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

I endure this, he says, for the elect: "Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." Here is another exhortation. I endure this, he says, not for myself, but for the salvation of others.

If I sought only my own good, I could live without distress and could suffer none of these things. Why then do I endure this? For the good of others, so that others may obtain eternal life. And what does he add? He did not simply say, for some, but "for the sake of the elect."

If God has chosen them, then we ought to endure everything for them, "that they also may obtain salvation." By the words "that they also" he explains and shows that they will receive it as we do, for God also chose us. As God suffered for us, so we too must suffer for them. In this way it will be a recompense, not a gift.

From God's side it was a gift, because He bestowed benefits upon us before He had received anything good from us. From our side it is a recompense, because we first received benefits from God and then suffer for those for whom we suffer, so that they may obtain salvation.

What are you saying? What salvation? Can one who is not the cause of his own salvation, but destroys himself, become the cause of salvation for others? For this reason the Apostle added: not such a salvation, but true salvation "in Christ Jesus," "with eternal glory."

Present circumstances are grievous, but they are only on earth. Present circumstances are burdensome, but they are temporary. They are full of troubles and sorrows, but only for today and tomorrow. The true good things are not like this. They are eternal and in heaven. The glory there is true glory, while the glory here is dishonor.

Listen, beloved. There is no glory on earth, but true glory is in heaven. Whoever wishes to be glorified should endure dishonor here. Whoever wishes to attain rest should endure afflictions here. Whoever wishes to rejoice and be blessed forever should despise what is temporary.

Let us try, as far as possible, to prove that dishonor here is glory, and glory here is dishonor, so that we may know true glory. It is impossible to attain glory on earth. If you wish to be glorified, it is through dishonor. Let us explain this by the example of two persons, Nero and Paul.

The first enjoyed worldly glory, the second endured dishonor. How so? Nero was emperor. He accomplished many important things, set up trophies, possessed inexhaustible wealth, and had countless armies everywhere. Most of the inhabited world was subject to him. The capital obeyed him. The whole senate bowed before him. His very palaces had a splendid appearance.

If he needed to arm himself, he went out clothed in armor adorned with gold and precious stones. If he needed to remain at peace, he sat dressed in purple. He had a multitude of spear-bearers and shield-bearers. He was called lord of land and sea, autocrat, augustus, caesar, king, and by many other such names, which flattery and servility invent.

In general, he lacked nothing needed for glory. Even wise men, rulers, and kings feared him and trembled before him. Yet he was also reputed to be cruel and shameless. He even wished to be a god. He despised all idols and the very God, the Master of all, and accepted divine worship.

What is higher than such glory? Or rather, what is worse than such dishonor? I do not know how my mouth, carried away by the truth, has run ahead and pronounced the verdict before the trial. But let us first examine the matter according to common judgment, according to the judgment of unbelievers, and according to the judgment of flattery.

What can be higher than the glory of being called even a god? Truly, it is great dishonor for a man to reach such madness. Yet let us examine the matter according to common judgment. Thus he lacked nothing needed for human glory, and all served him as a god.

Now, if you will, let us set Paul opposite him. He was a Cilician, and everyone knows the difference between Cilicia and Rome. He was a leatherworker, poor, untrained in worldly wisdom, able to speak only Hebrew. This was a language despised by all, and especially by Italians. They do not so much despise those who speak a barbarian language, or Greek, or some other language, as those who speak Syriac. Hebrew has a great resemblance to it.

It is no wonder that they despised this language. If they despise the wondrous and beautiful Greek language, much more do they despise Hebrew. Paul was a man who often suffered hunger, lay down to sleep without strengthening himself with food, and had no clothing with which to cover himself. As he himself says, he lived "in cold and nakedness" (2 Cor 11:29).

Moreover, he was in chains, into which he had been cast by the command of this same Nero, together with robbers, magicians, tomb-robbers, and murderers. He was punished as an evildoer, as he himself says (2 Tim 2:9). Which of the two, then, is more glorious?

Many do not even know the name of Nero. But is not Paul glorified daily by Greeks, barbarians, Scythians, and those living at the very ends of the inhabited world? Yet let us not speak of what exists now. Let us examine what was then.

Which of them was more renowned? Which was more glorious? The one who was dragged from prison in chains and bonds, or the one who came forth from the royal chambers in purple? Certainly the prisoner. Why? Because Nero, though he had an army and sat in splendid clothing, could not do everything he wished. But this prisoner, shut up as an evildoer and clothed in poor garments, did everything with sovereign freedom.

How and in what way? Nero said, do not sow the word of piety. Paul answered, I will not cease to sow, because "the word of God is not bound" (2 Tim 2:9). The Cilician, the prisoner, the tentmaker, the poor man, the man suffering hunger, resisted the Roman, the rich man, the reigning emperor, the commander of all, who distributed thousands to thousands. And the latter, despite the multitude of his army, could do nothing.

Which of them, then, was more glorious? Which was more worthy of respect? The one victorious in chains, or the one defeated in purple? The one standing below and overthrowing, or the one sitting above and being overthrown? The one commanding and meeting contempt, or the one receiving commands and paying no attention to them? The one alone and victorious, or the one surrounded by countless troops and defeated?

The king withdrew, and the prisoner raised a trophy of victory over him. Tell me, in which of these two positions would anyone wish to be? Do not speak to me of the consequences. Consider for now the positions themselves. In which would anyone wish to be: Paul's or Nero's? I am not speaking with regard to faith, for that is obvious, but with regard to glory, renown, and nobility.

Everyone of sound mind would say, in Paul's. If it is more glorious to conquer than to be conquered, then Paul is glorious. Nor is this alone important, that he conquered, but that, while being in such a condition, he conquered one who was in such a condition.

Thus I shall say again, and shall not cease saying it: the man bound in chains conquered the man clothed with the diadem. Such is the power of Christ. Chains conquered the royal crown, and the former proved more glorious than the latter.

Paul was dressed in filthy rags, as one living in prison. Yet the chains with which he was bound attracted everyone more than purple. He sat on the ground in confinement, with bowed head. Yet all streamed to hear him, leaving the one who sat in the golden chariot.

And rightly so. It is an ordinary thing to see a king sitting on a white horse. But it is extraordinary and astonishing to see a prisoner answer a king with the same boldness with which a king would answer a poor and wretched slave. A multitude of people stood around, and all were the king's servants. Yet they did not marvel at their master, but at the one who had conquered their master.

He alone trampled underfoot the one before whom all feared and trembled. See what his glory was even in chains. And what shall I say of what followed? The tomb of the one, Nero, is unknown. But the other, Paul, lies more gloriously than all kings in the very capital where he gained the victory, where he raised the trophy.

If anyone remembers Nero, even among those close to him, he does so with revulsion. They say he was also a profligate. But Paul is remembered with praises everywhere, not only among us, but even among his enemies. When the truth shone forth, even enemies cannot persist in resistance. They marvel, if not at Paul's faith, then at his boldness and courage.

The mouths of all, everywhere, proclaim Paul and exalt him with praises. Nero they cover with insults and reproaches. Which of them, then, is glorious? Yet I have imperceptibly begun to praise the lion by his claws, instead of speaking of what is truly worthy of praise.

What is that? What will be in heaven: how Paul will appear with the King of heaven in radiant form, and how Nero will then stand sorrowful, with bowed head. If my words seem incredible and ridiculous to you, then you yourself are ridiculous, laughing at what is not worthy of laughter.

If you do not believe the future, then believe what has already happened. The time of crowns has not yet come, and yet this athlete has already been counted worthy of such honor. What glory, then, will he receive when the Judge of the contest comes? He was a stranger among strangers, a sojourner and foreigner, and he earned such admiration. What good will he not receive when he is among his own?

"Your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). Yet the dead man acts and is honored more than the living. What will he not receive, and what will he not attain, when our very life comes? For this reason God counted him worthy of such honor here, not because he needed it. If even during bodily life he despised glory from men, how much more after departing from the body?

God counted him worthy of such honor not only for this reason, but also so that those who do not believe the future may be assured of it at least from present things. I say that Paul will come with the King of heaven at the resurrection, and that he will be counted worthy to enjoy countless good things. The unbeliever does not believe. Let him then believe this from present events.

The tentmaker is more glorious than the king, and is held in greater honor than the king. No Roman emperor has been counted worthy of such honor. The king lies somewhere outside the city. Paul occupies the center of the city, as though he were a king, and a living one at that. Therefore believe also the future.

If here, where he was driven and persecuted, he was counted worthy of such honor, what will happen then, when he appears again? If there, where he was a tentmaker, he became so glorious, what will happen then, when he comes in the brilliance of the rays of the sun? If after such abasement he reached such greatness, what will he not attain when he comes again?

It is impossible to deny what has taken place in deed. Who will not be convinced by the fact that the tentmaker became more glorious than the one admired above all kings? If something beyond nature has occurred here, still more will it occur in the future.

Believe, then, O man, the present if you do not wish to believe the future. Believe the visible if you do not wish to believe the invisible. Or rather, believe the visible, and you will believe the invisible. If you do not wish to do so, then it is fitting for us to speak the words of the Apostle: we are clean from your blood. We have taught you everything and have omitted nothing that should have been said (Acts 20:26). You yourselves are to blame if you make yourselves worthy of punishment in Gehenna.

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect.

Here is another exhortation. I endure, he says, not for myself, but for the salvation of others. I do not endure so that I myself may be glorified, but for others. Who are they? The elect of God. Therefore, if God has chosen them, we must endure everything for their sake.

That they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus.

They also, as we have. As God suffered for us, he says, in order to save us, so we suffer for them. Therefore this is repayment, not a gift.

I endure all things, so that, even through my bonds, those chosen ones who hear me may receive the promise of life in Christ Jesus. Thus they may obtain the glory that is in Christ, that is, on the day of Christ's glory.

Therefore it is said also to the soul: "Your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's" (Ps 102:5). And he addresses the soul when he says: "Bless the Lord, O my soul" (Ps 103:1). Therefore the soul also hastens toward the Word and asks to be united with Him, so that it may not be abandoned by Him. For the word of God moves swiftly, and there are no bonds for it.

I bear every kind of affliction with love, so that the worthy may be counted worthy of salvation and become partakers of that eternal glory. For the Master has counted believers worthy not only of salvation, but has also promised them imperishable glory. Having thus shown the reward for labors, the Apostle adds: "Faithful is the saying: if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him."

"Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect." For this reason, that is, for what? For the sake of the elect, for those who will believe, whom God chose according to His foreknowledge. Or else "for this reason" is used in place of "nevertheless." Or it means: because Christ died for us, so that we might be saved, as was said above. "That they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus." That they too, having been taught the faith and having believed in Christ, may attain salvation through Him. "With eternal glory." That they may attain salvation joined with eternal glory, not with the temporary glory here, but with the eternal glory there.

They will obtain salvation with eternal glory. The calling to Christianity is an election to blessedness. Yet it was conditioned not by God's arbitrary will, but by His foreknowledge of the human will.

That is, remember that the Lord rose from the dead after a life spent in labors and sufferings. Being true man, sprung from the root of David, He showed in Himself an example for all men.

From this example everyone sees that the glory of Christ’s Resurrection was necessarily preceded by Christ’s sufferings and labors.

The holy Apostle Paul walked the same path. For he says that, because of Christ’s gospel, “I suffer even to bonds, as an evildoer. But the word of God is not bound,” and so forth.

The same path inevitably lies before every good pastor. “The saying is faithful: if we died with Him,” that is, with Christ, “we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us,” and so forth.

That is, after the labors, sorrows, and even persecutions endured in the field of pastoral ministry, glory in Christ Jesus awaits pastors. By this they must encourage themselves.

The saving hopes of which the Apostle speaks here and below, in verses 12 and 13, have the same arousing and strengthening force. These hopes are founded chiefly on Jesus Christ.

For the apostolic preaching is preaching concerning His name and salvation through Him. Therefore, as certain as His glory is, so certainly will those who preach Him be glorified. So too will all who truly believe unto salvation by His power.

After commanding Timothy to enter more deeply into the meaning of these instructions, the Apostle requires the same attention to the exhortations that follow. In them he sets before Timothy the motives for faithful fulfillment of his duties.

First, Timothy should be moved by the Resurrection of Christ. Christ had the same flesh as Timothy, yet after suffering and death He rose to new life.

Second, he should be moved by the example of his teacher and fellow-worker. For the cause of the gospel he was cast into bonds. Yet the enemies could not bind the gospel itself, which was now spreading through others.

This consoles the Apostle in his sufferings for the sake of those chosen for salvation from among the Gentiles (cf. Col. 1:24).

To inspire labor in the Gospel, Saint Paul presented himself as an example of tirelessness in these labors, which even bonds did not cut off.

But by what was he himself inspired? Besides the truth, divinity, and radiant brightness of what was preached, impressed on mind and heart by the Lord’s Resurrection, he was inspired by the desire for the salvation of God’s elect.

He was inspired also by active love for them. He commanded Saint Timothy to remember the risen Lord so that Timothy might be inspired by this for pastoral labors, as Paul himself was inspired for apostolic labors.