Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 2nd Letter Volume 54

Paul Declares the Faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ Act 2

2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. KJV

The Apostle Paul we saw in our last study/commentary was left at his first defence against the cruel and vile Roman Government alone to stand before their unjust body, yet he declares that he was never in actuality alone, for our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ was with him then and always during his earthly walk and now he testifies even more of the faithfulness of Christ Jesus our Lord to him and to every one of His redeemed, resurrected, and reborn children with these words speaking of himself at that time and place, "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (2 Timothy 4:18) (KJV). Paul did not avoid suffering while he sojourned down here on the earth, but he was saved, sustained, and supplied with every earthly need by our Lord Jesus Christ, so that he would accomplish the entire will of God that had been mapped out or ordained for him. The English word 'deliver' is translated by the Greek word rhuomai which is the middle voice of an obselete verb that means (as used here) to rescue or deliver from some bad act or acts. The English word 'from' is translated by the Greek word apo which is a primary particle; meaning 'off', that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively). The English word 'evil' is translated by the Greek word ponēros meaning (as used here) hurtful, that is, evil or malicious or wicked (properly in effect or influence). The English word 'work' used here is translated by the Greek word ergon meaning (as used here) by implication an act or deed.

So, in other words, Paul declares that our Lord Jesus Christ delivered or rescued him away from the evil and wicked influence or act or deed proffered to him by the devil, that is, presented to him for acceptance. Paul is not saying that our Lord Jesus Christ rescued him from every evil and wicked thing the devil did to him through evil men or two-legged devils, for we only have to remember these words written by him to the Corinthian believers speaking of what he had endured for the sake of the Gospel, "Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the deep. I have been in travels often; in dangers from waters; in dangers from robbers; in dangers from my race; in dangers from the heathen; in dangers in the city; in dangers in the wilderness; in dangers on the sea; in dangers among false brothers. I have been in hardship and toil; often in watchings; in hunger and thirst; often in fastings; in cold and nakedness." (2 Corinthians 11:24-27) (Modern King James Version), no these evil and wicked things happened to him literally, but he was delivered always from the evil influence from the devil to get him to turn away from the truth and water down his message of the Cross and take the easy way as did some others who apostatized, that is, abandoned true faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let us not forget that the devil tried to persuade even our Lord Jesus Christ to avoid the Cross and come into His Kingdom without suffering for the sin of the world, "And the Devil, leading Him up into a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the Devil said to Him, All this power I will give you, and the glory of them; for it has been delivered to me. And I give it to whomever I will. Therefore if you will worship me, all shall be yours. And Jesus answered and said to him, Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.'" (Luke 4:5-8) (Modern King James Version). So we see that Paul declares that he too was protected by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself from every evil work of the devil against him and he writes that our Lord Jesus 'will preserve' him into His heavenly kingdom and this little English phrase 'will preserve' is translated by the Greek word sōzō which means 'safe'; to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): Therefore, after declaring this, Paul just begins to praise our Lord Jesus Christ for His Mighty Power, Love, and Faithfulness to him. The little English phrase 'be glory' is translated by the Greek word doxa which means dignity, glorious, honor, praise, worship.

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say about this verse, "None of the evil designs formed against me to make me unfaithful or unsteady, to cause me to save my life at the expense of faith and a good conscience, shall succeed; my life may go, but He will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom. A continuance on earth the Apostle expects not; but he has glory full in view, and therefore he gives God glory for what He had done, and for what He had promised to do." Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say about this verse, "From wicked and unreasonable men, and all their attempts upon him, and from all afflictions by them; not but that he expected afflictions as long as he was in the world, but he knew that God would support him under them; and in His own time and way deliver out of them; and at last entirely by death, when he should be no more attended with them; and from all the temptations of Satan, and his evil designs upon him, and from sin and iniquity; not that he expected to live free of Satan's temptations, or without sin, but he believed that he should be kept from sinking under the former, and from being under the dominion of the latter; and should not be left to deny his Lord, desert his cause, blaspheme His name, and apostatize from Him." 

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…