2 Timothy 1:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In this case, even the seven thousand years considered appointed for the existence of the present world may be called “eternal times.” A thousand years embraces a great span of time and may be called an age. The words “before eternal times” may mean that the mystery of our salvation in Christ was determined before the creation of the world. If God, by His own will, so benefited us while we were His enemies, then He will all the more benefit and enrich us with powers if we are well-pleasing to Him. “Who abolished death.” He crushed it in His own flesh, which rose from the dead, came to life again, and dies no more. “For death,” says the Apostle, “no longer has dominion over Him” (Rom 6:9). “And brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel.” He brought to light, manifested, and showed us blessed life and immortality through the preaching of the gospel. Here Euthymius Zigabenus evidently has in mind the opinion of those who expected the second coming of Christ exactly seven thousand years after the creation of the world, in 1492.

It was prepared from eternity, before eternal years, and has now been revealed through the illumination, in Russian, the manifestation, of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel. Through preaching, Christians are called to the life and incorruption acquired by Jesus Christ, the destroyer of death.

It may mean “manifested in Himself,” according to Oecumenius, bringing it into the open, into the light, and into view for all. It may also mean that He enlightened men by teaching concerning it and by faith in it. This great grace, the divine economy of salvation, was appointed from eternity, but was hidden. Now it has been manifested in the Savior. The Apostle depicts the Son of God’s good pleasure toward us in order to inspire St. Timothy not to be ashamed of testimony to the Lord and Savior. He should willingly enter into suffering with the gospel, as if saying, “There is something worth suffering for.” “Therefore do not be ashamed, but suffer together with the gospel. Then he strengthens him by his own example,” says Bishop Theophan.

Timothy must regard this pattern of sound teaching with faith and love. He must preserve and use the special gift imparted to him, the good deposit, cf. verse 6, not according to his own human reasoning, but by heeding the voice of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in him.

Theodoret explains the manifestation as fulfillment: “From of old and before the ages, the God of all predestined this. Now He has brought what was predestined into fulfillment.”

Oecumenius joins proclamation to manifestation: “From eternity God marked out beforehand that we should be saved. This has now been made known from the Incarnation of our Savior and God.

For the counsel of God, that the world should be saved through faith, has now been made known, and not at any earlier time.”

In the word “manifested,” or “revealed,” both are combined: the fulfillment and the proclamation of it. The fulfillment itself was already revelation and proclamation.

Yet the fulfillment of the plan of the divine economy of salvation was not accomplished merely so that it might be seen. It was accomplished so that, having seen and heard, people might believe.

By faith they become partakers of the very grace hidden in the incarnate divine economy. Therefore it is openly proclaimed to all, so that proclamation is inseparable from the appearing of the Savior.

“Who has destroyed death and brought life and incorruption to light through the Gospel.” How and by what did the incarnate Son of God make manifest the grace hidden from eternity?

He did so by destroying death and making life and incorruption shine forth. Both were accomplished by the one act of the Resurrection.

In the Resurrection, death was destroyed and incorruptible life shone forth. For the Lord and Savior, when He rose, clearly rose through victory over death and its destruction.

He who conquered and destroyed death no longer dies, and death has no dominion over Him. Therefore incorruptible life is brought forth into the light in Him.

Both things were revealed in deed only in the person of the Savior. In Him death was destroyed, and in Him incorruptible life shone forth.

For the universal destruction of death and the shining forth of incorruptible life, a firm foundation was laid in this. The accomplishing power was also contained in it, which will bring this to pass in its own time.

The Lord and Savior destroyed death and made incorruptible life shine forth in Himself, not for Himself, but for us, for the human race.

We truly become partakers of this through a mystical and gracious, yet living, union with the Lord. Through it, a firm foundation is laid in us for the destruction of death and the shining forth of incorruption.

But now this is worked in a hidden manner. It will come openly at the end of the ages.

Now only the seed of it is laid. The tree of life will arise from this seed in its own time.

The grace of the divine economy of our salvation, formerly hidden, was truly and effectively manifested in the Lord and Savior.

So also the power of the destruction of death and the shining forth of life, now hidden in us through communion with the Savior, will undoubtedly be manifested in its own time.

Chrysostom says: “In the body of Christ both of these, life and incorruption, already were and are. In our body they will still be. This is the object of our hope.”

“Brought to light,” φωτισαντος, may offer two thoughts. It may mean “manifested in Himself” (Oecumenius), brought out into the open, into the light, for all to see.

It may also mean that He enlightened us by teaching about this and by faith in it.

Thus Theodoret writes: “The Only-begotten Word, having become man, ended the dominion of death and granted us the promise of eternal life.

The Apostle expressed this by saying ‘brought to light,’ instead of ‘fore-showed.’”

Theophylact combines both thoughts. He says both that the Savior manifested it in Himself and that He enlightened us by hope. The latter is believed on the basis of the former.

“In His own body the Savior destroyed death in deed, making it incorrupt. He enlightened us by the Gospel to hope for life and incorruption.

For we have not yet been made incorrupt in deed, but we are to be so. The Gospel establishes us in this hope.”

“Through the Gospel,” δια του ευαγγελιου, should nevertheless be referred to everything said about the divine economy of salvation.

This great grace was appointed from eternity, but it was hidden. Now it has been manifested in the Lord and Savior.

In Him is the whole fullness of the divine economy of salvation. We can become partakers of it only through living communion with the Lord.

This communion begins by faith, is effected in the mysteries, and comes to perfection and completion by life according to faith in grace.

Without the beginning, however, the end cannot be expected. Since the beginning is faith, and faith is the fruit of the Gospel proclamation, the Apostle added δια του ευαγγελιου.

He added it as the absolutely necessary means for participation in the grace of the divine economy of salvation.

Let us return a little. All this depiction of the grace of God in the ordering of our salvation was marked out from eternity.

It entered into action in the Incarnation of the Lord, and by its action extends through all eternity.

This depiction of God’s work of benevolence toward us is so majestic, all-embracing, and joyful. The Apostle made it to inspire Saint Timothy not to be ashamed of testimony concerning the Lord and Savior.

He wished him willingly to enter into co-suffering for the Gospel. It is as though he said: there is something worth suffering for.

“Do you see what power? Do you see what gift has been sent down to us?” (Chrysostom).

“Therefore do not be ashamed, but suffer together with the Gospel.” Next the Apostle strengthens and warms the same inspiration by his own example. I too, he says, suffer for the Gospel, but I am not ashamed.