would face the same fierceness of attack from the enemy, so he prays for him day and night. These words written by Paul to the Ephesian Church were for the whole body of believers there, but it was an especially personal warning/message/reminder to Timothy who was in leadership there in Ephesus (because Paul had placed him there) (1 Timothy 1:3), "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies {and} the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist {and} stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]." (Ephesians 6:10-13) (Amplified Bible). Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say about Paul praying for Timothy night and day, "The language of love in absence is the same all the world over. It comes across all the intervening centuries like the speech of today: 'I never forget you.' But love should be sublimed by religion, and find its best expression in 'supplications.' Think of the prisoner in Rome, expecting a near death by violence, and yet telling his young friend that he was always thinking about him, Timothy, and wearying for him with a great yearning."

Paul expresses this yearning for Timothy and his well being with these words to him, "Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;" (2 Timothy 1:4) (KJV). The little English phrase 'Greatly desiring', that begins this verse is translated by the Greek word epipotheō meaning (to yearn); to dote upon, that is, intensely crave earnestly desire (greatly), greatly long after. Paul earnestly wanted more time to spend preaching and teaching the Gospel of Christ and the Word of God to Christ Church with Brother Timothy. It was Paul's remembrance of how distraught, dispirited, and downcast Timothy was when he realized that he might have seen Paul for the last time when he left Ephesus to sail to Cos and on to Tyre as it is recorded for us by Dr. Luke with these words, "Having spoken thus, he knelt down with them all and prayed. And they all wept freely and threw their arms around Paul's neck and kissed him fervently {and} repeatedly, Being especially distressed {and} sorrowful because he had stated that they were about to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship." (Acts 20:36-38) (Amplified Bible). Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say about this verse 2 Timothy 1:4, "How beautiful is that touch, too, that the remembrance of Timothy’s tears, when he had had to part from Paul, fed the Apostle’s desire to see him again! And how graceful, and evidently more than graceful, is the contrast between the tears of Timothy at parting and the hoped-for joy of Paul at meeting! No wonder that such a leader kindled passionate enthusiasm."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…