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Second Timothy chapter 1 verse 12

            The wording of the relevant part of this verse is:

“I... am persuaded that he is able to keep for that day the deposit I have entrusted to him.” (JND translation). “I... am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (AV). “I have been persuaded that he is able the deposit of me to guard to that day.” (Marshall’s literal translation).

            The first question is: “ To whom has Paul made the committal?” The context would suggest that Christ is the one Paul has in mind. More importantly: “What has he committed?” This is not specified. However, a passage that comes to mind is Isaiah 49:4. This reads:

“My judgment is with Jehovah, and my work with my God.” (JND). (Work may be translated wages or recompense)

            The context is helpful in both the above passages and should be read to get the full picture.

            The last passage is I think speaking of Christ prophetically. The background to both the statement in Isaiah and that of Paul is that they had to outward appearance both failed in their missions. Christ was cut off and had nothing (as to his rights down here) (Daniel 9:26) and Paul was in prison and tells us that all who were in Asia had turned away from him (verse 15). In both cases matters were committed to the one they served. Paul speaks of “that day”, referring no doubt to the time when the Lord comes to give rewards for service (Revelation 22:12). One would mention here that Christ and Paul were not the only ones whose service to outward appearance had ended in failure. John the Baptist ended being beheaded in prison (Matthew 14:10). One could also refer to an Old Testament prophet such as Elijah who thought his work had been a failure (1 Kings 19:10).

            The above should be a voice and a comfort to ourselves when as to appearances our work for the Lord seems to be a failure or at least partly so.

            It may be noted that Paul was in the first instance forbidden to preach the word in Asia (the province). May not the Lord with his foreknowledge have known that all who were in Asia would turn away from Paul and that therefore the work in Europe should have preference (Acts 16:6).

            There is one other passage that comes to mind and that is Acts 20:32 which reads:

            “And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace.”

Paul commits the saints to God; not to another man such as Timothy. They had been under God the fruit of his labours. They were now out of his hands, so to speak, and he therefore leaves them in God’s hands. See also Acts 14:23.

            We ourselves at sometime in our lives may have to commit our own souls to a faithful Creator as Peter says (1 Peter 4:19). Lastly, Christ Himself said: “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46). Christ in this is an example to us all. See Psalm 31:5. The Old Testament has a number of passages on similar lines which can be located using a concordance.

April 2008.