1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5, Timothy: Preach the Word (2)

Let’s do a limited word study.  First, the noun “preacher” (the one who is a herald) is found in 1 Tim. 2:7 and 2 Tim. 1:11 (Paul was appointed a preacher and an apostle, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth), and in 2 Pt. 2:5 (Noah was a preacher of righteousness).  The noun “preaching” (the content of what is preached) is 8x in the NT.  These are insightful.  We previously mentioned Mt. 12:41/Lk. 11:32 in the reference to Jonah.  Here are the others.

·       Rom. 16:25: Paul says his gospel and the preaching (again, the content of Jesus’ message) is according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began.  Jesus introduced the mystery (e.g. Matt. 13, the mysteries of the kingdom of God parables) and Paul was assigned a major part of revealing this mystery (Eph. 3:1-13).  The content of NT preaching progressed beyond the content of Jonah and the other OT prophets (1 Pt. 1:10-12; Heb. 11:39-40).

·       1 Cor. 1:21; 2:4: It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  Then Paul says, his speech and preaching came not with persuasive words of human wisdom.  The content of the preaching is the “gospel,” the message that is God’s power to save (2:5).

·       1 Cor. 15:14: The preaching here, which is the gospel (death, burial and resurrection of Christ, 15:3-4), was what Paul was referring to in chapters 1-2.

·       2 Tim. 4:17: And Paul continued with this content as he stood before Rome near the end of his life, that the preaching might be fully assured (Youngs Lit. trans.).

·       Titus 1:3: This refers to the “mystery,” being the word of God “in due time manifested” through preaching (again, the content).

There is a definite consistency to the content of the message.  Paul made it clear that what Jesus started, and Paul expanded upon (having received it from Jesus), was to be continued through Timothy and we must conclude, us as well.  Paul did not make room for “continuing revelation,” additions to the content of the message, such as is seen in Catholicism and the Papal announcements.  Or in cults, such as the Latter Day Saints and their so-called another testament of the Book of Mormon.

Now, concerning the verb “to preach” in 2 Tim. 4:2, this is the only use in the Pastoral Epistles (other than 1 Tim. 3:16, Christ was “preached among the Gentiles”).  Paul did not use this particular term in encouraging Timothy and Titus.  But having said that, he uses it here in perhaps the last time he speaks to Timothy on the nature of his ministry.  The terms Paul does use (as those we have seen in 1 Tim. 4, and also the additional imperatives here in 4:2,5: rebuke, convince, exhort, watch, do the work of an evangelist) should be seen as supporting the ministry of “preaching the word.”  This ministry is fundamental to pastoral ministry and must not be allowed to be discontinued or replaced by “discussions” or “maybes” often hear from the pulpit.  There must be the ministry of heralding the word!