2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: In the words preceding this text the apostle Paul has been speaking of the labour and conflict and endurance involved in a true profession of faith in Christ. And now that he has on hand to prove the necessity of enduring hardness in Christian life, he is ready with example as well as argument. "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to my gospel." But there is more in these words than a mere confirmation of what has gone before. They are a fresh battery brought up to the siege, adapted especially for an assault upon that strong citadel, the human will. But we have not yet got to the bottom of the apostle's meaning. If we have yielded to the influence of his words they have carried our hearts beyond the subject they were first intended to illustrate. His theme was the endurance of hardship, and his object to brace up the soul of a fellow disciple to this trial; but, in doing so, by the example of the Master Himself, lie has done more; for he has reminded Timothy that Jesus Christ not only suffered, but died; and as elsewhere and often he has taught the necessity of our dying by union with Christ, he surely means no less than to put us face to face with the truth in the present passage. Christianity is the masterpiece of God, the wonderful fabric into which He has woven all Divine and eternal principles; and there is no principle or characteristic of Christianity more plain or more abundantly illustrated than the appointment and use of death for the production of a higher life than that which preceded it. It would be strange, indeed, if man, whose peculiar honour it is to be "called into the fellowship of God's Son," were an exception to this rule of death and life; or if, in his case, it were only to be known by the dissolution of his earthly body. But Scripture teaches otherwise. Christ has not merely given His life a ransom for ours. He has done this, indeed, and this is the great news of the gospel; but He has done more. He has put Himself at the head of an army which must conquer as He conquered when alone — by suffering. And thus only can we understand His words, "If any man serve Me let him follow Me!" "He that taketh not up his cross and followeth not after Me cannot be My disciple"; "He that loveth his life shall lose it, but he that loseth his life for My sake the same shall find it." (J. F. B. Tinling, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:WEB: Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Good News, |
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