2 Timothy 1:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Apostle instructed his disciple not only by letters about what he ought to do, but also orally. He expresses this in many other places, for example when he says, “neither by word nor by letter as if from us” (2 Thess 2:2, 15). But he says it much more clearly here. Therefore let us not think that the teaching was handed down by him insufficiently. He taught his disciple many things without writing, and now he reminds him of this by saying, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you heard from me.” What do these words mean? He says, as painters do, so I too have drawn for you the image of virtue and of all that is pleasing to God. I have placed in your soul a kind of rule, prototype, and outline. Keep this. If you need counsel about faith, or love, or chastity, draw your models from there. You will have no need to seek a pattern from others, because everything is contained there.

“Hold fast the pattern of sound words.” Like a painter, I have written and drawn for you an icon and prototype. Looking at it, you too should paint the same outline of my words. Keep this prototype within yourself. When you need to paint something, take from it and paint, for everything is contained in it. “Which you heard from me.” Not only through letters, but also orally. Therefore let us not think that the letters we have are insufficient because they do not contain everything. The Apostle handed down much without writing. “In faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” That is, my words contain teaching both about faith and about love, meaning both dogmas and the proper life. Whether you need to dogmatize concerning what is fitting, or to speak, or to act, you must draw everything from there.

Therefore, be not only a preacher of words, but by your good works be a pattern of the words of truth which you heard from me, in true faith and in sincere love, which is in Christ Jesus.

Imitate painters, says the Apostle. As they gaze attentively at their models and copy images from them with exactness, so you also should have the teaching on faith and love which I handed down as a kind of model.

Before all things and in all things, think on the pious word of faith in which you were instructed. Let no tares grow in your heart, but preserve pure and unharmed the divine seed planted there. Then you will be able to present rich fruit to the Lord when He comes to demand from each an account of his earthly works and to reward each according to his labors. Then the righteous will shine brighter than the sun, while sinners will be condemned to outer darkness and eternal shame. Cf. Dan 12:2-3; Mt 13:41-43.

Since the Apostle had taught him many things concerning faith and life without writing, he now says, Have as your pattern those sound words which you heard from me directly, from my mouth. Keep the rules and ordinances that I impressed upon the memory of your soul. Or otherwise, “have the pattern” means hold firmly to that model and rule, guided by which you act and speak. Therefore, have the pattern of sound words which you heard from me, because they show you what you must do and what you must say. You “heard” and learned them by faith in Christ and by love for Him, that is, through faith and love.

“Have the pattern of sound words,” ὑποτύπωσιν. Just as painters and architects keep before their eyes a model or plan by which they regulate the execution of their work, so the Apostle drew a pattern for Timothy. This pattern was not only in the Epistle, but also in oral conversations. It was a pattern of virtue and of everything pleasing to God. We may add that the Apostle’s entire life was the most beautiful rule and model. By following it, Timothy could easily reach the state in which Christ might be formed in him (Gal 4:19). The chief features of this image are faith and love, because they encompass the whole teaching of Christ. This image is called the image of sound words in contrast to unsound and corrupt words, which lead to sickness and death.

A pattern is that with which one must agree or which one must imitate. What, then, is to be understood by the pattern of sound teaching, or the image of sound words? Timothy already possesses sound teaching. To hold also to the pattern of this teaching means nothing other than to preserve the exact exemplary exposition handed down by the Apostle. From this one sees that exact expositions of the faith existed in the apostolic Church. Preachers had to conform themselves to these expositions. They were studied by those receiving the priesthood, and likewise by those entering the Church. These are the so-called symbols of faith, preserved to our day and deriving their origin from the Apostles.

At the beginning of the instructive part, the holy Apostle Paul points directly to the fruit by which Timothy may first show that he is stirring up the gift of God received through apostolic ordination. Timothy must not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus. That is, he must not be ashamed of the preaching of His Cross, which is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks. If circumstances require it, he must also suffer together with the gospel of Christ. He must be inspired by the lofty meaning of the divine economy accomplished by the Savior. He must be guided both by the example of the Apostle Paul himself, his teacher, and by the example of Onesiphorus, who was not ashamed of Paul’s chains, while all the Asian disciples abandoned him.

The exhortation to hold to sound teaching with faith and love in Christ, and also to preserve the deposit of the gift of the Holy Spirit, has the same encouraging meaning as the preceding words. These concerned firm abiding in a Christian disposition under every difficult circumstance. According to St. John Chrysostom, the Apostle speaks here as if saying: “As painters do, so, having drawn for you the image of virtue and of all that is pleasing to God, I placed in your soul a kind of rule, prototype, and outline. The Apostle instructed his disciple not only by letters about what he ought to do, but also orally. He expresses this in many other places, for example when he says, ‘either by word or by our letter’ (2 Thess 2:15). But here he says it much more plainly.

The Apostle’s further exhortation was also useful to Timothy: not to be ashamed of the ridicule and disgrace then falling upon the preacher of the gospel who testified to Christ. This is the meaning of, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Timothy must suffer for the faith just as Paul does, because the power of God dwells in him. The Apostle recalls the greatness of this power to Timothy and points to his own sufferings for the gospel. In this way he further strengthens Timothy’s courage by his own confidence in his eternal salvation, his “deposit.” In teaching, Timothy must be guided by the pattern of faith, or symbol, ὑποτύπωσις, which he heard from the Apostle’s lips and surely remembered.

Verses 13 and 14 seem as though inserted into the course of the speech. Yet they only seem so. In fact, they form the natural conclusion or application of what has been said from verse 8 through verse 12.

Do not be ashamed, he said, of the Gospel proclamation, but suffer together with it. Then he sufficiently disposed and inspired him to this by the beneficence of the divine economy of our salvation, concerning which the Gospel speaks.

He also inspired him by his own example. Now, in conclusion, he adds: preach the Gospel without being ashamed or fearing sufferings for it.

But preach according to the pattern which I have handed down to you. Preserve my testament or tradition to you.