2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)
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: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Timothy is a young pastor. Paul is the old missionary. The dynamic between them is that of father-son. Timothy needs the guidance of his elder and Paul needs to the purpose of mentoring. When Paul and Barnabas split their ministry (Acts 15), it was over Barnabas wanting to mentor John-Mark, while Paul wanting to war forward with his second missionary trip. From that variation of purpose, Paul learned something. He, too, needed to mentor and grow someone. Timothy was his focus. In the above passage we see his focus for Timothy formalized into a plan. Paul has a seven step plan for Timothy:
1. Remember your ministry is in the presence of Christ, the coming King, who will judge you and others at that coming. Timothy, like all ministers, might be tempted to fear man, but Paul warns him to fear the coming Christ, his only observer to please.
2. Preach the Word. Timothy is to preach the Word, “in season and out of season.” Timothy is not to develop his own doctrine. He has a doctrine and it is the writings of Paul and the other Apostles and OT writers. He is to use those “words” when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. He is to be ready at anytime. This is not a scheduled teaching session. It is to be prepared at all times to “herald” the Word.
3. His teaching is to “reprove.” Timothy was just warned (chapter 3) that the end times would bring about “itching” ears. People would want them senses titillated. But, Timothy was not just to teach them what they wanted, but rather what they needed. He was to reprove them.
4. His teaching is to “rebuke.” Whereas “reproving” would be to confront their sin to move them positively forward, “rebuking” their sin was to stop them in their tracks. Perhaps the best way to see the distinction in these two words is that one is to convince them of a better way (reprove) and one is to condemn the way they are on (rebuke). A minister of the Gospel has to do both of these.
5. His teaching is to “exhort.” This is the positive side of his teaching. Yes, convince them their current path is wrong. Yes, condemn them that their current path is damaging. But, also commend them and encourage them to move forward on a positive path of sanctification for God.
6. Which ever one of the three (reprove, rebuke, extort) he is doing, Timothy is also to be patient with whoever his teaching. He is NOT to become like them, but rather set an example of patience in ministry and his walk with God, before them.
7. His “preaching” (heralding) is to take on the form of “instruction” (teaching). This is the Greek “didach.” This gives Timothy is pattern for “teaching.” He is to follow the “teachings” of the Church. He is to have a formal approach. This is doctrine at its best. He is not to simply herald the Word, he is to systematically design his teaching so that his audience is moved along in doctrine to better formalize their walk in sanctification.
Paul wanted to teach Timothy how to be a minister. He outlines his passion for him by giving him the same thing ministers of the Gospel should have today. We have an outline to follow for success. Nothing else trumps these instructions for our purpose as ministers of the Gospel.
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