2 Timothy 1

“Apostle” means “official messenger,” such as a delegate or an ambassador sent to deliver a message. The title “apostle” came to mean disciples handpicked by Jesus to tell his story and spread his teachings. The title usually referred to the 12 original disciples of Jesus and to Paul, who met Jesus in a miraculous encounter while Paul was traveling to Damascus to arrest Christians (Acts 9:5).

More literally, “Christ Jesus our Lord.” This works today like a divine title. But in the early days of the church, “lord” referred to a boss, a master, or a person of high status or respect. “Christ” was the Greek version of “Messiah,” which in Hebrew meant “Anointed One,” as in a king anointed under God’s authority. A literal translation today might be, “Messiah Jesus our leader.” But early on, Christians started using “Christ” as more than the Greek word for “Messiah.” They used it as part of Jesus’s name. Paul may be doing that here.

“Great kindness” is often translated as “grace,” from the Greek word charis. The Greek word also means “life.”

“Laying on of hands” was part of a ritual to appoint people as church leaders, as it still is in many churches today. Other church leaders would rest their hands on the shoulders, backs, and heads of candidates for appointment, and pray for them.

The Greek word for “good news,” more literally “gospel,” is euangelion, from which we get words such as evangelize and evangelical. It’s a way of referring to the story and teachings of Jesus, and the great news about everlasting life.

Jesus defeated death by rising from the dead. That convinced his followers that death didn’t win. Eternal life wins.

Some ancient copies of this letter add “to the non-Jews.” Paul was most effective when he talked about Jesus to people who weren’t Jews. When he talked with Jews about Jesus, he often got run out of town, put in jail, or stoned (see Acts 13—14).

The letter simply says “until that day,” without adding the implied reference to the second coming of Jesus and Judgment Day.

In Roman times Asia did not refer to the Far East. It was the territory on what is now Turkey’s west coast. It was home to one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire: Ephesus, where Timothy ministered as a pastor.

The letter simply says “until that day,” without adding the implied reference to the second coming of Jesus and Judgment Day