2 Timothy 3:11

3:10-13 The more fully we know the doctrine of Christ, as taught by the apostles, the more closely we shall cleave to it. When we know the afflictions of believers only in part, they tempt us to decline the cause for which they suffer. A form of godliness, a profession of Christian faith without a godly life, often is allowed to pass, while open profession of the truth as it is in Jesus, and resolute attention to the duties of godliness, stir up the scorn and enmity of the world. As good men, by the grace of God, grow better, so bad men, through the craft of Satan, and the power of their own corruptions, grow worse. The way of sin is down-hill; such go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Those who deceive others, deceive themselves, as they will find at last, to their cost. The history of the outward church, awfully shows that the apostle spake this as he was moved by the Holy Ghost.

What persecutions for the preaching of the gospel I was under; what afflictions I met with at Antioch in Pisidia, Acts 13:14,45,50 ; at Iconium, whither he went from Pisidia; of the afflictions he met with there also, read Acts 14:1-28 . At Lystra; what persecutions I endured: the apostle went from Iconium to Lystra, Acts 14:6 , there also he was persecuted, Acts 14:19 . Now it seemeth that in all these motions Timothy was in Paul’s company and a follower of him, so as he was a witness to all; which assureth us that though we first read of Timothy. Acts 16:3 , when he was circumcised, yet Paul knew him before. But out of them all the Lord delivered me; yet God delivered Paul from all these, and that Timothy, being all that time in company with Paul, knew; from whence the apostle would have him take courage, exercise patience under suffering for such preaching and such living, being assured that God would deliver him also, preaching the same truth, and living the same holy life, though he met with the same troubles, persecutions, and afflictions.

2 Timothy 3:11 . Ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ , ἐν Ἰκονίῳ , ἐν Λύστροις , at Antioch, Iconium, Lystra ) Acts 13:14 ; Acts 13:51 ; Acts 14:6 .— οἷα ) οἷς shows the weightiness of the matter in hand: 1Ma 5:56 , “he heard the valiant and warlike deeds , οἷα ἐποίησαν , how great were the acts which they did.” — οἶους διωγμοὺς , how great persecutions ) The noun repeated after the interposition of another adds perspicuity and weight to what is said. Διωγμὸς and πάθημα are species and genus: persecution is properly, when they drive a man from one city to another, or when they attempt to apprehend him in his flight; but suffering is any calamity in general, for example, when Paul was stoned, etc.— ὑπήνεγκα , I endured ) The mark of an apostle.— ἐῤῥύσατο , delivered ) Another mark, to be miraculously preserved; Psalms 34 (33):17, ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτούς , He delivered them out of all their afflictions .— ὁ Κύριος , the Lord ) Christ.

Persecutions, afflictions (διωγμοῖς, παθήμασιν) Διωγμός persecution, only here in Pastorals. Occasionally in Paul. Πάθημα, only here in Pastorals. Often in Paul, usually in the sense of sufferings, but twice of sinful passions, Romans 7:5; Galatians 5:24. Antioch, Iconium, Lystra See Acts 13:50; Acts 14:2 ff.; Acts 14:19. These cities may have been selected as illustrations because Timothy was at home in that region. See Acts 16:1, Acts 16:2. Antioch is mentioned by Paul, Galatians 2:11. Iconium and Lystra nowhere in his letters. Delivered (ἐρύσατο) Often in Paul. Originally, to draw to one's self; to draw out from peril. Paul, in Romans 11:26, applies the prophecy of Isaiah 59:20 to Christ, who is called a ὁ ῥυόμενος the deliverer, lxx.

2 Timothy 3:11 . Ἀντιοχείᾳ : Acts 13:14 ; Acts 13:45 ; Acts 13:50 ; Ἰκονίῳ : Acts 14:1-2 ; Acts 14:5 ; Λύστροις : Acts 14:6 ; Acts 14:19 . οἴους διωγμούς : There is no necessity to supply, with Alf., “Thou sawest”. καί : and yet . The verse is an echo of Psalms 33 (34):18, ὁ Κύριος … ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐρύσατο αὐτούς . See also reff.

Verse 11. - Suffering for afflictions , A.V.; what things befell me for which came unto me , A.V.; and for but , A.V. Persecutions ( διωγμοῖς ); as Matthew 13:21 ; Acts 8:1 ; Acts 13:50 ; 2 Corinthians 12:10 , etc. Sufferings ( τοῖς παθήμασιν ); usually so rendered in the A.V. ( Romans 8:18 ; 2 Corinthians 1:5 ; Colossians 1:24 . etc.); rendered "afflictions" in Hebrews 10:32 ; 1 Peter 5:9 . At Antioch ; in Pisidia ( Acts 13:14 ). For an account of the persecutions encountered by St. Paul at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, see Acts 13, 14 . It was at St. Paul's second, or rather third, visit to Lystra that he chose Timothy for his companion ( Acts 16:1-3 ). I endured ( ὑπενεγκα ); not simply "suffered," but "underwent," willingly and firmly suffered (see 1 Peter 2:19 ). As regards the construction, the antecedent to οῖα is παθήμασιν , and the difference between ἁ and οῖα is that ἁ would limit the reference to the actual παθήματα at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, but οῖα extends the reference to all similar sufferings. The proper English rendering is "such as befell me." But the clause at the end of the sentence should be rendered "what great persecutions I endured." As Bengel notes, " οῖος demonstrat rei gravitatem," and οῖους preceding the substantive with which it agrees ( διώγμους ), cannot be construed the same as οῖα the relative.

The sentence, οἵους διώγμους ὑπένεγκα , is an amplification of the preceding διώγμοις : "Thou hast fully known my persecutions...viz. what great persecutions I endured." And out of them all, etc. This is added for Timothy's encouragement, that he might stand fast in the face of persecutions and sufferings. Delivered me ( με ἐῥῤύσατο ). Had the apostle in his mind the clause in the Lord's Prayer, "Deliver us from evil" ( Matthew 6:13 )? Comp. 2 Timothy 4:18 , where the resemblance is still more striking. Observe the testimony to Christ's omnipotence in this ascription to him, in both passages, of St. Paul's deliverance (comp. Acts 18:10 ). 2 Timothy 3:11

11 . afflictions, which came unto me ] It is better to make the ‘afflictions’ go with the preceding, and make a new clause commence with the relative. So R.V. sufferings; what things befell me; what persecutions . The Antioch meant is that in Pisidia, originally planted by the Magnesians. Seleucus the son of Antiochus re-settled it, and called it Antioch after the name of his father: which name it kept, though under Augustus made a colony with the additional name of Cæsarea. Plin. N.H . v. xxvii. 24 ‘Pisidæ … quorum colonia Cæsarea, eadem Antiochia.’ Its ruins are still to be seen, one of the most striking objects being a very perfect aqueduct of twenty-one arches. See Lewin, Life of St Paul , i. 137. For the work and sufferings at Antioch see Acts 13:14-50 . The place usually understood by Antioch would be the large and important city of Antioch in Syria; but in writing to Timothy, whose home was in that district, St Paul would use the word with its well-known local meaning. Iconium lies S.E. of Antioch at a distance of sixty miles, on the dusty highroad connecting Ephesus with Antioch of Syria. It is still called Cogni, and, like Damascus, is an oasis in the desert, by the dry plains of Lycaonia. See Acts 13:51 to Acts 14:6 . Lystra lies about forty miles to the south of Iconium, on the same road, in a hollow, on the north side of which rises Kara Dagh or the Black Mountain.

Its ruins remain and are called ‘the thousand and one churches,’ it having been an episcopal see under the Byzantine emperors. This was Timothy’s birth-place. See Acts 14:6-20 . St Paul mentions these places and his sufferings there, (1) because they were the first, in his first period of ministry, (2) they were well known to Timothy and may well have led him to cast in his lot with the Apostle. See Introduction, pp. 57, 59, 62. but out of them all ] Rather, and , yet with an ascending force which marks a contrast, so that ‘and yet’ is hardly too strong; though the more exact rendering is to lay stress on ‘all’ and on ‘delivered,’ cf. Winer, iii. § 53, 3.

Persecutions - On the meaning of this word, see the notes at Matthew 5:10 . Afflictions - Trials of other kinds than those which arose from persecutions. The apostle met them everywhere; compare the notes at Acts 20:23. Which came unto me at Antioch - The Antioch here referred to is not the place of that name in Syria (see the notes at Acts 11:19); but a city of the same name in Pisidia, in Asia Minor; notes, Acts 13:14. Paul there suffered persecution from the Jews; Acts 13:45. At Iconium; - notes, Acts 13:50. On the persecution there, see the notes at Acts 14:3-6. At Lystra; - Acts 14:6. At this place, Paul was stoned; notes, Acts 14:19. Timothy was a native of either Derbe or Lystra, cities near to each other, and was doubtless there at the time of this occurrence; Acts 16:1. But out of them all the Lord delivered me - See the history in the places referred to in the Acts .