A Strong Teacher

2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (KJV).  

I am sharing two more translations: NCV: You should teach people whom you can trust the things you and many others have heard me say. Then they will be able to teach others. NLT: You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.

Paul encouraged Timothy to be a strong teacher and be able to teach others, also. A strong teacher receives the truth. Timothy had heard Paul preach and teach the truth. Now the question: How did Timothy know that the preaching and teaching of Paul were true? The answer: By the many witnesses who bore testimony to the same thing. Many proclaimed that the promises of Christ were true. When they trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, something happened to them.

What happened to them? They received a changed life, a transformation of life so dramatic that they became as new men and new creatures. They received a deep sense of God’s presence. They received the absolute assurance of salvation from sin, death, and judgment to come. They received the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit. They received the assurance of living forever.

It is just simply stated that many witnesses confirmed just what Paul taught; there, Timothy could trust what Paul taught. And when he did, Timothy himself was converted. He experienced the truth of Christ and of salvation. The truth of God and of salvation is established forever. Christ Jesus, the very Son of God Himself, came to earth to reveal God and the way of salvation. Witness after witness down through the centuries confirms the truth. It is up to us to hear and receive it. A strong teacher will hear, receive, and pass on the truth to others. Then the person passes on the truth to others so that they in turn may teach others and pass the truth on down to future generations.

Today, we have the Bible because they passed it on to us since 2,000 years ago. The truth is to be committed to faithful believers. By faithful is meant a person who believes in Christ and in the Word of God and who is loyal, reliable, dependable and trustworthy.

The other scripture I also like to add, 2 Timothy 1:13 and 14 from NLT: “Hold on to the pattern of right teaching you learned from me. And remember to live in the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard what has been entrusted to you.”

So let’s hold on to God’s Word that will help us to be “a strong teacher.”

Dorothy