How does Saint Paul encourage Timothy to stir up the grace of his ordination and safeguard the deposit of faith in 2 Timothy 1?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Paul urges Timothy to stir up received grace, not be ashamed of the testimony or Paul’s imprisonment, hold sound words and keep what is entrusted by the Holy Ghost; Onesiphorus is commended for seeking and refreshing Paul.

Chapter breakdown

Saint Paul addresses Timothy as his beloved son in the faith, extending apostolic greetings of grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Remembering his spiritual son constantly in prayer both day and night, the apostle longs to see him again, recalling Timothy’s tears so that his own soul may be filled with joy. Paul calls to mind the sincere, unfeigned faith that dwells within Timothy, a vibrant faith that first lived in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and which now firmly resides in him. For this reason, Paul admonishes Timothy to stir into flame the divine grace bestowed upon him through the sacramental laying on of apostolic hands. God has not imparted a spirit of timidity or cowardice, but rather a spirit of fortitude, ardent love, and sober self-discipline. Timothy must never be ashamed of testifying to the gospel of our Lord or embarrassed by Paul's imprisonment; instead, he must willingly share in the afflictions accompanying the gospel according to the power of God.

The apostle explains that God delivered us and called us with a holy vocation, not on account of human deeds or personal merit, but according to His own eternal purpose and sovereign grace granted in Christ Jesus before all ages began. The edition’s illumination note explains the term as the Savior’s bright coming and appearing. This grace has now been made manifest through the luminous earthly manifestation of our Savior Jesus Christ, who conquered and abolished the dominion of death while illuminating incorruptible life and immortality through the gospel message. Appointed as a herald, apostle, and teacher of the nations, Paul endures imprisonment and hardship without shame because he knows in whom he has placed his faith. He rests fully persuaded that the almighty Lord is able to protect and guard what has been entrusted unto Him until the great day of judgment.

Paul commands Timothy to hold firmly to the pattern and standard of sound doctrine heard from apostolic preaching, guarding this sacred teaching in lively faith and Christian love. Entrusted with the sacred deposit of faith, the young bishop must preserve it unblemished through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Turning to personal circumstances, Paul recounts that all they who are in Asia, including Phigellus and Hermogenes, have turned away from him. In stark contrast, Paul invokes divine mercy upon the household of Onesiphorus, who repeatedly refreshed the apostle, unashamed of his chains. Arriving in Rome, Onesiphorus searched diligently until he found Paul, rendering loyal service just as he had previously ministered with generous dedication in Ephesus, leading Paul to pray that the Lord will grant him abundant mercy on that final day.

The story inside

Paul greets Timothy, remembers him in night-and-day prayer, longs to see him and recalls his tears and unfeigned faith alongside Lois and Eunice. He urges stirring up grace given by imposed hands and laboring with the gospel without shame. God’s calling and Christ’s illumination, explained by the edition as his bright appearing, ground Paul’s confidence despite suffering. Timothy should hold sound words and keep what is entrusted. Paul names those turned away in Asia and asks mercy for Onesiphorus, who searched for and refreshed him in Rome and ministered in Ephesus.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The chapter recalls Timothy’s tears without naming their occasion, and family faith without asserting a mechanism of inheritance.
2
Paul says God gave power, love and sobriety rather than fear and urges action; no subsequent response by Timothy is narrated.
3
Onesiphorus’s search and service are recorded, while his later mercy is a prayer rather than an accomplished outcome.

Test your recall

According to 2 Timothy 1, what three spiritual virtues did God bestow upon believers rather than a spirit of fear or cowardice?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 134672–134684
1:5. Calling to mind that faith which is in thee unfeigned, which also dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice, and I am certain that in thee also. 1:6. For which cause I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands. 1:7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power and of love and of sobriety. 1:8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but labour with the gospel, according to the power of God.
Lines 134686–134702
1:9. Who hath delivered us and called us by his holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the times of the world: 1:10. But is now made manifest by the illumination of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath destroyed death and hath brought to light life and incorruption by the gospel. By the illumination.... That is, by the bright coming and appearing of our Saviour. 1:11. Wherein I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles. 1:12. For which cause, I also suffer these things: but I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day.
Lines 134704–134708
1:13. Hold the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me: in faith and in the love which is in Christ Jesus. 1:14. Keep the good thing committed to thy trust by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us.
Lines 134710–134721
1:15. Thou knowest this, that all they who are in Asia are turned away from me: of whom are Phigellus and Hermogenes. 1:16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus: because he hath often refreshed me and hath not been ashamed of my chain: 1:17. But when he was come to Rome, he carefully sought me and found me. 1:18. The Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day. And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou very well knowest.