Series: New New
2 Timothy 1:6-7 ESV
When I was younger I rarely ever read the New Testament books written to Timothy. Looking back, I think the reason was that I didn’t have context related to the relationship between Paul and Timothy. The two letters (books as we call them) were written to Timothy from his dear friend and mentor Paul.
It seem to me that when we read the ancient letters we need to be reminded how difficult it was to write and send a letter in the ancient world. After all they could not type the words on their computer and push send.
So we are reminded and grateful for the miracle of this particular text where Paul told Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6-7), “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
We know from Acts 16:1-3 where Paul first met Timothy, “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”
We get the idea that Paul had an immediate connection to Timothy.
As his mentor Paul was telling Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 that God had given him great gifts, Paul wanted Timothy not to be afraid of his gifts because they were a great gift from God that were filled with power, love, and self-control.
When Paul wrote the second letter to Timothy he was in prison in Rome. This was the second time he was imprisoned. Scholars estimate the letter was written between 64-65 A.D. and Paul was martyred shortly after he wrote to Timothy.
I imagine Paul had a good idea what was about to happen so he wanted to say specific things to Timothy. The Spirit would have been preparing him for this time.
Timothy was in Ephesus when Paul wrote to him for the last time. The courier carrying the letter to Timothy from Timothy to Paul would have traveled around 830 miles to deliver the letter. Travel time in the 1st Century was around 50 miles in one day by camel or horseback. So it would have taken around 16-17 days to deliver a letter.
Letters in the New Testament that were hand written and delivered might give us ‘pause’ and remind us of the miracle of all ancient texts. Letters were written on papyrus (hand made paper) using handmade ink. For example charcoal or soot mixed with plant gum made ink. We get the idea that writing a letter was not an easy task.
While in Seminary I went to a museum that had a display of the Dead Sea scrolls and it contained pieces of letters from the 1st Century. It made me really realize the texts we have today are a miracle. Even more miraculous was the system of passing and translating the letters from one century to the next.
I remember taking early British Literature in college and it was the most difficult reading I’d ever done. The first sentence of Beowolf says, “ "Hwæt! We Gardena in gear-dagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon".
I remember buying the book and opening it to read that first sentence. I was young and I knew this was not English. To make matters worse we were not actually given a fully translated text. We were expected to study it to translate it. The translation tells us it says, "Listen! We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes in days of yore, how those princelings carried out deeds of courage!". Years ago I remember thinking the translation barely helped.
It is believed that Beowolf was written around 650 to 800 B.C. and the copy of the text we have is from around 1000 B.C.
At the time I was a taking Spanish three and I remember thinking how much easier the Spanish was to translate.
I remember considering retaining Beowulf as a miracle.
How much more so was the text of New Testament. We have the educated scribes in the 1st Century to thank for their care and preservation of the text!
Spiritual Practice: Miracles
Consider the miracles of retention of ancient texts and rejoice!
In God, Deborah
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