2 Timothy 2:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Remember,” he says, “the Lord Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, risen from the dead.” At that time some had already begun to distort the divine economy of our salvation, being ashamed of the greatness of God’s love for mankind.

Indeed, God’s benefits toward us are so great that people are ashamed to ascribe them to God. They do not believe that He showed such condescension.

“According to my Gospel,” he says. He often repeats in his Epistles, “according to my Gospel,” either because one ought to believe him, or because others preached another gospel.

In preaching this Gospel, says the Apostle, I endure the sufferings of criminals. But showing the power of the preaching, he added: “But the word of God is not bound.” Though hands and feet are bound, the tongue preaches the Gospel.

“According to my Gospel.” According to my Gospel about Him who rose from the dead, that is, as I preach the Gospel and proclaim Him among the Gentiles.

Or he said this in view of the false apostles, who also think that they preach the Gospel, though they speak something different and alien to the Gospel.

But Christ is risen, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive (verses 20 and 22).

This general significance of Christ’s Resurrection is disclosed with special eloquence by St John Chrysostom in his Paschal homily.

In explaining this passage, he notes that “at that time some had already begun to criticize the divine economy of our salvation, being ashamed of the greatness of God’s love for mankind. They said: is it possible that God received our poor nature? For God’s benefits toward us are so great that people are ashamed to ascribe them to God, and do not believe that He showed such condescension.”

“They considered it shameful for the Son of God to suffer. To the Jews this seemed a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. Therefore perhaps they invented the seeming nature of the Incarnation.”

The Apostle refutes all this by speaking of Christ the Savior as born from the lineage of David. By this, on the one hand, he affirms His human nature, and on the other hand His earthly dignity.

From the human point of view, and particularly from the Jewish point of view, one need not be ashamed of this dignity.

On the statement that the word of God is not bound, St John Chrysostom notes: “Whoever binds the farmer hinders the sowing. But if you bind the teacher, you will not hinder his word, for he sows with his tongue and not with his hand. Therefore our word is not subject to chains. When we are bound, it is unbound and advances. He says this to encourage those who are not bound. Do not lose heart. It is a great wonder for one who is bound to do the same as those who are unbound, and for one who is bound to conquer those who bound him. The word we preach is God’s, not ours. Human chains cannot bind the word of God.”

The Gospel is now being spread through others. This consoles the Apostle in his sufferings for the sake of the elect from among the Gentiles, who are called to salvation (cf. Col 1:24).

Third, Timothy should be moved to this by reflection on the consequences of faithfulness and unfaithfulness to Christ’s work.

Death and suffering with Christ give the Christian life and the kingdom. But denial and unfaithfulness toward Him bring upon oneself His wrath, since He is faithful in all things.

He will surely fulfill His threats upon those who deny Him.

How inspiring this is for zeal concerning the success of the faith and the perfection of believers, which rest upon archpastors.

Therefore the Apostle urges: remember the risen Lord, whom we proclaim, and by this be inspired for the labors of the Gospel and the good ordering of believers.

Christ Jesus is risen. Therefore our faith is true: He is the Son of God, incarnate for our salvation.

Therefore death has been conquered and the condemnation has been removed from our race. Therefore the path to heaven has been opened to us.

Therefore those who believe in Him, being one with Him, bear within themselves the foundation by which they too will be where He is.

Therefore those who labor in drawing believers to Him by the Gospel build up His body. Through this it grows and comes to its fullness.

When it reaches this fullness, it will put an end to the present order of things and begin the future, most radiant Kingdom of God.

See in what order the Lord has been pleased to appoint you as a laborer! Therefore be zealous.

Do you see what the risen Lord has done for us? It is inexcusable for you and me not to labor in the Gospel concerning this.

We know that the purpose for which all this was done can be attained only through the planting of faith in Him among men. This faith is born from hearing the Gospel.

Therefore labor in it zealously. Do not shrink before the inevitable troubles and sufferings that come with it.

The Lord too first suffered and then rose. So you also must first bear humiliating hardships, and afterward you will be crowned with the bright crown of success in your work.

Chrysostom says: “Why does the Apostle mention the Lord’s Resurrection here? To encourage the disciple and show the benefit of sufferings, since Christ our Teacher Himself conquered death through sufferings.

Remember this, he says, and you will have sufficient consolation. Remember this, and you will not fall beneath the weight of afflictions in the work of the Gospel” (Theophylact).

All our interpreters do not read “the Lord,” but only “Jesus Christ.” Yet since it is said immediately here, “risen,” this says the same as “Lord,” that is, Master of life and death and of all things.

In the Epistle to the Romans the Apostle says the same thing. According to the flesh, Jesus Christ is of the seed of David.

But His Resurrection from the dead assured us that He is the incarnate Son of God.

In connection with this, our interpreters resolve the question why the Apostle added “of the seed of David.” They suppose this was intentionally inserted by the Apostle.

He wished to show that the Son of God truly assumed real human nature, and did not merely appear to bear it.

“At that time,” says Chrysostom, “some had already begun to reproach the divine economy of our salvation, being ashamed of the greatness of God’s love for mankind.

They said: is it possible that God accepted our poor nature? For God’s benefits to us are so great that people are ashamed to ascribe them to God.

They do not believe that He showed such condescension.”

They could not deny that the whole fullness of the Godhead shone forth in the person of Jesus Christ (see Col 2:9).

Yet they did not know how to believe that it was possible for God’s almighty rule, and fitting for His goodness, to assume our nature essentially for our salvation and to dwell fully in Him bodily.

Therefore they “denied the assumption of the flesh and said that the becoming man was in appearance,” as Theodoret writes.

“They considered it shameful,” Theophylact continues, “for the Son of God to suffer. Therefore, perhaps, they invented the appearance of the Incarnation.

God so humbled Himself for our sake that these people are ashamed to ascribe such humility to God.”

“According to my Gospel” was added by the Apostle for a transition to what follows about himself. Or he added it in order to say: this is what I preach everywhere from the beginning.

When I tell you that Jesus Christ is of the seed of David, and at the same time, as risen from the dead, is the Son of God and God, I am not proclaiming something new to you.

This is my constant preaching, from the moment when the risen Lord Himself appeared to me and taught me this.

“There are others who preach differently, but one should heed not them, but my Gospel” (Theophylact from Chrysostom).