Verse 8
Jesus Christ is, of course, the greatest example of suffering hardship for a worthy purpose. Paul urged Timothy to meditate on His example too. This is the only place in this epistle where Paul arranged Jesus’ names in this order (cf. 1 Timothy 6:3; 1 Timothy 6:14; Titus 1:1; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:6). He probably did so to stress Jesus’ humanity and thus His exemplary conduct.
Paul may have intended his references to Jesus’ resurrection and lineage to provoke meditation on our Lord’s vindication and reign following His sufferings. Jesus was the culmination of a line of rulers whom God’s enemies consistently opposed and persecuted (cf. Acts 7). The record of Jesus Christ was part of the gospel Paul preached and the gospel Timothy was in danger of neglecting (2 Timothy 1:8). Paul could call the gospel "my gospel" because God had entrusted it to him.
"The perfect tense of the participle for ’raised’ suggests that Paul was stressing the result of Christ’s resurrection, the demonstration of his lordship (Romans 1:4), rather than the fact of the resurrection. . . .
"Second, the mention that Christ ’descended from David’ shows that Christ has messianic qualifications and is the heir to the glorious promises of God for David. . . .
"The memory of Christ cloaked with resurrection power and messianic dignity is an inspiration for Christian service." [Note: Lea, pp. 206, 207.]
"The Davidic Messiah who suffered and was raised from the dead is the very essence of Paul’s gospel." [Note: Knight, p. 398. Cf. 1 Timothy 3:16.]
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