2 Timothy 2:2

Just as Paul had passed the torch of ministry on to Timothy, so now Timothy should do so to other men who gave evidence that they too would be faithful. These should in turn instruct others who would follow them.

"Faithfulness negatively consists in their not losing, neglecting, ignoring, or falsifying (like the false teachers mentioned in this letter) what Paul has said, and positively consists of their ’handling accurately the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15).

"Since the task committed to these faithful ones is that of teaching others also, it is certain that they are the same group of whom Paul wrote in 1 Timothy, the presbyters who ’work hard in word and teaching’ (1 Timothy 5:17), and also in Titus, the presbyters/overseers who are ’holding fast the faithful word that is in accordance with the teaching’ so that they are ’able both to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict’ (Titus 1:9)." [Note: Knight, p. 391.]

This discipleship process involved instruction in the truths of the faith and companionship in ministry. The reference to "witnesses" would have reminded Timothy of Paul’s bold preaching on many occasions. It would have encouraged him to renew his commitment to Paul’s life-changing gospel and to Paul personally.

"This is the true apostolic succession of the ministry: not an uninterrupted line of hands laid on which extends back to the apostles themselves so that all ordinations which are not in that line are null and void; but a succession of true apostolic doctrine, the deposit of what we still hear from Paul in his writings, this held by us in faithful hearts with competency to teach others the same things. The apostle did not evidently expect the future teachers of the church to produce new or different teaching." [Note: Richard C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon, pp. 778-79.]