2 Timothy 4:1-2
1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is about to judge the living and the dead, and his appearing and his kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, encourage, with great patience and instruction.
Paul begins to wind down his letter by emphasizing crucial character qualities for Timothy to have. He makes this shift of focus clear with a solemn and serious charge that carries all of his apostolic and paternal authority. He calls the best two witnesses and stands in their presence to give this serious exhortation to Timothy. By calling on God and Christ Jesus, Paul makes Timothy accountable to them and attempts to motivate him to be faithful in the difficult mission in Ephesus. Christ is worthy to judge because he became human like us (John 5:27; Romans 2:16). No one is left out of the living and the dead; everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment will take place when Christ returns and establishes his eternal kingdom.
Five commands expand the charge from verse 1. First, Timothy’s central task was to preach the word. The word (logon) likely refers to the message about salvation in Jesus that Timothy would learn through the study of Scripture (3:15). Preaching can take many forms, not just the typical 30 minute Sunday morning sermon. To preach (kēryxon) means to proclaim and make known to others a message that has been entrusted to the herald. Each believer has been entrusted with the gospel. Some will will be called to proclaim it in public ways. Effective preaching takes prayer, study, and the development of speaking ability. Preaching is not only a human effort but is assisted and guided by the Holy Spirit, from the first moments of preparation to the last moments of communication. God anoints people to preach the gospel, and the preacher must be listening to God’s guidance.
Second, Timothy should always be prepared to preach. In season and out of season is inclusive for whenever he had an opportunity. Even if people did not listen or if it was inconvenient, he must preach. In season suggests that there will be fruit with people accepting the message and putting their trust in Jesus. Out of season implies that there will be times when the preaching falls on deaf ears, and it seems that people do not respond. Timothy must not give up in times like that. We never know what impact our words will have, and so we are called to proclaim the message faithfully, no matter what the response seems to be.
The next three commands are a group and similar to 3:16. Third, Timothy must correct people by pointing out sin and helping them repent. To call people to account takes courage that comes from knowing the truth, having pure motives, and speaking to people out of love. The fourth charge is more confrontational with the call to rebuke and hold people accountable. Rebuking someone is usually not pleasant because people often become defensive and emotional. We must express our deep love for the person and provide forgiveness and reconciliation when possible. Fifth, Timothy must deal with people positively by exhorting and encouraging them to make changes in their lives and hold firmly to the gospel. The word for encourage (parakaleson) is also used in reference to the ministry of the Holy Spirit as the “Comforter” in John 14:26.
The goal of Timothy’s preaching should be to lead people to faith and new life in Christ. The most effective way this would be with great patience and instruction. Patience is often required when helping people embrace new ideas and make changes in their lives. Teaching is an essential part of the discipleship process of learning to live like Jesus and follow his commands.
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